Fall 2010 Review...

…And so this marks the end of my second semester of nursing school. My last exam was on Dec 14 and I am officially half way done. It is so crazy to think that this time next year I will have my ASN and will be stressing over state boards. With any luck all will go well.
This semester went pretty well. I finally got to do clinicals in a hospital (first semester we have clinicals in a long term care facility). It was so great to be in that setting and to get to see in person so much I had read about. Along with meg/surg I had mental health and OR clinicals.
Mental health clincals were in Albuquerque at the UNM Hospital. A fellow student and I got to interview a young man with schizophrenia and a girl major depressive disorder. It was so interesting to interview a person in a acute care setting with schizophrenia who sincerely believes in the hallucinations they are experiencing. That was the first night we were there and I must say when we were locked in the unit it was scary. The setting made me feel like I was in prison.
The second day I was in a long term unit for kids ranging in ages from 13-18. I got to sit in on their goals meeting and listen to then give each other encouragement and constructive criticism. After the meeting I was talking to some of the kids as they stood in line waiting to get to go out to the basketball court when one boy asked me if I worked at the adult unit. I told him no and that I was just a student and I was only there last night to observe. They asked what it was like over there and I told them that they have very little privileges there, they could not even go outside. Upon hearing this, the boys were shocked and one stated that he would go crazy if he could not go outside. I found this a little ironic considering where he was and could not help but chuckle.
The sad part was when I finally got to read their charts and found out what they had done and all the crap that had been done to them. In the adult unit the patients suffered from real mental disorders. These children did not. They were the victims of all sorts of abuse and as a result suffered from depression and PTSD. It made me so mad to realize that if these children had been born into a different family/situation they would have turned out fine.
During the first part of December I was finally in the OR. In a previous post I told a bit about it and the lovely needles that I saw rammed into a woman’s pelvis. I must say though it was so much fun to start an IV.
One thing I have learned about myself is that I LOVE needles; giving shots, drawing blood, and starting IVs. One of my classmates joked that I must love hurting people, but really I think it’s cool that I can do it in the first place. I did not grow up wanting to be a nurse, it just kind of fell into my lap. When I am learning these skills it’s so surreal and I think “I can’t believe I know how to do this.”
So now I am half way done and I have to say that is even more surreal than anything else. It was a crazy semester, but I made it through and am continuing to learn.
As I said before my last test was on Dec 14, but my break did not technically start until today ( at least that’s the way it feels). As soon as school ended I started to work full time again at Cracker Barrel, I still enjoy it, but man the Christmas rush has been so nuts.
To celebrate the “start” of my Christmas break I tool Harker and Hyrum out to breakfast today. It is always fun to sit and talk with them. Then we went to Wal-mart and I let them pick out a toy. Tomorrow night the fun continues with Natalie coming for a sleepover. Disney movies and Happy Meals are on the agenda as usual.
On Christmas Eve I have to work for a few hours then I will be off to party with the Mangums and the Maynerichs. Then on Monday I am off to ABQ and Tuesday morning I will be on my flight to Germany to visit Matthew and Stephanie! I am so excited! I will be there for New Years and my 30th birthday. Although, I have to say I am not too thrilled about the latter. I will try to make the best of it with my travels. Europe is always a great cure-all!

(The pic is of me and my friend Erica during OR clinicals)

Showed up at my sister's house to find this...

What is the world coming to?!
Poor Nathan. hahaha!

OR Clinicals

I was in the OR for clinicals the past two days. I got to take a shot at starting an IV for the first time and to my surprise I did it! It was so easy and I was on a high until my second attempt on another patient failed. Oh well, the nurse with me told me not to let it get me down because even a practiced nurse will miss every once in a while.
That was yesterday, and today I got to see a cystocele (prolasped bladder) repair. It was painful to watch, but not as bad as when they surgically placed a sling inside of her to hold up her urethra. They jabbed these spirally needles into her groin and through an incision attached the sling to each needle, then pulling the needled out of either side made the sling taught. The sling will stay in her and the tissue will bind with it.
Very hard to watch this happen to a fellow female and I could not help but clinch my legs with every cut, jab, and suture.



This is a picture of the slings and insertion needles used. Now imagine these needles jabbed and twisted into your groin!

Happy 40th Anniversary Mom and Dad!

Thanksgiving Decor

One thing I have always disliked about the holiday season is that it seems to go from Halloween then straight to Christmas. Hello!? Thanksgiving! Well, I finally found a decent Thanksgiving piece. My little pilgrim nutcracker!
(made in China of course)

The Army: A Westhoff Family Tradition

Happy Veterans Day! Thank you for your service!


TSGT John Kenneth Westhoff


Major John and LTC Neva Westhoff


Maj John Westhoff


Capt Matthew Westhoff

Post-Halloween Sales!

