Well, I had my 2nd shift. This time I was on the transplant floor. I can't say too much about the experience for fear of violating patient confidentiality, but I had a horrible experience. My patient was great, but my nurse sucked. She didn't let me do anything (well, almost), treated me like I was an idiot, and basically told me to sit and "study" until she came to get me. If I wanted to sit and study, I wouldn't be at a hospital for a night shift on a FRIDAY.
I asked her at the beginning of the shift if it was ok that I worked with her and she said yes... If she didn't want me to work with her, just say no. I would rather you turn me down and find a nurse that will let me actually practice my skills. I will be a nurse in approximately 6 months. Do you want me to practice on your child if I never actually touched one in my clinical rotation? NO.
Either way, the patient loved me and cried any time my nurse touched her. Karma is a bitch.
This Friday I will be in CVICU. I am hoping that it will be a better experience. So far, I like cardiovascular and pediatrics... and I'm looking forward to my first ICU experience... plus it will be my birthday.
Bring it on.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Thursday, June 30, 2011
So... here we all are...
My life has changed a lot since my last post. Here's a list of how:
- I didn't finish grad school. It's a complicated story. I had a lot of emotional baggage that got lost in an airport (surprise) which showed up on my doorstep to kick me in the teeth. Because of this and some less than understanding faculty, I did not finish. Probably one of the better awful things to happen to me in the long run.
- I decided to apply to nursing school. Last May when I left grad school, I decided plan B was nursing school. I was still hopeful for Kansas State to call me up and offer me a spot, but I wasn't holding my breath. On a whim, I applied to UTMB for the accelerated nursing program. I honestly wasn't expecting to be admitted, but wanted to get a feel for the process. This program stuck out because I didn't need any entrance exams or letters of rec... a little shady, but perfect for my situation at the time.
- I started my remaining pre-reqs at Blinn over summer and fall '10. After haggling with the admissions staff at UTMB, I had a finite list of classes that I still needed if I were to be admitted to nursing school. I took sociology, A&P, nutrition (which I had already taken an animal nutrition class... cake!), and Lifespan. Surprisingly, I found them to be very interesting, excluding nutrition. Also, for the first time since I graduated undergrad, I was doing well. I began to remember the feeling of being successful in school and what an A on a transcript looked like. It was amazeballs.
- I got an interview and was admitted to UTMB for Spring '11. WHAT!?!
- I moved away from College Station. I wanted to move so badly for the last year and a half that I lived in CS. I thought to myself, "Most of my friends have moved away so it won't be that hard..." Yeah, well, I lied... to myself. My last semester, my group of friends added a few extra who ended up becoming some of my best friends even still. My last night, I bawled. We had a Christmas/going-away party and it was a sobfest for all. I left and haven't really looked back. I liked the city, I loved the people, and those things didn't change when I left.
- I moved to Galveston. I was terrified and excited at the same time. It was my first time moving to a new city in almost 6 years... and I was moving to a place where I knew almost no one. I found an apartment near the seawall and hoped to just keep my head down and not get mugged. Well, I didn't get mugged (knock on wood).
- I made new friends. The day I moved into my apartment, I wanted to unpack, lay low, and figure out what the hell I was doing with my life. Apparently, I made a good first impression on the assistant manager of my apartment complex. That night, she came by with her friend and their dogs and we took the pups to the beach. Little did I know, she would become one of my good friends in Galveston. She, her family, and an array of residents have become my second family in Galveston. They make this apartment feel like home.
- I started nursing school. I went to orientation and knew no one. I sat in the back and made "friends" with two girls who ultimately ended up leaving the program due to grade issues. I met a lot of people, yet seemingly made no friends. The only person I talked to more than briefly all week was a guy I met at my interview that was from the Beaumont area. He is a very nice guy that I still talk to, but he doesn't live on the island and is married. Someone told me that study groups had already been formed and I was left without one. As I tried to join different groups, I was turned away for a variety of seemingly fake reasons. Their loss, but not good for my ego. What was this? High school? I skipped the planned happy hour (mistake) and kept to my new friends at my apartment complex (not a mistake). I survived.
- I went to a happy hour with my classmates. Apparently, that was missing puzzle piece. I drank, I opened up, I made friends. Turns out, I wasn't the social outcast I perceived that I was. I found out who I liked and who I'd rather avoid. First impressions for almost everyone still hold true today. I made a group of really good friends which still hangs out today (plus or minus a few) and a guy that I consider to be one of my best friends in Galveston.
