Loss for words

I am at a loss for words to describe and explain a post that I certainly need to write.  Monday night was spent at Mom and Dad's house, enjoying the evening with much of the family at the annual Christmas family home evening.

On that night, Clarke quietly gave me a gift that has, to this very moment, still taken words from me.  There are moments, glimpses of Clarke, opportunities to see past the veneer of confidence, to a beautiful core, a thoughtful, generous spirit, that goes far beyond anything of which I am capable.  A desire to create large things for the benefit of other people, to use his abilities and influence to give and to touch.  I was awarded the opportunity to again see this guarded side of a generous brother on Monday evening and it brought me to tears.

Clarke, in his goodness and generosity, took my Christmas story "The First Tree of Christmas" and, spending many late nights, after hours, in the studio, produced and engineered a complete two hour, two disk audio book from it.  He arranged for a professional vocal actor to read the story with full and unique voices for each character.  I am overwhelmed and deeply grateful.  Words cannot express the thrill to have my words and thoughts come to life.  I was so touched at the thoughtfulness, the generosity, the planning and the time that it took to create this incredible memory for me.  I am very grateful for him and his kindness.  It will be a treasured gift for the rest of my life.  Thank you Clarke!

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Finals?

Up at the kitchen counter studying for finals today with clinicals tonight.  I am enjoying every minute, watching my youngest play with her new dollies.  I can't help but laugh at her expressions, her personality and her attitudes.  She is a source of joy for me.  Heidi is working so diligently in her newly allocated  office (Maddie's old bedroom)  I HATE the fact that she has to work.  It kills me.  I can't wait for her to be able to quit. 

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Continue....

I like Deborah's idea of a 50 lbs weight loss between now and April.  I will take the challenge too.  Unfortunately, if I lost 50 lbs, I would still be 30 lbs from my goal weight, but that is better than 80lbs.  I'm in!!

Today was school, school and more school.  Microbio lab was in the morning, experiments on how effective cleaners are on various bacteria.

Nursing class was over lunch,from 11 to 1.  We are preparing for yet another test on Thursday.  We went over cultural diversity and nursing.

Microbio lecture was 3 to 4:30.  Viruses..... structure, types...blah blah blah.

I have this weeks schedule for training at work in the hospital, one day shift and two graves.  Unfortunately the graves come right after a day of school and right before a day of clinicals.  It will be a marathon of 51 hours of work or school over a period of 60 hours.

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Transitions

I was offered and accepted the job at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center.  It is a Psych tech in the "Inpatient Psych Department."  I went over to the hospital and filled out the employment paperwork and deposited urine for the drug test.  I have all-day employment orientation on the 31st of October and clinical orientation on the 1st of November.
I didn't quit Parkway yet.  I gave them a two week notice that I would be going back to prn or "on-call"status starting the 31st.

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Job interview

Had a home health appointment this morning, he cracked and then gave me plum seeds so that I can grow plum trees. He gave me more hollyhock seeds, of various colors, to plant along the fence line.  He is also getting me three small bush cherry plants, normal cherries that grow up to six feet high in a bush form.  These will also go along the fence line somewhere.  These will all contribute to the growing privacy screen and most are edible.

Then class, microbiology lab, completely overwhelming, boring and incomprehensible.  Yuck.  Then off to change clothes and compete in a big group employment interview for a Psych Tech position at Utah Valley Regional Hospital.  We each had to stand up in front of the group of applicants and the six staff members and give a five minute presentation on a "How to do...." anything, my choice.  I taught the group five simple signs (sign language) candy, cookie, water, love,and thank you.  We then entered silly questions.  We find out this week who is chosen.

Then back to school for Microbiology lecture until 4:30and then home for dinner of Texas Platter with the family and two neighbor children that Heidi is babysitting through the end of the week.  Then to the bedroom to work on homework until I fall off to sleep.  I need to be up at 4:15AM so that I can shower and be off for work by 4:45AM.

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Wednesday

I am back on the rehab side of the facility as they have moved back to 12 hour shifts.  I have started class and am feeling panic about passing the classes, Microbiology and Nursing Fundamentals.  My clinical starts in about a week.

Cam tried out for the junior high golf team and made it!  Practices start tomorrow.
Brook won her primaries in class elections for class president.  Now for fliers and posters with a final election against the other finalist at the end of the week.