OK, here is my last "discount" post for a while. I just can't get over the savings. So I went back to CB and bought some great stuff on sale and even ran into a co-worker who let me use her discount which is even more than mine. If none of this stuff was on sale I would have spent $203 (plus tax), with everything on sale it would have been $90, but I only paid $60!!!!!! I LOVE discounts! Oh, and this dog I got would have been $40, but was only $8! Cute!

Party at the Mangums!

Tonight I got to help Rachael and Brad host a Halloween party for the kids and some of their friends. I LOVE Halloween!


I have always wanted to order a costume and this year I finally splurged! I decided to take advantage of my current hair style and be Snow White!


The kids looked great of course!


The manly pirate and ninja did not mind being seen with a princess.


The Princesses!


The party bunch!


Nathan trying to eat his donut as fast as he can!


I always knew pirates loved M&Ms!


Hyrum getting mummified.


Natalie getting mummified.

And the saving continues!

I went back today to buy a witch cookie jar for mom and Rachael to find that all the Halloween stuff was now 50% off! So I picked this festive nightlight up for myself. Was $10, paid $3! Going back tomorrow and hoping everything will be 60% off plus my 20% employee discount!

Gotta Love the Perks!

While I am in school Cracker Barrel is letting me get away with only working once a month. This way I can still get my employee discount and I still have a job to come back to over Christmas/Summer breaks. I have had my eye on this Halloween cookie jar for a while and it was just my luck they had three let for 40% off. Tack on my employee discount and what would have been $25 was only $10!! Oh yeah! Can't wait for the Christmas sales!

Halloween!

So excited for Halloween. Here is a hint of my costume. Can you tell who it is? It's pretty obvious if you ask me!

Mid-term Review...

It's finally here...mid-term. This semester has flown by so fast I feel like my head won't stop spinning. So many tests (and so close together), 80% more clinicals than last semester, and teachers who keep throwing last minute assignments at us! It feels like it will take a miracle to pass this semester. But then again, that is the way it felt last semester too.
Today I finished my forth day of clinicals. It has been a great experience to work with such a diverse group of patients. Getting to see things that I have till now only read about and really getting my hands dirty has made me feel so blessed to have my health. And at the same time reminding me that I really should make a few lifestyle changes.
For example: today I got to change a wet to dry dressing on the toe of a diabetic. About a week ago this patient had no particular problems on this toe and now it looks like it is ready to fall off. This patient seems convinced that it will get better on antibiotics alone, but unless they act fast most of the foot will end up being removed. It's hard when no matter what you say people won't listen and in the end the choice to take action is theirs alone. So what's worse getting your toe cut off or your entire foot?

Death to Blogger!

Around the end of August I tried to post stuff I did this summer and right before I went to post it...half of it was erased. I was so mad I left the rest as a draft until today when I tried to add the missing pictures again. It would not let me so I just posted what I had for now not realising that it would be posted on the original date it was started. Anywho, if you want to see it you have to scroll down the page. Arg!

Happy Birthday Mom!

Black is back!

Viva El Paso!

About a month ago I made this really big post to sum-up what I did this summer and right when I was about to post it half of it erased! Arg! I tried to add to it again recently but it won't let me so I guess I will have to do two posts.
In August I spent a week in El Paso with mom and dad. It was alot of fun to hangout with them and these are a few things we saw.



The grave of the famous outlaw John Wesley Hardin.



El Paso



The end of the Rockies.



Viva El Paso! The show that tells the history of El Paso and all who have occupied it.

For the record Dad...

I tried to post about a week ago but my computer was giving me trouble. Anywho, this past week was the first week of my second semester in nursing school. I have so much to do. It's a little over whelming, but I get to do alot of fun stuff as well. We are required to do about 56 hours of clinicals, half in OR and half in Med/Surg. It's gonna be so cool and I'm so ready to get my hands dirty... or my gloves anyway.

Just like last semester I have a lot of reading to do and I was excited to get a jump on it, but the day before school started I got sick. Not only with cold like symptoms, but with some serious goop coming out of my eyes. Ever since Tuesday afternoon I have had fluid in my left ear that has yet to drain. Thursday morning I woke up to find the goop in my eyes turned green so I decided to go to the doctor. I am on two types of antibiotics and lots of Excedrin and Sudafed. I am feeling a little better, but still have so much sinus pressure. Needless to say it was very hard to pay attention in class this week. Just hoping next week will be better.

This week in lab we learned how to start an IV. I thought it would be as easy as drawing blood, which I did last semester, but man was I wrong. I did not realize that once you hit the vein you then have to push the catheter in as you pull the needle out. That it's easy to think you are in because you got a flash of blood in your needle, but you just went right through the vein. And just because you got in the vein does not mean that the catheter is going to stay in. I started to get nervous as I watched so may of my classmates try and fail. And of course how much pain their lab partners seemed to be in. But by the time I decided that I just needed to go for it we ran out of time and I could not stay late because of another class. My teacher said not to worry though, I will have opportunities in the OR.

