1st clinical

There are millions of first times in our life, no matter where you are and what you do. Hard to think there is no new things happening around us.
I had my first clinical today. Yesterday I was too nervous to start my paperwork. I talked to different people to get ideas to conquer my fear and get started. However, the more I talked to people, the more nervous I felt. So I didn't get started my pathomap until midnight. Pathomap is crazy, at least for the first time. I had no clue where I should start, where I could get ideas, and what I should do. Overall, I was so lost.
When almost all my peers went to sleep, like 2 hours before I got started...I guess by the time I got done with my pathomap, it was already almost time for them to get up..I felt a little bit dumb because everybody already finished. I know I should have been negative like that. I almost cried though. Then I went downstairs to the computer lab to get resource and I saw one of my classmates were pouring tears..Finally I felt I was not alone.
So with all kinds of help, I finally got started my pathomap and had a big picture of disease. Then I used my every single brain cell to think about the disease, hydronephrosis, which I never heard about before, which I will have billions of things that I never know before. How exciting! So many things to expect or unexpect!
Acutally I talked to my patient, who is 88 yrs old, a lot this morning besides doing my clinical assignment.
He was very nice and encouraging. I like it when he was surprised that it was my first time, which made me feel like I am professional. :P Well...I should be..Just feel the roles in my life changed, from a student to a professional.
Before we said goodbye to each other, he said, "come here, let me give you a hug." My eyes turned red and tears rolling in my eyes. He said that he would never forget me. Neither do I. How blessed I am to have a such nice patient!
Although almost 5 hours standing and walking was not very delightful, everything went well. Everything was new to me. Sometimes, maybe a lot of times, I didn't understand what the RN talked about and what was going on. I really need to improve my English skills, especially listening skills, to undertand future different patients and professionals. BUT....how? what should I do specifically?
After today, I wonder what student nurses learn and what nurses do in mainland of China and HongKong. Apparently it is very different in mainland of China, but not sure what exactly it is.
Life is terrific, so much new things for us to learn. ^.^

shooting.

You can totally call me farm girl, which I would love to be. I can't be more sure than this, especially after 2 shooting accidents in two weeks around where I live. Living on the farm in this country is way more safer than in downtown, at least from my own experience. 

Before I came to U.S. people around me were excited for me but also worried about me. They heard the crime rate was high via the news. I didn't even realized how scary this country is until the shootings happened around us.

Although I know how free people are in this country, it sometimes scares me. Just think of getting killed on the street any second. 

Can't believe that it did happened. How crazy it is? Last night a guy got shot and begging to come to our school, but students were not sure the guy was a gunman or a victim. Cops were around the place again. 

So this is what happens in this country? Shooting, somebody innocent gets hurt, and cops. I feel like life is so unimportant here because nobody even knows when and where he/she is gonna get shot. 

After the accident, I couldn't sleep because everything about criminals come into my mind. We might get murdered while we were sleeping. We might...Who knows..

God, please help us. 

Spring! Break!

      

      March is here, so is the SPRING!! What makes spring better? BREAK!!! Yes, I am on my spring break. :) Winter on this lovely land is way too long. Good thing is we have heaters inside. ^^ There are always good things among bad things. Humm. I don't mean winter is bad, but being so long is not quite nice..:P

      Technically, it is almost the end of my break. :( Don't wanna go back to school and finish up the second half of the semester. But all kinds of good things are having my attention and motivation, such as going back to China. YES, I AM GOING BACK TO CHINA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! for six weeks or so. 

     Actually, ukulele brought me in today.... 

     After I bought my first ukulele, I really think there is nothing easy on this planet, not even sleeping. Or we human beings make things harder? I didn't make ukulele hard though...I always think I am not good at music at all...and I am really not.....However, I still bought myself a ukulele...One night when I was studying and very stressed out, ukulele popped up in my head. It would be nice to have something to play with while study was not very fun. So I made up my mind. It doesn't matter if I know anything about music or not. 

     I am very excited to have my ukulele, should I name it? It seems like people here love naming everything...So should it have a Chinese name or English name? Just kidding. 

     Today I learned the typical ringtone of Nokia...:P still not very fluent..Well..I really don't know anything about music, not even the chords. I tried to learn when I was in grade school. My sister is crazy about music, but she didn't get a chance to learn until she got out of school. Literally, totally after she was done with everything about school. She is practicing piano which she dream about playing for her whole childhood. We actually put most of our time studying..Remember? We are study-machines. :P 

     I really think I will be sorta good at my ukulele...maybe when I turn 80 yr old or something..We shall see if I still keep this blog going. Maybe a little bit earlier than 80...

     I didn't do so much things over this break. Mostly thinking about homework or something. Yes, just thinking. not doing. :P 

     Ukulele probably is the highlight for my break. ^^ 

     Other than that, days are getting closer ad closer to go back to China. By that time, I will have been away from home for 1.5 years. Don't forget the "period." 15 years would be too long. 1.5 years is fine, although teachers at school all show a look like "awww...you poor thing.." 

     My oldest sister invited me to travel with her to Xishuangbanna in June. CAN'T WAIT!!

     Here is a link to bring you to Xishuangbanna: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g528741-d486985-Reviews-Xishuangbanna-Jinghong_Yunnan.html

     I have been dreaming about that place since I was about 7 yr old. It is an ethnic group area, Dai. It is 70F year round. Totally different language (even for me), food, and environment. 

     Another place I want to visit when I go back is Gulangyu Island, Xiamen. Basically it is because most of my friends have been there, I think I shouldn't miss out. :)

     Now I am motivated. School? no biggie! ^^