Saturday, February 2, 2013

To graduate or not...

Well, not technically. My graduation application got approved this week (WOOHOO!) but I have a dilemma. I'm trying to decide whether or not to go to the graduation ceremony. For me, the pinning ceremony is what's special so I'm definitely going to that. But the nurses graduate with ALL Applied Science graduates: welders, automotive, etc. and I don't know if I really want to waste the time with a bunch of people I don't even know just so I can wear a cap and gown and have the experience of walking. Especially when I have family that's traveling 1,000 miles to be here for the pinning and I could just be spending that time with them. On the other hand, they're coming all this way because I'm graduating so maybe I SHOULD walk. I have a few months to think about it.  Advice?

Friday, February 1, 2013

First solo hike!

I'm so excited! I just planned my first solo day hike. Marridiv partner is going camping all weekend with the kiddo and I don't have a test the following week so it's time to make some plans! I'd love to go overnight but the tent and bag are going to be gone and I don't really have the proper gear anyway. It's a 10-miler somewhere in the Ouachita Forest (no specifics, hiker 101 anti-stalker rule!). I've got a pack, bringing 3L of water, a knife, duct tape, a few ziploc bags, tp, pb/j sammy, a few trail bars, whistle, fire starter, rain coat, map, wasp spray (works like mace/bear spray but shoots farther), first aid kit, camera, cell phone and a walking stick (don't have trekking poles yet). Keeping a change of clothes in the car and wearing as much non-cotton as possible. Any additional advice is welcome! Wish I still had Derby to come with me. He was such a great hiking buddy!  =(
My hiking buddy - I lost him last October at age 12 - Aussies rock!


Thursday, January 31, 2013

Vindication!

So yesterday was my SICU rotation which I was really looking forward to because I am falling in love with critical care. My patient had a balloon in his heart which the cardiologist was ready to remove. This is done by literally yanking it out through the femoral artery, where it was inserted through. He asked me if I would like to apply the direct pressure. Are you kidding me? I'm a student. Of COURSE I want to shove a hemostat in some poor guys groin and hold it there perfectly still for 45 minutes! No, seriously. I do. So in one fell swoop, he yanks out the cath and ballon and blood squirts everywhere, movie style and super cool. He puts pressure on it then peeks twice. Both times = more squirting. Finally he's satisfied and I take over the pressure. I'm about 30 minutes in when I get that feeling. Things start getting swimmy, I'm nauseated and suddenly soaked with sweat. I try to breathe thru it but it's clear I'm about to go down. But if I do, this guy's femoral opens back up. So as much as I don't want to, I holler for my preceptor and she takes over. Thinking I need some sugar, I eat a granola bar and feel much better. So I go back out and take back over, feeling rather sheepish. I'm standing there with literally 2 MINUTES LEFT and it happens again! Wtf? I make it but barely. My preceptor comes over for the next step which I miss because I have to find an empty bed fast. I'm humiliated. A year in and some blood and pressure send me all syncopal?  That kind of stuff never used to bother me. My preceptor was amazingly sweet about it. I didn't feel like myself until about 1600 and the rest of my shift was great. Today I woke up exhausted but that's not unusual for the day after clinical. It feels similar to a hangover. So I'm in Pedi lecture and she splits us into birth order groups. Suddenly I'm way too hot and need some air. I'm soaked with sweat and sit down before I fall down. I decide to call it quits and go home after class which means missing the afternoon - something I have never done. When I get home I find I have 100.4 temp and sleep for the next 4 hours. I feel like shit but it's worth it. I'm totally and completely vindicated because I'm not a clinical wuss after all!

Monday, January 28, 2013

DC pt 2, less detailed, safer to read

So pardon me for yesterday. I was frustrated (seriously, I WAS on my period, right? Enough said.) and in pain. Today is much better. I'm getting much more used to the DC though removal is still kind of a booger. But man, I wish I had heard of this little jewel years ago. What a great purchase! I highly recommend it and will be spreading the word for sure.

About that other little matter...a wet washcloth in the microwave for 30 seconds and an overnight smear of neosporin did the trick. All better this morning.

First MedSurg 3 test tomorrow. Better hit the books (though I'd rather be taking a walk in the woods)!

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Diva Cup review and other unmentionables...



WARNING: Sensitive and graphic information to follow. Think detailed menstruation and inguinal boils. You've been warned.

Okay, so I woke up this morning and saw that it was time for Experiment Diva Cup to commence. I had worked with its insertion and removal (removal was an experiment in pulling arm muscles, sweating and general hilarity...that little sucker ADHESES well!), so I was ready and looking forward to giving it a try. Got it in no problem. It's been in now about 8 hours and I sat to write this entry and rave about it when I felt a gush. I quick peek in the waistband and yep, we have leakage on the panty liner. Quite a bit but not enough to derail blogging just yet. So either I didn't suction it on good enough this morning or Aunt Flow is just that heavy. That's a possibility since sometimes it's like I'm giving birth to a placenta over and over for two days. We'll see when I'm done here and I'll fill in you eager readers tomorrow. I'm sure your breath is bated. Overall though, I'm super happy with it. I didn't notice it at all and while I did still cramp, I never had to take anything for it which is practically unheard of. I'm usually doubled over in pain and on the pot all day with diarrhea. They're monster cramps - it's been that way since junior high school. What a fun 32 years it's been. Anyway, they are much milder than usual and I read that the silicone has something to do with that. Who knows? But like Jordana said in her post, what I think I'm happiest about is the odor control. I retain a lot of water during my cycle and that usually fills up my tampons as much as anything else and I end up with wet underwear that smell like pee. I hate it! So I'm super happy about that. But I was really hoping it would last the 12 hours as promised because that's how long my shifts are and taking care of it at work would have an "ick" factor I'm not comfortable with. As a patient, I don't think I'd want a nurse starting an IV in me that  just had to take care of her Diva Cup. Yes, I've heard of soap and hand sanitizer but still...maybe it's just me.

On a different note, I have a discomfort of an altogether worse kind. I'm prone to boils in my nether regions. Right where the thigh attaches. Contrary to popular opinion, these are not always hygiene issues. I'm fastidiously hygienic. I used to only get them when I would go for a run and then not shower immediately after (which I hate doing because it doesn't give me enough time to cool down). This started after my first 12 hour shift this week so I'm thinking it's basically the same thing. All that sweating "down there" and no time to shower until I got home. Does anyone else deal with these suckers?? I can hardly walk and it wakes me up constantly in the middle of the night. They take days to come to a head and are so painful! Probably a little TMI, I know.

Stay tuned tomorrow for DC and boils, part 2. sigh...I need to get a life. =)  UPDATE: Not sure why it leaked. Maybe the way I was sitting broke suction. All is well and it's back in place.