Sunday, January 17, 2004

Happy New Year!! It's been a while since there's been an update....computer glitches that Rick can explain better than I can- but we're back up and running now, so I have some catching up to do! So...December. Finals. I made it through without too much of an ado. Balu turned 1 on 12/13. I always said he'd be lucky to see 1 year. Rick and Preslee threw him a little party, complete with party hats and wrapped squeaky toys and a cow hoof! He tired himself out - fell asleep in the car with his hat on, seatbelted in, head on a squeaky toy. So cute! Christmas popped up before I knew it and I found myself totally unprepared. Rick, Preslee and I spent the day before Christmas driving to Scranton to pick up a 6-week old Golden Retriever puppy that Rick and his sister, Kim, were giving to their parents. We stopped on the way home and bought a big red bow (it was as big as the puppy) and Rick went in the house and got everyone in the living room. They thought I had gone home, so when I walked in carrying Rylee, it was a total suprise. Rick's mom just stopped what she was doing, walked up to me and said "she's beautiful" and took her from my arms. Rick's dad got right on the floor and played with her. It was the purest example of love at first sight that I have ever seen. Now, at 9 weeks old, she's better house-broken than Balu is! I went to Nikki's family's Christmas Eve celebration - they have a special dinner and have some wonderful traditions. It's a total honor to be included with them. Dad had promised me to take a nap during the day so I told him I'd see about taking him to the 11pm service. He was ready to go about 9:30 - so I picked him up and he sang in the choir and did wonderfully! I was so proud of him. Christmas morning/noon, Bob and Tasha and I met at Dad's for lunch and exchanged presents. (Dad was the only one who put up a Christmas tree this year!). Even Greta was ready for Christmas with a red and white furry collar. She wasn't to thrilled with Balu being there though - even with his Santa hat. Later that afternoon, Bob, Tasha and I went to Mom's for a leisurely afternoon and evening of presents and a wonderful dinner that mom made. It was a really nice Christmas. Santa made sure I was well taken care of, and I spent the day with my family. The day after Christmas Rick's family traditionally celebrates a Mass in memory of his mom's mother. I was honored to be invited. We all had breakfast together and then Rick, Preslee and I visited both my mom and my dad to exchange presents. I was home on break, so I got in a routine of sleeping until early afternoon. I was actually pretty bored - Nikki was home that first week, but after that, everyone was working, so I had little to do. Caught up on movies, played on the internet, slept...and actually started going back to the gym. Rick and I spent New Year's Eve together - having dinner and going to a party for midnight. I didn't start back to school until the 12th, so I spent a lot more time sitting around...ended up catching the bad cold/flu that Rick had, so that kept me in bed for a few days. My friend Michelle from Vancouver made a last minute trip home and I got to pick her up at the airport. Her mom had a stroke so she's been at the hospital every day. I started school again on the 12th - I'm doing parent-child this semester, and I'm totally excited. The first day of clinical was so much fun! We toured the labor and delivery unit, post-partum unit, newborn nursery and neo-natal ICU. We got to check a new baby into the nursery, and I got to see some of the teeniest people I've ever seen - I totally think that's what I want to do!! I'm starting off in the post-partum unit, but I'll get over to the nursery and NICU sometime in the next 6 weeks. Yeeha!! The first week of school is over and I'm really happy to be back in the swing of things.

