The results came in for Jimmy's semen analysis that he had done last week. I got a call this morning from a nurse at my doctor's office. I knew getting a call was a bad sign straight away. I must give her credit for sounding perky, though. She ALMOST had me fooled! Here is what a semen analysis SHOULD be:
volume of ejaculate 2.0 ml or more
pH 7.2-8.0
sperm concentration 20 million per ml spermatozoa or more
total sperm count 40 million per ml spermatozoa per ejaculate or more
motility 50% or more with forward progression
morphology 30% or more with normal forms
vitality 75% or more live,i.e.,excluding dye
white blood cells fewer than 1 million per ml
The nurse didn't give me all of the values, she just stated that it was "abnormal" because his morphology was at 1%. If you notice above, it should be at 30%... so that is quite a drastic difference. My doctor wants to have Jimmy repeat the test in 4 weeks (6 weeks from when he had it done the first time). They said it's on a "sample to sample basis" so it could have been a bad sample, but I can't imagine there being THAT big of a difference from sample to sample, you know? He was sick with a fever right before giving the sample, but I can't imagine that making a difference.
Anyway, I am not giving up hope. We will continue trying (although I am DONE taking Clomid... what's the point? I am just going to take the Metformin and let my body sort itself out) and if I don't get pregnant by the time I graduate and get an RN job, then we will look into IVF. I just can't imagine spending $10,000+ to get pregnant, but if that is our only option then so be it. I would much rather use that money toward our child's future, but this is the hand we have been dealt.
I have to remain thankful for everything else in my life, though. I see so many terrible situations when I go to clinical... teenage girls with spina bifida that are mentally normal but their body is deformed in some way. I am very thankful that I am "normal" in all other ways aside from this infertility stuff. I am healthy, have a great husband, great family, great friends, own a house, almost done with school and will soon have my dream job. As bad as it hurts to be dealing with these infertility issues, so many people have it worse, so I have to put things in perspective.
Oh, and did I mention that my sister Heather just announced she is 10-weeks pregnant with her second child? I thought I was going to have an emotional breakdown when I found out earlier this week. I am happy for her, but it was just a kick in the stomach! One of those moments where I feel like everyone is normal but me. Perspective, Rachel, perspective.
Have a good weekend!
Friday, November 20, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
A down sort of day
Today was supposed to be a relaxing day off with my husband, but instead I had to go to the hospital to do some stuff for clinical tomorrow. I am "team leader" tomorrow so I had to pick up assignments. I was there for 3 hours... got there at 9:30 left at 12:30... then I had lunch with 3 friends (the highlight of my day) and then went home and called my team members to give them their assignments. After that I had to do a ton of research for the patients I assigned to my team. I literally JUST finished everything and it's 9:30. So for the past 12 hours I have been doing schoolwork nonstop.
To top that off, I have been feeling really down about not being able to get pregnant. I am just in disbelief that this is happening to us. I think the past few months I have been in some sort of denial, thinking I will get pregnant despite what the doctor has said... but realization and fear is setting in. What if we aren't ever able to get pregnant? I have faith in God, and I whole-heartily believe that he has a plan for us, and he knows better than we do, but I just can't shake this sadness. I have been on fertility medicine the past 3 months that has yet to work. I do NOT want to have to resort to invitro fertilization. It costs well over $10,000 which we wouldn't be ale to afford for AT LEAST another year... and I just don't want to wait that long. That means I won't have a baby to hold in my arms for at least 2 years, if we resort to IVF in a year. I can't imagine being 27 without a baby. I can hardly imagine being 25 without a baby, which is now inevitable. I always wanted to be a younger mother, and I have always wanted 3 kids. I won't have much time (or money) for 3 kids at the rate we are going.
Sorry for the rant, but whoever reads this blog, please pray for us. Pray that we get pregnant soon, and pray that if I am never able to get pregnant that I can find peace with that and not drive myself (and my poor husband) crazy for the rest of my (our) life.
On a happier note, I got a 96 on my first Pediatric Nursing exam. I was excited. Sadly, that is the only happy news I have to share today.
To top that off, I have been feeling really down about not being able to get pregnant. I am just in disbelief that this is happening to us. I think the past few months I have been in some sort of denial, thinking I will get pregnant despite what the doctor has said... but realization and fear is setting in. What if we aren't ever able to get pregnant? I have faith in God, and I whole-heartily believe that he has a plan for us, and he knows better than we do, but I just can't shake this sadness. I have been on fertility medicine the past 3 months that has yet to work. I do NOT want to have to resort to invitro fertilization. It costs well over $10,000 which we wouldn't be ale to afford for AT LEAST another year... and I just don't want to wait that long. That means I won't have a baby to hold in my arms for at least 2 years, if we resort to IVF in a year. I can't imagine being 27 without a baby. I can hardly imagine being 25 without a baby, which is now inevitable. I always wanted to be a younger mother, and I have always wanted 3 kids. I won't have much time (or money) for 3 kids at the rate we are going.
Sorry for the rant, but whoever reads this blog, please pray for us. Pray that we get pregnant soon, and pray that if I am never able to get pregnant that I can find peace with that and not drive myself (and my poor husband) crazy for the rest of my (our) life.
On a happier note, I got a 96 on my first Pediatric Nursing exam. I was excited. Sadly, that is the only happy news I have to share today.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
I am terrible at this blogging thing
I haven't posted a new blog in forever. I'm not even sure where to begin. I just finished OB nursing. Got an A in the class (a 97!!) which I am very happy about. I only have two more classes until I graduate... two!!! Can you believe it? I will be in pediatric nursing the next 8 weeks (finishing right before Christmas break) and then in the Spring, starting in January, I will begin a 12-week class for Adult Health 2 (aka, medical-surgical nursing part 2). Then the very last thing we do is "role transformation" which I don't count as a class because basically it's 3 weeks of being a nurse, but you are shadowing another nurse. You have to do three 12-hour shifts per week, including two shifts that are over night (yikes!). I can't begin to express how happy I will be when they hand me that degree on stage on April 27th, 2010!! I will finally be an R.N. like I always wanted to be.
In other news, my mom had a hysterectomy exactly three weeks ago. She had a very large fibroid in her uterus that was causing her a lot of problems so they opted for a hysterectomy. She was very nervous about it beforehand but is glad she had it done and is feeling much better. They left her ovaries in so she won't have any hormonal problems until she goes through menopause.
An update on baby making... I'm not pregnant yet, but my last cycle of medicine was a success in that it made me ovulate. I was so excited... I think my level of excitement was similar to what it will be when I find out I am pregnant. So I just started my next cycle with this medicine, and am coupling it with a very expensive fertility monitor. I hope it works this first month, but at the same time... it would be weird to have spent so much money on something I only used once, you know? I won't complain though!
