Surviving the Scut Work

2006-03-27T12:34:00.000+08:00

oh yeah... oh yeah... oh yeah...

We made it dude! We've finally graduated. weeeehaaaa!!!
i'm so overwhelmed right now, i can't type as much. lol!
we're going to the beach sometime this week too. oh yeah oh yeah oh yeah!
i'll try to upload some pics and vids. hehehehe

Board Exam.. here we come.
*GULP!*

2006-03-22T23:07:00.000+08:00

Yes!!! Praise God!!!

I have finally completed 5 major and 5 minor scrub requirements for graduation. I'm too high right now... from excitement, that is. lol!
I'm going to get myself cleared tomorrow.

Lambda Batch 2006 is finally marching on the 26th. weehaa!

And we're getting pinned on the 24th too. I can finally sleep in peace. I've been bunking in the operating room the past few yet looong days. It feels weird even to be finally sleeping at home tonight... aaand it feels good to actually brush my teeth at our sink at home. lol.

Off to bed...

Nighty-night everyone!

2006-03-08T15:31:00.000+08:00

I Can't Wait to March to the Tune of "Pomp and Circumstance"

Wow. If this blog appears dead or laxed for the past few weeks.. yikes... everything going on "off-blog" is pure chaos. Not war-chaos... but pre-graduation chaotic. Hmmm... I have two case studies to "finish" this afternoon. MUST FINISH... this afternoon.

The lobby by the faculty room in school is jam-packed every single day. From dawn till dusk. You can actually smell AND identify the shampoo on the hair of the person in front of you. That's how tight the lobby is. So it's like you'd rather not take a bath in the morning, just so you could 'repel' everyone else, and get yourself a cute pathway for you to get to the secretary's glass window.

*Sigh*

I need to tend to my paper.

And savor the ability to wave my hands in the air like THIS, without hitting some guy's nose or some girl's balloons.

It's not over yet. It will be like this until that glorious day when we get to wear that coveted toga and toss our caps into the air. Wooohoooo!!! *Root Root*

Till then, it's the battleground for us. But I'm risking to take that shower though. LOL!

Oh what I would give to doze off like this little guy right here...
Oh man...

2006-02-28T15:47:00.000+08:00

39 Pounds of Love

Excerpt from the official site:

39 Pounds of Love is the inspirational and humorous non-fiction account of a remarkable man and a remarkable journey.
Ami Ankilewitz was diagnosed with an extremely rare and often fatal form of SMA/2 that severely limits his physical growth and movement yet at 34 years of age, he continues to outlive a doctor's prediction of life expectancy by 28 years. And counting.

Ami, who weighs only 39 pounds, works in Israel as a 3D animator and creates his art despite the fact that his bodily motion is limited to a single finger on his left hand and in doing so, continues to redefine notions of a "limited" life.
The film follows Ami's journey in search of the doctor who predicted his early demise. Along his journey, Ami attempts to come to terms with another major incident from his past and to complete a lifelong dream: To finally ride a Harley Davidson.

39 Pounds of Love is an emotional roller coaster, a fascinating, humorous and truly inspirational ride through life with someone who embodies the very term, Carpe Diem (Seize the day).

Official Site

SMA Site

2006-02-18T11:09:00.000+08:00

Save as Draft

I had a good three-paragraph pre-published entry before this. But as soon as I typed in the very last word, the computer froze! Guess what that word was! ... "Bummer!" Ack!!! I'm itching to type that single word a hundred times over in this post. What can I say? "Save as Draft" is there for a reason... click it, love it, use it!!! @(*&#(*$&( ^%$!!!

*sigh*

Anyway, what I wanted to say yesterday was that I passed the revalida!!! weeeeehaaaaa!!! ;D I couldn't believe it either. Shucks.... *batting lashes* Praise the One above!

I developed a major headache the moment I stepped out of that freakin' test chamber. Talk about stress.

But it's far from over. We still have our pre-boards next week, and about thirty or so more days to complete our requirements for graduation. As of now... I will savor this day of doing nothing. It's weird though. Instead of spending the day in complete requiescence, every now and then I'm like, "Wasn't I scheduled for duty today? Wasn't I supposed to pass my paper this afternoon? Did Miss Clinical Instructor want to see me today?... blah blah blah..."
It's ridiculous. And just when you finally GET IT... that you are or HAVE been, in fact, FREE the whole day... it's bedtime, and classes resume tomorrow. Ack...

Never again! When they say today is a holiday... then it IS a holiday. Or is it really???

Huhuhuhuhuhuhu! My last post is gone forever!!!

And in tribute to it... allow me to say...

"BUMMER!!!"

