Wednesday, August 31, 2011

It's time for an update

I don't really have anything in mind to say for this blog post.. But I haven't posted in a while, so I decided I'd just start typing and see what comes out.

First thing on my mind: Thank you Lord for letting me get so much wedding planning done during the summer before nursing school started!! I was able to reserve our wedding/reception location, find and purchase my dream wedding dress, reserve our wedding date with Trisha Brinkley Photography, find an awesome DJ and florist, and have a caterer in mind. There is still a good bit left to do, but I have so much done already. God has allowed everything to fall into place perfectly so far, and for that I am so grateful!

And then there was Nursing School. I am halfway through my second week, and literally every moment of every day has to be planned out. I now live by my planner because if I don't, something won't get done and I'll be in trouble. It is hectic, it is scary, the reading and studying never seems to end, and it only gets crazier as the semester  goes on! Yet... I. LOVE. IT. So far, I have no doubt at all that the Lord has called me to be a Nurse. I feel in my element when I'm there. Although lectures are long, and we've had more "orientation" classes than I believed were necessary, I just love it!

Here is an example... Monday I had two clinical labs in a row. During my first lab, we went to "Charger Hospital" where we learned and practiced how to properly wash our hands, and how to dress for standard precautions and isolation situations. We had to put on a gown, mask, eyewear, and gloves in case of "bodily fluid splashes" (sounds fun, right?!) My instructor put hot sauce all over our gloves so we could practice taking off dirty gloves without touching any of the "icky" material on them.. We also practiced how to properly clean up barf.. She poured fake vomit in little piles all over the room and we practiced cleaning it up.. (only in Nursing School.. ha!) Then in my next lab, we had validation on vital signs.. So for an hour, my lab partner and I practiced checking eachother's blood pressures, heart and respiratory rates, and tempertaure. Then we performed it in front of our lab instructor to ensure we were doing in correctly (and we both passed. YES!)

I felt like a little kid on a field trip for the entire afternoon. How silly is that? Not many people would get excited about cleaning up fake puke or practicing checking blood pressures on everyone in sight (including the lab dummies).. But it's what I am supposed to do. I couldn't be any happier.

Is it hard? Yes.
Is it scary? More than you know.
Do I feel overwhelmed? All the time.
Is there too much reading? Um, YEA!
But do I love it? Yes.

I fee like this is "my calling".. And I know that sounds corny, but I don't know how else to put it. I pray God continues to carry me through and keep me calm even when it seems impossible. He will get the glory for whatever happens!!