We painted our family room and kitchen this past weekend. The family room is basically the same color, but the paint that was there had a shiny, metallic finish that didn't turn out right and I have been wanting to paint it ever since. The kitchen, however, is a different color. I was tired of the pink and there were a couple areas where we tried to color match the paint and do some touch ups, but it ended up not being the same color and looked really bad. I will post pictures later.
In sad news, a 7-year-old little girl went missing after school on Monday here in Jacksonville. She had an argument with a friend and stormed off, and never did make it home, so people were searching, cops and FBI were involved... an Amber Alert was issued. Yesterday afternoon around 4:00pm they found the body of a small white female child in a landfill in Georgia where our trash is dumped. They confirmed this morning that it was the little girl's body. The part of Jacksonville where she went missing is VERY close, within a couple miles, of where my niece lives, who is also 7. The story just breaks my heart and makes me fear for Makenna's safety. You just can't keep a close enough eye on children these days. I am sad that my children won't be allowed to play outside alone from dawn 'til dusk like I was able to do when I was growing up. Childhood just won't be the same for the new generations of children thanks to this sick world.
That is about all for now. I am going to a concert in Orlando this weekend with my best friend Kelli. I am so excited!!
Take care!
In other news, my mom had a hysterectomy exactly three weeks ago. She had a very large fibroid in her uterus that was causing her a lot of problems so they opted for a hysterectomy. She was very nervous about it beforehand but is glad she had it done and is feeling much better. They left her ovaries in so she won't have any hormonal problems until she goes through menopause.
An update on baby making... I'm not pregnant yet, but my last cycle of medicine was a success in that it made me ovulate. I was so excited... I think my level of excitement was similar to what it will be when I find out I am pregnant. So I just started my next cycle with this medicine, and am coupling it with a very expensive fertility monitor. I hope it works this first month, but at the same time... it would be weird to have spent so much money on something I only used once, you know? I won't complain though!
We painted our family room and kitchen this past weekend. The family room is basically the same color, but the paint that was there had a shiny, metallic finish that didn't turn out right and I have been wanting to paint it ever since. The kitchen, however, is a different color. I was tired of the pink and there were a couple areas where we tried to color match the paint and do some touch ups, but it ended up not being the same color and looked really bad. I will post pictures later.
In sad news, a 7-year-old little girl went missing after school on Monday here in Jacksonville. She had an argument with a friend and stormed off, and never did make it home, so people were searching, cops and FBI were involved... an Amber Alert was issued. Yesterday afternoon around 4:00pm they found the body of a small white female child in a landfill in Georgia where our trash is dumped. They confirmed this morning that it was the little girl's body. The part of Jacksonville where she went missing is VERY close, within a couple miles, of where my niece lives, who is also 7. The story just breaks my heart and makes me fear for Makenna's safety. You just can't keep a close enough eye on children these days. I am sad that my children won't be allowed to play outside alone from dawn 'til dusk like I was able to do when I was growing up. Childhood just won't be the same for the new generations of children thanks to this sick world.
That is about all for now. I am going to a concert in Orlando this weekend with my best friend Kelli. I am so excited!!
Take care!
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Life Ramblings
The past week was so very tiring! We had Monday off and pretty much spent the day at the beach with some friends. I was proud that I didn't get burnt. I put lotion on frequently. Jimmy did get burnt though. He seems to think he only needs lotion on his upper body... so he burnt his legs and feet pretty good. We had a lot of fun, though. In the evening we had my parents, sister and Derek over for dinner. We made bar-b-q cheeseburgers, had Publix potato salad and my mom made coleslaw. Then we watched Batman Begins but I fell asleep and ended up moving to our bedroom. The beach always takes a lot out of me.
There is drama going on in Jacksonville right now with budget cuts for our police department. The budget committee is trying to implement a 3% cut across the board and it will cause 94 community service officers to lose their jobs (including our good friend Tommy whose wife, if you remember, is expecting their second child in January! They just found out they are having a boy this week but find it hard to be excited when they are about to have no source of income). As you can guess, this will also affect the hiring of any additional police officers... therefor all this trouble Jimmy has been through to get into the police academy might have been for nothing. But I am not going to stress about it... things always seem to work out.
So, my new job... is amazing! I love it. I had orientation on Tuesday which was just the main orientation for the hospital to go over policies and procedures, parking, security, etc. etc. (it lasted from 8:00 to 4:00! Yikes! At least they provided lunch and we get paid 8 hours) and then scheduled to work Wednesday 11:30-5:00, Thursday 8:30-5:00 and Friday 8:30-5:00. So on Wednesday I reported to my unit... I was very pleased to discover that they decided to put me in the brand new renovated Breast Health Center on the first floor. It is sooo beautiful there, and it's all women. They basically only do mammograms, breast ultrasounds and bone density testing. I work at the front desk checking patients in and then I call them back, provide them gowns and then explain to have gown open in front and put their belongings in the lockers provided and take the key. It's a really fun job and I love the patient interaction. I also love the people I work with. They are all sooo nice! I pretty much trained for one day and they were so surprised with how fast I caught on with their programs and paperwork that I was on my own, at my own check-in station, the rest of the week!
School is going well. We start clinical this coming Thursday. Should be interesting. I hope I get to see a birth, but at the same time I hope I don't pass out or become so horrified that I decide I don't want to have a baby, lol.
Until next time...
There is drama going on in Jacksonville right now with budget cuts for our police department. The budget committee is trying to implement a 3% cut across the board and it will cause 94 community service officers to lose their jobs (including our good friend Tommy whose wife, if you remember, is expecting their second child in January! They just found out they are having a boy this week but find it hard to be excited when they are about to have no source of income). As you can guess, this will also affect the hiring of any additional police officers... therefor all this trouble Jimmy has been through to get into the police academy might have been for nothing. But I am not going to stress about it... things always seem to work out.
So, my new job... is amazing! I love it. I had orientation on Tuesday which was just the main orientation for the hospital to go over policies and procedures, parking, security, etc. etc. (it lasted from 8:00 to 4:00! Yikes! At least they provided lunch and we get paid 8 hours) and then scheduled to work Wednesday 11:30-5:00, Thursday 8:30-5:00 and Friday 8:30-5:00. So on Wednesday I reported to my unit... I was very pleased to discover that they decided to put me in the brand new renovated Breast Health Center on the first floor. It is sooo beautiful there, and it's all women. They basically only do mammograms, breast ultrasounds and bone density testing. I work at the front desk checking patients in and then I call them back, provide them gowns and then explain to have gown open in front and put their belongings in the lockers provided and take the key. It's a really fun job and I love the patient interaction. I also love the people I work with. They are all sooo nice! I pretty much trained for one day and they were so surprised with how fast I caught on with their programs and paperwork that I was on my own, at my own check-in station, the rest of the week!
School is going well. We start clinical this coming Thursday. Should be interesting. I hope I get to see a birth, but at the same time I hope I don't pass out or become so horrified that I decide I don't want to have a baby, lol.
