TWO weeks to go!!

(for classes to end, not graduation..)

The Pinning ceremony is getting closer.... (it's kind of a haunted-nurse look, don't cha think? Like maybe, she's a zombie or something.)

Finished my last regular exam on Thursday, wow what a relief. It was one hard mother, but I think I did okay. Haven't gotten results yet. Got an ATI next week, then the Final the following... and then I am ALLLLL done with classes!! YAY! Of course I'm not completely done until after the preceptoring. That's why you see the box with "days left until pinning" being different. I'm going to totally goof off today, and maybe go to a gigantic garage sale tomorrow, but then, it's back to the books. The Final is a killer. Believe me I know. Been there, D'd that.

In other news, my daughter is soooo excited. She got asked to her first prom. I thought this dress might be nice. What do you think? Of course it would only give the true feel if she put in a fake belly. Aaaaaaaand it might remind her date to keep his hands to himself. I think it would be effective, and yet stylish.

hmmm... she doesn't look very happy, does she?

Or maybe this one? Colorful, wouldn't you say? Hard to pick.

3 wks to go!!!!

just checking in to say hello. I am ecstatic that I have 3 wks left before my preceptorship! But I also have one exam each wk, with the last being a killer comprehensive. So... if you barely see/hear from me, you'll know that I am in the weeds. I did find out where/what I'll be doing for preceptoring. I will be in mother/baby. Though it is not my absolute first choice, I still think it will be a good learning experience. Aaaaaaaaaand I get to hold/see/teach with little newborns! That can't be sooo bad! I'm just a little nervous that I'll lose my hard earned med/surg mojo!

I have my last normal exam this wk

An ATI exam next wk

Final on the last wk

Then DONE with school, WHOOO HOOOO! OMGosh, has this been a looooooong road! Thanks for your well wishes everyone, I have been studying my eyeballs out!.......see...i don't exaggerate.

The most important day of the year...

He is risen, He is risen, indeed! Easter day, the very reason I am who I am. He took my sins on the cross, and I am forgiven. So, it is with full joy in my heart, that I say, Happy Easter! I hope you all have a great Easter.

Four weeks...

and counting! I'm on Spring break, PTL! and am so far, very much enjoying it. I have FOUR bloody wks of classes, then 3-4 wks of preceptoring. I just want to get through the classes!! I got my LAST map (pure art) back with a big ole' fat

on it, whooo hooo. NEVER will I make another concept map!!! YAYAYAYAYAY!!!!! And got a B on my exam on Monday. So as you see, I have been in the weeds, so to speak. and now? Reeeeeeeeeeeeelaxing. I know I should study some too, but I'm waiting until the end of the wk to do that. For now, I'm doing some cleaning, scrapping, reading some fluff, crafting, sleeping, and some camping. (But not in that order.) We will go to Palm Springs for a few days. There's a great little campground nearby with natural hot springs. I am sooo ready for some relaxing. And dusk is my favorite time there, it totally looks like this. Aaand this is the season for WIND. I LOVE wind. I am one of the few girls I know, who absolutely loves to be blown around, getting my hair ALL a mess.

So that's all for now, sorry I've been so lame about writing, I've just been tooo stressed and busy studying. Oh yeah, on top of those school things my mom went back into the hospital with a lung infection, and the Dr. says her heart is a bit weak. So of course I'm a mess, every time I see her. So those of you who believe please pray for her. As my daughter reminded me, He can take better care of her than I can. Thanks.

st patty's pics..

I just wanted to show you proof of the lil' leprechauns hitting the day after St Patty's.

They left my daughters room "greened"

since she was coming home late after school. She had to discover her "gold" there. Bryce had to discover his "gold" where all the furniture was.

Yes the furniture was piled, toilets and milk were green. We all had a lovely time. And Yes, I gave the little jacket back!

And there's the corned beef & veggies. Well...the veggies were good. (the boys of our family LOVED the corned beef. Go figure.)

And THAT is how an Irish American does St. Patty's day. (No green beer, can't stand the smell or taste of it!)

And here, just some lovely memories...yes I said MEMORIES from my concept map hell. LAST one...did I mention that??? Okay, I thought I did.

And I forgot to post this pic in January, and it was on the same roll. These lovely ladies are my scrapping buddies. We scrap nearly every Friday night, so I keep my sanity. Of course, I am the one in maroon, or is it fuchsia? The cupcakes that Lupe brought were great fun. If you had a red one, it would dye your lips and teeth for days! And of course she had one 'cuz she didn't know. (she's on my right, making SURE not to show her red teeth, dang it.)

