What a whirlwind weekend...it’s amazing to think so much excitement can fit into just 48 hours!  

First off, a very Happy Mother’s Day to all the momma’s out there!  I’m biased but I certainly hit the jackpot when it comes to having am awesome mom. 

I usually have blonde hair...but we look nothing alike, right? 

Where to begin?  My weekend routine usually begins with getting off work on Saturday morning at 7am and then driving to Nick’s to wake him up at 7:30 (he’s always thrilled...) because I’m already halfway to his house after work.  Much to my dismay, I was only able to grab a 2 hours of sleep that morning before we went off to the car dealership to look at a car for Nick (for more of why I don't sleep, check here).  I’m so proud of his first big purchase! Hopefully the next one will have a bit more sparkle to it...

Nick is nice enough to carry my bag in...even at 7:30 am

After car shopping, we went off in search of lunch and last minute Mother’s Day gifts.  I went with a classic gift of flowers and a card while Nick was much more thoughtful - Mrs. Nick’s Mom ended up with two hot pepper plants and some kitchen accessories.  Much more fun than my gift!

I can't believe they named a bell pepper plant after me!

After dinner at Nick’s house with his family, we decided to meet up with one of my best friends from school (M) who was visiting home (she had to move for work last year).  We ended up getting drinks at one of our favorite bars and then going to see The Great Gatsby.

I didn't even realize that was Isla Fisher...whoops! Source

As I remember it, I actually enjoyed reading The Great Gatsby in high school so I was really looking forward to the movie.  I wish I would’ve put in the time to reread the book over again before seeing the movie, though.  I had a hard time following what exactly was going on for the first half of it and then events, characters, and plot points started to ring a bell - I definitely don’t think it’s a movie you can truly enjoy without having read the book.  I think what I loved most about the film - other than Leo, of course - were the costumes and vivid settings.  Everything seemed so colorful and vibrant - very beautiful to watch!

After the movie, I was ready to crash.  The next morning, we had an early brunch with Nick’s family including both sets of grandparents.  As much as I wanted to enjoy this time, I had had far too little sleep and was feeling pretty cranky.  I did my best to conceal it but I was certainly ready to get home and take a little nap before dinner with my family.  

At 5 pm we had dinner reservations at a nice restaurant close to downtown Cincinnati for my mom, my aunt, my grandma, and myself.  It was nice to get all dolled up and spend some time with my family for once!  Right after dinner, I had to be back at work at 7pm which is where I find myself writing this post.  I’m counting down the hours until I can climb back in my tiny twin bed and take a good long sleep...

I want this pink light!  Pretty Mother's Day flowers...

My beautiful peppercorn crusted filet

I loved this  chandelier!

So as you can probably tell...there was a lot of eating out this weekend.  Like I’ve said in the past, weekends are hard but I think I’m doing much better.  I definitely sorta cut my alcohol intake and aside from the bag of buttered (read: delicious) popcorn I shared with Nick and M at the movies, I didn’t really snack or get too carried away.  At dinner tonight I ate about half of my meal and boxed up the rest (can't wait to put that steak on a salad!).  As a family, we shared a dessert four ways so that everyone was able to get a few delicious bites.  I definitely didn’t leave feeling stuffed or uncomfortable - just well satiated.  I think I’m learning that I tend to way overestimate the amount that I need or even want - I’m making it a goal to always leave something on my plate and it seems to be working well.

The problem with the weekend was that I didn’t get any running in and no workout besides the squat and pushup challenges (you can find the challenges on my Instagram!).  With all the other activities going on, I really didn’t have time to set aside for a run/walk and the subsequent shower/redoing hair and makeup - especially since I was not at my house.  This weekend was a bit of an anomaly since we had so much more going on than usual - next weekend will be better!

Tired and ready to go home!

So that’s my weekend in review!  The next few weeks are going to be fun and I can’t wait to write about them!  Nick and I have a new fun date in store this Saturday, the Tim McGraw concert on May 25th, and we’re running our first official timed 5K on June 1st.  Having things to look forward to definitely make my work days go quicker!

