I've been doing a lot of people thinking lately...my German class today really made me think about interactions with people that can change lives, moments of lives, outcomes of lives...or have so many immeasurable influences on others. We're reading a book called, "Wenn gefährliche Hunde lachen" which is about two Africans trying to flee to Europe...not necessarily seeking asylum, just looking for a better life. I find it so interesting their deep reliance on other people to reach their goal of immigrating to a country which offers better prospects. How deeply trust has to go, and how much money can really buy.
In other aspects of my life, I feel like I meet people often who make me reevaluate myself and mold me into the Becca I am today. I've met people one time that affect me, I've met people several times who I give very little thought to. I think it's interesting that the intensity of a friendship isn't always determined by duration...nor proximity. In our time lines, we have people cross in and through and out and back in again...and their lives our linear, our lives are linear, but somehow for some amount of time we end up together. I've always been fascinated with that...the whole "your reality is very different from someone else's reality" phenomenon.
Anyway, today was my first day up on the ward for nursing school. I have to admit it was really cool to be wearing all professional clothes and be touring around the Oncology Unit...feeling like I was somebody. It's so nice that they try to make people feel like home there, but at the same time, there's something almost pathetic and sad, almost wilted, if you will, about trying to make being in the hospital for cancer any more enticing than it actually is. Which it's not. I couldn't help but take a deep breath when I walked into the first room as I imagined that I was the person entering the room to be taken care of. That I was the person who was probably not going to make it. That I was a part of the family who had to hear that their loved one was dying. It's a totally different experience walking in with a white coat, clipboard, and the power to tell people what to do. It's totally anders. I think my biggest fear at this point skills/learning wise is the inability to insert a Foley Catheter, which was a skill we learned today. The last time I saw it done I almost fainted and even when my professor nurse lady was demonstrating putting one into thin air I felt a little light headed. Something about sticking something backwards into a hold that's supposed to drain forwards scares me waaay more than drawing blood, injections, pushing babies out, or even cutting through skin. Something about it just sits wrong with me.
I must admit it was nice though to be in a hospital without laying there. In that German hospital, first of all, things were soooo much different. Like, the whole time I was there they didn't change my linens (they do it every day at UW) and the nurses couldn't do much...there was so much less going on in the hospital in Germany. AND SO MUCH LESS KLIMAANLAGE (air conditioning). The hospital is absolutely frigid. I had to wear my white coat just to keep from shivering (I was already wearing a sweater and long dress pants, mind you...)
So, life has officially restarted and all. I'm going to the Badger Game against Utah on Saturday (it's a night game, won't interfere with my work schedule!) and working on homework the rest of the weekend. I'm having a little trouble keeping caught up but getting organized was certainly a third of the battle. And I applied to my first Praktikum position today!! In Köln! Next summer! I didn't have time to apply to any of the other ones (seeing as I was in class when I applied to the one anyway) so hopefully I'll start up that whole process over the next week/weekend.
Nice to get things off my chest and keep thoughts organized. Had a good couple radio shows too which are therapeutic and I always enjoy getting callers and hearing that my friends are listening. It reassures me that sometimes people are great and do care a lot about me and the things I do...despite how I feel most of the time. Things are good.
In other aspects of my life, I feel like I meet people often who make me reevaluate myself and mold me into the Becca I am today. I've met people one time that affect me, I've met people several times who I give very little thought to. I think it's interesting that the intensity of a friendship isn't always determined by duration...nor proximity. In our time lines, we have people cross in and through and out and back in again...and their lives our linear, our lives are linear, but somehow for some amount of time we end up together. I've always been fascinated with that...the whole "your reality is very different from someone else's reality" phenomenon.
Anyway, today was my first day up on the ward for nursing school. I have to admit it was really cool to be wearing all professional clothes and be touring around the Oncology Unit...feeling like I was somebody. It's so nice that they try to make people feel like home there, but at the same time, there's something almost pathetic and sad, almost wilted, if you will, about trying to make being in the hospital for cancer any more enticing than it actually is. Which it's not. I couldn't help but take a deep breath when I walked into the first room as I imagined that I was the person entering the room to be taken care of. That I was the person who was probably not going to make it. That I was a part of the family who had to hear that their loved one was dying. It's a totally different experience walking in with a white coat, clipboard, and the power to tell people what to do. It's totally anders. I think my biggest fear at this point skills/learning wise is the inability to insert a Foley Catheter, which was a skill we learned today. The last time I saw it done I almost fainted and even when my professor nurse lady was demonstrating putting one into thin air I felt a little light headed. Something about sticking something backwards into a hold that's supposed to drain forwards scares me waaay more than drawing blood, injections, pushing babies out, or even cutting through skin. Something about it just sits wrong with me.
I must admit it was nice though to be in a hospital without laying there. In that German hospital, first of all, things were soooo much different. Like, the whole time I was there they didn't change my linens (they do it every day at UW) and the nurses couldn't do much...there was so much less going on in the hospital in Germany. AND SO MUCH LESS KLIMAANLAGE (air conditioning). The hospital is absolutely frigid. I had to wear my white coat just to keep from shivering (I was already wearing a sweater and long dress pants, mind you...)
So, life has officially restarted and all. I'm going to the Badger Game against Utah on Saturday (it's a night game, won't interfere with my work schedule!) and working on homework the rest of the weekend. I'm having a little trouble keeping caught up but getting organized was certainly a third of the battle. And I applied to my first Praktikum position today!! In Köln! Next summer! I didn't have time to apply to any of the other ones (seeing as I was in class when I applied to the one anyway) so hopefully I'll start up that whole process over the next week/weekend.
Nice to get things off my chest and keep thoughts organized. Had a good couple radio shows too which are therapeutic and I always enjoy getting callers and hearing that my friends are listening. It reassures me that sometimes people are great and do care a lot about me and the things I do...despite how I feel most of the time. Things are good.
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