Jerry, Jerry, Jerry!!

I've been doing a home based clinical at a place called Branan Towers. It's a high rise independent living tower for 62 and olders. Most people who live there are lower income. (Rent is 30% of their income). Anyway, we've been practicing our health history taking and each were assigned two residents.

My first was a sweet sweet lady. She reminded me so much of my Ma. She only made it to the third grade and worked as a farm hand. She had TWELVE kids. Um?!? Ouch. Anyway, her interesting story was that when she was 8, she was thrown off of a mule, and hurt a rib. She said they were too poor to do anything so her mom put a homemade remedy on it and she had to suck it up and go on. When she was having one of those twelve kids her rib moved and punctured her THIRD kidney that she just happened to be born with and she had to have emergency surgery.

The man I was assigned to is hilarious. He loves to read palms so we started off our first meeting with a palm reading. I am going to have two kids, I'm good with money, I have a guardian watching over me, and I have strong ideals, LOL! Any way as we were talking, I noticed a slam toy (those things kids slam that talk) in the shape of a Jerry Springer head. I said "Did you go to the Jerry Springer show?" And he said "Oh yeah, I was on TV!" I said "Oh, cool, you were in the audience and made it on the show?" Oh no. He was a contestant. And you don't even want to know the episode
title.................














Senior Citizens Still Getting Busy.

Yes, indeed. What do you say to that one? Thank goodness we never made it to the sexual history portion of the form...

~BKL

Hagar's House

This week I start my community clinical rotation at Hagar's House.

Here's the link if you're interested, I can never get the clicky type to work.

http://www.ogumc.org/templates/cusoakgroveumc/details.asp?id=35004&PID=672032

It's a 90 day emergency shelter for women and children that is ran by the Decatur Cooperative Ministry and is affiliated with Oak Grove United Methodist Church. I am so excited!

The only downside to this clinical site is that it only operates in the evening/night so that's a bit of a bummer, but I think it'll be worth it!

~BKL

Just wanted to share

that Justin found a job!

It's in his field, which is awesome, and eases the sending of the student loan payments a bit too!

He started today, and it was a long day (6:30-5:15ish, but getting up at 5) in the heat. He has been hired as a project manager, but in order for him to manage well, they want him to understand how long things take which definitely makes sense, soooo he's working with the installation crew for a bit to get a feel for things.

He says it's the hardest he's ever worked and came home covered in dirt from head to toe. He also drank over a gallon of water. I find that crazy! We need to go to SAMs and stock up on sunscreen and Gatorade!

Anywho, thank you all for praying with us that he would find a job. This job was definitely an answered prayer. They weren't even hiring and Justin just happened to find them online and send in a resume and cover letter. The last couple of months have been very hard for us financially and needless to say we've accumulated some debt so we're both happy to be able to start paying on what we owe because we both hate owing others money!

Hope everyone had a Happy Father's Day with your families!
~BK

Let's See

My life is crazy. If you call if a life, lol. Thankfully my husband is the best. He definitely makes my life easier.

Last Friday, I passed my first nursing final and lab practical! Many more to come.

On Saturday, we went to Summerfest, one of the best festivals in Atlanta, with some of my classmates and their SO's. We didn't have any money to buy anything, but the booths were amazing with the neatest stuff. (Imagine pre-fourth x 100). They also had tons of food vendors and live music, including Tonic. It was a blast!

Today I had my first home based clinical, although we didn't really start, we just toured the place and met some of the residents. It's in a high rise tower apartment for 62+. It should be an interesting experience, lol.

This weekend, we're house and dog sitting. I'm so freaking exciting about sitting by the pool, hopefully the weather will cooperate with my plans.

Hope things are good with everyone in our blog circle! Big congrats to J! Check out her blog for her news!! Have a great weekend!

~BK

This and That

This weekend has been busy busy.

Friday we had our first visitors at our new place! My mom and grandmother came out for a visit (due to Saturday's events). We ate at the Olive Garden (yummy) and rented Dear John. It was good, but I like the book better, partly because it accurately portrays melanoma unlike the movie who changed it to lymphoma and I felt like the book was more realistic, but the movie ending was a happy one which is always good! Justin tried to hook up our internet while we watched our chick flick but had no luck. I am dying without it. We have to figure it out by tomorrow, especially considering that we are paying for it already.

Saturday, we did the Skin Cancer Awareness Network's annual Save Our Skin 5K in memory of my Papa. It was a lot of fun. My grandmother placed second in her age group! She is 74 and was in the 70-98 category which cracked us up. She improved her time from 56 minutes last year to 53 this year and was pumped. She walks four miles everyday but not at such a fast pace. I hope I'm in that good of shape when I'm her age. Justin did great, and ran the 5K in 22 minutes! Here are some photos:



Afterwards, we headed back to Hartwell. On the way back, I was fitted for my bridesmaid dress for J's wedding. It's so classy and the color is gorgeous!

I read all the way home and continued when I got home for a couple of hours. Then we headed to one of my friend's weddings. I love weddings! I saw so many of my classmates that I haven't saw in forever!

Sunday and Monday ended up being study days. I wanted to get some lake time in, but that didn't happen thanks to the weather which actually was a blessing. I have a final for my health assessment class this Friday. This is a class that my school usually teaches in a semester and we've done it in three weeks. That's 22 chapters in three weeks. I'm a bit freaked. I've made a study guide that is THIRTY pages long. Eeeeek.

Anyway, it's back to ATL in a couple of hours to get geared up for a super busy (and most likely stressful) week.

Hope you all had a great holiday weekend!
~BKL

Rusty

This week has officially proven that I am a rusty student. One year out, and I'm having a hard time getting back in the groove.

At school, I'll hear, "I went to a concert last night." "I had the best time salsa dancing last night." "Last night, my roommates and I went to this amazing restaurant."

Um? I am reading/studying/making Justin be my patient from the time I get home until it's time for sweet sleep. I seriously don't know how they do it. Oh well, I always knew I was a nerd. :-)

On another note, I love my school. This is my new home away from home (away from home sweet Hartwell).

Everyone is extremely nice, and I can already tell that the professors love their jobs.

On one last note, our brother graduated on Friday night! So proud of him! Annnnnnd he was valedictorian, woo woo!


~BKL

74

My grandmother turned 74 today! We gave her a surprise luncheon. She thought just the women in our intermediate family would be in attendance, but all of her siblings and her cousin from Charlotte was also there. She was so surprised!

Here are a few photos.

My grandmother.


The Siblings.


MaMa and her grand girls. (I am holding sweet Mylee, the family's newest addition! I want her!)


Me, MaMa, and my mom.

She had a lovely day! Hope you all had a fabulous weekend!

~BKL