A slap of reality

 Big, big week full of big girl things. Sorry in advance for the lack of pictures. There really isn't much time to take pictures when I'm at the hospital all day, but Im not complaining. Anyways to start off the week I hopped on a shuttle. Sunday afternoon I came back up north and I spent the fourth all by myself. Drew asked me before leaving what I had planned for the fourth and I said "homework." He told me that sounded boring and I let him know being an adult is, in fact, pretty boring sometimes. I headed to my go-to trail and did a run up there to celebrate the fourth and then I did indeed spend the rest of the day doing homework and preparing for the rest of the week.

Surprisingly - this week I was very consistent with my running. Even with the busy schedule and lack of sleep I made an effort to run whenever I could! Definitely trying to get my butt in gear for the marathon because I am behind schedule y'all! Tuesday was my official first day at the VA. I had new employee orientation tuesday, wednesday and thursday. It was boring. Just a ton of sitting around, learning about the VA, paperwork, benefits, etc. Nothing too crazy except the whole benefits thing and retirement and all the other things that I hadnt ever heard of before - ya that got a little (or a lot) overwhelming. It was super cool to hear the different speakers from the VA talking about how they first started hear over twenty years ago and how they fell in love with it. Everyone truly loves the veterans and I am super excited to be where I am. 

VA official baby! Gotta love the nice mugshot I have to carry around with me. Friday was my first full shift on my unit. And I guess I should add... as a nurse! It was really nice already knowing the unit from my capstone a few months ago, but boy oh boy I have so much to learn. SO MUCH. Im in orientation the next three months so Im always with another nurse. Friday was a skills day for the unit so on top of three discharges, an admit and our other patients, we also had to sit in on some classes to keep up to date on certain protocols and procedures. It was such a fun day you guys. We had this one patient who is a month post-op LVAD surgery. He has developed some sores on his sacrum over the last few weeks. We were able to give him a bed bath, clean his sores and re-dress them, lotion him up and get him into some clean clothes. It took us a long time and it was hard work, but it was awesome to see how grateful he was for us and his cleanliness again. With his LVAD he cant shower and I can only imagine how awful you would feel after not showering for so long. Its just cool to know that my job is to literally help people feel better every single day. Its the best. Also day shift is a whole other world compared to night shift. During my capstone - I would literally watch the clock wishing it would go faster. On day shift - I seriously looked at the clock and thought HOLY CRAP its already 3 o'clock and I haven't had lunch yet?! There is so much to do during the day that it honestly flies by. When 7pm came around I seriously would've been down to stay longer, yet when 7am comes around I wonder if Im going to make it home without falling asleep at the wheel. IDK. Its definitely a long day - I mean I wake up at 5:20am and I get home around 8:15pm - but its a good day. Also I just need to mention how nice everyone was to me. Seriously everyone I came in contact with took time to introduce themselves and talk with me. Im talking lab techs, social workers, pharmacists, the nursing CNO, the skills day teachers, the patients, literally everyone. There was also a nurse that pulled me aside to show me something and she mentioned how the next two years will be my "real nursing school." She told me to be patient with myself and to come to anyone with questions because we are all here for each other. It was just really nice. Its definitely intimidating to realize how little I know and how much I need to know, but Im excited to learn and watch myself become more comfortable and knowledgeable on the unit the next few months/years. 

Me leaving the hospital friday evening. It was a very surreal day realizing that Im doing what Ive been working for for the last 5 years of my life. what the heck? how is that possible? Driving home I was just overwhelmed with gratitude and happiness and energy honestly. I got home and scarfed some food down then me and ashley went and saw top gun... again. Literal fifth time seeing it, but oh well. So good. as always. Saturday morning I kept up the habit and woke up at 5:30 for a long run! Ash drove me 10 miles up the canyon and I ran home. My legs and lungs felt actually way good, but my stomach not so much. 

Found some buddies outside the apartments! Spent the rest of the afternoon writing a paper and at the pool with the girls. That evening we got a whole bunch of people together and played night games at rock canyon park. I felt like I was 12 again. It was fun. Didn't go to bed till 2am and I am sure feeling it today. Church was awesome as usual. Ashley taught a great relief society lesson and we watched the refiners fire video. Dang it got me. In the midst of trials and tribulation we need to have an eternal perspective! Its so easy to look at our current situations and think that our prayers are being ignored. Or that there is no point in moving forward. Or that our lives suck and our trials are too difficult. Its so much more comforting to know that the trials we are going through right now are for our own good! Heavenly Father is shaping us into the person we need to become. And that gives me hope and joy and motivation to keep going. <3