Je suis fini!

at least with the bloody map. Ugh. And all the while....knowing that my teacher will still see it as a piece of crap. Oh well. I will do linking lines and circle some stuff on a form tomorrow. But the biggest mess is done! Yahoo. Time to partay...where is everyone? Hmph, 12:16 and everyone's in bed?? Ah well, I guess I'll follow. 6 wks left. Or even better, 5 wks 4 days!


And some of my non-nursing friends have NOOO idea what the heck a concept map is, so here's a pic. They are horrible, and take FOREVER to make. For you nursing students...you'll notice I haven't done my connecting lines. I will do those today.

LAST concept map

i am sooo danged sick of these. So far, I've been working on this bloody piece of art for oh @ 12 hours! (mind you, I do interrupt myself quite a bit here and there!) So I've gotten all of it done but the worst part of it the nsg dx/goal nsg interventions/rationales. Ick. Hope you are having a more funererer wknd than I am. Bah. Even my Twilight didn't show up! Urgh. It's just as well, it might've pulled me from this blasted computer.

urgh. My brain hurts.

Moving St. Patty's to today. So what.

So... Monday was the killer cardiac exam that I have been sooo stressed about, then we started on renal. Oh so much more comfortable than that dang preloadafterloadsanodemitralvalvetearthirddegreeblockwithpvcheart... ugh. I am still waiting for results. It was a frightening exam. I also turned in that first bloody map with all the fixes, and will begin the second, LAST map today. Although...like before, I need to head BACK to the hospital for missing info. I tried to get it yesterday at clinicals, but never had the time. Ah well.

I was told by my CI that my next map better be "stellar", so stellar it will be. crap.

In other news, we totally ignored/skipped st patty's day yesterday since I had clinicals, so the leprechauns will come today. I left a letter explaining to my kids (14 & 17 yo) that since I was up so early for clinicals that I had run into them (the leprechauns silly), and they were so mad that I saw them, that they were leaving in a huff without "the goods", but luckily as they were leaving I grabbed one of them, and got his little green jacket. I told him if he wanted it back, they'd have to come back today for it. They agreed, but said they would be double trouble! So... they are indeed coming today. I'll put up some pics tomorrow.

That's it for me now. Sorry I haven't been visiting. You know how crazy it is. But read some fast blips about Tiffany running. Egad, you stud! How did you start at such a high mileage? I keep thinking I want to get a running coach bc when I have attempted it, I am in such horrible pain during and after that I quit. I start at small amounts, but I just hate it. But I do believe it's the fastest way to get in shape. Do tell your secret, you stud you. I'll hit the gym today, just to feel better though. hmph.

Have a good day all.

St. Patty's Day is coming...

so dance a jig!

makin' it fast

'cuz I'm trying to fix my bloody concept map that got returned to me, aaaaaaaaaaand I dang well need to be studying for that %@#&! cardiac test on Monday! I forgot to mention, that I got a B on my first exam, finished both "mystery" assignments, geriatric simulation & papers, and 5 quizzes! Whew! So, this is how they shove a 16 wk course into 12! I'm stressing out, so thanks y'all for your support and prayers. And thanks KLS for the nomination, that is very nice of you, especially what you said! garsh, and blush.
I hope you are all having a lovely week. And can we all say, "Can't WAIT for Easter week!" I thought we could.

8 wks to go!

The last 2 wks have been sooo insane with exams, concept maps, and quizzes. Part of me just wants to goof off, but after next week, it will be another insane 2 wks, so I know I SHOULD plan ahead and start my next map. I actually gathered map "stuff" on my last shift. But I'm also feeling a bit stressed because we are doing the cardiac unit. And if you've followed my blog, or FB, you'll know that this is my BIGGEST weakness. So...I am trying to be good and keep studying, starting my map early. It's due in 2 wks, but the wknd I usually do the map, I will ALSO be studying for the dang cardiac exam. So, if you are a pray-er, please do! I have got to stay disciplined, which is really not my strength. But give it a try, I will! (oooh i'm yoda)

Ooooooooooooooooooh, and here's a MAJOR shout out to Hope2bRN, who sent me her NCLEX and cardiac study books! She is a total Saint. Here's a picture of her.

I will be using them TODAY.

On a COMPLETELY different note, it was my baby's birthday yesterday. My boy turned 14! If you visit FB, I have a whole album of him in his honor, but I'll put a few here, and a few notes, so you can get to know him a little.

The boy, LOVES St. Patty's Day. It is his second favorite holiday. We do it up big here at our house. Except the corned beef, we can't stand it.

He LOVES art, and wants to be an artist, go to art school. Here he is with one of his absolute faves, Feininger. Really cool art.

The boy LOVES sugar. Not just candy, but sugar. Powdered sugar, syrup, and anything in it's purest form. Frightening ain't it?

