Well, I'm now working as a full-fledged nurse and you'll be happy to know that I haven't messed up and killed anyone yet. :) Being a nurse really isn't as scary as I thought it'd be--the hospital where I work has many resources and safety catches that help keep patients safe. Granted, that doesn't mean I don't feel stupid constantly due to the fact that there's so much to know, only that my patients are safe. Work each night is a bit like a roller coaster--you walk onto the floor having no idea what to expect and once you're there you just hold on and face whatever comes your way. You have to just keep fighting to do your best until the magical hour when the next shift comes in and you're able to give report and leave. That's not saying every night is bad, it's just you don't know what to expect. Some nights are slow, some are busy, and some can change in the blink of an eye.
I decided to take this semester off of school but I hope to start back up in January (ugh). With the play and all, this summer ended up not being much of a break so I needed some time to get caught up on my personal things which are MANY. (It's amazing how many things you're able to neglect during nursing school.) I also took the semester off to spend time with Janessa before her mission and have the ability to focus on work as well as a few other things.
18 September 2012
17 September 2012
Change
Maybe it's the cooling weather or the changing leaves, but I sense change in the air and it's a little bit terrifying. In fact, I believe the gears have already been turning on many major changes. I've graduated and have moved out for good. Clint's moving on to whatever his next goal in life is. Janessa's leaving on a mission. Brownie has passed on and Sanno & Henry will never be the same little cat family. Tonight Janessa and I were talking about just how many things are likely to change before she returns from Peru and they are many! We humans can handle changes in bits and pieces but when you quantify everything that could happen over a longer amount of time it quickly becomes overwhelming. Right now I'm not really feeling the same excitement and zeal for the future that I've felt in my life up until now. These next couple of years should be interesting!
01 August 2012
Moving Day: Of Shower Heads, Divorce and Awesome Friends
Today I moved and I realized a few things:
Shower heads that are mounted high enough for me or are at least adjustable are amazing. My new apartment has an adjustable shower head that I can easily stand directly under. LOVE! Could someone please tell me why in the world it is standard to mount shower heads about 5 feet off the ground when most people are taller than that?
Getting divorced would suck. Splitting mine and Janessa's stuff today since we will no longer be roommates was hard and emotional. And we don't even have kids! ;)
I have awesome friends! Ok, I've realized this before...today just was another testament to it.
Shower heads that are mounted high enough for me or are at least adjustable are amazing. My new apartment has an adjustable shower head that I can easily stand directly under. LOVE! Could someone please tell me why in the world it is standard to mount shower heads about 5 feet off the ground when most people are taller than that?
Getting divorced would suck. Splitting mine and Janessa's stuff today since we will no longer be roommates was hard and emotional. And we don't even have kids! ;)
I have awesome friends! Ok, I've realized this before...today just was another testament to it.
24 July 2012
Pioneers
When we think of Pioneer Day or pioneers in general, we generally think of those who walked hundreds of miles and suffered greatly to escape persecution and live in a place where their beliefs could flourish. While Pioneer Day is celebrated primarily to honor these amazing, stalwart individuals, I also like to think of all those other pioneers throughout history who have suffered and risked something to promote what they know to be true. I do not intend to diminish those brave souls who gave so much to settle this state in any way whatsoever--I'm am INCREDIBLY grateful for what they did so I can live in such a beautiful place where I can practice my religion without fear; however, I do want to expand our minds to other important pioneers throughout history.
I am just finishing up a book called Medical Firsts by Robert E. Adler which is a book full of the innovators of medicine throughout history, many of whom gave and risked their way of life and their honor to stay true to what they knew. Because of their persistence, mankind has been able to relieve pain, suffering, and loss of life by leaps and bounds.
My biggest surprise while reading this book was how some very good things that are now widely accepted and commonly practiced were once controversial, namely anesthesia. Did you know that some physicians thought pain was necessary for healing? Some clergy even went so far as to proclaim anesthesia a sin, even going so far as to quote the bible "in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children" to claim that if God wanted childbirth to be pain free, he would have made it pain free.
So, here's my Pioneer Day shout-out to pioneers everywhere, both those who are paving the way today and those of the past who have forged the way to bless so many. What is viewed today as strange, wrong, or even unfathomable today may well be the way of good in the future.
I am just finishing up a book called Medical Firsts by Robert E. Adler which is a book full of the innovators of medicine throughout history, many of whom gave and risked their way of life and their honor to stay true to what they knew. Because of their persistence, mankind has been able to relieve pain, suffering, and loss of life by leaps and bounds.
