good morning....this is today

I really love mornings.  I would much rather get up early and have to function than stay up all night.  The house is quiet this morning with S and N gone to help my brother work on his house.  S and I already went through a pot of coffee and I don't want to make a full pot just for me, so I am drinking this roasted chicory and barley drink.

It sounds kind of gross, but it really is good.  Too bad it is caffeine free...but it is something nice, nutty and warm and I can make one cup at a time.

This morning I am taking a test over blood values in Advanced Physio.

Normal WBC-7000-10000 cells/um
Normal Female Hemocrit-42% +/- 5% and male 47% +/- 5%
Normal erythrocyte count female 4.2-5.4 million cells/um and male 4.5-6.2 million cells/um
etc...etc...

Never Let Monkeys Eat Bananas-
Neutrophils - 50%-70%
Lymphocytes - 20-40%
Monocytes-1-6%
Eosinophils-1-5%
Basophils-0-1%

The ones I am having trouble with are the mean corpuscular hemoglobin, MCV and O2 carrying capacity.  The number values I have memorized.  It is the units of measurement that make no sense to me.  In O2 carrying capacity, the normal is 16-25 ml O2 per dL .  ml just seems wrong, so I am having trouble envisioning it, thus having trouble remembering it. 

This is a bonus quiz.  After this last test (84/100), I am hovering right at about 92%, so hopefully I can get a few points here and bump it up.  We'll see.

One thing that I would love to vent about is the way that some of my classmates compare grades.  I don't run around shouting my grades and never ask anyone else what they scored because it is none of my business.  In this AP class I am taking, it is just like when I was in high school.  One of my classmates happened to be standing right next to me when I was reading my score on the first exam (96/100) and since then he has made it a point to bring me up in conversation with other students how hard they have to work and how easy it is for me.  It really ticks me off.
1. It is not easy for me-I study constantly
2. Grow up.  Stop picking on me
3. Stop being concerned about everybody's grades and focus on your own grades

It is like high school all over again.  I graduated HS at 16 and was always made fun of.  I was picked on so much that I was never proud of the fact that I was a good student.  They would call me "Doogie Howser."

At the time, it really bothered me.  Now...15 years later, it just annoys the crap out of me.

I work really hard for my grades and I am proud of it!

totally fascinated...it must be right

I sometimes wonder why I am so interested in nursing.  Where did that come from?  I believe deeply in God's plan and can only imagine it comes from that special plan for me.  The other day I was able to do chest compressions on a patient that unfortunately did not make it.  I (surprisingly) was able to disconnect completely from the emotional aspects of a lost life and was able to focus (with much fascination) on the medical aspects of death-the signs of death...foggy eyes, settling blood.  I am truly fascinated.  With my first application in and my second soon to be turned in, clinicals are right around the corner and I am on cloud 9.  I told my husband that I will seriously go into a deep depression and cry for days weeks months if I am not accepted to one of the programs. I pray before each and every test.  I ask God to be with me as I take the test and say, "God, if you want me to be a nurse, help me during this exam.  Clear my mind.  Help me find the right answers."  I thank Him when I have been successful.  Thus far, I have been very successful.  Thank you, God!  I am a little anxious to find out how I did on my AP midterm, but what is...is.  I had my exam Saturday morning.  This was after entertaining my family in an after-funeral party for my dear great-uncle Friday night.  We had a great time catching up and I was tired and hungover for the exam.  Not the best shape...to say the least.  Hoping for the best.

Cranial Nerve Mnemonic (Gus Halwani)

one down, one to go

Micro midterm is over and I got my A. I am so pumped and relieved one of the tests is done.  Now I can focus on Physiology. My poor kid is so sick of me studying!!!!!

running a mental marathon

Do you ever feel like your head just might explode due to the amount of information that you are trying to cram into it?  Add to it the pressure and stress and my head just might pop off and roll out the door.

I am frantically studying for my two midterms (tip-frantic studying is not effective).  Micro...I am getting there.  I printed off an encyclopedia of study questions and have been reviewing the "few" (42) short video clips that go along with the chapters.  On a positive note...though there are a bagillion videos...they are helpful because I am a visual learner.  The exam covers viruses, microbial nutrition, microbial genetics and genetic engineering.  Microbial genetics was rough and is still pretty foggy in my head.  Viruses and genetic engineering were actually pretty interesting and pretty straight forward.  I need to take the exam by Monday, but I think I might take it today so that I can focus on studying for my Physio exam that is on Saturday.  That one is even crazier!  Nerve plexus routes...damage to the plexus...what happens? How do wee see?  How do we hear?  Which way do you have to be spinning in a vertical axis for depolarization to occur within the hair cells of the ear?  What happens when you stop spinning?  What happens if you have a tumor in the optic channel?  What field of vision is effected?  What happens if the spinal cord at level T5 is completely severed on right side?  I am learning an extraordinary amount of information...all valid...all interesting.  I just somehow wish it was in a more relaxed pace...oh well.

More important than either of these exams is being there for family.  My great uncle passed away and family is coming into town for the showing and funeral which are this Thursday and Friday.  I want to be able to spend as much quality time with them as I can as we don't see each other often.  I work best under stress and deadlines...so all these things at once are a blessing in disguise.  I will survive and come out on the other side wiser, stronger, and probably exhausted and relieved.

I sent my application to the ABSN program last night.  I realized that I am going to have to register for summer school classes required for this program and start to take them before I even know if I have been accepted to the program....real nice!  So, I might spent $2000 for fun...for the fun of Statistics and Life Span Development.  My husband assisted me in convincing myself to take the TEAS again.  It is only $40 and 4 hours of my life and not worth the risk of nonacceptance to the ASN program for a few points (that is provided I can improve my score that much!)  I plan on registering to take it over spring break...which I think is next week?  Or 2 weeks?  I need a week or so to prepare...

So, in order to relax a bit, I tickle and play with my son.  Laugh and act goofy.  Turn the music up loud while cooking.  And breathe in breathe out.  Good luck everyone with midterms!!!!!