Only in Nursing school....

 Does someone tell you to "go look at that butt" and you rush with everyone else to do exactly that. Kinda weird, right? Exactly what our professor said, and us medic RN students feel like we are drowning with most of the assignments- looking at a rubber butt with an example of a pressure wound is absolutely easy, and something we were eager to do as a result!

 In other news, here is my house:

  It needs painted, another window, and nothing inside is done except for the stairs and the bathroom framing. Still, a ton of progress that the contractor did in a few days!!!!!!! We will be doing the rest (hopefully), so it will be awhile before there is more progress to report. 

  I am super behind on stuff for my RN bridge class, as well as my Old Testament History. For nursing, our instructor is really cool, as are my classmates. Updates will likely be sporadic, but know that I think of you often!!!! 

  Happy Stitching/Studying! 

 Emmy

I have so much to tell you!

 But this is on my phone, so I may not get it all told. First and foremost, happy belated birthday to Robin!!!! 

  Things have been absolutely ridiculous around here. Grandpa was in the hospital with confusion and an infection that sounds like sepsis. Getting updates was incredibly difficult, and Covid (I really, really hate that word anymore) restrictions kept us from going there. My uncle that was up there is not able to relay info as well, and likes to add his own twist on things. At one point, Grandpa thought that he was at morgue being embalmed. He is, praise the Lord, back home and doing much better now. There are some lasting effects, but I really thought we were going to lose him, so the deficits are not worst case scenario by any means. 

  I was sick on the 14th, so I had Friday off of work. I really think I had just wore myself down too much between work, school, and everything else, especially since last week was finals. Thankfully, I am much better now, and at work now. I also survived our mandatory training, as did several apprehensive new hires. :)

  So, the being too busy and getting sick thing just confirms the decision I’m about to tell. I spoke to my boss a week or 2 back, and I am stopping to part time in late June. It was a hard, and frankly scary decision, but I feel more of a peace about this decision than I have felt in a very, very long time. I’m working on figuring out insurance and such now. Wish my luck, and a steady supply of Tylenol for that headache!

  My house is on hold at the moment. I’m working on figuring out the finances to hire the gent that gave me a quote. If I can get that figured out, we will go on ahead. If not, I will likely wait until sometime after next May to revisit that dream. 

  Since I was sick, I slept a ton(!!), watched some movies, and squeezed some stitching in!!!

  Most of the rump is done now, but I forgot to take a picture of that. I do believe Smokey has missed me stitching as much as I have! 

  The children are well. 

  Smokey was quite thrilled to have a bow tie on, and it appears to have cured his case of the grumpies and growlies. Lady hated it when I trimmed her claws and put her new caps on. You would have thought I was cutting her paws off the way she carried on!!! But, she stuck both paws out a few minutes after we finished to show off her bling! 

  I should be starting class on June 2, Lord willing and the creeks don’t rise. I’ll be using my vacation throughout June,  so that will take some stress off. I must say, the decision to go part time has made it much easier to breath, and I don’t feel like I’m drowning as much. Concerned about finances and such, but God led me down this path, so He will provide. 

  What have youns been up to? I’ve missed our visits!!!!

 Happy Stitching!

 Emmy

Slow Driver Update

   Since I have the misfortune of being awake at this time, and new guy drives slow from Big City,  I figured it would be a good time to pop in with an update. Things have been ridiculously busy. Between my classes and how incredibly busy we’ve been at work, there hasn’t really been time for much else, including sleep. Today we arrived at work and was told that there was a transfer going to St. Louis. The transfer went well, but was, unsurprisingly, long. 

  School has been annoying, but decent. Even though I’m just at half time, I’m having to spend pretty close to the amount of time studying I spent in medic class (an 18 credit hr class per semester). For two 3 hour classes, that is a bit ridiculous, especially since one is just a refresher. Still, it is what it is. I’m not sure if it’s the way the classes are set up, or my instructor. 

  The kitties are well. Ladybug’s paw is slowly getting better. I know they are just playing, but when Smokey bites her paw, he doesn’t realize he’s biting hard enough to hurt her. Do youns have any ideas on how to get him to stop playing so rough?

  Banjo wanted me to tell youns that he got two- TWO!!!!- new squeaky toys!!!!!!! I’m pretty sure Kirst gave the second one to Sadie, but he thinks it’s his  apparently, the one I gave him is not enough. Daisy says that life is good, even if her brothers are annoying  

  I don’t have anything to report on the stitching front. On the nursing school front, I have almost everything ready. My uniforms are ordered, my school- approved shoes arrived (they’re picky), most of my vaccine stuff is turned in (apparently they just gave me a plain tetanus shot a few years ago, so I need a TDaP booster, and I can’t access my TB test results on the pt portal for some reason, so I have to get that figured out). Let’s see, what else.... I think the only other thing I’ll need is a flu shot this fall. Normally, I skip them, but it’s required for clinicals. 

  I’m looking into something for the near future. I don’t have it all sorted out yet, although I have made up my mind, so I’ll wait to tell youns about it once it’s all sorted out. That said, I would appreciate sure prayer that I make the right decisions, and that all goes smoothly with it. 

  My coworker that was going to build my house had a schedule change and isn’t able to now. The good news is, there’s a guy that will be giving me a quote soon. I’m not sure when he will be able to start it, but he was the first one that didn’t say he was too busy, and he actually came out in a few days to look over everything, so that is progress at least!!!!

  Sorry I don’t have anything interesting to report. Hopefully that will change soon. Until then, youns take care, and please tell what you have been up to! 

  Happy Stitching!

