Finals are over! I can breathe! I made it through all of my finals, and made all A's! :) I got the highest grade in my pharm class, which means I can do pharm tutoring next semester. It has been a long semester! Thank you guys for standing by me. It would have been more difficult without your love and support.
Orientation for my new job is on January 4th. :) I am not sure when I am doing my first CareFlite rideout, but that will be sometime in January as well. Like I said, it just feels like everything is falling into place!
Yesterday, I did a mile warm up, and then did CrossFit Deeps Push Press 3-3-3-3-3
Set was:
45 x 5, 50 x 3, 55 x 3, 65 x 3, 70 x 3, 75 x3, 80 x3
Almost didn't get that last one on the 80#, but I managed to lock it out! :)
Hope everyone is having a safe and happy Holiday Season! Don't eat too many cookies! :)
Friday, December 18, 2009
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
I Feel Like I Am Where I Am Supposed to Be
Do you ever get that feeling that you are FINALLY where you are supposed to be? I had a horrible week last week, still don't know the results of the biopsy, but one day at a time. And today, have had such great news that it is freaking awesome!
Before I started nursing school, one of the nurse managers at Presby Dallas told me that when I finish my first semester of school to call her and they would try to get me a job. So, finals are next week, and I call her up. Today, I had an interview for a nurse extern position. Well, I got it! Funny thing is, they have to go and create the position (They have had them before, but don't really have a spot for me). They are going to email me when the job is posted, talk to HR and tell them that the job is for me! I get this job for 1.5 years (It's only until I finish nursing school). Then I apply for the internship, and then start working at Presby Dallas. They like to hire from within (hence the fact that I am getting a special job just for me and even if other people apply for it, they don't get it!) So, I have pretty much just got my ER job lined up for when I graduate school! I am the first person in my class to get an externship, and probably the only person to have a job lined up for when I get out! :) This takes sooo much stress off of me! I can just relax, and pass my classes now! :)
Sometimes, it feels like things aren't supposed to go your way for a reason. I much rather preferred an externship at Presby Plano, but the nurse manager there said she wasn't sure she could get it. Oh well. I got one anyway. Oh, and another thing that is great about PHD....I was talking to the nurse manager that I want to do CareFlite Nursing (You know, the nurses that ride around in helicopters and save lives....) and they have a way to help get me in with them. I have to be a nurse for 5 years before I can even apply, so I will be with them for a while, but they know the people and can get me on track with the right path and way to go about getting that dream a reality! So, even though I didn't get the place where I originally wanted to go, I guess everything works out for a reason, and I am where I am supposed to be!
Before I started nursing school, one of the nurse managers at Presby Dallas told me that when I finish my first semester of school to call her and they would try to get me a job. So, finals are next week, and I call her up. Today, I had an interview for a nurse extern position. Well, I got it! Funny thing is, they have to go and create the position (They have had them before, but don't really have a spot for me). They are going to email me when the job is posted, talk to HR and tell them that the job is for me! I get this job for 1.5 years (It's only until I finish nursing school). Then I apply for the internship, and then start working at Presby Dallas. They like to hire from within (hence the fact that I am getting a special job just for me and even if other people apply for it, they don't get it!) So, I have pretty much just got my ER job lined up for when I graduate school! I am the first person in my class to get an externship, and probably the only person to have a job lined up for when I get out! :) This takes sooo much stress off of me! I can just relax, and pass my classes now! :)
Sometimes, it feels like things aren't supposed to go your way for a reason. I much rather preferred an externship at Presby Plano, but the nurse manager there said she wasn't sure she could get it. Oh well. I got one anyway. Oh, and another thing that is great about PHD....I was talking to the nurse manager that I want to do CareFlite Nursing (You know, the nurses that ride around in helicopters and save lives....) and they have a way to help get me in with them. I have to be a nurse for 5 years before I can even apply, so I will be with them for a while, but they know the people and can get me on track with the right path and way to go about getting that dream a reality! So, even though I didn't get the place where I originally wanted to go, I guess everything works out for a reason, and I am where I am supposed to be!
Friday, December 4, 2009
Update
It's been a while since I posted, so here is a quick update.
