Moving Day and an Interuption in Service

Moving Day has arrived and thus the loss of the Internet connection for at least a week. We are moving to a very rural, aka the rustic looking house, area and thusly have some crazy broadband satellite radio signal type of thing for Internet, kinda like the Dish but not. So it takes them about a week after order to get the tech sent out to climb where ever on your house and install the thing. So by next Friday it should be up. I HOPE!!

So last night at clinical I realized that yes OR seems like where I would like to work. But also I realized that I think as far as the learning environment I want to spend the rest of my clinical experience in, I think I prefer Med/Surg at this point. How many people actually say that? So given the opportunity to go back one final time to the OR this rotation, next week. I was thinking of not going. Except I would have to do an extra careplan. Hummm... on second thought!

However, it wasn't that the OR experience was bad, because it wasn't. I actually got to help and the doctor even asked me to get him a lot of things. So the first two bloody surgeries were very cool! The last surgery was laperscopic and lets just say that that is damn BORING!!

Life gets in the way

Sometimes the best laid plans are the ones that aren't planned. Or some such nonsense. Soooo burned out with school and I have no idea why. Maybe its a case of Senioritis, because technically " graduation" is less than two months away now. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, plus for as long as I can remember, from childhood play acting, to high-school dreaming, to Aug 2007 when I started this journey, my goal was to be a Nurse. Designating LPN or RN at the time was not important, I just wanted the N... and now it is soooo close. I am excited and nervous and just plain can't wait to be able to say, Yes I am the Nurse!

Of course the RN portion is coming, but it's had to move to the back burner for a few reasons.
1.) Because I need to work and can no longer afford to concentrate on school, and am not able to do both in the specific program I had planned to attend.
2.) Because I did not over extend myself this semester as I had originally planned to do.
3.) Because I am tired
4.) I lack motivation, and without motivation there is no heart! After all who would put themselves through the trials and tribulations and the stress of Nursing school without heart! You gotta want this bad to put up with this crap!!

On the actual school front its OR Clinical again today! Woot! I have to finish up my Careplan from last week. Which actually won't take me long, as the only thing I have left to finish is an explanation of bowel obstruction(Boring). I have a test on Disorders of the Reproductive System and L&D on Tuesday. I have a take home midterm from IV class, that is crazy hard to finish up... and oh yeah I am MOVING this weekend! I haven't managed to nail down an installation date for the Internet and it was a wild goose chase with the electric company about the address of service yesterday. I think once the move is over, my focus can return to school and I can rock these next few weeks. Only 1 month and 25 days left!! Eeeek!

Skipping Class

I can't believe I had to miss a day of class to go to the dentist to find out the swelling is still too much and there is nothing they can do yet. I have never missed a day of class before, it doesn't count against us this semester, but I will have to make sure I don't miss anymore just in case. The dentist did up my antibiotic dose to 300mg q4h from 150mg q6h. So here's hoping it'll work and I'll get relief.

So back to the OR on Thursday, I need to read three chapters for IV class, I have a careplan to finish typing up, and I need to get to studying for my first OB exam on Tuesday! The motivation is sooo gone I am glad I am taking a semester off instead of going right on through to the RN year. I just need to get to that glorious NCLEX test!

So moving day is also fast approaching, hope my remaining student loan check comes in soon as thats the money we are using for the move to cover a few months rent while I finish up school and job hunt!

Balloon face

Half of my face looks like one of those allergic reactions you see on TV. Although I don't think its an allergic reaction, since I had the swelling before I started to take the Antibiotic. But the swelling is spreading and I am getting a bit freaked out about it. So I am thinking of going to the ER, as I am sure my broken tooth has become a medical condition at this point. The Dentist said that he couldn't do anything for it until the swelling went down, because the Novocaine wouldn't work right or some such nonsense. I am afraid of Endocarditis or Meningitis at this point. Sometimes being a Nursing Student is not good for your health!

Anyone ever had swelling that looked like a black eye from a tooth?

Freaky!!

Me thinks I am starting to feel like a real nurse...

Or my back is at least. But seriously I actually got some real skills in and did some cultural sensitive care as well. I also was pretty upset with my judgemental partner today that I wanted to strangle, but practiced self control instead. We are there to treat the sick with compassion, not to judge!!

So clinical was interesting this week. I got to admit a Pt fresh from PACU to the floor. Walkie Talkie but still. I helped receive report, my Nurse had to go down somewhere so when the person got to the floor I was there to get them into bed, set up the IV pole, get the vitals started and get them all tucked in and such. Then I got to do a dressing change sans an instructor for the first time! I then proceeded to draw a lab on a hard stick and FAILED. But hey at least I tried and I didn't get stabbed like the RN did!

