You’re right Scott…

You deserve a post of all your own. Yes, you’re right… but it’s hard/difficult/nearly impossible to think that it’s going to be any different in a new city than it was in Chicago, Akron, Cleveland, Columbus, or Philadelphia.

Or, just maybe… MAYBE there is a man in Indianapolis who can figure me out and won’t want to run the other direction.

But, that’s not even remotely the reason I’m moving. I’ve come to the conclusion that when God wrote the book on my life.. the word “single” was placed next to it.

This is the first time since 1997 that I’m moving somewhere utterly by myself. This is the first time since 1993 that I’m moving to a new state where I don’t know ANYONE (minus 3 people who I have last seen almost 15 years ago).

Blah. This is hard.

I look like I have track marks on my arms…

Yes, I look like a druggie (or is it “druggy”?). My one arm is totally bruised in four different places… it does look like I was trying to find a vein…but, I swear it’s all from packing and moving today. My little “Relocube” came around 2.30p today. My friend Jamie (THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!) came over at 4 to help me pack… When I first saw the cube online I wasn’t sure if one was going to be enough. They are 8 feet tall, 6 feet wide, and 7 feet long. But EVERYBODY I talked to said that one is enough since I’m not taking tons of furniture. I’m glad that I only ordered one cube..because everything major has been packed… some minor stuff will go into my car and then it’s off I go. Jamie and I finished at 7.30 this evening. Needless to say, I’m extremely tired.

Tomorrow it’s more cleaning and off to my final trip to KOP mall for the near and distant future. It’s weird. I know that I’m moving far away..but it really doesn’t seem that far (although it IS far…632 miles or 9.5 hours). Maybe it will sink in when I’m at my new place, finding a new church…  getting crushed by a new batch of guys…. UGH.

Ok… I just hit the wall… Contacts are coming out and I’m going to bed (it’s 11.23pm). Good night all….

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1. I. HATE. PACKING.

2. White Sox WON.

3. I. HATE. PACKING.

4. White Sox WON

5. White Sox WON

6. White Sox WON

And, so Scott… what happened to your beloved Phillies last night???? Ummm.. what was that sound???? Chokin’ in the top of the 9th!!!! 

Seven Days..

I think I’m under some delusion that I’m here longer and that I still have all the time in the world to pack my stuff. In reality… I have today, tomorrow, and Friday morning. I do have a lot packed… but there is still a great deal that needs to be accomplished.

I must remind myself to never move and take the Kaplan review course in the same time frame (but then again, I’m hoping that I will never have to take a NCLEX review course again–although, it’s been very good…).

Job update: They called me on Monday morning to say that they received my paperwork. Monday afternoon I rec’d another call from the NP telling me that she said what “saved” me was having the immunization records from HS. She said that if I didn’t have that proof I received the MMR shots they would have not  cleared me. She said that the infectious disease MD said I would be fine because I have memory cells that the titers do not pick up. The best part was that she went on to say “And, you are working on Krannert 6… and because you will be working with wealthier clients your risk of contracting measles, mumps, or rubella is very low with that patient population.”

I thought just because I’m working with ADULTS that my risk will be low, since those three diseases are mostly CHILDHOOD ones…  It is true that my clients will be mostly wealthy, but that really doesn’t matter… does it?

Anyway, I didn’t open my mouth at all to her…. it was “yes, maam, i understand, and thank you…” Honestly, she didn’t seem happy about clearing me. Maybe she just doesn’t like her job….  Who knows….

Today at 10am is my “readiness” test for Kaplan…  180 questions & 3 hours. UGH. I just want this thing to be over with. Kinda ticked off about the whole NCLEX thing.

That’s about it for now.

Driving back to Midway…

I’m in the car right now with my parents as we go back to Midway. My flight to PHL is at 11.55 CST. It’s been a bummer weekend for the most part.

The major highlight: I might not have a job anymore. I went Indianapolis on Friday morning to do some final tasks before I move. In the early afternoon I had my employee physical at the hospital. Well, it didn’t go at all like I expected OR maybe.. it went exactly like I expected it to. First, part of it was my fault. Of course, I forgot the most important piece of paper back on my desk in Media: a copy of my immunization records from HS that proved I received my MMR shot (3X). The paperwork that I did have to give them showed that my titers were non-reactive…meaning that I’m not immune to rubella & that my Hep B shots also didn’t work like they are supposed to in a normal human. On top of that, it showed that my Herpes Zoster test showed that I’m 0.05 from having immunity from that (aka: Chicken Pox).

The nurse who was examining me was honestly the first person I have met there who wasn’t nice. She was abrupt. She said that if I *didn’t* show her the test results I would have been OK, but since I was honest with them & brought everything she said that she has to address the results & that they will not clear me for employment.

She then asked me: “How did you get through nursing school?” I didn’t know how to respond because my jaw was still on the floor.