All in all I very much looking forward to this semester. As long as I stay healthy I will make it out alive!

The BEST email ever...

I am not the best at checking my email, but tonight I got one from Ticketmaster that I almost did not open. It looked like spam, had a red exclamation point next to it, and said something about a concert. I did not even realize it was from Ticketmaster until I opened it. Anywho,it was to let me know U2 is coming to the US next summer and the new date for my concert!!!!

I had tickets to see them in Denver last month, but the whole North American portion left of their tour had to be cancelled because lead singer, Bono, had to have emergency back surgery in Munich. On their Facebook page the band posted a home video with Bono stating after some good "German engineering" he is doing great.

I am so excited and will be in Denver May 21, 2011!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(And if the new date works for them, mom and Daniel will be there too.)

Holy gnats!

Ever since I repotted my plant I have had a gnat problem. They drive me crazy and I have been looking for a way to get rid of them without hurting my plant. I got this one from a friend on Facebook. A small dish of vegetable oil set in the pot so it can get them as they grow.
HAHA! DIE! And this picture is only after one day. Yuck!
They say gnats are not harmful to the plant, but it's so annoying when I am dozing off just as one decides to fly up my nose.
I'm not gonna lie, they will not be missed!

Summer!!!

May 14 was my last day of school and man does it feel good to be done. I only have three semesters left!! After school got out I immediately went job hunting and basically got a job that day at Cracker Barrel. I worked at one in high school and love their country store. I will be doing retail. The down side is I have already spent almost $150 for uniforms. Ugg!!
Anywho, last week I got to spend some time in El Paso with mom and it was such a nice break! I even talked her into buying a kiddie pool for the back yard. Ghetto, but great. It's soooo hot there!
So, now I am back and I start work tomorrow. It will be nice to have a change of pace after a long school year.

Four more tests left!

I searched online for a picture to go with this heading. After typing in "test taking stress" this was the first picture that came up. Just thought I'd share the randomness of my online searching.

My First Blood Draw!

A few weeks ago I signed up to help with blood draws for cholesterol testing at a local hospital. We were told that we would be taught how to do it there, but as that day got closer I started to freak out. I even went to speak to one of my teachers to ask if I would get in trouble if I did not go. She said no, but I sucked it up and decided I could a least go and watch. After seeing the instructor do it and then one of my classmates I was all over it. I only got to do one person, but it was a lot easier than I thought and so much fun. I have even been inspired to take a phlebotomy class this summer. Can't wait!

What's left of me...

I know I have not posted in a while about school, but things have been so crazy and they are about to get worse.
I just finished four weeks of clinicals at a long term care facility. It was a lot more fun than I thought it would be. Other facilities I have been in are not the cleanest, they smell like urine, and the employees were not very nice. This one, however, was amazing. It is run by an order of nuns known as the Little Sisters of the Poor. It was a great experience, but I realized how much back breaking work CNAs do. I would have to say my favorite part was getting to administer medications to the residents... and walking around the place with my stethoscope around my neck making me feel very official.
I now have four weeks of school left, six tests, three reports, two care plan concept maps, one presentation, and two simulations labs to finish. Needless to say I am very tired and am trying my best not to fall victim to burnout. Looking forward to a summer of reading, traveling, shopping, crocheting, and of course working.

Happy Birthday Rachael!

Ok so your birthday is not until tomorrow, but I will be busy and I did not want to forget to post this picture!



I had to share this one too. It is my all time favorite picture of Rachael because of the look on her face as Daniel fears for his life in her arms! ahahahaha
Of course the look on John's face is equally creepy as he strokes his baby brother's head. How did he ever survive?

....Oh wait I forgot this post was about Rachael not Daniel. So...here is one more. Enjoy!

I heart CROCHET!

About a year before I graduated from BYU-Idaho I got one of my roommates to teach me how to crochet. It took me forever to learn but she was very patient with me. I made a baby blanket and it was so lame because as I got better the blanket got tighter. Now it just looks stretched out on one side. I then started to make a new baby blanket, because I have ADHD and I never thought I could do a bigger one. Five years later I finally finished it! It looks pretty good too I must say, but now I have decided I should go all the way and make a big blanket for myself. I purchased 13 things of yarn and I only hope I figure out I need more before they discontinue the pattern. Don't worry in ten years I will be sure to post the finished product!


This is the blanket that took me 5 years. In my defence, I did not have it with me the year and a half I lived in Hawaii. Cute!

Ready...set...bring it on!

