Movin' right along

My blog has moved to www.knitrn.wordpress.com

This is the end the end of this story

This is my last post on this blog. I have changed my focus to my fibery pursuits and have a new name.

www.knitrn.blogspot.com

I hope to see you there.

Get Back

Forgive me readers for I have sinned. It has been way too long since my last post.

The trip to Italy was wonderful. I'll eventually make some back posts with pictures and comments.

I am now in my third semester (out of 4) of nursing coursework. It is looking to be my busiest semester so far. I have 4 classes, and 3 of them have clinical components. Everything looks interesting and the instructors appear to be sane unlike last semester (fall) when we had a teacher who would say one thing in lecture and another in the book and yet a third on the tests. I'm glad I got through it unlike a number of my classmates even if my grade was much lower than expected for all the studying I did for the final.


I rediscovered a trick of knitting while reading to decrease the number of times I get sidetracked. This is what I got done while studying my butt off for finals.











I've got to go and study for my second test of this semester now. While I do that I'm working on a scarf for my sister. This scarf is inspired by a something from the Missoni collection last season. Here's my progress on the scarf (taken earlier this week).

Rounding Third and Heading for Home

It has been a loooong time since my last post. It has been a busy spring here in Houston.

I have finished clinicals - it has been an amazing experience. I had a number of post-surgical patients and every day was interesting. Overall the staff at the hospital I was at were amazing, very helpful and giving of their time. Interesting tidbits from clinical: The mother of one of my patients was a Operating Room (OR) nurse for Dr. Denton Cooley (http://www.tmc.edu/thi/cooley.html) in the 1960's, I got to observe 2 coronary artery bypasses and actually got to see the grafts being sewn on to the heart up close and personal.

As an Easter treat I bought a steal of a package to go see the Astros play. 10 games for $20.00 So what that I'll miss a couple of games while in Italy in a couple of weeks, and the risk of nosebleeds is very real. It's a great deal to get to go see my boys play.

Now, it's off to bed as the last week of classes start, then finals next week and then Hello Roma on May 12th!

Help the Ogalala fund a Planned Parenthood Clinic.

In response to new legislation is SD outlawing abortion except if the mother's life is at risk, President Fire Thunder of the Ogalala Sioux tribe has voiced her intention to fund a Planned Parenthood Clinic on the Reservation. See this article for more info. http://www.indianz.com/News/2006/013061.asp

I think this is a wonderful way to make sure that if an abortion is needed, for whatever reason it is safe and performed by appropriate medical staff. I wish that abortion is safe, legal and rare everywhere.

I also feel this is a wonderful opportunity for the reservation. Another option for health care in the area. It can also bring in money from outside the reservation.

If you are interested in donating to the cause, let me know and I can email you the particulars for donating.

It's Springtime for Hitler...

Well, maybe not, but it certainly is here in Houston. The high today was 74 and it was a beautiful sunny day. The azaleas were in bloom and everyone was out enjoying the weather.

It has been a while since my last update, things have been real busy here. I had my first round of tests 3 A's and 2 B's, my skills checkoff on vital signs, and my first patient in clinicals. Now we have the second round of tests starting.

This whole nursing school thing is wierd. During class I'll get these flashes of this is so right for me, why didn't I do this earlier or this information just makes sense. We have block scheduling on Mondays and the 50 or so people in my class and track all have the same classes together, and then we are all together on Thursday for our evening class. We only split up for one class, asessment lab and clinicals. I feel like I am back in elementary school.

I'm off to sleep now, and then I have to finish a care plan in the morning and start studying for this week's tests. It is going to be an interesting week. I get to pick my patient for clinicals, then I'm going to help with a screening at an inner city school for a service project. After that I have 2 tests and then at the end of the week Spring Break!

I'm so tired

Well, my first two weeks of nursing school are behind me. Classes are interesting but the days get to be very long. The first couple of weeks are a little different to get more lecture time behind us, so we can get on to clinicals.

