Nursing School Boyfriend, Ned.

Well hello everyone! Thanks for stopping in to read my blog this week. Things are real exciting on the home front here in Watertown.

Bella is... sleeping
Human Boyfriend is... sleeping
Rachel is... writing case studies, reading, stressing, not breathing, coveting sleep.

This is nothing new however. This is the life of the nursing student. Anyone who has ever been in nursing school will agree that unless you are living it, there is simply no way to describe to someone on the outside what it is like. So, I've decided truly the closest thing to compare it to is a serious relationship. So, I introduce you to... Nursing School Boyfriend aka Ned.

Ned <3


 I mean, nursing school really is  like committing to a long-term relationship with someone you barely know, devoting every waking hour to them, staying with them for 3 years and then deciding you are better off on your own. You will have learned from the experience, taking new knowledge and wisdom onto the next adventure. And you will be forever changed. But LORD is it a commitment.

Ned is driving me crazy! He takes ALL my time! Weekends, weekdays, nights, mornings...even my dreams! I finally get to sleep, and what do I dream about? PATIENTS! I even spoke to one in Spanish the other night... beat that!

Ned takes all  my money! I have spent a lot...let's just say 6 figures to endure such torture? And he makes me crazy! I find myself losing my balance for no good reason, drinking an obscene quantity of coffee, eating on the run, exercising too little and stressing too much.

Well, now that you mention it, I guess Ned does have some qualities to him. He has made me stronger than I ever imagined. I have endured more challenges, stresses and hurdles than I ever dreamed. He has made me wiser: filling me with the stories of countless patients, the experiences of veterans, the dreams of the dying. He has instilled in me the values of nursing: compassion, patience, honesty, open-mindedness.

So, call me crazy for personifying nursing school, calling him my boyfriend and naming him Ned. I guess he has really made me crack. But I sure am fond of who he has helped me become these days... I guess me and Ned should keep this thing going... at least for another 5 months :-P

Dreaming of Treats, forget Ned!



Happy Thanksgiving, and Thank YOU!

Hello, ya'll! Well, we've made it to that special time of year...winter! It is hard to believe that a short 3 months ago I was packing up my bag, buying my books and breathing deep in preparation for the new school year. Thanksgiving is in 2 days and 2013 is only a short 41 days away (but who's counting!). We've made it to that special time of year. Every time winter rolls around, I feel a bit torn. One part of me hates the winter. I miss that fresh, summer smell in the air, the sound of crickets at night and the feeling of the hot sun. On the other, I LOVE the winter: a true Boston girl to the bone. The brisk, crisp air and those beautiful sunrises... the snow really is gorgeous. Either way, it's here so we might as well embrace it!

Every thanksgiving, I get a bit overwhelmed when I reflect on that famous question: what am I thankful for? When truly taking a moment to answer this honestly, here are some things that come to mind:

My family. My boyfriend. My friends. My puppy! My health. My future. A roof over my head, clothes on my back. My two legs, two arms, two eyes and two ears. The freedom to speak, to think, to be what I want to be. To be able to travel, to acheive my goals. To vote. To determine my own destiny. To be independent. For my car, my apartment, my cell phone. For the challenges and setbacks that have made me stronger. For the qualities I have that make me who I am.

I am also thankful for YOU! Yes, you. We may have never met, but, in some way by reading my blog, you and I are indeed connected and have a relationship. While I may not know the ins and outs of your psyche, you sure as heck know mine after all this time. So thank you for allowing me into your life, and I hope to one day to allow you into mine!

Clinical goes on (224 hours and counting!), the studying goes on (finals a mere 3 weeks away), and time goes on.

May you have a wonderful Thanksgiving full of all the things, people and food you love!

Until next time,
Rachel

Bella the Burrito

Happy Halloween!... wait, what?

Okay, so I end up saying this every single year, yet every single year I seem surprised...

Where did the time go?! 

Like, are you serious? It is November 14th? Thanksgiving is next week? Finals are 3 weeks away? I am one semester from graduating? Wow, I have never said that before! But boy have I wanted to for 3 long years.