Hope you all had wonderful weekends! Don't forget to follow me on Instagram (hwhita), Twitter (@prettystrongmed), and Bloglovin' (prettystrongmed).  All the links are on the right hand side!

Questions:

Have you seen/read The Great Gatsby?  Thoughts?

How do you schedule activity into your weekends?

During this past year as a nursing assistant, I have seen and done things I NEVER would have experienced had I not taken the year off after college.  Last March I knew I needed to formulate a plan when I realized all of my medical school applications were languishing away in the purgatory known as waitlist/hold land.  A year off seemed inevitable at that point. I knew I needed to do something that would help my application for next cycle and that would also give me valuable patient care experience while not requiring too much additional study - insert nursing assistant certification (CNA).  

In a hurry and with the help of a generous family member, I was able to scrape together all the necessary documentation and hefty tuition fee to take the CNA course.  Two days after graduation, I began the two weeks of classes and lamented the fact that I didn’t just decide to take a victory lap at IU and get a masters in underwater basket weaving.

Source

As a nursing assistant, I am responsible for assisting patients/clients/residents (I prefer patients) with their activities of daily living.  It’s exactly what you think it is - bathing, grooming, eating, toileting, ambulating, transferring, and most importantly - companionship.  I am a counselor, a friend, a liasion between other medical professionals, and sometimes a cook, housekeeper, and personal assistant. In the nursing facility arena, this translates to nurse slave. 

I’ve been pooped and peed on. I’ve had someone puke on my shoes. I’ve been hit, kicked, slapped, and scratched.  I’ve been cursed at and been called horrible names but I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

I have had the unique experience of working one-on-one with patients privately in their homes and also working in a busy, less-than-fancy skilled nursing and rehabilitation center. I worked with patients far richer than I and also far poorer.  I’ve worked with patients black, white, yellow, blue, and pink from all walks of life.  Thanks to the rehabilitation area of my work, I haven’t just interacted with the elderly - I’ve seen people of all ages, including a quadriplegic only three years older than me.

I’ve also taken care of multiple hospice patients and helped grieving families through the end of life of a loved one.  I’ve watched people come into our nursing facility broken and injured, go through rehab, and get to go home.  I’ve made meaningful relationships with patients and their families.  I’ve laughed and cried, listened and shared, comforted and supported, but I can guarantee those patients did more for me than I ever did for them. 

I want to share just some of the lessons I’ve learned in the past year.  It’s been a wild ride - I’ve wanted to quit and get a job folding t-shirts at the Gap more times than I can count. Regardless, the connections I’ve made with others along the way have been invaluable and I know I will be a stronger person and a better doctor because of them.

Source

1. Death is not something to be feared.

This year was the first time since my dad died my freshman year of college that I had to deal with death on a personal level.  The very first person I took care of fresh out of CNA class was a terminally ill cancer patient.  I worked with this patient for only two months but I developed a pretty profound relationship with her and her family. Her death  really shook me but it made me realize how natural and necessary death is even if it is painful for those of us still here on Earth.  Death brings peace to the ill and God takes away all their suffering.  Death should not be feared but used as a chance to celebrate their life and what is beyond.

2. Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.
This is a given.  You would think.  And yet time and time again, people are neglected, abused, and mistreated in our health care system.  It may come in the form of a nurse that disrespects an aide, an aide that is too rough with a patient, or a patient that is never visited by family.  We can sit and hypothesize why all of these things happen - the nurse is overworked and underpaid (truth), the aide is entirely too busy (truth), the family member has a job and a family (usually true) but it doesn’t excuse the fact that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect for their life. 

As a physician, I want to make this the core of my practice.  Even when I’m busy, even when there are a million things I need to do, even when I’m being paid a pittance in residency and barely get to see my family, I must always remember to treat my patients like they are the only people I am going to see that day.  I realize I have no idea what’s its like in real life yet, but this is something I will strive for.

3. The power of touch is amazing.
It is amazing how powerful connecting with others through touch can be.  You can bring so much comfort and calm to a person just by giving their hand a gentle squeeze, placing your hand on their shoulder when you speak, or giving out a kind hug. Every night that I am with my current client, we always squeeze each other’s hand and say “good-night” once I have gotten him settled in bed.  It is reassuring and lets him know I am there if he needs anything.

