With The New Semester Came Sickness!

Classes resumed on Jan. 23, and Jan. 24 I came down with what I am calling a "dumbed down version of the flu".  I reported on my first lecture already, then Thursday we had our first lab/clinical day in the Sim Lab.  I was feeling "funky" most of the day Thursday and knew something was brewing -- by Thursday night I was in bed by 8pm feeling like I had been run over by a truck.  YUCK!  My hubby and daughter were also sick with the same thing.  No fun!  So I spent Thursday night through Sunday mostly on the couch, despite my efforts to rally and get some school stuff done -- I just couldn't do it!  I had lecture Monday morning . . . (Leadership) which turned out to be a great class -- more on that later. . . I dragged myself to my 3 hour class at 11, drugged on Advil Cold & Flu, hoping for the best.  I barely made it then dragged myself home and was back on the couch feeling awful.  Tuesday was a bit better -- FINALLY -- and it was uphill from there -- THANK YOU GOD!!  :)  By Wednesday of this week I was finally feeling better.  Germs are EVIL!!  Hopefully I got the sickness out of the way for the semester - I cannot afford to be that sick again.  I lost so much time that should have been spent reading for classes!

So here I am, one Med/Surg II lecture and clinical later.  It was another great week.  Thursday we had orientation at the hospital and got a tour of the DEU (Dedicated Educational Unit -- a teaching unit for RIC 1st semester seniors ONLY!).  Everyone was so nice, I am really looking forward to a great semester of learning there.  It is a 38 bed unit of IMIS patients (IMIS = Internal Medicine Inpatient Services).  There are no post-op patients on this floor, they are just plain sick.  They may go for surgery at some point but they have not come into the hospital for a scheduled surgery.  The age range is 18-100+.  I think we are going to get to see a lot of different cases.  The nurses there have our syllabus (another perk of the DEU) so they know what we are learning and when -- they actually try to give us cases related to where we are in lecture! What a concept!  All I kept thinking while we were meeting everyone and touring was the song from the movie 'Annie' called "I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here". . .

The nurses actually want us there!  YAY!

So this weekend I am playing catch up -- BIG TIME!  Catch up on my blog, my reading, my other school work, and everything else that suffered while I was laid out, taken hostage by germs.

Hubby left for the Domincan Republic last night for his annual mission trip to La Romana.  He will be sweating in the sun (and warmth) this week to help finish building the hospital down there and also helping the poverty striken families in the bateys (villages) in the area.  Pray for him while he does God's work, pray for his safe return home and for his health and safety while he is there.

And the beat goes on, already moving into the 3rd week of the semester.  Hopefully it will all be over before I know it!  :)