Until next time...
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Yay!!!
I got the job at St. Vincent's!! Jimmy is going to be so happy! Can't wait until he gets home so I can tell him!
Sunday, August 23, 2009
We are officially out of our minds
We made the mistake of going into a puppy store today after Church. We had time to kill before a movie that started at 1:00. Well, as you can imagine, we didn't go see the movie... we had to tend to our new puppy. Neither of us could leave this adorable little girl there. It was love at first sight! Announcing our newest addition, Cecelia (Ci-Ci for short):
In other news, I had a job interview on Friday for a part-time position at the BEST hospital in town: St. Vincent's! I LOVE St. Vincent's hospital and am SO excited about the possibility of working there. I am hoping it will lead to a job as an RN when I finish school. I should hear something this week! Keep me in your prayers!
In other news, I had a job interview on Friday for a part-time position at the BEST hospital in town: St. Vincent's! I LOVE St. Vincent's hospital and am SO excited about the possibility of working there. I am hoping it will lead to a job as an RN when I finish school. I should hear something this week! Keep me in your prayers!
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Tired of this heat!
It has been SO hot out lately. I think today is a record or something. I about died walking up to the school building (a quick 30 second walk!)
I am officially done with summer semester! Only 2 more semesters and I am a nurse! I got 2 A's and 1 B, and I am very content with that considering several people failed out!
Jimmy only has one more step in the JSO police academy application process: his medical physical, which I am sure he will pass with flying colors since he is so active. He had his psychiatric evaluation this morning and he says he did well. Keep your fingers crossed! We are hoping he will be able to start the academy in January instead of October so that he can finish his bachelor's degree. He only has 4 classes left that he is registered for this Fall and will graduate in December. I'm so proud of him!
We had another health scare with Bella which ended up costing us hundreds of dollars. Jimmy took her to the dog park on Sunday, as is his weekly ritual, and when he got home she was squinting her eyes, or just keeping them shut altogether, and she was whining, breathing weird, having difficulty swallowing and was drooling. Jimmy said she collided with a large dog when they first arrived at the park but they stayed for over an hour and she played and seemed fine. Well, I was worried that she had cracked her wind pipe or torn her esophagus, so we gave her a bath and watched her for a few minutes. Once she rolled over on her back in the "dead" position as though to notify us that she was dying, I told Jimmy we needed to take her to the animal ER. $300 later we discovered she had a lot of air in her stomach and throughout her intestines that was causing her pain and nausea (thus the drooling). By the time we left the ER (3 and a half hours later!) she was completely fine. I was upset about the $300, but at the same time it could have been something serious and we love Bella too much to just let her die an agonizing death.
Not much else is going on. I have a doctor's appointment on Thursday to see if the medicine worked (i.e., whether or not I am pregnant) and to diagnose me with PCOS based on bloodwork I have had to get periodically through this cycle (3 times!) as well as an ultrasound the doctor will be doing on Thursday of my ovaries. This is all just so crazy. Humans are meant to reproduce, why is it so hard?!?! In any event, wish us luck and say a little prayer.
I am officially done with summer semester! Only 2 more semesters and I am a nurse! I got 2 A's and 1 B, and I am very content with that considering several people failed out!
Jimmy only has one more step in the JSO police academy application process: his medical physical, which I am sure he will pass with flying colors since he is so active. He had his psychiatric evaluation this morning and he says he did well. Keep your fingers crossed! We are hoping he will be able to start the academy in January instead of October so that he can finish his bachelor's degree. He only has 4 classes left that he is registered for this Fall and will graduate in December. I'm so proud of him!
We had another health scare with Bella which ended up costing us hundreds of dollars. Jimmy took her to the dog park on Sunday, as is his weekly ritual, and when he got home she was squinting her eyes, or just keeping them shut altogether, and she was whining, breathing weird, having difficulty swallowing and was drooling. Jimmy said she collided with a large dog when they first arrived at the park but they stayed for over an hour and she played and seemed fine. Well, I was worried that she had cracked her wind pipe or torn her esophagus, so we gave her a bath and watched her for a few minutes. Once she rolled over on her back in the "dead" position as though to notify us that she was dying, I told Jimmy we needed to take her to the animal ER. $300 later we discovered she had a lot of air in her stomach and throughout her intestines that was causing her pain and nausea (thus the drooling). By the time we left the ER (3 and a half hours later!) she was completely fine. I was upset about the $300, but at the same time it could have been something serious and we love Bella too much to just let her die an agonizing death.
Not much else is going on. I have a doctor's appointment on Thursday to see if the medicine worked (i.e., whether or not I am pregnant) and to diagnose me with PCOS based on bloodwork I have had to get periodically through this cycle (3 times!) as well as an ultrasound the doctor will be doing on Thursday of my ovaries. This is all just so crazy. Humans are meant to reproduce, why is it so hard?!?! In any event, wish us luck and say a little prayer.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Illness and Puppies (a lot of them!)
I have been sick the past 2 days, and currently can't fall back to sleep so I figured I would update my blog. It started Saturday morning with a tickle in my chest and then progressed into coughing throughout the day, and then turned into coughing and aches Saturday night. By Sunday I was miserable... and I had to study for an exam I had Monday morning. I ended up studying for all of 1 hour and slept the rest of the day. It was awful. I think I did OK on the exam though. I got a 100 on the last one we had two weeks ago and I didn't study much for it, so I am hoping for at least a B on this one.
Two weeks ago we noticed my sister's black Labrador looked different... her nipples were more prominent and she was acting funny. Last night (roughly two weeks later) she had a litter of 10 puppies (yes, I said 10!). My sister is so overwhelmed. The father is the golden retriever my parents got after Bruno (their little yorkie) died last July. Once Beau (the golden retriever) got bigger, they realized he was too big for them to handle, so my sister adopted him. He ran away about 3 weeks ago and Erika never could find him. Anyway, neither Beau nor Deezle (the black lab) were fixed... so apparently at some point they mated and this is the result:
Moral of this story: spay or neuter your pets unless you want a litter of puppies!!
Two weeks ago we noticed my sister's black Labrador looked different... her nipples were more prominent and she was acting funny. Last night (roughly two weeks later) she had a litter of 10 puppies (yes, I said 10!). My sister is so overwhelmed. The father is the golden retriever my parents got after Bruno (their little yorkie) died last July. Once Beau (the golden retriever) got bigger, they realized he was too big for them to handle, so my sister adopted him. He ran away about 3 weeks ago and Erika never could find him. Anyway, neither Beau nor Deezle (the black lab) were fixed... so apparently at some point they mated and this is the result:
Moral of this story: spay or neuter your pets unless you want a litter of puppies!!
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
I guess it's time I make a new post
Well it has been an interesting past couple of weeks, to say the least. I enjoyed a much needed, though very short, break from school. This next 8 weeks is going to be sooo easy, so it is kind of a break in itself. I am glad to have made it to the top of the nursing school hill and am slowly making my way down the other side. In other words, it's all downhill from here!
