little bitty

I like that song by Alan Jackson.


Alan Jackson-little bitty

Rebel|MySpace Videos

I'm hoping there's little bitty chance to do extremely well on the exam on Monday. Two of the four chapters we're being tested on are on the endocrine system (bleck) and the other two are on nutrition. Deja vu...didn't I just study this same stuff this past summer? One would think I'd do extremely well...then one must consider theinstructor and her tests. The advantage of doing well on this exam gives cushion for future exams. But really, future exams have at the most 5 chapters on them. There's nothing really going on over the next few weeks, except for the homecoming game next Friday, that I feel interested in taking part in. Depending on how this week goes as far as studying will decide whether I'll take a bit of a break and go to the game, otherwise I'll not go. Sacrifices, for the most part (unless they have to do with my kids) have become a lot easier to make.

This coming week will be our last with our current instructor, the end of this rotation. The five of us in my group are going to be extremely sad to leave our instructor behind because she is just that awesome! I am excited to move on to another rotation. I don't feel like I've gotten a lot of technical experience as far as doing anything other than vitals, documenting, assessment, and basic patient care. I'd like to do some catheters (gulp--that's one of my intimidators), IVs, dressing changes, stoma care, basically the stuff I haven't done on a real patient in many, many years, if ever. I am thankful going into this next rotation that I am more comfortable with assessments and documentation on this hospital's computer system. Our next instructor is the former Army nurse. Need I say more?

That's my itty bitty update. I could go on about tons of stuff, but need to get upstairs and hit the books.

down to one roll

We're down to one roll of toilet paper in our house. We have three bathrooms, and one roll. How can this be you ask? Those of you who've gone through or are going through nursing school may be able to answer that question.

Normally I go grocery shopping every two weeks, or so. I have not gone grocery shopping, I'd like to say, since school started this semester. I may be in error saying that, but i'ts been nearly that long. Now that I think about it, it can't have been 6 weeks. Can it? Nooo.

Anyway, my point is I have very little time for much other than reading and studying these days. This is evident in the reduced frequency of my blog posting.

A prescription for Xanax may be in my near future. Right now I am pretty wound up, as tense as a ball of twine.

We had two tests this week. I passed the one on Monday with an 86 bringing my grade up to just above passing in med/surg. I hope I'm not repeating this info, as that would be wasting precious time. Tuesday we took one on skin, lab and diagnostic testing, and dosage calculations. I received an 88 on it. Wednesday and Thursday were clinicals. I had an easy patient, almost too easy as I was bored a lot of the time. Our clinical instructor is such an awesome teacher.

So this weekend will be spent doing the usual, you guessed it--reading, completing study guides, ATI chapters that pertain to the current subject matter we're studing, reinforcing the info with my Reviews and Rationales books, and participating in the online discussions our instructor has burdened us with.

On a happy note (happy for him, but not for the time it takes from studying--that is horrible to say, but in a world where I would sacrifice going to watch, it's reality) AW is skateboarding with a pro skater tomorrow afternoon in an exhibition. This pro was at the middle school the other day showing off his moves and he asked what the name of a certain stunt was. AW answered correctly and won the opportunity he is so excited about taking part in tomorrow. Seriously I would probably not go if it weren't for the fact that Big B has another obligation tomorrow at the same time. I will admit I have to feel a certain amount of appreciation for this predicament, because I would probably never forgive myself for missing it. You can bet as soon as it's over we'll (he's bringing three friends, one gets to take part in the exhibition as well--one of those you win and you get to choose a friend situations) head straight for home where I'll make a beeline to my books.

Off to shop and then home to study...

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.

how about some kibble with that neosporin?

I walked into the house to a small mess of a shredded up sandwich bag, bandaids and some other unidentifiable something-or-another. I knew it had to have come from my clinical bag sitting innocently on the computer room floor, and I knew who the culprit had to be.

Nope, not Sandi. Sandi goes for truly edible items or garbage from food. Nope, it wasn't Sandi.

This had to be a Minnie mess. Minnie rummages through the upstairs bathroom garbage and pulls out anything she finds tempting. I won't mention the unmentionables she's dined on a time or two.

The "unidentifiable something-or-another"? A massacred tube of neopsorin.

Lovely.





Aside from that mess the earlier part of the morning was a success. I went and paid for and picked up my ATI books. Bottom's up: Med/Surg, child, maternal/newborn, and community health. We don't even take the med/surg ATI test this semester, but considering the girth of the book it behooves one to start reading...yesterday.

I passed the dosage calculations test. I did have trouble with the IV calculations, just as I thought I would. So, obviously I"ll be emphasizing on that area in my studies of pharmacology.

As I sit here typing I can say my bottom is quite comfortable on my new cushion. It's actually a neck massager, with vibrator. I'm not using it for that though, just sitting on it makes me feel better! It took forever to find it in Walmart. I looked in the baby section for a Boppy and came up with nothing, then went to the fitness sections--still nothing, then onto the pillows--zippo, and then it occured to me that they might have something near the pharmacy in the medical equipment section. Wrong, but on the next aisle over was the selection of massagers and such...voila! Best part is, it was on sale!

