Exhausted

Week four is complete!  We are halfway through our 3rd course.  It feels like time is flying.  The days are long and the weeks go so fast.

Today I got to campus at 7:15am and was in panic mode.  We had a four hour lab where we learned how to insert a Foley catheter (we even got to bring it home to practice...not on a person, just with the device) and had to be tested on two skills.  I decided last night to solely focus on my lecture midterm today instead of spending time on lab tests.  The lab tests weren't that difficult and weren't weighted very much.  My lecture final is worth 40% of my grade.  So, at 7:15 this morning, my lab partner and I went talked our way through the four skills, not knowing what two skills we would pick out of a hat (or graduated cylinder) to be tested on.  We then had a small group gathered and started talking through questions for the lecture midterm.  Full on stress and anxiety!

My lab tests were making an unoccupied bed and transferring a patient from a bed to a wheelchair.  The other two I didn't pick were helping a patient use a bed pan and performing perineal care on a mannequin.   I did get to be a patient with a broken left hip needing to use a bed pan for another classmate.  After practicing the Foley catheter and performing my tests, it was time to have a little lunch and then take my midterm.   During lunch, the small group I sat with hashed out more last minute test cramming.  We took the exam, which was our first no book or notes exam.  It actually went pretty well.  I felt a lot more confident and was glad I didn't have to look up answers.  I used a lot less time!

This week has been eye opening.  I have realized the last four weeks have kicked my butt.  Today, I woke up and felt like I had been hit by a truck.  I hurt from being so tired.  The adrenaline, excitement, nerves have definitely worn off, and now it's just straight up hard work.  This week especially, I had long labs, long lectures and would come home and just sit reading, watching videos and going through required tutorials.  On average it was about 3-4+ hours a night.  Whew!  I am mentally needing an evening off.  My Erin had her last Friday of work until September, but is unfortunately at a graduation until later this evening.  I have missed our evenings of just lounging, talking and relaxing together.  I have one more week, then I get a week off!  Quality time with Erin in my very near future!!

This post may be all over the place, it may not make sense...my brain is done!  Here's to a great weekend!