Thursday, February 24, 2011

Reminiscing!

So part of an assignment for school was taking a paper we wrote in one of our first classes(intro) "Journey as a nurse" and going back to read it, writing another paper on how our opinion and feelings of nursing has changed over the two years! I thought for sure I had lost the dang thing, but sure enough, there it was hiding in my computer :) I thought I'd share!

“Nursing is an art: and if it is to be made an art, it requires as exclusive a devotion, as hard a preparation, as any painter’s or sculptor’s work; for what is the having to do with dead canvas or dead marble, compared with having to do with the living body, the temple of God’s spirit? It is one of the Fine Arts: I had almost said, the finest of Fine Arts”. I think Florence Nightingale accurately describes nursing by realizing not only is there a certain art and care, but also realizes that nursing takes the kind of devotion that anything worth it is going to take.
When asked as a little girl what I wanted to be when I grew up I never had an answer. The generic response of veterinarian or teacher were never spoke in return, rather just a questioning look portraying that I too would like to know the answer to that question. As a child I seemed to know early on that the answer would be something very complex and serious that I would think long and hard about before making. I got the first glimpse of the answer unexpectedly during a trip to the doctor’s office.
Taking a trip to the doctor’s office had become a routine that typically ended with frustration and no one knowing what was wrong. Dealing with medical professional after another, and visit after visit, it was a nurse who had a suggestion. This woman was the only one who took the extra time, got to know me, and then came up with the appropriate treatment. She went out of her way to help me. From then on, I wanted to be the nurse who took the time to offer some explanations, not the doctor who I saw for a measly five minutes . The thought of nursing grew as I learned more about the human body.
As I began to take science and health classes, I became fascinated with the incredibility of the human body and all that it does. I am astonished at how all the organs work together to make the big picture work. After graduating from high school, I still didn’t have the big picture. I took a year off, against everyone’s wishes, and worked as an office manager at a local grocery store. I quickly learned that the job that I was doing with the mediocre paycheck was just not going to cut it.
At this time I was dating a man whose mother worked as a registered nurse for a plastic surgeon. She and her husband were older, and for the first time in my life sat down and talked to me about certain options, never leaning towards one thing or another. With the help of a patient boyfriend, it wasn’t long before I found myself at the nearby community college.
During the first year, I researched every nursing program in Tennessee from Tennessee State University to Vanderbilt. I would soon find that every program was just missing that little something. Distance, money, and reputation were just part of the iceberg that would become my decision. In the midst of everything, Belmont stood out for their reputation and values. This is evident by the high regard the students hold it in, as well as the awards and accreditations it has received. Every student I have encountered has only good things to say about Belmont. It is evident that Belmont takes pride in their school due to the reputable programs including music, business, and nursing.
Another attribute of Belmont that is appealing is the importance and practice of morals. A school’s atmosphere and morals are important to me in that they provide a comfortable learning environment. For example, Belmont has 30 students or less in 90% of their classes. The average GPA of a student is 3.55. If students were not being given the tools and education they need, the GPA would be much lower. It puts me at ease knowing the faculty and staff will go the extra mile for a student’s benefit.
I’ve worked really hard to get here and I want the best of the best. Belmont’s excellent reputation, Christian values, and adequate preparation in which their students receive make it a first rate choice, but they also happen to have a reasonably new nursing building, The college has a $34 million, 100,000-square-foot health-care education complex.
After Belmont, I plan on enjoying working as a nurse for two years. After those two years, I will make the decision between anesthesia school and getting my masters. Both offer great opportunities that will enrich my life when the time is right.





I cannot wait until I am officially Alix Copeland RN BSN!!!

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Fulfillment

So over the past week it's been a little depressing dealing with all of the Belmont stuff... I've literally been on the phone/on hold with financial aid every day (as well as everyone else apparently) to try to figure out my loan stuff and my pell grants. It didn't help when a friend called me asking where to turn in her check for school- her paid in full, ridiculous amount of money check that her dad could just write her. We also missed a white water rafting trip with some friends because with the semester starting, we just don't have extra money laying around. It also came to my attention that we have several couples who had children young, and are doing really well for themselves. (Granted, good for them, if they can still have fun, AND pay their bills.) So as I was moping around feeling sorry for myself b/c we can't just write a 14,000 dollar check for the semester, go on fun vacations on the spur of the moment, frustrated/panicking at the thought of the school canceling my classes because THEY haven't gotten my loan stuff situated, and pretty much staying cooped up in my house being a downer Debbie I realized how much of a brat I was being.

