30

I have declared January as the month to catch up on blogs!  So here we go.....

I turned the big 3-0 last month! Thirty sounds "so old", until you get there.  I didn't mourn over this milestone, it is actually kind of exciting.  I'm married, own a home, have 2 beautiful children, have a full-time job.....now I can chillax and enjoy watching my girls grow up and attempt to be the best wife and mother I can be.  (I'm predicting that life in the 40's will be even better with less debt/bills to pay off)

My mother gave me the perfect birthday card.  It said: "Welcome to your 30's!  It's just like your 20's, only your hangovers last longer.  And you start buying sensible shoes." Ha - so true!

I didn't have a big birthday party or really do anything special.  (Does going through the McDonald's drive through count?!  Adam bought!)  Adam and I went out with my family and some friends the night before.  Pretty low key - which is what I like.

Here is to NO wrinkles/fine lines, NO grey hair,and  NO varicose veins for the next decade!!!!

Day Shift

After 6 months of working the night shift, I am VERY HAPPY to announce that I have accepted a full-time DAY position at the hospital in Belmond!

I will begin working days at the beginning of the new schedule, which is April 21st.  Only 8 more night shifts to go!  But who's counting?!

Life has an amazing way of working itself out....it just requires a little faith and patience.  

As you know, I am current working PRN (as needed) - primarily nights, but a few days here and there.  Currently, if the hospital has a low patient census I am the first person to be "on-call" on "flexed," unless another employee is in overtime.  Because of this one of my pay checks last month only had 12 hours on it - ouch!  So I we are very happy to have guaranteed full time hours again!

In addition to having full-time hours and PTO, I can work pretty much whenever - since we have daycare during the day.  I have been working on Adam's days off - which means we rarely have a night off together.  Maybe 3 or 4 nights/month.  However, we are home together every afternoon.  

And finally, with a new baby on the way, I am so thankful that I will be able to tuck my girls into bed every.single.night!

Now if only Adam could get on days..........................some day, right?!

PRN

As of yesterday I am no longer an *official* full-time employee at Iowa Specialty Hospital, instead I am now  a PRN (as needed) employee.  I still plan (and hope) to pick up full-time hours each week, however I am not guaranteed the hours, which kind of makes me nervous.  Adam and I had many conversations about this decision and we are confident that this is the best choice for our family at this point in our lives.

With Adam and I both working nights, we depended on our family members to drive to Clarion and spend the night and following morning with Harper.  If we both worked the weekend then Harper would go to Northwood.  I think it was wearing on everyone, myself, Adam and Harper included.  It was usually only about once a week and every other weekend or so, but it was still a hassle.  I think it was hardest on Harper, as she never knew who would be putting her to bed or why we were always sending her to her Grandparents.

My mom said something to me one time that really made seriously think about going PRN ~ she said something along the lines of 'not wanting Harper to associate coming to see her Grandma/Grandpa as a sad thing.'  Don't get me wrong, Harper loves spending time with both sets of Grandparents, but she also gets sad because we're not there.  I don't ever want my children to be sad about visiting their grandparents, I want them to create lots of happy memories, which I know is the case now.  BUT....it was time to put an end to the frequent visits without mommy and daddy going along too.  I know there will still be weekends that my children will visit without us there, but hopefully the visits will be fewer and far between, so they are excited to go see them!


Pros:

• I get to create my own schedule
• Harper requires less daycare, which cuts down on the daycare bill (and our families driving down to watch her)
• I don't HAVE to work weekends or holidays (or even nights for that matter)
• I don't have to worry about getting time off for special occasions (I just won't sign up to work if I know in advance)
• I can pick up shifts in both Belmond and Clarion

Cons:

• I am not guaranteed full-time hours
• I am not eligible to receive benefits - including a paid maternity leave (our health/dental insurance is through Adam so it's not a big deal)
• I work on Adam's days off - which means we only have 1 day off together out of every 8 days ( BUT we are all together every afternoon, our family time is spent together in the few hours before supper, instead of the few hours after supper like most families)
• I am not guaranteed full-time hours

