will there ever be a time...

....when I feel like I know something?

Ok, I have to admit, there's been a few things, mainly on TV that I've identified from knowledge I've gained while in nursing school. For instance last night there was a report on the news about the 19 lb baby that was born in Indonesia. Big B called me down to see it, as I was upstairs studying. When I saw the baby I said to him that it was a macrosomia baby, and his mom most likely has diabetes. Wouldn't ya know it as ole Sheppard Smith went on to report, mom does have diabetes?

The other night on Survivor one of the castaways was feeling ill after a challenge. While the doc was assessing him she had him stand up after taking his BP, which was low. I said he's mostly likely got orthstatic hypotension, and wouldn't ya know it, he fell back as soon as he got to his feet. I actually knew about orthostatic hypotension from back in the days as an Air Force medic.

Nonetheless I am learning, or at least I feel like I am. That is, I feel that way until I take the practice tests for the textbook, online. I went through the five chapters we're studying, and it was like riding a roller coaster. One I'd bomb, the next I did great, the next eh, not so great, and so on. I try to not let those tests get to me, as they're good practice and I read the rationales for the questions I get wrong. They're not graded for gosh sakes.

mother nature's mess

After the baseball game last night I texted my friend, who happens to be the team manager's (as in the high school girl who assists with various team related needs) mom (yeah, we're friends), to let them know the final outcome of the game...which wasn't pretty. We ended up falling, 8-0, and you could see the heartbreak in each of our player's eyes as they exited the school to depart with us, their parents. My friend let me know that on their way down to NC for a cheer competition that they had come within a half mile of a tornado. Friends of theirs, who were about a mile ahead caught it on video.

During the game one of the moms, who hails from North Dakota, and with whom I have a small bond with because of her hometown, (since we'd been stationed there and LB was born there), informed me that her brother was notified to evacuate (within ten minutes of notification) from Fargo, to get away from the flooding.

Another friend put up her Facebook status as something to the effect of preparing for the blizzard they were about to be faced with, in Oklahoma of all places.

Floods in ND, blizzards in OK...?

I have family in Colorado who was snowed in the other day due to blizzard conditions, and a friend up in Winnipeg, Canada who told me, via Facebook that they'd had something like 25 inches.

Here in Virginia we've only had brief encounters with the sun.

In fact we were supposed to be going to a baseball game today, but it was cancelled because of wet fields from the rain that poured down throughout the night last night. You don't find me complaining because I have gotten a little bit behind this past week, with the new schedule, in my reading. That's what I've been doing today, and am now taking a bit of a break to ponder how depressing the weather has been lately.

Tonight Big B and I are going to a dance that the high school booster club is putting on as a fund raiser. We got our tickets free being that we're both American Legion members and the AL supports the boosters, so they'd bought a block of tickets from which members were able to take from and go to the dance on behalf of the AL. The dance should be interesting. It's being held at some building in our local fairgrounds. The fairgrounds are surrounded by dirt....and in rain that means mud. Oh joy. It's a casual event though, as in jeans, so at least there's that!

I better get back to the books since I did make some pretty good headway earlier!

If you're reading this I hope you're staying warm and dry!!

simple saturday

Not much to report.

One of my study buddies and I got together today and did the pratice ATI Fundamentals test online. We didn't do that great, but in actuality not so bad when you consider the information on it that we have not had this semester, such as pharm and fluids & electrolytes. It was a helpful study aid nonetheless.

Our finals are scheduled for the 16th, so the next week will be spent breathing, eating and sleeping nursing-which is fine with me considering it is all I have to study for now!



It snowed a little bit today, not enough to stick though. It's supposed to snow a little bit more tonight. Hmmm...Not that crazy about the white stuff, except I do like it on Christmas day.

OK, so now I'm talking about the weather and that is my cue to go spend some time with AW.

movies and popcorn it is...

until tomorrow when the studying resumes it's normal hold on my life!

no longer pissin', more like achin'

Yeah, so little studying has been done today for tonight's exam.

The family and I had to go to the nearest Air Force base to attain our retired-military IDs...hubby retired way back in August. So it only took 4 months!

I felt it coming on as we were sitting there, while I'm trying to read my study stuff. This is not to mention the ruckus Satan and Lucifer (LB and AW in fight naughty mode) are causing a ruckus, the hubby is choosing to be the less mature parent and chimes in on the antics, The View ia playing on the set in the waiting area.

satan, taking self-photo for his myspace
Luckily it didn't get really bad until just before we arrived home...3 hours later.

lucifer, aka "emo-kid", just imagine the hair stick-straight
Migraines suck. I tried lying down for a bit. The hubby went down south to the Hampton Roads area to spend time with a friend who is leaving for Iraq on Tuesday, for a year. This left Satan, Lucifer, and mom-with-migraine. They really weren't bad, just not as considerate as people are as, say, when they're in the next state.

The front door opened and shut multiple times, the dogs jumped on and off my bed, the phone rang, and the boys spoke, moved around, and well, um, breathed.

Did I mention the times they intruded upon my resting spot?

My head feels better now...somewhat. I dread the drive. See, I have to drive about an hour to a community college where my exam is proctored. This is because to get to any campus for my university it takes longer than an hour, so I opt for the proctored, closer choice.

I suppose I better go fix the mutants some dinner and read up a bit on the ole psychology!

brains and feet

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You're on your own.
And you know what you know.
And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go.
-Dr. Seuss

I must get busy!

Today I must use my feet to step out and do some Christmas shopping. I've done none up until last night, when I bought my sons their first gift...it's the big one for the year, and I can't share what it is just in case they happen to read this. WHich is a fat chance...an ice cube's chance in hell...wildebeest's chance in a lion's lair on the Kalahari...

I also must replenish our supply of edibles and family staples. This means a trip to the commissary, which I hate, but the prices are the best, especially now that gas has dropped in price (it takes me about 45 minutes to get there, because of distance).

After I've arrived home, and put everything away it is time to get busy using my brain!!! I must study, study, study!

first experiences as a student nurse

After class today I headed into town to volunteer at the Free Clinic. It was for only two hours, but it was a very well spent two hours. I can't say enough about how nice everyone was, and niceness goes a long way! I was let loose to check clients in, obtain weights, BP, T/P/R, and then stood by while the RN took the meds history. It doesn't seem like too much, but it was great anyway! It was awesome just doing the real thing! I only did two hours, because in November I am going to go along with the local high school's Health and Medical Occupations class field trip to go watch an open heart surgery. This is all to LB's dismay, since it's his class! Oh bother, mom's coming along. I tried telling him the reason I'm going has NOTHING to do with him! Ah, the egocentric 15 yr old male!

We have to do 6 hours of community service, and the field trip will give me the other four needed.

I'd like to give a shout out to everyone who reads my blog, especially those who comment and "follow" me! The support is sooo appreciated!

The rest of this week will be spent studying for Nur100-Intro to Nsng, Exam #2. Can we say bleck? Tomorrow a couple of classmates and I are getting together to strategize for our study group on Friday. The first time we did study group we just kind of bumbled along, and we'd like to have a little more organization from here on out.

Yeah, so there are rough patches, and some smooth ones too. Those of us who have been on the fence, so to speak, are also strategizing on moving forward with a positive, determined attitude. After all we didn't work our butts off to get where we're at to give up!