School's In Session

School is back in session. What does this mean for my readers? Large lapses of time in between each post. Sorry :(

What does this mean for me? I'M ALMOST A NURSE!!!!!!!!

Well, it does mean that, but it also means several other things. It means my days have been consumed with sitting in a classroom with arctic temperatures as I try to comprehend oxygen dissociation curves, fetal heart monitoring, ventilators, MODS and a number of other very complicated (to me) things. It also means my afternoons are spent reading, rewriting my notes, reading, studying, reading, independent studies, reading.. and so on. It also means that my husband has to fight with my textbooks to get my attention. It means I cook maybe twice a week. It means we eat a lot of leftovers. It means a messy apartment, and for those of you who really REALLY know me, know I don't deal well with messiness. It makes me twitch almost go into convulsions. It means that my clinical shifts are now 12 hours long (I mean, I'm almost a big girl now).  It means that Diet Coke, even though I gave it up this summer, is once again my best friend. It means that I get really moody and snap at my best friend when she doesn't understand ABGs (sorry Ash, love you!) It means that relaxing is but a distant memory. It means that I will probably take way too much Tylenol PM to induce sleep/rest. It means that I'll get my exercise (since we pay 7Gs a semester to park in Egypt). It means that I'm beginning to lose my mind and forget everything else that goes along with nursing school.

But, looking on the bright side.. in just a mere 107 days (which includes weekends, breaks, etc.), I'll be walking across that stage (or whatever the heck it is) in Provine Chapel to be pinned and get that diploma! Yes, in approximately 3.5 months, all of this hard work over the past 231987348927342 days will pay off. I'll finally have LETTERS behind my name! I will finally be able to get a big girl job and Matthew and I can exit this season of our lives and move on to a new and exciting one! I'm so excited!

I hate that I won't be able to post as often, but now you all know why! Keep me, and my 33 other class mates, in your prayers as we finish the last piece of this long journey.

Xoxo.

(almost) Caitlin Gates, R.N., B.S.N.