This week has been strange. I decided to go see a specialist about all the issues I have been having since stopping birth control... i.e., very irregular periods, breaking out on my face, slight weight gain, and we haven't gotten pregnant (when most people get pregnant straight away). The doctor suspects I have something called Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (or PCOS). Basically, it means you don't ovulate. The signs/symptoms are: irregular periods, acne, weight gain, facial hair, male pattern balding, infertility and the scary list goes on. So, she has me on this crazy regimen for testing. I had to start a pack of birth control so that it forces me to have a period in 28 days (like a normal woman should) and then on day 3 of my period I go in for some blood work that checks certain hormone levels (that are only accurate on "day 3") then I start a drug called Clomid on days 4-8 (5 days) that will force me to ovulate. She said if we want, we can use this opportunity to get pregnant (Clomid is a fertility drug... it helps people get pregnant who have PCOS) but the main purpose of taking this drug this time is so that she can do a "day 21" ultrasound to see what is going on with my ovaries. Jimmy and I haven't fully decided what we are going to do. On the plus side, if we got pregnant with this round of Clomid the baby would be due in May, which is after graduation and before I would take the NCLEX (the test required to become a registered nurse) so I would have a few weeks before I would beging working as a nurse. Another upside is I would only have to pay for this one round of Clomid, and I wouldn't have to worry about having to take it again. The major downside is that with Clomid, there is a higher chance of conceiving twins. In Jimmy's words "Rach, I don't want to be like Jon and Kate" (from Jon and Kate + 8). The chance of having twins is only 30%, but that is still huge for us... we do not want twins!
I am beyond frustrated and brokenhearted that something is wrong with me. I never in a million years would have thought that I, Rachel, who has ALWAYS wanted to be a mother, would meet such an obstacle. However, that is not my main concern. Women with PCOS can get pregnant... it isn't a question of "will you get pregnant" it is a question of "when"... my main concern is all of the other adverse affects of PCOS. I do not want to be overweight, I do not want to have hair in unwelcome places, I do not want acne, and more importantly, I do not want heart disease or type 2 diabetes in the future (there is an increased risk for both of these with this condition). Luckily there are medicines out there to help with this, but I have always been anti-medicine. I rarely even take tylenol for pain. I just can't imagine living my whole life depending on medicine. But, I am trying not to freak out prematurely. I am trying to just chill out and wait for my upcoming tests to see what is up inside of me. Maybe I don't have PCOS, but the more I read about it, the more I am convinced.
In closing, if you could say a prayer for us that everything will work out, we would appreciate it.
This week has been strange. I decided to go see a specialist about all the issues I have been having since stopping birth control... i.e., very irregular periods, breaking out on my face, slight weight gain, and we haven't gotten pregnant (when most people get pregnant straight away). The doctor suspects I have something called Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (or PCOS). Basically, it means you don't ovulate. The signs/symptoms are: irregular periods, acne, weight gain, facial hair, male pattern balding, infertility and the scary list goes on. So, she has me on this crazy regimen for testing. I had to start a pack of birth control so that it forces me to have a period in 28 days (like a normal woman should) and then on day 3 of my period I go in for some blood work that checks certain hormone levels (that are only accurate on "day 3") then I start a drug called Clomid on days 4-8 (5 days) that will force me to ovulate. She said if we want, we can use this opportunity to get pregnant (Clomid is a fertility drug... it helps people get pregnant who have PCOS) but the main purpose of taking this drug this time is so that she can do a "day 21" ultrasound to see what is going on with my ovaries. Jimmy and I haven't fully decided what we are going to do. On the plus side, if we got pregnant with this round of Clomid the baby would be due in May, which is after graduation and before I would take the NCLEX (the test required to become a registered nurse) so I would have a few weeks before I would beging working as a nurse. Another upside is I would only have to pay for this one round of Clomid, and I wouldn't have to worry about having to take it again. The major downside is that with Clomid, there is a higher chance of conceiving twins. In Jimmy's words "Rach, I don't want to be like Jon and Kate" (from Jon and Kate + 8). The chance of having twins is only 30%, but that is still huge for us... we do not want twins!
I am beyond frustrated and brokenhearted that something is wrong with me. I never in a million years would have thought that I, Rachel, who has ALWAYS wanted to be a mother, would meet such an obstacle. However, that is not my main concern. Women with PCOS can get pregnant... it isn't a question of "will you get pregnant" it is a question of "when"... my main concern is all of the other adverse affects of PCOS. I do not want to be overweight, I do not want to have hair in unwelcome places, I do not want acne, and more importantly, I do not want heart disease or type 2 diabetes in the future (there is an increased risk for both of these with this condition). Luckily there are medicines out there to help with this, but I have always been anti-medicine. I rarely even take tylenol for pain. I just can't imagine living my whole life depending on medicine. But, I am trying not to freak out prematurely. I am trying to just chill out and wait for my upcoming tests to see what is up inside of me. Maybe I don't have PCOS, but the more I read about it, the more I am convinced.
In closing, if you could say a prayer for us that everything will work out, we would appreciate it.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
New Do
Not sure if I like it. My husband has admitted that he, in fact, does not care for it! Luckily my hair grows fast... but while I wait, I will enjoy how easy it is to style and how much cooler I am during these hot Florida days!
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Tornados in Jacksonville
We had crazy storms yesterday that resulted in 3 tornadoes in our area (one was literally 2 miles from our house), one of which Jimmy saw from the window where he worked. The link below takes you to a video that some guys took of a couple of the tornadoes. (Note: if you read the description of that video it talks about St. Vincent's hospital... that is where I have been for clinical the past 6 weeks!) Crazy!
http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=95527044982&h=kMC18&u=4Dego&ref=nf
http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=95527044982&h=kMC18&u=4Dego&ref=nf
I'm Back
It's been a very long time since I posted, but I have been extremely busy. I finished Adult Health I in nursing school which was a really difficult course. We had 150 clinical hours to do, plus a million chapters to read and study, 2 projects, 3 exams and 1 final. It was an insane 8 weeks! On top of that, I was nannying for a lady's 4 month old little boy and 4 year old little boy (who had special needs). I nannied 30 hours the last week of school. I finally had some time off this past week and have been nothing but lazy. We don't start our next class until Wednesday. I will be taking Psychiatric/Mental Health nursing and Leadership Nursing for the next 8 weeks. It should be pretty easy, according to those who have taken it before me. Then this fall we start OB and Pediatric nursing, which should be a lot of fun, although I am worried about how I will be able to deal with dying children. It isn't going to be the bald children stricken with cancer that you see on TV smiling and asking for your donations, it's going to be the balled children stricken with cancer, laying in bed, wasting away, unable to open their eyes, waiting to die. So, hopefully God will give me some strength during that time.
