01.06.07

Just the beginning….

Posted in The ins and outs...., Knitting.... at 12:51 pm by smarriott

On Wednesday, I started my first day of the Post-Baccalaureate Accelerated Nursing program at SIUE. Orientation was scheduled from noon until 4 p.m. that day, followed by class time, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. the rest of the week. What I imagined as a getting to know you session, including introduction, punch and cookies, “this is what we expect and this is what you will be doing for the next 15 months” speeches, topped off with an inevitable tour, was not what this entailed. Instead I was fit for scrubs, posed for a picture and immediately rushed into class. I came home that day with my mind swimming with anxiety and confusion. I already had two paper assignments handed out that day! It makes me worried I will be Nurse Ratchett for the year, grumpy and pissed-off looking all the time.

While I certainly didn’t expect the university to hold my hand, I did think more time would be allotted to ease the transition, or at least given more of an idea of what to expect. I guess, however, we can’t always get what we want (I apologize for quoting Mick Jagger).

Needless to say, I fear this is just the beginning of things to come. For the next few months, I will live a meager existence of studying, eating, sleeping, and, of course, running (this is where you pity me….). Don’t feel sorry for me, however, (no, please do) I will survive the confusing assignments and horrible, horrible group work and the loathsome skits (oh, it is such a dirty word isn’t it). But really, I think it will be stressful, but it certainly couldn’t be any worse, as far as not having a personal life, than the two years I spent in AmeriCorps.

The bonus, of course, is I have already been fit for scrubs and just purchased my first stethoscope. Isn’t it a beauty. I could have gone for the Master Cardiologist, but I’ve been told less is more and having a stellar stethoscope would make me the envy of all the thieves in the medical industry. Had I gone for the latter, I’m afraid I would constantly talk about it; incessantly is probably a better word for it. The Master Classic II is also a good name, but it just don’t ring as much to me. Regardless, I am on my way to looking as much the part as all those gorgeous TV characters on Gray’s Anatomy, M*A*S*H* (although they aren’t as glamorous) and even ER (even though I don’t like it). Now I just need to work on my skills, or at least the pronunciation of diseases. But seriously, this is happening and fast. As neither of the above items are in my possession yet, I cannot provide a picture of me preparing for my new profession, but I will….in due time….

Updates: First, Sigma and Wiley are still under house arrest, much to their discontent. Wiley still looks mangled and his scabs are falling off. Correction, one-half of a scab has fallen off and the other half is half off and sticking straight up in the air. I pray his hair will grow back. If it doesn’t I will sue the pants off Shiloh for emotional distress, mine of course. Although, I probably shouldn’t say that, she might bite my nose.

Second, the 365 quest is still running (no pun intended). John and I have both stuck to the pact of running at least a mile every day. Wiley has even accompanied me a few times. He is eager to shed Levi’s stigma of “fat dog”. So week one (almost) down and 51 more to go, that is 359 more days. Realistically speaking, I don’t think we’ll do it, but I’m certainly not going to be the first to fail. I’d never hear the end of it. I might even get the stigma of “lazy wife”.

Finally, I haven’t made any more progress on the “Green Sweater”, as I’ve been going to sleep very early. But for those of you who haven’t seen what I accomplished over the break here is the back and part of the front. Yes, yes, it looks small, but I have checked the measurements to that of my sister’s and I believe they are on par.

Now off to write a paper…..or at least to pretend.

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