Timing

This is my favorite song at the moment, and it reminds me that no matter how tough things seem to be at any given moment, God always has a plan.

I haven't posted in a week, because there have been a lot of things going on, and we finally got some answers this week in our goal to helping Myka. We all had such a hard week last week, and had a big scare over the weekend, then this week I started my new job orientation/training which makes a full week on top of school. And dang it if it seems like it is one thing after the other for us lately.

So Monday night on my way home from my first day of orientation for my job, I miss a turn and have to drive WAY out of my way home. THEN about 2 miles from home "POP" - I hear that lovely sound while I am driving and the next thing I know my tire light is on so I pull over into the nearest gas station and sure enough...that sucker is flat as can be. So while I am waiting for Josh to come rescue me, I throw my head back on my seat and just cry. And then this song comes on the radio station.

Wow! This is one of my favorite songs, and I first heard it on the Christian station WayFM and everytime I hear it, I know that no matter what, even if the world is falling apart, we'll be found in Jesus and he'll be standing when nothing else is. So I truly think it wasn't just a coincidence that this song came on at that very moment....

I'll go into more detail later about the recent events, but I am so tired. I just want to go to bed! But say a prayer for us if you can. Love you all!

Cancer sucks....but I learned a lot today

Today was our first clinical day of this semester, Adult I/Med Surg I (our 2nd out of 4 semesters). I am at a different hospital this semester than I was last semester. Our assigned unit is a cancer unit but we also get general med surg patients too.

I learned today that cancer is a nasty disease. Not that I didn't already know that, but to see the effects and learn more about them was a little depressing for me. Makes me wonder why people have to get cancer. I have thought for the last six months or so about the possibility of going into pediatric oncology after school. I know it would be incredibly hard, but at the same time I like oncology because I feel like I would make a big difference in the lives of the patients. Not that a nurse doesn't make an impact in the lives of any patient, but that's where my heart tends to be tugging me at the moment. But I know that may change as I finish out school.... But I was a little bummed tonight thinking about cancer, and how any one of us can get it. Scary.

I did, on the bright side, have a great learning experience. Not only did I become more aware of the specifics of the type of cancer I was working with, but I also got to see a few procedures done. Our clinical instructor was great in getting us all to observe a PICC line insertion. Basically a IV line that goes through the upper arm into a vein and to the heart area. We all got to observe this and it was a cool experience to see a new (to me) procedure being done. Then another student and I went down to radiology and got to watch a chest tube insertion procedure. Again, it was a great learning experience, and everyone there the nurse, radiology tech, dr, etc were all great and explained a lot to us.

It made for a great day, where I really felt like I got to take good care of a patient, make a difference (even if small), and got to learn a lot and see some new stuff too. Already this semester I feel more confident in what I am doing, but still have so much to learn.

In a few weeks I get to do an OR rotation which I am totally excited about, and then in March I get to do a rotation in a specialty unit for the day. So I think this will be a good semester of learning experiences!

Not such a good fishing day...

So today we got out on the boat after months of not going fishing. Myka got a ton of fishing gear for Christmas: his own Columbia fishing shirts, his own tackle box, and lots of "stuff" to go inside the tackle box. This entire past week Josh was painting some type of rubber paint stuff on the seats of the John boat so that it isn't so hot and not as slippery. So all week we were all looking forward to going out.

We decided to try a new place, down south of Fort Myers beach, called Lover's Key. I caught a sheephead 1/2 inch too small to keep, and Josh caught a great snook (his favorite) that was 2 inches shy of the 24" keep mark, but it's not even Snook "season" until March, so we couldn't have kept him anyhow. And then.... that was it! NOT even a bite other than those two. Myka didn't catch a thing, but that also may have been related to the periodic bouts of boredom and impatience....

So kind of a bummer fishing day but the weather was awesome - 70's all day IN JANUARY! Here's a pic of Josh and the snook - the catch of the day for sure.

Body of Evidence

Body of Evidence by Patricia Cornwell

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
I am breezing right through these books. I decided to go back to the beginning of the series and read them all the way through. So I finished Body of Evidence a few nights ago (only to pick up the third book the next day). Again, another great novel from Patricia Cornwell. I don't think there is much more to say other than all of the Kay Scarpetta novels are a good read, and suspenseful. This was involved a bit more from a psychological standpoint which was interesting. So if I were to be in the field of forensics, I would want to be just like Dr. Scarpetta!


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Bring it up to date...

Ok. So, lets see what's gone on in the Massing household since September when I last updated. Whew. Lots really. So I'll go chronologically.... as best I can remember. Since I have lots of pics to share, I'll use some cool slideshows to save space!

