Anyone need an NG tube?

So.. today was a good day... I passed my NG check off. But I almost made a huge mistake, actually i did make the mistake but I said oh I messed up and Mrs. G said ok, what did u forget? To measure the tube... DUH! Waiting until the last round didn't help and hearing a bunch of other students discuss things didn't help me either. I was losing focus and I kinda had a deer in headlights moment. Lately info gets jumbled in my head (difficult keeping drugs straight) or i know but when pressured my mind goes blank or my brain is in one place while my body (hands or whatever) are somewhere else. I only hope this resolves itself before future damages occur... So thanks for the prayers. Now I just gotta get through my first 2 patient monday paper work and I can have a nice spring break. But a busy one with working on my project, practicing injections, and learning trach care (b/c the 2 weeks after S.B. all of that is due!). God don't wonder off too far....

• I was finally picked to host a "House Party" for Digorno, yay me! I should get my package of freebies just in time for my brother to visit. Join here & apply to host parties.
• Also there is a new coupon for JCP.com- $10/$25 purchase (code: LUXURY)
• C28.com has some "stock up & save" sale going on... unfortunantly my 2 newest favs aren't part of the deal but check them out here & here. Cute!

Freaking Friday... I'm about freaking out that is...

So today was Test 2... uhh....

Maybe I did ok but won't know til next week. It was harder I think than test 1, I just had a really tough time keeping the facts straight with the disease & drugs, in my head it was a jumbled mess....

Even more nerve-wracking is the NG demo (nasal-gastric tube insertion, flushing, & removal) - of course it is on a dummy but still. The process after failing a demo is so much work & I don't really have the time to spare. Besides a "failure" is severely damaging to the ego/self-esteem. So God, I know you're there for me and if you could please help me remain calm and clear-headed and not forget any steps or go over the 20 minute max. I'd be so super grateful, one small step closer to the goal to do some good. So sometime between 10am-1pm I'll be getting my name called and shut the door into the fake hospital room and it's on... flushed face & all....

Chicken-Ettie anyone & Say Yes to the Dress Mormon style?

This what I made for dinner... called Chicken-Ettie

I saw it on 20 Kids & Counting but it's listed on Josh & Anna Duggar's website (just scroll down a bit and it's on the right). It was pretty good but a little bit spicier than I imagined it would be, guess it's the rotel. I did make 2 changes, substituted shells or spaghetti & a mixture of mozzarella & chedder for the topping. Next time I might try just a can of diced tomatoes (for a little less spice & maybe my picky husband will enjoy it more). hehehe

• I also wanted to say I got a $26 ink cartridge for free because I'm a member of Lexmark rewards- every 5 empty ones u send it they give u want free. Even better the one i ordered it refillable at Walgreens (unlike my usual cartridge). So for $12.99 I can get my ink refilled VS paying around $20 for a new one....
• Back tracking to the Duggar family..... I regrettably have not been watching the show due to TLC switching it to Monday and my clinical being Tuesday = must be in bed by 9 or as soon as I'm done with my paper work..... I really miss the show, trying to find it on demand but unsuccessful so far....
• For my Mormon friends (really just Friend but who knows who else will stumble upon my blog..) Say Yes to the Dress-Mormon... saw the clip title and had to watch. Also check out a coming-soon Mormon cookbook... I love old and passed down recipes and potluck dishes- I have to say that I like the community the LDS church has going, very giving and helpful to thy neighbors.
• Speaking of the Mormon faith.... since I don't have school Monday I can stay up to 10 & watch Big Love (although they do not represent the Mormon LDS church like I refer to above, it's just fiction entertainment- totally unrelated). I wonder how it's going to end since this is the last season... it feels like they family is falling apart & misery may be in there future. And what about Barb with the DIVORCE thingy? Maybe she should have stayed with the LDS and not agreed to the polygamy.....

So hope all has a nice Sunday! I'll hopefully be spending 50-75% of the day studying... God I might need a little help with that....

Happy Weekend!!!!

