Procrastination

With a capital P.

No...I have not been sitting around for the last two months, idling the time. And I have not been studiously studying this whole time either.

(Though...there has been A LOT of studying going on...).

I took the ANCC Family Nurse Practitioner boards towards the beginning of June and thought that would be the end of studying. But God had other plans, and I was two questions shy of passing.

Which meant more studying.

And I have been studying like a fiend. But I've also been traveling and taking some time to enjoy the summer (which has been relatively mild for South Carolina).

So after loads more studying, some quick trips to Virginia, New York City, Knoxville, Gatlinburg, Cowpens, Townsend, and Charleston, and some more studying, I took the AANP Family Nurse Practitioner boards in Knoxville on July 19. And passed! And by a good margin, too!

All that studying (and traveling...and studying while traveling) paid off...though, I suspect that the Lord had a greater hand in all of it and allowed for the circumstances.

So...what did I do to celebrate? Work at basketball camp for a week, then travel to New England for 5 days. True road trip style!

But, this brings me back to my title: procrastination.

Because of my constant guilt of doing anything productive when I was not studying, I put off blogging about all those trips. And, once I passed boards, I put off blogging because of how much there was to blog. And I didn't want to tot my computer around during camp.

(hanging head in shame)

But! Last night (at 2 am when my insomnia and lack of full-recovery from nightshift was in full swing), I determined to be productive and stop procrastinating. Seriously! I am unemployed (and loving it!) and have been so many places this summer with some awesome people...

And who knows how long that unemployment is going to be. Or where the next road trip will find me!

Time to get blogging!
:)

Ice, Elevate, and Call 911?

Destination: National Hoops Basketball Camp
Total Miles: 10 miles
Total Cost: priceless




Last summer I had the unique opportunity to be the camp nurse for basketball camp to some 40-odd teenage boys in Wisconsin. (For last year's trips, check out the links under June 2012. And for last year's camp video highlights, click here)

Registration Form

This summer, I was presented with a similar opportunity with the same camp, however, the camp was held at Bob Jones University in Greenville, SC...just 10 miles from my house.

There were over 80 teenagers registered to attend camp, which started on Monday, August 5th...by the time the last campers checked in, we had 50 teenage "ballers" from all over.

Being a Neonatal ICU nurse has it's pros...and cons...I'm a little more familiar with patients who weigh less than 13 pounds and can't talk back. But after managing last year's bunch, I was confident this year would be smoother. ('was' being the operative word)

Of the ten counselors, one was unable to attend the meeting Monday morning during which my cellular number was given...guess which counselor was the first to have problems? yup.

I learned at breakfast on Tuesday morning that one of the campers had decided to call 9-1-1 around 0200 and then inform his counselor he wasn't feeling well...as they rode the ambulance to the ER.

The counselor now has my number programed into his cellular device.

The teenager was ok...until Tuesday night...I got a call as I was finishing up a blog post on Colorado and turning off the lights. The kid's mother wanted him to leave with his team right then because he wasn't feeling well. So, at midnightish, I headed over to the guys' dormitories to have a chat with both the camper and his mother. My NICU training came in very handy in speaking with the mother, and she agreed to allow him to stay for at least another 24 hours. I ended up staying out until past 0100 purchasing a water bottle and some snacks for the camper.

Nap time the next day was obliterated by a sweet camper whose eye started swelling (randomly) at lunch...and got progressively worse during nap time. After placing a few messages to some medical friends of mine, I opted to take him to a doctor's office to get checked out. We got some meds on board, and he was feeling better by the end of the day.

Being tired by the time we reached the room late that night, my roommate (the camp secretary extraordinaire, Kristen) and I opted to go to sleep...which was more wishful thinking. By 0200, my phone was going off...the camper who called 9-1-1?

He had called them again without telling his counselor. Again. The counselor assured me that they would be ok and that he would contact me if they needed me to come get them from the ER. I tossed and turned for over an hour before drifting off into a fitful sleep. Only to be reawakened at 0400 by another text. The kid had been diagnosed with a pretty serious condition, but the doctor opted not to keep the camper overnight. And by breakfast time, the camper and his friends had left without saying a word. Sigh.

This year, it was the popular thing (that all the 'cool' kids did) to have a bag of ice and sit on the sidelines with the nurse.

At least, that's how it seemed.

If only they could have all coordinated when they wanted ice...instead, I got my exercise in and became VERY familiar with the ice machine by making numerous trips to the ice maker.

Miraculously, by the time the competitions and tournaments came around, the sidelines were cleared.

Laugh. Out. Loud.

I love them. Each and every one. They all grew, both in basketball skills and in their relationships with God. The services were a huge blessing. I was able to sing a couple times and enjoyed joining voices with other staff members to sing praises to God.