October:
The three of us went "hiking" at the Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve here in town. It was actually pretty cool - and we did get to see lots of neat things including several gators (baby ones too) and snakes. That's when that trusty zoom lens comes in handy. Then of course we had the normal Halloween festivities - Myka was a "army guy" and our annual pumpkin carving produced a Pirate pumpkin for Myka, and a ghost one for Josh. Then, I love the pics included below of Myka out in the yard catching butterflies. It's hard to see the butterflies in the pics but there are TONS of yellow ones all over!

Myka started Tiger Cubs back at the beginning of the school year and he LOVES it (not sure who is enjoying it more, Josh or Myka??) He's earned several beads, beltloops, badges and such. It's a great thing for the two of them to do together. We've done some cool activities like the Space Derby (had to build a rocket that would launch using rubber bands along a line), Cub/Parent camping trip, BB Gun shooting, and Woodworking project. They also have some cool things coming up where they'll go to a Radio station, and then next month a police station or something similar. In December, Josh and Myka planned the December activities for an Outdoors theme, and they planned leaf rubbing cards to deliver to Nursing home residents, and a trip to the Preserve where they learned from a guide about how animals adapt to the florida ecosystem. Pretty cool, so these are some pics from recent activities (there's quite a few).

Also in October Myka did his belt test is Tae Kwan Do to test for his yellow belt! He did awesome! I was so proud of him. It was such a big accomplishment for him. Unfortunately I lost most of my pics, my Josh's dad took some, I just don't have them on my computer.

November:
We had a great time going to Albany, GA for Thanksgiving to visit Grandma & Grandpa Harris, and the Harris family in Macon, GA too! I love seeing family and even though it was a short trip, we really had a great time! My uncle Mike and his wife Vienna litterally built their house themselves, and it is beautiful! Thats where we had Thanksgiving dinner, the food was fantastic!

December:
Whew! I finally finished my second semester of Nursing School and thankfully got all A's (praise the Lord!). I got a month's break before I just started my thrid semester this week. In December I also was able to get a PRN student nurse position at the hospital, will be about 1 or 2 days a week (8 hr shifts) and will be a good experience while in school, but not too much pressure. I do want to keep my grades up, and I know this semester will be even more challenging. But I had fantastic professors and I really learned so much. I just want the next 3 semester to go by quickly...

Myka got a two week break and our Christmas was pretty good, we even slept in a LOT (some days Myka and I slept in past 10am!). Josh's sister Jenn, & her boyfriend Ivan were here, so we had a houseful but it was great! Santa made a special appearance a few days before Christmas, and then he lost a bell off his suit right on our roof Christmas Eve! We spent Christmas morning here with Josh's family, then headed over to Mom's for Christmas dinner.

For Christmas, Myka really wanted this HUGE Hans Solo Star Wars ship. We had been telling him for a few months that it was very expensive, and we didn't think Mommy & Daddy would be able to get it. He even got teary eyed on Santa's lap about it this year (broke my heart!) but the good man pulled through and Myka was so excited to see that on Christmas Day!

It was hard to get back in the routine this week though, back to reality... So here it is, first week of January has come and gone. I start my full schedule of classes next week (Advanced Pharmacology, Adult I, and Mental Health in Nursing). I have two days of classes, one day of clinicals each week. Then I start my new job here in a few weeks so pray for me that I don't loose my sanity. Myka is back in the swing of school, and Josh's business is starting to pick up a bit. So from here on out, I'll try to keep posting regularly!

Dang it!

Well, one of my New Years resolutions is slipping. I vowed to BLOG more regularly, starting right after the New Year and wouldn't ya know, a darn week has already gone by!

I actually have lots to catch up on since I last posted... what like September, maybe? So I'm working on the pics now. And then will update on Myka, his school, my school, Josh, and the new job. So ... stay tuned. If there really is anyone out there that reads this...

;)

Book review

Postmortem by Patricia Cornwell

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have read several Patricia Cornwell books in years past, but it's been awhile. I love all the Kay Scarpetta novels, and with the new one just released, I decided I wanted to go back to the beginning and read them all...again. So I started with the first book in the series, Postmortem. I don't recall if I read this one before or not. It was, as with all the Scarpetta books, very good. The killer wasnt who you believed it was once you were far enough along to make your own theory. It was suspenseful and even made me lay awake at night wondering if all our windows were locked!



I love the forensic aspect tied in with great story lines. If you like good murder/mystery/suspence novels then start with this one and read the entire series. I now starting on the second one, Body of Evidence.


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