Heidi has taken on the dual parent role again for the fall, sending into the bedroom to study.  I feel extremely guilty about all the additional work and stress that I have inflicted on her.  She certainly deserves better than to be put through this.

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Open up and say ahhhh

I didn't have work today so I slept in and got up at 5:50 AM, walking gingerly down the stairs to wake up #1 for early morning Seminary.  I am getting old - I can hardly walk first thing in the morning. I creep and cringe and buckle and whimper.  It takes some warming up.  Heidi got up and started working while I got back in bed for a few minutes before I was to take #1 to school.  I woke up again at 7:23.  Both boys were already off to school.  Heidi drove #1 and #2 later went to the bus stop.  I am such a slacker.  I then showered (really well)  every nook and cranny - I had a physical exam scheduled this morning.  I went and completed a home health appointment and made it to the doctor in time to sing Moon River for the doctor.  I am in the process of getting 8 different shots (or series of shots) for school.  I start this next Tuesday with an intro to nursing class and a microbiology class and lab.  I happy to get it started.  I have been talking about this and contemplating this for years now.  Here goes!

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class is kapoot!

Grades came out today. Finals were Wednesday evening.  200 points possible on a final that was divided in half.  One half covered the final three chapters (digestion, urinary and reproduction) and the other half was a comprehensive review on the previous twelve chapters.  What fun.... right.

I received a 92% on the final exam and an overall percentage of 94.7% for the class which resulted in a score of an A.  The class percentage average was a 71.2%.  I am now between classes for three weeks.  I have much to do around the house (does anyone know how to fix a garage door?) and a number of things to complete before my nursing core classes start at the end of August.  (drug test, physical exam, vacinations, background check....)

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Breathing

Classes came and went today.  Inflated pig's lungs with a bicycle pump.... really cool!  Evening class was spent learning the in's and outs of internal and external respiration.  Tests on Monday and Wednesday.

My favorite part of the day has been sitting on Ashlyn's bedroom floor with my sweet wife while helping her deep clean the room.  I just enjoyed talking with her as we made piles of this or that to be sorted, thrown away or moved to other locations in the house.  I could use more of that in my life.  (the chatting with my wife, not the deep cleaning of the house)

My favorite part of yesterday was being in bed with my wife at 1:30 AM (hold your horses, you sick people) while watching the final three episodes of "24" season 3.  We get to watch and comment and declare what should be done and guess who will die back and forth across the pillows.  I can't wait to start season 4.  (a neighbor let us borrow the first 6 seasons)

I was accepted into Nursing school this week as most of you already know.  Thank you for your prayers, kind words and support.  I just learned that my lab partner was not accepted.  Ouch.... I felt bad for him.  This is twice now that he has been rejected.  It seemed from our conversations that we were fairly comparable in our applications and qualifications too.

The Lord is looking out for me.

I start my core nursing classes on Monday August 29th.  I will finish the program at the end of April, 2013.  I will have the opportunity to take the State boards to become an LPN in a year from now, August 2012, after my third semester.

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As mid terms approach...

A slight rehash of the previous post....

First lecture exam ..... 92%  
The class average was 65.9%, the high score for the class was 100%.

First lab exam ...... 58 out of 60. 
Class average of 53.

Second lecture exam .....  95%
Class average of 70.1%  high score is 96%

Second lab exam .....59 out of 60
Class average of 50.3

Mid term average of 95% for the class

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New Class....... new tests

Started my physiology class mid May.  Results of first lecture exam are in.   . . . 92%
The class average was 65.9%, the high score for the class was 100%.

Lab exam was next ...... 58 out of 60.  Class average of 53.

Second lecture exam was taken last Wednesday,  My score was  95% 
Class average of 70.1%  high score is 96%

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We move forward

The nursing application for the fall 2011 start has been submitted.  It was due by May 31st by 5:00 PM.  I submitted it on the 23rd.  All that is left is to get a good grade in this current class.....Human Physiology, a tall order to be sure.  Please pray that Aaron will understand what they are talking about and can regurgitate it onto the tests.

I completed and passed off my new First Aid and CPR certification for health professionals from the American Heart Association today.  Certified for two more years.  This card will allow me to start applying for jobs at the Hospital.

