Sorry...

Lack of posts recently = very stressed out me. I have A TON of stuff to do this week and my first pathophys test on Friday so it is literally going to be crazy. Lack of sleep, probably bad eating habits, stressing, having to miss my hip-hop aerobics classes, drinking a lot of coffee = not too good...

We will see how it goes. The assignments just keep piling up. I can do this....

Do it all...

Lately, I have been wanting to get back into doing more activities...like I have time. haha. There is this little saying type thing that I think about when deciding if I really want something - would I be sad if I didn't buy it/do it/etc? Mind you, it is all within reason. Example - 50,000 boat - I would be REALLY sad if I didn't buy that...not reasonable at all. So anyways, I have really been thinking about getting back into dance, more specifically tap. I googled it and found a great studio in Austin that has a lot of adult classes. When I called up there, they told me I should start out in Tap 101. I was thinking...well I have at least had experience, so I think that would probably be too easy.

Today I went to the Tap 1 (the next class up) class and had a great time. It's so awesome to just get back out there and do it. I was a tad bit rusty, but that is understandable because I haven't taken a class in about 7 years. It was a different style of tap than I am used to, so that also made it a little more difficult. In some areas though, I am a lot more skilled than the people in my class. I think that I am going to keep going to this one for a while until I get a little better. It's cool because its on Saturdays so I don't have to work it around a school schedule. You can also go on a walk-in basis, so if I have other things to do then I don't have to go.

I don't want to look back and wish that I had done things. Live it up!!! :)

Follow-up...

So today was the first day at the children's residential facility - it was just an orientation, tour, then the last hour was us on the unit that we are assigned to (I got the children's unit with Heather and Allison). I think that this is going to be more difficult than I originally had thought. I just got a little taste today of some of the issues on the floor - kids screaming, banging heads, provoking others, etc. Then again we were only there for a little bit and not all day with the kids like we will be for the next 2 months.

I foresee this being mentally, physically and emotionally challenging. I want to be able (if possible) to leave the issues at the facility, but if not then we also have journals for our class that will help to kind of let go of the week. Taking on the kids problems would be way too much. I really can't imagine these families that deal/work with them everyday - they have to be incredible frustrated, exhausted, feel hopeless, etc. There is also the other side of the coin showing that they are getting help here and will hopefully improve and return home better!

On a kind of different note, you know when you just see people that are great working with kids, can just relate to them and are wonderful at what they do? I really aspire to be like that, but then I think...can I even do that because don't most of those people just have an innate gift? One thing that made me feel really good was one of the people in my program brought their two kids to the AE program party, and I was just playing/talking with them for a little bit. The next day, she told me that I was really great with her kids and have a gift with children. That comment really made my....month. Like I said, I aspire to be one of those people that just connects with children and knows the right thing to say at the right time. It is early within my nursing career; I'm keeping my options open - I like adolescents, children, babies - all of the above. I wonder where I will end up and what I will really like? I pray that God leads me to my special gift where I can truly help and touch other people's lives, no matter the age.

Social/Austin stuff...

So if I have learned anything so far, it is that I need breaks from this school thing because it is just really overwhelming. Who knew that nursing school and grad school combined would be like this??

Rhonda and Emily P. at Scholtz Bier Garten after a long first week...

Caitlin, me and Candace at First Thursday on South Congress

Me eating salsa at the Hot Sauce Festival in Austin - by the end of that my mouth was on fire!!

Jenny and I at Sholtz Bier Garten

haha. Cookie the toy schnauzer!!! (Natalie's pup)

Mental Health Clinical and...

I'm sure no one even reads this, but whatev...I'm just writing it for me then or pretend like people out there read it. haha. So today we had our orientation for mental health clinical and it was pretty intimidating. Getting told "never be alone" with the patients, etc. was kind of a wake-up call. Then again...it's for our safety.

I'm going to a children/adolescent residential facility for the next 6-7 weeks to work with kids there that have a range of problems - including behavioral, biological, and closely related neurobiological issues. This is definitely going to be challenging at times!! I'm used to just playing with kids or teaching them to read, do math - that kind of thing...so being in the nursing role will be a new experience. There are so many rules associated with it that it sometimes makes it frustrating - like no even side-hugging the kids, no forming peer-like relations, no self-disclosure. I know that it has to be like that because we are professionals, but like I said it can be frustrating. We will see though when I get there how it goes. On the positive side though, I love working with kids and think that I am usually pretty good at it (at least I won't be uncomfortable like some people that have no experience with kids or just plain don't like them...).

OH and this is pretty scary so tomorrow I am already going to practice initiating IVs on mannequin arms and then next week we practice on each other in our class. AHH.