This week I took the national nurse licensing exam. It was awful. During the exam there were multiple times that I had to stop myself, refocus, say a little prayer and then forge ahead. I felt like a deer in the headlights and wondered where everything I had learned the past year had gone. My mind seemed to stop working and I had a hard time recalling the most basic information. When I walked out of the exam, I felt sure that I had failed. I was anxious and frustrated. Sometimes even mad. I had two days of agonized waiting to endure until I could pay to get the "quick results". (I am not the best at waiting and I have a bit of an anxiety problem that David can attest to.) Then today the quick results were available. My heart was beating out of my chest as I paid the fee and waited for the computer screen to display my unofficial results. And then it was there, Grade: PASS. Tears streamed down my face and I said a prayer of thanks. What a relief! Now on to the job hunt.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Sunday, January 8, 2012
2011 Recap
2011 has been quite the year. We have been tried, been tremendously blessed and been forever changed.
1- I moved to St. Louis to begin nursing school at Barnes-Jewish College.
2- We sold our condo in Colton, California. Our 1st home together.
3- Lots of trips back to Portland to visit David.
4- David traveled to California for a conference.
5- Trip to Costa Rica with friends which included our first deep sea fishing excursion and my first time surfing.
6- My niece, Katelyn Charlotte, was born.
7- David graduated from his Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship at Oregon Health & Science University.
8- David moved to Boston to begin his Pediatric Critical Care Fellowship at Children's Hospital Boston.
9- Lots of trips to Boston to visit David.
10- David travels to Cambridge, England for a conference.
11- David travels to St. Louis to visit me.
12- David travels to Arizona to visit family and see our nephew get baptized and another nephew go through the temple.
13- At school I matched and was selected to do my senior synthesis in pediatrics at St. Louis Children's Hospital. I was in the Cardiac ICU, Pediatric ICU, the Emergency Room and a general medicine floor.
14- We sold our condo in Portland, OR. You read that right. We sold two condos this year. I told you it was a big year.
15- David, Ashley, Kari and family, Aunt Ginny, Uncle Larry and Aunt Barb came to St. Louis for my graduation.
16- I graduated with a BSN on Dec. 17, 2011. Hard to believe, but I started and ended it all in the same year. 11 intense months.
17- I said sad goodbyes to my family, especially my amazing mom and dad, who took care of me and supported me throughout the entire school year. And yes, tears were shed and are still shed when I think about it.
18- David and I drove to Boston and made two stops along the way. Our first stop was in Harrisville, WV to visit David's parents on their mission. Our second stop was to Brooklyn, NY to visit my sister Amber, Jon and Suvi.
19- On December 20th, we arrived at our home in Brookline, MA.
20- We celebrated Christmas together.
21- I received my authorization to take the licensing exam for nursing. This is my first goal of 2012: pass the NCLEX.
We're hoping 2012 is just as good.
Just a few recent pics that make me smile. Plus, what is a blog post without pictures.
1- I moved to St. Louis to begin nursing school at Barnes-Jewish College.
2- We sold our condo in Colton, California. Our 1st home together.
3- Lots of trips back to Portland to visit David.
4- David traveled to California for a conference.
5- Trip to Costa Rica with friends which included our first deep sea fishing excursion and my first time surfing.
6- My niece, Katelyn Charlotte, was born.
7- David graduated from his Pediatric Cardiology Fellowship at Oregon Health & Science University.
8- David moved to Boston to begin his Pediatric Critical Care Fellowship at Children's Hospital Boston.
9- Lots of trips to Boston to visit David.
10- David travels to Cambridge, England for a conference.
11- David travels to St. Louis to visit me.
12- David travels to Arizona to visit family and see our nephew get baptized and another nephew go through the temple.
13- At school I matched and was selected to do my senior synthesis in pediatrics at St. Louis Children's Hospital. I was in the Cardiac ICU, Pediatric ICU, the Emergency Room and a general medicine floor.
14- We sold our condo in Portland, OR. You read that right. We sold two condos this year. I told you it was a big year.
15- David, Ashley, Kari and family, Aunt Ginny, Uncle Larry and Aunt Barb came to St. Louis for my graduation.
16- I graduated with a BSN on Dec. 17, 2011. Hard to believe, but I started and ended it all in the same year. 11 intense months.
17- I said sad goodbyes to my family, especially my amazing mom and dad, who took care of me and supported me throughout the entire school year. And yes, tears were shed and are still shed when I think about it.
18- David and I drove to Boston and made two stops along the way. Our first stop was in Harrisville, WV to visit David's parents on their mission. Our second stop was to Brooklyn, NY to visit my sister Amber, Jon and Suvi.
19- On December 20th, we arrived at our home in Brookline, MA.
20- We celebrated Christmas together.
21- I received my authorization to take the licensing exam for nursing. This is my first goal of 2012: pass the NCLEX.
We're hoping 2012 is just as good.
Just a few recent pics that make me smile. Plus, what is a blog post without pictures.