Brayden finished the school year with a bang.  He auditioned and was chosen to be in the High School Jazz Band.  In an end of the year awards assembly, he was chosen and awarded the "Hope of America" certificate along with a cash prize.  He was also called up, in front of the student body, four additional times.  Apparently, independent of one another, he was nominated by four department heads as their "Outstanding Student" for their department.  He took it all in stride as only he could, a suave, half smirk, "what?" attitude throughout.

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Grades are in

My final grade for Human Anatomy is an "A"

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Latest Exams for Human Anatomy

The latest exams were on (lab) Wednesday and (lecture)Thursday.

Lab exam score was 43 out of 50
Lecture exam score was 90 from 100

Averaging a 93.257% for the class going into the final on Thursday the 5th of May.
The final is comprehensive. . . . AURGHHHHHH!

I have been working full time day shifts since the beginning of April.  This has helped my ability to function.  I change work days in May to Tuesday, Thursday, Friday.

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Human Anatomy Tests update

3 exams to date
90% on the first
99% on the second
93% on the one just taken on Thursday.
so far so good.......

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Study study blah blah mush drool head hitting the desk huh?

Studying for a Human Anatomy exam tomorrow.  Heidi is incredible, as usual,and herds the children away from the bedroom, while taking on everything in the house so that I can do nothing but study, work, study study study sleep, study go to school, study, come up for air .......study. 

It is blurring in the mind.  Maybe I should start studying naked so that I have a 3D visual aid.  Pretty much guaranteeing that I won't be bothered or interrupted. 

Cranial nerves, the brain, the heart, the spinal cord, spinal nerves, the circulatory system, veins and arteries....blublublublu (for those not in the room with me, my index finger is positioned horizontally between my lips and being vibrated vertically while I hum and let my eyeballs rotate into my skull.)

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Stake Conference Weekend

I had a fairly uneventful night at the health center.  They have removed all of the long term residents who have, for whatever reason,  been living in rooms on the rehab hall and have moved them to rooms in any of the the three other "long term" halls. This has left the rehab hall thin, down to 8 residents.  The intention is to now have the room to refill the hall with new rehab patients which are more lucrative for the health center because of the rehab services billing component.  But in the interim, the hall is quiet with only a few residents with continual needs, many are fairly self sufficient.  I became extremely sleepy throughout the night and fell asleep twice while sitting there.  The transition between day person and graveyard worker has a toll on my body and mind.  I am living in a fog most of the time.  On Tuesday night, I am assigned to the neighboring "long term" hall.  This should be a much more hectic evening.

I enjoyed my two and a half days off this weekend and spent the time Saturday morning with #1 at a bass lesson.  Heidi and I were able to go to the adult session of stake conference together and then, using a 10 dollar gift card awarded to me by my work, took Heidi to Burger king, where we sat in our formal wear in an empty lobby, eating mediocre burgers and fries off the dollar menu.  I cherished the few minutes along with Heidi though and enjoyed myself.  We then wondered Walmart for a few minutes where we used up the remaining funds from a $200.00 Walmart gift card dropped off on our doorstep at Christmas to buy myself a pair of jeans.  Mine were confiscated from me when it was discovered by my wife that they no longer had any material in the crotch but had been replace by a gaping hole.  I felt that it was refreshing and airy but I was alone in this assessment.  The rest of the gift card had previously been used to purchase new plates and silverware for the kitchen.  We were down to less then a complete service for our family for a single sitting and were having to wash so that all could eat.

On Sunday, I took #1 to the youth session of conference at 8:00 AM, #2 is still recovering from "walking pneumonia" and a sinus infection.  It was a wonderful meeting and had great doughnuts for everyone at the doors as we left. (an apple fritter for me)  We then rushed home in time to leave with the family to the general session.  We were relegated to the overflow metal chairs on the wood floors of the cultural hall.  Heidi and I took turns taking #5 out into the overflow of the foyer and managing #4's minute attention span on and off the metal chairs.  At one point Heidi found me asleep in the foyer while holding #5.  I was covered in cereal crumbs from the bag from which I was feeding the baby.

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Funny?

I was working with a home health patient this last week.  I walked into his bedroom where he was sitting in his wheelchair with an open shipping envelope and documents spread across his bed.  On top of the envelope, spiral bound, was a document with his name, in bold, on the cover and a subtitle below the name that said something like ...my life so far....  or something to that extent.  I said, "oh, wow.... is this your autobiography?"  He looked up and with an indignant voice said "heaven's NO....  this is my life story.  I wrote it myself!"  Properly put in my place, I stifled a chuckle and went back out to the bathroom to clean his toilet.  He who cleans the toilet does not get to decide!

