Friday, September 05, 2008

Adjusting

I started nursing school two weeks ago. It has been a major change and slightly overwhelming. One of the biggest things I have learned is that you cannot be shy in this program, nor be afraid of touching and getting up close and personal with complete strangers. You also can't be afraid to make a complete fool of yourself in front the people you will be spending the next 2 years with. The amount of touching and talking you do with you classmates is crazy. I have gotten to know most of them faster then I cared too. In all of our labs we practice on each other. Except for the enema lab, whew, that would have been bad. After the first couple of labs, there's a realization that we are all scared shitless and we are all in it together. Coming together with one thing in common and one purpose.
There is a total of 64 students in my class, almost all of them with spouses and little ones at home and a good majority of them are single mothers. Talking with some of them just amazes me. The courage and strength that some of them have completely inspires me. I could not imagine not having Eli to support me and encourage me.
Most of the instructors are so great, not all but most. They don't leave out any details that's for sure. My first test is on Monday. In one month I will be doing clinicals in the nursing home and in acute care in the hospital, doing things on people that I feel completely under qualified for. Live and learn I guess.
I had my 3rd pain injection last Friday, this has probably been the most effective one. I was in less pain after ward, but it probably helped that I did a whole lot of nothing for two days. I hopefully only have one more month of physical therapy. Frank told me that this next month will be the most important and I have to work really hard in order to get most of my restrictions lifted. I am growing tired of pt to be honest, enough is enough. I am so ready to move on with my life and be pain free. The evenings are the worst, especially after sitting through lecture and all the walking I've been doing.

1 comment:

Michigan Girl said...

Dana:
I think you have a lot to be proud of. Congrats on starting school and doing something with your life that you want to do to better yourself. It might be hard for the girls the next few years, particularly Makenna, but when they are grown, they'll be so proud their mom went to school and did all that when they were little.

Also, I'm glad that your back problem is starting to improve. I obviously wish you pain free days!

Heather