Wednesday, February 4, 2004

Today Aphrodite died. She was 15 1/2. (7/17/88-2/4/04) She had a stroke on Saturday morning and started having trouble with her back left leg. She's been losing weight steadily now for a few months, but had pretty much stopped eating. I barricaded her onto the second floor with a litter box and food. Aurora stuck right by her for days, licking her off, and just keeping her company. The vet gave her an appetite stimulant yesterday morning, but it was just beyond our help by then. When I found her this morning, she was covered in poo...and had lost control over her bowels in three rooms on the second floor. She tried to get in the litter box and fell out. I knew then it was time, but my heart wasn't ready to accept it. I came home from clinical and found her curled in the litter box, asleep. She could barely move. I called my mom who came right away from work. By the time she got there, Aphrodite didn't even respond to noise - it was like she was already gone in her own little world. I took her out of the litter box, she fell over, got up and tried to get back to the box, but fell down exhausted with her head hanging over the edge of the box. After a few minutes she had the strength to get back in. The sight of my beautiful, proud, strong girl like that just broke my heart. I made the call to the vet and mom drove us up there. By then, D wouldn't really move, and wasn't purring. I knew then it was time - that cat purred all the time - if she was sleeping and you said her name she'd purr. When they took blood at the vet, she purred. If you looked at her cross-eyed, she purred. When I said goodbye to her, I picked up her head, and kissed her, and she didn't purr. She looked me in the eyes though. They took her back and that was it. I've been crying since Saturday, but this was different. Mom stayed a while, but when she left, the house just felt empty. I tried to clean up the mess, but couldn't do it. I couldn't throw out her medication. All I could do was cry. Deborah came home, and Nikki came over with dinner. She even cleaned up the bathroom for me. I know I did the right thing, but I just hope Aphrodite thinks I did. I hope she's no longer in pain. I hope she's happy and healthy and fat and chasing a toy in heaven. I hope she's watching over me and Aurora. And although I know I ended her suffering, when I see her again someday, I hope she'll forgive me for ending her life.

Thursday, February 19, 2004

Ok we're finally back up and running for real this time, and I have catching up to do!! Yesterday in clinicals was the best day!! I'm in my OB rotation and have had horrible timing - three days in L&D and no births. I saw a C-section a few weeks ago and almost passed out in the OR. One day in the nursery where I stood and watched. The nursing staff at the hospital aren't too keen on having students around. So..yesterday the nurse I was working with was a VU grad and let us do everything! We were in the room for a "regular" birth which was just so amazing. The doctor pulled us aside and explained stuff to us, and we got to do the assessment on the baby, do the footprints on the official paperwork, and all the needed nursing actions (I even got to do a catheterization for the first time) until they were both ready to go up to post-partum and the nursery. Seeing the baby come into the world, watching the family welcome him - the dad crying, the mom nursing for the first time...I'm not afraid anymore!! I'm not saying I'm ready for my own just yet, but I'm not so scared of the process anymore! I left the hospital so excited - I felt like I had done something!

Saturday, February 21, 2004

I have the world's most badly behaved dog!!! He's usually just crazy, but this week he's extra bad!! I've found him on the radiator cover in the living room, eating the plants and pawing at the dirt. Today he knocked over a vase of flowers on the coffee table and shredded them along with a piece of mail in the living room. He ate a pair of shoes the other day and Deborah's earmuff yesterday. He tries to eat the spines of books on my shelves, and he's eaten three wooden drawer pulls right off the drawers. Today he got his tennis ball caught up in the sheet on my bed and I thought he was going to eat the entire sheet to get at it. I caught him gumming the handle on the portable heater and trying to eat the lock on the passenger door of my car. He paws and scratches, harasses the cat, and poops in the hallway. Even when he sleeps he snores like a freight train and is a bed hog. I'm sure he's bored so I took him for a good walk today and that just seemed to make him worse! ARGH!! It's a good damn thing he's cute!! He's currently in his crate (for his own safety) so I'm getting a free moment to finish up my ethics paper and update the website. Lord knows what he'll do when I let him out again.

Monday, February 23, 2004 - Happy Birthday Mom!

It's Mom's birthday! We celebrated by going to Coyote Crossing for dinner - me, Rick, Bob and Tasha. Mom flew in from a business trip this afternoon. I love that restaurant, and Mom did too! If you haven't been there, you should go! MMM. I came home to the bad dog...he's so extra bad lately! I think he knows he doesn't have much longer to torment Deborah. She left tonight to go to the hotel - she takes the bar tomorrow, and has been studying for weeks. I hope she passes! I'm sure she'll sleep for a few days straight once she get home.

Tuesday March 2, 2004

Ahh Spring Break! Sitting around doing a lot of nothin. Sleeping, working on half finished projects, cleaning poop out of the basement from the sewer backing up (EW). Lots of stuff I could be doing, but I'm not doing much more than resting. Other than that, loving the spring-like weather!