I'm in a pretty good mood.... after school I cleaned up my home a bit and I did a couple case study assignments (productive!), then I found out that I got an A=100 on my AA project!! Yes go Lee, go Lee. I thought I did pretty good, I mean I made sure to satisfy each componet but 100? The frosting on my day! I guess the Lord turned my childhood exposure to AA & alcoholics into a positive. He surely works in mysterious ways! lol

And when I'm happy, like I am this moment, I post!

Here is my week-end ramblings and maybe a hint of something interesting....

• I've been doing a bit of shopping.... Last week I used Amazon's magazine deal & bought a cookbook on sale (Taste of Home Freezer Pleasers)... so I got my $10 gift code and used tonight to get another cookbook & pre-order the next Stackhouse book (Dead Reckoning & Top Secret Recipes).
• I even got some coupons coming so I can get some Gain fabric Softener for cheap ($3/1 coupon in last week papers). Check out this sundays coupon.

Well I thought I'd have more tidbits to post but oh well..... school is never far from the mind so better jump back into it before bedtime....nightie night

Happy Valentines Day... Let the countdown begin..

I got this at a fab christian store c28.com
My Valentines gift, dozen colorful roses
6 1/2 years ago I got married to Mr. Rob. I'm sure most people to celebrate the 1/2 years but since my husband chose our wedding date august 14th it just worked out perfectly with V day and just so you know, it wasn't on purpose. He originally picked the 12 or something but it was a weekday so we moved to the closest Saturday. So 6 months until 7 lovely years.
So every Monday now feels like countdown. At 1:30 I make the drive to the hospital to find a patient and the paperwork starts and essentially I have no real break or rest until I get home Tuesday afternoon (about 5). So my countdown starts when i wake up and ends at 1:30. I better have all i need done by Tuesday night (or Wednesday) by 1:00 Monday. After clinical I'm usually tired and half the time I have a headache. So there is never a guarantee of productivity....
On a good note I have finished my AA project and have basically planned to do my disease project on spring break and present it the following week (last week due). Next week is a whole big stress mess for me... mental health + test 2 + NG check off= lots of praying, nose in book, & stress!!! And oddly the order I have them is about the same way I'd rate the stress... escalating alittle bit with each event.
Right after a "mile marker" (big task completed) I always tell myself I'll get prepared sooner for the next or study more or whatever.... But as the test is almost a week away I still feel unprepared and NG... oh gosh so not ready. And i told myself I would go to school before the hospital today and practice but I've pretty much decided not to go since I don't really have prep work next Monday (for mental health) so I can go and study it Monday and I might even stay after class Friday and get in another practice.... Note to school: it would be most beneficial to have like 1 room available all the time because tues-thurs is basically unavailable for practice because of classes in the lab. And in 1 month I have injections (will also save practicing for spring break). And after that there is Sim-man day.... so somehow I have to plan time to teach myself trach care. But after that, there is a few weeks, maybe a month left and I think I can finally breath... The next 4-6 weeks are loaded with work. (and I didn't even mention 2 patients coming soon)
I know this is getting old but I would not be able to do any of this without God. So feel free to send a prayer for me, I'll be praying nightly, with a few early morning "please help me today lord" prayers. I truly believe this is the path God wants me to take and that after success I can spread the impact onto others.

Friday findings & my Valentines

So yesterday was my Valentines day with the hubster! We went to the movies, ate at red lobster (rob's fav) and attempted to do some shopping.... however... Target's clothes were not sparking any interest, Old Navy did have some cute spring things (and few reduced winter items) but none had the "percieved value" to get me to buy. At least I did confirm some items I'd like to get if they ever go on sale online....

• Amazon has a few good books on sale for the friday sale.... several Taste of Home books, some Thanksgiving books too..... check'em out
• Amazon also has a magazine deal- spend $20 and get a $10 credit to use sitewide (good through the 28th i think)
• Want a personalized gift? maybe a late V-day present? Check out personal creations, I ordered a cute silver jewerly type box with Lee & Rob engraved on it... sweet!

So I'd love to set up more bulletin points but 1. I can't find any worth whiles 2. I need to get in gear and do something productive!!!!