My biggest surprise while reading this book was how some very good things that are now widely accepted and commonly practiced were once controversial, namely anesthesia. Did you know that some physicians thought pain was necessary for healing? Some clergy even went so far as to proclaim anesthesia a sin, even going so far as to quote the bible "in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children" to claim that if God wanted childbirth to be pain free, he would have made it pain free.
So, here's my Pioneer Day shout-out to pioneers everywhere, both those who are paving the way today and those of the past who have forged the way to bless so many. What is viewed today as strange, wrong, or even unfathomable today may well be the way of good in the future.
25 June 2012
Update
The last month or so has been riddled with changes!
At the end of April, I moved into Sparks Apartments with Janessa. It was crazy at first because I moved in halfway and then went to stay with an elderly woman for 10 days while her daughter was on vacation. It was so hard to pack everything, move it, and then pack up again before even unpacking all the way. I felt homeless for awhile because I wasn't settled anywhere. Some of my belongings were at my parents' house, some were at Sparks, and some were at the house where I was staying. Even worse? My food was spread out over all three places too which made it really hard to make anything because each location only had some things.
It felt so lovely to settle once that job ended!
On May 5th, I officially graduated from nursing school! It was such a fun day and I really appreciate all of the support I received from everyone! It was crazy to look back over my time in the nursing program--I couldn't believe how fast it went while at the same time I couldn't believe how long ago that July day seemed when I first opened my acceptance letter. I have changed, learned, and grown so much in that time! Sometimes I like who I am now but sometimes I miss who I once was. Certain aspects of life back then were so much more carefree.
After graduating, I began to cram for the NCLEX. I don't know what the NCLEX stands for exactly, but for all you non-nursing folks out there, it's the name of the national test that allows nursing graduates to become licensed to actually work. You are not officially a nurse until you successfully conquer the NCLEX beast. At the end of May, I faced the beast and came off conqueror. It felt wonderful!
Employment happened almost concurrently with passing the NCLEX: the first place I got hired was with Mollen Immunization Clinics. They are a company that sets up vaccine clinics in retail locations during the flu season so although I've accepted a position there, I won't actually start working until August. The position is seasonal and goes until November. How it works is Mollen posts clinic needs on their website and their nurses can sign up for the ones they want to cover. The second place I was hired at was the hospital unit where I worked as a tech/PCT/CNA for the last year. It's a full-time nights position so once I've oriented for a couple of months, I will be at the hospital all night three nights a week. While I'm orienting, I work two nights on the floor and spend the rest of the time in residency classes or doing computer orientation.
I feel incredibly blessed to be so richly employed right out of school! I have so much to learn still so I'm also very nervous, but I'm excited at the same time. I am currently adjusting to the major life changes that accompany it: staying up all night, working full time, and pretending to be an adult! Before I graduated, I had this crazy idea that I would have free time once I finished school. Nope! I think life is even busier! This has been really frustrating to me but I'm gradually adjusting to the idea.
In the fall, I plan to attend UVU. I have a couple of prerequisites that I will complete and then I hope to enter UVU's nursing program starting in January to earn my Bachelor's Degree.
Rehearsals for My Fair Lady are going well except for I've had to miss a lot of them already due to work. I feel so bad because work obviously takes precedence, but it's still not fair to those involved in the show; I just wish I would've known what I had in store before auditioning back in March. Regardless, it's going to be an amazing show, everyone involved is SO talented and is giving so much to make it a success. We open in July and you should definitely come see it.
At the end of April, I moved into Sparks Apartments with Janessa. It was crazy at first because I moved in halfway and then went to stay with an elderly woman for 10 days while her daughter was on vacation. It was so hard to pack everything, move it, and then pack up again before even unpacking all the way. I felt homeless for awhile because I wasn't settled anywhere. Some of my belongings were at my parents' house, some were at Sparks, and some were at the house where I was staying. Even worse? My food was spread out over all three places too which made it really hard to make anything because each location only had some things.
It felt so lovely to settle once that job ended!
On May 5th, I officially graduated from nursing school! It was such a fun day and I really appreciate all of the support I received from everyone! It was crazy to look back over my time in the nursing program--I couldn't believe how fast it went while at the same time I couldn't believe how long ago that July day seemed when I first opened my acceptance letter. I have changed, learned, and grown so much in that time! Sometimes I like who I am now but sometimes I miss who I once was. Certain aspects of life back then were so much more carefree.
 |
| All my lovely family and pseudo-family who came to the ceremony |
Employment happened almost concurrently with passing the NCLEX: the first place I got hired was with Mollen Immunization Clinics. They are a company that sets up vaccine clinics in retail locations during the flu season so although I've accepted a position there, I won't actually start working until August. The position is seasonal and goes until November. How it works is Mollen posts clinic needs on their website and their nurses can sign up for the ones they want to cover. The second place I was hired at was the hospital unit where I worked as a tech/PCT/CNA for the last year. It's a full-time nights position so once I've oriented for a couple of months, I will be at the hospital all night three nights a week. While I'm orienting, I work two nights on the floor and spend the rest of the time in residency classes or doing computer orientation.