She then left for almost 20 minutes & then came back into the office with the Nurse Practioner. She said it was their policy to not clear ANYONE who can’t prove immunity to measles, mumps, rubella, or zoster. In most people they would just give the vaccine, but because of my heart transplant status & immunosuppresant drugs I can’t have either vaccine because they are made with the live (but weakened) virus.

She said that I should fax my proof of immunizations to her (the paper that I forgot) & that she would have to *discuss* my status with the infectious disease doc.

Basically, my drugs mask my immunity… (That’s the short version).

As I was leaving the office, I answered the nurse who asked me how I got through nursing school. My answer: “With honors.”

I have no time..

Namely because I’m lazy.. lazy.. lazy…. I have to have everything packed by next Friday (6/19) at NOON…. I haven’t even started my bedroom yet. Although, the more I think about it… it might not be that bad.. because 90% of my bedroom is clothes… I’m not taking ANY of my bedroom furniture with me. It’s fake IKEA crud from 16 years ago that I got when I was in grad school. I think I’ve said this before.. but I’ve slept in a twin bed all these years… I’m moving on up to a nice Queen size bed from Crate & Barrel. Woohoo.

Kaplan NCLEX course is going well. I’m actually enjoying it. Our  teacher is really good and keeps us engaged for the 4 hours. I think I like it because 90% of the time it’s just answering questions… and I can always answer more questions.

I’m skipping class this morning (from 10-2) because I’m flying home this afternoon and still have tons of stuff to accomplish. Also, for a sad reason. A friend’s boyfriend passed away in his sleep on Monday morning. The viewing is from 9-11 this morning in Paoli. I never met him, but I know that he made her absolutely happy… So, that’s a good thing. From what I gathered on his FB page… he was really young… graduated HS in 96.. so, that would put him at 30? Anyway, I’m rambling…

*** Yes, Scott.. my beloved team lost again last night…

Ta-ta for now.

Hot

I’m s-l-o-w-l-y packing boxes. I finished a BIG BOX (I have 3 box sizes: small, medium, and SUPER BIG). Next. I’m going to tackle the pots/pans next that I’m taking with me (which, thankfully isn’t that many… after 12 years the teflon is starting to wear off & something tells me that I shouldn’t being eating food combined with teflon flakes). The thing is… it’s HOT in here. I have the A/C on…but I’m sweating like a pig (which is totally normal for me)… My arms are literally sticking to my desk as I type this in my bedroom.

Today was my first Kaplan NCLEX review course. I’m enrolled in a class that meets Mon-Thur for the next 2 weeks down at 16th & Walnut. Today we took our diagnostic exam to see where we stand on things. Well, Kaplan SAYS that if you score 65% or above on the 180 item test then you’re golden when it comes to passing NCLEX. It was a 180 item scantron test. We had 3 hours & I think I completed it in 2 hours 35 minutes. I seemed to favor response item #2… if you looked on my Scantron sheet… I had in one column NINE #2 answers in a row…. UGH. I also had a lot of diagnol patterns, etc…  (BTW, it’s my dream to be a teacher and to make a Scantron test where EVERY answer is “A”… I think it would totally be  cool to see which students would catch on by the end)…. Anyway, blah, blah, blah… I checked my score online… 67%!!!  Now, I’m hoping that I can keep it up.

Nothing else utterly exciting to report. White Sox still suck. Blah.

16 Days  & counting……

Packing is not happening…

I amuse myself that I sometimes rhyme. I still haven’t really packed anything or really purged that much stuff… UGH. Really, this whole week I’ve totally blown off and not did a thing. Today was no different. Next week I start the Kaplan NCLEX review course 4 hours/day…  I guess I knew that I thrive on deadlines.. so, it will get accomplished come hell or high water.

The thing about moving… everybody wants to take you out to dinner.. which, isn’t necessarily a bad thing… Last night my friend Liz who used to be the social worker at Penn and now is at Jeff took me out to dinner in Media. We ate at the wonderful Indian place. It was a lovely dinner… she got me a Jefferson hospital t-shirt which is cool because I don’t have one and probably would never buy one for myself.

Today I went to Sam’s Club in Exton and got new tires for my Mazda. $550 later… the car drives like a dream again. I love my little Zoom-Zoom.

That’s about it…. nothing exciting… sorry.

I’m here… T-22 days until moving day.

I’m back from all the graduation week requirements and our mini break to Rhode Island. Fun was had by all. I’m so glad last week is done with. Tuesday night was Candlelighting, Wednesday was Class Dinner, & Thursday morning was graduation. Immediately after we left for Providence. Traffic was horrible getting out of NY (but, thankfully, we did cross the GW bridge in under 45 minutes)…. we spent 2 hours going 50 miles towards New Haven, CT. UGH!!!!  I stayed in hotels my last 3 nights ( one here in Philly, two in Providence).

I love Providence…  LOVE IT!!  It makes me really sad that I’m leaving the East Coast… no more Providence… I guess that’s not entirely true… now I just have to fly there instead of driving.

I still have tons to pack and purge…  I can’t believe how much crap I have.

Blah, blah, blah… Nothing very exciting…  Ta-ta for now.