First blog - time goes so fast!

Hello and welcome to my new blog.

I have: 3 Months and 3 Weeks until I start my Nursing course. I'm really counting down the days and getting so excited.

About me:

I left college after doing my A levels; Maths, Human Biology and History in June 2008. I then went to University in Leeds for 3 months to study Bsc Public Health Nutrition, I originally wanted to do Dietetics but when applying through UCAS I found out I should have taken Chemistry for A level. I had work experience with a Dietician, I really enjoyed it and so my tutor at college asked had I thought about applying for Nutrion as it is similar but I have found out that the career options are quite different and not really what I was interested in.


So I dropped out, it was a very hard decision to make and I had to move out of halls and back to Wales.

What happened next?
I got a job in a nursery almost straight away, I was determined not to be jobless! I worked with toddlers and had to help pick the kids up from school & in the after-school club. I absolutely love working with children. So I thought I was set on being a children's nurse... but soon realised that working with sick children and healthy children are very different! And have decided Adult nursing has much more options and I can specialise later on if I really want to.

I worked there for 4 months after being told 'I wasn't needed anymore, because there was too much staff' I was devastated to tell you the truth as I had just split up with my boyfriend of a year and a half ( He moved to Scotland!), my dog who was 10 years old had just died and I just found out I had a tumour in the muscle of my right wrist! So losing my job was just the last straw!

I had a few weeks of doing nothing and moping around the house! Then one late night I got a phonecall... it was an American woman offering me a place at a Special Needs Camp for Adults & Kids! ( I had applied for Camp America after dropping out In January but hadn't heard anything and gave up after a while!)
Anyway, she asked could I fly out in 3 weeks time!! I was so shocked and happy! and said yes straight away! I was so glad to be happy ! Also around this time I got a place at Chester University for Adult Nursing earlier this year - around April time. . . :D

I was in Illinois, not far from Chicago for 10 weeks. It was Amazing! Each week was a different camp/people.
1st week - Adults with HIV! they were all so nice but didn't need much looking after.
2nd week - Adults with Traumatic Brain Injuries - was really sad because they were just normal people like you or I who had a tragic accident which left some of them severly disabled. I spoke to one man who was in his 60s. Blind in one eye and was in a wheel chair. He used to be a pimp and drug dealer and he got shot through the eye and into his head by his best friend just because he was jealous of all the money he was making! :O unbelievable!

3rd week- was for underprivileged kids from not-so-good backgrounds. One of my campers was quite naughty from the start and kept getting involved in fights and bullying other girls in the cabin, so I took her to one side and decided to have a chat with her. She told be all about her family and how her uncle had raped her mother and other female members of the family and was currently in prison. She told me how her family would beat up people if they said anything bad and said that she would do the same to other kids if they said anything. I was absolutely gobsmacked this was coming from a 11 year old girl! :O

Other weeks/camps included : Children with cancer (which was so sad! I just wanted to cry at times), children with cerebral palsy/epilepsy, muscle dystrophy, adults with cerebral palsy, bi polar, autism and many other illness'
It really was one of the best experiences in my life and i've learnt so much!! it's really confirmed to me that I definitely want to be a nurse!

When I came back August 2009 - I got a job as a bartender & waitress in this posh hotel down the road just while I was waiting for my CRB to come through for a job at a Care Home. ( it took 2 months until I could start!) Started in the October.. and still working both jobs now.
I absolutely love looking after elderly people - (ok so you have a few that are a bit grumpy and ungrateful) but I feel like i've learnt so much already!

I will start new blog about experience i've had to far working in the care home... but for now I think this post is long enough!

Cheerio for now


:)