Humans are meant to be tactile - all you have to do is look at the example of the practice of co sleeping premies when one baby is struggling to survive.  We long to connect with others - to reach out and touch, hold, nuzzle, etc.  While you obviously need to maintain a respectful and professional relationship, never underestimate the power of touch.  It is definitely something I will take with me in the future.

Source

4. We are nothing without each other.

No one can exist entirely by themselves.  We NEED each other.  How can we possibly accomplish all we need to do in our work, family lives, personal goals, etc. if we try to do it all ourselves?  We can’t!  

This year I learned that health care is a team sport - everyone has a role to play and everyone needs to work together in order to provide the highest quality care.  There needs to be an open line of communication between all the areas of care or something is bound to fail (analogy time: just like in the body!).  To take it further, working with others in a productive, positive, uplifting way is paramount.  I can’t even explain the difference in how my nights went based on who I would be working with.  Some people want to get by doing as little work as possible - all while complaining and being rude.  Guess what?  Not only are you making this a bad day for me, you are making it harder on yourself AND the patients you are trying to help.  Bottom line, we need each other to succeed and we need to project the best version of ourselves while doing it. (Also, make friends with the nurses and other HCPs...they rock!)

Source

5. I am an official bodily fluid specialist.

Stepping away from the heavy life lessons on this one...I can handle any bodily fluid you throw at me (literally).  Poop, pee, pus, blood, vomit, mucus, bile, and any other ungodly secretions - I’m good.  I’m not going out of my way to step in it but after your shoes have been puked on and you’ve slipped in a puddle of pee, eventually you just get used to it.

It is with these lessons and dozens more that I will enter medical school a little more prepared and a lot wiser than if I had gone straight from college.  I’m not going to pretend that all these wonderful life lessons were at the forefront of my mind when I was elbow deep in fecal matter but a little hindsight yields excellent insights.  I’m confident that once I am out of the classroom working with patients, I will recall my experiences and be glad chose this road.

Two posts in one night?  Whoa!  I'm currently at work and as it is 4:00 am and I have nothing better to do, I thought I would try out another link-up!  This reminds me of the surveys I used to do on Myspace and Xanga (oh goodness...blogging for teenagers) so how perfect!  I love a good survey :)

My best friend says... things in a language only the two of us understand.  awww haiiii.  whot pewrr...huthuthuthuthuthut.  

People call me... maybe. Hopefully doctor one of these days.  

The best part of my day... is getting to sleep after a long night at work.  Maybe I'm only saying this because that's all I want to do right now.

I really don't understand... why time suddenly slows down as soon as you have a lot of great things to look forward to and speeds up when you are in the middle of enjoying those things.

I get really annoyed... when I can't find my Lavender Vanilla sleep spray from Bath and Body Works.  It's lost and the Lavender Chamomile isn't good. 

There's nothing like a... glass of ice cold milk & peanut butter with grape jelly.

Lately, I can't get enough... money.  Too many expenses in the near future!

One thing I am NOT is... a runner.  But I'm trying and I'm starting to enjoy it :)

I spent too much money on... makeup, hair, and beauty products.  Ulta and Sephora are the mothership.

I want to learn.... medical Spanish, how to blog, and how to tap dance.

If I ever met Jake in real life , I would... probably not know it because I haven't been following many bloggers for long.  Sorry :(

I can't stop... listening to Can't Hold Us by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis.  Thanks Nick!

Never have I ever... been very good of thinking up witty answers to these things. WOOF.

Reese Witherspoon... is one of my beauty and fashion idols and the star of my favorite movie, Legally Blonde.  Reese Witherspoon fangirl right here!

Circa 2010

Circa 1993

In honor of Mother's Day, Throwback Thursday will be dedicated to my momma!  Careful...it may be hard to tell we are related.

Diagnosis: "Post-Grad Blues"

Alright.  We all knew it was coming sooner or later. Sad post...and it's loooong. I apologize in advance!