 Emmy

P. S. I’ll try to include pictures in a post soon.  Also, it’s not terrible the new guy is driving slow; he’s working in giving a smooth ride, which is good, but ambulances go much faster than fire trucks, for various reasons.  He will get the fast and the smooth combined soon, I’m sure  

Being an Adult

     Do you know what one of my favorite things of being an adult is? Eating iced animal crackers. As a kid, you have to hope your Mom bought some. Then, you have to ask first, at least when you're a little gal. But as an adult? I can eat them whenever I want, regardless of what anyone else thinks or says. As long as I remember to buy them (I did), and remember to pack them (I did), I can! Take today. Today, I forgot to bring to bring my own supper, but I have my animal crackers, by George! I mean, take this guy? Is it a lion? I have no clue. But what I can tell you, is that he was delicious! 

  Being an adult is pretty all right, at least at times. (Bill paying time, not so much.)

When the sun won't shine...

 Make your own sunlight! At least, that is what Ladybug decided to do! I hope you all have a wonderful, relaxing Sunday!

  Happy Stitching!

 Emmy

 

It has been an entertaining time of late

   It really has been. We just got back from a call for a 3 year old with his foot stuck in his bicycle. He had been freed by the time we arrived. He was quite proud of the firefighter's helmet the fire dept gave him, as well as the animal my partner made for him out of gloves. His two sisters received the same, and were just as excited. 

  Earlier, we got very lost while looking for an address in a neighboring ambulance service's area. They have been running short-handed, so we have had much more mutual aid calls than normal. Thankfully, the call was not an emergency. The family was irritated; the road sign was missing. Which is common around here, and makes our job much, much harder if GPS does not work (it didn't). On the upside, I got take a quick picture of this barn quilt while we tried to get our bearings. 

   This morning, the sunrise was gorgeous!

  School has been going well. This was the first week with my A&P refresher, and it was not bad. Sometimes first weeks are deceiving, but I am hopeful that this is not one of those times. Its getting closer to time for me to start the RN bridge!

  Smokey and Ladybug have been extra entertaining of late. Kirst is sorting through things, and has an empty tub in the living room. They think that is the best thing ever! Dad even got involved by getting in the tub at one point to play with them. They thought it was awesome!

(I interrupted her nap on accident. It was not well received.)

Work has been work. Sometimes good, sometimes bad. Today, today has been entertaining. We have a student that is eager to finish getting his patient contacts in, so it has been entertaining while we debate with him with what volume and type of call is appropriate. He wants large amounts of patients, and massively pain-to-write-the-reports-for style calls. We want nothing but silent radio. So far, he is winning. Although, that was only our third call, so he is not winning by much. 

  Has anyone else with chronic sinus issues and allergies have been having issues with their doctor's offices? I am treated for 1-3 sinus infections a year, and almost constantly have at least low key issues with my sinuses (the allergies pretty much just stay with various points of worsening, such as rain, spring, summer, and fall). They know this. But they panic. When I mentioned the worsening issues since shortly after Thanksgiving, my nurse practitioner almost went the Covid route. Covid is much, much different from this. It is frustrating. And the medicine she gave me greatly helped, but did not quite knock it down back to baseline. So, I messaged her, unfortunately on a day she is off, so other staff members messaged me back. They want me to do a telehealth visit. I'm assuming its because of the "Covid symptoms" of sinus junk. Which is 99% of Missourians' baseline, because our state kinda stinks in that regard. I don't know whether to call and try to sort it out, or if they will try to force me get tested, when I do not need it, and make me miss work and no telling what else until the results come back. It is quite annoying. It definitely is not Covid; myself, and all others that have had it and been symptomatic that I've talked to, state that Covid had its own unique feeling, unlike anything else we have ever had. This- this I have had all the time for years. Oh well, such happenings certainly make sure that life stays interesting.

  I don't really have anything to report on the stitching front. Hopefully I will tomorrow!

  How have all of you been? What are you up to?

  Happy Stitching!

Emmy 

Life

 Hello All! This has quite possibly been one of the busiest Spring Breaks I have ever had! It has been difficult to get caught up on what I need to do, let alone what I want to do. And, of course, the first day of spring break was spent in mandatory training at work. At least until we became too busy with calls. Tomorrow school starts up again. I am not all that thrilled- this break flew by far too fast. 

  The weather has been nuts- one day it was in the 70s, the following day there were tornadoes in the general area of Missouri that I live and work, then the day after that,  there was snow. Our weather can never make up its mind around here!

 Things are progressing slow with my house. A coworker has agreed to frame it, once the foundation is finished. He recommended a guy to finish the foundation (with Dad's work schedule changing, I see no way it will be done by us), but that guy is booked through the end of May- beginning of June. He said he might be able to fit in somewhere in April, but can make no guarantees. Which is a bit of disappointment to me. Not sure if anyone else in the area will be able to do it any earlier or not- it is the season for such things now. 

  Yesterday, Mom, Kirst, and I visited Grandpa and Grandma B, as well as as my Uncle Bob and Aunt Charlotte. It was amazing getting to see them after so long apart. I also managed to sneak some stitching in, but forgot to take a picture. I did, however, remember to take a picture of a pillow my Aunt Charlotte embroidered many years ago. 

  I thought it was quite clever how she embroidered around the white squares to really make it pop!

  The kitties have been entertaining of late. Here is Ladybug helping Mom make her bed:

Someone had to help with laundry here:

Its hard work keeping each other in line!

 Someone had to hold Dad's foot still...

Storm watching:

 Helping me assemble a cabinet for Mom:

Supervising the cabinet assembly:

Signs of Spring!!!!!

Then snow...

  We are now back to things looking more like more spring, but it still cooler than it had been. Hopefully, it will warm back up soon! I hope all of you are doing well. Have a wonderful Sunday!

 Happy Stitching,

 Emmy