Taking a breath

I spent a good part of the afternoon yesterday working on school work. Today, I finished up with some assignments I'd been working on and got them all submitted. Just that much less to worry about.

I also went to the pool today, for the first time (of many, I'm sure) of the season. The kids really wanted to go, as they do every day, so I took a book over and read for an hour while they swam. It was sort of relaxing...except for about the 100 times I got splashed with freezing cold water. We got back home just as Pete was leaving, with his dad, to go to PA to pick up his grandfather's vehicle to bring back to Ohio. His grandfather recently passed away, so his dad is going to either keep or sell it.

Right now the kids are outside playing, I finished my book, and I'm enjoying a few minutes of quiet. Sure, I have more school stuff I could be working on, but...nah....I think I'll just sit here and enjoy doing nothing! :-)

Cancelled

I got a call from my clinical instructor this morning just as I got out of bed and turned on my flat iron. She is sick and was calling to tell me she was sorry but would have to cancel our clinicals for today. To which, of course, I told her it was ok, and that I hope she feels better, but on the inside was saying YES! I'm going back to sleep!!

Unfortunately, I was unable to fall back asleep, because since I was awake, my daughter was apparently incapable of pulling her own hair up into a ponytail, like she does herself every other morning, and so I had to do that, then listen to my other daughter complain about how she was running late because she was waiting until the last minute to get ready, and then my son woke up.

So, now that I've fed my son and myself breakfast, and I have some coffee, I should get started on studying for the quizzes I have tomorrow and Friday...

No rest for the weary...

This week is going to be pretty busy too, looks like. I just finished with my 1st psychology assignment for this week, so at least that is out of the way. I don't have another one due in there until Sunday night, and it involves a 2 page paper, or 8 PowerPoint slides. Probably won't be terribly difficult, but most likely rather boring work and may be slightly time consuming.

I have a care plan rough draft due at my clinical on Wednesday, as well as another paper on a disease process.

This Friday, 2 other assignments are due as well. One is a case study for my pharmacology class, and the other is a group poster project that our clinical groups have to work together on. One other person and myself are in charge of making up the poster to go along with a paper on the musculoskeletal system. It shouldn't be very difficult either, but it will also be time consuming.

I've been in a funk lately, and haven't been feeling very motivated. It's really not cool! All I want to do is cry or sleep. Or, sleep so that I'm not crying. Hhhhhhhhhhh. It's frustrating. I hate feeling this way. Perhaps it's partly due to PMS (cramping and bloating is on it's way this week!), but I know that isn't my main problem. There are other factors too. But I have just got to get over it!!

...

:'(

Phew!

I'm so glad to have this week behind me! Midterms are over, I survived. I am taking tonight off...not working on any school work. Gonna maybe have dinner with my dad and the kids, and then hang out just me and my kiddos tonight. :-)

Stressed

I have been totally stressing out the past couple of weeks with school. There is SO much work and SO much studying, it's insane. I knew this was not going to be a cake walk going in, but sheesh! There are papers and care plans and case studies and quizzes and skill check-offs and registration for next quarter and MID-TERMS!!! It is never-ending!

This week has been extremely stressful. On top of all of my regular school work that needs taken care of, I have been studying for exams (one Monday, one today, and one tomorrow). I literally spent all of last evening studying for today's test, which I think actually went pretty well, and have spent all of this evening so far, studying for tomorrow's.

I know, this is what I signed up for, I shouldn't complain. It's just kinda taking a toll on me. I have housework backing up, my kids can't seem to leave me alone for 5 minutes straight when I'm trying to study, I'm biting people's heads off left and right, and, and, and....I just need a break!

I think if I make it through tomorrow's lectures and exam, I'm going to need a huge drink of something strong!!

Welp, gotta study some more, so off I go. I *really* wish I had a photographic memory!! (I also really wish I could stop effing stress-eating!) hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Hmmm...

Had a friend from the past request me on facebook recently. We were very good friends for many years, then she met some loser and married him 6 weeks later, now he has spent all her money, left her crazy in debt, and finally has left her (so I hear). While she and this guy were together, he would totally manipulate her and keep her from interacting with any of her old friends because we were apparently all "bad influences on her". So, over the last couple of years, we have basically fallen out of contact with each other. I did babysit her daughter for a while, but beyond that, we had no friendship whatsoever. She had just turned into a completely different person than the one I was friends with.

