Date: 2010-05-16
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Dear Journal......haha I always thought it would be fun to have a journal so I could start my entries like that. There have been some happenings since I last updated. I would probally update more if not for the fact that my journey is still 5 weeks away, and most of my preparation is complete. In the slight chance anyone has already begun following this I would not want to bore you.I am done work. My last day was on May 6th. The last couple of days are brutal. I compare it to having "senioritis" in highschool or college. But the thing is, i'm an ICU nurse, so I had to stay on my game until I had no more responsibility. My friend Karen, kind of everyones work mom, took care of my one patient so I could mostly socialize. I was scheduled to take the third heart surgery patient from the O.R., but that patient didnt come until after change of shift so I was in the clear. However, around 5:30 pm there was a code blue up on one of the floors that I went to. It was a patient that coded from cardiac tamonade. It was crazy, we didnt have any IV access so we were kicking it old school with atropine needles straight into the heart, and our ICU fellow working diligently to drain the pericardial effussion. We got her back two of three times but in the end she didnt make it. I spent my last minutes much the same way I spent most of my time at Cooper. Working hard pumping away on her chest, hoping for a miracle, and praying her family found comfort when she didnt get one. I walked out if that was my last shift ever, when the truth is I have many many more years inside the walls of hospitals before my career will end. After work we had a going away party with a bunch of my friends from work complete with kareoke. I was forced to sing a song from little mermaid. Wow. It was really nice and I am really gonna miss my work buds. I'm in Florida. I drove down last Tuesday, stopping in Savannah for the night. Boy what a cool place that is, I highly recommend a trip there to anyone. I am currently in Tampa where my sister lives. I have a neice "Bella" who was born last June. I only spent about 45 minutes with her while my sister was passing through PA last November. She is absolutely adorable and I love her to a million pieces. I usually come down in March for Phillies spring training but wanted to save my vacation this year to cash it out. I've been doing alot of long 6-7 mile runs and doing alot of sitting by the pool. The occassional cigar is an given. Ill be here until Friday, when Aubrey will be flying down. We'll drive over to Disney and spend 5-6 days before heading home.....Aubrey by plane, John by Toyota 4 Runner. I must say I really dont mind the drive, most of it was very pleasant, especially Georgia. Gives me time to catch up on some talk radio, and I must say I do enjoy the bug genocide that is my windshield.AT planning......As far as I know Aubreys father is still a "GO" to drive me up to Maine. If not, her uncle Matt offered his services as well. I was a bit weary of driving up, because I would spend far more on gas than it would cost to take a bus. However, I imagine you can't put a pricetag on having a proper send off. I think I have to get a warmer weather sleeping bag. The bag I have is amazing, but I think its gonna be a little too hot for an July starting date. I like feeling a little chilly as it is, so my 25 degree bag may be a bit much. I still have to buy a camera. I have been researching them lately, and the question I keep asking is AA battery camera or rechargable. With the AA you can change out the batteries whenever and not risk missing amazing photo oppurtunities. With a rechargable, you get much longer battery life and pictures. I could always buy an extra battery. But than you have to carry the recharger....but, AA cameras tend to be bigger. Oh my....so your witnessing gear dilema in real time. I went through this with each and ever single piece of gear I own. Hours of research, blogging and web surfing. When your gonna live with it for 6 months, you gotta get it right. Anyway, I'm off the the pool for the day.