2006-02-15T18:56:00.000+08:00

the day of reckoning is tomorrow!!! waaaah!!! i hope i can pass the revalida. *shiver*

2006-02-10T09:36:00.000+08:00

A Therapeutic Regimen

LOL! i'm laughing so hard i look like i'm on acid. At review class we were practicing filling up the admission forms for the licensure examination. *sigh* If only we get to practice the actual test before taking it. Dude, I'm so up for that.

Everyone was like... serious... dead serious.

Clinical Teacher: Okay, so you're gonna need three 2x2 IDs, and one 1x1.

(beat)

Close-up. Not the whole body.

Of course she meant it as a joke. But as simple as it was, we were all cracking up the moment the words made its way into our cortex.

Awesome. If you feel like getting high. Forget meth, forget heroin, forget LSDs. If you have a few bucks to spare, go to a comedy bar. Rent a movie, hard-core comedy. If you're "pocket-lite"... find someone you can do knock-knock jokes with or beg someone to tickle your feet, be creative. Just laugh! It's the drug of choice. It's most of the time legal.

Government warning: Ad nauseum laughter may effectuate a black eye or an impoundment in a psych ward.

On three....

1....

2....

3....

(when alone)BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!!!!!!!

(at midnight)*CHUCKLE!!!!*

(in a public cafe)*open ms notepad.. type LOOOOOOLLLLL!!!!*

(in the library)*innocent cough*

*Best results when you hyperoxygenate yourself before and after the laughing spree.

Breathe in, breathe out. Fix your hair, massage facial muscles...

You're okay. ;D

2006-02-08T22:51:00.000+08:00

LaLa Land, Here I Come!!! zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz............

I cannot stay awake! brrrr.... *slaps own face until petechiae appear* I remember vaguely someone saying something (or is my brain making it up?) about how hypersomnia ... can be a form of a coping mechanism (a defective one I believe). The cause may be depression, anxiety, or even (probably the researcher's favorite)... idiopathic. Apparently for me, it only happens when I'm reading 'em school books. I can't help it, I simply doze off. Sometimes, my mind simply goes mush!
"... percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty is indicated for individuals with single-vessel... *image of burger and fries, then a german cheesefrank, a half-woody wood pecker and Conan O'brien dude and... my high school soccer field???!!!*" And that's when my eyes refocus and I'm staring into my textbook. No progress. After minutes that seem like eons, I am still stuck in paragraph one.
It wasn't this BAD before. Maybe I'm just freakin' out way too much. I bet everyone in our batch is. Revalida and the pre-board are on Monday next week. We feel like we know nothing. Yep. We are so dead.

What I'm trying to get at is that the sleeping-while-studying has got to stop! Oh, Lordy, save my soul!

Hmmmm... I guess "2am" on my wall clock is a good candidate for a predisposing factor, huh?

*Nursing Intervention: Encourage adequate rest periods.

Amen to that!

Nighty all!

2006-01-27T17:49:00.000+08:00

And The Torch Keeps Burning...

I had an awesome shift last night. Not just me, but for my patients as well. Two of them were discharged (improved, i believe) just yesterday. So, last night, I had a new one. 60 year old male for an ultrasound in the morning. You know, although it's not such a big, scary order, I still have a hard time having to inform patients they're on NPO for 8 hours. No food of any kind, not crumbs, not candy, not even sips of water. Usually that's what they try to negotiate with you for... those sips of water, yet there's no other way but for you to say, "I'm sorry sir... but not even that..." It's hard.. considering their throats must feel like sandpaper, especially with airconditioning they can't 'regulate' yet they'd rather have turned on anyway than drown in sweat.

Oh yeah, one not-so-awesome event was an encounter with a medical intern on his way to one of my patient's room. Unfortunately, since I was on my way there too, I get to share in his fear.

The encounter... (around 2 am)
Intern: Hi! Are you going this way, miss? (gesturing to my wing)
Unfortunate me: Yes. To room 261.
Intern: Oh! Good. We'll go together.
U.M.: Sure. Why not.

walking...
Intern: Sorry I had to ask. It's just that I get really uncomfortable walking alone in these corridors. *nervous chuckle*
U.M.: *confident chuckle* Nah... it's not that bad around here... (boy, was I CLUELESS!)
Intern: *an even more nervous chuckle* I was being followed here once (referring to a ghost,yes, a ghost). I felt someone behind me. It was an eerie feeling, but decided to risk a glance back anyway. I saw her for a few seconds and then she disappeared.

the look on my face! *gasp*... now, this wasn't about being gullible, coz the guy was freakin' S-C-A-R-E-D!
U.M.: Really? *no chuckle* (intern nods slowly and his face was like, "uh-hmmm... share in my dread, miss..."
Intern: *a forever nervous chuckle* So, that's why I never want to walk alone in this place...
U.M.: Why, now that you mention it... I wouldn't either...

