So There's That

So, I might have done something a little (read: lot) , shall we say, scary? I have been extremely bored and unsettled in my career. I'm not sure ever was "settled." There have been pockets of contentment, there have been many times that I have loved what I was doing. Nursing is a very taxing yet rewarding career. It's hard. You are underappreciated, overworked, and constantly tired. On the flip side, you have those particular patients you connect with. Those patients that truly appreciate you. Perhaps you saved their life. Perhaps you explained what was going on in a language they speak (heaven knows many doctors don't put things in layman's terms). Maybe you sang to them when they were scared. Who knows. It could be anything.
I have been a nurse for going on 14 years. It weird to think about that. In those 14 years, I honestly cannot remember going a full year without wanting to do something else. I got my nursing license when I was very young. Perhaps that played a roll to my burn out? I have a TON of very different interest. Maybe that's it? I don't know. Bottom line is that I have finally decided to change this. If y'all recall, I posted at the beginning of the year about making my life better. To me, this means being happy and living well. Learning something new and perfecting that.
I have toyed with going back school and finishing my degree. I have thought about going back and getting my RN. I have thought about going into photography. I have thought about moving away and starting over. Nothing has ever really felt right. Like I said, I have so many differnt insterest. I have thought long and hard about what is going to make me happy. This is what I have come up with:
1) I need to make money. Doesn't have to be a lot, but I need to be able to live off it. I'm single and most ceratinly not independantly weathy weathy.
2) I need to be able to continue to learn. I have a problem with becoming bored. I need to feel like I'm progressing. I love to learn new things, it makes me feel better.
3) I HAVE to have a creative outlet. I have found that I am happiest when I'm able to be creative. Nursing is fast pace, there is always something to learn, you make money...but you don't get a lot of creative license when you're messing with someone else's life.
4) I have to enjoy what I'm doing. I mean, if I'm going to put the effort into going back to school, then I'm going to do something that I enjoy.
What have I come up with, you ask? Well, I'm have signed up for Culinary School! Yay!!! It's going to be so freaking awesome! It's something that I love, I can be creative, I can make money and I will always be learning. There is so much more that went into making this decision and knowing it's the right path. Y'all, I'm excited. I start in August. It's a 21 month program, but sinice I have some credits that I'm transferring in, it will cut that down a bit. Also, those credits will cut down on the cost.
So. There it is. Cullinary School. Better life. Happiness. What do y'all think??

It's Still Winter in Texas

So Dearies, it's still Winter in Texas. Now I know that we don't have it all that bad when it comes to the winter months in Texas. In fact, most of the time we have very mild, noninvasive weather. That's a perk of Texas. I mean, when was the last time you heard someone say, "I think I'll move to Texas for the snowy winter weather they have down there." I'm going to hazard a guess and say never. You've never heard that. You've never said that. We freak out when there is a little bit of white on the ground because it's never ever there. In the winter, the ground is brown. Very ugly brown.

So! It stands to reason that Texans would hate the ice and snow. If hate is too strong a word, then perhaps strongly dislike. Let's face it, it's foreign to us. Thus the annoying, terrible, I-am-a-brand-new-awkward-horse style of driving. I roll my eyes every time I hear someone from out of state complain about the driving here. I'm going to let y'all in on a little secret: we all know. Many here can't drive on a good day, so why would you think that ice/snow would improve that? It wouldn't. Is it frustrating? Sure. But, I hardly think it's news to anyone around you. Just be patient.

Anytime I see anywhere in the north covered in snow, I just shake my head and say, "Bless your hearts." That much snow just suuuuuuuucks. It's pretty, but I wouldn't want to be out in it. Unless I was learning to ski. But that would mean I was on vacation. And, if I'm on vacation, I'd rather be at a beach. I digress! In conclusion, today with its one inch of powdery snow, is about all I can handle.  :-/

On a much lighter note, as part of my Spending Less Month, I'm baking bread. It's always scared me in the past. My mom bakes bread. My best friend Alison, her mom has always baked bread. Why should this scare me? Well, I'm not entirely sure, but I think it has something to do with proofing yeast. It sounds gross. It looks gross. But the end product of freshly baked bread...holy cow there is nothing better. So y'all cross your fingers and toes that it goes well. I want some warm rolls with cinnamon butter at the end of all this. Doesn't that just sound good when it's cold outside?   :)

Happy snowy day Y'all!

I Am a Nurse

To say I would rather pass out than accidentally inhale the fumes emitting from that small cup, is a gross understatement. I'd much rather undergo a lobotomy wide awake, than handle what I was about to. That may be a slight exaggeration. Regardless. I held my breath for about 45 seconds, a  few shades short of turning blue, and went for it. Previously, I made the mistake of breathing normal, thinking it couldn't really be that bad. I was wrong. And spent the next 6 minutes gagging and trying not to throw up, making up for that mistake.

See, as a nurse, you do a lot of really gross things. I could probably write a book about it all, but I'm not sure everyone's stomach is made of steel. I mean, when I was going through nursing school, I never once thought the words, "It's an anal swab, it's aerobic. It didn't go in the butt. Don't they know the difference?" would EVER come out of my mouth. Or even cross my mind, for that matter.

I never once thought that I would see fruit flies come pouring out of an open (and dripping) ulcer that was covered up in an ACE wrap. Never. Neither could I have ever imagined the smell that would emit from said ulcer.

Never in 5000 years could I imagine being in a room with a patient who had an infected amputated leg, and every time he moved the leg, or coughed, or laughed, blood would squirt about three feet out of the wound.

Did I ever think that I would have the following conversation with a parent?
     Parent: How much Tylenol should I give little Jimmy?
     Me: Do you have the bottle in front of you?
     Parent: Yes.
     Me: What does the bottle say?
     Parent: 2 tsp
     Me: Well, how much do you think you should give little Jimmy?
     Parent: 3 tsp?
Seriously? No.

This isn't even scraping the surface of a day in the life of a nurse. Nurses work hard. They put up with a lot of crap, both from doctors and patients (or patient's parents as it were). But, nursing can be rewarding too. When you get a patient who is deathly afraid of getting his blood taken, and says he always passes out, to give blood by distraction and with out passing out...that's rewarding. Seeing the gratitude on his face, and to see absolute awe in the face of a grown man, proud of himself and realizing that he could actually get his blood taken withOUT passing out...that's awesome.

When you give a kid a shot and he screams in happiness that he is the bravest boy he knows because he didn't cry once...that's awesome.

When you get the undying love of a patient because you talked said indecisive and stubborn patient into going to the ER because they were in excruciating pain and could have thrown a clot...that's awesome. So are the hugs and smiles that come EVERY SINGLE TIME that patient sees you.

It's awesome and rewarding to be a part of a patient's care. It's tough work. There are a ton of things I'd rather not do, or discuss, but that just goes with the territory. Nurses are under-appreciated, and over-worked, but they come back day after day to take care of you all.

So! Next time you see a nurse, give them a hug and say thanks. Trust me, it'll make their day.

That's all I have for now Chickens! Later!!