Although I have, figuratively speaking, pain-in-the-butt dog(s) and nursing school exams, my hiney is feeling more finey!

the irony of it all

July 8th.

I had originally rescheduled my ENT appointment for today, and once I realized I had to take LB to the YOVASO (Youth of Virginia Speak Out), retreat which is being held at a college 2 hours away, I had to re-reschedule. My doctor's appointments are next week, to include a dental exam and cleaning Monday. Tuesday is the ENT and Wednesday is the initial GI consult. I hope to know more about my lump in throat sensation after this time next week.

Anyway. LB, his friend who is also in the club, and I headed out this morning with the intention of me heading back this way to take Exam # 4 for A&P. We left at 9 a.m. and it didn't take the full two hours that Mapquest said it would. I was able to walk in, register the boys, and then drop them off at the dorm they will call home for two nights. By this time it is right around 11 a.m. and I figure I'm o.k. to get back to my college to take the exam. Well for some reason it took a little longer, and as time wore on I had to push the speed limit. (The irony lies with me speeding after just having dropped off LB and his friend at a driving safety retreat.)

I make it back to my area of the world with about enough time to spare to be able to make a pit stop in the ladies room and then to head into the college testing center. The testing center director, Ms. M, is nowhere to be seen. Her assistant tells me she'll go get her. Ms. M. is the only one approved to proctor my A&P exams, that are being proctored so I don't have to drive forever and a day north, when I can just go half the distance.

Let me explain a little about Ms. M. She's a bit high strung. She's really not someone I would envision as working in a testing center because she is so hyper. She exists in a state of fluster. Really, who wants to deal with that when they're already flustered themselves!?

A few mintutes later both women walk into the room and Ms. M is saying something to the effect of "I don't think I'm going to be able to do this!" And of course, she is speaking to me. Apparently Wednesdays are bad days because they often hold new student orientations on Wednesdays. She has to be present during the orientations because she is the testing center director.

Ahem...

I've already had to reschedule this exam from last Wednesday, (when there was no mention of Wednesdays being a problem), to this Wednesday, because of the funeral and such from the week prior eating up my study time. Now I must prolong this agondy even longer.

What is the subject matter I'm being tested on at this point you ask?

The somatic and special senses, and the endocrine system are the units I've been suffering through for the past several weeks now. Aside from a death in the family and us having to make the trip up to NJ, I've also been on Ambien, and subsequently injured. I have not been able to focus on these units.

Ms. M. had said something about tomorrow at 8 a.m. in her verbal vomit and then almost retracted at which point I said, "No, tomorrow at 8 a.m. it is."

Ugh.

Tomorrow will be another early summer morning for me. I'll go take the exam, and then I have to go to Quantico. I dread gong there and usually put it off until the family can't take it anymore. We're at the pont now where we're out of some of the items that make going to the commissarry threre worthwile.

On the way I'm going to embark on some retail therapy. I need something to wear both nights of the reunion weekend.

Oh well, time to make lemons out of lemonade and go study the zillion pages of anatomy diagrams I printed off at the college after nearly throttling Ms. M.

blurry world

This morning I had planned on going to take Exam 1 for A&PII.

Let's back up a bit first, before I get on with my day. Last January we replaced one of the tires on our Chevy, because it had a hole in it. This January we replaced two others because of wear and tear. The other day Big B notices that the remaining tire, from when we bought the car in late 2007, was really low on air. He suspects there is a slow leak in it.

Sure enough!

This morning I get in to make my journey up north, about 40 minutes, to go take my test. (I had it planned just right--so that I'd be able to test and then head over to my ophthalmologist appointment.) As soon as I turn on the ignition the computer tells me to "check the RR tire". So I complied. It was at 12 psi. 12 psi!?!?!

Without panicking I headed to our local gas station (think Mayberry). I attempt to add air, but it's been a while since I've had to do that. I go in to find out what I'm doing wrong, and the lady who works there comes out and fills the tire to 35 psi. By this time I don't have time to go take the test first.

I really wanted to take that test first, before getting my eyes poked and prodded and my pupils dilated!!

There's a reason I named my blog Order and Chaos!

Ever had your pupils dilated? Ever attempted to take an exam, via computer after said pupils have been dilated? This is all not to mention how Dr. Poke and Prod had to manipulate my eyeball and skin around it, to inspect for any retinal tears. And this is all after getting the yellow dye dropped in. Final diagnosis is that I do indeed have a floater, and to live with it for another 2-3 months to see if gravity will take care of it. Otherwise, or if it worsens, I'm supposed to see Dr. Poke and Prod again.

As it was I didn't walk into the community college--the one I've never been to, but had to go to because it's where I'm taking A&PII from--with eyes that looked as jaundiced as a cirrhosis patient's! I did walk in with a left eye surrounded by reddened skin!

I did take that exam with blurry vision. If I didn't live so far away, and hadn't arranged to take it today whilst being in the same area for my appointment, I wouldn't have taken it.