The school I was attending for a drafting certification after high school is called Tennessee Technology Center. It also offers a course to become a Licensed Practical Nurse. The nice part of this program in my opinion is one: it was quicker than your traditional four year program. It would take me a year. I would be learning specifically what I needed to know about my job as a Licensed Practical Nurse. Two: there were no papers to write. As much as I enjoy writing, I despised writing research papers. It seemed like I put so much work and thought into them, and it just never got me more than a C for my final grade. Sure, that's passing, but I'm a perfectionist and my brain didn't handle this well. Three: if one needed to get an advanced education quickly to get a desired job, well this path would work well.
A downside to the route I took was the limitations on what my certification would allow as far as skill. I had basic nursing skills. Thus, job opportunities were narrowed and the salary wasn't near what a Registered Nurse would earn (nor should it be; just pointing out the down side).
I can't recall what all was required to get into the class, but one thing stands out; the interview into nursing school. It wasn't the actual interview. I don't recall the people doing the interview or the questions they asked. I recall the outside events that surrounded that day.
My grandmother had passed away from a (can I say thankfully?) quick battle with cancer. The time of illness and her death were devastating as I can say she was the matriarch of our family. She was my first grandparent to pass away. And she held our family together. (We didn't just fall apart and turn against one another, but it's just one of those situations where you don't realize what you've lost until it's gone.)
My interview for nursing school was scheduled for the same day as her funeral. The interview had been scheduled in advance and with the structure of the program, they couldn't reschedule the it for me. Instead, we were able to set the funeral for a time at which I could attend after my interview that day. I went to the interview with a heavy heart. And a sense of determination. My grandmother knew of my desires, and I felt as though watching her struggles throughout the illness and in her last days and the experiences that gave me might have helped in the interview process. They accepted me into the class!
I also met a great friend that day who was happily expecting her third child very soon. She would turn out to be an awesome mentor, encourager, and study partner. She had a drive about her that my 18 years had not yet obtained. And she set me up with my first boyfriend. (No, he isn't the man I'm married to today, but that experience played a part in who I am today like all experiences do.) I couldn't have made it without her.
Nursing school and my Crohn's didn't seem to be too against each other . There were times my stomach would bother me worse than other times; particularly before big tests or performance of nursing skills we needed to show. My nerves would be all in knots. But I feel like I made it through the year fine. I actually never missed a day of school (although I was late to clinical once). I can't recall any flare ups that had bothered me like they did in high school.
School was an experience that opened me up to different people, their lifestyles, their various stages in life. Many of the students were looking for a second career. Many had families. (This is where the quickness of the program becomes valuable.) And all of us were looking to better ourselves and our futures. The majority saw me as just a kid I think. (Which I was.) I didn't mind. I felt watched over which was comforting especially after leaving high school and being so nervous about that change. And I have never gravitated toward people my own age. I tend to seek out those that are older than me, people who have "been there and done that".
I wish I had some awesome clinical stories, but I can't think of anything that stands out. In general, it was all eye opening for me: bathing people at the nursing home who couldn't do anything for themselves, feeding people (I'd never done that), crushing medications to put in that food if they couldn't swallow medications well.
Starting IVs was a scary task, yet I felt able to do it with able of the times I'd been stuck. We got to do that task on each other in class first. It may or may not have ended some friendships. (Just kidding.) We all managed to do well with that.
With my age and not being married yet, I hadn't seen a lot physically as far as the other sex is concerned. As you can imagine, my eyes saw more than I really wanted. We'll just leave this right here to keep from being too graphic.
And I met all kinds of people in the various medical settings: hospital, nursing home, doctor's office. I didn't realize how different people were, how differently people viewed things and how they handled their lives; so many personalities out there.
But I made it through nursing school (by the grace of God). I went to graduation dressed in a crisp white uniform topped off with a nice hat. I was pinned with my nursing pin and received my LPN certification ready and excited for the next step: getting my official license.
This post is less informative as far as Crohn's goes, but I hope it provides some encouragement if one is looking to go further in their education. Next up: the big test and my first adult job!
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