Today was our first day of Therapeutic Communications and Pharmacology. Therapeutic Communications scares me. There seems to be a lot of busy work mixed in with a lot of heavy work and group projects. This will be the class that attempts to make us all as culturally compassionate as possible. Very important, I know... and also not terribly exciting for me. I'm already dreading the long research papers... and writing in APA format!

Pharmacology is really interesting. It helps that our instructor does not necessarily follow the "pills and doctors are the only way" mentality. Mixed in with learning about generic drug names vs trade names was discussion on herbal medicine and other non-western medicine approaches. She also talked with us about medication errors, and personal flaws of some past nursing cohorts. Not in a bad way, but letting us know that some nurses will go to great lengths to divert medications, and you are often shocked that nurses you really thought were completely upstanding may have dark secrets.

I felt that both instructors really wanted us to succeed, and enjoy teaching. And, they made it all seem not so scary. Which is sort of scary.

Yay! I made it!

Today was our final orientation into the nursing program. There has been much printing of pages and other preparations going on at my house. We were instructed to print and bring both the student handbook and clinical handbooks, to the tune of 70 pages each. The classroom was a-buzz with excitement. People introducing themselves, comparing stories and wondering about just what kind of adventure we had signed ourselves up for.

We were scheduled for 2 hours, but ended up finishing in just over an hour. It was really nice to reconnect with classmates, and my work study people. We also managed to spend some time with the year two nursing students and let them reassure us that we would survive this.

My husband has noticed that now that we are nursing students instead of general students, we all kind of group together and almost seem not to notice the non-nursing students anymore. I know this is more obvious for him than it is for me, as my work study position doesn't have me interacting with the students a whole lot anyway, and his is very student oriented. I think, for the most part, this banding together is normal. For over a year we have all been competing for slots in the nursing program. Now, we have made it, the competition is over. Now, we can focus on working together to get through these next 18 months. The last 2 graduating classes haven't lost a single student. I hope our class can achieve the same.

Today was not done with the completion of orientation. Next was the long wait in the Financial Aid line, all of us hoping that this quarter our grants and scholarships and loans had been processed correctly and there would be a check waiting. My luck was better than my husbands. I'm not sure we would know what to do if both of our checks was correct on the first day of class, how could we miss out on our quarterly visit with our favorite Financial Aid person?

The next order of business was finishing up getting the kids paperwork for their before and after school care program filled out and turned in. Another 30 pages from the printer, and one hand cramp later; I can't help but think there has to be a more efficient way to do this? Why do we need paperwork in triplicate for each of my 3 children?

Paperwork complete, I headed in to visit my doctor and rolled up my sleeve for my third, and last!, Hepatitis vaccine. I'm so glad to have that over with! Now, with luck, I can stay out of the doctors office long enough for people to not know my name and birthday by heart.

Upon arriving home I found e-mails from my instructors, providing syllabuses for our classes... Again, please print out and bring to the next class. Another 50 pages each, for myself and hubby puked forth from the tired printer. the printer had now informed me that I need new ink.

At least I have my financial aid check so I can afford printer ink!

This book was on our required textbook list for Winter Quarter, and since it isn't a textbook at all I figured it was reasonable to assume that at some point we would be required to read it and possibly write some sort of book report. Who knows how much time I will have to spend a leisurely afternoon reading, so I decided to go ahead and get it out of the way before the quarter starts.

One funny thing about me: I love to read until a book becomes assigned reading. I'm betting if I had found this book on my own I would be tucked into the papasan chair reading while my children destroyed the house around me. Once I am required to read something... it's suddenly much less appealing. As such, I am two pages in to the second chapter.

Is anyone reading anything interesting over the holidays? I have a fun book to reward myself with as soon as I finish this. I'll be sure to let you know my thoughts when I finish.

Somehow, I anticipated having time to kick back and relax from the time I found out I was accepted until I started the program in January. This is not to be the case. There is just so much to try to do, and it seems like more is being added all the time.

I am currently working on my 7 hour HIV training as well as my HIPPA training. Next Monday I will be having my doctor fill out a form stating that I am mentally and physically able to participate in nursing school. Also, papers talking about my vaccination status. I have to turn those in, along with a copy of my insurance card. Still to do, CPR for the health care professional, background check, and drug testing.

We are having a meet and greet this Friday, and I am so excited to get to see my classmates! I am really hoping that we will be a very close knit group and enjoy each others company.

Also, although I don't feel the need to stress over 4.0's for this last quarter before starting the program... I can't just forget about my classes I'm currently enrolled in. Sociology the second time around is no more fun....

I knew eventually I would hit a roadblock that I would have to find a way to overcome and the time has come. I scheduled an appointment with my doctor to receive a hep b vaccine, and to set up a schedule to get the rest of my vaccines. Once my doctor went over my previous reaction and my chart she decided she was not comfortable giving me any vaccines. Ever. Ok, that leaves me with some not so great options. First, my doctor has scheduled me an appointment with an allergist. She feels that the allergist should be able to run some tests and determine the safest way to get these vaccines into me. This option requires the nursing program to allow me to have a waiver during the application process. Normally if you don't have proof of your hep b shot your application is dismissed. The nursing director at my school is talking over my situation with their clinical hospital and may issue me a waiver for the vaccines, but this is done on a case by case basis and I would have no guarantee of a clinical placement all the way through the program. Thus, I could get through 5 of the 6 quarters of the program and then not have a clinical spot for the 6th quarter and have to drop out.

My second option is to find another dr's office that accepts my insurance and just not mention my previous reaction. This is by far the most dangerous. I have scar tissue surrounding my brain from the first reaction. And we don't really know what caused the first reaction. It is very possible that an exposure to more vaccines could cause an immune reaction which could lead to anaphalactic shock, or the scar tissue swelling causing increased intercranial pressure... possibly death. It is my dr's opinion that any vaccine given to me must be done in the presence of a medical team and medical equipment ready to support me through a major reaction.

My third option would be to decide I'm not going into the medical field afterall. This is not an option I'm willing to consider. I will get my RN, one way or another.

So, I've got a lot to think about over the next few days. I am really hoping that the nursing director will call me back and say we have the green light from the clinical hospital for me to attent clinicals on a vaccine waiver and I can work with my allergist to slowly get these vaccines in as soon as possible. I still need to complete my functional resume and my personal statement. I've booked the babysitter to be spending a full long day with the kids and I should be able to knock these out durring that time.

Everybody cross your fingers for me!