Monday March 8, 2004

Ok so I spent the entire break doing NOTHING. :) I did get out on Thursday and shadowed a school nurse at a school for extremely disabled kids though. That was such an experience! I knew the kids were going to be disabled, but I wasn't prepared mentally for just HOW disabled they'd be. Only one out of the 20-25 kids there could even speak - she was 7 or 8 and could say "Yay!", "bye", and point at things and say "Dah!!". She was one of the few that reacted when you talked to them. So many of them were just non-communicative. Staring off into space, and crying and screaming if they needed something. they ranged from 5 to 21 years old - but they were all so small no one looked over 14. I did more tube feeds on that one day than I have done in all of nursing school. It was just an incredible experience - I've been thinking about it ever since. Tomorrow I start my pediatrics rotation at CHOP - I'm excited! Not excited about being back on the train early in the morning, but excited to get back into a hospital with a lot going on. My mom reminded me tonight that this semester is my last time being in a hospital as a student - that struck me. Wow - I'm closer to being done than I am to having started.

It was Preslee's birthday over the weekend too - she had a bowling party at a big recreational center up near where she lives - it was fun! She got a ton of presents and was thoroughly exhausted by the end of the day. Ah, to be 8 years old again...they have some really cool toys out these days!!

Wednesday March 10, 2004

Somehow I have managed to fall down the steps again. I don't know how I keep doing it, but I have a big old purple bruise on my butt again, and my back is killing me. Ugh. I guess I'll be headed to the chiropractor for the first time soon. This time I managed to fall on the dog - I thought I broke him, but apparently I just scared him. He shrieked and took off up the stairs, only to try and bite Deborah when I yelled for her to check and see if he was ok. He was fine, just a little unnerved. As was I - sitting on the dining room floor wondering where the steps went.

Tuesday March 16, 2004

Deborah moved out yesterday - Rick and Preslee will be in in the next week or two. I'm so excited! I spent last evening moving stuff around the house, from room to room, and of course, paid the price for it with a throbbing back all night. Yeeha. Preslee's furniture will move in this weekend, so the rest of the big stuff will wait until then - until I have help!!

Monday was our first day on the floor at the hospital for our pediatric rotation. We just observed and oriented to the floor - we were paired up and given three patients each. My partner and I actually only stuck with two of them - a little two year old with Downs and some GI issues that was being discharged. He had the best advocate in his mother - although I could see her being a nurse's nightmare. The other patient was a kid who had stepped on a toothpick - all the way through the foot! He was waiting to go to the OR and his whole family ended up showing up - even the grandfather from NY! The nice thing about this rotation is my group is in from 7a-1p and the next group is on the same floor from 1p-7p, so I was able to check with fellow classmates today on how they were doing, since they'll both be discharged by the time I'm back in tomorrow morning. Both of them were sooo cute - and it was nice to see the difference in patients - one with a chronic condition and one otherwise healthy and "fixable". I think I'm going to like this rotation! Tomorrow we start with our own patient for full care so I'm a little nervous, but with a little practice and time I think it's going to be great!

Tuesday March 16, 2004

I hate writing papers. Of course I always wait until the last minute...although I do have the latest one almost done and it's not due until Tuesday...I had NO motivation to work on it Friday or Saturday and spent most of both days watching TLC. There's only so many Trading Spaces and While You Were Outs you can watch before they start re-running. I'm learning to knit too, so I've been in front of the tv knitting. Ok wait, I'm only 29, right?! Ack.

Monday March 29, 2004

I am hitting that mid-semester wall. Papers, exams, stress of clinicals...I love clinicals, but they are emotionally wiping me out!! There's only so much you can do for some of these kids and it's frustrating. I know I'm seeing the serious cases - with CHOP being the #1 pediatric hospital in the US - but it's still frustrating. Getting through the beginning of this week will be a challenge, but then it should even out for a little while, and then we actually get a few days off for Easter. The dog has had a bad few days - reverting to puppyhood at its worst, although technically he's still a puppy. He pooped in the house three times today!!! Rick has figured out that between the dog, cat, mice on the first floor and squirrels in the attic, and myself, there are five types of mammals living in this house - and that doesn't include the fish tank! I'm waiting for the birds to build the annual spring nest in the roof or the front porch and my zoo will be complete. (yes I'm perfectly happy not having reptiles. No snakes!! That would be enough to make me move out.)

