Neuro-tastic!

After weeks and weeks of neuro lectures, we are finally being tested on it!

As I write, I'm having an episode of my intermittent "flash headaches" -- which are MY term for these strange little quick bursts of pain in my skull that come and go intermittently with no explanation. Often will have several "flashes" within an hour and then they disappear for weeks. Maybe it's linked to my hormones. Hmm? Well, after studying neuro and all things brain-oriented, I'm a bit more paranoid. Granted I'll be paranoid after the renal section too! It's just the nature of the nursing school beast.  I'm actually very grateful for how healthy I've been while in school. I've never missed a clinical day due to being ill. I think my very first clinical day ever, I was coming down with a cold. But NOTHING since then. Um, maybe I should not have said anything. Don't want to be jinxing that! I think largely my healthy status has been thanks to living alone. No one else to drag home germs and leave them in dubious places for me to pick up. I also think kissing is also probably linked to germ transmission (ya think?)...and I'm not kissing any cute little faces or a handsome masculine one... So being single certainly does have its perks.

Like I said, Med-Surg neuro test tomorrow. I spent all of Fall Break getting my lecture notes typed up and completing my 4-part study guide and going back and reading the text when my lecture notes weren't making any sense.  On Monday, I spent about 90 minutes at the gym studying. And tonight, I spent another 120 minutes. As mentioned in a previous post, I'm not only able to stay awake while studying, but I'm burning calories too. Win-win.  But I'm also in this silly contest at my gym to lose 8 lbs in 8 weeks (the 8 weeks prior to Thanksgiving).  Sadly, I had a big weekly loss right before the start of the contest, so my body is not really all that interesting in losing. Only 0.9 lbs in 2 weeks is rough when I need to be averaging a pound a week. Oh well, I'm keeping at it and not giving up. Maybe I'll have another couple big losses to carry me? So the timing of my tests over the next few weeks, might be what I need--especially if I still with the gym-study method. haha.

Oh, Simulation Day wasn't that big of a deal. It was fun, helpful and I wish we could it more often. In clinicals (our real-life experience) 99% of the time we've got stable patients that we are assigned to. It's nice to be thrown into some complicated, de-sating patient scenarios to get us thinking! I'm not saying that today was easy content, but learning from our peers and from the scenario is helpful for embedding information into our brains. I understand that the nursing program also has a pregnant "dummy" that gives birth. How cool. I hope we get to utilize this next semester.

Tomorrow after lecture (and test) I'll be spending some time with a First Year Nursing Student in the same program I'm in. They've started a mentoring program for anyone wishing to be mentored. I of course was wishing for this last year, so it's good to be a part of the solution. So tomorrow is a "get to know you" and a chance for her to ask some burning questions. Our plan is to head out on a beautiful, local walking path near the campus. Chance to de-stress after my exam, get some exercise (again!) and help a fellow nursing student out! Win-win-win! I'm hoping the sun will come out and dry up all the rain we've had. I'm expecting the colors will be beautiful along the trail! Yay!

Well, I need to get my stuff together for tomorrow, do a final look through of notes and head for bed.

Cheers.