Garrett, Morgan, David and I
Garrett. A man that loves his cowboy boots.
Graduation. Dad, Mom, Katelyn, Morgan, Kari and Ashley
David and I
Katelyn
Karsten picked out my graduation balloon. If you look closely, its says, "Baby Girl".
Aunt Ginny, Aunt Barb, Uncle Larry and Morgan
Then men hard at work on Dad's Christmas present.
Suvi sneaking a peek during the prayer.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Catch up, kind of.
The past few months have flown by. Believe it or not, I have 2 1/2 months left of school. How the heck did that happen? My motivation and ability to focus has flown out the window. I'm just trying to hold it together for the last 1 1/2 months of actual classes and tests. Then it's straight clinicals. Yippee!
Update on my last entry. I watched a vaginal birth and to be honest, it was the most exhilarating experience of my clinicals to date. When the nurse said it was "go time", my heart started beating. Loved it! I got to stand at the foot of the bed and help the mother and watch all the action. Then after it was all said and done, this may gross some of you out, but I actually got to inspect the placenta, and not just with my eyes. Fascinating. The OBGYN showed me how it sat in the woman and then she had me poke it to test it's strength. I promise I was wearing gloves! My OB rotation is done, but I definitely enjoyed labor and delivery more than I had anticipated. Post-partum on the other hand is a little bit too slow for my taste.
After last term was over I flew to Boston to spend time with David. It was fabulous as always. Only draw back, I must have baked over 150 cookies per David's request which means that I ate at least 50% of those myself during the trip. 75 cookies=big butt. Enough said. (But they sure were yummy and I can't promise it won't happen again.)
During the trip we went out to dinner with friends and we found the BEST sushi I have ever had. For all of you spicy tuna fans, we found a jazzed up version of spicy tuna that will knock your socks off. It was incredible! If you are ever in Boston visiting and are craving sushi, you MUST go to Fugakyu . I am literally salivating just thinking about it.
We also had a chance to go to a Red Sox games. This is a must do whether you like baseball or not. Thanks to friends with connections, we were able to go to a game for free. Neither David or I are huge baseball fans, but the game we saw might have converted us. First of all, the Red Sox won. There was a grand slam and a 3 run homer all in the same inning. And to top it all off, we actually saw a fan run across the field, get tackled by security and then get arrested. Now if that doesn't add a little excitement to a game I don't know what would.
I almost forgot about the hurricane we survived. Well, kind of. We obviously survived, it just wasn't much of a hurricane by the time it arrived to Boston. It did rain hard and was super windy, but it could have been a thunderstorm in St. Louis for all I knew. Oh wait, except for the fact that the city asked people to stay off the roads and public transportation was shut down. They definitely don't do that in St. Louis for a measly thunderstorm.
Once I got back from my trip to Boston I decided I should head up to Illinois to visit Kari and her family before school got busy. The weekend was packed full of fun with fire pits (which means smores), soccer games, bike rides at the park and snuggling cute babies.
Last week David had the chance to go to a critical care conference in Cambridge, England. I tried really hard not to be jealous, but it just didn't work. He would send me pictures and tell me how much I would love it. So, that just means we will be going another time. He also got to visit with friends from Portland that just moved to Winchester, England.
David stayed at Selwyn College in Cambridge. I think I could get used to going to school here. After seeing this picture, I told David I could live in England.
They were kind enough to let David stay with them at the end of his trip. Michael, David's co-worker from Portland, even drove David all over England from Winchester to Cambridge then to the airport in London when David realized he had left his passport back in Cambridge. Thank goodness for genuinely good people like the Lavrsen's or David would have missed his flight.
This month, there was also one big event that happened in the Lower family. My sweet nephew Zach turned 8 and was baptized. I am so proud of him for his decision. I know he will be blessed throughout his life for this choice.
That's a little re-cap of what has been happening in our lives. I'll see you back in a couple of months!
Update on my last entry. I watched a vaginal birth and to be honest, it was the most exhilarating experience of my clinicals to date. When the nurse said it was "go time", my heart started beating. Loved it! I got to stand at the foot of the bed and help the mother and watch all the action. Then after it was all said and done, this may gross some of you out, but I actually got to inspect the placenta, and not just with my eyes. Fascinating. The OBGYN showed me how it sat in the woman and then she had me poke it to test it's strength. I promise I was wearing gloves! My OB rotation is done, but I definitely enjoyed labor and delivery more than I had anticipated. Post-partum on the other hand is a little bit too slow for my taste.
After last term was over I flew to Boston to spend time with David. It was fabulous as always. Only draw back, I must have baked over 150 cookies per David's request which means that I ate at least 50% of those myself during the trip. 75 cookies=big butt. Enough said. (But they sure were yummy and I can't promise it won't happen again.)
During the trip we went out to dinner with friends and we found the BEST sushi I have ever had. For all of you spicy tuna fans, we found a jazzed up version of spicy tuna that will knock your socks off. It was incredible! If you are ever in Boston visiting and are craving sushi, you MUST go to Fugakyu . I am literally salivating just thinking about it.
