Sleep Deprived

I survived my first night shift ever, which was my first night as a travel nurse. I didn't know how to prepare for last night, I tried to stay up as late as I could the night before thinking I could sleep all day..yeah right! That didn't happen. I passed out shortly after midnight and tried to be lazy all day. Took small intermittent naps until about 1 p.m. and I couldn't handle it anymore so I got up! It was a beautiful day in Canon City. Temperature in the 60's with a light breeze. I decided I'd go for a walk on the River Walk. I've been wanting to start running up here, but am allowing my body to adjust to the altitude! I get short of breath just walking around! ha. Anyway, the river walk is alongside the beautiful Arkansas River. There were a few people out walking their dogs. Everyone has been so friendly so far. I think this will be a great place to take my bike as well (if weather permits!) Anyway, I drove around some more and came back home. Tried to take a nap..no go. So I decided to just start getting ready for work. I was so excited and so nervous, but more excited just to be able to talk to people. Although I have had the incredible time spending time with myself, I am a very social person. Walking in was nerve racking, I walked upstairs to sign in and made my way into the ICU. A day shift nurse welcomed me and told me to find a chair and just chill out til the rest of night shift got there. They were busy in that little 8 bed ICU. The night shift nurses trickled in..I introduced myself. Everyone was SO nice! there was a med-surg nurse named Tamara. She was tall, thin and beautiful. We really hit it off..it's too bad she doesn't work in the ICU. But she is a lot of fun. There was also another traveler named Malu, but this was her last night. And then there was Penny, an older nurse who I was orienting with. She is such a sweetheart.She has such compassion for her patients and she is someone I can really look up to. We were pretty busy with our three patients. I was trying to learn the computer system and the general flow of things. Since it is such a small hospital, ICU nurses draw their own labs. I have been spoiled in the last 2 facilities I have worked in. Lab personnel would come up and draw our labs! I was kind of nervous performing this skill but was successful 2/2 times! The acuity level of these patients are not what I am used to, however I think that I will grow so much as a nurse working in a smaller facility. We have limited resources and still will be required to critically think! So I survived my first night, but I was so tired by the time I got home! I passed out until almost 2 this afternoon. Got ready and now am in my home away from home at Coyote's Coffee Den. I am planning on eating Sushi tonight and going up to the hospital to meet the other traveler they hired in the ICU. Apparently she is around my age! So we will see..then maybe a movie..Yep-Another date night with myself.

I had an AWESOME day today. I slept in until about 830, made some coffee and went to nursing orientation. Today was the first day walking into the hospital I will be working in. I met some of the day shift nurses and toured the ICU. Everyone seems so nice. The ICU is small, but it is so cute! It is only an 8 bed ICU but is very new and high tech. The rooms are big. I start my first night tomorrow night. I've never worked night shift so adjusting is probably going to be difficult. I was only in nursing orientation for a few hours so I went back to the loft, changed and took off. I toured Canon City a little bit more only to discover a River Walk just in walking distance from my loft. There is a great running and mountain biking trail right is right along the Arkansas River. I then got on Interstate 50 and headed West. I pulled over to take pictures of some long horned sheep on the side of the road! The sight of the Arkansas River comforted me:) I was mesmerized by its beauty.I pulled over in Salida, CO to buy a road map of Colorado-figured I might need it. Sometimes the good ol' map works better than the GPS! I drove a little further and drove to the top of Monarch Mountain. This is why I came to Colorado. I love the mountains. They are beautiful. There was about a foot of snow on the ground on the side of the road where the above picture was taken. The ski slopes open in about  a week. I'm looking forward to learning how to snowboard! This resort is not far from my apartment, so I'm thinking of a season pass? We'll see. I spent awhile up on the mountain, taking in the fresh thin air. I turned around and headed back to Canon City. I stopped in Salida again and went downtown. What an awesome cute little town! I stopped at a coffee shop and got me a latte and walked downtown and visited all the shops. They have a variety of antique shops, bars, coffee shops, and of course sporting good stores. The people are friendly there and a lot of people were riding their bike downtown. I loved it here. The atmosphere was great. I'm now at my little hangout in the Canon...it's called Coyote's Coffee Den. It's so comfortable. I'm sprawled out on the couch enjoying a pumpkin pie latte. I think the people here will soon learn my name because I am here so much already. Here's to an end of a great day, a day to myself and I had a blast.

Taking the Plunge?

I don't even know where to start. My headline sums it up: "A New Beginning." Reminds me of one of my favorite quotes: “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending." On November 12th, I drove 14 hours to Canon City, Colorado. I have always known that I wanted to be a travel nurse, just didn't think would ever really happen! Everyone asks me "Why?" My Response: "WHY NOT?!" I can't take all the credit for this though. My parents have had a huge influence on my decision. They had planted the seed in my head since before I started nursing school. At this very moment, I am a mixed ball of emotions. I'm excited, nervous, happy, scared as heck, sad and homesick. Deep down inside somewhere, I know that this is the best thing for me. I've never been truly ALONE. EVER. I found me a cute cozy fully furnished apartment on top of an antique store in downtown Canon City. I finally unpacked all of my stuff today and I feel a lot better. I haven't been able to sleep very well being in such a strange place.I crossed a milestone on Saturday night. I went to a restaurant and had dinner alone and went to the movies; alone. I realized that spending time with myself really isn't all that bad. I am hoping this experience will make me stronger and am looking forward to understanding and knowing Sondra on the deepest of all levels. Sunday, I took a two hour drive to Denver to see my Aunt, Uncle & 2 cousins. It is very comforting to know that I do have family not too far away! I've just started Computer Orientation at another facility and start in ICU on Thursday night. I'm using this blog as an outlet, or diary for myself and others to read. I think it will be great to look back and re-live the experience:)