If You Don't Use It, You Don't (Necessarily) Lose It

Can you name all these?

This week has been a little crazy. I feel like I've been all over the place and back again. My housework is suffering some, but I know, in the long run, it's definitely worth it.

The midterm for my anatomy class is due by Monday 03/08 and it's over 7 chapters, which is a lot, especially if you're like me and have problems getting anything to do with Chemistry to sink in. Chapter 2 in the textbook deals with basic chemistry, molecules, mixtures, compounds, reactions, and bonds along with biochemistry such as ionic compounds and organic compounds. Chapter 3 is about the cells: structure, function, growth, and developmental aspects. These two chapters are amazingly difficult for me to 'get' and it's so frustrating. The other chapters have quite a bit of memorization (what type of tissue is where in the body, anatomy, type, structure, and development of bones, and all of the bones - head and body) and I'm stressed and worried.

I actually took this class last semester and didn't get a grade that I feel is high enough to get into the Nursing Program, so I'm retaking it. Last semester, I did great until the midterm and I totally whiffed it. I was so disappointed in myself, mainly because I'm so used to doing well in anything academic related that I didn't apply myself as much as I should have. In all honesty, I didn't study much because I don't really know how to study. I've never had to, so not doing well in this class was a wake up call (I passed, but not with an A and I don't like it!)

So, I've been studying my butt off since the weekend, trying to get this stuff into my head. Some of it is sinking in and some of it I'm still having trouble with. It seems like my day is a never-ending cycle of wake up, take kids to school, change and feed the baby, put the baby down for a nap, study, clean, pick the kids up, feed them, clean, and study some more once they are in bed. I did take a day off this week, but I now wish that I hadn't because I have absolutely got to get this stuff down!

Also, I recently took the TEAS test (Test of Essential Academic Skills) and I didn't do as well as I thought that I should have. Can you tell that I'm a bit of a Type A personality at times? This test plays an important role in whether I make it into the Nursing program or not. The school bases entrance on points and these points are reflected by your grades (A = 30 pts, B = 20 pts, C = 10 pts, anything below a C and you're not getting in) and by the score that you receive on the TEAS test. So, to be competitive, I need to make all A's and make at least an 85% adjusted score on the TEAS; however, I'm going for a score more in the 90% range. Since I don't live in the county, I won't get the extra 3 points that others will get and I need to make up for that somehow. See, no stress for me at all, right?

On a good note, I found out that I'm on the Dean's List, which is awesome! I also received a letter inviting me to join the honor society, Phi Theta Kappa due to outstanding academic achievement. This made me very emotional and it felt really good. I've been out of school for years, so it was nice to know that if you 'don't use it, you don't lose it' instead of the other way around. Also, it was nice to show my children that I'm doing well. I'm doing things backwards when it comes to life. I had my children first and now I'm going to college. It's wonderful to be able to show them (the kids) that you can accomplish your dreams, no matter what age you are!

Sorry for the big long post, but I need to let off steam somewhere. I hope all of you have an amazing, wonderful, blessed day!

What has Geometry Ever Done for Me?

I'm attempting to study for the TEAS test I'm taking next week, but it's not going so well. I keep getting distracted by other blogs and by my daily dose of celebrity gossip, which, I freely admit, I am slightly addicted to. Mostly because it gives me an excuse to be snarky when I'm feeling a little stressed.

Anyway, back to the TEAS test. TEAS stands for Test of Essential Academic Skills and it's needed to get into the nursing program at my college. Now, I'm not normally completely slow, but you give me a book with math problems more difficult than basic algebra and I'll give you a look of confusion. The TEAS doesn't have math that's too difficult, but it does have some geometry and I have to say, I've never understood the importance of it. Why do I need to know the circumference of a circle? Why do I even care? I'm not going to be an Astrophysicist, so it shouldn't matter, right? Wrong. Someone, somewhere decided that I needed to know geometry, so, here I am, plugging along, trying to remember formulas. As you can tell, I'm seriously excited about it, too.

So, instead of staring blankly at the book while trying not to nag myself to death, I decided to write a blog post. It gives me a few moments of distraction and allows me to clear my mind, at least for a bit.

How are all of you today?

The Beginning of My Journey

I guess I should talk about what really prompted me to become a nurse, why I feel driven to do it, and what took me so long to get my butt in gear, so I will.

I haven't always wanted to be a nurse, though I've always felt the need to take care of others. My previous career choices have included acting (I was 17 and going to take the English stage by storm) and being a lawyer, but those ideas didn't last long. I really couldn't decide what I wanted to do because I wanted to do so many things, depending on my mood and what I was doing at the time.

The concept of nursing kind of fell into my lap in 2004. I was jobless and saw an ad for a position that I had never heard of before, but was qualified for; Direct Support Professional. I didn't know quite what the job entailed, but I liked the wage and I desperately needed to work. I had three children, my husband had just lost his job, and he was having problems finding another, so I applied and interviewed.

The position involved caring for special needs individuals and it gave me my first taste of 'somewhat' nursing. I passed meds, took vitals, and was in constant contact with doctors and nurses along with other household tasks. I loved it! I loved knowing that my actions were directly helping another person and, to this day, it has been the most rewarding position that I've ever held. That position led to another as a Home Manager, which led to another in Client Benefits. It was during the last position that I realized I needed to get my butt in school. I wasn't getting any younger and I needed to be in a position that completed me. Corny line, yes, but it's true.

In 2007, I began classes at a for-profit school that allowed me to immediately begin taking the classes that I needed. However, I became pregnant and had a difficult time with it. I had bronchitis (it was bad enough to be admitted to the hospital) and not long after that, I miscarried at 11 weeks which constituted another trip to the hospital. I was depressed because I'd wanted another baby for so long and withdrew from school and quit my job (there was another reason for the latter, but I won't go into that). About 2 months after the miscarriage, I became pregnant again and this resulted in my only son, Baby D. He showed me that there is a reason for everything and perhaps the reason for my miscarriage was to make me appreciate him even more. But, that's another story. :-) Also, these events put me in the path of a new, better school.

Baby D was born in summer 2008, but it took me another 9 months to actually get things together for school and get in classes. I chose a community college this time; one with a very competitive/rigorous processes to get into the actual nursing program. I chose it because I'd heard good things, but also because it was less than half the amount of the for-profit school each semester! I think that choosing to return to school when I did was one of the best choices that I've made in my life; mainly because I was finally at a place where I could really focus and because I was finally mature enough to know that I needed to focus and work as hard as I could.

So, there it is, my beginning. More to come soon, I'm sure.