Back to the grind

For those of you that do not talk to me as often I thought you should know that I am back in school. The semester began with NO lack of excitement as we were handed clinical requirements on Thursday that were due of Friday! Panic set in then I just started plugging away at making the appointments that I needed to make and it all fell together really well. Friday we had our clinical orientation and there are more guys in our group than I have ever had. It will be nice to have some to choose from when I need to turn a patient. I got my clinical rotations schedule and I start in CCU for the first 2 days and then on to ICU etc. These are high acuity patients who are messed up! It will be nice to be busy the entire time I am at clinical. I really hate dead time. So the lay of the course has been set and we have two case Studies to write on patients with multi system dysfunction. Along with that an oral report with a pathophys map explanation of how all systems lead to initial complaint and what the initial complaint caused in the three systems I am presenting. If you are confused do not feel alone. We all had a lost look on our face as the instructor was telling us and she got a good laugh out of it. Our course is nine weeks long with a test every two weeks and the first of the two case studies due in 3 weeks. My first case study that I did last semester was 32 pages long with lots of time out into it. Not looking forward to two of those in a nine week period. Oh well such is life.

Speaking of life I should fill you in on the rest of my family. Patrick is still plugging away at his job and loving it. He is still sent freelance t-shirt design jobs at least 1-2 times a month and that helps out. Tayler does not start school until the 28th so he has been very busy working around the house to earn points to spend. We have the kids on a point system that seems to be working very well. They have to earn points to spend on anything that they may want to do other than sit on the couch. Tayler is enjoying seeing his point total rise and has been daily asking me for more chores. I love that! My kitchen floor is getting swept every day, he hand washes all the dishes, cleans the bathroom, vacuums the house every day. We added behavior points into the system to help him learn that being respectful and helpful with a good attitude is essential to having priveledges too. It really has been nice. Jonathan is on the same type of system but it is tailored to his level. He is getting up and making his bed and even asking for more chores as well. He likes to sweep the concrete outside even if it is 7AM! Mommy is not done with her coffee and he has to acquire a skill of patience. That has been added to his behavior points. He started school last Monday and for the first time since he has been at this school he came home on Friday with a perfect behavior report. Not one check mark for the entire week!!! Well worth a bowl of ice cream I rewarded him with if you ask me. Emma is back at school as well. She can rattle off all of her friends names quite easily. She is getting so big it makes me sad!

We have also acquired a roommate within the last month. He is sharing a room with Jonathan because that was the only place he could fit. He has been quite a blessing to this household and I am thankful he is here. Patrick really likes having another guy in the house to be nerdy with. Believe me they are! I think it is great and since he works graveyard shift he takes care of our house and yard during the day and cooks dinner everyday. He also goes to the gym with me every morning and works me out HARD! I have lost 15 pounds and feel like I have way more energy. I am getting really spoiled! Honestly, I needed some extra help here with this semester starting. Patrick and I are very appreciative of him and his unexpected help.

Other than that I am still plugging away and look forward to this being over sooner than I ever thought it would be!