I.want.this.year.to.be.over.with.  Well, by this year I actually mean this year off...gap year...non-traditional year...whatever you wish to call it.  (Althought I am SUPER excited for this summer...like by the end of May, I’ll be happy again.)

I graduated from college last May - exactly ONE year ago.  Lemme tell ya...it brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it.  I miss college. I hate being an adult. I miss living with my best friends. I think they call this the “post-grad blues” - psychologists might call it depression (half kidding).

For the past few months, I have been bombarded with Facebook updates, Instagrams, and Twitter posts from my younger friends about their impending graduation, their celebratory bar crawls, their last days of classes, and their fun nights out with friends.  There is nothing worse than these constant reminders that “the best years of my life” are behind me.  

I think my “elderliness” started to sink in when I realized most of the people on The Real World are younger than me.  I don’t usually gauge the quality of my life against MTV productions but it’s just something that struck a chord with me.

One of the worst parts about moving home after college was coming back to a town that I don’t belong in anymore.  By the start of my senior year of high school, I already had one foot out the door.  I was so ready to get out of my little suburban bubble and meet new people that I only applied to one college in-state.  I WANTED OUT.  

Unfortunately this is still the case.  As of tomorrow, almost every person that I have maintained some form of contact with from high school will have moved away or has not even bothered coming back after college.  So really all I have left here is my family, my boyfriend, and work.

Notice: I am very close with my family (...technically only the maternal side) and my boyfriend and I have been dating for over 6 years so I am also very close with his family.  It is going to absolutely KILL me to leave them behind. Really it’s just this town I want to leave, not my family.  They are HOME to me...but I work all the time so I don’t even get to spend that much time with them.

Anywho, here I am.  Twiddling my thumbs and living day to day with this inane work schedule. For now I tend to find myself focusing on all the things I miss about college which subsequently leads to complaints and tears. WAH.  Without further delay:

Top 10 Things I Miss About College:

1. I miss my friends.

I could never, ever replace the friends I made in college.  They were the girls I procrastinated studying with - watching endless Sex and the City marathons, making unnecessary Target runs, taking frat laps after dinner, getting Polar Pops for the heck of it, sharing clothes, makeup, and more, and wiping every tear that ever came our way.  It's cheesy, but get over it.  I wouldn't be where I am today without these beautiful, smart, talented women (plus many, many others not shown above.)

2. I miss Nick.

We are both completely nuts. In a good way, of course.  6 years together will do that though!  We've been together since junior year of high school but in Cincinnati, we live about an hour apart on completely opposite sides of the city.  At school Nick lived right down the hall on my dorm floor freshman year and the rest of our years at IU he was only a 5 minutes walk or drive down the street.  We saw each other pretty much every day which makes me miss him like crazy...absence makes the heart grow fonder, right?  

3. I miss the beautiful Indiana University campus.

Source

Source

If you say IU's campus isn't one of the prettiest campuses in the world,  I say you are either blind or just plain wrong.  GORGEOUS!  Especially during the spring and fall. The campus is so lush and green - just another reason why you would never want to leave.

4. I miss my sorority.

My experience at IU would not have been the same without my sorority sisters.  These women are some of my best friends, my future bridesmaids, and the reason I was finally able to get out of my introverted shell!  I had the opportunity to meet so many diverse individuals within my chapter and in the Greek system - some of which will even be my classmates in August.  I can't talk enough about how positive my experience was and how proud I am to be an alum of my chapter.  

5. I miss basketball (and football tailgates)

Indiana Basketball - You haven't experienced college basketball until you've been to Assembly Hall.  As for football, it's all about the tailgate.  We've never lost a tailgate...

6. I miss going to class.

Dissecting a porcine heart in Physiology

Holding a live Blue Jay in Biology of Birds

I actually love school.  I love learning so I guess it's a good thing I'm going back to school for some more fun.  Honestly though, I had some amazing classes and professors at IU.  I took everything from my required science courses to political science classes to Hip Hop dance.