As you can see, there are both pros and cons to going PRN, we just had to go with our hearts and trust that this decision will work out for our family.  I am not required to work nights or weekends,  but that is our greatest need at work right  now, so I will continue to work the night shifts and a few weekend here and there.  I do have about 5 days shifts scheduled, but the day shift is pretty much fully-staffed, unlike nights.  So I will work where I'm needed to get in my full-time hours, and I've even picked up a few shifts in Clarion.  I will continue to work as a PRN employee until: Adam switches to days, I get a day job, or both kids are in school ~ which ever comes first!

A BIG THANK YOU to our families who have helped us out these past 5 months - there is NO WAY that we could have gotten through that time without you, we are forever grateful!  

Job Update

Just a quick update to let you all know how my new job is going....

So far I'm loving it.  I love my co-workers, the new facility, and of course the patient care.

I work 3 12-hr shifts/week, which I also love.  It is so nice being home majority of the week.  I only have 2 weeks left of orientation until I'm officially "on my own."  Although I've been taking my own patients for the past few weeks.  

I love not having to report to anyone, i.e. nursing instructor.  It is nice not having to ask another nurse to get a medication out for me, or have them watch me hang/give IV medications.  I really enjoy the autonomy of being a nurse.  

AND - I got my first paycheck yesterday.  I know this may sound crazy, but I am so excited to start paying more bills.  Adam has payed for 90% of our bills while I was in nursing school, which I feel horrible about.  I am happy that I can start contributing more to our family, and I know Adam is excited too :)

Miscarriage: Part 2

Read Part 1here

Obviously my body was not recognizing that it was not pregnant, so we decided that it was time for medical intervention.  Before my OB/GYN did the D&C, he wanted to first rule out an abdominal pregnancy, so I was scheduled for a CT scan of my abdomen/pelvis.  Even though he did search my abdominal cavity during my first surgery, there are too many intestines to search through by surgery alone.  The CT would also show if there was a tumor somewhere causing my HCG levels to rise. 

{Wednesday Aug 15} CT Scan
The results from my CT showed no evidence of an abdominal pregnancy, which is great news because I would have had to have another surgery to remove the pregnancy, in Rochester or Iowa City.  The only thing that did show up was the cyst on my right ovary (remember at first it was thought to be the location of an ectopic pregnancy?!)  My doctor said that normally cysts don't show up on a CT, or are at least not as defined as mine was.  Now we have another dilemma on our hands....is it just a cyst or is it a tumor?  Now my fate boils down to the lab results from my scheduled D&C......If the tissues from the D&C were not in favor of embryonic development then we would have to start investigating the "mass" on my ovary.  (FYI - the mass isn't large at all - just a few centimeters I believe)  

{Friday Aug 17}  D&C
***The procedure went great.  It was a piece of cake, a much better recovery than the 1st surgery!  I was told that my results would come back on Monday or Tuesday.....more waiting....

{Tuesday Aug 21} HCG 3,000, lab results
*** My HCG level went down 52,000 points over the weekend - hallelujah! I have never been so happy to NOT be pregnant! We also got the lab report back from the D & C - the tissues were indeed 'products of conception' - which means no crazy tumor causing the increasing HCG levels. It is still puzzling as to why my levels were so high and why my body was not recognizing the unsustainable  pregnancy.

{Aug 28} Follow-Up D&C Appt, HCG 300
***My HCG levels today were 300 and should be down to zero within a week - yahoo!!!!!!  During my appt we discussed our entire situation and they "whys" behind everything.  My OB/GYN believes that I had twins, possibly triplets, trying to form!!!  Holy $#!*!!!  Why does he believe this???  1. My HCG levels were extremely high at the beginning of pregnancy 2. Two gestational sacs were present on the ultrasounds - but only contained blighted ovums  3. A molar pregnancy was ruled out via D&C cultures (Molars cause elevated HCG levels)

What a crazy story, huh?!