Anyway, I ended up with a B+ (1% away from an A) in Adult Health. I could have done better on the final to get an A (I got an 89 on the final) but I was so busy with nannying that I didn't have much time or energy after I got home to study. I am still happy with a B though.
Our friends Sarah and Tommy told us a couple weeks ago that Sarah was pregnant. Jimmy and I started trying end of January and Sarah and Tommy started trying mid-March and they are pregnant already. Kind of amazing. She must be fertile myrtle. She is 8 weeks already. It makes me wonder if something is wrong with us, but deep down I know God is waiting for the perfect moment, which will probably be in a few months so that I don't have the baby until after graduation, which is fine. As stressed as I was these past 8 weeks, I couldn't imagine how much harder it would have been if I had morning sickness. Sarah has been SO sick. We had dinner with them last night and she kept having to leave because of the different smells that were making her sick and then when we got back to our house she fell asleep on the couch. So, I am kind of thankful I'm not pregnant yet, although I can't wait for the day we find out I am!
Not much else is going on. Jimmy and I are about to head to the YMCA to burn some calories and then I am nannying for a few hours this afternoon.
Until next time...
Anyway, I ended up with a B+ (1% away from an A) in Adult Health. I could have done better on the final to get an A (I got an 89 on the final) but I was so busy with nannying that I didn't have much time or energy after I got home to study. I am still happy with a B though.
Our friends Sarah and Tommy told us a couple weeks ago that Sarah was pregnant. Jimmy and I started trying end of January and Sarah and Tommy started trying mid-March and they are pregnant already. Kind of amazing. She must be fertile myrtle. She is 8 weeks already. It makes me wonder if something is wrong with us, but deep down I know God is waiting for the perfect moment, which will probably be in a few months so that I don't have the baby until after graduation, which is fine. As stressed as I was these past 8 weeks, I couldn't imagine how much harder it would have been if I had morning sickness. Sarah has been SO sick. We had dinner with them last night and she kept having to leave because of the different smells that were making her sick and then when we got back to our house she fell asleep on the couch. So, I am kind of thankful I'm not pregnant yet, although I can't wait for the day we find out I am!
Not much else is going on. Jimmy and I are about to head to the YMCA to burn some calories and then I am nannying for a few hours this afternoon.
Until next time...
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Picture
I forgot all about the baby dedication we went to on Sunday for our friend's daughter, Grace. Here is a picture of all of us from that day (not the best picture, but it will do!)
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Game Night
We had a few friends over Sunday night. I made dinner and we played games. It was the most fun I have had at one of our games nights. Lots of laughter and fun. My friend Kelli came and Sarah and Tommy's friend Patrick came. We were hoping that Kelli and Patrick liked each other because they are both single and lonely, but we didn't consider the fact that Patrick is a devout Catholic and Kelli is not. We all still had fun though! It was definitely just what I needed after these past two weeks.
Kelli and Patrick
Sarah and Tommy
Jimmy
Sarah and Tommy again, with their game faces
Everyone (except me!)
Kelli and Patrick
Sarah and Tommy
Jimmy
Sarah and Tommy again, with their game faces
Everyone (except me!)
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Trying to get pregnant update
I have come to the conclusion that I just skipped a period last month. After being on birth control it can take your body a little while to get back in the groove. Luckily I tested positive on an OPK (ovulation predictor kit) last week (you take 1 OPK per day for 7 days in the middle of your "cycle" until you get a positive result). I have been having a lot of strange things happening with my body since that time, so we are hoping it means I am pregnant. I know it has only been 3 months, and 1 of those months I didn't even ovulate, but I am starting to lose hope! I feel like we have been trying for forever and that we will never get pregnant. I am trying really hard not to think about it so much because it just increases my stress level (which is already through the roof due to nursing school!) It's funny how you can go from not even thinking about having a baby to being obsessed with it!
On a lighter note, I took this picture of Jimmy and Bella yesterday. She likes to put her paws on the table and look at us when we eat. She is so darn cute!
On a lighter note, I took this picture of Jimmy and Bella yesterday. She likes to put her paws on the table and look at us when we eat. She is so darn cute!
First Term is over... time for some cake!
Well, the first term of nursing school is officially over! I got 3 A's and one stupid B! (Note: the B was a 92%... 1% and I would have been an A!!) It was a VERY difficult and challenging semester, so I am shocked to have gotten so many A's. I deserved them though! I signed up for classes for next term... I am so happy I got the hospital I wanted for clinical. I am really excited! Classes start back up again on Monday.
In the mean time, I got the itch to make a cake. I don't know why... but I just really wanted to make a decorative cake. So, I decided to make a cake for my sister's boyfriend and do a golf theme. I made a devil's food cake with chocolate ganache filling and a cream cheese icing. I covered it in fondant (traditionally used for weddings) and decorated the top with golf stuff. Here is a picture:
We will be eating it tomorrow night. I even got a box and added a "home made" sticker to it! I think it would be so much fun to make and decorate cakes... and I think this is pretty darn good for my first one!
In the mean time, I got the itch to make a cake. I don't know why... but I just really wanted to make a decorative cake. So, I decided to make a cake for my sister's boyfriend and do a golf theme. I made a devil's food cake with chocolate ganache filling and a cream cheese icing. I covered it in fondant (traditionally used for weddings) and decorated the top with golf stuff. Here is a picture:
We will be eating it tomorrow night. I even got a box and added a "home made" sticker to it! I think it would be so much fun to make and decorate cakes... and I think this is pretty darn good for my first one!
Saturday, April 18, 2009
New family room arrangement
I don't think I ever posted pictures of how we have the family room setup now. We also got a couple bar stools from Target. We have my mom, dad, sister and Derek over a lot and never have enough seating for 6... but now we do!
And here is a picture of the guest bedroom closet that we installed a better closet system into:
And a picture of the new shelves in the garage:
I think it's safe to say I Spring Cleaned!
And here is a picture of the guest bedroom closet that we installed a better closet system into:
And a picture of the new shelves in the garage:
I think it's safe to say I Spring Cleaned!
My poor Bella baby
Bella gave us quite the scare this morning. To begin with, she didn't sleep AT ALL last night... and she usually sleeps the entire night without waking us up. She kept getting up, whining, groaning and scratching at the door like she needed to go out, so Jimmy got up and took her out a couple times. Then Jimmy got up in the morning before I did, and when I got up Jimmy and Bella were on the couch, and I went to say good morning to Bella and picked her up to kiss her. She whined and bit at my hand like she didn't want me to bother her, which is really unlike her. Jimmy said "be careful with her, she is injured or something. She has been shaking and whining all morning." So I just kind of watched her, and every time I tried to pet her on her right side she would shake and whine. I was afraid it had something to do with the macadamia nut I dropped last night and she ate (macadamia nuts can be toxic in dogs). So I tried to get Jimmy to let me take her to the pet ER and he wouldn't. A few minutes later he went to say bye to her before he went running and he was laying on the floor trying to play with her when he stopped and called me over, "Rach, come look at this. What do you think this is?" I got down on the floor and saw what he was pointing at... a golf-ball-sized swollen mass on her right side on her ribcage. At that point I insisted we go to the ER and he agreed.