Monday: Day before my presentation. Wow...getting nervous. So, I am running through my presentation with my partner, with NO ONE in the room...I start freaking out. Yeah...not a good sign. Hoping I will be able to make it through the next day!
Tuesday: Presentation day! Well, I didn't pass out or have a seizure. So that was a good thing. I gave my presentation twice. I ended up talking really fast and talking with my hands. But I got through it. It was all worth it. After the presentation, one of my classmates came up to me and told me that my presentation really touched him. He was already thinking about doing hospice care, but he really liked the idea of pediatric hospice, and he would love to do that. Dinner with my teachers was a lot of fun. It was nice to see them outside of school, and more like real people.
Wednesday: Had my assessment check off. It went smoothly. Passed with 100%. Then I went to the gym and did my pharm reading on the elliptical. It took me 40 minutes to read all the notes, but I did 3.07 miles while doing it.
Thursday: Had Concepts check off. For this checkoff, we had to draw a number out of a bowl, and then go perform a procedure. If you would have asked me two weeks ago what number I was going to draw, I would have told you Sterile Wet to Dry Dressing change. I even told my teacher I was going to pull that. And what do I pull? Sterile Wet to Dry Dressing change. So, I did my procedure, passed with 100%. Woo hoo! SO...I get home, and I get a call from my GYN and I am finally getting my results back on my pap smear. It's abnormal. I tested positive for HPV high risk. And if you know anything about HPV, it is a precursor for cervical cancer. So, yeah...I am kinda freaking out.
Friday: I go in after work for my biopsy. Kinda hard to sit here all day and not think about it. But hopefully everything will be okay. If I do have it, well, it will be easy to fix. But still scared. So, that's my update for the week. Hope everyone else is having a great day.
Monday: Day before my presentation. Wow...getting nervous. So, I am running through my presentation with my partner, with NO ONE in the room...I start freaking out. Yeah...not a good sign. Hoping I will be able to make it through the next day!
Tuesday: Presentation day! Well, I didn't pass out or have a seizure. So that was a good thing. I gave my presentation twice. I ended up talking really fast and talking with my hands. But I got through it. It was all worth it. After the presentation, one of my classmates came up to me and told me that my presentation really touched him. He was already thinking about doing hospice care, but he really liked the idea of pediatric hospice, and he would love to do that. Dinner with my teachers was a lot of fun. It was nice to see them outside of school, and more like real people.
Wednesday: Had my assessment check off. It went smoothly. Passed with 100%. Then I went to the gym and did my pharm reading on the elliptical. It took me 40 minutes to read all the notes, but I did 3.07 miles while doing it.
Thursday: Had Concepts check off. For this checkoff, we had to draw a number out of a bowl, and then go perform a procedure. If you would have asked me two weeks ago what number I was going to draw, I would have told you Sterile Wet to Dry Dressing change. I even told my teacher I was going to pull that. And what do I pull? Sterile Wet to Dry Dressing change. So, I did my procedure, passed with 100%. Woo hoo! SO...I get home, and I get a call from my GYN and I am finally getting my results back on my pap smear. It's abnormal. I tested positive for HPV high risk. And if you know anything about HPV, it is a precursor for cervical cancer. So, yeah...I am kinda freaking out.
Friday: I go in after work for my biopsy. Kinda hard to sit here all day and not think about it. But hopefully everything will be okay. If I do have it, well, it will be easy to fix. But still scared. So, that's my update for the week. Hope everyone else is having a great day.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Exciting News!
Ok, before I talk about my exciting news, updates on my workouts. Got busy, and couldn't make it to the gym as much as I wanted to this week, but what can I do? Life tends to get in the way. Still doing my fun elliptical work, here were my times
Monday: 24 minutes: 1.80 miles
Saturday: 25:55 Minutes: 2 miles
Sunday: 30 minutes: 2.17 miles, 100 sit ups, bench press, 45# x 10, 55# x10, 60#x10, 65# x6
Ok, so now for the fun stuff. So, every semester, TWU puts on a conference, and J1's can submit an abstract and get a chance to present at this conference. Well, my friend and I submitted an abstract and we got picked! 20 abstracts were submitted and only 5 are chosen. We are super thrilled! We are just excited about the perks of this! We get 5 free questions on both our Assessment and Concepts final, $25 gift card, some nursing handbook, and dinner with our instructors! Oh, and we don't have to participate in a different speaking assignment. Which both of our topics sucked balls and we didn't want to do them!
