spring 2009, week finals?

studying for finals.
but i have a cookie.
things even out.

spring 2009, week 9

i'm tempted to sit here and be bitter and complain about my grade that i got for my presentation. i ran out of time, so i didn't get to get graded on anything i didn't cover yet, so i missed a lot of points. i still passed, but not with a grade i wanted or felt i could have got.

but then i think,
my friends all passed too, and did really well and i'm happy for them
it's friday
the sun is out and it won't be 100 degrees today
i'm seeing my friends tomorrow and eating dim sum
i get to see my doggy
and i know my dad and mom will give me a hug and a kiss when i get home

and
there's other people out there, some of whom are close to my heart, who are going through far more difficult things than a bad grade.
there's brain tumors and thyroid tumors, there's life changes like moving away, being far away from the people you love. there's bad roommates and broken hearts.
there's so many places where we all need Jesus.

spring 2009, week 8

catherizations
i've spent 6 of the last 12 hours of my day staring at a rubber penis.

spring 2009, week 8

maybe it's a bad week for me, but so far, nursing school is kinda lonely. whenever i come back home to walnut, i think - THANK GOD, PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND ME.

spring 2009, week 7

i used to do 18 hour days once or twice every year. usually during some push time, like VBC or AM. now it's once a week. OYE.

spring 2009, week 6

*disclaimer, this is a TMI post. if you are easily grossed out, do not highlight the text below.

today during clinicals, i saw a catheter being inserted on a woman. she had fractured her spine and was immobile. when she opened her legs, there was a very bad, very pungent smell that came out. i asked my friend later what the smell was. yeast infection? she replied, "honey, that's dirty vagina." grooossssss.


welcome to nursing school.

spring 2009, week 6

week 6 already! just 4 more to go and finals. pretty crazy. thanks to Jesus and Jesus juice, i've been doing pretty well in my classes. i'm glad that's the case, it helps to confirm more and more that this is where God wants me to be. it's exhilarating to know you're working towards something God has destined you for. (geez, destiny seems like such a big word) it only took me about 25 years to figure out, but it's cool. i'm here.

went out with two dorm friends to celebrate one of the gal's 21st bday. it was simple, in-n-out and some silly picture taking. i'm glad we went, 21 is such a marker.. would've been a shame to spend it studying in your dorm room when nothing is really due tomorrow anyways.

spring 2009, week 5

heard during devotional time during health assessment today

a pediatric nurse was giving a routine exam to a small girl. part of the exam used a stethoscope to listen to heart sounds. normally, the nurse would put the stethoscope's earpieces into theirs and then put the diaphragm of the piece onto their chest. then she would ask, what does it sound like? their eyes would light up as they would imitate their heart sounds and then confidently say, that's my heart! this small girl, though, had a different response. when the stethoscope was placed, her eyebrows furrowed together as she put together in her head what she was listening to. what does it sound like? the nurse asked. the little girl said, it must be Jesus! he's knocking on the door of my heart.

spring 2009, week 4

journal from clinical experience 3:

When doing the Client Assessment Guide, the client and I got to talking about some of his past experiences with the Marines during WWII. He fought mostly in “the Pacific” and talked with seriousness about the losses he had experienced as soldier, and brutalities he had seen during the war, particularly with the Japanese. I asked how his experience with the war affected him to this day, and he said, “Every time I see a Japanese car, like those Hondas, I want to just throw a rock at it.” This was especially disconcerting to me since I am of Japanese origin. Although I agree that the Japanese army did do many inhumane acts during WWII, I don’t agree that all Japanese are bad people. My family was in the US even before the war started, so none of our relatives fought in the war. I actually didn’t know what to do in this situation with the client – should I reveal to him my ethnic origins and work through racist issues right then and there? Would he become infuriated at me and refuse my care? At this point, I was glad I had an isolation gown on, which covered up my nametag. Although working through a tough issue like this is important in one’s wholeness, as a new student nurse, I didn’t feel equipped to handle it just yet.

spring 2009, week 3

dood, i left my toothbrush in the hall bathroom since this morning because i was so tired when i woke up i just totally forgot about it. grooossssss.

spring 2009, week 3

thus ends my first week in clinicals. not so eventful the first day, much more the second day. got to see and do some very cool things. things i was not cleared for, but did anyways. probably not the safest thing. and now that i wrote it down and am able to evaluate it from that standpoint, i feel bad :(

i like the seventh-day observance of sabbaticals. it means thursdays are basically my fridays, which also means i get a 3 day weekend, which also means i get 3 days of being unproductive and unstudious. which makes me feel bad :(

today i went to a hip-hop class at the gym. and now my thigh adductors feel all.. bad. BAD ASS.

spring 2009, week 3

i saw an ear drum today. it was pearly grey and concave, just how it's supposed to be. SO COOL.

spring 2009, week 2

i mentioned to two of my (new!) filipina friends today about how many of the nurses and CNAs i've worked with in the hospital in west covina were of philipino descent. one of the girls remarked how it's because filipinos aren't like all the other "smart" asians - they're the dumb ones, so they're relegated to being the nurses instead of the actual doctors. the doctor's roles are for the chinese people who are actually smart.

of course, i completely disagree with what she said. i thought to retort that philipinos are not dumb, i know lots of smart philipinos blah blah blah, but then it hit me that it was more than just "book smarts". one thing i really admire the philipino culture is for being very communal. their aunts and uncles and cousins are more like moms and dads and brothers and sisters. that type of caring, community-based values can really make a nurse a better health care provider. whereas, many chinese people i know (even myself) are much more focused on having lots of book smarts and getting things done now.. and fast!! which, for a doctor, might be a good thing, but may not be the best characteristic for a nurse. so, it's more than just brains - it's in our culture, it's who God made us to be.

me? i'd take a filipina nurse, anyday.

spring 2009, week 2.

i got a bed bath today by some people in my cohort. awkward.

first entry

i wanted a blog to chart my adventures through nursing school.

we'll see how long i can keep this up...

* * *

spring 2009, week 2
it's been about a week and a half since i started. i'm starting to get the feel that my class is pretty competitive. during breaks, a lot of people are just pouring over their books. i don't because 1. i lack sleep and need a brain break from all these lectures and labs and all and 2. that book is freaking heavy. i refuse to carry it.

i realize it's nice not to stress. maybe some of these girls have a reason to wig out - maybe once they get home, they have to cook dinner for their family, take care of their kids or their grandfather, or go to work because they need to support themselves. it's nice not to HAVE to stress.

we start most of our lessons off with an "inspirational thought" and prayer. it's nice and makes me glad i chose here. $8,500 a quarter to get prayer? it'll be worth it. :)