And he loves to travel with us, see new places. (Much more so than our other kids who complains whenever we mention going anywhere! hmph! : O )

That's it for now. I have procrastinated long enough, and really should be getting to my books. Have a lovely wknd.

In the thick of it...

(this is where I wish I was...)

Well this wk, I had my first clinicals, where I was back to patient care. It is sooo nice to be working with patients again. Aaaaaaaaand,I had the best nurse. She was so patient with all my fumbling with the dang pyxes. I am soo slow at that machine. But other than that the day went well. My CI observed me hanging a PB, and I got his okay to do the rest without him for the rest of the semester, with my own nurse.

Then, on Thur. we had our first exam. I think i did fine, but I won't rest until I see the grade. And this particular teacher can take up to a WEEK to post them, just to torture us! I'm doing better on the quizes than last semester..so far. On Friday, another student and myself parked ourselves in the lab, and practiced practiced practiced IVP's until we had the whole diluting, computing, and shooting down. Have you ever had one of those moments where the lightbulb finally flashes ON? Well, I had an "AHA!" moment, where it finally all came together, and made sense. I can honestly say, that I'm looking forward to getting an order for one now. I still need to get over my fear of giving IV's though. It's not the needle part, bc I LOVE giving shots. It's the finding the vein part! Egad.

This wknd I am making my concept map, blah. I hate these suckers, they are so dang time consuming, urgh. And, it needs to be a geriatric one, which takes MUCH longer! I also have to do some prep work for Monday's geriatric simulation. Another hoop to complete. So this wk has been rather stressful, but eventful. I tell ya, I just keep checking off those requirements. I know you are doing the same. Hey have a good weekend.

...just a drive by

to say hello! I have clinicals tomorrow, and it's the first time I'll have pt's in the last 3 months! So I am always soooo nervous before I get my "sea legs" as it were. I hope I remember how to give an IV, IVPB, foley etc!

Thur. we will have our first exam, so pray for me!! It is on IV administration, TPN, blood products and central lines. Egad. Have a good week!

drum roll pleeeeeeeeease

I passed! Yay! Not only did I pass, but was told that I got 100%, whooo hoooo! I am much relieved, or as I told my CI, I did goooder, or more gooder, or is it gooderest?Yeah I think that's it. I did well on the quiz as well. Ten wks to go. Not that I'm counting or anything.

Waiting...

I retook the math competency last night, and now I am anxiously waiting to see if I passed. I checked, rechecked, and TRIPLE checked every answer, so I think I'm okay, but I won't relax until I know for sure.

This wk for clinicals I did my Mystery presentation so I did not do pt care. I'm glad I'm done with it for the semester, but I'm going to feel behind next wk when I jump back into pt care. But classes are going fine and I will have my first quiz today, so I think I'll go and study, eh. Hope you are all having a lovely day. I will post more this wknd. TTFN

Two days down....

oh i don't know, about a hundred to go. The days, they ain't so bad, it's the mountains of forms, papers and assignments! As one of my friends often writes, GAAAAAAAAAAAH! So the first day, she was okay...but day 2...STRESSFUL. Yesterday, we went from 7-1930! Full of meetings, and explanations of what's due this semester in clinicals. Ya know, I've gone through this before, but now I have a different CI. Well let me tell you (say it as your mother would), sooooo different. Last semester, I had a CI who disliked the mountains of forms/paperwork, so we had very little. THIS semester, my CI wants every bloody frickin form. Now the forms ain't so bad, but it's what we must do to fill out said form. I won't go into details, because it would effect you more than an overdose of Valium. I am feeling completely overwhelmed..had you noticed? Well praise God, I've got today to detox. And praiser God that we have a 3 day wknd as well. Yes the praiser was intentional, you know, praise, praiser, praisest.

So today i will get my handy dandy calendar out, and fill out my life for the next...oh 100 days or so. And then I will attempt to breeeeeeeeeeeeeathe through it. I will tell myself, a time or two or 200, that I WILL MAKE IT.But I'm telling you yesterday, I kept hitting wall after wall. EVERY time I got in my car I went the wrong direction. Honest. On the freeway, on the off ramps, on every bloody street. I did U-turns yesterday at least 20 times. I am honestly not exaggerating. Not once, the whole day did I drive in the correct direction.

Oh and you know what? I failed the math competency yesterday too. Bad start to my day, I'm telling you. I buzzed through it. Thought it was easy. BUT the instructor at the beginning of the test said to round ALL ml to the tenth. NOT just the ml/hr! So I did as she instructed, and missed 3 of them! And then 2 others because of a stupid 0 mistake I made. So I will have to retake it, which is STRESSFUL because if I fail it a second time, I'm out of nursing school completely! Yeah, I'm about crying right now. I can't believe I failed, I was so damned ready for it! GAH.