Sunday, Sunday....

Went to Publix and got a few items....
-"Buy Theirs get Ours Free" Instant Garlic mashed potatoes
- Sushi (my dinner)
-Rotel (going to make that Duggar thing one day)
- Knorr pasta sides
- 8 pks Pepsi products
That should be enough soda for 2 months, if I can keep the husband on his budgeted weekly allotment.... lol
Another another productive, aka spending, note... I ordered some replacement parts for my blender.... Go here if you own a cuisinart product. I was able to get a new blade and some rubber do-hicky (mine is like turning colors, even after i have clean it and soaked in bleach) I love the fact that my blender comes apart for easy replacement and cleaning!
So that is the bulk of my excitement today.... Tonight gonna watch Big Love (not super bowl).... Tomorrow gotta get my Flu shot, go to the bank, & of course pick out a patient at the hospital- Joy! But for now going to wash my long head of hair and get down to some nitty gritty Neuro studying....

I have a disease...

Procrastination! I'm pretty sure that is it because I have been spending most of my day "finding" little things to do. Mainly things that needed to be done or would eventually but still... not my high priority. So school work Zero.... I guess i was just in one of those moods or it was just one of those days... So I guess this was my "get out of free jail" card today... must get in the groove!! Week is going good... long Friday coming though... and i might find out my first test score. Ugh! It's somewhat scary, mainly because I really just have no idea how I did. Obviously I don't think I failed (but you never know)... did i get 100? Most likely no....

So in over a week it's V-day! Yay! That mean 6.5 years of marriage for me & Rob. So that reminded me of Fireproof.. which reminded me of the new movie they are making.."Courageous". Looks like another good one, Sherwood productions has the best spiritually influenced movies. Won't be out for a good while but I added a little ad to my blog so remind myself (and any fellow Christians). I've been catching Dr. Quinn on GMC tv lately. And for some reason it reminds me of Ohio, of course my childhood b/c I loved the show. I remember watching it where I was, at my grandmas house, at the Beard's. Not like I needed a reason but I'm missing my grandma Dorothy right now... GMC has some good looking movies coming on that channel soon. Might to try and catch one some evening (half watch/half study?).

With the rush of a new class it is so easy to become overwhelmed by it all and get so caught up in it (and life) that I sometimes forget to take a moment and remind myself that no matter what is going on, God is there by my side. I was window shopping this afternoon online and saw a wall decor thing that said "Hi I'm God, Good Morning, I'm here to take you troubles away" or something like that. I thought it was pretty neat because I think most human beings go through moments where they just need a small reminder of God and all his Glory!

So although this day feels like a lazy Sunday for me, I just wanted to leave this note to my blog, ie the great abyss.... No matter how dark the day is, there is always a little bit a light to lead you through ...

Clinical # 2 complete!

So I actually made it another day of clinical... although I took my meds late and had a lingering cough when I arrived home with a horrible headache right behind my left eye....

But what can I say.... it was a generally unremarkable day.... I did the usual and attempted to do more but opportunities were limited. I enjoyed the lack of caos, is that so wrong?

There was one exceptional moment worth commenting on... a nurse working in diagnostics? or whatever they call it when they assist with "procedures".... she gave a few of us a remarkable speech on learning experiences, sticking with school, and being sure to get a BSN. Most nurses are pretty cooraperative with us students but every now and then you can't help but feel in the away or perhaps that the employees are annoyed with your presence.

So now I have 6 more clinical days and 1 mental health day. Yay me!

Quite the balancing act... half clinical work, half "new" school work. I will say I'd like this semester better if we had no or just 1 project (I call them projects, others may say reports?). And I have to say I feel a teensy bit more pressure with our limited lab check offs (only because they are very long and in depth this semester).

So now i'm this "funk"... too "tired" too really focus seriously on anything school related (I have been up since 4:45) but yet I don't or can't seem to find an alternative mindless activity until my show comes on tv later and then bedtime.

Take a deep breath, there is always an end to everyday, and new one to arise tomorrow....