***As I mentioned in the last post, Adam and I dealing with our loss pretty well.  Some days are better than others.  I've seen a handful of pregnancy announcements on facebook and although I'm happy for everyone, I can't help but be jealous and sad that it's not us.  I'm anticipating that March may have some ups and downs, as that was when our due date was.  As my OB/GYN said, most miscarriages are a result of a chromosomal abnormality - it's amazing that our bodies can detect this.  He said that maybe one of the twins would have had Downs Syndrome and my body recognized this and told itself to stop with the fetal development.  When we look at it medically, we are much more at peace.

Adam and I both agree that our miscarriage would have been more difficult if 1) I was further along in the pregnancy 2) We actually had a baby growing 3) We had difficulty conceiving 4) we had multiple m/c.  Because we never saw a baby or heartbeat, we really didn't have anything to get attached to, other than the idea of having another baby.  Don't get me wrong - we were still sad.  However we know other couples who have been through way more devastating situations.

Now we have to wait a few months before we can start trying again for baby #2.  Thankfully we don't have any issues in the fertility department, as both pregnancies were conceived during the 1st month of trying.  I can already predict that I will be a nervous wreck the next time around - which is to be expected.  I hope to be sharing good news with you all in 2013!!!!  Please say a prayer for us.

Our Miscarriage Journey: Part 1

We never expected this to happen to us.  We never expected to join the 20% of couples trying to conceive.  We never expected to experience a miscarriage.  But we did.  Here is our story about our very long and strange journey through a miscarriage.

{Sunday July 15}  positive home pregnancy test # 1

{Tuesday July 17}  positive home pregnancy test # 2

{Monday July 30}  initial OB appointment, HCG 17,000
***HCG is a hormone that your body produces when you are pregnant.  When the levels reach 2,000 - a gestational sac can be visualized via ultrasound and when the level reaches 5,000 - the baby's heartbeat can be detected.  Because my levels were already at 17,000 at 6 weeks, I was scheduled for my first ultrasound for the following day to check size and dates.  Expected due date for baby #2 = March 25, 2013

{Tuesday July 31}  ultrasound #1, HCG 22,000, surgery #1
***Nothing showed up on my first ultrasound, not even a gestational sac.  (Remember that a gestational sac can be detected at HCG levels of 2,000 - mine was 17,000 the day before.)  They even performed a trans-vaginal ultrasound for a better view.  I wasn't too concerned because I was only 6 weeks and my uterus is retroverted, making it harder to visualize.  We were sent home and told that my Dr would be following up with me soon.  That afternoon we went to the pool for a few hours; when I got home I had SIX missed calls from the doctor's office and Adam had three - I KNEW something was wrong!  I called back and the nurse wanted me to come in ASAP because they thought I was having an ectopic pregnancy.  My OB/GYN suspected I was having an ectopic pregnancy for a few very good reasons: 1. No gestational sac showed up on my u/s, although my HCG levels suggested that an embryo/fetus had developed  2. A cyst-like mass appeared on my right ovary.  Both of these signs would lead any doctor to believe that I was experiencing an ectopic pregnancy located on my right ovary.  Because this is a life-threatening condition I was scheduled for surgery that evening.  I was told that I would undergo an laprascopic procedure to remove the pregnancy and possibly the right ovary and/or fallopian tube.  Adam and I were both very sad to hear this news - mostly because we were losing Harper's future brother or sister.  Plus the thought of only having one ovary/fallopian tube made me very nervous about my future fertility.  However surgery did NOT go as planned.  The surgery team (2 OB/GYN's, 2 med students, & I NP) could NOT find any sign of an ectopic pregnancy...anywhere!  They looked on both fallopian tubes/ovaries, outer side of uterus, and even in my abdomen....NOTHING!