- I got invited to a study group. (Insert audio clip of angels singing)
- School. School. School. Overwhelmed. Got the hang of it. Piece of cake. Don't need to apply myself. Holy shit. I should have applied myself.
- Started clinicals. Wore burnt orange. Awesome and ughhh... respectively.
- Pediatrics. A semester and a half later, something challenges me. I accept. This is now. I'm loving peds and I'm keeping an open mind for future careers. We will see where my clinical experience leads me. I'm at Texas Children's Hospital for this rotation. Hem/Onc... been there, not sure if its my calling, but loved working with the kids. Showed my staff nurse how to insert a Foley Catheter... see one, do one, TEACH ONE. She's been a nurse for HOW LONG? Oh ok. Still to come: transplant, CVICU, PICU, and adolescent medicine. Here. We. Go.
So that is my long and probably boring year in a nutshell. I can't promise I will update more often because that may turn out to be a lie like last time... but I can try. No one reads this anyway.
Theme of the Year: "You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you." - Walt Disney
- I didn't finish grad school. It's a complicated story. I had a lot of emotional baggage that got lost in an airport (surprise) which showed up on my doorstep to kick me in the teeth. Because of this and some less than understanding faculty, I did not finish. Probably one of the better awful things to happen to me in the long run.
- I decided to apply to nursing school. Last May when I left grad school, I decided plan B was nursing school. I was still hopeful for Kansas State to call me up and offer me a spot, but I wasn't holding my breath. On a whim, I applied to UTMB for the accelerated nursing program. I honestly wasn't expecting to be admitted, but wanted to get a feel for the process. This program stuck out because I didn't need any entrance exams or letters of rec... a little shady, but perfect for my situation at the time.
- I started my remaining pre-reqs at Blinn over summer and fall '10. After haggling with the admissions staff at UTMB, I had a finite list of classes that I still needed if I were to be admitted to nursing school. I took sociology, A&P, nutrition (which I had already taken an animal nutrition class... cake!), and Lifespan. Surprisingly, I found them to be very interesting, excluding nutrition. Also, for the first time since I graduated undergrad, I was doing well. I began to remember the feeling of being successful in school and what an A on a transcript looked like. It was amazeballs.
- I got an interview and was admitted to UTMB for Spring '11. WHAT!?!
- I moved away from College Station. I wanted to move so badly for the last year and a half that I lived in CS. I thought to myself, "Most of my friends have moved away so it won't be that hard..." Yeah, well, I lied... to myself. My last semester, my group of friends added a few extra who ended up becoming some of my best friends even still. My last night, I bawled. We had a Christmas/going-away party and it was a sobfest for all. I left and haven't really looked back. I liked the city, I loved the people, and those things didn't change when I left.
- I moved to Galveston. I was terrified and excited at the same time. It was my first time moving to a new city in almost 6 years... and I was moving to a place where I knew almost no one. I found an apartment near the seawall and hoped to just keep my head down and not get mugged. Well, I didn't get mugged (knock on wood).
- I made new friends. The day I moved into my apartment, I wanted to unpack, lay low, and figure out what the hell I was doing with my life. Apparently, I made a good first impression on the assistant manager of my apartment complex. That night, she came by with her friend and their dogs and we took the pups to the beach. Little did I know, she would become one of my good friends in Galveston. She, her family, and an array of residents have become my second family in Galveston. They make this apartment feel like home.
- I started nursing school. I went to orientation and knew no one. I sat in the back and made "friends" with two girls who ultimately ended up leaving the program due to grade issues. I met a lot of people, yet seemingly made no friends. The only person I talked to more than briefly all week was a guy I met at my interview that was from the Beaumont area. He is a very nice guy that I still talk to, but he doesn't live on the island and is married. Someone told me that study groups had already been formed and I was left without one. As I tried to join different groups, I was turned away for a variety of seemingly fake reasons. Their loss, but not good for my ego. What was this? High school? I skipped the planned happy hour (mistake) and kept to my new friends at my apartment complex (not a mistake). I survived.
- I went to a happy hour with my classmates. Apparently, that was missing puzzle piece. I drank, I opened up, I made friends. Turns out, I wasn't the social outcast I perceived that I was. I found out who I liked and who I'd rather avoid. First impressions for almost everyone still hold true today. I made a group of really good friends which still hangs out today (plus or minus a few) and a guy that I consider to be one of my best friends in Galveston.
- I got invited to a study group. (Insert audio clip of angels singing)
- School. School. School. Overwhelmed. Got the hang of it. Piece of cake. Don't need to apply myself. Holy shit. I should have applied myself.
