Reflection on this week and Grandmas

This was a crazy and interesting week in nursing school. There was a ton of stuff going on and honestly, I was feeling a bit overwhelmed with everything that had to be done. What I was looking forward to most about the week was just being done. Actually, next weekend is quite chaotic too, so truly I was looking forward to making it through to next weekend.
The main reason I wanted to study nursing at Northwest is because it is a Christian program. I wanted to be able to study nursing in an environment that would challenge my faith, instead of a program that would being challenging because of my faith. Due to the Christian aspect of our program there are assignments that are very different from other programs.

I was really excited about the opportunity to have lunch with the senior women at Calvary Christian Assembly, CCA, on Thursday. Having attended Marysville Free Methodist Church for the first 26 years of my life I became close with many of the seniors there. Even though I did not know these ladies at CCA, I knew it would almost feel like going home and sitting with the ladies I love and that watched and helped me grow up. These wonderful ladies at CCA are going to be our prayer partners for when we go on our international trips in February.

I was privileged to have an opportunity to meet a wonderful lady named Vera and I feel very blessed to call her my prayer partner. As soon as she introduced herself my heart started to do something crazy that I cannot even explain. It is quite possible that I began to tear up.

I think it is very special that this Vera will be my prayer partner because almost 2.5 years ago Grandma Gill passed away and her name was Vera. Grandma Gill was a wonderful lady and was very special to us. She was always a big supporter with school and life in general. There was a point when her health was declining and she could not really communicate with us well. One day when I was visiting her I told her that I was going to be going back to school to be a nurse and she started crying. I know Grandma Gill would be proud of me and what I am doing, and sometimes it is hard not to have her here with us.

Grandma Gill passed away on Father’s day 2009 the day before my Anatomy and Physiology II final. She hadn’t been doing well for a while, but for so long she had been in poor health that I didn’t actually think she would be going anytime soon. It was really hard when Nick came home and told me. We talked, cried and cuddled for a bit. Eventually I went back to studying for my final because that is what my grandma would have wanted. She was so proud that I was going to be a nurse, so I had to focus and learn so I could make her proud.

As I drove to my final the next day it finally hit me that my grandma was gone, I let it all out and I stared bawling like crazy. When I got to school I told my professor what happened. He said that I could have an extension if I would like and take the final the next week, but I just wanted to take the final so I could be done with it and then I could focus on my family stuff. I decided that because of everything that was going I would be okay if I didn’t get the most amazing grade ever and just wanted to at least pass. As soon as I got my final I sat there and I prayed. I prayed that God would help me focus my mind for those two hours on everything that I had studied and that I would make my grandma proud. Here is how God is crazy sometimes. When I looked at my grade for that class I was floored. Somehow, I ended up with a higher grade AFTER my final then I had going into the final. My professor must have thrown out some questions because there had not been extra credit and I got a 102% on my final! That was also enough to bring my grade up from the A- I thought I was getting to an A.

I think about Grandma Gill a lot when I am working with patients. I think about the people that were so nice and took care of Grandma Gill like she was their own grandma when we couldn’t be there and help her ourselves. The first month of clinicals I was in a long term care facility and as I provided care for each of the patients I imagined they were my grandma or grandpa. To this day I still try and treat each and every one of my patients like they are close and special family members. It is important to me that each of my patients are given the loving and gentle care that my grandma received and the loving and gentle care I would have given her if I could have been there. To have a Vera here, even though it is not my grandma, as part of my prayer support is amazing and I am grateful to have her.

~Stephanie

Countdown to Taiwan: 101 days!
Countdown to Graduation:  195 days!

Here I am!

Hi! Thanks for stopping by!

I’ve created this blog so people can try and stay in the loop with what is going on with my life. Recently I have been horrible about calling, emailing, sending Facebook messages or even returning texts. Maybe, just maybe I’ll be able to put some interesting stories and other fun things on here :-)

Today at school we had the first official meeting regarding the upcoming trip with the nursing program. One of the things they mentioned was starting a blog so family and friends would know about all of our experiences while we are away. So, here we are and Taiwan here I come! We got the tentative travel dates and we are currently looking at leaving on February 1^st at 1:00 am and getting back home on March 2^nd at 5:25 pm. I am super excited!!! However, I do feel a little pang of guilt leaving Nick behind and going on a crazy month long adventure.

Blog #1 has been a success! I have effectively avoided doing homework for too long… Maybe I should spend time on my study guide for this week's Pediatric's exam, or take a nap...

Thanks again for stopping by!

~Stephanie

Countdown to Taiwan: 109 days!

Countdown to Graduation: 203 days!