emergency! winter has arrived

That is the view from the 7th story of Alaska Regional Hospital, where I was doing my intensive clinicals for three weeks. Winter was ahead of the game in Anchorage - there was a snowstorm on Halloween night!

Anyway, winter has made its way down the coast to Juneau. Yesterday, Sophie and two of her friends were playing in the front yard while the mamas sat inside drinking coffee. All of a sudden we heard boots running on the porch, and muffled yelling. Sophie shoved the front door open, saying, "Emergency! Emergency!"

My friend and I both jumped up and ran towards the door to see what the "emergency" was - expecting a crying child at the very least. But no one was crying, and Sophie pointed up at the roof of the porch, where there were ice-sickles hanging from the eaves.
"We can't reach! We want to eat the ice!"

Emergency indeed.

on (and on, and on) about nursing school

26 days until my last final exam of nursing school. It can't come soon enough! If only all I had to do was take the final, I'd be set. Unfortunately I have 3 more papers to turn in, one 9-hour clinical day, three 12-hour shifts with my preceptor (this part I'm looking forward to!), and a medication map, in addition to two final exams left to do.

I just sent in one paper - I love checking things off my list!

Unfortunately, I'm trying to stay focused on getting more things done while sitting on the couch with Sophie, watching Caillou. Thank goodness for the Roku and Netflix instant streaming for sick days. Sophie and I both have colds, plus she has a terrible rash all over her neck and back from (I think) shampoo I used on her a few nights ago. It's making her pretty miserable and it's taking a long time to go away :(.... Benadryl and hydrocortisone cream are only helping her a little bit.

It's good to be home after spending 3 weeks in Anchorage doing intensive clinicals. It sucks to be under the weather though. I feel like since I'm sick from my autoimmune issues nearly all of the time, I should somehow be exempt from colds.... too bad my immunosuppressive medications don't play nice with viruses :(. I am going to start on a new medication soon, though - I have high hopes for it working! It'll take probably six months to be able to tell if it is or not, though.