- Started clinicals. Wore burnt orange. Awesome and ughhh... respectively.
- Pediatrics. A semester and a half later, something challenges me. I accept. This is now. I'm loving peds and I'm keeping an open mind for future careers. We will see where my clinical experience leads me. I'm at Texas Children's Hospital for this rotation. Hem/Onc... been there, not sure if its my calling, but loved working with the kids. Showed my staff nurse how to insert a Foley Catheter... see one, do one, TEACH ONE. She's been a nurse for HOW LONG? Oh ok. Still to come: transplant, CVICU, PICU, and adolescent medicine. Here. We. Go.
So that is my long and probably boring year in a nutshell. I can't promise I will update more often because that may turn out to be a lie like last time... but I can try. No one reads this anyway.
Theme of the Year: "You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you." - Walt Disney
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Update on Life
Well, there's a lot of nothing going on really, but I'm making changes to help turn nothing into something. I've been pretty bad about it this week, but I'm attempting to work out, eat better, take vitamins, and sleep more at night. So far, so good. I feel better and can concentrate more. I'm starting to feel more like myself, but its going to be more than just a couple weeks worth of change to fully get myself there.
In vet school news, out of the multitude of schools I applied to, I got 0 acceptances, lots of rejections, and 2 alternate lists. 2 alternate lists is better than what I got last year (so that's nice), but its still nothing definite. I have no idea what I will be doing or where I will be in 4-5 months. I can't hear back off of the alternate lists until after April 15th which is getting closer. I'm not holding my breath for Michigan State, but I'm definitely keeping my fingers crossed for Kansas State.
I'm meeting with one of my graduate committee members today to talk about potentially changing my masters to something I'm more interested in as a plan B. If I don't get a call back from KState, I want to do something with public health or animal reproduction (both of which I would be interested in studying in vet school anyway). We'll see how that meeting goes and what my options are. I'm hoping I don't need plan B, but it will be nice to have a plan just in case.
So for now, I'm going to go do some research on classes I can take. I will update soon... maybe.
In vet school news, out of the multitude of schools I applied to, I got 0 acceptances, lots of rejections, and 2 alternate lists. 2 alternate lists is better than what I got last year (so that's nice), but its still nothing definite. I have no idea what I will be doing or where I will be in 4-5 months. I can't hear back off of the alternate lists until after April 15th which is getting closer. I'm not holding my breath for Michigan State, but I'm definitely keeping my fingers crossed for Kansas State.
I'm meeting with one of my graduate committee members today to talk about potentially changing my masters to something I'm more interested in as a plan B. If I don't get a call back from KState, I want to do something with public health or animal reproduction (both of which I would be interested in studying in vet school anyway). We'll see how that meeting goes and what my options are. I'm hoping I don't need plan B, but it will be nice to have a plan just in case.
So for now, I'm going to go do some research on classes I can take. I will update soon... maybe.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Something on my mind...
Being a director for Fish Camp this past year opened my eyes to a lot that I hadn't paid much attention to before. Its come to my attention that everyone (no matter how hard you try) is biased and prejudice. The mere fact that we have to tell ourselves not to be prejudice means that we are. Its how we are raised. It is in the history of every culture.
A specific thing that bothers me is when people try to say things like "Black or white, male or female, young or old, gay or straight... etc". Putting labels on people (besides being potentially hurtful) means that you are excluding so many others. There are more than 2 races/ethnicities, genders, age groups, and sexual orientations. If you want to list out every label you can think of, you would still be missing out. To miss out on even one "label" is failing to acknowledge the aspect of someone's personality that makes them truly unique. If we so desperately need to put labels on people, we should come up with 7 billion of them... one for every person in the world.
Putting even one "label" on another person is also failing to value anything else that is unique about them. As T.R. Knight (George O'Malley from Grey's Anatomy) said, "I hope the fact that I'm gay isn't the most interesting part of me." We get so caught up with our labels and first impressions that we overlook other qualities, good or bad, and every event that has helped define that person's life. Its sad that we miss out on so much about each other.
When I walk into a room, what do people see? I am a white male, probably college aged. I usually have clean clothes. I wear glasses. There are a number of assumptions that you could make about me. Most of those assumptions are probably true, but how do you know? Just because I am different than you, doesn't make us enemies. Just because we have similar qualities, doesn't make us friends.
The world isn't black and white, no matter how hard people try to see it that way. Looking at yourself, are you made up of extremes? Are all of your qualities middle of the road? What makes you unique?
What makes us all the same?
