sisterhood

The rules for accepting the award are as follows:
Put the logo on your blog or post.
Nominate at least 10 blogs with great attitude and/or gratitude.
Be sure to link to your nominees in your post.
Let your nominees know they have received the award by leaving them a comment on their blog.
Be sure to link this post to the person who nominated you for the award.

1. Robin. One of my oldest blogfriends only because she's one of my oldest friends. We went to high school together, and were able to reconnect via the 'net. Robin is the editor extraordinaire of Our Big Earth where you'll find gems of the Comox Valley Of Vancouver BC, Canada, that extend to our big Earth!

2. Lorie. I met my dear friend Lorie before moving to VA. We came across one another on a website for military wives and wouldn't you know it we had so much in common it was a friendship that was meant to be! She's a nurse, and one of my inspirations for deciding to get back on the path to follow my dream of becoming a nurse. She's also a talented cook and dishes up some great recipes on her blog!

3. Christy. When I first decided to start blogging about my nursing school experience it seemed like a good idea to search out other student nurses. I came across Christy's blog. She had just finished school the year before. After reading her blog for a bit she had me laughing so hard when she wrote about going to take her NCLEX I just had to get to know her! I also admire her for her strength as a mother and I know she's developed into an exceptional nurse!

4. Amanda. If a name can be synonymous with strength, or sheer will, it would be Amanda, maybe it even is. This young lady is a survivor. She's surviving these past few weeks from grief. I came across her blog by way of another blog and I consider myself fortunate for having done so. Amanda is a truly inspirational person.

5. At Your Cervix. The name says it all, does it not? Being that I'm drawn to labor and delivery and such I was, of course, drawn to this blog, and have been hooked since! AYC is forging her way through midwifery school. She shares her stories from school, as well as her work in L&D.

6. Andrea. Love this girl! I once told her that if I had a daughter I'd want her to be like her! Need I say more?

7. Christine. Another nursing student like myself, just trying to make the grade. She delivers tales of her journey, and is always willing to lend support! All that and she's taken on a new family member! I also dig her sense of humor!

8. Jen. Jen incorporates tales of her nursing school days as well as her days spent as a volunteer, and the wife of an electrician/volunteer firefighter. Her blog is endearing and well-read. She's also created a blog especially for nursing students.

9. Heather. This woman is a riot! Too bad she lives across the US or we'd have to hang out and have a blast of a good time! We'll just have to settle for the blogsphere! She's supportive, strong and has tenacity that many lack.

10. Prisca. Here you'll find another one of my L&D heroes. This woman is without a doubt a modern day saint. Read her blog and you'll find out why! She's been a nurse for little over a year, but has had experiences that many have never had in a lifetime of nursing.

11. Undergrad RN. Yet another great place for a great account of nursing school rantings and all the joys that we as student nurses encounter. These accounts are from my Canadaian friend, and it's interesting to "hear" things from the Canadian perspective. You'll absolutely love this witty blog!

12. Becky. A woman after my own heart. I've often said there ought to be an association for mom's of only sons. Becky shares stories of her life, including some of her son who has been diagnosed with ADHD, all the while maintaining a GFCF (gluten free-casein free) household. She posts many scrumptious recipes on her blog! Becky is also one of my oldest, from back in the good ole days of high school, friends!

13. RN2BE. I have a friend in New Zealand. I'll never forget when she contacted me either! How fun is this! It's been great to read her stories, since she's also a student nurse! It's been great to learn the cultural differences.

14. Tiffany. Last, but certainly not least! This fine young lady nominated moi for this delightful award! If you've never visited Tiffany you're in for a treat. She is such a sweet girl, and yes, you guessed it....she's one of my nursing student sisters. Please stop by, offer her support, after all we all need it from time to time! She's also a newlywed. Her husband is in the Navy and is deployed. Cheers to the military wife!

oh what a feeling!

Pharmacology final is over!

We had 40 multiple choice questions on interactions, pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, geriatrics, peds, drug approval...you know, the basics. The last half of the exam consisted of the calculations. You can bet I wasn't the only one who flipped straight for the back and started working like a mad woman to finish those problems/challenges. One of the teachers that I worked with at the high school, a math teacher in particular has a motto, "There are no problems, only challenges". It makes sense!

What a good feeling it is to have that weight lifted off my shoulders!

Now we just have to play the waiting game. Our instructor told us she would have the grades posted tomorrow morning if not tonight.

I'm going to keep myself busy by heading over to the high school for the JV baseball game. Normally I wouldn't have much of an interest in this but a friend of mine, with whom I went to high school in Colorado, lives in an adjacent county and her son's HS is playing my son's HS. She and I don't see each other very often with both of us having busy lives, but since I am officially on Spring Break I'm going to take a bit of a breather from my norm and go hang out with her! Besides I'll know plenty of other moms (parents) that will be there too!

Tomorrow I have my big day of retail therapy planned, but I'd forgotten that the kids have the day off, so I'm not sure how that's going to work out. I may end up with a tag-along, but maybe not. LB has plans to stay the night with some of his Varsity buds. They've really taken him under their wings. No joke. Their mascot's the Eagles, and it looks just like the Philadelphia Eagles. He's just like their little eaglet I guess. They have practice in the later part of the morning anyway. AW will be my tag-along if he doesn't come up with some other scheme before this evening is over.

For clinicals my classmates and I had our orientation yesterday and I met my patient. It's occured to me that because I am not anonymous and I am only caring for one patient I am going to have to be extra super-duper Hipaa vigilant and creative with my stories. I will say for now I am looking forward to the overall experience. I'm not intimidated by the care I'll be giving, but I will be sufficiently challenged.

As far as the question I posed yesterday about people's thoughts on the statement "If you are meant to be a nurse you will do fine",this was a closing statement in an email from my husband. We had been having a discussion (heated, aggravated, angered, irritated...) and my last statement had been something to the effect of "...and I'm supposed to take care of someone else's family member???" I said this because I have been frustrated because, well let's just put it this way: in life we have peaks and troughs (yeah, a little too much pharmacology as of late), and my family has been going through what seems like more troughs than peaks lately, and as the mom/wife/caregiver I have been feeling strain to the enth degree....all that with school on top. When I read that statement on his email it struck me funny. I would have expected something more to the effect of "Oh, honey! You are going to be a wonderful nurse! blah, blah, blah" Now in reality the former statement is more like my husband, and especially so when you consider the context with which it was made.

Live, love, and learn.