Today I realized that if I want to enter the AAS-Nursing program next fall, I'll have to complete Intro to Chemistry, Principles of Biology, Microbiology, History, and A&P 1 this year. Fine, no problem right? Wrong. I thought I'd be ok with just taking Intro to Chem and History this fall but after looking closer, I also have to take Principles of Biology. Principles of Biology is mostly chemistry for the first month or two and I SUCK at chemistry.
This puts me at full-time instead of part-time. I work 30 hours/week and have no choice about that because that is the minimum I can work and still keep my insurance. I have to have my insurance because I'm bipolar and have other health problems that require semi-frequent doctor's visits and medication. I have 3 children who have morphed into loud, obnoxious demons over the past month. How am I going to do this??? How am I going to study? Am I going to have to lock myself out in the old chicken coop with a headlamp and my books? Am I going to have to go back to my high school finals method of studying--hiding in the back of a cave with my books to get some peace and quiet?
Everyone should probably avoid me until the fall semester ends because I am going to be one stressed out bitch.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Stop The Thyroid Madness!
Someone pointed this website out to me and it seems to explain a lot of the problems I've been having lately. I take 200mcg of synthetic thyroid hormones every day and have for a very long time, yet my hypothyroid symptoms have never really gone away. They've improved a bit, but they're still there and they're still affecting my life. I'm going to schedule an appointment with my doctor next month to discuss switching to a desiccated thyroid hormone. Hopefully it will help me.
If you're on synthetic thyroid meds and still experiencing symptoms, visit www.stopthethyroidmadness.com.
If you're on synthetic thyroid meds and still experiencing symptoms, visit www.stopthethyroidmadness.com.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Rules For Safe Caving
If you want to go caving, there are a few things you need to know. Most importantly:
Take nothing but pictures
Leave nothing but footprints
Kill nothing but time
If I find out you haven't been following these basic rules, I will hunt you down and poke you with a hot fork. Caves are a sensitive environment, many are still "living", and a person who doesn't respect them can do a lot of damage.
You need to have at least 3 people in group, preferably 4. This is in case someone gets hurt--1 person stays with the injured while another goes for help.
Don't go into caves you're unfamiliar with unless you have an experienced caver in your group. It's even better if you have a map of the cave.
Hard hats or helmets are a must. You have to protect your brain!!!!
3 light sources per person; 1 must be a headlamp. I like to carry mini-Mags with LED upgrades.
Food and water--I like to pack energy bars because they can take a beating and fill you up.
Extra batteries for your light sources.
Proper clothing for the cave environment. If you're going to be in a wet cave, you need to wear something that will keep you as dry and warm as possible. A lot of cavers wear Polypro underwear under their clothing. Cotton is not generally recommended, but I do like to wear old overalls.
Boots, not tennis shoes. Definitely not sandals. You need boots with good tread or you'll be slipping all over the place, putting yourself at risk for injury.
Camera. I have a digital Canon something or other with built-in flash and a setting for taking night landscape photos. A camera isn't a necessity, but if you're like me you'll want lots of pictures to document your adventures. Some cavers carry disposables but I don't like them because a lot of times the pictures don't turn out.
Waterproof box for carrying your extra batteries and camera.
A small backpack or waistpack for carrying your gear.
Whatever else you feel like packing is up to you, but remember to pack as lightly as possible. You'll be carrying this crap for hours, dragging it through small passages, and possibly even climbing with it. You don't want to overburden yourself.
DO NOT SMOKE IN CAVES. I'm a smoker and I understand the urge to light up, but if you light up in a cave you could end up killing yourself and everyone else in your group. Bad air is not something to mess around with.
Take nothing but pictures
Leave nothing but footprints
Kill nothing but time
If I find out you haven't been following these basic rules, I will hunt you down and poke you with a hot fork. Caves are a sensitive environment, many are still "living", and a person who doesn't respect them can do a lot of damage.
You need to have at least 3 people in group, preferably 4. This is in case someone gets hurt--1 person stays with the injured while another goes for help.
Don't go into caves you're unfamiliar with unless you have an experienced caver in your group. It's even better if you have a map of the cave.
Hard hats or helmets are a must. You have to protect your brain!!!!
3 light sources per person; 1 must be a headlamp. I like to carry mini-Mags with LED upgrades.
Food and water--I like to pack energy bars because they can take a beating and fill you up.
Extra batteries for your light sources.
Proper clothing for the cave environment. If you're going to be in a wet cave, you need to wear something that will keep you as dry and warm as possible. A lot of cavers wear Polypro underwear under their clothing. Cotton is not generally recommended, but I do like to wear old overalls.
Boots, not tennis shoes. Definitely not sandals. You need boots with good tread or you'll be slipping all over the place, putting yourself at risk for injury.
Camera. I have a digital Canon something or other with built-in flash and a setting for taking night landscape photos. A camera isn't a necessity, but if you're like me you'll want lots of pictures to document your adventures. Some cavers carry disposables but I don't like them because a lot of times the pictures don't turn out.
Waterproof box for carrying your extra batteries and camera.
A small backpack or waistpack for carrying your gear.
Whatever else you feel like packing is up to you, but remember to pack as lightly as possible. You'll be carrying this crap for hours, dragging it through small passages, and possibly even climbing with it. You don't want to overburden yourself.
DO NOT SMOKE IN CAVES. I'm a smoker and I understand the urge to light up, but if you light up in a cave you could end up killing yourself and everyone else in your group. Bad air is not something to mess around with.
Introduction
So...where to begin. I'm 28 years old and happily married. We have 3 small children--Monkey Boy (8), Bear (4), and Tappy (2). Monkey Boy had a twin brother, Snickers, who died when they were 3 months old. I work full-time as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) at a skilled nursing facility, aka nursing home. I've been working on my RN pre-reqs for the past couple of years, should finish them next summer, and hope to enter the AAS-Nursing program in the fall of 2010. I also have an AA in criminal justice that has been good for absolutely nothing except transfer credits.
In my spare time I like to read, chat on internet message boards, go hiking, and go caving. I'm a member of the National Speleological Society and am in the process of joining the Meramec Valley Grotto. If you live in the STL area and have an interest in caving, check out a Grotto meeting. We meet every 3rd Wednesday at the Powder Valley Nature Center in Kirkwood. I'm still mostly a novice caver, not to be confused with spelunker, and am aching to learn more, especially rapelling.
I have Bipolar Type 1 disorder that is controlled by Lamictal, Anxiety that I sometimes eat Ativan up like Skittles for, Hypothyroid, and PCOS. Hopefully nothing else is wrong with me because I'm already a walking illness. Despite my health problems, I always try to look on the bright side because I figure dwelling on the bad will do nothing but make me sicker. If there's one thing I don't need, it's to be sicker. As long as my meds are working I feel mostly ok, albeit a bit tired.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
