sunday night update

A lot of exciting stuff going on this week!

Tomorrow I am meeting up for lunch with a baby I primaried at work and his Momma and brother! I am so excited to them! I sent him home at the end of June and have only seen him once since.  I love him!

That evening, I am meeting up with the Group Fitness Manager at my gym to go over employment! I already applied and she just wants to go over a few things.  I am also teaching tomorrow after that! I am team teaching with another instructor so that the manager can see me in action.  I haven't been up on stage since the beginning of June so I am a little nervous. Ok, a lot nervous.  Especially since she will be watching me. I'm not in my mode like I was when I taught for 2 weeks in a row.  Wish me luck!

Work is still crazy.  We hit 75 babies on Friday and there are no signs of slowing down too much anytime soon.  It's nice to have the option of working overtime...it has really helped to pay for most everything we've bought for our house with cash and not having to use a credit card.  It's hard work but it pays off!

On Thursday, our countertops are supposed to be installed.  It feels like its been forever! It will be a little over 3 weeks since we installed our cabinets that we've been without counters.  I really hope it all goes as planned and they come in Thursday.  It's my only day off for them to come!

Thursday AKA my Saturday this week

What a gorgeous day to be off work!  After working the past 3 days in a row, I was more than ecstatic to get to enjoy the sunshine today.

I got all the laundry finished this morning, cleaned the kitchen, and started running my errands.  I made a trip to Pottery Barn first-I have a gift card from some super sweet parents of a baby I took care of in the NICU.  Speaking of that, I really miss them! It was so nice to have a baby at work that I knew I always would have.  I love him so much and I love his family. I am excited to watch him grow :) I digress...Pottery Barn is an awesome store.  I've only looked through the magazines, but never to a store.  Everything is beautiful and I want it all, but it is very expensive.  Even though they were having sales and I had a gift card, I had a hard time spending that much money. I think I need a shopping buddy to go back with me and help me :).

After Pottery Barn, I went over to Bed Bath & Beyond to try and pick out a rug for our dining room.  Our dining room is hardwood and I want to put a rug under our dining room table so it doesn't scratch the floor. I want to get the rug before we move in so we don't risk putting the table on the wood.  I ran a few more errands and then made my way to the pool! I only have a few more weeks of being able to use this pool, so I need to take advantage of it.  It was beautiful out today.  I was so relaxed at the pool.  So relaxed that I woke myself up snoring at least 4 times.  Unfortunately there were quite a few people at the pool so I am sure at least someone heard me.  Oh well.

I came back and took Jax on another long walk and then brought him back in to do tricks with him.  Matt and I are teaching him to "hide".  He puts his head down when we say it, but we are trying to get him to cover up on face with his paw.  We are getting there! He learns so quickly.  I went to BodyPump tonight at the Keystone gym.  I got to go to the class with my favorite instructor, go to an earlier time than at my gym, and to see the gym before we move since that one will now be the closed by a mile or 2.

I was so excited to learn that Matt was on his way home while I was making dinner.  I started dinner pretty late hoping I'd catch him.  I made a chicken taco cornbread casserole.  It was delicious! It was SO nice to get to finally eat a dinner at the dining room table with my husband.  It has been forever since we have done that.  Probably even months.  With our work schedules it's impossible to eat dinner at a decent time together.  We could on weekends that I am off, but our weekends have been spent at the new house lately.  I just love him.

Tomorrow I am heading up to Lafayette to see Ashley and Madi! I haven't seen them since Madi was 2 days old.  She is now a month old! Time is flying.  She is the sweetest baby girl. I can't wait to spend the afternoon with them!

I work this holiday weekend-Saturday, Sunday, and Monday so today was my Saturday! Good thing I love who I work with :)

moving along

Things are still moving along with the house.  We are scheduled to close on Tuesday! I thought I'd be more antsy, but work has been keeping me busy and my mind off of it.  I'd be driving myself crazy if I didn't have work to distract me.  

