L&D

I have found my passion. I was definitely born to be a labor and delivery nurse. I know because when I go to clinical, it doesn't feel like hell. I know because I LOVE IT and made an A on my first test. I love reading about it, learning about it, doing it and being on the unit.

Here are the FEW reasons I know L&D is for me:
1. You don't give a lot of medications. I am super afraid of killing someone with the wrong dosage or medication. Luckily, in L&D you don't have to worry about that as much as if you were on a Med Surg floor.
2. It is a state of wellness. MOST laboring moms come in in generally good health.
3. There is variety. Up until this point, being in the Operating Room was my favorite rotation. L&D has babies! (SOOO CUTE!), and operations!, and excitement!
4. Did I mention babies? My first day in clinical I gave a 7 pound BRAND new baby a Vitamin K shot (all babies receive these because they don't have the flora in their gut yet and for blood clotting reasons), checked his blood sugar, cut his umbilical cord (did you know, you can actually feel the baby's heartbeat through the cord if you put it between your fingers!), put antibiotics in his poor little eyes, gave him a bath and his first bottle, then burped him! Here is the thing: I always thought that handling these little guys was going to be awkward for me. What I found: that it came so natural for me to scoop him up and touch all over him. I just jumped in and did it without any hesitation and love it.
5. You get to see a life being born daily. I cried the first time I saw a baby come out of a c-section. You could actually see the little thing kick when the doctor got to the last layer (uterus)! It was like a sci fi movie because the baby kicked really hard and you could see the tissue move all around (when I told my mom, she threw up her turkey sandwich).
6. Any time I hear a baby cry (on the unit) I smile
7. Newborns are so innocent and new. I love kids don't get me wrong but there is just something so pure about a newborn. They are so little and are in a state of loveliness. I have a thing for newborns specifically. I love babies in general but newborns are something else.

There are more. Many more. I have clinical tomorrow from 6:30 AM - 6:30 PM and I am excited. I hope there are a lot of mom's laboring tomorrow!

Love,
ALMOST Nurse Lolly - 99 days!

New Year

I can't wait until 5/6/11. (it's when I finish nursing school hell).

This year is hopefully going to be great.

At least today is cool: 1/1/11.

The end.

I Miss My Family....

That's All.

In 365 Days...

I will have a Bachelors in Nursing.

Tonight is the eve of my nursing program. The program I have been waiting to start since that December when I decided to be a nurse. It will be intense and I will be updating this blog even less.

It was just 1.5 years ago that I would drive home from work and cut through downtown on my way home to avoid I-30. I would pass by Baylor hospital and see all the nurses getting off work or going to work or ....

Every night, I would wonder as I drove by what they saw that day. What did they do? Who did they help? What they saw? Did they see someone die? Or save someone? Or bring someone into the world? Was their day busy? or dull... I wanted to be one of them.

Now, I am one of them.

During this year long program, I will turn 28, Lane will turn 30. My sister, 29, my brother in law 29, my parents 57 and 58. I will be working on being married for 4 years. Friends babies will be born, and friends will more than likely get pregnant. I will cry, a lot, and be stressed out even more. I will learn how to give shots, take blood, read charts, take blood pressure and wipe someone's butt (ew!) (and much more). I am excited and scared. I am nervous but ready. But I will try to enjoy this whirlwind I am about to cross over into tonight at midnight.

I hope I blink, and it's done. Tonight, I am going to start nursing school. Tomorrow, I am in nursing school. Weird.

Volcanoes Suck

God's timing is perfect. But sometimes it sure doesn't feel that way.

I love how I just read this:

"In Iceland, meteorologists said eruptions from the volcano were
weakening and the ash was no longer rising to a height where it would
endanger large commercial aircraft. British Transport Secretary Andrew
Adonis confirmed there was been a "dramatic reduction in volcanic
activity."

Which is really frustrating to hear when you are suppose to leave for a highly anticipated trip to Europe with your family in 24 hours and it is starting to clear out and Europe is starting to figure out a solution to the problem:

"European officials carved up the sky Monday, creating three zones to
more quickly break the flight deadlock caused by volcanic ash flowing
from Iceland over Europe."

And 24 hours after you cancel your flights:

"Germany's aviation authority granted Lufthansa an exemption to fly 50
long-haul planes carrying 15,000 passengers back home at a very low
altitude..."
Britain chimed in with more good news, saying flight restrictions over
Scottish airspace will be lifted Tuesday morning at 7 a.m. (0600 GMT,
2 a.m. EDT) and other British airports could reopen later that day as
well."

Thanks God.

My Malti-Poo poo peedoodle.

Mona says hi.


I put her on the table in our backyard. She didn't like it.


Of course, she wants to play!

I've Been Taking Pictures

And I'm not good.

But I'm trying to learn this camera that is my parents for our trip to Ireland in April.

It is probably not in God's plan for me to be a photographer. I find it ubber stressful and it takes me about an entire day to get 1 good shot.

Here are a few (out of a lotttttt taken) that came out OKAY...