Kristen and I had a wonderful time being exhausted together...we drank WAY too much Starbucks, and we probably had too much fun watching the skits and games.

Overall, it was a very stretching and profitable week.

I will admit, I teared up when Friday night awards' ceremony came. Pastor Mike introduced the staff members to those in attendance, and those crazy campers gave a standing ovation...love them (and their scores of ice bags!)!

This year was significantly different from last year, but I learned so much and know that God is continuing His work in both the campers and in me.

"Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." 
~Jesus  (Matthew 11:28)

And Some Sweet Day...

Campers' Song

Forty-eight teenage boys' voices raised in one song. The perfect way to end camp.

Sr. high Champions

Friday night, we had the Awards' Ceremony after the championship games. We watched a preview video of activities from the week, heard several testimonies from both the guys and their parents, trophies were awarded, Pastor Mike gave the final challenge, the staff sang one last song, and the campers got up in front of their parents, quoted the camp verse and sang the camp song.

John 3:16
"For God so loved the word that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

Victory In Jesus
"I heard an old, old story how a Savior came from glory, how He gave His life on Calvary to save a wretch like me. I heard about His groanings, of His precious blood's atoning. Then I repented of my sin and won the victory! O victory in Jesus, my Savior forever. He sought me and bought me with His redeeming blood (Praise God!). He loved me ere I knew Him, and all my love is due Him. He plunged me to victory beneath the cleansing flood."

Amen.

Kristen and I

Saying goodbye was a little harder than I thought. But the last verse of the song was the perfect reminder that someday we who have trusted in Christ alone to save us from our sin will meet together on those golden streets and sing together again the song of victory.

Was it worth the long hours in the van? Was it worth a week of sleep deprivation? Was it worth going outside my NICU comfort zone and nursing a bunch of teenagers? Was it worth staying up late and getting up early? Was it worth sitting for hours in a gym with 48 sweaty basketball players?

Yes.

(Ice, the new staple)

Because long hours are a part of traveling. Because sleep deprivation is nothing new to me. Because nursing teenagers is still nursing. Because staying up late, getting up early, and sitting in a smelly gym for hours was an adventure I'll not soon forget.

Because in the end, this whole trip was a chance for me to meet brothers in Christ, brothers that I will spend eternity with in heaven.

And THAT is worth more than anything in this world.

Drills

Basketballs.

Fire.


Nothing in common? Think again.

Tuesday morning my brother, Will, texted me to see if I could sing in the morning service. Which started in less than an hour. Fortunately, I had a couple songs prepared and, with the help of my amazing pianist, Kristen, we picked the song Bow the Knee.

After a quick breakfast, everyone headed downstairs for the service.

My solo was right before the speaker, Mike Fisher. Everything was great up until the end of the second verse.

As I started the chorus of the second verse, a loud, high-pitched wail started.

I couldn't tell if it was a cellphone (which the guys were not supposed to have with them), or if it was something else. I kept singing. After a few seconds of ear-piercing wails, the lights on the fire alarm boxes began flashing.

What we learned later was that the construction crew across the hall had managed to trigger the fire alarm wires.

I finished my song, singing a little louder to be heard over the sirens, then the decision was made to move everyone to the gym for the service. Some of the guys asked for me to sing the song again, so in the after-lunch service, I sang again. Sans fire-alarms.

Every morning after the service and a time with the counselors, the guys have "gym time." A majority of this time is spent doing drills. By the second day of drills, everyone was groaning and moaning. The second morning in particular, I found most of the guys coming into the gym, and instead of grabbing a ball as soon as they could hit the court, most of them laid down on the floor in a desperate attempt to capture any possible amount of extra sleep they could.

One drill in particular, the first one they learned on Tuesday morning, has been a particular source of soreness. I believe it's called "Skating." The basic idea is: going the length of the court, hopping from one foot to another, swinging arms from side to side, land on the toes of one lower extremity and pull the other leg up and behind. The purpose of the drill is balance and toe-strengthening. And apparently, it is stretching hitherto un-stretched muscles.

Updated List of Injuries:
Sprained ankles
Jammed fingers
Jammed thumb
Bruised knees
Sore backs/shoulders
Strained shoulder
Bloody nose
Lack of sleep

Life is falling into a pleasant pattern. Of sorts.

At least until Friday, when I am told the "Field Time" which is new in the schedule will include football and water balloons.

Bring on the injuries!
:)

Meds and Inhalers, Sprains and No Brains

This about sums up my last 2 days.

Monday afternoon, camp was bombarded with 49 teenage boys...and not just any boys. Basketball players. (aka "ballers")

Registration was a little touch and go. My job (as the first table they visited) was to make sure that every kid had a medical waiver form signed by a parent/guardian, filled out the medication form, and turned in their meds to me. Easy enough?