~cut~

Aaaargh! Talk about torture. I had to drag my classmate, as chicken as me, with me to my patient's room to retrieve the pulmo-aid. Lookin' back, we must've looked weird, backs against each other, scanning the corridor, laughing nervously.

Although the night turned into one of those 'days'. When work came as if on fast drip.

All of this makes me look back on the four years we've been as student nurses. The endless mental harrassment and physical drain... Lots of times you fantasize about just quitting and finding some other career path to take. You just want to raise your fist in the air in defiance, screaming, "No more!!!" You could toss your cap on the floor for emphasis, but damn, you could never go THAT far. You snap back to earth, and you see these big puppy-looking eyes staring up at you as you hold the face mask over your 4 month old preemie patient. You can't help but smile and say, "Hey lil guy, we're gonna help you to get better, huh?" And he makes this cute gurgling noise and yawns. You let him grasp your pinkie and everything makes sense again.

So what if we get sleepless nights and mini heart attacks every now and then, with all those tests... and requirements that never seem to end... we are gonna graduate. We'll make it. What's four torturous years compared to the rest of your life in service for those in need? When we feel like tossing in the towel, remember your first patient, remember what you're there for. It's all about them.
So guys, keep the fire burning!

Make Florence proud!

2006-01-25T17:41:00.000+08:00

Motown Is My Drug...

Oldies (Motown) 500 mg IV every hour RTC

Twist and Shout
- The Isley Brothers

I'm A Soul Man
- Sam and Dave

Ain't Too Proud To Beg
- The Temptations

2006-01-25T15:33:00.000+08:00

Sit and Talk

Congratulate me! Last night, I didn't succumb to ANY of the opportune moments of sleep. I felt atypically energized. It was unfortunate I couldn't put my "high" to maximum use. The AM shift gets to give most of the medications, feedings, etc... Not that I crave to give medications all the time! Just figured I had more than enough stamina to do that last night. The irony of it all. When you're hyped, it's total peace in the medical ward. When you're barely awake, it's a circus.
About 4 hours after the shift started though, my brain raged its frustration and disappointment by shocking me with a sudden heaviness in my lids... then I yawned. yow! I shrugged the grogginess off (amazingly) easily. It's official, this war between me and my brain. Although, we need to kiss and make up soon and learn to work together for the board exam!

Other stuff that happened...

I helped a friend today with IV rounds computation. It was a different approach to teaching it though. lol. I drew a clock and scribbled the figures around it. It might take longer, but it paid off, she understands the formula by heart (i believe) now. That's one of my principles in life... if there are some stuff you just don't get... DRAW 'EM, you'd get a clearer picture ;)

My staff nurse was awesome. So efficient, effective, and FAST! So skilled, you'd think she's been around for years. I learn later on it's only been 5 months. Wow, do people learn that MUCH in such a short period of time? Or are some people just naturally gifted? I hope I've got a decent dose of that.. damn, I hope I do!
We talked and talked, about all sorts a things. This was of course during the "sit back and relax" point on the clock, time between 3-4 am, just before we scurried off to our patients' rooms to take the vital signs and I & O, give meds, collect specimens, and the rest...
She told me about her board exam experience. About how suicidal the whole thing was. They had all of their six sections take the exam at the same time. The results were released on June 23, ON HER BIRTHDAY FOR CRYIN' OUT LOUD! Talk about nausea and vomiting! Her parents were like bugging her on why she was on her cellphone and landline practically the whole day. They asked if the results were out, and every time, she'd be like, "Nope, not yet..."
She finally learned she passed the freakin' test at exactly 12 MN! An awesome late birthday present from God! AWESOME! So the three of them (parents and her), had a happy June 23rd ending, tears of joy and everything. Man, if i were in her shoes at that very moment, I'd probably puke in relief!!!!! Imagine all that tension you've been put through! I'd SCREEEAAM like heck!!!! I wish I'd have passed the board already.
She also mentioned about how she doesn't want to be a nurse like forever. She wants to have a business of her own. but sister, you'd make an EXCELLENT NURSE! You could still do business on the side, you know. Wish I told her that.
She, like a coupla staff nurses I know, plan to resign to review for the "other" exams . They say it's pretty tough to juggle work and review classes at the same time. There'd be scant time left for rest and recreation. Anywho, whatever path she chooses, I wish her all the best. Again, it's awesome to know that there are nurses as cool as her. Good inspiration to us SNs.

What can I say, a lot had transpired last night. I'd love to write about them all.. (Oooo, if i could just get them on video)... but the freakin' pain on my shoulders is too much! Every inch of movement hurts sooo bad. So, it's bye bye for now.