Friday, April 9, 2004 - Happy Birthday Haley!!

Thank goodness for small breaks. Easter break at a catholic university isn't so small either!! I think I've figured out where I want to work....I can't believe we're almost done the semester...and then only have a few weeks from there!! Rick and Preslee are here now too, yay!

Monday, April 19, 2004 - Happy Birthday Dad!!

Ok what happened to spring?! It was too cold to have the windows open the other day, and today I could almost turn on the AC!! Ack. At least the plants got moved outside today, and things are blooming and getting planted outside, which makes this one of my favorite times of the year. Of course, so is Christmas, October, August... Heading into finals for school, then only a few more months and I will be Michelle, BSN, GN. Sheesh. Who'da thunkit? Before I know it that GN will become RN and I'll be a real nurse. Hopefully by October. :)

Friday May 7, 2004

Time flies....I'm done for the spring semester! I finished up my 8 day leadership rotation in the ER at Crozer-Chester hospital and I totally totally loved it. I think that's what I want to do!! I'm off for three weeks now - and hopefully I'll get to catch up on the life I've been missing lately. Mom and I are going to Maine for a long weekend...which isn't like going like we used to, but it's better than not at all!! Two more months and I'm done!!!

Thursday May 13, 2004

Today I picked up my cap and gown for the graduation festivities this weekend. Seems a little odd since we're back in classes June 2, but we're not going to have a celebration in August, so it's now or never, right? It did seem a little odd. I remember picking up my cap and gown in Syracuse and being giddy about it. This feels very different. I think that has a little to do with the program being so fast...4 years in 14 months. We'll see how I feel in August. For now, I'm just enjoying having some time off!

Wednesday May 19, 2004

Convocation was great! Check out the picture of me and Mom wearing our three generations of nursing pins! I'm spending the vacation catching up on life and resting a ton. Mom and I are headed up to Maine for the weekend tomorrow, and I cannot wait. Keep an eye out for pictures!

Friday May 28, 2004

Maine was awesome!! It was a really great time to recharge - for both my mom and myself, Maine is our happy place. I will be going back up in August with Rick. Other than the trip, I've been relaxing and enjoying the break. I start the last part of my nursing education next week. Only 66 days till I'm done!!

Tuesday June 1, 2004

Rick and I adopted a new kitten this weekend. He's about 7 weeks old and matches Balu. Check out the pictures - he doesn't have a name yet, but he's on the bottom of the cats page. I start back to school tomorrow - and then I'm so close to being done. I can't believe the vacation has gone by so fast.

Tuesday June 15, 2004

Good Lord time flies. June's half over already. We went on the annual Luber's camping trip over the weekend - it was beautiful out - we had a great time. Rick came home with sunpoisoning, I came home with the flu, and Balu came home with a bacterial infection. Lovely, huh?!

Sunday June 27, 2004

Rick and I have both recovered from our illnesses, but Balu has gotten worse! He ended up with bacterial colitis and spent a night in the hospital. He's still not back on regular food yet, much to his chagrin. School is progressing along - only about a month to go - that's hard to believe!! Guess I need to get on the ball and look for a job!!

Monday June 28, 2004

Today marked the last day of our home-care rotation. I worked with the same patient through most of the rotation, and I found myself getting attached to her! She was the sweetest older woman - we went out to visit in pairs since there was no supervisor going with us, and today when Annie and I showed up, there was a little giftwrapped present on the table in the chairs we always sit at. I called Mom on the way home and asked her how do you keep from getting attached, and she told me that it happens with some patients. They've taught us that we have to maintain a distance, but in this setting it's tough! I talked to my instructor about it afterwards and she said the same thing - that it happens. She then told me the story of the person she got attached to in her clinical rotation. She also let me know that it's ok to keep in touch with my patient if I want to, which I think I want to do. Once again, Mom was right. She told me not to be so nervous in the beginning of this rotation and that couldn't know then what our visits would mean to some of these people. It felt really good to make a difference to someone - we each got our presents, but we got something even better - a big hug and kiss from the patient (who had tears in her eyes) when we left.

