What moving 3000 miles has taught me

On this day two years I made the decision to spread my wings and apply to Graduate schools all over the country. I had already made the choice to apply for Accelerated Masters/NP programs, but my search was within a 5 hour radius of my hometown.

I remember taking a hike one day in early October and thinking "I love this place and I will never get tired of this view [Mount Rainier], but I need to see what the rest of the world has to offer. I went home and skimmed through some websites and just kind of played with the idea. 

A little over a week later I was at work, I was a Nursing Assistant at Tacoma General, in the ICU and one of the nurses noticed my GRE prep book. She started talking to me about school and she told me she was envious of my determination to pursue a Masters degree instead of just getting my BSN (Bachelors of Science in Nursing). She understood my reasons, why get another Bachelors degree when I can get a Masters degree? Then she asked where I wanted to go. My first response was Seattle University, they have an excellent Accelerated Masters program. I was interested in their Family Nurse Practitioner track. We then started talking about schools, I told her I was also looking into UW, PLU, and of course WSU. We went back to work, our patients blood pressure started to plummet and he was getting really bradycardic. Within minutes we were preparing to call a rapid response and get the code cart. After 8 rounds of CPR (half performed by yours truly), the ICU doctor called time of death. Without even being asked, I started to remove the tubes and wires. I gathered wash cloths and clean linen from the laundry cart, and was set to clean the body before the family came back in. There was no prompting, I just knew what to do. The patient had a young son, who was very interested in what I was doing. He was asking a lot of questions, and then he said "Can I help?". Without even thinking, I said "Of course". The little boy started talking to me about his Dad, telling me all the fun things he and his dad did. His mom was sitting in the back of the room watching. When we were done cleaning up and making the room look nice more family came in. I told them I would give them some privacy and to take as much time as they needed. When I walked out of the patient room, the nurse was standing at the nurses station. She looked at me and said "You are going to be one hell of a nurse someday, screw Seattle University, you should go to Yale!", my response was a simple "Yeah, that would be awesome" I didn't expect a response, but she said "What's holding you back?". And to be honest, nothing was. There was no obvious reason, why was I limited to only the schools in Washington? Yeah I wouldn't want to leave my family, but that's why they invented planes.

I got home from work that night, and with a glass of wine in hand I started vigorously searching for every school in the United States that offered the program that I needed. Months later I had applied to over 13 schools, most were accelerated Masters/NP programs, but some were accelerated BSN programs just to be on the safe side. After careful consideration I secured a spot at the University of Massachusetts medical school in the Acute Care Nurse Practitioner track. After turning down some pretty great schools, schools that were a lot closer to home, I felt good about my decision.

Two years later, here I am. Sitting in Starbucks studying for my state boards and writing a paper for my Masters class. It has been a difficult journey; plenty of homesick nights, major stress, anxiety attacks, countless dollars spent on plane tickets, more face timing than I could imagine, sleep deprivation, and living off coffee and cheap dinners.

What moving 3000 miles has taught me

- I could have never done what I did in the last year if I still lived at home

- Nursing school is no cake walk

- You really learn who you are when nobody else is around

- True relationships aren't dependent on distance

- One inch of snow doesn't ever mean a snow day in Mass

- You learn to value others presence when you can't see them everyday

- I will get through this, one day at a time

- I spend way to much money on groceries

- Nobody in Mass knows how to line dance

- Missing people is natural

- No test will ever define who you are

- Rain doesn't exist on the East coast

- Going home is the best feeling in the world

- Family is forever, despite the arguments
- Ever person you meet is fighting a different battle

- Life isn't going to go your way, that would be too easy. You have to work for success, you have to earn it
- Giving God total control of your life is the most rewarding decision you will make, give him your troubles, he has a plan

- Failing is the most humbling thing you will ever experience

- And lastly, I've learned that I'm not done learning yet

"A thousand times I've failed, Still your mercy remains. Should I stumble again, Still I'm caught in your grace. Everlasting, your light will shine when all else fades. Never ending, your glory goes beyond all fame."

I'm going to the Dominican!

As most of you know I have started the Masters portion of my Nursing education at University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, MA. Every year in March the Medical School goes to the Dominican Republic to provide health care to the local people. Mobile clinics are set up for impoverished families because they have no other access to health care. Over the years the popularity of the trip has increased and there were many people that were interested in going to the DR. Unfortunately, there was not room for everyone to attend and a lottery had to be implemented. I was asked to participate in extra community service prior to the trip, that community service would be incorporated with the Dominican trip and would therefore guarantee me a spot to attend the Medical Mission trip. I have chosen to do participate in the community service outreach as well as have secured my spot to attend the Dominican in March.

This is a great opportunity for me to get hands on experience as well as serving those who are in dire need. As an NP student I will have the chance to perform a wide range of different exams on women, children, men, and the elderly. Many of the past students talked about their experiences and for all, it was an amazing learning experience. Being in an accelerated Nurse Practitioner program I don't have an excessive amount of patient care experience like other traditional students do. This trip allows students to perform assessments that they otherwise would not be able to complete. One thing that the students expressed gratefulness towards was the amount of women physicals and gynecological exams that they were able to complete. Not only was it an amazing way for hands on learning, but also they were providing services that these women would otherwise never receive. 

HERE is an article posted in 2011 in regards to the trip and how life changing it was for the students as well as for the people living in the Dominican. 

Although this is is a medical mission trip, I hope I can use this experience to reach out to the people of La Romana and tell them about Jesus. 

This is an opportunity of a lifetime and I am blessed to have been chosen to attend this mission trip. I ask you; my friends, family, and loved ones for continued prayer as the group prepares for the trip and also as we gather the finances to attend the trip. Unfortunately, mission trips are not free/cheap and it can be costly to fly to other countries. The entire cost covers all expenses so I shouldn't have to worry about finances once in the Dominican. 

I have attached a link below for my fundraising page if you wish to donate.

Dominican Fundraising page

It's called a Breakup, because it's Broken

Back in high school I went through a bad breakup, he dumped me and a week later was dating one of best friends (at the time anyway). Anyway, I was having a really hard time with it and one day my friend, Drrue, handed me this book: "It's Called a Breakup Because it's Broken". I will admit I was not sold on reading a book about breakups. But, it was actually a good book and pretty funny too. It opened up my perspective and made me understand that people just suck. People suck. There's no getting around it. But the good news is that we don't have to surround ourselves with those people.

I ended up reading that book multiple times. Breakups happen all the time. Whether its a boyfriend or best friend, I have had a lot of breakups. I didn't always have the best judgment of people. I went through friends like candy and I always had a crush on some new guy. And one thing I've learned over the years is that when a relationship is broken, it can't be put back together. I've tried, putting things back together and it never works.

Relationships are made up of equal effort from both parties. It's about open communication, bonding, and being truthful. It's about being there for that person when they need you most; whether its 2am or 2pm, whether they just want to sit in silence together, whether they just need a hug, whether they need to vent, or whether they just want you listen. It's about making people feel as though you are important to them.

I used to be big on giving people second chances, but a couple years ago I gave up on that. Every second chance I've given came back to bite me in the butt, and it also resulted in a third chance, then a fourth chance and so on. So now, I don't give second chances. So if you want to walk out of my life, I'll open the door for you.

There are over 7 Billion people in this world. I refuse to settle for one that doesn't Love me, care about me, invest time in me, or want the best for me. I will never settle for someone who continues to hurt me.

There are over 7 Billion people and sometimes all you need is one.

So this is for the guys that didn't make the cut and the friends that couldn't take the heat - there are better fish in the sea ~