7. I miss celebrations for any reason at all (including Little 5).

There is always a reason to celebrate at IU.  Welcome Week, Homecoming, and Little 5 are the three big weeks but every moment in between there were paired parties, themes, formals, day parties, birthdays, free movies, speakers, events, and more.  No one could ever say they were bored (like I am now!)

8. I miss walking everywhere.

This isn't IU but I don't have a picture walking around campus...

IU is such a walking friendly campus.  You can get just about anywhere you need to be by walking, biking, or taking a bus - no need for cars unless you go off campus. This is especially handy when planning a night out - walk there and walk home (obviously never alone).  You really take for granted the logistical nightmare this presents when you rely on a car to get everywhere at home.  

9. I miss Kirkwood.

Kirkwood Ave. is where many of  the shops, bars, and eating places are centered around - it's the heart of Bloomington and also the home of some of my favorite places: Nick's English Hut (home of Sink the Biz and amazing food - including Biz fries), Village Deli, Kilroy's, and more!

10. I miss FUN!

Most of all, I just miss the spontaneous fun we had each and every day!  Whether we were sitting outside on a sunny day studying or staying in for a movie and wine night, I always had a blast.  It wasn't until after I graduated that I realized how much I took for granted having 100 sisters to hang out with at all hours of the day.  4 years goes by so fast but I definitely made memories to last me a lifetime.

Here's to you IU! Miss you, boo.

Happy Wednesday (well Thursday...my internet was down last night)!  I'm trying out this link up business from some great ladies that I follow and have been reading for a while.  

My year off from school has been a constant cycle of losing and gaining the same 5 lbs (I checked myfitnesspal...it really is true!)  I would get motivated, then have a bad weekend and end up losing that motivation.  I guess the silver lining is that my weight has pretty much been the same since my 22nd birthday (I turned 23 in January). Speaking of birthdays - since my 21st birthday, I have gained a total of 41 lbs.  It’s truly appaling and eye-opening. I don't have definite numbers from my 20th to my 21st birthday but I'd say about a 10 lb gain.  (I plan on doing another post about how and why I got here - and where I came from)

20th Birthday

21st Birthday

22nd Birthday

I think we all know where that weight came from...too many $2 Tuesdays, wine nights, sporting events, and late night snacks. Sure, I had an amazing amount of fun (at the greatest college in the world) but getting all this excess weight off plus about 30 lbs more isn’t going to be a cake walk.  All you have to do is look at my face to see how wide and fat my cheeks to know I feel and look rotten.

Go Hoosiers!

Now for the GOOD news.  I am officially down 8 lbs from my highest weight. That’s the kind of motivation I need to keep going!  

It’s not all about weight though - I can already feel myself getting stronger.  I have more endurance when I run and I am able to push myself a little bit more each time I workout.  I’m actually starting to look forward to my workouts!  Back in high school when I was somewhat more in shape, I rarely looked forward to going to the gym or conditioning for cheer. I definitely NEVER EVER thought I would enjoy running!  There’s something calming about it - I can jam out to some music and just go.  I don’t need to worry about staying in my bubble like in a Zumba class or be on anyone else’s time or fitness level.  Maybe after a few 5k’s it will be time to start thinking about 10Ks and then a half marathon!  

My 5k is in 3 weeks and 2 days! AHHHHHH

Ready for Boot Camp

The next few weeks are all about running - week 4 of c25k this week.  I have to catch up so I think I’m just gonna skip to week 5 in my next two workouts.  I'm walking the fine line of pushing myself (because I can probably run more than I am) but also wanting to avoid shin splints like the last time I tried to run and trying to be nice to this wiggly/poppy right knee.  

On Monday, boot camp was an “obstacle course” along with two rounds of circuits with cardio and strength.  Tonight we ran down and up a big ole hill and did strength moves in between.  I've been wearing my heart rate monitor and our workouts usually average between 400-700 calories burned.  For 45 minutes of hard work, I'll take it! 

Obstacle Course - Tires, Running with Sand Bags, Partner Tire Flipping, and more Running

My new kicks (on bottom) for cross training 

My momma and I - brave wearing no makeup!

