Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Steps...

79 days and my running total is 877,846 - well above my 10,000 steps per day :-)

Tough learning...

One of my assignments from the first term included finding a current journal article about the pathophysiology, and complete a small write-up.  Free choice anything we wanted - I choose necrotizing enterecolitis or NEC.

I choose to research NEC because I now feel much better equipped to understand the medical research related to this terrible disease.  The etiology of the disease is not completely clear but there are known risk factors and one big one is being born premature.  The babies were just born too early and I still makes me sad that I did not carry them longer.  One thing that has been shown to offer some protection is breast milk and it makes me happy to remember that I was able to provide milk to both the little sweethearts starting right away.

Researching and writing about this was hard but I still feel like I need some clarity.  Loosing J was so difficult and thinking about it will always make me cry.  My heart is forever broken and there is still so many emotions evoked in my heart when I think of N&J ... still so much that I do not understand or will ever know.

Angel baby I love you .... and N where ever you are, I hope with all of my heart that you are a happy little boy.

1/5th of the way to BSN...

My first term of nursing school is over.  Projects, tests, and assignments are all turned in and grades are posted.  I am satisfied with my results ... but boy it has been a tough term.  Nursing school is a whole different animal and I really had to tweek and adjust my study habits to get results I can be happy with.

Most students in our program come in very accomplished in other realms of their lives.  We are all good students and know well how to study to get good grades.....still studying for nursing school is different.  It is a different approach and a whole new way of thinking.  I would have loved to get straight A's but let me tell you, I will take my B in pathophysiology any day!  That was one tough class - I loved every moment of it.  But I was worried as the final accounted for 45% of our grade and I did not feel like I did so hot.  For many of the questions there were two good answers - attention to minute details was crucial and I walked out of the exam praying that I did well enough to pass the class.  Ending up with a B was fabulous!

In between 1st and 2nd term we get a much needed three week break.  I am spending the first couple of weeks with visitors from Denmark ... always lovely to have my mom here. 

I try to get to the beach as much as possible - I love taking the dogs and let them run like crazy.  The smell of saltwater and the sound of the waves calms me like nothing else.  Today I really need some calming thoughts too.... I made a mistake on some paperwork for school and it will ending up costing me a pretty penny if I cannot get it fixed.  I hope and pray that it can be fixed.  With all these changes in insurance and stuff between school and Rio's new job, I forgot to submit my waiver form.  Well actually I did not forget - I just thought I had until September to get it done.  It turns out the form was due on August 30th ... and now my tuition for fall includes insurance to the tune of $2K ... boohoo!!!  I am so mad at myself and I really really hope I can get the charge reversed as we now have Rio's insurance coverage.

Even with that hick up in the road ... first term is done and I am super excited.  It is an incredible program and I love it.  I cannot wait for next term to start.  My clinical rotation for the fall will be on a medical oncology floor and I am looking forward to getting out into patient care.