I was in Haiti when final grades were posted. We had wireless, but it was pretty flaky and so it took multiple tries to access grades via the Blackboard app on my iPod Touch. Email was practically impossible because the outgoing email config and the local network didn't like each other. Accessing internet was a touch better, but not enough to access gmail directly. Facebook app was by far the best communication tool I had. Somehow I could upload photos via the FB app, but could not access gmail reliably. I had hoped to post something here at least once, but trying to post a coherent blog entry using my iPod Touch keyboard wasn't exactly my idea of fun.
But the good news is that I got A's on my final exams and that was enough to bump up my final course grades to A's. For both classes! Granted it was by the skin of my teeth that I got those A's, but I'm so thrilled! Starting the semester I really thought that taking two classes this semester would mean B's. It was a TOUGH semester, but I worked my butt off. And despite my low expectations for myself, the hard work paid off. A good lesson learned amid a positive outcome!
My back was a big issue in Haiti. Sleeping was pretty miserable. I think I changed what I was sleeping on 3x. Despite having slept on my air mattress here at home for the week proceeding Haiti, my back would have none of it. Doing the exercises prescribed by my chiropractor proved difficult because of space, pain and our schedule. I think it must've been my 3rd day there, in the middle of clinic, that one of the physicians on the team suggested taking a muscle relaxant. I was like "We have some???" Wonderful. So the first one I tried was Flexeril (cyclobenzaprine). I slept great as it has a sedative side effect, but I woke up in excruciating pain. So the next morning I started taking Robaxin (methocarbamol) along with ibuprofen and that really seemed to do the trick. My back felt remarkably good (much less pain) this past weekend since I had been on Robaxin continuously, but I'm feeling increased pain again now that I am not taking it. I was given enough to get home and have a day or so of coverage, but I decided to hold off taking it as soon as I got home and just save the few pills I have for when it's really bad (or for my chiropractic days). I am not scheduled to see my physician until mid-June (for blood work and annual TB test--for nursing school) and would prefer not to go in simply for a prescription--but I may have to. My hope is that now that I'm back in my own bed, not enduring airports/airplane seating, not hunched over textbooks that my back will be less stressed. However, unpacking is pretty unpleasant and in a couple days I will be stuck in a car for 8 hours. Yeesh.
All I know is that I NEED to get my back healthy again before fall. I simply cannot go into clinicals with my back in spasms. I also am going to focusing on dropping 20 lbs this summer, but need to be a cautious with my back. Those first few days of starting back into any new exercise regime is always a miserable experience. I'm hoping that running will actually make my back happy and not angry--but need to play it very safe. Money is tight, so I can't be hiring a trainer or coach either.
The other reality that I'm facing is that I really need to make some money this summer to refill my dwindling savings account. Someway, somehow. I have a lead on a possible day job providing care for a quadriplegic in his home but they live probably 45 minutes from my house. That's a lot of time and gas! It's not the best money as it would be at a medicare rate for a non-licensed caregiver, but it could be really great experience and something I could put on my resume. But again my priority is taking care of my back!
I will post something soon about my Haiti trip. I'm busy unpacking and putting away stuff and also need to subdue the gigantic nursing school pile on the dining room table!
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