A specific thing that bothers me is when people try to say things like "Black or white, male or female, young or old, gay or straight... etc". Putting labels on people (besides being potentially hurtful) means that you are excluding so many others. There are more than 2 races/ethnicities, genders, age groups, and sexual orientations. If you want to list out every label you can think of, you would still be missing out. To miss out on even one "label" is failing to acknowledge the aspect of someone's personality that makes them truly unique. If we so desperately need to put labels on people, we should come up with 7 billion of them... one for every person in the world.
Putting even one "label" on another person is also failing to value anything else that is unique about them. As T.R. Knight (George O'Malley from Grey's Anatomy) said, "I hope the fact that I'm gay isn't the most interesting part of me." We get so caught up with our labels and first impressions that we overlook other qualities, good or bad, and every event that has helped define that person's life. Its sad that we miss out on so much about each other.
When I walk into a room, what do people see? I am a white male, probably college aged. I usually have clean clothes. I wear glasses. There are a number of assumptions that you could make about me. Most of those assumptions are probably true, but how do you know? Just because I am different than you, doesn't make us enemies. Just because we have similar qualities, doesn't make us friends.
The world isn't black and white, no matter how hard people try to see it that way. Looking at yourself, are you made up of extremes? Are all of your qualities middle of the road? What makes you unique?
What makes us all the same?
Monday, March 8, 2010
First post in a while...
Well, its been a while, eh? Since my last post, I've applied to vet school and been rejected by most of them.
I interviewed at A&M and Kansas State. A&M rejected me for a second time, but I made the alternate list for Kansas State! Truth be told, I like KState's program better and the people there are really nice. Plus, it would be a good change of scenery. If I went to A&M, I'd be closer to family, but I would also be in College Station for a total of 9 year (5 down, 4 to go) and that would make me here for a 3rd of my life by the time I got out. As much as going to vet school is my dream, I'm not sure I would be happy at A&M anyway.
I am also on the alternate list for Michigan State and waiting to hear back from Oklahoma State. As much as I don't want to live in Michigan at all (let alone for 4 years), they have a good program and nice facilities so I'll take what I can get. If I get into Oklahoma State, I will obviously go! Its the closest to home out of any of the schools I have left in the running and its almost 10k cheaper per year than KState and Michigan State. Obviously, I will go wherever accepts me. I think I have pretty good chances of getting in to KState off the alternate list as they usually go pretty far (if not completely) down the list and most people who were accepted out of state will get into their in-state school and opt for the cheaper tuition. Better for me!
In other news, I've been dealing with a lot of personal issues. I think I'm finally to the point where its not affecting my life as much, but my grades took a big hit last semester and I'm trying to keep them from doing so this semester too. We'll see how that turns out. If I don't get into vet school this year, I will definitely have my work cut out for me.
I quit my job. My last day is this coming Friday. I appreciated that they gave me a job, but it wasn't ideal for my life in many ways and I think having that much less stress on me right now will be good for my grades.
I think I will try to keep up with this more often. Its a little bit like therapy where I get to just write down everything I'm feeling and whats on my mind.
I interviewed at A&M and Kansas State. A&M rejected me for a second time, but I made the alternate list for Kansas State! Truth be told, I like KState's program better and the people there are really nice. Plus, it would be a good change of scenery. If I went to A&M, I'd be closer to family, but I would also be in College Station for a total of 9 year (5 down, 4 to go) and that would make me here for a 3rd of my life by the time I got out. As much as going to vet school is my dream, I'm not sure I would be happy at A&M anyway.
I am also on the alternate list for Michigan State and waiting to hear back from Oklahoma State. As much as I don't want to live in Michigan at all (let alone for 4 years), they have a good program and nice facilities so I'll take what I can get. If I get into Oklahoma State, I will obviously go! Its the closest to home out of any of the schools I have left in the running and its almost 10k cheaper per year than KState and Michigan State. Obviously, I will go wherever accepts me. I think I have pretty good chances of getting in to KState off the alternate list as they usually go pretty far (if not completely) down the list and most people who were accepted out of state will get into their in-state school and opt for the cheaper tuition. Better for me!
In other news, I've been dealing with a lot of personal issues. I think I'm finally to the point where its not affecting my life as much, but my grades took a big hit last semester and I'm trying to keep them from doing so this semester too. We'll see how that turns out. If I don't get into vet school this year, I will definitely have my work cut out for me.
I quit my job. My last day is this coming Friday. I appreciated that they gave me a job, but it wasn't ideal for my life in many ways and I think having that much less stress on me right now will be good for my grades.
