#41 Blog advice...

365 Blog Challenge: Post #41

Dear Readers,

Since I began this challenge in January, I have been thinking a lot about the content of this page and it's title.  I love the blog title New York Happenings.  It is meaningful because it is something that I began when I first came to the city (beginning in newsletter form) and the blog has changed and developed as I have changed and developed while living here.  However, I don't know if the title is still relevant to the content.  The content being anything I think is remotely interesting including books, family/friends, sports, popular culture, New York, Minnesota, etc.

There are a few options here.
1) Change the title of my blog which may be confusing to my current readers as they may need to learn a new address
2) Change the description of my blog which is currently "New York Adventures of a Midwestern Girl" to make it more relevant to the content
3) Not change anything and just deal with the fact that my content and my blog title aren't a perfect match.

I'd like some suggestions from readers so please email me or comment to let me know what you think.  Thanks all.  Keep on keepin' on.

~Lauren

New York Happenings August/September Edition

Hello all!

I guess I'm going to have to settle with only writing these emails every 2 months while I'm in school because it's too tough to find the time to do it every month. And considering all I really have to talkabout is nursing school, I may bore you all if I write more often! School is still going well. Perhaps slightly less stressful and busy than last semester, but that for some reason makes it harder for me to motivate myself. I have a new clinical group so I have been making even more great friends and will post some pics up on my blog as soon as I get some. There are some very wonderful people in my program (and some pretty annoying ones, but that's besides the point.).

My current clinical is adult Med/Surg at Cornell's hospital (part ofthe New York Presbyterian system, #6 in the country) on 68th and York.This hospital is FABULOUS. The unit I'm on is a breath of fresh air (haha..and it's a pulmonary step-down unit) after the somewhat dreary one I was on this summer at Milstein Hospital (at Columbia's campus, also part of the NYP system.) The nurses are so receptive and just show you everything they're doing, and even let you try new things. They're a younger bunch of nurses compared to those from my summer unit, and perhaps that's why they're primed to teach us. Even though I don't particularly want to work on a med/surg unit, I find myself getting REALLY excited to be done with school and be a nurse for a bit! (I still plan to take a 1 year leave of absence after mybachelors program to gain experience.) It looks like so much fun. My clinical instructors are also great for many reasons, but especiallybecause they let us follow nurses in other areas of the hospital. This Wednesday I was in the ER and I LOVED IT! The fast pace just gave me a rush, and Cornell is even a Trauma 1 hospital (which means they get the worst of the worst traumas...completely thrilling if you're an adrenaline junkie like me.) We also got to go visit theNeuroSurg ICU this week, and that was another great experience. Those nurses have to be the most competent nurses, just REALLY on top of their game. I found out that a few of the ICUs at Cornell do hire new grads, which was quite a refreshing discovery! I can't wait to get out there.

A short disclaimer for the nursing profession: although some people may still have the idea of the nurse in all white with the little cap on her head who just follows doctors orders, I'm here to tell you that is not what nursing is about anymore, and hasn't been for a loooonnnnggg time. (Think back to Florence Nightengale days...damn Flo gave some of us a bad name.) The nurses I have met, especially who work on the hospital floors, are smart, competent, caring, strong women and men who are doing one of the hardest but most rewarding jobs in the world. I believe I have found the right profession to utilize my strength (physical and mental), brain and sensitive nature to help people who are ailing. Don't ever undermine a nurse just because he/she is not a doctor. Because quite frankly, he/she does allll the work, and has to use lots of brain power to do so. Stepping off the soap box now.

Scott is doing well. He is currently doing some administrative work for Steven Chaikelson, the head of the theater program at Columbia who also happens to be a producer. Scott worked for him 2 summers ago, andthey took him on this time for about a month and a half which is very helpful. The consistent work is great. Scott has still be auditioning a bit, but nothing has come of it yet. He is also taking voice over classes (you know...the announcers you hear in TV commercials?), and he is really enjoying it. His teachers seem to think he could have a future in the industry, which is apparently even MORE difficult to get into than acting. But he's excited to put himself out there and see what happens.

Not much else going on out here. Can't attend to many wedding plans currently as I've got some more pressing issues to keep up with (i.e.grades.) I did enjoy seeing family at my Grandparent's 60th weddinganniversary party on August and am putting the link to some pics up here: http://newyorkhappenings.blogspot.com/2008/09/reason-to-celebrate.html

We're headed out to a play tonight starring Dylan McDermott and MauraTierney which sadly got bad reviews, but can't let those tickets go to waste! We're also looking forward to Scott's golden birthday next weekend (he'll be 27), and a visit from Erin and Steve in November. Until then, I must hit the books and read some more about anemia and other hematological issues. Good times. Much love to all! Hope the economic situation hasn't hit any of you too hard! (And if it has, go into nursing. Pure job security.)