'Til my next post!

2006-01-24T20:28:00.000+08:00

I'm back!
Well, actually I was about an hour ago. Had a hearty dinner of veggies, rice, and several chocolate wafers on the side. ;)
The review class was okay. We had Sir Alcazar on GCS, and Mdme. Alvar on Acute Biologic Crisis. But she talked mostly about ethical principles, and nothing in-depth on critical conditions. I wish she delved more on those though. Her occasional "good ole days" stories helped me a little bit divert my attention from my joint pains. And my muscles hurt like hell! Good timing, huh? The 'exercise' yesterday was a complete mistake. It's been a long time since my body has been accustomed to any form of "healthy" exercise. All that's been exercising the past months is my mouth! (chew chew!)

I think I'm running a slight fever. God...I hope I can make it through tonight's shift. *groan!*

2006-01-24T15:13:00.000+08:00

oh yeah... nuthin' like good ole motown music to perk up your mornings.. uhhh... afternoons for me. i think i've mentioned in my previous post i'm doing nights this week. And aside from the fact that my bioclock's refusal to readjust itself is pissing me off... I'm actually starting to feel my brain numbing into standstill. I might as well just savor this moment of listening to "Ain't to Proud to Beg" by The Temptations. Take whatever brain-stimulating wonders it has to offer. HAHAHA! I just farted! The look on my my mom's face. lol! She has her mask on (had her 3rd chemo session yesterday)... and the gas went right past it. i love my mama!

oh crap.. I need to shower. I've a review class at 4. doy....

2006-01-22T18:48:00.000+08:00

Wooo! I am still alive, thank you very much.
Take note though, that a lot... and I mean A LOT has happened within the time gap between this post and the previous. I will blog about them all soon.
In two hours I'll be in the hospital. Night shift (staffing) for me this time. Yep. It's back to the scut work. Nothing wrong with that. I actually miss knocking on the patients' doors, and doing what it is that nurses actually do. I am a bit anxious though. It's been four weeks maybe, since I've last done staff work. Well... it's about time to do the "physical" stuff. I need to lose the "baby fat" I've grown the past few weeks. Really. Wish me luck! And hope I don't make any stupid mistakes. May my eyes be sharp enough to find every important detail on those charts. May I survive this shift. A toast to all the patients. May they be discharged and dispo-ed "improved" soon!

2006-01-13T18:19:00.000+08:00

Need for Sleep...

We got off at around 7:00 am from the night shift (10pm-6am). The endorsement takes really long, sometimes even more than an hour. But today was different in a way. Why? Because we got to endorse four patients each. Wooohooo! So much for a three-week headnursing finale for me and my duty mate. The temporary head rush of that responsibility managed to keep us from falling asleep and drooling in front of the fresh and fragrant am shiftees. The grogginess hit the hardest when we were "trying" to take the elavator down. We were laughing at some stupid joke, at the same time trying to figure out why the hell it wouldn't close. A minute passed (which is too long for a hospital elevator to stay open), and it still wouldn't. Just then, my friend roared with amusement. She was pressing button for the same floor the whole time! Holy crap, we doubled over, it's surprising my jaw didn't snap.

Ohhh man... the aftermath of a week straight of nights.

2006-01-13T14:18:00.000+08:00

Still groggy...

A pat on my back! I made it through the 3-week headnursing rotation. We did all three shifts. My last week were nights. And today I am officially recuperating from my post-nights bioclock status. I learned pretty much from the whole experience. Oh yeah, and you can actually fall asleep while your eyes are open. A teacher told us once about this study on rats who were sleep-deprived for three days... they died. So, warning to all students out there, if you feel like you're hitting your 3rd sleepless (unless that IS exactly what you're AIMING for..hehe), spare yourself a 5-minute nap. That will probably buy you some time.
I am awed by the world of the employed. Were these guys really students once? Man, I feel like I've only learned 0.9% of what I'm supposed to have learned by now. *shiver!*
Another scary gossip... they are revising the whole board exam. It is no longer integrated. So this time, it's one booklet for med-surg, another for MCN.. you get the picture. Oh, crap. I bet the faculty are squirming this very minute. They've dodged to many of our review nights. And now the fact is hitting them dead on their faces... we, the graduates, are simply knowledge-deprived. Oh ho ho! Their asses are so gonna be kicked, when, God forbid, our batch will hit the bottom of the rank list.
Everyone is dead nervous.

I hope it's true what the books say, that mild anxiety can actually help one to do better, like study for example... I hope it holds true for us anyway. Because so far, when under pressure, all we guys do is eat twice as much.

2006-01-12T19:47:00.000+08:00

Every blog deserves an intro of some sort. I'ma settlin for a rain check on this one.