This is just a quick update. I really don’t want to type a lot but I feel bad for not posting much lately.

Adult 1 is awesome so far. We’ve covered cardiology, fluids, respiratory, and ABG’s in just 6 sessions. Needless to say these are pretty intensive days and I’ve been exhausted most nights – hence not posting much. We also have lab where we’ve learned really basic care for trachs, ostomies, chest tubes, PICC and central lines. Most of the learning is going to be in clinicals.

Today was my first clinical. Most of it was spent in computer training and orientation to the unit. For the evening I was assigned a super nice patient to do vitals and assessments. My patient had MRSA so I got pretty fast at gowning up. But I had to chuck my pen and folder at the end of the day because I had taken them into the room, forgetting that they would be contaminated then. I need to learn to memorize vitals like a waitress memorizes orders.

Left the house at 6:30 am, got home at 9 pm. Dad is probably thinking “welcome to my world,” right? The school week is done for me now, I have 4 days to study and catch up on housework before returning on Monday.

I just want to mention how great Ben was today. He watered my plants since I was dashing to leave this morning. He waited until I got home to share dinner together and even offered to pick up a blizzard treat before I got home. He listened intently and patiently while I chattered about my day. It’s nice to have someone to come home to 🙂

I’m writing this in my serene clean house. Ben is visiting his family in Maine for a few days. I indulged myself by taking Jem to Beds n Biscuits for an overnight stay. She will have tons of fun and exercise and I don’t have to worry about getting home to take care of her tonight or getting up early on Saturday to walk her. It’s just me and Molly chillin’ this morning.

My classes for five week two are finished. We had our first set of real clinicals in real scrubs last thursday, yesterday, and tonight. I’m at an extended care nursing home, 3-8 pm. It’s been tough – I’m not interested in working in extended care plus we were assigned the dementia/Alzheimer’s unit where more than half the residents only speak Russian. So the class objectives to work on our bedside manner and focus on communication isn’t really happening. But I’m getting to practice our basic skills and get my ankles wet in working with patients. I’ve done a lot of patient transfers, even using mechanical lifts, toilet care, making beds, feeding, taking vitals (using the nurse on a stick, not manual equipment), and passing PO meds. I hope tonight I get to do a glucose stick and insulin shot.

Last weekend was super fun and busy – hence me not posting about any of it! The greatest news is that my sister moved to town! You can read all about it on her blog (linked on the right). I can’t believe I didn’t get any pictures of her move. I’m going to hang out with her tonight after clinical, so I’ll take my camera and try to get some shots of her new home. My family came to help her settle in. We ran lots of errands and ate lots of good food (as usual). We also went to the dog park with the Walkers and swam in Brian’s pool wiht Azalea (again, more pictures on their blog, linked to the right). I have a few new pictures in my camera to share.

Believe it or not I still cook most days! Here’s a smashing cake for summer, and in the back you can see another grilled pizza. I kind of OD’d on the grilled pizza in June. I also make the corned beef using my pressure cooker and baked the rye bread from that weird mix in a carton from Ikea.

The dog park in Arvada where it was horribly hot. We got cold drinks at Sonic on the way home. I baked a pineapple upside down cake on Sunday and it was delicious! Pretty easy too, I will making this again. We found this darling patio set and succulant plants while shopping Saturday. I eat breakfast outside with Molly every day now, she just loves it. I can’t wait to get some flowers to put above on the windowsill to pretty up the corner even more.

My parents very kindly got me that Ikea desk I was pining over! Sunday it came together in a snap. Moving the furniture around took longer. We also cut our old desk in two and kept the side drawers, you can see them to the right of the desk. I just love this new arrangement – it makes the living room feel wider and more airy.

This weekend will be great! Pharmacology, touchy-feely class, and Foundations are done, I just need to show up to clinical tonight. I start Adult 1 on Monday – so this weekend is a little mini break from schoolwork. What a relief!