Where could this mysterious pregnancy be developing?!  Was it a pregnancy or a tumor causing my HCG levels to rise?  Yes, I said tumor.  The "C" word was thrown at me as a possible - but highly unlikely answer to my unique situation.  Really?!?!  It was a hard enough week on me - not seeing our baby on an ultrasound and then going through surgery - only to be told the problem wasn't solved!!!  At this point I was frustrated that I had just went through an unnecessary surgery (although it actually was necessary at the time), yet hopefully that maybe I was indeed pregnant.  Adam and I were given hope that a pregnancy was hiding really, really well in my uterus.  We truly believed that we were given a 2nd chance.  I was scheduled for lab work 2 days post-surgery to determine the course of my diagnosis/treatment


{Thursday Aug 2} HCG 29,000, ultrasound #2
***HCG levels generally double every 48 hours in a healthy pregnancy. Today my levels should have been AT LEAST 44,000 but were only 29,000. Because my levels did increase some, indicating that the pregnancy was still developing, I was scheduled for another ultrasound. Remember, a heartbeat is visible when HCG levels are 5,000, mine are now at 29,000. Again, nothing was visible via a trans-vaginal ultrasound. My uterus did show some growth in the lining, but still no gestational sac. Bummer. My doctor called that afternoon after receiving the u/s report and said that I would more than likely miscarry over the weekend. Double bummer.

{Tuesday Aug 7} HCG 49,000, ultrasound # 3, Dr visit #2
***The weekend passed and I did not miscarry.  So more lab work was ordered.  My HCG increased again but was still not at the level it should be.  Again, I went in for another u/s thinking something has to be growing!  NOPE!  1, possibly 2 gestational sacs looked visible, however they contained only fluid.  After the u/s I was pretty much convinced that there was no chance of a pregnancy.  I was now 7 weeks along and nothing had shown up on 3 ultrasounds.  I had an appt with my OB/GYN directly after the u/s to discuss my options.  He reinforced that fact that the pregnancy is not viable.  I decided that I wanted to let my body miscarry naturally, instead of going in for another surgery.  Also, this is the first day that I heard the word multiples......as in I had more than one embryo trying to form!  At this point my OB/GYN just threw the idea out there, as my HCG levels were pretty high (even for a healthy pregnancy) and it looked like 2 sacs were trying to form.  Me...conceiving multiples...there is NO way!

{Tuesday Aug 14} HCG 55,000, ultrasound # 4
***Another week had passed and I still had not had not miscarried.  I went in for more lab work and it showed that my HCG levels increased AGAIN!  This was absolutely crazy and my doctor had never had a case like this before!  At this point I was gaining a 2nd round of hope.  I was also getting very frustrated with the mystery behind everything.  I wanted an answer.  I went back in for another u/s to see if anything had developed - same old story - nothing :(  The gestational sacs were still there - and still empty :(  I was now 8 weeks along.  We had our first u/s with Harper when she was 8 weeks, so I KNEW that a baby should be detected at this point, even in my tilted uterus.  The u/s actually brought us a sense of relief, in the fact that we finally had our answer and could move on.  This was a bitter-sweet day.

Check back soon for Part 2 - more tests and procedures!  I have divided this story into a few posts, simply because our story is long, mysterious, and complicated!

***We decided to share our story with our family/friends only because we know a lot of people who have also gone through a miscarriage.  It is our hope that our story helps those feel less 'alone.'  I personally feel less isolated because others have shared their experiences and I understand that 1 out of 5 women also go through this.

***We did NOT share our story to gain any ones sympathy.  Trust me when I say that we have coped very well with our situation and are looking forward to the future, instead of dwelling on the past.  

My first {real} job

The time has finally come......I have accepted my first REAL job.  By real job, I mean a FULL TIME job with benefits!  It only took 10 years of being out of high school and 6 years of college ;)

I have accepted a job at Iowa Specialty Hospital - Belmond, working nights as a registered nurse.  My hours will be 7p-7a, 3 nights/week.  This includes working every 3rd weekend and every other holiday.  It will be nice to be home 4 out of 7 nights/week.

Adam and I discussed the pros and cons of this job for a few weeks.  We understand that it is not the perfect fit for our family, but we are willing to try to make it work.  In fact, those are the exact words I told my boss. 

