Emulating Clara Barton

Therapy

2009-02-26T15:27:00.001-08:00

Remember how I said my Communications class is like Therapy because everyone loves to tell their stories? Well, guess what? The Teacher loves to tell his stories, too! He will define a concept for us & then give us an example of how he is like that or how he grew up like this or that. I understand that people might not want to say that they identify with a concept that might be negative so he steps in and says he is xyz.

Next week, we have more presentations. This one talkative woman in the class is going. This one will be a doozy. She said she is going to talk about her divorce & is bringing tissues. Heaven help us.

Classes

2009-02-19T09:36:00.000-08:00

Well, classes are going well. I have my first nutrition test tonight. I am learning a lot in that class but the test might be sort of difficult. We have to track a sandwich from mouth through digestion including what organs it passes, enzymes and hormones secreted & what they are for.

In communication class, we had to give little 2 min speeches. I got my grade yesterday and got a 10/10. Yippee. That class is fairly easy though.

Still havent gotten the TB test. I tried calling for an appt for our work holiday last week but they put me on hold forever & I didnt make one. Maybe I can make it for early in the AM before work.

Volunteering

2009-02-08T22:00:00.000-08:00

I went to the hospital 2 weeks ago to meet with the Volunteer coordinator for my placement in the hospital. I think they are putting me in maternity!! How exciting. I will get to assist the nurses a bit. They are going to be super busy but hopefully I can help with setting up rooms and filing charts or whatever they need.

Unfortunately, I can't start yet. I need a TB test. This requires me to get to a hospital out near my house before 5pm. We have a day off coming up so I will go get the test then. Then, I can start volunteering!

Update

2009-02-08T21:56:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone -

Well classes are going well. I have a short paper and an exam due in 2 weeks. My nutrition class is really interesting. Learning about how your body digests, absorbs, needs, and discards food. Basically, you shouldn't eat processed stuff. Like chips for example - your body takes such little nutrients from a bag of Lay's. Its a waste of calories. Check out mypramid.gov. You can put in what you eat and how much you exercise to see how many calories you should eat.

My communication class on the other hand, is like group therapy. We are learning about why we are the way we are. How your 'self' is formed. People LOVE to share their stories....and people have some wacky ones. From growing up in a strict household to growing up in a war torn country, we heard about it. The icing was this girl who told the whole class how she was depressed & suicidal. I was like, really? you need to tell all of us that?

Anyway, I like both classes. I am busy but I find that when I am busy, I am less lazy. I have been going to the gym and class and feel like I am on a schedule. As we know, schedules make me happy and feel in control of my life!

Nutrition - week 2

2009-01-22T20:55:00.000-08:00

I went to nutrition tonight & learned that - There is no FDA that regulates supplements. All of that stuff sold at GNC - not regulated. Vitamin C pills - not regulated. Iron pills, calcium pills, etc. You are better off eating oranges for the C, and food that has iron and calcium rather than supplements!

We got out early too. Whooo Hoooo!

On tuesday, I am going back to the hospital to meet with the volunteer coordinator for my 'placement' in the hospital. Then, I can start volunteering. How exciting!

Class

2009-01-22T20:50:00.000-08:00

I had my 2nd class this week - Interpersonal Communication. It is a hike to get there, but oh well. Like Randy Pausch says, 'Brick walls are there to show us how bad we want something'. My teacher is in his late 30's and has hair like Elvis. Complete with sideburns that go into his cheeks. He seems pretty passionate about what he is doing though.

We had to meet our neighbor and ask them where they are from, their academic plans, etc....Ironically, my neighbor was from Vermont!

Anyway, in this class, we will learn about communication styles, why we communicate the way we do, how to deal with others, get along with people who have different styles than you & how to fix your own communication flaws. Oh yeah, we also had to say what our communication 'challenge' was. I said, I'm too bossy!

Nutrition

2009-01-16T10:37:00.000-08:00

I went to my first nutrition class yesterday. Good thing I went, too. If you didn't show up, you were kicked out of the class & people on the wait list were let in.

I drove down to the campus which is really big(not like HCC or GWC) and I had no idea where my building was. By the time I found it & got to class, I was late. The class is in a lecture hall and was PACKED. People were sitting on the floor! That is because 20 extra people hoping to add the class showed up.

Anyway, we are going to learn the science behind nutrition. We have 3 exams and a diet project(which I think is putting together meal plans for someone). It seems like it will be a good class.

Classes to begin

2009-01-13T10:09:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone - Well I haven't had any new news on the nursing front the in the past few weeks. However, this week...I start school! I start my nutrition class this week on Thursday. I'm excited

I'm also going to the hospital volunteer orientation today. I am excited to be in a health care setting helping people on a weekly basis.

