Graduation!!! Oh, and a POTLUCK!!

Well, it has started .... I have the strangest sense of da sa vu (? spelling) back from when I graduated from highschool ... a weekend event, parents flying in on the Thursday, dinner with teachers & parents, dressing up, awards, packing, implementing plans that have been made throughout the past year and lots of crying! Yep, all that happened back in '03 and it is all about to happen again this weekend ... minus all the crying ... I won't cry, I won't cry (much!) :D

Graduation is always an emotional time for people ... it is so busy yet over so fast ... there are pieces about where you are that you want to change so you don't mind the end; but then there is the pieces that you really like and therefore the change is too sad. Ah, yes, the wonderful, confusing time of graduation!!

Anyway, either way whether I am ready or not, I, along with my fellow graduates, will be commencing the Avondale Graduation Weekend tomorrow night.

Ah, well, it should all be worth it for the potluck we are having on Sunday!! Yum!! Food!! My fav!! :D

If anyone is around Cooranbong on Sunday and wants to hang out ... socialising will be happening at my bro + sis in law's place from around 1:30pm onwards ... just bring a plate to share + a plate to eat off, oh, and an attitude to socialise and you should be all set. If you need directions just email me!! :D

See ya next time!! :D

Another one bites the dust!

Well, I found out today that yet ANOTHER mate is getting married. Dude!! Talk about an epidemic!! It is insane! So, let me do a collective congratulations to EVERYONE engaged or going out or married or whatever (maybe even single people too for still being single!!! Yahoo!!)

Actually, on that note: my parents will be celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary in less than a week ... isn't that sweet? My parents are great and they deserve their own announcement: Congratulations Mum and Dad!! I love you!! :D

I guess it would be appropriate for me to write something about relationships or wisdom or whatever ... but I won't. It is 2:45am & I just don't have anything to say except.... I can't believe I had a 8 hour nap this afternoon!!! :D

See ya next time!

All done!

It is starting to hit me that I am finished! My course!! I have all the information of a registered nurse ... wait, what? I HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION OF A REGISTERED NURSE!!! (I am having a recollection of a poster flash before my mind ... a train is doomed to destruction at the bottom of a mountain as it has gone off the tracks .... and the note underneath says Oh Shit!) Yeah, not such a good feeling!!

I mean, I enjoy the fact I can sleep in and recover from the past few weeks ... correction ... past few years! And I have so much to do with the planning of my trips overseas and weddings to go to and concerts and roadtrips ... all that savings and 'no buying' policy is going to really REALLY pay off ... it is not like I am bored and have nothing to do.

Actually, it is only when people ask about next year and my plans that I realise that I am finished ... it feels like I am just on holiday waiting for the semester to start ... but it actually is the next stage in my life. It is the step between student and profession. It is the implementation of the education I have had throughout my life. It is the coming of age (modern definition). It is the .... scariest thing to face me at this moment.

Don't get me wrong ... I want to graduate! I am happy that I am finished ... it is the mystery of the unknown; the change, the wonder, the RESPONSIBILITY that will come with graduation that I am just a little wary of.

But no matter how crappy, scared, bewildered etc. I may feel about next year, it is going to come weather I want it to or not. So really, I guess I should just suck it up, be a man (no, I am not going to get a sex change ... just use your imagination a bit, please!), and brace myself for the new year. I know I want to be a RN ... and a good one too; so I just have to get through the transition from student nurse to registered nurse ... somehow! Change is growth, so here I go ... ready to shot up another 10 inches (I have always wanted to be taller so that's an extra bonus!!)

God bless!! :D Blue Nurse

Which country are you?

I actually do like males but I just thought this was quite entertaining. Apologies guys!! :D

GEOGRAPHY OF WOMEN

Between 18 and 22, a woman is like Africa, half discovered, half wild, naturally beautiful with fertile soil.
Between 23 and 30, a woman is like Europe, well developed and open to trade, especially for someone with cash.
Between 31 and 35, a woman is like India, very hot, relaxed and Convinced of her own beauty.
Between 36 and 40, a woman is like France, gently aging but still warm and a desirable place to visit.
Between 41 and 50, a woman is like Great Britain,with a glorious and all conquering past.
Between 51 and 60, a woman is like Yugoslavia, lost the war and haunted By past mistakes.
Between 61 and 70, a woman is like Russia, very wide with borders now unpatrolled.
After 70, she becomes Tibet. Wildly beautiful, with a mysterious Past and the wisdom of the ages ... only those with an adventurous spirit and a thirst for spiritual knowledge visit there.

GEOGRAPHY OF MEN
Between 1 and 70, a man is like the USA. Ruled by a dick.

Say sorry!

Today I helped a Dr with doing a bone marrow biospy on a patient. I just helped the patient lie on his side and talked loudly to the going deaf patient ... explaining what was happening and why etc.

For those of you who don't know ... a bone marrow biospy involves a very big needle going into the bone just above you bottom and withdrawing a bone specium. It is very painful.

We kept asking the patient what his pain was on a scale of 1 -10, with 10 being the worst in the world ... and he kept saying 2! We couldn't belive it!!

Afterwards, when we were cleaning him up, he told me a little story. He was a foster child growing up and his guardians used to beat him up and neglect him. One day, his guardian wanted to make him cry so he continued to really beat his hand (with one of the olden day canes, I believe). The patient still has scars on his hand with permanent indents in the middle of his palm. And he refused to cry on that day ... and now it takes a long for him to cry!!

I didn't know what to say ... and ended up saying somthing along the lines of: "I am sorry that happened to you and they did that to you. I am sorry you were in pain then and that we gave you additional pain today". And to my disbelief, the patient started crying!!

Now, I am sure there are people out there who may say that his body was recovering from the invasive procedure of a bone marrow biospy and the relief of being out of so much pain caused him to cry ... and you may be right. But I personally believe that this patient just has not been shown a lot of affection throughout his life.

I told my facilitator about this, who started crying, which got me crying!! One big cry fest!

But as my facilitator, sometimes it makes a world of a different to someone to hear the words 'I'm sorry' even if you weren't the one who was in the wrong. Just hearing those words shows that someone cares.

So, I challenge you to say sorry and/or to realise that the small things can make a huge difference.

God bless,

Blue Nurse