Monday July 4, 2004 - Happy Independence Day!

Nice long weekend....good air conditioning...

Sunday July 11, 2004 - Happy Anniversary Bob & Tash!

Balu's had a tough week...his colitis came back, and to top it off he got bit by something, a spider we think, and had to be in the ER twice this week. His face swelled up like a balloon. He was on 5 different meds as of Saturday, but they got some tests back and found that the colitis is actually a parasitic infection, so the meds have been switched and hopefully it'll start to get better. I'm getting tired of having to clean him up after he goes to the bathroom. On a lighter note, we started our health promotion rotation this week. We're working with a day-shelter in West Chester with a mostly Hispanic population - some of whom don't speak english, and some who have no healthcare because they're illegal immigrants. We started with first aid, we're doing screenings Monday and Nutrition on Wednesday. We've gotten a $1000 grant for the project, and we've also gotten a ton of things donated. I think we're really going to make a difference with this group - and it's really exciting! Only three weeks until graduation...

Saturday July 17, 2004

Haley's home!! Haley moved home from Colorado yesterday. She'll still be doing travel work, but plans to make PA her home base, at least for now. It's going to be great to have her home again. I remember crying quite a bit when she moved back out there. Balu's finally doing better, although he's still on medication and a special diet. It'll probably be a month before he's back to normal completely. The nealth promotion rotation has been tough. After a really great first day, apparently we've been sabotaged from within the community by a certain person who's a little threatened that we're on her turf. It's very frustrating, especially since the ones losing out are the population we're targeting. We've found some ways to get around the issue though, so things are not a total loss. I guess we're learning some good real life lessons, huh? Graduation is looming closer every day! I finally applied for a job, so it's really happening!

Friday July 23, 2004

I think it's finally hitting me tonight how close I am to graduation. I'm working on an interview at Crozer, and I graduate in a week! Good Lord. Time sure has flown. This clinical rotation has been phenomenal - working with a poor population that need so much. We've been so lucky to be able to help them out. Working in the day shelter, doing home visits and making our own assessments of the situations....all on our own with minimal supervision. Pretty soon I won't be a SN anymore, but a GN. I think when that becomes an RN I'm going to have a heart attack.

Wednesday August 3, 2004

I graduated!!!

Monday August 9, 2004

I'm employed!!! I start at Crozer on September 13th. Wow. How odd.

Thursday August 19, 2004

I have been doing absolutely nothing and loving it! We had the party last weekend - despite the rain it was great - so wonderful to see everyone I've missed so much! Yesterday I went shopping for nursing clothes for my new job, so I guess I'm official now. Those scrubs and sneakers that got me to go into nursing in the first place are finally my wardrobe! Good news - I was asked to join the nursing honor society - Sigma Theta Tau. Induction is in October. I ended up graduating with a 3.68 - who'da thunkit?

Sunday September 5, 2004

Rick and I just got back from vacation in Maine - celebrating my 30th birthday. I start work in another week, so I'm enjoying the rest of my time off. We had a really great, relaxing time in Maine, and I got to show Rick my most favorite place in the world. For my birthday and graduation, Rick set me up with a 20 gallon fish tank - something I've missed having for the past 8 years! I'm so excited about it. Look for pictures soon. Rick got my old 3 gallon tank and picked up two Oscars for himself. They'll outgrow the tank soon, but for now they're cute, even if they are man-eating!!

Friday September 10, 2004

My last day of freedom! I start work on Monday! I'm excited, but nervous too. I hate being NEW. Aurora had her surgery on Wednesday on her eye so hopefully that will fix her eye problems. I've started car shopping, and it looks like it's going to happen before I thought it would. It's going to be a 2005 Subaru Forester.

