This Wednesday I celebrate my birthday, I’ll be one year below the big 5-0.  I’m not sure how I feel about that, I suppose I have a whole year to be freaked out about it. It’s kind of cool in a way. For the most part I’ve enjoyed my 40’s, don’t get me wrong it was a tumultuous decade for my family and me. Depression, anxiety, Thomas going to residential school, me going back to work first part time, then temporary full time the finally full time permanent with the DOE. Everyone always says everything happens for a reason and it sounds so cliche but it is so so true!  I wouldn’t be where I am job wise or even personal-wise if it weren’t for everything God put me through these past 9 years. He was with me every step of the way even when I couldn’t feel His presence, I have faith that He was with me and continues to be.

Its funny,  I had a very difficult time turning 30. I think I cried the whole day, big baby, lol. Now I’m a stone’s throw from 50 and I think it’s going to be ok…I say that now haha.

Work is great, I still love where I am. We’ve had some changes in the nurses I work with but all is well. The kids had a half day yesterday but we had to stay the whole day until 3. It was ok, I would have rather gone home at noon of course but we did a little decorating for spring and  straightened up a few things. So the time went by relatively quick. The kids at work are so good. One of the classrooms was turned into a commercial kitchen and the students learn how to clean, chop, prepare food, it’s so cool. They sell lunches 4 days a week and I’ll usually order lunch that many days. The students come around to all the rooms asking if anyone wants a smoothie or lunch, they are so good!  And the lunches are great. I’m so glad to be a part of my school. I’m so thankful The Lord placed me there. I can’t imagine the original plan of me working at a school in Manhattan. I know I would’ve gotten used to the commute but being a 15 minute drive away is unbelievable. I do wonder what the other school would’ve been like. I can’t imagine it being better than where I am now. I really like my principal she’s easy to talk to and very approachable. I remember one of the schools I trained at in Harlem. The nurse and the principal did not get along and there was a terrible tension between them. I can’t imagine working like that.

God is in control and He doesn’t make mistakes.

 

 

My friend died. Her name is Sheryl and is probably, next to my mom one of the most caring, wonderful, walk with God woman I’ve ever had the pleasure of calling “friend”. We first met one summer about 8 years ago  when I decided to join a summer bible atudy hosted by Sheryl and her wonderful husband, Pastor Larry. I of course took quick notice of Sheryl’s striking summer purse. It was such a pretty bag I had to say something. Sheryl laughed a bit when I complimented her and we quickly learned we were quite alike in our appreciation of purses and bags, oh and shoes. Pastor Larry would often joke that Sheryl and I would be holding a purse advice session soon when we were together.

But she was more than that. Sheryl was the type of Christian I could hope to be. She was kind and completely non judge mental and  had a heart so big especially for those with special needs as well as a fellow parent of a special needs child. Before Thomas went to residential school 6 years ago I was a complete mess. Sheryl would call out of the blue and let me know she was up very early that  morning and prayed for me before she went back to sleep. How wonderful is that! And thoughtful, so very thoughtful. And incredible. Sheryl knew the true meaning of friendship and lived it out loud. She understood what it was like to be a mom of a special needs child but she was far from a know it all. She was such a great friend to have. I feel like I can’t stress that enough about her.

I will miss her so much.

I leave for work pretty early to make sure I get a “good” parking space. The neighborhood my school is in isn’t the greatest so I like to make sure I’m not walking too far to my car after I get out of work. When I work late it’s not a big deal because most of us will walk in the same general direction towards our cars so no one is really walking alone. As I write this I’m sitting here in my “really good” parking space. My mom and my nephew Jacob usually call me at 7:30 while they are waiting for Jacob’s bus to come. It’s nice to talk to them.  I really should be reading my assigned text about yet another confusing nurse theorist, but it’s too early to tax my brain.

I had to write a shortish discussion post last week and I was so frustrated that I did not get what the theorist was getting at. I seriously wanted to kick somebody. I did the best I could and wrote the best I could expecting a zero. To my surprise other students in my class complimented my “understanding” of this woman and the professor graded the post 100. I almost fell over; seriously! I now understand that theory but it took me burning out some brain cells to do so. Each week there are at least 2 theorists we have to read up on and write about. Some are straightforward and some are really out there and  I’m left thinking what the heck?!  Is she serious?  And then there are others who were so passionate about nursing and really worked to define the art and practice of my profession you really get what they’re saying and it’s cool. This class is keeping my interest but in an abstract way depending on the theorist.

 

 

 

So I’m in the full swing of going back to school, taking classes for my bachelors of science in nursing. I’m taking online classes, one at a time. With the amount of writing I have to do with each assignment for one class I don’t see me taking more than one class at a time. Maybe if I wasn’t working full time, but things are what they are. I wouldn’t trade working full time for anything anyway. The class I’m taking now is “Concepts and Theories in Nursing.” It is as exciting as it sounds haha! But seriously it is kind of interesting…to see where nursing was as a profession back in Florence Nightengale’s day and how far it’s come today and how people have intellectualized the practice of nursing and how it is separate from medicine, that it is a both a science and an art. I’ve always believed nursing is ancalling. Especially using my mother as an example. She’s such a wonderful nurse and embodies all the qualities of a “good nurse.” One you would want around when things go down. I never thought of myself as being called to nursing before I started working at my school. I didn’t know what I was supposed to be doing until I landed here as a school nurse for special needs students.

But getting back to school, these papers are not easy and some of these nursing theorists are confusing believe it or not. IMO it’s like they think too much and make things complicated. Some are quite interesting and enlightening even. I feel like it’s the luck of the draw each week.

Work is great busy, I love where I am and I love what I do. Today was no exception and a bit busier than usual; shit happens and intense situations arise but it’s all good all is well and God is in this place.