We are heading up to Michigan City this weekend to be with family.  Memorial Day weekend up at the lake has become a great tradition.  Beach bonfires, cookouts, family...I love being up there.  Sometimes I miss living there, I loved being a walk away from the beach.  I am ready for some Redamak's, Oink's ice cream, and sand between my toes.

Jax officially loves the bank. Like I said in the last post, we ran through the drive through to deposit a check last week and the sweet lady sent back 2 treats for him.  I had to run there today to get our check for closing and the minute I pulled in, he got all excited.  I had to actually go in this time so he was probably going crazy in the car.  The lady recognized me and gave me a treat for him this time too.  I think I've started something...

I wish Matt would hurry and get home.  I hate that he gets home so late from work.  Even though I work every 3rd weekend, I still look forward to weekends like I work a M-F job.  Probably just because that is when Matt is home, but it's a bummer when it's my weekend to work.  I'm already ready to have a job with no weekends or holidays...good luck with that :).

 I am starting to feel like I need to plan something for this summer or plan a trip sometime soon. A friend at work is sending me her summer bucket list.  I decided I need something specific to look forward to now that I am working so much overtime...a light at the end of the tunnel I guess.  One good thing about Matt's job switch is that he is able to do things in the summer now, so I need to hop on the planning.

Here are some pictures as of lately...

My boys

Ashley's baby shower! Baby Hill will be here SO soon!!

A sneak peek of our backyard :)

Morning walk

Matt snapped this of Jax sleeping right in my neck...I obviously didn't mind.

Ok so this post was just a bunch of random nonsense...but it's an update I guess :)

hiding

I feel like I have been hiding from blogging! I haven't meant to of course, I just haven't had a chance to actually SIT and blog.

We have been slammed at work.  We have 70-some babies right now.  That is a lot of babies.  Our acuity is also pretty high...lots of tiny, sick babes. A lot of babies= nurses working overtime.  I have picked up at least one extra 12 hour shift every week for about a month now so I have been doing 4 shifts instead of the normal 3.  I think I need to cool it for a week or two...it is really starting to wear me out. BUT we are still in need of extra nurses, so it looks like I will be working overtime for at least the next 3 weeks (I am already on the schedule for those extra days).  If our census stays the way it is now it is going to be a busy, busy spring/summer.

This is totally random, but I can't stop thinking about this.  Jax loves those rawhide bones.  I mean LOVES them.  This dog can lay and chew on one of those for hours.  Tonight, I noticed him chewing on something and went over to see.  I had about 3 seconds to see it was a piece of his bone, and then 2 seconds later it was gone.  He swallowed that whole piece.  Now my mind goes into panic mode.  Is he going to have a bowel obstruction?  It makes matters worse when I called Matt freaking out and he says, "You know those things swell in his stomach right?".  I don't know if that's true or if he was just messing with me; either way, I am panicking. I googled signs and symptoms and here's a piece of advice-if this happens to you and your dog DO NOT google "bowel obstruction rawhide bone".   If you had any question that it will happen, after reading these websites I am on full-alert.  I know I am being neurotic. I am too obsessed with this dog.

Update on BodyPump-I can officially start my team teaching after May 14th.  That is when my gym launches the new release that I was trained on. Every 3 months, Les Mills has a new release that comes out with new music and choreography that you learn and then "launch"it to your gym.  It's a pretty big deal...no one is allowed to do any songs from the new release until it is launched (hence why I can't team teach until after it's launched).  I've sent my schedule to the manager and I am just waiting on scheduling my days.  The next step is filming.  I have to teach a class on my own and videotape it, send it in, and then get critiqued on like a million little things to see if I pass. You should see the checklist of stuff we have to do during teaching in order to pass...it's intense.  My film is due by July 3rd, but I plan on getting it done ASAP.  

What else do we have going on?

House hunting, pre-approval getting, etc, etc...

