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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