Right.

For starters, the medical waiver forms were not printed. So, we had to figure out who had one, who didn't, and get the basics filled out and signed by a guardian.

Then there were the medication forms. Hence, the title. My constant refrain: ''Any meds and inhalers?" If yes, they had to fill out the form and hand over all their meds (which I get to dole out throughout the day). If no, then they could finish registering at the next table.

So far, my nursing duties have consisted of taking care of a sprained ankle (for which I have been hailed a miracle worker), a jammed finger, babysitting a Junior Higher who broke his wrist the week before coming to camp, a bloody nose (during the service, not from playing), and prescribing sleep for a jet-lagged kid who only slept 2 hours last night.

I know, you're thinking: "Wait. Aren't you a Neonatal nurse?" And the answer is, yes. I am. And I following these four steps: (not in any particular order)
1. Ice it.
2. Elevate it.
3. Wrap it.
4. Medicate it.

I have taken to employing my time in the gym (which is any time there are guys in the gym playing) with reading. Namely, this is to avoid watching these kids running into bleachers and falling repeatedly. They will give themselves concussions. And it does nothing to my blood pressure to watch them and wonder if the next one will be some awful injury.

Bless them. These kids are dedicated to playing ball...though, I'm certain some of them either have no brains or don't care about them enough to stop running into bleachers.

The services have been phenomenal! Pastor Mike and his evangelist friends, LJ and Mike Fisher, have been challenging the guys in every aspect of their lives. From learning how we as sinful humans are separated from God eternally by an insurmountable wall (metaphor: the Berlin Wall), and that Jesus Christ is THE only Way to the Father, to knowing how they can have assurance that they are truly children of God, to learning that what we put in us (music, movies, language, etc) is what will come out eventually. It's not even half way through the week, and the Lord is doing a mighty work here!

A small highlight for me and Kristen (the other girl, aka secretary/pianist/teacher) was Monday morning. We had to make a McDonalds run...and happened to be talking about it when we were at the Welcome Center picking up supplies. One of the men in the office volunteered his car for us to take. It was sweet, and I enjoyed every minute of driving (even if I couldn't put the top down).

Well, lots more to say, and more to come later, so keep an eye for updates! I will share in the next post about one of the most...unique? things that has ever happened to me while singing a special during the morning service.

Til then, night ;)

Of Tolls and Stadiums

Today's journey included a decent amount of driving. Having not been this way since I was a little child (little enough I do not remember the trip), I loved seeing the new scenery.

We trekked from Elizabethtown, Kentucky to Watertown, Wisconsin in 10ish hours.

Once we hit the more northern states (namely Indiana and Illinois), there could be felt a perceptible difference in the quality (or lack there of) of the roads. Yet this was correlating to the increase in toll booths, a fact I find perplexing.

One such toll booth even had a McDonald's drive-thru located in the middle of the highway. You could grab your meal (and change) and a few feet away also pay your toll.

Traveling with a bunch of guys also meant listening to a slightly more than fair share of sports talk, complete with sightings of a couple big name stadiums (in Chicago and Milwaukee).

One of my favorite sites was driving past Chicago. What a huge city!

I will try to post more (once we have internet access at the campus we are staying at...I'm currently in McDonald's enjoying free Wi-Fi) soon.

For now, please pray for us as basketball camp starts tomorrow morning! Campers are arriving from all over the States. Life is an adventure...and never dull!

Never Start a Trip...

...after working all night.

Actually, I believe the superstition states: Never start a trip on a Friday, or you will meet misfortune.

I'm off an another adventure! I worked Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday nights. Then when I got off work Saturday morning (and had my Starbucks hot chocolate fix), I headed over to the Washer's to load up and head off to Wisconsin.

In case you're concerned about my extreme lack of sleep, let me reassure you:
1. I am traveling with other people.
2. I am not driving. (they rented a 15 passenger van)
3. We stopped in Kentucky for the night, and (in addition to my broken sleep on the ride to Kentucky) I have managed to get in a full NIGHT's sleep (putting me back in the realm of "normal people").

This is not my typical road trip. I'm traveling to Wisconsin to help out as Camp Nurse for a week of National Hoops Basketball Camp.

Yes. I am a NICU nurse. Yes. I said basketball camp.

While this may not be my typical road trip, it falls perfectly under the category as adventure (in more ways than traveling).

For those of you not as familiar with National Hoops, I would recommend checking out their website here.

So, today, we head back on the road, hoping to arrive sometime this evening. Which is when the real adventure will begin.

I'll keep you updated throughout the week...until then

:)