Tomorrow I have my first ever hot vinyasa yoga class in the morning!  I’m super nervous!  Finally, I decided to do the squat challenge that has been going around on instagram.  Day 3 = 75 squats.  

#dropitlikeasquat

Welp...the weekend is over and it’s back to reality!  It’s pretty clear by now that weekends turn me into the fat girl I try to avoid being during the week.  I definitely think cheat meals are important for realistic lifestyle changes but I really took advantage of that mentality this weekend!

With our less than desirable work schedules, Nick and I only get to see each other on Saturday and half of Sunday so any time we have together is precious.  Saturday was Nick’s 23rd birthday so I knew that was going to be a cheat day...like usual. (BTW...didn’t end up getting that run in after all - someone didn’t want to go running on their birthday!)

Since Nick isn’t a big sweets guy and he HATES cake (seriously...who hates cake?), I decided to get crafty via Pinterest and constructed this beauty:

Miller Lite goodness!

He absolutely loved it!  Good work Pinterest!  I also bought us Tim Mcgraw tickets for May 25th here in Cincinnati so that will be another fun thing to look forward to this summer.  We also have tickets for Kenny Chesney in June.  Last summer we went to Tim/Kenny when they were touring together and it was probably the most fun I’ve ever had!  

So after Nick got his presents, we went to lunch with his parents at Eli’s BBQ.  It was such a neat place!  You can bring your own cooler of adult beverages and find a seat at one of many picnic tables.  The food was outstanding!  I had the smoked turkey with mashed potatoes (the closest option to vegetables were baked beans!) and Nick had pulled pork which was equally outstanding.  

I think he had a good time!

The weather was perfect Saturday - about 72 degrees, sunny, a slight breeze - perfect sundress weather!  We stopped at a gastropub on the way home for another drink and just sat along the Ohio River enjoying the day.  

Later that night, we decided to check out the new Horseshoe Casino that was just opened downtown.  We tried Bobby Flay’s new restaurant which didn’t end up being the best food...kind of diner-ish trying to be upscale.  

The casino itself was really nice!  Thankfully in Ohio casinos, bars, and restaurants are all non-smoking.  As for gambling, we decided we aren’t fans.  After I lost $20 in like 5 minutes, I decided I was done.  I’d much rather take my $20 shopping or save it up for something I really enjoy instead of wasting it.  Nick ended up leaving with $40 extra dollars though but he definitely doesn’t like wasting money either.

After we were done throwing money away, we headed out to Newport on the Levee which is where things got dicey. Three words: five dollar margaritas.  

Strawberry Margs...yummy!

At one point Nick goes, “It’s our cheat day, right? It’s my birthday, right? I’m getting chicken nachos.”  And so we did.

So not the best weekend food-wise but it was fun.  Sunday was a recovery day so I may or may not have gotten Sonic for breakfast...

I’ve resigned myself to that fact that weekends are going to be hard!  Lack of sleep, wanting to celebrate a long week, and also wanting to be a lazy blob.  If anyone has tips or idea for weekend motivation, I am all ears!

For now, I’m staying positive and starting Monday out right with some running and boot camp later this evening! 

I am officially back on the weight loss wagon...I’ll leave that long story for another post.  It’s kinda sad how much time I have wasted this past year. Now I’m down to only three and a half months until school starts and I am nowhere near where I want to be fitness or weight loss wise.  So...time to kick it up into high gear!

After browsing some of the blogs out there, I stumbled across Operation Skinny Jeans (see post here) and her 10 Week Challenge.  Basically I’m going to set a few specific goals and complete mini challenges up until July 4th while interacting in the facebook group and blogging about it.  I feel like it will be a great way to introduce myself to the blogging community and also set up some accountability that I desperately need!  The following are my goals for the challenge:

1. Get to "One-derland" (under 200)

One-derland (about 170 lbs)

2. Follow my weekly workout schedule.

3. Eat clean and limit my “treats/alcohol intake”

Yes...this is a spoonful of icing. NO MORE!

4. Complete my 5k in under 40 minutes and sign up for another one in July!

5. Start lifting weights on my own in addition to boot camp + add yoga 1-2 x a week.

Yay yoga!