$250 later... we discovered she was have an allergic reaction to vaccines she got last Saturday. It had caused swelling from her back that was slowly trickling down and collecting in a ball by her rib cage on her right side. I put a picture below, but I just took this. It was MUCH larger this morning. Anyway, they gave her a shot of antihistamine and sent her home with pain killers and anti-inflammatory pills. She is lucky she is cute, because she costs a lot!! My poor baby!
And I am just adding this picture because she is so darn cute!
$250 later... we discovered she was have an allergic reaction to vaccines she got last Saturday. It had caused swelling from her back that was slowly trickling down and collecting in a ball by her rib cage on her right side. I put a picture below, but I just took this. It was MUCH larger this morning. Anyway, they gave her a shot of antihistamine and sent her home with pain killers and anti-inflammatory pills. She is lucky she is cute, because she costs a lot!! My poor baby!
And I am just adding this picture because she is so darn cute!
Friday, April 17, 2009
Last clinical of Term 1
Today was our last clinical of Term 1. It was bitter sweet! We decided to have lunch at Cheesecake Factory afterward. We register for Term 2 classes on Monday and chances are I won't see any of these girls again until graduation! It is impossible to get the same schedule again because it is randomized. My favorite thing about this program is feeling like you are part of something special. It isn't just a college course where no one wants to be in class, it is a group, a team. I will miss these girls!
Monday, April 6, 2009
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Saturday Night Fun
Jimmy and I went out with our wonderful friends Tommy and Sarah last night. We had dinner at Daruma's, a Japanese steakhouse right by our house, and then they came back to our house and Tommy and Jimmy played the Wii while Sarah and I chatted about pregnancy (we are both trying to get pregnant... Sarah and Tommy already have a 2 year old little girl). Here is a picture of Jimmy and Tommy playing Baseball on the Wii. Such a cute picture! Boys will be boys no matter how old they are.
And here is an updated picture of me and Jimmy from yesterday at Grace's 2nd birthday party (Tommy and Sarah's daughter):
And here is an updated picture of me and Jimmy from yesterday at Grace's 2nd birthday party (Tommy and Sarah's daughter):
Cool
So if I am pregnant, this is what the baby looks like already. Crazy!
Hahahaha:
P.S. - No period yet! ::fingers crossed::
Hahahaha:
P.S. - No period yet! ::fingers crossed::
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Spring Break Is Coming To An End!
Spring Break is almost over... only 1 day left! I got a lot accomplished in my personal life, but not a lot accomplished for school like I had hoped. I have an exam Monday afternoon, a physical assessment simulation Tuesday morning, class Tuesday afternoon, then nothing until the next Monday afternoon when I have a HUGE exam for my Pharmacology class. Classes are officially over Friday May 1st. I know what you are thinking, "Oh good! She'll get another break before classes start again!" Nope! We start summer term on Monday May 4th! We jump right into a Dosage Calculation exam before we head to clinical that week. I'll be OK though. I love nursing!
So I was supposed to start my period yesterday, and so far nothing. I would think I would have definitely started by now, or at least some spotting... but nothing. I am hoping this is good news! Only time will tell. I don't even feel crampy or moody like I normally do. Keep your fingers crossed!
Until next time...
So I was supposed to start my period yesterday, and so far nothing. I would think I would have definitely started by now, or at least some spotting... but nothing. I am hoping this is good news! Only time will tell. I don't even feel crampy or moody like I normally do. Keep your fingers crossed!
Until next time...
Monday, March 30, 2009
Infertility
Since my husband and I have been trying to conceive (TTC as they call it) there is a thought that pops into my head at least once every day... what if we can't have a biological child? There is a blog I read today about a couple who have been TTC for 2 years and have recently started IVF after failed attempts at fertility treatments. Both are from very religious families and are devout Christians. So why are they unable to have a child of their own? It terrifies me. I think about how excited and hopeful my husband and I are... I am sure this woman and her husband were the same way in the begining, not realizing what lie ahead of them.
Then I thought of this... maybe God makes certain women infertile, inspite of their desire to have children... because he knows there are going to be unfit mothers who do not want their babies? Maybe he creates certain women especially to take care of these "unwanted" children? God makes each one of us special. He gives each one of us a special purpose in life. One of my purposes is to be a nurse... to take care of the sick, to deal with blood that may make some queesy, to perform mathematical calculations that others cannot comprehend, to understand health and illness, to rehabilitate, to heal. My purpose is also to be a wife, and one day a mother. If Jimmy and I can't have a child of our own, I will know that it is our purpose to care for someone else's, and to show that child every ounce of love that we have been saving up for our own.
I pray that all women out there dealing with infertility, who are spending large sums of money on IVF and infirtility treatments, can realize this and come to terms with God's purpose for them.
Then I thought of this... maybe God makes certain women infertile, inspite of their desire to have children... because he knows there are going to be unfit mothers who do not want their babies? Maybe he creates certain women especially to take care of these "unwanted" children? God makes each one of us special. He gives each one of us a special purpose in life. One of my purposes is to be a nurse... to take care of the sick, to deal with blood that may make some queesy, to perform mathematical calculations that others cannot comprehend, to understand health and illness, to rehabilitate, to heal. My purpose is also to be a wife, and one day a mother. If Jimmy and I can't have a child of our own, I will know that it is our purpose to care for someone else's, and to show that child every ounce of love that we have been saving up for our own.
I pray that all women out there dealing with infertility, who are spending large sums of money on IVF and infirtility treatments, can realize this and come to terms with God's purpose for them.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Free day
Today is my first free day in about 3 weeks. By free, I mean no homework... I still have managed to pack the day full with stuff to do. I cleaned out the guest room closet because we are going to install a better closet system in there with more shelving, so we can store more in there. Right now we just have use of the one, standard shelf and it is literally packed... in the mean time, the bottom is completely empty, wasted space. I am using a closet system that I bought for the closet in my old room at my parents house. I am going to Target this afternoon to get some storage bins so we can store more stuff in the garage. We are going to get a shelving system for the garage tomorrow, I believe. My husband has been so wonderful helping me do all of these things on his spring break! He cleaned out the garage yesterday, cooked dinner AND a desert... and he came with me to babysit a friend's little 2-year old boy (I figure Jimmy needs the experience :o).