Tuesday September 21, 2004

Ok So I started work! I was in orientation all last week, so I didn't start on the floor until this week. Yesterday I got up at 5:30am, put on my new scrubs, got in my new car, and drove to work. Apparently I parked in the valet section of the parking lot, becuase as soon as I opened the car door, some guy was running at my car yelling at me that "the law is still the law!!". I moved my car and went inside. I got on the floor and no one knew who I was becuase my manager had written my name down as Nicole Desisomething. I got that straightened out and found out my computer access wasn't working correctly, even though I knew my password (which I had left at home on a piece of paper), which they were convinced I wasn't remembering right. I met my preceptor for the day, and she started off at a fast pace - not telling me a thing, or letting me doing a thing. She kept disappearing and doing stuff without me. Some teacher! As we walked out of the first patient's room, my 14K gold VU nursing pin fell off (at least I heard it hit the ground so I didn't lose it). I asked my preceptor a question about a calculation in the afternoon and she lit into me about 'how did you get out of nursing school without knowing that stuff', and 'we got tested on that stuff'. Then when I was close to tears, she went and had to ask someone else how to do the calculation. She went off and taped report without me, and while she was gone the phlebotomy lady came by and wanted me to sign off on something - which I can't do yet. When I told her that and found my preceptor taping report, she flipped out on me, cursing and yelling about how she hated some of these *&%* nurses. She was loud enough that the nurse manager called down to her boss. One of the patients asked me a question and I responded with "hold on, let me get your nurse" before I realized that was me. By the time I went home I had figured out quite a bit and become a royal pain in the ass with all my questions to the preceptor. I left work, called mom from the car and said "I know nothing!!". Mom laughed and told me about her first day as a new nurse - when she would have paid anything not to be wearing the white uniform and cap. Welcome to nursing, right?!

Today was better - I felt much more comfortable on the floor and with what I was doing, and my preceptor was much nicer and more receptive to questions and letting me "get my hands dirty". I still have a long way to go, but at least I didn't get close to tears today! As Mom predicted, today was only 90% as bad as yesterday - it's all up from here!

Thursday October 21, 2004

I passed the NCLEX - the national nursing boards!! I'm an RN!! YAY!!!!!!! Work is getting better - I'm getting used to people and the floor and learning a ton. I'm even getting used to the killer hours!! (5:30am comes early)

We had quite an evening at home....I was on my way home, in Chester, and saw this beautiful, bone-skinny white dog running around on the side of the road, looking for food. I pulled over and called her over. She'd obviously had a litter at some point, but wasn't nursing anymore. She was scared silly of me, but wanted to come over, so I sat still for a while and she eventually came over. As soon as she sniffed my hand she sat right down, wagging and leaned on me. She was filthy and had some cuts on her - she had one blue and one brown eye. She smelled and her nails were really long. I gave her the granola bar I had in the car and she hopped right in. She was about 50 lbs, skin and bones, and gorgeous and such a sweetie!! She sat in the car and kept putting her head on my shoulder and wagging at me. Rick met me outside with a leash - first thing he said was "Michelle, that's a pure bred Pit Bull". She stood on her hind legs and tried to lick his face as soon as she saw him. I brought her some food and called the vet - I was thinking that if she did ok meeting Balu I could get her cleaned up and fixed and maybe keep her or at least find her a good home. Balu came to the door and they both wagged and were all excited so after a bit I put Balu on a leash and slowly brought him out - She was on a leash and it took all Rick's strength to hold on to her and Balu was all hyper and she lunged and picked him up by half his head and ear. Rick pulled back, I pulled back and Balu went up in the air with his head in her mouth. I grabbed his body to support him and and she let go - she wasn't growling and was wagging - she was just instinctually doing what she knew - not out of anger or fright. Balu was totally fine - not phased in the least and not hurt at all. So - we put her in the car and headed to the SPCA, knowing that they won't adopt out Pit Bulls - they put them to sleep. We called a Pit Bull rescue and left a message and dropped her at the SPCA in Conshohocken. The SPCA woman walked up to her and she flipped on her back to be rubbed. They said there that she was obviously from a fighting ring - she had wounds and was poorly taken care of. If she wasn't trained to fight she was bred with fighting dogs and knew how to defend herself. You could just tell from her personality that if she had just been raised from a puppy by someone who loved her she would have been a phenominal dog. They said they'll keep her for 7 days since she is coming in as a stray, then she'll be put down. I lost it at that....but there was nothing more we could do - as Mom said, it was more humane than to leave her on the streets in the cold and with no food, or to be brought back into a fighting ring in Chester, and that this will probably be the best week of her life - she'll have food and warmth and love and be clean and probably get antibiotics as comfort measures. I feel guilty though...but the second she got Balu by the head I freaked, and I can't do that to myself, or Rick, or Preslee or my pets. It's so sad!!! She was so beautiful and sweet. :( I came home and cuddled with Balu for a little.