The plan is to work full-time for the next year.  Hopefully at the end of next summer we will be welcoming baby #2 into our family.  At that time, the plan is to work PRN after my maternity leave ends.  I would love to work PRN or part-time until both kiddos are in school, and then I could go back full-time.

Adam and I understand that the next year is going to be absolutely crazy, but we know that it is only temporary and is benefiting our family in the long run.  Besides, we have survived much more difficult circumstances during Adam's Army career!  Thank you to everyone for all of the support and encouragement to help us get to this point.  We are going to need your help and support even more in the next year.  Thank you in advance! ;)

Only 10 more days until I enter the working world.....I am so nervous and excited at the same time!  (And maybe a little sad!)  Adam, on the other hand, can't get me out the door fast enough!

10 years

A few weekends ago I celebrated my 10 YEAR CLASS REUNION!  

It's crazy to think how fast time really does pass us by.

In the past 10 years, I have:

graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a degree in education...

gotten married (have been married 6 out of the 10 years)...

learned how to cook...

became a home-owner...

learned that I am NOT a very good housekeeper...

gave birth to a beautiful and smart little girl...

learned how to be a parent (and am still learning)...

traveled to Jamaica and Mexico

graduated from Iowa Central Community College as a registered nurse...

and will hopefully be landing my first 'real' job soon.....VERY soon ;)

Class of 2002

My BFF's from high school...the morning AFTER the reunion 

Reflecting back on the last 10 years, I feel like I've accomplished a lot.  However, I know that the future has much more in store for me and I can't wait to see what the next 10 years brings!

New Title

This is old news to many of you...........

BUT.......

As of August 1st, 2012, Brooke Marie Nerlien is a REGISTERED NURSE in the State of Iowa!

Man if feels great to say that!

Now the job hunt begins!

Wish us luck that the perfect job falls into place for our little family!

Graduation #2

Three weeks ago I 'graduated' from Iowa Central Community College with my associates degree in nursing. I saw 'graduated' because I still have 3 weeks of class and clinicals left.  My coursework in nursing is complete, however, this last 6-week class consists of learning how to lead a group of nurses, studying for the boards, making a resume & portfolio, studying for the boards, and studying for the boards!  We were able to chose where we would like to complete our last 120 hrs of clinical and I chose......the ER.  I chose the ER out of pure FEAR!  I always declined going to the ER when given the chance.  I was/am afraid of the unknown, the pressure, and the extremely fast pace.  However, now that I have complete 2 weeks in the ER, it's not so bad.  I have learned A LOT!  Which is exactly why I chose to do my last rotation in the ER.

Degree #2

There is NO way I would have been able to get through nursing school without the help of my husband!  Thank you for putting up with me & supporting me the past 2 years!

My parents - more members of my support team!

THANK YOU to my family that was able to make the ceremony.  I appreciate your support - from near and far!!!

I Did It!

It came down to the wire, but I did it. I got all A's this semester, which landed me a 4.0 for the first time in my life! I came close a few times during high school and while I was at UNI, but the idea of earning a 4.0 seemed 'unachievable' to me. I don't know why, I guess I just never pictured myself to be the 'straight A' type.

So now I can check that one off the list!

It was a long semester. Microbiology was not my friend. But I loved my OB/Pediatric nursing class and clinical experience. I think I would like to be an OB nurse when I finish school. (which is only a short 6 months away!)

It's time to move on to my final semester of nursing school! Everyone says it's going to be challenging, yet achievable. Wish me luck!

I would like to give a big THANK YOU to Adam, for supporting me and encouraging me through nursing school. There are days/weeks when I am not physically and/or mentally available as a wife because I have so much school work to do. Thank you for understanding and being patient with me. I love you!

Abby's Getting Married

September 24, 2011

Last weekend I went to Des Moines to help my friend Abby celebrate her bachelorette party. Abby and I have been friends since 7th grade, which has been 15 years!!! That seams so weird to think about - she is one of the few friends I have remained close with since high school and I am so thankful for her. She is a great friend to have!