My usual schedule for the semester will be:

Monday- Nursing Lecture classes all day
Tuesday - Clinicals starting at 6:45 in the morning
Wednesday - Pharmacology Lecture in the late afternoon
Thursday - Asessment Lab starting at 9am and then Pathophysiology until 9 at night.
Friday - Off!!!

So far I have done cultural and nutritional asessments, learned how to give medications, read 11 chapters, turned in one paper and I have my first test on Monday.

Now I'm off to do more studying for this week. I'll have my first trip home to see my parents and my cat. I really miss having a cat in the house, especially since there are a number of cats in the complex.

Just for that, here's pictures of her.



Later -

Back in Class Again

I'm about to head to bed. Classes start tomorrow, and I'm just a little antsy. The only class I have scheduled tomorrow is my clinical section (they meet on campus at first to get us all ready to go to the hospital first). There is a little confusion because there is a makeup session for the associated lecture class later this week that is much longer than just the lecture, like it is a lab and lecture combined makeup. So I won't know if there is a class until I get to campus tomorrow. Oh, well I have some other stuff I need to take care of anyways.
My DSL should be hooked up Wed, and by then I should be able to post pics of my apartment.

Now I've really got to get to bed 6:00 will come early.

Our house is a very, very fine house

I don't know whether to call it a guilty pleasure, must see, or a study aid for Nursing School. I have started watching House on Fox, after many attempts to catch it. I think I am hooked, but the shows I have seen run a little too close to home, wierd but true uses for Viagra, and a young otherwise healthy female with CHF (different cause than KateMonster's but eerie all the same).



I just think I am in love with Dr. House (as played by Hugh Laurie), but then I have always had a fondness for what I call "Marshmallow Men" crusty on the outside, with a soft, sweet center like roasted/burnt marshmallows. He runs a diagnostic department in a hospital and deals with difficult cases. He is somewhat sherlockian in that he is always a couple of steps ahead of the other doctors in his team and the test results that back him up, but he is a fun curmudgeon to watch.

In other news, I had CPR training today-what fun...(not so bad really)

More orientation later this week and classes start next week. I will go hemmorage cash at the bookstore this weekend, I should have my loan disbursement by then.

Mr. Mistoffeles part 2

Just in the nick of time, a new home was found for Linus. I hope he'll be happy there. My other cat Lucy and my Sister's cat (both back home) are not sure what to make of him being gone.

On My Own

I am moved in to my Apartment in Houston. It's wierd to be here all by myself after living at home with my parents and sister for the last few years. The complex is small and friendly, everybody seems to know each other, the owner's husband introduced me to some of my neighbors by name and everybody has been real friendly. I'll post pictures once I get my DSL connected, I'm on a freebie dial up connection until the 13th.

Goin' back to Houston, Houston, Houston

It's official I have an apartment. Complete with all utilities scheduled for service. I'll be moving in at the end of the week. Eeek!!

one more thing down only 237 to go....

With a Little Luck

I put in an application on an apartment yesterday, and it looks like I'll have that taken care of this week!

One thing down, 245 to go...

My Mr. Mistoffeles

I am starting nursing school in Jan 2006 and unfortunately I can't take my cat with me.

Here is his "personals" ad:

Neutered Male DSH ISO New Home
My name is Linus and I am a cuddly six year old boy who needs a new home. My mom is off to nursing school and can't take me with her.

*I am a long and lean 16 pound Maine Coon Mix with Black and White tuxedo markings.
*I like a lap to snuggle in, green balls to fetch, my blue blankie, having someone close at all times
*I get along ok with dogs, but I can be territorial so a house with no kids(high school age may be ok) and no other cats.


*****
If you are interested in Linus please let me know. I move on the 7th of January and I need to have a home for him by then.

I can bring him to anywhere within an hour or so of Austin or anywhere in the Houston Area.
He will come with his signature blue blankie to carry around and some of his favorite toys.