Sunday night I was called into a room to help a health center resident,  She had pushed the call light for me to come.   As I entered her room, I heard her singing softly but energetically to herself while laying in bed.  As I stepped more closely to her bed, I began to understand the words she was singing.  She was serenading me with "I am doing a BM in my pants... I think that I am doing a BM in my pants, I am doing a BM in my pants... I think that I am doing a BM in my pants."  Dad, I challenge you to write a jazz hook for that one!  Let that wake you up in the middle of the night, running through your thoughts, while you add a sax solo here or a counter melody there - I am doing a BM in my pants... I think that I am doing a BM in my pants!  Good luck.

Sweet dreams

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Yea - the weekend

Completion of a very full week!  My first full week of grave yard shifts (sun, tues, thurs) went smoothly.  A residents council told management that they thought that I was very good and kind as an aid.  Management then announced it to the entire aid staff in employee meeting ( I was at school and only heard about it from a few fellow aids)  I am wondering if management was trying to use it a motivational tool for some of the others since I am so new.  This is the second time that I have been pointed out in an employee meeting so far.  The first time was last month, where a resident pointed me out to management and they presented me with a thank you card from management with the resident's comments and a 5 dollar coupon for a coffee at a local coffee house.  I past on the coffee, giving it to another aid, if anyone wondered.  I wasn't there for that meeting either - school.

Speaking of school, I just went through my first two major exams, one for the lab and the other for the lecture. The exams were over five whole chapters of anatomical facts and information, completely overwhelming to try to retain.  The lab test was 25 questions long - name this or that on this bone or that bone, as indicated by the arrow.  The lecture exam was 50 questions, multiple choice and short answer.  I actually felt better about the lab exam.  But we will see after they are graded.  I know that I missed quite a few on both tests.  But now we move on to articulations (joints).

We had our 18th wedding anniversary on Friday.  Elizabeth sweetly remembered and posted congrats on my face book wall!  It was spent as any 18th wedding anniversary would be spent by broke parents of five.  Heidi had a very romantic evening planned of steaks from the Christmas cow and baked potatoes in candlelight for the family.  But as life so efficiently does, She had lots of work on the computer, I had worked graves so I was lazily asleep until after 1 in the afternoon, the kids were needing to go this way and that for school, #3 slipped at school and landed on her wrist which was badly swollen so Heidi spent most of the late afternoon at the doctor's office for an examination and xrays.  The doctor was sure that it was broken, with the swelling, pain and immovability, but xrays came back negative.  They diagnosed it as a bad sprain ad sent her home with a brace.  By this time it was after six at night. I started pancakes for the family dinner.  Two of #2's friends (brothers), whose parents had somewhere to be, were then dropped off to spend the evening here.  So #2 played with them downstairs with #1,  3 and 4 watched a movie in 4's room on the floor, and 5 went to bed.  Heidi had to work on the computer until 12:45 AM.  I studied articulations from the instructor's lecture notes.

Heidi's mom had kindly brought over a few groceries earlier that day (bananas, mini bagels, eggs......) and had included some "ben and Jerrys" ice cream and a red box movie for our anniversary.  We finally collapsed into bed about 12:45 and watched most of the movie while eating the ice cream in bed.  Heidi fell asleep on my shoulder at the end of a very long day.  Happy anniversary sweetheart!!!

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The wee hours of the morning - is that a call light?

I started the new month's schedule on Thursday at the health center - GRAVEYARDS!  6 pm to 6 am.  The first one went okay.  I was happy to get home to see the family.  I stayed up long enough to see the boys off to school and then I slept until 11:45 am.  Heidi fought valiantly to keep the girls from waking me up.  I didn't hear a thing.  My new schedule has me working three graves a week. 

I have my first major exams this next week.  One for the lab on Wednesday and another for the lecture on Thursday.  Lots of information to memorize, my brain finds it very interesting but not very retainable, a frustrating combination....oh.. my kingdom for Elizabeth's brain for a semester or two.  I have awakened on a few mornings with anatomical names floating in the soup that is my mind.  Or, I believe that it is soup, we haven't actually been able to examine the cadavers yet in lab, but I will check on it as soon as we do.