Anyway, she asked me tonight to meet her for lunch next week. I'm a little concerned. I didn't want to be rude and not respond, or tell her no. And, I am interested to see how she is doing now and I hope she is doing well. So, I will meet her (unless she cancels, which she was notorious for doing in the past) but, it is probably going to be a bit awkward. We'll see...

Study time

I have so much studying to do! So, naturally, I'm blogging instead. I have 2 tests on Friday. One in pharmacology and one in my nursing class. For my pharm class, we are covering beta blockers, alpha blockers, expectorants, and I'm sure there are others, but I can't think of them right now. In nursing, we are going over common lab tests, and I have to know the normal values for like a million different lab tests. There is no freaking way I am going to remember all this crap!

Thursday, I will have to check off on sterile dressing changes in my lab. Hopefully that will go ok. As soon as I get that one out of the way, I need to begin looking at trach care and suctioning (yum) for my next checkoff.

Tomorrow is clinical, and I still have paperwork to complete from last week to turn in tomorrow. *sigh* At least I got my Wednesday psych assignment done yesterday, so that's one less thing for me to worry about this week.

Tonight I am watching my youngest 2 nephews for about 5 hours, so I guess I should get off of here now and get my study on!

Next week: mid-terms! Ahh!

New bike and 4 less teeth

My baby boy turned 5 on Sunday, and we had a party for him at Magic Mountain. He had a good time and got lots of nice presents. His favorite was his new bike! He calls it his "two-wheeler bike". So cute!



Yesterday morning I went in and had my wisdom teeth extracted. That was not very fun. I have been told for years, by more than one dentist and my orthodontist, that they needed to come out. I even went in for a consultation with this oral surgeon back in 2006, but then didn't end up going through with the surgery then. After having more issues with pain and swelling around the teeth, I finally decided it was time to get them out.

I went in at 7:40 in the morning and they pretty much took me right back. Once I was in the chair, they hooked up all these monitors and oxygen to me and started an IV. The next thing I (vaguely) remember was them having me stand up from the chair and get into a wheelchair where they then wheeled me out to my car. I had gauze sticking out of each side of my mouth, completeing the effect of my looking like a walrus.

After that, I remember getting home and walking inside and down the stairs to the recliner. (I was told not to lay flat, and that a recliner would be ideal.) I laid there and slept for a few more hours. I pretty much stayed in that chair for the rest of the day, except for trips to the bathroom and getting water. They actually recommended that I sleep last night in the chair, but I was actually quite uncomfortable from sitting there for so long. So, I ended up sleeping in my bed propped up on my pillows. Surprisingly, I slept pretty well.

I'm still in some pain today though. It hurts quite a bit to even open my mouth to talk. I've taken 2 vicodin since the procedure, and I'm trying to avoid taking them if I don't absolutely need to. But, I may have to take one more today and hopefully I'll be good to go.

My weekend...

Wow, let me tell you, any time your day starts off with sitting on the toilet and puking into a bag, you can pretty much guarantee it's not going to be a good day. That was my day yesterday. I spent my enitire day either in bed or in the bathroom. Not good times! I did lose about 4 lbs of water weight yesterday though. Of course, I expect those to all come back. :(

So, I missed a quiz in my lab yesterday, but hopefully I will be able to make that up next week. I feel much better today. Not great, but significantly better. I had my first 2 tests of the quarter today. I think they went pretty well, so that is good.

Tonight, I agreed to watch a friend's daughter, and I have to take my son to the first of 3 birthday parties for this weekend. He is bowling from 6-9 tonight (and I'll have to take all the girls with me too. Fun, fun). Tomorrow, I am going to a bridal shower, and my son has another birthday party to attend at the same time, so Pete will have to take him to that party and deal with the girls. Haha! :o Then on Sunday, my baby boy is turning 5!!! His birthday party will be Sunday afternoon.

Some time tomorrow, I will have to fit in buying presents and party stuff for my son's birthday. I stopped after classes today and bought the shower gift and the two kiddie birthday presents. I will also need to find the time to do my psych assignment that is due Sunday night. Ugh! My weekend is gone before it even starts!

Today in a list:

*My head is throbbing!

*I've been having the same stomach pains all day that I was having a few weeks ago

*I had a consultation with an oral surgeon today

*Have an appointment to get my wisdom teeth extracted next Monday! :o

*I started my period (I know you were dying to know that!)

*Still have to study my patient's meds for tomorrow's clinical so that I can pass them. (Of course my patient would have to be one with 20+ different meds!)