They say the grass is greener on the other side. Lately, I have found that adage to be more true than ever. Take me, for instance. Two short years ago, I was a first year in the GM program. I remember freaking out. How am I going to go at this pace, with this work load for THREE YEARS? How will my boyfriend stay with me? How will I maintain my friendships? How will I not gain a billion pounds? How will I take care of my pup? And here we are... in the blink of an eye it's year 3. Where did the time go!

Back then, I told myself, "All I want is to get to next year. It'll be better then." So then, when I got to year 2, I said to myself, "Ugh. What was I thinking? All I want to do is go back to year 1. It was so much easier then!" So you can only guess what will happen next year. I have spent all my time wanting to move forward, forward, forward, and chances are, once I graduate from Regis, I will find myself saying a variation of the following things:

-Wow, I never  thought I'd say this, but I miss school.
-Oh my goodness, these loan bills will never end.
-I am so afraid to be practicing without the supervision of my preceptor.

- Where did all the time go?

So, the grass will be greener here, where I stand today, not where I will be standing in 6 short months. So, to you nursing students out there slaving away at your work, wanting to zoom forward or go back, I recommend that you do the opposite...stand still. Accept the reality of where you are for what it is, and know, from someone that has been there, that the future will be worse in some ways and better in some ways, but all we can do is walk the path. Hang in there, take one day/week at a time, and in no time at all, you will be done with this phase. I hate to admit it, but I know once I am done at Regis I will miss it... even the crazy, neverending work. Somethings we won't be able to return to. So try to be in the moment and make the most of it. The grass may look greener on the other side, but maybe you just didn't notice how green it is where you stand.

ZzZzZzZz. Dreaming of Rachel's graduation... more time for ME!

Tempted!

So, I am SO tempted to hop on my soapbox and tell you who I think you should vote for. How I fear the future of this country is heading in the wrong direction if the candidate I am voting for doesn't win. BUT- this mystery is the beautiful of this country. I don't have to tell you who I think you should vote for, nor should I tell you who I am voting for. Instead, I am telling you the one sure thing that cannot be argued by anyone on either side of the aisle:

TOMORROW, NOVEMBER 6TH, YOU NEED TO GET OUT AND VOTE!

I am fortunate to have this be the 3rd presidential election I will be voting in (I know I am aging myself!) Everytime I go to the polls, I feel a unique sense of empowerment and unity when walking into that voting room. It is amazing to look into the eyes of women and men, old and young, Black and White, left and right who feel the same sense of responsibility, who care enough about their country too to take 10 minutes out of their day. Instead of running to Starbucks before class, instead of playing Xbox, instead of taking a nap.... GO TO THE POLLS AND VOTE TOMORROW.

Sometimes getting the opportunity to vote comes with some confusion. Still to this day, every year I wonder if I am registered. Hopefully this will answer some common questions. Firstly, if you have voted in any election before, whether it be state or federal, you are automatically registered to vote this year. If you have never voted before and did not register to vote in October, unfortunately, you will not be able to vote. A great idea would be to take the opportunity to register for the next election tomorrow! Another common question is regarding where you go to vote. If you have not moved since the last election, you go vote at the same location unless you have been notified of any other change. If you don't know where to vote, you can visit http://www.wheredoivotema.com/bal/MyElectionInfo.aspx and enter in your home address.

In addition to voting for state senator and president, there are 3 ballot initiatives you will be able to vote for! Firstly, there is the Right to Repair initiative, which would make it easier for you to get your car repaired at any shop that you choose. Secondly, is the Physician-Assisted Suicide initiative, which would give an option to terminally ill patients to have the right to end their life with a lethal dose of medication. Thirdly, is the legalization of medical marijuana in the treatment of some chronic, painfull illnesses like cancer, MS and Crohn's disease. For more detailed information on these initiatives, you can visit http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/2012_ballot_measures.

I know this blog isn't the most exciting, fun or intriguing of them all, but I think it just may be the most important. You have the right to vote: a right that thousands of men, women and children have DIED for. We have the right AND the responsibility to have a say in what goes on in our lives. Get out there and do your part tomorrow, and may the best man win.

Bella for President!