Anyway, I am going to the doc's with my dad today. He got some blood work a few weeks ago that came back showing his fasting blood glucose was very high, so I assume they will be telling him he is diabetic today and I want to be there for moral support as well as be able to hear everything the doctor tells him so I can make sure he sticks to whatever routine they put him on. It is the controlling nurse side of me that needs to be involved :o) He has had all the signs and symptoms of diabetes... polyuria (peeing a lot, especially at night), polydipsia (being thirsty a lot) and polyphagia (drinking a lot of water). He also gets jittery which is characteristic of low and high blood sugar, he has lost about 20lbs for no reason and his vision is getting worse. My poor daddy!
While I wait I am looking at JC Penney's online at their baby furniture. I am REALLY impressed. They have a ton of adorable, solid wood baby furniture that got excellent reviews, and while it is pricier than what I would expect from JC Penney I think it would be worth it. Here are a couple of my favorite sets:
This dresser/changing table would actually be in the dark color like the matching crib shown below, but they didn't have a picture of it in the dark wood.
And here is my favorite set, I think:
The crib is in the darker, espresso color and the dresser/changer is in the "coffee" color.
Which set do you like best?
Anyway, I am going to the doc's with my dad today. He got some blood work a few weeks ago that came back showing his fasting blood glucose was very high, so I assume they will be telling him he is diabetic today and I want to be there for moral support as well as be able to hear everything the doctor tells him so I can make sure he sticks to whatever routine they put him on. It is the controlling nurse side of me that needs to be involved :o) He has had all the signs and symptoms of diabetes... polyuria (peeing a lot, especially at night), polydipsia (being thirsty a lot) and polyphagia (drinking a lot of water). He also gets jittery which is characteristic of low and high blood sugar, he has lost about 20lbs for no reason and his vision is getting worse. My poor daddy!
While I wait I am looking at JC Penney's online at their baby furniture. I am REALLY impressed. They have a ton of adorable, solid wood baby furniture that got excellent reviews, and while it is pricier than what I would expect from JC Penney I think it would be worth it. Here are a couple of my favorite sets:
This dresser/changing table would actually be in the dark color like the matching crib shown below, but they didn't have a picture of it in the dark wood.
And here is my favorite set, I think:
The crib is in the darker, espresso color and the dresser/changer is in the "coffee" color.Which set do you like best?
Monday, March 9, 2009
Monday, March 2, 2009
Pretty Song
The song that plays when you come to my page is just about the best song I have ever heard. Here are the lyrics:
I'm A Superman Thanks To Lois Lane
Kissed Away My Problems When I Went Insane
Fished Me From The Bottom When I Lost My Name
Gave Me Something I Could Live For (Something I Could Live For)
And Everybody Wonders What's The Change
They Don't Recognize Me Cause I Got So Much To Say
And I Never Thought That Anyone Could Love Someone
So Much That They Give Up On Everything
[Chorus:]
I Will Be There To Take Care Of You
I Will Be There When You Cry Babe
I Will Be There When You Need Someone To Tell You
That You're Beautiful Baby
I Will Be There When You Need Someone To Run With
I Will Be There When You Need Someone To Dance With
I'm Your Lover When The Skies Turn Grey
Everyday Til Its Beautiful Baby
Oh
Til Its Beautiful
Til Its Beau-Ooh Ooh Baby
Til Its Beautiful Baby
I'm A Butterfly When I'm In Your Hands
You Can Turn The Pavement Into White Sand
You Can Make A Moment A Memory In A Glance
And I Cant Believe Anyone Else
And Everybody's Talking
But You Always Keep Shining
You Never Stop glistening Babe
And I Never Thought That Anyone Could Love Someone
So Much That They Give Up On Everything
[Chorus:]
I Will Be There To Take Care Of You
I Will Be There When You Cry Babe
I Will Be There When You Need Someone To Tell You
That You're Beautiful Baby
I Will Be There When You Need Someone To Run With
I Will Be There When You Need Someone To Dance With
I'm Your Lover When The Skies Turn Grey
Everyday Til Its Beautiful Baby
I'm Your Superman Baby
Yea
Your Superman Baby
Oooh
Til It's Beautiful
Til It's Beautiful
Til Its Beautiful Baby
Your Superman Babe
Til It's Beautiful
Til Its Beau-Ooh Ooh Baby
Til Its Beautiful Baby
There's A Million People Underneath The Sun
That Can Find A Million More And Never Find The One
There's A Girl Who Did This And A Socialite
Was On Magazines And Was The Shy Type Baby
But I'm A Superman Thanks To Lois Lane
Kissed Away The Problems When I Went Insane
Fished Me From The Bottom When I Lost My Name
And I Never Thought Anyone Could Ever Mean So Much So Much
[Chorus:]
I Will Be There To Take Care Of You
I Will Be There When You Cry Babe
I Will Be There When You Need Someone To Tell You
That You're Beautiful Baby
I Will Be There When You Need Someone To Run With
I Will Be There When You Need Someone To Dance With
I'm Your Lover When The Skies Turn Grey
Everyday Til Its Beautiful Baby
Til It's Beautiful
Til It's Beautiful
Til Its Beautiful Baby
Your Superman Babe
Til It's Beautiful
Til It's Beautiful
Til Its Beautiful Baby
I'm A Superman Thanks To Lois Lane
Kissed Away My Problems When I Went Insane
Fished Me From The Bottom When I Lost My Name
Gave Me Something I Could Live For (Something I Could Live For)
And Everybody Wonders What's The Change
They Don't Recognize Me Cause I Got So Much To Say
And I Never Thought That Anyone Could Love Someone
So Much That They Give Up On Everything
[Chorus:]
I Will Be There To Take Care Of You
I Will Be There When You Cry Babe
I Will Be There When You Need Someone To Tell You
That You're Beautiful Baby
I Will Be There When You Need Someone To Run With
I Will Be There When You Need Someone To Dance With
I'm Your Lover When The Skies Turn Grey
Everyday Til Its Beautiful Baby
Oh
Til Its Beautiful
Til Its Beau-Ooh Ooh Baby
Til Its Beautiful Baby
I'm A Butterfly When I'm In Your Hands
You Can Turn The Pavement Into White Sand
You Can Make A Moment A Memory In A Glance
And I Cant Believe Anyone Else
And Everybody's Talking
But You Always Keep Shining
You Never Stop glistening Babe
And I Never Thought That Anyone Could Love Someone
So Much That They Give Up On Everything
[Chorus:]
I Will Be There To Take Care Of You
I Will Be There When You Cry Babe
I Will Be There When You Need Someone To Tell You
That You're Beautiful Baby
I Will Be There When You Need Someone To Run With
I Will Be There When You Need Someone To Dance With
I'm Your Lover When The Skies Turn Grey
Everyday Til Its Beautiful Baby
I'm Your Superman Baby
Yea
Your Superman Baby
Oooh
Til It's Beautiful
Til It's Beautiful
Til Its Beautiful Baby
Your Superman Babe
Til It's Beautiful
Til Its Beau-Ooh Ooh Baby
Til Its Beautiful Baby
There's A Million People Underneath The Sun
That Can Find A Million More And Never Find The One
There's A Girl Who Did This And A Socialite
Was On Magazines And Was The Shy Type Baby
But I'm A Superman Thanks To Lois Lane
Kissed Away The Problems When I Went Insane
Fished Me From The Bottom When I Lost My Name
And I Never Thought Anyone Could Ever Mean So Much So Much
[Chorus:]
I Will Be There To Take Care Of You
I Will Be There When You Cry Babe
I Will Be There When You Need Someone To Tell You
That You're Beautiful Baby
I Will Be There When You Need Someone To Run With
I Will Be There When You Need Someone To Dance With
I'm Your Lover When The Skies Turn Grey
Everyday Til Its Beautiful Baby
Til It's Beautiful
Til It's Beautiful
Til Its Beautiful Baby
Your Superman Babe
Til It's Beautiful
Til It's Beautiful
Til Its Beautiful Baby
Friday, February 27, 2009
Clinical Day #1
Well, today was the first day of clinicals. Our normal classroom group of 24 students was split up into two groups of 12 and we went to two different hospitals in town. I did not expect to do much the first day, since it was just supposed to be an orientation and a walk through of the hospital so we could learn where everything was. Much to my surprise, when we got to the floor we would be working on, one of the R.N.'s was very excited to see us and pulled 3 of us (me and two other girls) aside and asked if we would change two patient beds, give them each a sponge bath and give them new gowns. Let's just say... it was messy. Poop and everything else you can imagine. I felt really bad for these two patients though. I wouldn't want to sit in my own feces for any amount of time, and I could tell that they were very greatful we were cleaning them up. One patient's wife offered me a cookie afterwards... I took the cookie just to be nice but I ended up throwing it away. Who wants to eat a cookie after cleaning up poop? Not me!