I'll keep you posted!

2 Classes

2008-12-15T13:04:00.001-08:00

Well, I got the residency issue fixed and am signed up for 2 classes!

Interpersonal Communication - Wednesdays 7-10
Nutrition - Thursdays 630-930

This works out great. I am so excited!!

One Class

2008-12-12T12:11:00.000-08:00

I got the schools to switch my residency status. I am now signed up for Nutrition and its on Thursday nights from 6-9. I am still trying to get the other school to switch me and then I will be signed up for two! Yippeeeeee.

Frustrated

2008-12-09T10:01:00.000-08:00

I am so frustrated. I tried to register for class yesterday and it says my classes will cost $1,200. This is because I am a non-resident. Stupid me checked YES to something about taxes paid in another state when I should have checked NO. So, they are disqualifying me as a resident.

Now, I have to like fax in proof that I am a resident with my PG&E bill or lease or something. This is so annoying. Now, I have a good chance of not getting into any classes because I they could close before I settle this. I am trying to register but not pay right now so that they can fix this and then I can pay the cheap, resident fees.

ANNOYING. I guess this is just a small roadblock I will have to overcome on this journey.

Actually

2008-12-03T15:31:00.001-08:00

Actually, as of right now - here is what I can do (I'll pick 2)
1. Take a nutrition class
2. Take a Psych Class
3. Take a speech class
4. Take an online pharmacology class (but that one is $500)

So we'll see what is open as of 12/8 and then I will see what I should do. At least I will be able to take SOME sort of class.

Disappointed

2008-12-03T15:09:00.000-08:00

Well, I am disappointed that most classes at community college are closed. The community college is weird that it assigned me a date to register, 12/8. Well, registration has been open for about a month so of course, classes will fill up. My hope is to at least get into 1 class and then do one online or something. I'll figure it out.

On the work side, my boss continues to be 'excited' about things like meetings and working with new people in the agency and I just do not feel it.

Brainstorms

2008-11-24T19:44:00.001-08:00

Ugh - today at work my boss was getting SO EXCITED about upcoming brainstorms that will happen soon. I felt zero excitement. Even before the nursing thoughts, I had no excitement. It's not exciting to sit in a room for 3 hours and come up with ideas when like 2 will get executed.

Classes

2008-11-24T12:03:00.000-08:00

On Friday, I met with the nursing school. I met with a counselor to go over my transcripts and see what else I need to take before I can apply. Since this is an accelerated one year program, they require a LOT of pre-reqs.

Here is what I still need:
Anatomy
Physiology
Microbio
Nutrition
Interpersonal Communication
Developmental Psych
Pharmacology
Pathophysiology

Now, I am very grateful that I went down the Podiatry path a few years ago because I took an english, a year of chem, and physics. For nursing, I need that year of chem & english.

I am also grateful I went down the MBA path because I need Statistics and I have that.

So the classes above are what I need. Oh and get this. I already have a 4.0 in pre-req science because I got A's in chemistry! How nice.

Ok so now we are looking at 2 classes per semester for 3 semester. Applying in Spring of 2010 for Fall of 2010 and then be in a 1 year program. I am signing up for classes on Dec 8th!!!

How we got here

2008-11-22T15:30:00.000-08:00

I have been in marketing for over 5 years now and have been struggling for 5 years now, on if this is the right career for me. I have always felt like I need a job where I can help people and never felt marketing did that. I have pacified this by working in marketing and volunteering but it's just not enough.

When I was in college, I wanted to be a doctor but science and math were so hard that I decided against it. After college, I realized I may want to be a MD again so I went to community college and took some classes. Then, I realized I didn't want to be in school for 4 more years + residency. Maybe nursing?

Nope, I thought - let's see if this marketing thing can work & prepare for an MBA. I took econ, stats, acctg, and the GMAT. I felt zero inspiration to go on with marketing.

Now, here we are again and I have had the revelation.....be a nurse. I can help people, make a difference, and feel like my job has meaning. I think this will be a flexible job that I can take to any state with hours that I can change when I have kids. This is a lifelong career. Marketing isn't, in my mind.

So, here we are. I've decided to apply to nursing school but have to take a LOT of classes before I can do so. I will be applying to an accelerated nursing program in 2010. I am about to sign up for 2 pre-req classes that will start in January. Right now, I am full of anticipation, nervousness, excitement, and also uncertainty about how I will work and go to school for the next year while keeping the classes a secret & acting interested in marketing...

And, so it begins.