The continuation...

I KNOW. But there's actually a very good reason why I haven't blogged in 9 months. I started this blog because I wanted my NYC peeps to be up on what I was doing and what was being done to me (yes) in nursing school. BUT after the first semester, when everything pretty much became focused on patient care, I realized I couldn't use this kind of forum to update people. You see, patient privacy is a HUGE part of medical care and if I talked about my patients on here, even though most of you will never meet them, I would be violating their rights to privacy. And since they're all I really wanted to talk about about, I fell off the wagon. AND, i was a little busy :)

SOOO this is really for NYC people who have been asking me what I'm up to now that I'm graduating and when I'm coming back...see, what had happened was...
I'm actually not moving back. See, even though there is a nursing shortage (I have my doubts about that), new grads are not the prime picks. I was searching for a position in NYC for months and I wasn't even getting rejection emails or letters. There just isn't anything there for new grads. So then I started to apply here in Rochester. My school is affiliated with a phenomenal hospital called Strong Memorial and they actually like and hire new grads. I had a position after 2 interviews. So I figured I'd work here for a few years and get some solid experience then see where God will lead me next. But no worries!! I am less than an hour's flight away and I will be released from school/jail officially on May 13 so imma be all up in y'all's grills really soon :)

With all that said, I'm going to be a real nurse soon!! I have to say, I wasn't so sure that the University of Rochester could make people into nurses in a year but folks, it's true. I am living proof. The last course that I had to take (which I just finished, yay!) is what we call a Capstone course and this is where you start to really use everything you've learned and really immerse yourself in patient care. I had to stop myself a few times and say to myself, "Did I really just think that brilliant thought all by myself without a clinical instructor?" Or "Did I really just teach that family member all they could possibly need to know about diabetes?" Or my personal favorite, "Did I really just take care of that patient pretty much all by myself and they're still alive?" I'm amazed at the changes that I see in myself; where in the beginning I had to do deep breathing exercises before I entered any patient's room, I act like I won the place now :) It's a wonderful feeling.

I've had such a great year :) God really knew what He was doing when He nudged me toward nursing, I really can't think of anything I'd rather do. And the way He's provided for me...I can't even begin to tell you all. This line in the song comes to mind, "...All I have needed thy Hands hath provided..." Friends, when God tells you go do something, just do it. He will blow your mind with His providing everything you need, but what I love more is how along the way He also fulfills some desires that you may have just because He's that awesome and loves giving. And it might not all happen at the time that you want but when it happens, you'll see how perfect His timing is.

I'm getting all choked up. I don't get choked up.

*pulling self together*

NOW, all I have left is to pass my licensing exam, the dreaded NCLEX. I'm probably going to take that in early June so I have a month to really get my act together. I am going to ask you all to pray, it's a challenging test and I'd really like to not take it more than once :)

I thank you all for the prayers, Facebook messages, status comments, texts, stalkering phone calls, *coughkarenmelendezcough* lol...they are all appreciated more that you'll ever know. Maybe I'll see if I can do updates every once in a while so that y'all don't completely lose track of me. And if nothing else, there's always Facebook :)

LOVE!!