*All I've had to eat today is a handful of pretzel sticks. I'm hungry!

* I am hoping to go to bed early tonight. I feel like I could pass out now! ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

I just need to do this...

AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Carry on.

Learning, Shopping, Gyming

Well, we ended up having clinical today. We got a new instructor, so it doesn't look like there will be any going in late or leaving very early, but I'm pretty sure it will be a good thing. The facility I am at is a million times nicer than the one I was in last quarter. Last quarter's place was a filthy, nasty, dump. I seriously didn't even want to sit down in that place let alone touch anything. This place seems very clean and actually nice, as far as nursing homes go.

We did get finished a little bit early today, which was nice. So, since I had some extra time, I stopped at the mall to do a little shopping and then hit the gym before picking up my son. :)

Spring Quarter

Spring quarter at my school officially started last week. I ended up only having to go on Thursday, though. Wednesday was my first scheduled clinical of the quarter, and the instructor cancelled because he couldn't make it, and Friday the school was closed for Good Friday.

I've been assigned to the same clinical instructor as last quarter and I'm not sure if this will be good or bad. He is a really nice and laid back guy. More often than not, he has us come in later than the scheduled 7:00 am, and leave before the scheduled end of shift. However, he's also quite unorganized and I think everyone in my first quarter group agrees that we did not receive the highest quality clinical experience with him. It wasn't such a huge deal first quarter, because we were mostly doing STNA work (such as filling ice cups, taking vitals, giving bed baths, etc.). None of us really minded missing out on some of those things, but this quarter we will be passing meds to patients along with other more in-depth nursing skills that will be essential for us to get adequate practice with.

I noticed my instructor's facebook status yesterday said that he is sick. I am hoping that he is not going to cancel on us again tomorrow!

Pedi anyone?

So, it is officially Spring, right? Which means it's time to break out the flip flops and sandals. It also means that the piggies need to be pretty. Am I right, ladies? So, I put away the darker colors I'd been using for Fall and Winter, and decided to give myself a french pedicure.

I am by no means a pro, and it always takes me forever to get them to look half way decent, but in the end, it makes me feel just a little bit better about myself, so, I endure the process. Up close they aren't so great, but from a distance, they don't look terrible.

And, since I know you're dying to see pictures of my feet (ha!)...

Ow!

I guess I'm just full of whiney lately, but my throat is hurting so bad! I really hope it isn't strep. I used to get strep throat at least once a year, sometimes more. I think my kids are carriers! The past year or two, I have been fortunate enough not to get it. I don't seem to have a fever with it, at least for now, so I'm hoping it will just go away soon. I still feel like crap though. =(

Lazy day

I didn't get a whole lot of sleep last night. I stayed up way too late reading Eclipse. Then, sometime in the night, I started experiencing very sharp, stabbing pains across my upper abdomen. It would come and go, happening a few times and then subsiding. Each time, it disturbed my sleep.

Then I had to get up early, so that I could go pick up my grandparents and take them to an eye Dr. appointment at freaking 8:10 in the morning! They insisted on stopping for breakfast at Cracker Barrel on the way home, so we did. I was still having the pains in my stomach though, so I only ate a few bites. It seemed to get worse when I ate. They hurt soooo bad! I felt light-headed and nauseous with each pain.

So, I dropped them off and headed home. Since then, I've spent pretty much the rest of my day in bed. I am still getting pains now and then, but not as often, and not as harsh, it seems. Now I'm extremely thirsty, because I haven't even felt like getting up to get water. :( I think I need to go do that now though.

One good thing about being in bed all day...I finished Eclipse and started in on Breaking Dawn!

Hmmph!

Life sucks!!

51

Today, my mom would have turned 51. I can't believe it's been over 5 years that she's been gone. I miss her so much! Happy Birthday, mommy!

Field Trip

I got out of my last class of the quarter today (which wasn't so much a class as a poster project presentation day) just in time to go pick up my son from my grandma and take him on a field trip to the Blooms and Butterflies exibit at the Franklin Park Conservatory. He had a good time, and I was glad it worked out for me to be able to take him on his field trip. Here are a few pics from today:


This is one of the butterflies we saw in the atrium. I think this pic turned out really well.


Most uncomfortable chair in the world, I would think. Covered in cactuses (cacti?).


Planting a flower


Us at the conservatory. He always makes the goofiest faces when posing for pictures. This is the best one I could get of him. :)
**(Btw, he insists on buttoning up the top button on his shirts. I didn't do that to him.)