Today, fresh from ICU came my person who needed a J-tube placed. Failed at that too, but it just kept coiling and that person was fighting it pretty hard. So even the RN couldn't get it. So I get them settled and proceed to get the weirdest come on I have ever had, an offer to be a baby mamacita and they wanted a smooch! LOL So after some Spanglish translation I was able to comfort my person back to relaxed to await an interventional placement in x-ray. Poor person was so upset earlier in the day and kept thinking we were gonna starve them to death! If that tube doesn't get placed soon, they just might!!

I also assisted with a nasty wet to dry dressing change with some deep tunneling on a colectomy with a strange, not sure what type resistant strain of some such contact precautions bacteria. I am NOT a wound type of person, but opening packages all sterile like is pretty fun! Yeah I know I am weird!

So in other news I have a killer toothache right now that is showing signs of swelling and I am trying to figure out how I am going to schedule some time to see the dentist for the damn root canal I know I need. Thinking a quick extraction is going to be the course of action at this point! So perhaps I can find an ER Dentist with Saturday hours tomorrow!

PS. Scheduled the U-haul, advised our storage we would be moving and started going through some boxes in prep for next weekend's move!!

Wednesday again **updated**

Urgh I hate Wednesday and I dread my IV class. I can't wait for it to be over. Or at least the IV sticks to be over. It's not that I don't think I can do it. I am getting better, its just the pressure. I think its self inflicted, but its there none the less.

Yesterday's theory test wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I got a 20/23 so that's not too bad. I am NOT freaking out about getting the A this semester. So I feel less stress on that note. I do on the other hand think its going to get a bit harder the rest of the term!

In related news I have a careplan to finish up today for last week, and need to go in early to clinical tomorrow to pick a patient and start a new one. I hate careplans! LOL yeah don't we all.

Next week is OR again! Can't wait for that!. Plus its moving week.

Then the next week we have a Thursday (8 hour), Friday(8 hour), Saturday (12 hour) clinical week. The 24th is day 1 of OB. Then we have another 3 day week after that on 29-31. Halloween is the second OB day. Maybe it'll be busy!! Then Med/Surg ends on the 6th of Novemeber. After that we still have two days in Peds, a bunch of mix and match classes, SIMS, and practicums!

When I think about it that way, there really isn't that much more left!! WOW

HESI is December 1st and the final is the 8th... pinning is on the 9th and we still have those Peds days on the 12th & 13. Then its NCLEX prep!

I am debating on whether or not to go to pinning though.

***update***

Poked my husband 6 times tonight to get the 2 I needed. I changed to the other instructor after 4 misses and WHAM!! Right in, threaded the cathater with 1 finger, attached the extention tube and success!!! Sometimes a change its the instructor that makes you nervous and it was really true. The one I had been working with just freaked me out afraid to let go of the blue hub. This one was like, " See nothing major hapens if you let go!" and it really did change my mindset. Weird, but whatever...I AM DONE!!No more poking my husband... he's happy. But he was such a trooper and alot of help tonight!. So IV class is now its paper work, dressing securing,hanging IVPBs & case studies. Ok off to do that careplan now.

Another week...

And I have no idea how to prepare for a test that we have tomorrow. Its on health, prevention and maintenance as well as Scope of Practice. I am pretty sure I have the knowledge but I have no idea how on earth this will be tested in an NCLEX style question given the fact that this week was a self taught class with two teachers throwing in their component in outline form.

Tomorrow starts the the OB sections in theory and this week the kids are on their fall break from school.

Good thing is that I don't have much by way of packing to do for this move. Since we are still pretty much packed and the bulk of our "gear" has been in storage since November of last year.

We're all pretty excited here to move. My son is looking forward to the the HUGE yard and all of us are looking forward to our favorite part of moving... decorating! I really like the newness effect of a new place. Which is probably why I need to rearrange or MOVE every year. Its a product of my upbringing... but I am so addicted to it.

It'll be nice to have my own space again and my own things. Hopefully everyone is on the same page here in my family too. Most importantly my kids with their conservation promises and hubby with his financial responsibility promises.

We shall see. 12 days till Moving Day!

Moving

So I've done it. I've decided to move. Found a cute little cabin type house in the desert and its beautiful. A bit of a longer drive, 15 miles south from where we live. But hey, what are you gonna do with limited income and a depserate desire for my own space. Things will be a bit tight in the beginning but nothing we shouldn't be able to handle. Actually since we've moved to this state we will be paying the least amount for a house, with the fewest bills!

Bonus is the house looks small on the outside but had a surprise of a greatroom! Of course its only 1200sq but oh what a view!


Of course this is one of many But the pictures I have right now don't do it justice.


Oh and plus it has a really nice woodburning fireplace!