What a day.

[amigone2515]

I'm happy. I am definately happy that I did not go into respiratory therapy. Respiratory focuses on taking care of one aspect of a person, just one. I think that health care is more than that, at least I want it to be. Care for the whole person, not just the manifestation that is making them weak. I realize now that that going into respiratory therapy probably would have been a mistake for me, as the work is much different from nursing, and nursing is what I want to do. Also, it's what I will be good at. I proved that today more than once. Call me idealistic, yeah, I am, and I might be (will likely be) disappointed. I have always wanted to make a difference. Now, I can.

First, the poem that we were given to read. We were told to keep it nearby when we are dealing with clients who are especially difficult.

You're Not Looking At Me
"What do you see nurses?
What do you see?
What are you thinking when
you are looking at me?



A crabby old woman, not very wise
uncertain of habit,
with far away eyes.
Who dribbles her food and
makes no reply when you say
in a loud voice...
'I do wish you'd try.'



Who seems not to notice
the things that you do and
forever is losing a stocking or
who unresisting or not,
lets you do as you will
with bathing and feeding
the long day to fill



Is that what you are thinking,
is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse
you're not looking at me.



I'll tell you who I am
as I sit here so still
as I use at your bidding
as I eat at your will



I'm a small child of ten
with a father and mother
brothers and sisters
who love one another



A young girl of sixteen
with wings on her feet.
Dreaming that soon now
a lover she'll meet.



A bride soon at twenty
my heart gives a leap;
remembering the vows
that I promise to keep



At twenty-five
now I have young of my own
who need me to build
a secure happy home



A woman of thirty
my young now grow fast
bound to eachother
with ties that should last.



At forty
My young sons have grown
and are gone
but my man's beside me
to see I don't mourn.



At fifty,
once more babies play round
my knee again as we know
children, my loved one and me.



Dark days are upon me,
my husband is dead.
I look to the future,
I shudder with dread,
for my young are all rearing
young of their own
and I think of the years
and the love that I've known.



I'm an old woman now
and nature is cruel--
'tis her jest to make old age
look like a fool.



The body it crumbles,
grace and vigor depart
there now is a stone
where I once had a heart.



But inside this old carcass
a young girl still dwells
and now and again
my battered heart swells



I remember the joys,
I remember the pain, and
I'm loving and living life over again.
I think of the years
All too few -- gone too fast,
and accept the stark fact
that nothing can last



So open your eyes nurses,
open and see
not a crabby old woman
look closer -- See Me!"
Yeah... that poem kinda got to me... I really like it, and hopefully I will remember it when I'm dealing with a difficult client.

Now, onto my day :)

I woke up at the ungodly hour of 6:00 am, got dressed in my pretty purple scrubs, and had brekky (Note: I ate food) and goofed off and fucked about on here to get the spyware off my system. Drove to school, and was there early so I reviewed some material, and then everyone came into the room. We wrote our tests. There were three, a 95 question one on modules 1-10 and 12-15. The second one was Medical Terminology (11A) and the third were Medical Abbreviations (11B). We were given two hours, I took about 40 mins, and handed mine in to Tracey who said I could go and help out in the lab, start looking around, etc. So, I did. About 10 mins later, she came into the lab, and said to Jamie (the other nurse who I was helping sort urine day and night bags) "We're going to like this one" I got 100% on the modules1-10,12-15 test, 96% on the medical abbreviations test, and 95% on the Medical Terminology test, so I passed them all. The thing is, I was the ONLY ONE in my ENTIRE GROUP who passed them all. All of the others must go for a re-write on Monday.

We learned to chart after that (fun, fun... not...) and then we had lunch. After that, we went into the lab, and worked on transfers. Those are a hoot. There are different kinds, and we worked on 1 and 2 man transfers mostly... form supine to sitting to standing to in a wheelchair. Transfer belts... not so much fun. They bloody hurt, and are uncomfortable, but are nessescary for safety and stuff. Had fun with that, goofed off in wheelchairs, and learned how to wash our hands (which I already knew from volunteering in Emerg.

Worked the saddledome tonight (it was dead) and that was ok. Mind got off track, but not too badly, I kept the wandering thing on it's leash. I'm getting better at that.

My hair is getting long again :) I'm growing it out, and it's at that awful stage where you can't put it behind your shoulders, but it kind of sits on top of them...

*yawns* I'm tired... been up for 19.5 hours now. Debating with Jean-Marc about human euthenasia, and depression and sound mind and all of that.


Edited to [/center] my code! oops!

Comments

[blueeyes125.livejournal.com]

I called you last night-- don't know if you got the message. I said I'd call back, but then I forgot. So I'll try to call you Sunday or Monday night maybe.

[amigone.livejournal.com]

Yeah, my mom said "That girl from New York called again long distance" and I do apologise for missing your call :(

[keoki.livejournal.com]

YOU ROCK!!!

[amigone.livejournal.com]

how come?

[keoki.livejournal.com]

Because you are smart and I always knew that, therfore making me smart by extension.