So, what is our topic? The topic is about pediatric hospices. I had the opportunity to visit one in Australia and it was one of the only things I remember from the medical aspect of the trip. This center touched me in a way that I can't even explain. So, yeah, I am really excited to be presenting on this topic. Interestingly enough, the idea hasn't taken off in the States. There isn't even one in Texas, and we are a HUGE state!
My presentation is on December 1. Which leaves me plenty of time to prepare and get over my fear of public speaking!
Monday: 24 minutes: 1.80 miles
Saturday: 25:55 Minutes: 2 miles
Sunday: 30 minutes: 2.17 miles, 100 sit ups, bench press, 45# x 10, 55# x10, 60#x10, 65# x6
Ok, so now for the fun stuff. So, every semester, TWU puts on a conference, and J1's can submit an abstract and get a chance to present at this conference. Well, my friend and I submitted an abstract and we got picked! 20 abstracts were submitted and only 5 are chosen. We are super thrilled! We are just excited about the perks of this! We get 5 free questions on both our Assessment and Concepts final, $25 gift card, some nursing handbook, and dinner with our instructors! Oh, and we don't have to participate in a different speaking assignment. Which both of our topics sucked balls and we didn't want to do them!
So, what is our topic? The topic is about pediatric hospices. I had the opportunity to visit one in Australia and it was one of the only things I remember from the medical aspect of the trip. This center touched me in a way that I can't even explain. So, yeah, I am really excited to be presenting on this topic. Interestingly enough, the idea hasn't taken off in the States. There isn't even one in Texas, and we are a HUGE state!
My presentation is on December 1. Which leaves me plenty of time to prepare and get over my fear of public speaking!
Saturday, November 7, 2009
New Way to Study
So, I have figured out the best way to study. Reading my notes on the elliptical. Since I have to study, and I have to workout to stay in shape, I figured I would give this a shot! AND it works! My friends think I am crazy because I am able to do this. I figured I can kill two birds with one stone, and it actually leaves me more time to study when I am at home and I feel less guilty. Granted, I don't get many crossfit type workouts in this way, but that's ok. I just started doing this about 4 days ago. And I have only missed one day. So, woo hoo!
Wednesday: Took me 28 minutes to do a little over 2 miles.
Thursday: 20 minutes to do 1.8 miles, then did an hour of Zumba dance class
Friday: didn't make it to the gym, had to babysit after work
Saturday: 30 minutes and 2.4 miles. Bench press: 45x 10, 55x 10, 65x8, 50 sit ups
I am going to try to keep an eye on my times and see how I am doing. I am obviously not going break neck speed, but I am keeping a comfortable working pace. Probably best described as a comfortable jog. The way I calculate the time is however long it takes me to read my notes. I would have been finished earlier today, but was texting a friend as well. Oh well, more time on the elliptical.
After my workout, I usually have a post workout shake. Which is made of strawberries, protein powder, almond butter (for fat source), and milk. It is actually really yummy! :)
Ok, something else I want to address. I wish I could tell me work friends this, but I can't, so I will rant to you guys. So, everyone is suddenly obsessed with losing weight. And they are all doing these fad diets. Yeah, they are losing about 8-10 pounds a week, but it is so unhealthy they don't even realize this! And these are NURSES! Of course you are going to lose weight, you are only consuming 500 calories, and your body is going through ketoacidosis, which is not good! Yes, you will lose weight, but what happens when you go off this diet and start eating real food again? (They have to buy the company they are doing it from the food that they sell and market). You are going to gain weight, and maybe gain more than you originally had! As far as I know, they are not exercising. Which is killing me! The best way to lose weight is to make smarter food choices and exercise. One bite of cake won't kill you. The whole cake will. One biscuit won't hurt. The whole can...no bueno. It's all about choices and portion control. I admit, I love ice cream. It is a weakness for me and I know this. So, the way I get around this is, one buying a lot fat ice cream, and two, only eating a spoonful of it, and then putting it away. I love life, and I don't want to not eat what I want to, but you have to be smart about it. Fad diets come and go, but smart choices.....those will last you a lifetime, and you can still enjoy the foods you love.