I feel incredibly blessed to be so richly employed right out of school! I have so much to learn still so I'm also very nervous, but I'm excited at the same time. I am currently adjusting to the major life changes that accompany it: staying up all night, working full time, and pretending to be an adult! Before I graduated, I had this crazy idea that I would have free time once I finished school. Nope! I think life is even busier! This has been really frustrating to me but I'm gradually adjusting to the idea.
In the fall, I plan to attend UVU. I have a couple of prerequisites that I will complete and then I hope to enter UVU's nursing program starting in January to earn my Bachelor's Degree.
Rehearsals for My Fair Lady are going well except for I've had to miss a lot of them already due to work. I feel so bad because work obviously takes precedence, but it's still not fair to those involved in the show; I just wish I would've known what I had in store before auditioning back in March. Regardless, it's going to be an amazing show, everyone involved is SO talented and is giving so much to make it a success. We open in July and you should definitely come see it.
28 April 2012
Thoughts on Recycling
There is a tremendous amount of waste going on and, in general, Utahns have views that are very...how do I put this? Non-green. I've noticed that people who move here from other states often have a hard time with 1. How little we recycle and 2. How inaccessible recycling is.
How can we change this?
Somehow we need to make recycling a habit for our children. It needs to become part of our culture. I grew up in a home that always recycled our aluminum cans and now I have a very hard time just throwing them in the regular garbage. I can only imagine how hard it is for out-of-state folks who are used to recycling most everything! If recycling becomes more accessible and we put forth the effort to do it, it can become part of Utah's culture too.
How can we change this?
Somehow we need to make recycling a habit for our children. It needs to become part of our culture. I grew up in a home that always recycled our aluminum cans and now I have a very hard time just throwing them in the regular garbage. I can only imagine how hard it is for out-of-state folks who are used to recycling most everything! If recycling becomes more accessible and we put forth the effort to do it, it can become part of Utah's culture too.
25 April 2012
Tithing
Up until the last year or so, whenever I would pay my tithing, I would suddenly have more--the Lord made it easy for me to gain a testimony of tithing. One of my favorite things about tithing is that it's one of the most straightforward commandments out there--give 10% of you're income to God and God will bless you with more than you gave. If you want to gain a testimony of God, pay tithes to him and see what happens. It's one of the few commandments that you can live 100% and KNOW that you're living it 100%.
This last semester changed my perspective on tithing though. No, I take that back, it didn't change it but rather added to it.
I was SO poor. Each paycheck had to be carefully budgeted out or I wouldn't have enough. And each time I would hope to have a little extra dough the next time payday rolled around...but I never did.
One day my sister Janessa was telling me how blessed she was because she paid tithing. She currently has a full scholarship for school AND gets PELL grants on top of that--basically, she gets paid to go to school. It really upset me because it made me wonder what I was doing wrong: I was paying tithing but couldn't figure out why I was so incredibly poor. And then several days later it hit me: you are poor but you are making it because of tithing: your bills are paid, you have food to eat, a place to live, and clothes to wear. I know that it was tithing that made that possible. I was making so little and every penny had to be budgeted but it always played out that there were enough pennies to meet every necessary expense that came my way.
This last semester changed my perspective on tithing though. No, I take that back, it didn't change it but rather added to it.
I was SO poor. Each paycheck had to be carefully budgeted out or I wouldn't have enough. And each time I would hope to have a little extra dough the next time payday rolled around...but I never did.
One day my sister Janessa was telling me how blessed she was because she paid tithing. She currently has a full scholarship for school AND gets PELL grants on top of that--basically, she gets paid to go to school. It really upset me because it made me wonder what I was doing wrong: I was paying tithing but couldn't figure out why I was so incredibly poor. And then several days later it hit me: you are poor but you are making it because of tithing: your bills are paid, you have food to eat, a place to live, and clothes to wear. I know that it was tithing that made that possible. I was making so little and every penny had to be budgeted but it always played out that there were enough pennies to meet every necessary expense that came my way.
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