We also had a chance to go to a Red Sox games. This is a must do whether you like baseball or not. Thanks to friends with connections, we were able to go to a game for free. Neither David or I are huge baseball fans, but the game we saw might have converted us. First of all, the Red Sox won. There was a grand slam and a 3 run homer all in the same inning. And to top it all off, we actually saw a fan run across the field, get tackled by security and then get arrested. Now if that doesn't add a little excitement to a game I don't know what would.
David and Mike
I almost forgot about the hurricane we survived. Well, kind of. We obviously survived, it just wasn't much of a hurricane by the time it arrived to Boston. It did rain hard and was super windy, but it could have been a thunderstorm in St. Louis for all I knew. Oh wait, except for the fact that the city asked people to stay off the roads and public transportation was shut down. They definitely don't do that in St. Louis for a measly thunderstorm.
Once I got back from my trip to Boston I decided I should head up to Illinois to visit Kari and her family before school got busy. The weekend was packed full of fun with fire pits (which means smores), soccer games, bike rides at the park and snuggling cute babies.
Waisath Family and Friends
This kid loves smores. I mean he loves food. Can you tell?
Karsten
Morgan
Sweet Baby Katelyn.
Garrett during our walk/bike ride in the park. Eating, again.
Last week David had the chance to go to a critical care conference in Cambridge, England. I tried really hard not to be jealous, but it just didn't work. He would send me pictures and tell me how much I would love it. So, that just means we will be going another time. He also got to visit with friends from Portland that just moved to Winchester, England.
David stayed at Selwyn College in Cambridge. I think I could get used to going to school here. After seeing this picture, I told David I could live in England.
David and the Lavrsen kids. Aren't they adorable!
They were kind enough to let David stay with them at the end of his trip. Michael, David's co-worker from Portland, even drove David all over England from Winchester to Cambridge then to the airport in London when David realized he had left his passport back in Cambridge. Thank goodness for genuinely good people like the Lavrsen's or David would have missed his flight.
This month, there was also one big event that happened in the Lower family. My sweet nephew Zach turned 8 and was baptized. I am so proud of him for his decision. I know he will be blessed throughout his life for this choice.
Kenny, Melissa, Zach, Jackson and Sophie. James is missing, not sure where he was.
That's a little re-cap of what has been happening in our lives. I'll see you back in a couple of months!
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Labor and Delivery
No, this post is not about my labor and delivery or a sly way of announcing I am pregnant. I actually started my clinical rotation in labor and delivery. My first day was incredible. I followed the NICU transport nurse and was lucky to see 3 c-sections. Some people don't get to see any, and in one day I saw 3. I could not believe my luck.
On the other hand, this women's health class may be putting a little damper on my desire to have kids. I don't know if they try to scare you or what, but I am not fond of all the changes that happen to the pregnant woman before or during labor. And now if I ever have to have a c-section I am going to have a clear visual image of what is happening on the other side of the curtain. Yikes! When they tell me that I am going to feel some tugging and pressure, I am going to know exactly what they are doing. Yikes again. A c-section is not a clean, delicate procedure. Although, I may prefer a c-section after I see a vaginal birth. I'll let you know what I decide after that happens. Stay tuned.
On the other hand, this women's health class may be putting a little damper on my desire to have kids. I don't know if they try to scare you or what, but I am not fond of all the changes that happen to the pregnant woman before or during labor. And now if I ever have to have a c-section I am going to have a clear visual image of what is happening on the other side of the curtain. Yikes! When they tell me that I am going to feel some tugging and pressure, I am going to know exactly what they are doing. Yikes again. A c-section is not a clean, delicate procedure. Although, I may prefer a c-section after I see a vaginal birth. I'll let you know what I decide after that happens. Stay tuned.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
We made it...
to Boston. We LOVE the area where we live in Coolidge Corner. We literally could not have picked a more perfect location if we had actually flown out here and picked our apartment in person. Everything is within walking distance, well, except church and the temple which both are a taxi drive away, or hopefully a carpool drive away.
We have already tried out a Jewish delicatessen down the street, a Vietnamese restaurant across the street, and a yogurt shop a block away. I think this location might add to my expanding waist line. Hopefully I'll do enough walking to combat it.
Our apt is quaint, but it's clean, updated and the building is nice. We have a pool and a gym, a washer and dryer in our unit and a secure, underground parking space (a hot commodity in Boston). Everything we need and more.
Come visit. I think you might fall in love with the area too!
We have already tried out a Jewish delicatessen down the street, a Vietnamese restaurant across the street, and a yogurt shop a block away. I think this location might add to my expanding waist line. Hopefully I'll do enough walking to combat it.
Our apt is quaint, but it's clean, updated and the building is nice. We have a pool and a gym, a washer and dryer in our unit and a secure, underground parking space (a hot commodity in Boston). Everything we need and more.
Come visit. I think you might fall in love with the area too!
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