Never a dull moment! :)

-almost a big girl-

I have one more shift of level 3/4 orientation and then I am on my own.  

Woah! Seriously? Like you mean I'll be trained to the highest level of our NICU?  I can care for any baby? Woah.

(link here to see my post from the beginning of 3/4 orientation)

I am excited.  But obviously nerrrrvvvvoussss.  I feel as ready as I'll ever be.  Bring it on!

I have had some really awesome orientation days.  I have had some pretty amazing preceptors who taught me A LOT.  I have found my own way of organizing and doing things.  Yes, I have felt overwhelmed, but that's a good thing.  I have seen some of the craziest and most interesting cases/assignments on our unit and I feel like my orientation was perfectly well-rounded.  I have had nurses tell me I have seen/done things they haven't done themselves in their 3+ years in the unit.

 I love learning.  Sometimes, I listen in on the docs teaching the residents and hold back my smile when I can answer a question the resident can't.  I know I'll continue to learn and grow everyday and I am so happy about that.

The best advice came from another nurse today:

"Take the most complex/sickest baby you can your first day off orientation...have a nurse close by that you trust and know that there is always someone there to help and ask questions."

love. my. job.

learning...NICU-style

I love my job.  I know I have said and will say it 100 trillion more times how much I truly love this job.  Matt has told me it makes him happy to hear me say it and to tell his friends and family how much I am loving it.

I love my co-workers.  They are the best group of girls in the world.  There is always someone there to learn from, laugh with, and talk to while feeding a babe.  There are so many nurses that I look up to, and aspire to be like. Their skill and compassion amaze me.  At times when we are so slammed and busy, but we work together to get everything done. Sometimes I stop what I am doing and look around and realize how cool it is to be there and to be doing what we are doing.  Seeing the hands of one of us in the isolette of a 1 lb. baby taking special care to things others would completely disregard like the noise and the control of temperature.  Or going on a delivery, never knowing how the baby will come out, and seeing our team work together to help them transition.  I used to watch this kind of stuff on TV thinking there was no way I could ever do that, but I am. We are so blessed to have such amazing doctors a part of our team.  They really trust the nurse's instinct and that feels so good. I am just so lucky.

I was nervous when I accepted the position because I had a couple nursing friends tell me it was not a good idea to specialize in nursing so soon.  Try out med-surg, even peds why don't you? Well, guess what? I think I made the absolute best decision for me.  I learn so much. Every single day. And I can't imagine working on any other unit.  I love my patients, I love their families, and I love the difference we are making in their lives.  We are saving their babies and giving those tiny miracles the opportunity to live healthy lives.  

I love making memories for families.  Introducing them to their new baby and explaining what we are doing to help them. I don't know why, but it's the dads that get me every time.  Once they get teary-eyed, so do I.  I love when they are so eager to just be looking at their new baby.  My favorite is when we go on a delivery and the dad sees the baby for the first time and says, "Can I touch her?".  Why sure! :)   I have yet to "primary" a baby which means you sign up to have this baby every time you work.  You get to know the baby like the back of your hand and their family comes to know you as their nurse.  

I am currently orienting to level 3/4 which includes the babies on mechanical ventilators, high-frequency ventilators (oscillators and jet vents), drips (for cardiac and blood pressure medications, insulin, sedation, pain medication), venous and arterial lines, and so on.  Basically the tiniest, most complex, and sickest babies.  There are kids with heart defects, GI defects, multiple anomalies, chromosomal syndromes, babies needing to go to surgery, and babies the size of your hand.  I learn so much from the nurses I am paired with.  When I am done with this orientation, I will be fully trained in the NICU.  I can take on any baby, no matter how small or sick or how many medication drips they may be on.  Scary.  But exciting :) 

Limited Wardrobe

I have realized that my wardrobe lately has been quite limited/embarrassing/lazy.  It consists of:

1. Scrubs...scrubs...and more scrubs

2. Workout clothes

3. Pajamas

WOW that is pathetic. Lately, on my days off I have really enjoyed not having too much to do, so I like to spend the day at the house and then fit in a workout somewhere in there. Hey, at least I make it to the gym on my off days. I will go days without putting on a pair of jeans. Speaking of that, the last time I put on jeans was last Friday when we went to Costco.  Today is my errand day, so luckily I will feel like real human who got herself dressed for a few hours. 