We started the night at Americana, for a lingerie shower, dinner and drinks. Then we head to the Funny Bone Comedy Club and got in quite a few laughs. The headliner for the evening was Josh Blue. If you watch 'Last Comic Standing' then you probably know who I am talking about, as he was the winner of one season, and more distinctively - he has Cerebral Palsy. This guys is HILARIOUS - if you ever have any free time, look him up on youtube. However he is much funnier in person compared to the videos I've watched online. After the comedy show, we hit up a bars in West Glen and danced the night away. It was a great girls night out! I can't wait to do it all again this weekend when we celebrate Abby and Aaron's WEDDING!

Me and the Bride-to-Be

The Bride and her 'Maids

School Update

I can't believe that I've already been in school for one month so far this semester. It is definitely going by fast like I hoped. My nursing class this semester is 'Maternal and Child Health Care', and as the name implies, we are learning how to provide nursing care for pregnancy, labor/delivery, newborns, and pediatrics. I am really enjoying the class and clinicals. Today I got to see my first delivery and it was awesome!!! The past 3 weeks I have had plenty of opportunities to provide postpartum and newborn care. (and cuddle babies!)

After 4 weeks, I am still getting an 'A' in both of my classes, my nursing class and microbiology. I spend A LOT of time in class/clinicals. Last night I added up my time and I spend 26 hours in school/clinicals and another 4-5 hours driving, making 30 hours spent away from home each week. I understand that this is going to happen when I get a 'real' job, but on top of my 30 hours, I still have to do homework/study, housework, spend time with my family, work, and find time for myself every once in awhile. I am exhausted by the end of the week, but I know it will all be worth it in the end!

So now you know why I don't blog very often! But I do have a few other posts coming this week so check back soon.

Insanity: Day 15

One way Insanity monitors your progress is by having the individual perform the same Fit Test every 2 weeks. You are to do as many reps as you can in 1 minute and then record your results after each exercise on the handy dandy Fit Test Card that came with the program.

Here are my results:

Exercise Day 1 Day 15

switch kicks 50 56

power jacks 32 42

power knees 63 69

power jumps 20 29

globe jumps 5 8

suicide jumps 10 12

push-up jacks 7 10

low plank oblique 18 28

As you can see, I improved in EVERY exercise! Yipee! I still don't see any physical results yet. But I can definitely tell that my cardiovascular fitness is improving. I think the 2nd month is when the body transformation is supposed to take place (lets hope!). It would help if I followed the eating plan (whoops!)

15 days down - 45 more to go! Not that I'm counting - oh wait, I am! Hurry up!

Insanity

As I promised a few blogs ago, here is an update on my 'workout' plans.

I just finished my first week of Insanity.

As the name implies, the workouts are insane!

So far I am enjoying the program. I look forward to each workout. (this never happens) It could be because it's the first week and is something new and different.

The workouts are challenging and I am dripping with sweat by the end. I am actually sweating by the end of what they call a 'warm up!"

Each workout consists of A LOT of jumping, squats, crazy push-ups, and basketball and track 'drills.' It is 100% cardio.

I took a 'before' picture and I am planning on taking an 'after' picture in 60 days. Hopefully I find the courage to post my results.

Apparently my body loves to store fat. I decided that it's time to get serious and do something about it. After gaining 15 lbs since last summer, not being able to fit into a lot of my clothes and 'jeans' weather right around the corner, NOW is the time. AND I'm a bridesmaid in October. It's time to get motivated and make a change!

I'm hoping to have progress to update you on over the next few months.

DONE!

As of last Tuesday I am officially done with my summer class and it feels SO darn good! I was in class 15 hours a week and in clinical 16 hours, along with 5 hours of driving each week. Which makes a total of 36 hours/week spent on my class...NOT fun!

I passed with an 89%, not an A, but pretty close. I am actually content with my 89% because I need to maintain an 89% in the rest of my classes in order to have total rein over my RN clinical/preceptorship. It's kind of confusing, so let me explain.