Love yas,
Lauren

New York Happenings, June and July edition

Hey kids (I am 25 now...you're all kids to me now...right?),

Some of you may be wondering why you haven't heard from me since May. To put it simply, I blame it on Physical Assessment, Science of Nursing Practice, Issues in Nursing, Advanced Physiology, Physical Assessment Lab, Skills lab, clinical days at the hospital and Pharmacology. Those would be the 19 credits I completed in the first 9 weeks of my nursing program. And if it sounds disgustingly difficult and busy, just know that it was!!! I said good bye to my social life and hello to the ways of the nursing world. However, I met so many wonderful people in my program, including 2 lovely ladies with whom I spent most of my time and who answered most of my questions when the brain fry had kicked in (as it often did), Julia and Karen. When I was lucky, Scott and I got to spend 30 minutes a day together over dinner. Then it was back to the books. I've never studied so much or so hard in my whole life! And they expect us to maintain a B average. Biggest challenge EVER. However, as many of you may know, I do enjoy a challenge so as terribly stressful and intense as it was, it was great as well.  (I even survived a nasty case of viral pharyngitis which turned into a productive cough. Fun.)  I learned I don't like med/surg wards, that I'm definitely interested in cardiology, and that I sure as heck don't enjoy cleaning up poop.  However, I am a natural at putting in a straight catheter, emptying ostomy bags and finding a heart murmur or 2.  And suctioning a trach? It will improve with time.   This summer we weren't allowed to do a whole lot other than "therapeutic communication" and vitals, as well as a few of the skills I just mentioned. NO meds, no blood glucose levels. But it was great to be thrown in the mix with the nurses right away (some who hated us, some who loved us) and to get our hands dirty (very often, quite literally).

So basically, school has taken up the entire first 2 months of my summer. But I feel soooo much smarter! You wouldn't believe what you're capable of learning in 9 weeks! But now it's time to rest. After our last final (pharmacology) on August 1st and some extensive napping, we went out and celebrated my 25th birthday at Mama Mexico.  See pics by clicking the link: I'm officially a quarter of a century old!

Then Scott and I hopped (separate) planes, and despite 3.5-5 hour delays for both of us, we made it into Minnesota on 8/2 in time to celebrate the wedding of his cousin Rachel to her husband Tal. (The wedding took place in January in Israel, where Tal is originally from...but the party began on 8/2 and continued on the evening of 8/3.)  So we saw half of Scott's family there, which was nice, and I forced Scott to dance with me to ABBA which is always a good time.  Since 8/4, Scott and I weren't really relaxing as much as running our butts off doing wedding stuff. We picked out our wedding bands (can't wait to get that one!!) met with our judge, took our save-the-date pictures, registered at Bloomingdale's (don't worry, also will be registering at Bed Bath and Beyond and Target to accommodate all levels of financial means), and met with our florist, while making time to see his Grandpa Sheldon, celebrate my dad's 61st birthday (he'll say 40th anniversary of his 21st birthday...but don't let him fool you) and spend time with Scott's Grandma Judy and his sister, niece (Zoe, now 2.5) and nephew (Tyler, 3 months) before Scott jetted back to new york for work and a play and some auditions coming up.  And that's why NOW I finally have time to write to you all.

We are settling in well in our new neighborhood, Washington Heights, which is quite the switch from the Upper West Side. The neighborhood is highly Dominican and the community sure knows how to party into the wee hours of morning with loud Latino music as well as young children up later than I can stand to be up.  It's a bit of a culture change. However, our apartment is much roomier than our previous apartment which makes the noise (Which we can barely hear from our apartment anyways) tolerable. Having a doorman and a workout room in our building are just added perks. I also get to walk to school (about 10-15 minutes) each morning and afternoon/evening.

Scott has been temping for an agency called "Professionals for NonProfits", as the acting biz is pretty slow these days, considering the looming actors strike (SAG), as well as the poor economy. From what we've heard, it probably wasn't the BEST time to graduate. However, Scott is still in talks with a legit agent who is sending him out on an audition this week for some regional work. And he also just made his first video audition for a touring show that is casting in LA. We have faith things will pick up soon.

And now I must go rest some more...perhaps by reading a novel of my choice which I only saw one girl in my program do this summer, at which I felt quite a bit of resentment, considering she found our first advanced physiology (masters level class) test "enjoyable."  Despite my psych and biopsych background, there's something about the depth in which we explored action potentials that just wasn't so "enjoyable" for me. But enough. Time to read for leisure (what a concept!). And I hope to see many of my family members on August 23rd to celebrate 60 years of Joe and Katie wedding bliss. Love to all,

Lauren