Saturday, February 27 I got a call from mom about the earthquake in Chile over night and that it was supposed to trigger a tsunami that would head for Hawaii. I looked it up on the internet and found that there was an earthquake in Japan too. Fortunately, the tsunami did not materialize but it got me to thinking that I have never made the time to put together a respectable 72 hour kit. I started to make a check off sheet and ordered a few cool things online. The crazy thing about it all was the next day in church no one brought up the subject of these earthquakes, but there was so much talk about physical preparedness as well as spiritual. Creepy!

This past weekend I also decided to dedicate one of my cabinets to food storage. As I was doing this the thought came to me..."what happens if a meteor hits my apartment while I'm gone? There goes my food storage"...or "what if the second coming happens before I get to use my food storage?" Of course I know that the main point is that I am doing what the Lord has asked me to do and I feel really good about it.

I am almost done getting everything I want for my kit, including some MREs from mom. Tonight I went and bought a huge backpack to put it all in. It's way cool and even fits extra clothes. I'm ready!

(On Monday, March 8 there was an earthquake in Turkey too.)




The finished product.


My favorite purchase tonight!

My First Kate Spade

With the arrival of my big fat tax return and having a stressful time at school I decide to treat myself. I could not think of anything I really wanted when, just for fun, I ended up on KateSpade.com. I have always wanted one of her bags, but they are pricey. So, it would be just my luck that they were having a sample sale that week! I got this bag for a discount of more that 50% off with only $5 shipping!!! It came today. After years of dreaming I finally have a Kate Spade and I LOVE it!! Thanks Uncle Sam!

Project!

I have never been very good at keeping a journal, even though I like the idea of being able to look back and pass on my adventures to others. So I have decide to be like my sister and print out my blog. I am so excited, but it's taking forever to print. It will be worth it though and when I am done I am taking it to the UPS store to have it spiral bound. This is also why I have momentarily changed my blog title since I have not been a nursing student till recently.

I am also doing this because in January I was called as first counselor in the Young Womens. I did not complete my Personal Progress so I am taking the opportunity to do it now and lot of the work involves writing in a journal. So hopefully I will be able to stay on task and you get to see me bloom into a bright young women...or at this rate a bright middle-aged women. HA!

The saga continues....

I have been in the nursing program now for five full weeks and I have to admit I keep going back and forth..."this is so much fun"..."what the crap did I get myself into?" So much reading, homework, and dare I say it...fast food! As I continue to teeter on the brink of insanity here is what has happened in the past three weeks:

Week 3: In lab I learned how to give a intramuscular and a sub-dermis shot. Sub-dermis shots are for things like TB testing. We practiced on hot dogs and I got some pretty decent blebs (pockets of the medicine under the skin: a good thing). But, alas...hot dogs aren't even close to being like human flesh and I injected my partner a little too deep. Not that badly done but, in my defence every time our teacher would observer a student administering the shot other students would swarm. Pretty nerve wrecking if you ask me. I did, however, do a fine job on the intramuscular shot. Which I think is more important considering I will have to do those more as a nurse. When it was my partners turn to give me a IM I freaked. I am not scared of needles, but knowing this was her first time I really lost it. My teacher was telling me to calm down the whole time. Once it was in and I realized, of course, it did not hurt I was all cool about it. Like I knew all along she could do it. HAHA!
After lab I got to give the H1N1 vaccine to two people. One the nasal spray and one via IM shot. Both way cool but, the pressure was on giving the shot because I got stuck giving it to a second semester nursing student who felt the need to comment on everything I did. I informed him that I was told to do it a certain way and he was a little butt about it. I hope I am not like that as I progress through the program! FYI: dont' be a butt to someone who is about to give you a shot.

Week 4: My first two tests were this week and can I just tell you I thought my brain was about to bust out of my head. It does not mater what the subject is I always freak out before the first test in a class. "What is the format?" "How detailed is it doing to be?" "What happens if I have to go to the bathroom?" You name it, I worry about it. All is well, although I really need to stop reading into the questions and stop second guessing myself.

Week 5: I was tested on performing a full body assessment in lab on Tuesday. I had been practicing on Rachael (a good sport) and felt pretty ready. I remembered all the important stuff and passed. Word! I have to admit I questioned my career path when I was looking up peoples' noses all day and realized "it's gonna get worse than this."
Did you know that no matter how clear you think your nose is there are still things "hanging out" in there? Things that come out of the nose: my archnemesis.

Sleepovers!

I knew that I would be really busy this semester so before school started we had sleepovers! First night was Harker and Hyrum's turn. We ate pizza, played cards, told scary stories, and watched movies. The next night was Natalie's turn. We had Happy Meals, played Barbies, and watch princess movies. I know this is late but enjoy the pictures!