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Job shadow

#2 came to the health center this afternoon and job shadowed me for a few hours.  I enjoyed having him there.  I introduced him to all of the residents.  They had fun meeting him, Heidi and #5 as they dropped him off.

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Saturday off

They have cut my hours this weekend.  We have dropped in numbers of residents over the last week and now don't need the same number of aids on the floor so, as the on call aid, I was dropped from the schedule for Saturday and Sunday.  I still may be called in for another aid if they need to find someone. 

We made carmel popcorn last night and watched season 2, episode 1 of Greatest American Hero, (called "two hundred mile an hour fastball")  as a family in pjs and blankets on the family room couches after getting number 5 in bed.  After the episode, it was ten o'clock so we got the rest in bed and Heidi worked until nearly one in the morning.

Marleen sent home another pair of scrubs for me.  She has given me every pair I own, which is three: my dallas cowboys, a solid blue, and these new solid black ones.  They are very much appreciated and fit great.  She also sent food from Costco; yogurt, pretzels and other things for the kids lunches at school - very kind of her.

Heidi and I got away for a few minutes last night before dinner and went to Walmart, where we had a 25 dollar gift card received at Christmas from generous people.  We purchased a can opener and ping pong paddles.  The can opener is self explanatory and because our hand opener was becoming all but ineffective, (number 2 and I both cut our selves opening cans.)  The paddles were for my Saturday chore.  The RS president have a full size table tennis table that she need to get rid of a few months ago.  Another neighbor got in the first request for it but then discovered that it wouldn't fit in their basement.  They then gave it to us.  It has been folded up in the garage since the fall.  This morning I wheeled it out and with the help of Heidi and #'s 1 and 2, I took off the wheels and some of the base so that it would fit down the stairs.  We then hauled it down and put it back together.  We now have another free family activity filling up another corner of the basement.  Heidi and I have taken it for a spin.  It should be fun.

It is movie and dinner in our pjs over at Marleen's tonight.  She purchased that recent Disney horse racing movie and wants the grand kids to come and watch it together.  We are all going to put on pjs and make an evening of it with a yummy dinner before the movie of BBQ beef or pork sandwiches.

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Movin on

I was officially let go from Nebo Credit Union last Thursday.  They needed someone there more often than I could give. I was down to two afternoons a week.  The other three were busy at the Health Center.  At least for this month.  The new schedule comes out in a day or two for February.

So I am down to working as close to full time as I can for the Health Center, One patient for Health watch (home health) and school three days a week studying Human Anatomy.

I worked 2pm to 10 pm on Wednesday.  There was a resident that was scared that night.  I sat next to her while she clutched my hand for about fifteen minutes and I talked with her.  She said that she was scared of people and scared of dying.

Monday afternoon as I was helping a lady into a reclining chair in her room, she burst into tears and put her head on my shoulder and cried.  She was fearful that her doctor was going to tell her that her Parkinson's was getting worse.  She had an appointment that afternoon.  She found me later and called me over to her dinner table and told me about her appointment.  She was relieved that the doctor had answered her questions. But it didn't seem like better news to me.  He said that the Parkinson's is only slightly worse.  The trouble is that she is developing signs of Alzheimer's disease.  The  doctor has changed her meds.

One of the residents came to me and told me that I shouldn't have left her roommate out in the snow like that.  I told her that I had helped her roommate to a seat on the couch and not into the snow.  She went to look and came back to tell me not to worry, her roommate had made it back in from outside and was now sitting on the couch.  I expressed my relief.

One of the residents is a huge Louis L'Amour fan.  She brought one of her favorites for me to read on my breaks.  I have it in the cupboard by the Nurse's station and I try to read it on every break.  she will ask me every day where I am in the book and if I have gotten to this part or that.  She has more books waiting when I am done with this one.  She is only there at the Center during the day while her husband of 53 years is at work.  He then comes and picks her up to go home for dinner.

I was doodling in a napkin before a work meeting and afterwords I gave the doodles to one of the resident.  She told me days later that she has it pinned to her wall in her room and shows it to everyone who visits and says "See what Aaron can do!"  But I can't remember what I doodled.  She is a very sweet and extremely dignified woman, I was flattered.

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