Next summer I have to do an 120-hr clinical experience during my six week summer class (our very last nursing class). If I can get at least an 89% in my remaining 2 classes then I can choose where and with who I complete my final clinical with. If I get b/w 84% and 89% then I can choose my clinical experience for 40 of the 120 hours. Anything below 84% and I am not able to choose my clinical location and I will be monitored by an Iowa Central instructor :(

With that being said, I am on on the right track to getting to choose the site for the entire 120 hr experience. As of now, I think I would like to follow an RN in surgery or the ER. My preference would be at Wright Medical Center, which is where I currently work.

I am really looking forward to the rest of the summer. I plan on taking lots of trip to the pool, park, and library with Harper!

Honor Society

I remember telling Adam that one of my goals for nursing school was to 'graduate with honors.' I'm not exactly sure what this all entails, but I know I'm heading down the right path. Why? Because I have been selected to be a member of Iowa Central Community College Honor Society! A recognition ceremony was held in Fort Dodge on Tuesday night but we decided not to go because of the nasty weather. Now i just have to go pick up my award (which will look great on resumes) and my gold cord (which I get to wear at graduation).

I don't want to jinx myself, but nursing school is going better than I predicted. We were told at orientation that if were were 'A' students in high school, then we would be 'B' students in nursing school. So I've been expecting to be a 'B' or 'C' student - but have gotten all A's and B's so far! I think it helps that I ENJOY what I'm doing - I love nursing school! I wish I wouldn't have waited so long to get started. Anyways, I just thought I'd share with you all that my hard work is paying off!

Another School Update

I guess it's time for another school update. After 5 weeks of class, everything is still going well. I really enjoy class and my clinical experiences. After 4 tests, my grade is a B, with an 88%. (92% for an A) So far my grade is only based on tests, with my lowest test grade an 86% and my highest is a 96%. I'm not saying class is easy, I just put in the time needed to earn such grades. As far as clinicals go - I got one of my biggest fears out of the way yesterday- I catheterized a male...twice! I also gave an injection - those are easy peasy now- my pulse didn't even fluctuate :) Last year injections were my fear; it's fascinating how quickly we grow and advance.

A few weeks ago we had a test over pediatric nursing care. Here is my little love bug helping me practice a 'mummy wrap.' She loved it! Now only if she would let me listen to her lungs and other such things.

I hope you all have a fabulous weekend! Guess what I'll be doing? You guessed it - studying!

I Passed!

I am so happy (and proud) to announce that I passed my first semester of nursing school! Not that I was entirely worried, but I knew that school was going to be somewhat of a challenge. To put it in perspective for you, we started the semester with 35 students and there were only 17 at the final. Out of the remaining 17, there are probably a few who did not pass the final. I'm sure each semester gets harder, so the class size will continue to decrease. I am determined to graduate in May 2012! I know it will take a lot of hard work, but I am up for the challenge.

It feels sooooo good to have a break from school! I am looking forward to spending my days with my baby girl again! Over break, I am going to (finally) start my training at the hospital as a CNA. Other that working and hanging out with Harper, we don't have much going on. Oh yeah, unless you count our TRIP TO MEXICO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (And Christmas, my birthday and NYE of course!)

I'll post more on these later. Have a great week everyone!

School Update

It's hard to believe that I only have 5 weeks left of this semester! I guess it's a good thing that I think it's going fast, better too fast than too slow. I have learned a ton of stuff already in just my first semester of the nursing program. The most exciting skill I've learned recently is how to give injections. I was able to give my first shot on Friday! Scary but so much fun at the same time. I am enjoying every minute of school so far. And I am pleased with my grades at this point:
Fundamentals of Nursing - 90%
Medication Administration - 100%
Anatomy and Physiology II - 95%

I hope I am able to maintain my grades for the remainder of the semester. I hear that each semester gets more and more difficult and requires more studying. I hope my success will follow me along my journey.