Sunday October 24, 2004

Today I was inducted into the national nursing honor society - Sigma Theta Tau, Alpha Nu chapter! Mom is an active member herself, and was appointed my mentor. She flew home from a meeting early just to be there today, which was really nice. I got to see a few people from my class too - Katy had tears in her eyes she was so excited to see people! It just made me realize how much I miss everyone. Now that I have a little time to breathe, I definitely want to get back in touch with people I haven't been so good about keeping in touch with.

Tomorrow is back to work - last week I was there for only three days, but I had a great preceptor all three days and I worked my butt off, but she was totally great. She showed me new stuff, and walked me through stuff I had never done before, just so I could get the experience. Asked if I had questions all the time and was so helpful. Exactly what a preceptor should be! She put me in the job of nurse and stood aside and helped out when asked and observed and critiqued when needed. She took me aside on Friday and told me to pull it all together and tell her what I had learned about the patients I had. We went over the current and past diagnoses and what should be done differently, and what was being done right and why. It was great! Totally what I needed. She's not back in until Thursday so we'll see who I get tomorrow through Wednesday, but I'm feeling more confident, and hopefully I'll get put back with her again on Thursday. That's what it should all be about - taking someone under your wing and teaching them how to fly! Definitely the kind of teacher I hope to be someday, and even now with the students on the floor.

Monday, November 22, 2004 - The day after Rick's birthday!

I survived my first week of working third shift - 11PM to 7am...it wasn't nearly as bad as I expected, althoughI am finding it hard to keep my eyes open at the moment. I'm back on first shift for a few days this week, off for Thanksgiving and then second shift on Friday. Who knows what next week will bring? Yesterday we celebrated Rick's birthday with dinner at the house with his family and mine. His parents got to see his house for the first time and I think everyone had a good time. Thanks to Mom for cooking me two lasagnas - it really saved my butt with cooking, what with being so tired and all!

Thursday, December 9, 2004

I have been horrible about updates! Things have been going well - work keeps me busy. I am done orientation and on my own as a nurse on Monday - time flies!! 3 months already. I feel like I'm still learning a ton! So - check out the pictures link - I'm putting up pictures of Rick's birthday and decorating the Christmas tree with Preslee last weekend!

Sunday, December 26, 2004

Rick and I are engaged!
He asked me three weeks ago what I wanted for Christmas, and when I jokingly (half seriously) responded "a diamond", he said "yeah, realsitically what do you want?". He spent the next few weeks talking about how short he was on cash this holiday. He did a really great job of making sure I thought it was never going to happen anytime soon. We decided to exchange Christmas presents at about 3am Christmas morning, as we were finishing wrapping all the presents for his daughter. When we got done, Rick reminded me that I hadn't opened my stocking. I walked to the fireplace, found a little black box at the bottom of the stocking and started shaking. Reminding myself not to look disappointed if he was cruel enough to give me a little black box with something other than a ring in it, I opened it and saw the most beautiful diamond solitare ring. I screamed "you're kidding me!!" and turned around, where he was standing, took my hands and asked me to marry him.
I couldn't be happier, and everyone who knows Rick, the self-confirmed lifetime bachelor himself, is completely shocked and thrilled. We'll keep you up to date with the plans as they're made. (link to the page here)
I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday - I had the best Christmas ever!