As I stated in my goals above, in order to motivate both myself and my boyfriend, Nick, we (ahem...I) decided to sign up for the Redlegs 5k in downtown Cincy on June 1st (also the same day one of my best friends will be running a MARATHON...say what??).  I am on Week 4 of Couch to 5k, although I haven’t been following it religiously.  I’m lucky if I get two good runs in a week and I’m starting to get panicky about not being able to finish the training in only a month.  I know we can walk it but I really don’t want to!

On top of the running, my aunt teaches boot camp classes on Monday and Wednesday nights.  We usually do circuit training with a healthy mix of cardio and strength training...think The Biggest Loser style including the giants ropes and humongous truck tires! Having a pretty regular group of women to exercise and be social with makes boot camp something to look forward to.

Before Power Ryde...not too good at the mirror selfies. 

On Wednesday, I decided to try something new!  I signed up for a “Power Ryde” class at a local yoga studio.  The class is basically a regular spinning class but the bikes move side-to-side instead of staying stationary.  This requires a lot more core and upper body strength than traditional spinning and I’m definitely feeling it now!  I think I’m going to add this to my exercise routine just to keep things fresh and interesting!  Below is a video of what the class is like...except imagine a pudgy girl instead.

Finally, I had a super great running day on Thursday which was my first run in about a week.  I decided to do the 5k loop around my town plus a little more and I ended up breaking a lot of personal records.  Even though I haven’t been following the C25K program like I should be, I can definitely say that cross training makes all the difference!  I've already taken off a minute and a half off my mile! YAY!

My Nike Run app let me know I broke all these personal goals!

Whew...that was a LOT!  Tomorrow is my boyfriend’s 23rd birthday so it’s definitely going to be my cheat day food-wise, although I already informed him we are going for a run/walk in the morning! 

Yay for a second post!  I have so many ideas for what I want to write about - now I just have to get it all out.  I will admit right off the bat, I am not a good storyteller but I’m gonna work on it!

So I mentioned in my first post that I am taking a gap year between college and medical school.  During my gap year, I knew I was going to need a decent paying job to pay for all my med school applications so I started to do some research at the end of my senior year. 

Large iced coffee for the long night ahead.

I decided to take a class to become a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) in hopes that I could get a job in a hospital.  Unfortunately, hospitals typically only hire applicants that have at least 6 months of experience so I spent some time working in a nursing home and now I work in private home healthcare instead. It’s only one year - how bad can it be?

This year has definitely been filled with ups and downs.  One of the less desirable parts of this year has been my work schedule.  In order to maximize my hours and still have time for a life, I work third shift overnights which means I don’t get much sleep...at least not like a normal person.

As I type this, I have just returned home after a 7p-7a shift (I do this four days a week) and I don’t plan on getting any sleep until this afternoon after I run some errands and get a workout in. 

The irony in this lifestyle is that I am NOT a night owl.  I wasn’t in high school. I wasn’t in college (much to the chagrin of my roomies...) and I am quite content with going to bed at 10 pm when my schedule allows.  Never have I ever pulled an all-nighter for school - not even for finals week. Sleep has always been my top priority...so what the heck am I doing?

The great part about this schedule is that I can still have a life during the day.  I can usually get by with about 4-6 hours of sleep during the morning right after a shift (sometimes I throw in a nap if I have nothing else going on) and then I can go about my day.  As someone who requires cold and darkness, I am utterly amazed at how easy it is to sleep right as the sun is coming up.

Another nice thing is that for about 60% of my shift, the elderly person I care for is sleeping. Aside from doing some light housework and checking on him periodically, I have this time to myself.  I usually end up watching Netflix, reading my favorite blogs and magazines, and counting down the days until I get to quit this crazy schedule and relax a little before school starts.

While this situation definitely isn’t ideal, it is something I freely chose and it has afforded me the opportunity to meet some truly amazing families.  I would love to do a future post on all the things I have learned just from interacting so personally with patients and their families one of these days. As for now, I consider the sleepless nights to be good practice for the hectic schedule of a med student and resident. Maybe I will become a night owl after all!