My name is Lauren...

and I am a drug addict. It's time I finally came clean about my addiction. It's an addiction that many Americans battle with, Americans who live in shame and shroud their addiction in secrecy, and jokes.

I am addicted to Oxymetazoline. Better known as Afrin nasal spray.

Evil. Evil. Evil.

It's funny, I know. In fact, one of my favorite episodes of King of Queens is this one: 

But it's a real problem. I can't even explain the panic when your nose starts to congest, and you can't breathe, and you can't find your Afrin. I have driven to the grocery store at midnight just to buy some, because I couldn't find my bottle. I buy multiple bottles; one for my house, one for my purse. I save Afrin bottles with only a few squirts left, to be used as back up/"just in case I lose my main bottle." It controls my life! I have to carry it on me, in case I get stuck somewhere and can't get home.

 If I forget it, my day is shot. I stuff up, my voice changes due to the stuffiness, I can barely speak anyway, since I have to breathe through my mouth. Oh and not to mention, having to pay $3 every 2 weeks or so for a new bottle is ridiculous.

It can cause some scary health problems too. Loss of sense of taste and smell, nose bleeds, and in extreme situations, it eats away at your septum. Really, for an OTC nasal spray, this stuff is evil.

I've gotten off it before. Once. And another time I weaned down to just one squirt at night. The best way I've discovered to get off the stuff is to take a bottle of USELESS saline spray, dump 1/2-1/3 out, and then put 1/2-1/3 of Afrin in. Gradually you add less and less of the Afrin, until all that's left is the saline. It is hell on earth, and I don't know how some people do it cold turkey.

That's the plan. Starting tomorrow, the weaning begins!

Maternity

This post is not exciting or well crafted, but I have to get it down now!


I had my first day of clinical in the maternity center, and it was awesome! I'm on labor and delivery right now (verses mother & baby). I got to see a C/S birth, and the recovery after. After lunch I got to hang in the NICU. 


I REALLY hope I get to see a vaginal delivery next week.  Two of the other girls did today, and one even got to cut the cord!! It was just luck of the draw. We only get 2 weeks on L & D, and then 2 weeks on M & B and that's it! Our time there is so short, we do 2 other weeks on campus with simulations, which kind of sucks. 


I absolutely LOVE maternity though. What an AMAZING experience. I was so blessed to be allowed to witness the birth of a new person, and be there on the BEST day of the new mother's life. Talk about giving you baby fever!

Did I do?

Well. Kind of. I overslept this morning which was not part of my "doing," but part of that was due to some severe insomnia last night. The trip to the school bookstore was not completed (which would have subtracted from my joie de vivre, so not going is a good thing). However I also didn't take my grandmother to the nail salon, which would have added to my joie bank. So I think I broke even at that point.

 However, I did make it to the library. 

Which is ALWAYS a good thing, except for maybe when I'm cramming for an exam.

And I will be going to the gym tonight. Another bit of joie. All in all more joie than laziness and stagnation, so I will mark this day as successful!

Really Doing

I've realized something. I do not like sitting around. I am nearing the end of my winter break from school, and I think I am ready. Of course, I have pre-semester jitters. And I dread how much nursing school is about to consume my life again (although 3rd semester is maternity & psych, so I'm kind of excited!) But today I sat around literally doing nothing. And yesterday I did the same thing. I do not like wasting days of my life.

What does one do to really grasp that joie de vivre then? When one is a) poor b) really poor c) has no children d) is really really poor. While it's true that "money doesn't buy happiness," I've found that it does help. And that people who often quote that are earning a somewhat comfortable middle class salary on a steady basis.  My salary right now is $0 and my savings are rapidly dwindling. There is something to be said about having a steady income and the security that allows in finding some joie. But I know that this situation of mine is only temporary, and I should still be enjoying things. At least trying to, even if the undercurrent is one of insecurity and a touch of fear.

My goal for tomorrow (well today, since it is after midnight) is to find or do 3 things that bring me joy and happiness. And they can't involve the TV or internet or sitting on my couch. This may be hard to do, as I must go pick up some school books tomorrow at my school's bookstore, which just so happens to be guarded by a band of Nazi's. But I will be going to the gym tomorow night which brings me a sense of peace and happiness, and I may be taking my 92 year old grandmother to get her nails done. Also a thing of joy. So I might just make it after all.

And if all else fails, I can just go visit this goofball: (my 7 yr old brother)

Oh and 1/17 just happens to be my half-birthday. Of course it will be a good day!

Tripp Earned his Wings

Tripp, the son of a very sweet blogger, received his angel wings yesterday. Please pray for the family right now, and especially Courtney, his wonderful mother.

http://randycourtneytripproth.blogspot.com/

The Prodigal Son is giving an update

Well I finished my second semester of nursing school with a B in my main nursing course. I'm pretty happy with that! I can't believe that in about a year from now I will be GRADUATING as an RN. Wow!

Right now I'm on break till January 25th. When I start back I will be doing maternity nursing for the first half of the semester and then psych nursing for the second half. I've heard the 3rd semester is a bit easier than my past semester...I hope so. Either way, I'm looking forward to it.

Right now I'm trying to get a job at a visiting nurse service as a home health aide. Very part time. I have to go tomorrow to "test out" of the HHA test (since I already completed fundamentals of nursing, they count that as being "certified," just have to test out).

CHRISTMAS!

(here's our little house)

I have finally done some shopping. Got everyone pretty much done except my one sister. It's been such a tight christmas since I am unemployed and have ZERO income but I've still spent a little. Tomorrow night we're doing cut out cookies with my little brother, I'll have to take some pictures of that fun :)

On a sad note, today we were told by the doctors at the hospital my grandpa is in, that he only has about 3-5 days left to live :( It's not a very happy christmas now because of that. They stopped his dialysis today (and everything else) and he's been moved to hospice care. Please if you can spare some prayers, we'd appreciate it.