Saturday, June 18, 2011

Hello world!

Hi Friends!
  So I've been taking this class at the hospital and I pretty much just go around and talk to the elderly people (65 and older) and a lot of them feel the need to tell me their entireeee life story including medical history. Which is kinda funny. I've meet some really awesome people! Including one who looked like Santa Clause, a retired secret service man and cute old ladies. I've also been asked many times how many years left of high school I had... I definitely already graduated college once and I'm 23 years old. But it's great to know I look good! I also get hit on a lot, it's very uncomfortable. But funny.

So I'm going to Camp soon, actually tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!! YAY! I can't even wait, I wonder if I'll be able to sleep tonight. I'll definitely update you all when I get back. I brought a journal so I can write down everything, provided I have time haha!

My infusion is going well, it works really well for 2-3 weeks but after that it starts to decrease in effectiveness. The hospital is really hurting my back, I'm there 2-4 hours twice a week, but it's not too bad. I'm even wearing nursing shoes and it still hurts, but I am standing from the second I get out of my car until I get back in it! But it's fun!!

Well I must leave now, I'm going to Tampa to go to the Rays baseball game with my family to celebrate Father's day. (Happy Fathers Day Pops! Love you!) I hope you all have a wonderful week! See ya later!!

-Kelley


ps- I cut 7 inches off my hair.. AH but it's cute :)

Monday, June 6, 2011

Hello again!

Hello world!!!
  I bet you thought I forgot about you! I didn't! Let me update you on my life! (Feel free to get a snack or something, this is going to be a long one)

Ok so, in January I started nursing school at The Florida State University and I love love love it! But in February I got sick and ended up missing a little over a week of school, which in the accelerated program was about 3 weeks of class missed. The doctors think it might have been costalchondritis (inflammation of the intercoastal spaces in the rib cage) and a mix of an arthritis flare up but with a 70% airway blockage. It was no fun! I did get an angiogram though which was neat! (it's like an x-ray but they inject a dye in you that makes your insides glow so they can see if there are any blood clots). When the dye goes through your veins it starts from the top up by your head and you can feel it go through your body and when it gets to your butt area it feels like you pee in your pants because the dye is warm. It's an odd feeling! But anyway, I got better after lots of inhalers, antibiotics, breathing treatments and pain killers.
 I also started a new arthritis medicine too! It is an IV infusion, so I am hooked up to an IV for 3.5 hours every 8 weeks in my doctor's office. So far it is working pretty well, it is just annoying to have to drive 4 hours each way to go to my doctor's office in Tampa. But I have an appointment in August for Shand's Hospital in Jacksonville, which is only 2 hours away! I think that is all of the excitement for February!

Onto March, April and May! I turned 23, woooo! I started working part time as a babysitter for a now 10 month old baby boy. He's pretty cool! I found out that I get to go back to Camp Boggy Creek for the arthritis week! I CAN'T WAIT! So excited! And I am going to do another one for sickle cell anemia in August! I can't wait!!!! So stoked. In May I flew out to Arizona to visit my cousin Kristen and her fiance Rob, I do not like Arizona, but I do like my cousin. It was so nice to see her! (thank you Aunt Karen for buying my plane ticket)

June! I have decided that I want to do something great and I want to do it now! So here's my list of places I've applied to volunteer with:
Red Cross
Make a Wish Foundation
    I'm going to be a Wish Granter!!!
Hospice
Tallahassee Memorial Hospital
    It's part of a class I am taking, it's with the Hospital Elder Life Program (story later)
Big Brother Big Sister
   I got rejected to be a big sister because there are not enough little girls :( but I hope to help with something
   else
The Arthritis Foundation
Someone told me that most hospitals have a thing where you can hang out with the little kids while they wait for surgery or are just bored, I want to do that!

I think that is all, let me know if you have any other ideas!

Ok so today at the hospital one of my patients was sooo amazing! She told me that I was an inspiration to her because of how I power through my arthritis pain. She was so funny and wonderful! We talked for almost an hour. But she's getting discharged in two days, I'm kinda sad, I liked her. I also got mistaken for a nurse a lot today, which was kinda nice.

My bones are doing well, instead of hurting all over all the time, it's limited to just certain areas. And my morning achiness has gone down to only 1-2 hours after I wake up instead of 2-3!

I'm still dating my boyfriend Henry, it's been over a year! Crazy. I like him


I think that is all that is going on in my life at the moment. Until next time friends!

Love everyone, even yourself.
-Kelley