Poor Matt.  It is a good thing I have a loving husband who doesn't care what the heck I have on.  I was talking to a friend last night about how he sees me at my most unattractive times (when I just don't feel like drying my hair, putting on makeup, or changing out of my super comfy sweatpants).  I would never let anyone else see me quite like this, but with Matt I don't even think twice.  That way, when I put on jeans and actually do my hair, he can say, "Wow, you look great!" Thanks, I didn't have to try toooo hard :).  Gotta love him!

I think I need a good scrub shopping trip.  Since that is my main source of attire, I should really go buy some new and fun tops.  That is next on my list.

Happy Wednesday

Today is my last day of 3 I have had off from work! It has been fantastic! Monday I got up early to go to the gym and get it out of the way so I could be in the house all day.  Sometimes I just love being inside the house all day, whether I am just sitting around or doing housework.  I did our 6 loads of laundry (how many loads am I going to have to do once we have kids?!) and did a little cleaning.  Matt started a new job on Monday so I spent as much time with him as I could.  I am going to have to get used to him working and not being my house husband!  That night, we went over to Tiffany and Ryan's and they made an awesome dinner for us and Ryan and Katelyn.  We have been trying to get together with all of us since we moved to Indy, so it was awesome to finally be able to!  

Tuesday I went up to Lafayette to have lunch and run errands with my mom.  Then, we met my mother-in-law, and Matt's 2 cousins at Harry's to watch the men's basketball game.  Traci and Tonya both live down south so we don't get to see them very often.  I was so happy I had the day off so I could spend some time with them! Then we all went to the Purdue Women's game.  I hadn't been to a Women's game since my mom and I had season tickets when I was in high school.  I love Purdue sports! I was planning on staying the night up there so I could hang out more with the girls, but I had to come home to be with the pup while Matt worked.

Today, we started out the morning by taking Matt to the doctor. Matt's previous job did not provide him with health insurance so I haven't been able to make him go to doctor in about 2-3 years now.  I was SO excited when I could finally add him to my insurance through work.  I really wanted him to get a full physical and for them to keep an eye on his heart since his father passed away at a young age from an aortic aneurysm.  I think being a nurse is tough sometimes because of all the "health stuff" I have learned...it'd be easier if I was oblivious to what can happen.  

Then, I went to bodypump and came home to relax at home again.  I know I should be running errands or vacuuming, but I would rather sit here with Jax on my lap and catch up on my DVR shows :).  Tonight, Lauren is coming over!  What a great Wednesday!

A NICU Reunion Wedding!

This past weekend, we went to my friend Jenn's wedding! I've never been to a winter wedding, but it was beautiful! She was a gorgeous bride and all the details of her wedding were right on for a winter themed wedding.  It was awesome to get all the NICU girls together at a function outside of work (and other than Sunday night McAlister's which is always way fun!).  We had a blast!

Blythe, Joy, and Amber-the next to be married!

With the hubs....exactly 3 months after our wedding!

The 3 preggo ladies...all due within a month of each other!

NICU family with the beautiful bride!

ADORABLE!

Dancing fools

Love you girls

New friends :)

Love you Jenn!

BROOKIE! She was my amazing preceptor when I started as an RN. LOVE her :)

3 in a row? NBD!

WOW I am beyond exhausted from my 3 in row! I normally don't work 3 shifts in a row, but when I do they kick my butt!  Here is just another example of how cool it is to have my job...