I think I will try to keep up with this more often. Its a little bit like therapy where I get to just write down everything I'm feeling and whats on my mind.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
My life = Grey's Anatomy
Today, I drove out to Navasota to shadow an equine vet. I called ahead to get his schedule and they said he had 2 appointments starting at 1pm and then he had a surgery and that I could come out there for all of the above.
So I scarfed a big mac on the 20ish minute drive and showed up 10 minutes til 1 so that I wouldn't walk in during one of the appointments. The vet I shadow wasn't back from lunch and the receptionist told me to wait in the lobby and she'd let him know that I was there when he got back.
Well... an hour and 15 minutes later, I got up, walked outside, and went into the treatment barn to find the vet and his tech working on a horse. Thanks for nothing, receptionist. After I waited for an hour and 15 minutes, I watched 2 lameness exams (which I have seen before) and nothing was explained to me. After all of this, I had 3 minutes of small talk with the vet and then he told me he was going into surgery and that he would see me next week. I was under the impression that I was going to watch the surgery and I was really excited about it. Not the case.
Basically (and you can judge me all you want) I was feeling like Christina from Grey's Anatomy. You know, she's been bitching about not getting surgeries and not having a cardio expert for the past 3 weeks now. Well, that applies (kind of), but I'm referring more to the conversation she had when she basically asked to be cut because she isn't learning anything. I wasted my time today to not learn anything. How is this supposed to help me?
I'm at a point now where I need whatever edge I can get and need to know all that I can about large animal practice. If I can't learn it where I'm at, then I need to find someone who will teach me.
So I scarfed a big mac on the 20ish minute drive and showed up 10 minutes til 1 so that I wouldn't walk in during one of the appointments. The vet I shadow wasn't back from lunch and the receptionist told me to wait in the lobby and she'd let him know that I was there when he got back.
Well... an hour and 15 minutes later, I got up, walked outside, and went into the treatment barn to find the vet and his tech working on a horse. Thanks for nothing, receptionist. After I waited for an hour and 15 minutes, I watched 2 lameness exams (which I have seen before) and nothing was explained to me. After all of this, I had 3 minutes of small talk with the vet and then he told me he was going into surgery and that he would see me next week. I was under the impression that I was going to watch the surgery and I was really excited about it. Not the case.
Basically (and you can judge me all you want) I was feeling like Christina from Grey's Anatomy. You know, she's been bitching about not getting surgeries and not having a cardio expert for the past 3 weeks now. Well, that applies (kind of), but I'm referring more to the conversation she had when she basically asked to be cut because she isn't learning anything. I wasted my time today to not learn anything. How is this supposed to help me?
I'm at a point now where I need whatever edge I can get and need to know all that I can about large animal practice. If I can't learn it where I'm at, then I need to find someone who will teach me.
Yeah so this blog is boring... until now
Well, Fish Camp has come and gone.
I am now a proud uncle of a healthy baby boy named Charlie. He's 2 months old now...
I started grad school and it hasn't been an easy transition. I'm expected to keep up with graduate coursework while still living an undergraduate lifestyle. The one thing I can say for this semester is that I have truly enjoyed the time I have spent with my friends. I have had the time to reconnect, create, and further my relationships and I couldn't be happier about it. My friends keep me wanting to get up in the morning.
While I enjoy living in College Station and all of my friends associated with it, I have the overwhelming urge to get in my truck and drive to wherever I feel like stopping. It has always been a "bucket list" type dream of mine to do this. Get a job at a bar, live in a shitty apartment, and get back to the basics. Learn to live and have no expectations but my own.
Despite how enthralled all 0 of my followers are, I should probably get some sleep since it is 3AM and I need to stop this cycle of non-sleep.
I am now a proud uncle of a healthy baby boy named Charlie. He's 2 months old now...
I started grad school and it hasn't been an easy transition. I'm expected to keep up with graduate coursework while still living an undergraduate lifestyle. The one thing I can say for this semester is that I have truly enjoyed the time I have spent with my friends. I have had the time to reconnect, create, and further my relationships and I couldn't be happier about it. My friends keep me wanting to get up in the morning.
While I enjoy living in College Station and all of my friends associated with it, I have the overwhelming urge to get in my truck and drive to wherever I feel like stopping. It has always been a "bucket list" type dream of mine to do this. Get a job at a bar, live in a shitty apartment, and get back to the basics. Learn to live and have no expectations but my own.
Despite how enthralled all 0 of my followers are, I should probably get some sleep since it is 3AM and I need to stop this cycle of non-sleep.
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