Not for the squeamish

For weeks now my roommates and I have been terrorized by a corn snake outside of our door. I have found him on the side of the house by the doorbell, he has several times been between the glass door and the front door, beside our pillar, or right in the bushes.

Today the neighborhood is one snake less! I came home from work and opened the front door. When I did my roommate, Kristi, from the opposite closed door told me to close the door because the snake was in the door. I looked down and saw him there, but his head was perfectly wedged between the door and the frame, he couldn't move. I debated about opening it further or closing it, but I had him. Kristi pushed me to the edge and I opened it further for a few minutes. 2 neighborhood boys stopped by to see what was going on, and the tried to pull him out but were freaked when he would move. So, I grabbed an X-acto knife (how do you spell that?) and needle nose pliers. I won't tell you what I was going to do, but I grabbed him with the pliers and he is no more.

We are moving tomorrow, so last rush of fun before we part ways!

These pictures are not for the squeamish:

I am victorious!

I might be laughing, I probably am screaming

It makes for a lovely snake skin necklace

This picture is priceless

We are going to put it on a stake in our front yard to warn the neighborhood snakes the same will happen to them if they come near.

This week I have been getting my ACLS certification. I took 2 8 hour lectures last week, and yesterday went over different scenarios hands on. It was a bit nerve wracking when you think you know it and actually have to apply. But, after my initial go round of doing the code, I was ok in my final check off. Today I have a written exam to do.

This morning before I am going to a pediatric class. I do not really care for pediatric nursing. I like to play with children, I like it when they are well behaved and fun. I do not like sick children, I do not like bratty children, I do not like over bearing (even if well meaning) parents. I do not care to interact with the parent more than the child. I enjoy adults, but you get the bad along with the good as well. It is funny because I did want to be a pediatric nurse in the beginning. Just kidding!

I just saw a Harry Potter preview for November. Get excited!

Week 4

My accomplishments for the week are as follows:

Monday: I followed a patient into the OR to give the anesthesiologist some lab values I drew. They asked me if I wanted to watch, so my preceptor and I stayed in. They let me go to the head of the bed with the CRNA (nurse anesthesiologist) and look down while they did the intubation. They open the airway with a "blade" (I don't remember the real name), and then put the endotracheal tube in. So, while looking down into the patient's airway, I'm handed the tube and told to put it down in there. Very cool!!!

Tuesday/Wednesday: I successfully put in 6 IV's. All 18's (pretty big IV), except for one being a 16. A 16 is bigger than the 18, and I was pretty surprised to get it in!! Very fun and exciting as well.

Last week I passed my EKG exam and I'm able to go through my Mega Code lecture and be certified for ACLS. That stands for Advanced Cardiac Life Support and is coding patients with defibrillator, intubation, and use of drugs.

Me and Lauren are now going to watch the Office...I love that show!

I saw The Dark Knight this past weekend. It was pretty good. It was very different from the first and I didn't really like it as much as I thought I would. I know if I see it a 2nd time, I will enjoy it more. The Joker was pretty creepy and weird, lots of explosions and vacant clown masks. The movie less focused on Batman, more on the Joker. Though, Heath Ledger does a great job being evil and schizo. I think I was used to the Joker from the 1950's show, so that was a little more disturbing than I thought it would be. At one point in the movie, Batman is stitching up his own wound on his arm. Everyone in the theater shrieked more at that then the merciless killing sprees by the Joker. Thanks, Nat, for that observation.

I can't believe its another work week. Its all going so fast! I've been working for a month now. I have had my own patients over the past week, but on Friday had my very own patient and did everything!! Even the great big IV, I put in myself and even got complimented by the patient! I enjoy genuinely nice individuals!! I think I will enjoy when I start going 4 days a week, instead of 5. But, I am getting to know more of my coworkers, which is nice. They are all pretty helpful and don't mind questions/teaching. Now if I could only feel not stupid half of the time...

Early mornings!!! I have been waking up at 3:30 every morning to get ready for work. I drive 30 minutes to get there, so I have to be up a little earlier. And I like to drink my coffee while sitting on my couch. Its just my thing to enjoy a cup of coffee or two before the chaos of the day begins.

The nurses I have been working with are nice. One girl is only 1 year older than me and has been a nurse for 2 years. So, I don't feel quite the youngest youngest, but I definitely feel my age most of the time. The ladies will let me know they are old enough to be my mother, which is true.

Yesterday after work I passed out on the couch for an hour. Then I went upstairs and slept for another 2 hours. I got up for about 3 hours, then back to bed. Although I get off at 2, I am so tired that I sleep all of the time. I need to start going to the gym straight away. I go through phases of when I like to go and lately it was mornings. Now it has to be afternoon/evening time, which I don't like so much. But soon I am switching Y's, so I think that is some of my problem of not going as much, it is a little boring. I need new scenery.

I am moving in 3 weeks, probably the 30th. I have to be out of this house on the 31. I have not too much stuff, just clothes and things, no furniture to move. I'm glad I don't have furniture. I will have to buy a bed or mattress and a dresser. For now I will sleep on a blow up bed, because it is cheap. I have my first paycheck, but I'm still waiting for it to come through my account, which is frustrating since I have written a check this past Sunday for church. I pray it comes through today, because it was supposed to go yesterday.

To work.....

A Few of my Favorite Things

I'm very happy to discover that Vera Bradly has 4 new patterns for the fall that just came out. I like them all, which is usually not the case. My favorite: Cafe Latte (to the right on the Bowler bag, which I want). Maybe because it is the name of a good coffee drink, but also a cute pattern. I can't wait to buy a new purse, which has been needed, ok maybe not really, but wanted for awhile!






My sister got me my Chi (actually a Chi-tah)!!! I had one 4 years ago, it broke after the warranty. Melissa took her Chi back 2 times already. I was a bit unsure of taking mine back, knowing that if they asked me I would probably not give it back since it was way past warranty. Melissa is braver than me, she is the best!!! I'm so excited to get it next weekend when Natalie visits! I have missed my Chi so much!!! Besides my iPod, my Chi was one of the best expensive splurge investments ever!!






Work is going well. I am doing a little more, maybe next week they will let me stick IV's into people. We stick the biggest IV's in, which is kind of scary. I would be scared too if I had one that big stuck in.
I have worked every day this week, 5:30-2. Which means I'm up at 3:30 every morning. That is going ok, its really not hard to get out of bed. I am not that tired when I get up, more when I get to work, then when I leave work. I come home and take a 1-2 hour nap every day. Get up for 2 hours, go back to bed. This is my boring life. When I drive past Starbucks at 4:45 am and see they are still closed, I know it is too early. Coffee is not even being sold yet!!


And this is the weekly update in my life!

This is how I spent my 4th:

Me and Catherine on the dock

Kids having fun in the yard

I was a Kercher that night

Catherine and I had the best time running around with sparklers.
We also ran for our lives from a very large pile of fireworks that had been lit.

It was a great day!!