I can work three long 12+ hour shifts that take everything out of me, but I am still SO excited to see a big group of my fabulous co-workers again tomorrow at Jenn's wedding!  I just love 'em! My babies were super sweet too :).

I thought that today (being my 3rd) I would be so tired and burnt out, BUT it was just the opposite.  We had a free coffee bar from 7-10 am and I got myself a nice (FREE) latte'!  I commonly brag to Matt about how no matter how tired I am at work, I have not gotten a coffee (our hospital has a coffee bar with Starbuck's products...give me some credit people!) or a pop since I started as an RN!  Well, today I did.  And boy I didn't know what I have been missing out on!  I have gone so long without caffeine that my little dose of espresso sent me over the edge today.  I was so hyper and jolly ALL day (with a little tachycardia and jitteriness mixed in there).  I don't know if I stopped talking at all today.  I'd say I was pretty efficient. Luckily, everyone else was on a caffeine high so I fit right in.  So thank you free coffee bar!

I had great assignments the past 3 days and I didn't even mind going on 3 deliveries and then admitting a kid today. I am a little brain dead at the moment and left Matt to clean up after dinner so I could come wrap up in 3 blankets on the couch.  

See you all tomorrow and congratulations Jenn!

Monday is the new Saturday

In the NICU all of the RNs are scheduled to work every third weekend.  I wish we didn't have to, but it could be worse.  I knew that in being a nurse I was signing up for a crazy schedule including weekends and holidays. 

One good thing about working weekends is that there is normally a different kind of atmosphere in the unit.  It is normally (not this weekend!) a little slower than during the week and you work with the same group of girls on your weekend so we are all kind of in it together. The docs also bring us in Panera bagels on weekends to make it a little sweeter :).  The absolute best part about working weekends is McAlister's Sunday nights.  After a long weekend of work, a big group of us head to McAlister's Deli after work on Sunday night and have dinner and gab.  Even though we have been together all weekend, it is still so awesome to get together and hang out even more. I love my co-workers!

I worked Saturday and Sunday and am off today (Monday) and Tuesday so today is actually like my Saturday! It was freezing cold out today, so I spent most of it on the couch snuggled in a blanket (Jax on my lap of course) catching up on my DVR shows.  I managed to fit in bodypump and a little laundry and cleaning, but that's about it.

Tonight we are going out to dinner with our friends Ryan and Tiffany to Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant! Tiffany recommended that we all go there and we are so excited! 

Yay for sleeping in tomorrow! 

Weekdays Off

One thing I love about working three 12 hour shifts a week is that I am off at least 2 days during the week. Don't get me wrong, I wish I had every weekend off since this is when most of our friends have off work, but it is really nice to get errands done when most people are at work and the stores aren't busy.  Lately, my days off have consisted of getting laundry done, running errands, cleaning the house, and a whole lot of this...

It's so nice having Matt home since it's his off-season from work.  He actually does a lot of the housework while I am at work so I really don't have much stuff to do at home when I have days off.  I am SO thankful that he does that.  That gives us more time to just be lazy together with the puppy :).

The agenda for today is meeting up with a friend from nursing school for lunch and then a little Christmas shopping.  Later on I am going to the gym with my BFF Lauren which is always way more fun than going by myself.  Sounds like a pretty good Tuesday to me :).  Have a good day everyone!

Thankful

I can't believe Thanksgiving is this week! This year just flew by.  Here are just a few things (of many) I was/am thankful for today.

1. Having a job. A job I actually love.
2. Our team leader for the day on 3rd floor...2 bad IV's at both shift changes would have been much worse without her help :)
3. End of my shift. I was so ready to go home and relax tonight.
4. Walking in the house after a long day and having a plate of spaghetti and garlic bread (and a smiling husband) waiting on me.
5. Random late night snack courtesy of Matt (hard boiled egg and a bowl of orange sherbet...so random)
6. Jax's cuddling and cuteness.
7. Getting to spend time with my family in 3 days!