I am so blessed it's ridiculous.
1. I have a relationship with God and a knowing that He will always be there for me and will always provide for us.
2. I have a love that some people spend their lifetime searching for- a man that I can't want to grow old with- a man that wants me, all of me, forever- and a man that will always have my heart.
3. That whole roof over my head and food in my belly thing ;)
4. The opportunity to attend one of the best nursing programs in the South to be the only thing I could ever think of doing as a profession.
5. My health.
6. Some pretty awesome family and friends.
7. We don't have children.. While children are a good thing for some, right now it's not a good thing for us, no matter if we want them, our focus needs to be on school and fulfilling our dreams.

"Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions."
— Elizabeth Gilbert


So the next time I start to get all "life isn't fair" bla bla bla, I'm just gonna remember this list and be fulfilled. My journey is just beginning, and I'll have plenty of time to do what my heart desires :)

"There is so much about my fate that I cannot control, but other things do fall under the jurisdiction. I can decide how I spend my time, whom I interact with, whom I share my body and life and money and energy with. I can select what I can read and eat and study. I can choose how I'm going to regard unfortunate circumstances in my life-whether I will see them as curses or opportunities. I can choose my words and the tone of voice in which I speak to others. And most of all, I can choose my thoughts."
— Elizabeth Gilbert

Friday, August 6, 2010

Granted, life will throw you curve balls. Sometimes you nail a home run, sometimes you nail a line drive, sometimes you nail the pitcher right back and sometimes you swing, miss and fall flat on your face. Me? I've never been good at baseball.


So in the midst of my busy, crazy life, it seems a lot easier to think about myself/my problems/my family. Today a good friend of mine did something that touched my soul. Even though she is BUSY and has way more things to think about besides me, she took time out of her day to do something really sweet for me.

I guess I'm just so used to everything being a dog-eat-dog world, where everyone looks out for themselves (esp in a competitive nursing program!) that I'm so surprised when people do nice things for me with no benefit for themselves:) The fact that this is surprising is almost sad don't you think? That the world and that people have become so "self concerned" that we forget to "spread the love"?

Anywho, I guess I'm just so thankful that there are still awesome people out there that haven't become tainted by the world, and that I have them as friends! AND that maybe I should work everyday to be like that ;)

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Officially a Senior!


'And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,
who have been called according to his purpose.' Romans 8:28

Well I've done it! It almost feels surreal, like I couldn't possibly be halfway through this journey I set out on. I'm exhausted, mentally and physically.

When I think back on all the hours I spent studying, the thousands (yes thousands) of notecards, and the weight of the medical books, I still know that God wanted me there, and he continued me on this path. I like to give credit where credit is due, and he get's a lot of credit! I know that that's where I'm supposed to be, against all odds, I've succeeded through him.

So I thank the Lord for giving me this amazing opportunity.

On a side note, I cannot tell you how much I'm looking forward to summer, for the first time in a year I get to read a book I want! I get to sleep in, my house gets to be clean, I get to spend hours with the puppies, AND I don't have to wipe anyone's butt for 3 months!!!!!

'What can we say about all this? If God is on our side, can anyone be against us?' Romans 8:31


Tuesday, April 20, 2010

school


The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet. -Frederick Buechner


As I look at my schedule and count down the last 3 weeks of this semester, I have the strong urge to jump up and down! I'll have one year of the intense-ly hard nursing program down, and one to go. May 11th will be such a load off, to be able to have just a tiny, little break from the nursing school life. I can't wait to sleep, eat normal food, have time to eat, and relax for once.

As much complaining as I do during the semester, I can honestly look back and realize how truly blessed I am. I got into an amazing program, I have a lot of support, and the loans were approved to offer me this incredible opportunity. Something as simple as having a teacher tell us to write our first initial, our last name, and then RN at the end makes it all the more real. I will graduate, and I will be great at what I do!!!

I've learned so much over the past year, and still have a lot to learn! May 2011 can NOT come fast enough!