Yes, I'm THAT guy.

Second week of nursing school behind me as of today. I've been insanely busy as Oda Momma and Oda Mae can tell you. I am averaging around 7 hrs a day studying (outside of class time), and I'm only slightly behind. I've been playing gigs as well these two weeks. I'm out of town now until late Saturday evening. The good thing is that I don't have any rehearsals until 7 tomorrow night. That gives me the entire day to try and get caught up. After two weeks of somewhat intense study I can say now that I am really enjoying what I am doing. The new information that I am learning is incredibly refreshing and is truly fascinating to me. With all that said, I'm 99.9% sure that I have made a good decision with my career change. However, there are some things I'll have to work on....

For example: Foley Catheters.

I show up to clinical at 7am this morning. Today we began the day watching some skills videos. Last week we watched videos on safe patient handling and infection control. Today, we ended the week with "Elimination Needs". Yes, it is exactly what you think it is. Now, if you know me, you know that I really like to watch all of those surgery shows when they show the inside of the skull, autopsy's, guts...you get the idea. I'm generally not too squeamish. You have to imagine though a fairly small computer lab (about 25 stations) filled with 40 nursing students and 2-5 faculty members. It's pretty cozy. Of course the heat is on because it's winter. Things get kind of warm. So I'm setting in the back surrounded by my peers when we get to the video, "Removing Indwelling Catheters". A 3 minute video that lasted about 2 1/2 minutes too long for me. These videos are produced for nursing students using real nurses and "patients" who apparently are REALLY desperate actors. Yep they do it for real, people. I was doing okay until they actually removed the tubing from the male patient. The next thing I remember are 39 student nurses and 5 faculty nurses fanning me and asking me if I hurt my head when I fell out of my chair onto the floor. Fainting. Blackout. Syncope. Unconsciousness. What ever you want to call it. I am pleased to announce to the readers of The Famfare that I will forever be known as "that guy who fainted during the elimination videos".

Yes, I'm fine.

On a more lively note. Oda Mae had the opportunity to go to school today in her PJ's for Pajama/Pancake day. She ate 4 pancakes, 2 slices of ham, lots of grapes and some apple slices. Oh, to be four years old again.

Time to go desensitize myself to various issues concerning "Elimination Needs".

-OD (Student Nurse)

My Last 48 Hours

Alas, the time has finally come. I have about 48 more hours left as a free man. I plan on spending them with my family. Today is my nephew's birthday and we're going to my sister's house for some good food. Last night Oda Momma and I sent Oda Mae to her Aunt Sis' house early so we could go see a movie. We went to the only $1 movie left in town and saw "2012". If you're into disaster movies, this one is worth about what we paid for it. ($4.00 total) Glad we didn't see it at the regular theater.

Today I've got to finish one more chapter for clinicals on Tuesday and read through the student handbook. I originally had big plans for Oda Mae and I tomorrow. We were going to the library and the museum, BUT the library is closed for MLK and there is no free parking for the museum in Cowtown, because of, well....cows. The Ft. Worth Stock Show and Rodeo have taken over the arts district for the next couple of weeks. We're gonna have to find something to do tomorrow. STAT!

Speaking of "stat", I got my stethoscope in the mail on Friday. Yes, I played with it! and No, I don't know what I'm doing. Yet.

Note to family.....I WILL be practicing on all of you when we get together the next time, so just prepare for it!

That is all for now.

DV

-Oda Daddy

2010

Whoa!!!! Only 8 blog posts in 2009. Is there anybody still here? Guess I've been busy. Facebook kind of took over, but there's not much substance there. Here I can complain and it doesn't matter who I offend. :)

Let's see.....since July..........

I got into nursing school and I start in two weeks. Did anyone here know I was going into nursing? Yeah, that happened sometime last year.
Oda Mae starts going to parents day out four days a week. (She starts kindergarten next fall...talk about scary)
We've been combating sickness around here for about two months (or longer).
My sister is an official cancer survivor!!!! Yea Sis!
We are almost debt free!!!
Got the Christmas lights up this year.
Got to take them down now...bummer.
Lost about 40 lbs in 2009
Gained 10 lbs during the holidays.
Gonna lose about 20-25 more starting today.

Well, that's it for now. Promise I'll be back before this summer.

-OD