Ok..I am off my soap box now. Thank you and good night! :)
Wednesday: Took me 28 minutes to do a little over 2 miles.
Thursday: 20 minutes to do 1.8 miles, then did an hour of Zumba dance class
Friday: didn't make it to the gym, had to babysit after work
Saturday: 30 minutes and 2.4 miles. Bench press: 45x 10, 55x 10, 65x8, 50 sit ups
I am going to try to keep an eye on my times and see how I am doing. I am obviously not going break neck speed, but I am keeping a comfortable working pace. Probably best described as a comfortable jog. The way I calculate the time is however long it takes me to read my notes. I would have been finished earlier today, but was texting a friend as well. Oh well, more time on the elliptical.
After my workout, I usually have a post workout shake. Which is made of strawberries, protein powder, almond butter (for fat source), and milk. It is actually really yummy! :)
Ok, something else I want to address. I wish I could tell me work friends this, but I can't, so I will rant to you guys. So, everyone is suddenly obsessed with losing weight. And they are all doing these fad diets. Yeah, they are losing about 8-10 pounds a week, but it is so unhealthy they don't even realize this! And these are NURSES! Of course you are going to lose weight, you are only consuming 500 calories, and your body is going through ketoacidosis, which is not good! Yes, you will lose weight, but what happens when you go off this diet and start eating real food again? (They have to buy the company they are doing it from the food that they sell and market). You are going to gain weight, and maybe gain more than you originally had! As far as I know, they are not exercising. Which is killing me! The best way to lose weight is to make smarter food choices and exercise. One bite of cake won't kill you. The whole cake will. One biscuit won't hurt. The whole can...no bueno. It's all about choices and portion control. I admit, I love ice cream. It is a weakness for me and I know this. So, the way I get around this is, one buying a lot fat ice cream, and two, only eating a spoonful of it, and then putting it away. I love life, and I don't want to not eat what I want to, but you have to be smart about it. Fad diets come and go, but smart choices.....those will last you a lifetime, and you can still enjoy the foods you love.
Ok..I am off my soap box now. Thank you and good night! :)
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
ZZZZ....
Ok, as promised...I am posting a blog about sleep! Yep, sleep, something we all need, just don't seem to get enough of!
A little background on sleep. There are two major stages of sleep, NonREM and REM. NonREM sleep is when our metabolism, temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, muscle tone, and respirations decrease. REM sleep, is when we are dreaming. During this stage, our heart rate and respirations can increase and we have that Rapid Eye Movement from where the sleep stage gets its name. This is when we dream. Men can experience an erection (as well as women with clitoral engorgement), guess the are having sex dreams when this happens! LOL. REM is our restorative phase of our sleep and is very important.
Sleep is affected by so many of our daily activities. If you have a chronic lung disease, maybe asthma or COPD, you can be up all night due to shortness of breath or can't lay a certain way because it will affect your breathing, thus affecting your sleep. Or if you are in pain (maybe from doing a million sit ups, and then getting a new PR in back squat), you have more trouble sleeping.
Drugs affect our sleep. I am not talking about any hardcore kind of drugs, but ones that we may take/use on a regular basis. Caffeine can prevent you from falling asleep. It also interferes with your REM sleep, and if you are awaken at night, you can have difficulty falling asleep. Alcohol, our favorite, is great at making you fall asleep quickly, but it actually reduces the amount of REM sleep you get. So, you are decreasing the quality of sleep you are getting. With some of the sleep aides, you may fall asleep faster, but they may prevent you from reaching REM. They are to used for TEMPORARY relief only of insomnia, and some of them can cause daytime drowsiness. So, if you use them, make sure you read the directions. If if says get 8 hours of sleep, then plan to get a full 8 hours.