So...I should just shut up, I know I'm bringing this party down. If you could, I would appreciate any and ALL encouragements you could send...and prayers of course. I will tell myself once again, 'God is in His heavens, and all is well'. "Ummmm....God, a little help here please."

I hope your day is completely wonderful. And please do forgive my overindulgence of angst.

Countdown

(click on picture to read comments on pic.)
So this is my last wk of boredom...I mean freedom. You know, as far as free time goes, some of us love and utilize each minute. And then... there are people like me who KNOWS I should be slaying dust bunnies, smiting evil smudgy windows, making flash cards for the semester, and yet... I continually waste time. When I am busy with school or work, I am much more efficient in the use of my time. I get much more accomplished. Ah well. I did get a few things accomplished so I will have to be satisfied with that. I will start back to school a wk from today, and I will be in absolute shock. "What? What's this? A power pt? Huh? p o w e r p o i n t?" Oh, it'll come back to me, but the first 2 days, I'll be walking into walls with a dazed look. A wk from now, I'll be asking y'all, "what's a care plan again?" Dang, I've only made like 30 or 40 of them! (OKAY, I might've exaggerated here a bit...I've made about 15-20, but it feels like 30 or 40. But I have been in nursing school for 4.5 semesters, so it adds up.)

But this wk, my goal is to hit the gym 3 times, to get my back ready for those 12 hr days, that we will have on day 2. And I've gained 3lbs back (seeeee, I don't do well with too much free time!), so I hope to get that back on track as well. I also want to go see my mommy, which is always sooo hard. And I'll try to finish a few more romance books. Right now I'm reading, Lynsay Sands, Devil of the Highlands. Yup, per fluff.

Well off I go, I must put on some spandexy type leggings for the gym. Have a lovely Monday.

Ever have one of "those" days?

Of course you have. Nothing interesting, just lots of lil' things. Vajayjay appt, dog appt, daughter appt, returning stuff.... Get home, eat dinner, breeeeeeeeeeathe, go pick up kids from across town. I'm tired. Well this made me smile, so there.

25 things...

I know you didn't ask, but you must be DIEING, absolutely DIEING to know 25 random things about me. I am stealing this idea from Kirsten, so you can thank her.

After reading, TAG! You're it! You write 25 things on your blog, or email them!

1. I love the color orange, bright orange.

2. As a little girl I wanted to be a go-go dancer, with shiny boots.

3. I taught Jr. High History for a few years. Loved the kids, hated history.

4. I have Bachelors in Sociology. LOVED the major. I thought I’d never use it, but it’s coming in handy now.

5. I am ADD, and I talk a lot, and I do mean A LOT.

6. I love old music, big band, and country rock. I CANNOT tolerate ‘80’s music.

7. I have been to Europe 3 times, and would ABSOLUTELY LOVE to live a few years in France. Two of the times I went, I was on a summer mission.

8. A couple years back I wrote part of a book I hope to publish one day. It is a romance.

9. Foremost in my life, I want to love Christ more, and share His amazing grace.

10. Chocolate does NOT thrill me.

11. I love to read fiction.

12. I am 4 months away from finishing my RN program. Praise God!

13. I will go to school as long as I can breathe.

14. I LOVE to learn languages, new vocabulary, read dictionaries. French is my fave, next I want to learn Italian.

15. A day of bliss would include hitting old dusty bookstores and finding a really hot deal.

16. I don’t like to decorate my house. If it were up to me, once stuff is hung/placed etc. it will be there for the next 30 years.

17. I love sex.

18. I absolutely love getting together with my scrapping buddies and laughing till I cry.

19. My hubby is the best.

20. I pick up languages easily enough, just don't ask it to be grammatically correct. And don't ask me to write them. I could speak french well when I was there. Now? Dang, I've forgotten soooo much of it. I also speak Teacher and Waiter spanish.

21. I can’t stand to listen to perpetual victims.

22. I love museums, and the hunt for ever new artsy hobbies. Next? I want to learn glass blowing. Doesn’t that sound like sooo much fun??

23. I love teenagers. Mood swings and all. They crack me up, and I love the challenge of reaching them.

24. I love to cook when I’ve got time.

25. I hate, absolutely HATE talking on telephones, ANY type of phone. Can’t stand it. I turn all ringers off in our house, and only pick it up if I HAVE TO after listening to phone message. And derned if I can get off the dang thing when I do have to pick it up, because…. As I mentioned earlier…. I can blather on and on and on….

CERTIFIED

Yup, I passed the exams for the ACLS class today, whooo hooo! I am now certified. Aaaaaaaaand... the best part? I can put it on my resume. Geeps, I hope I never have to use it, it was haaard!