All in all, it was a very interesting day. We took vital signs, did AccuChecks (pricked fingers to check blood glucose) and learned all sorts of stuff. I can tell already that this job is going to be very rewarding. I can't wait for next Friday!!
All in all, it was a very interesting day. We took vital signs, did AccuChecks (pricked fingers to check blood glucose) and learned all sorts of stuff. I can tell already that this job is going to be very rewarding. I can't wait for next Friday!!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Stuff
I think one of my major downsides is that I love, what I call, "stuff". If I had a million dollars I think I would buy everything in Home Goods... I love that store! They have the cutest stuff for your house for the best prices. Mom and I went shopping there over the weekend and I ended up with my birthday presents early because I found so much stuff. We needed new towels for our bathroom and new sheets for our bed, and then I found several other little things. It's really a bad habit. Luckily I have learned to curb my shopping habits the past few months since I am not able to work this first semester of nursing school.
Anyway, I have already picked out baby furniture. Jimmy, as always, thinks I am crazy... but oh well. I am attaching a picture of the crib and changing table. They are so cute in person! We are going to paint a couple pieces of the furniture that we already have a cream color and use it in the baby room as well (a nightstand and an armoire which we will use for the baby closet so we don't have to relocate everything in that bedroom closet). I love dark wood mixed with cream colored furniture.
Anyway, I have already picked out baby furniture. Jimmy, as always, thinks I am crazy... but oh well. I am attaching a picture of the crib and changing table. They are so cute in person! We are going to paint a couple pieces of the furniture that we already have a cream color and use it in the baby room as well (a nightstand and an armoire which we will use for the baby closet so we don't have to relocate everything in that bedroom closet). I love dark wood mixed with cream colored furniture.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Simulations
Today I had one of the biggest tests of my life, up to this point. They call them "simulations". We had to simulate giving a SubQ (subcuteneous) injection of insulin, an IM (intramuscular) injection of a pain medication, changing a wound dressing using sterile technique and inserting a Foley catheter into a female patient using sterile technique. It sounds simple enough, but it's not! There were literally about 200 steps to memorize in a certain order, and "sterile technique" is not as easy as it sounds... one minor, almost unnoticeable mistake can cost you lots of points. It is also difficult because you are singled out... it is almost like acting in a play in front of a crowd of people. I was very nervous at first because a lot was at stake... if I didn't pass simulations, I would be exited from the nursing program! Luckily, I passed. My nerves settled after I got going, and I ended up with a 197.5 out of 200! I missed a couple stupid things, but nothing is perfect, right? The best part is we start clinicals next week! I am so excited!
On a lighter note, I got a pack of pregnancy tests that came with a "bonus" digital pregnancy test, and I figured "who wants to find out they are pregnant with a digital test? You can't save it... the battery would eventually die." So I decided to take it last night. It was kind of funny when it gave me the answer... "No!" I thought that was kind of harsh! Obviously it would be too early to detect pregnancy hormone, but I was bored!
Until next time.
On a lighter note, I got a pack of pregnancy tests that came with a "bonus" digital pregnancy test, and I figured "who wants to find out they are pregnant with a digital test? You can't save it... the battery would eventually die." So I decided to take it last night. It was kind of funny when it gave me the answer... "No!" I thought that was kind of harsh! Obviously it would be too early to detect pregnancy hormone, but I was bored!
Until next time.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
New Chapter In Our Life
Well, with all the blog frenzy lately, I decided to jump on the band wagon. I also decided I wanted somewhere to chart the new journey my husband and I are about the begin. We decided about a month ago that we were ready to have a baby! I want a place where I can talk about my feelings and all of the events that will happen leading up to when we find out we are pregnant, as well as post pictures and videos showing my growing belly after we get the happy news. It will be a way for family who aren't near us to keep up-to-date on the happenings of our lives and my pregnancy.
So, here it goes...
I stopped birth control 3 weeks ago and started an ovulation monitoring kit 5 days ago. The first 4 were negative (you take one per day) but the 5th one, taken last Saturday, was positive! It was very exciting because I had read many discussion forums where other women who were TTC that had been on the pill were having troubles getting their body back in the groove of ovulating. Some had not ovulated in over a year and had to get special medicine from their doctor! I was very nervous that this might happen to me, so I was quite relieved to see that dark, obvious pink line on the ovulation stick. Anyway, it goes without saying that we didn't waste our time that day... or the next day... or the next day ;o)
Whether you are family, or just a blog-reading addict... welcome to my blog!
So, here it goes...
I stopped birth control 3 weeks ago and started an ovulation monitoring kit 5 days ago. The first 4 were negative (you take one per day) but the 5th one, taken last Saturday, was positive! It was very exciting because I had read many discussion forums where other women who were TTC that had been on the pill were having troubles getting their body back in the groove of ovulating. Some had not ovulated in over a year and had to get special medicine from their doctor! I was very nervous that this might happen to me, so I was quite relieved to see that dark, obvious pink line on the ovulation stick. Anyway, it goes without saying that we didn't waste our time that day... or the next day... or the next day ;o)
Whether you are family, or just a blog-reading addict... welcome to my blog!
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