I was reading a study that compared Caucasians and African Americans. On AVERAGE women got more sleep than the men of each race, and Caucasians on average got more sleep than African Americans. According to my textbook, men have more difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. Women can have problems with sleep due to hormones (stupid hormones). But women's hormones do fluctuate during the month and this can have an impact on sleep.
A little background on sleep. There are two major stages of sleep, NonREM and REM. NonREM sleep is when our metabolism, temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, muscle tone, and respirations decrease. REM sleep, is when we are dreaming. During this stage, our heart rate and respirations can increase and we have that Rapid Eye Movement from where the sleep stage gets its name. This is when we dream. Men can experience an erection (as well as women with clitoral engorgement), guess the are having sex dreams when this happens! LOL. REM is our restorative phase of our sleep and is very important.
Sleep is affected by so many of our daily activities. If you have a chronic lung disease, maybe asthma or COPD, you can be up all night due to shortness of breath or can't lay a certain way because it will affect your breathing, thus affecting your sleep. Or if you are in pain (maybe from doing a million sit ups, and then getting a new PR in back squat), you have more trouble sleeping.
Drugs affect our sleep. I am not talking about any hardcore kind of drugs, but ones that we may take/use on a regular basis. Caffeine can prevent you from falling asleep. It also interferes with your REM sleep, and if you are awaken at night, you can have difficulty falling asleep. Alcohol, our favorite, is great at making you fall asleep quickly, but it actually reduces the amount of REM sleep you get. So, you are decreasing the quality of sleep you are getting. With some of the sleep aides, you may fall asleep faster, but they may prevent you from reaching REM. They are to used for TEMPORARY relief only of insomnia, and some of them can cause daytime drowsiness. So, if you use them, make sure you read the directions. If if says get 8 hours of sleep, then plan to get a full 8 hours.
I was reading a study that compared Caucasians and African Americans. On AVERAGE women got more sleep than the men of each race, and Caucasians on average got more sleep than African Americans. According to my textbook, men have more difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. Women can have problems with sleep due to hormones (stupid hormones). But women's hormones do fluctuate during the month and this can have an impact on sleep.
Weekend
I had a great time at the party! Crossfit Deep is such a cool place! I could really see myself working out there! And Eric seems to want to help me so I can, but I just need to find the finances. Stupid money. Stupid nursing school. I wish it was closer, because there wouldn't be any questions asked about what I would do!
It was great seeing people from CFDC at the party. Granted, after talking to some people, it seems like things have changed so much since I left. Which really saddens me. I thought that Crossfit was such a big family community, and to hear what I heard, just breaks my heart. It makes me question if I want to get back into it if this is how Crossfit treats people who leave. Granted, I know that I haven't gotten the whole story, but the people I've talked to, I think they are pretty reliable.
And so, a new week begins. I have clinicals again this week. :) Gotta love clinicals. Oh, and yesterday, I got the biggest compliment from two of my teachers. Since I am doing so well, they think that I am "brilliant" (Their words not mine). While I know that I am smart, I know how hard I work. So, to say brilliant, I don't think that applies, maybe it does. But we got the "you suck" speech after our big pharm test. Seems like a lot of people won't be passing this semester and going on to the next one. Sad. Very sad. I find that school is actually easy if you study. But that's just me! :)
It was great seeing people from CFDC at the party. Granted, after talking to some people, it seems like things have changed so much since I left. Which really saddens me. I thought that Crossfit was such a big family community, and to hear what I heard, just breaks my heart. It makes me question if I want to get back into it if this is how Crossfit treats people who leave. Granted, I know that I haven't gotten the whole story, but the people I've talked to, I think they are pretty reliable.
And so, a new week begins. I have clinicals again this week. :) Gotta love clinicals. Oh, and yesterday, I got the biggest compliment from two of my teachers. Since I am doing so well, they think that I am "brilliant" (Their words not mine). While I know that I am smart, I know how hard I work. So, to say brilliant, I don't think that applies, maybe it does. But we got the "you suck" speech after our big pharm test. Seems like a lot of people won't be passing this semester and going on to the next one. Sad. Very sad. I find that school is actually easy if you study. But that's just me! :)
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