Little update, I got my pharm test back – 94%! Rock!

I heard that some readers wondered how my tests went. Fairly well. In Foundations I have almost a perfect grade (98-99%). In pharmacology I’m still floating an A overall, but I’m waiting to hear back on the last test. I think I got a low A or high B. Pretty good, but not great.

Lots of homework, lots of other things vying for my attention. Amanda moved this week! I went down after school today to help unpack. Is it sick that I’m jealous? I wish I could move all my furniture around, go through my house item by item, and have a fresh start. I hope she likes it here. I’m going to love having her in town!

This is the season for exams! I think I’ve had two a week for the past two weeks – and I’m only taking three classes. Lab is still pretty fun. We learned to put in foley catheters. Nothing to it, really. Just keep it sterile. But I’m thinking that the meatuses on real people are a lot smaller and harder to find than the gaping holes on our mannequins. I think it would be so fun to try it on a person. I’m getting very anxious for clinicals to start.

And soon they will! I got my schedule for my first “mini” clinical at a nursing home, where we will take lots of vitals and administer hygiene (yes, that means sponge baths). The first real clinical has also been scheduled, for my Adult 1 class starting mid July. That one’s in a real hospital. I’m gonna refrain from writing where I’m going to keep things confidential online. I’m happy to talk about it outside of the blog though.

I made date pinwheel cookies just like Mom used to make. Now I understand why she always made so many – it’s a huge batch! We’re going to enjoy them while watching Zatoichi tonight

OKAY. whoa. While writing the above Jem escaped. Ben was out moving our cars (our carport spots were blocked by construction all day) and Jem was on the porch. Apparently when Brian opened the back gate Jem ran out. Ben called me and said “Jem ran away.” I panicked, hung up the phone, and ran outside. Brian came running up the parking lot, saying he lost them in the apartment complex next door. I tried to call Ben back but couldn’t reach him, so I just started running around the neighborhood looking, calling her name, no idea where she or Ben were. (Might I mention that at this same moment a thunderstorm started, making it unusually humid.) After circling a few blocks of the neighborhood I came home. Brian met me at the gate to say someone phoned who had found Jem, Ben and Justin were driving to pick her up. By then everyone had arrived for movie club. Miranda plopped Azalea in my lap and commanded her to make me feel better. They came back with a thrilled beagle, panting hard. Do you know why? She RAN TO 26th AND KIPLING! That’s 1 1/2 miles away. She had to cross two major roads to get there. She was caught at the gas station across the street from Crown Hill. We think that was her destination since it’s her favorite place and she definitely knows the way there. I’m glad she didn’t try to cross Kipling.

Damn dog. Doesn’t feel the least bit sorry for what she did either. Let this be another lesson to everyone with pets: even if they are microchipped it’s important to have your phone number on their tag.

So the evening turned out great. We got our dog back. Zatoichi came from Netflix and the disk was cracked. Brian brought alternative choices, Nate picked Monster Squad. Funny, terrible 80s kids movie, apparently making a big cult come-back. Some new folks came to the club, hopefully we can continue to expand our little circle of friends. They said they would come next month too.

Egads. I’m all wound up. Between destroying my knitting (tangling four skeins, two needles chewed to splinters, row counter demolished), chewing up the basement phone this afternoon, and running away, Jem is really trying my patience. We should have named her Demolisher instead of the cat (that’s Molly’s namesake).

The dancing Matt has produced another beautiful video of his travel. This is so lovely and inspiring.

This guy made his first video (below). Then he put it online and started a little website to supplement it. Pretty soon he caught the eye of Stride gum, who gave him the money to continue traveling and dancing. What a lucky guy!

First video

The Arvada Center where I take ballet classes put up a little video promoting their art programs. Starting at about 1:40 in the video below you can see the students I take class with (the very same girls I choreographed a couple years ago), the studio where we have class, and of course my wonderful ballet instructor, Christina. Now you can see what I’ve been talking about!