young and in love

This past week has been so crazy! I am glad to have it behind me.

Monday and Tuesday I had hospital orientation for my new job. Basically we learned about the company, the hospital, and hospital-wide policies and such. I have to say that so far I LOVE the company I work for. Everyone is so nice and helpful and it really feels like even though it's a huge place with a lot of employees, everyone is there to help one another.
They also have so many great benefits for employees! I've never had a job with benefits before and I am so shocked at how little I pay for amazing health, vision, and dental insurance, and how many other great things there are that I never thought about, like paid time off! I was just in awe when the benefits package was explained to us, haha!

Wednesday was supposed to be my first day of lecture but I had to miss because I HAD to be at orientation at the hospital to learn their computer charting system. After taking the computer charting class, it hardly seemed necessary to make me skip school for it, as it was mostly me working through modules I can do at home, but oh well.
I also got to go up to the ICU Wednesday for a few minutes. I sat at the nurses' station waiting for my manager to come back from a meeting and was definitely intimidated by everything going on on the unit. I just can't wait until I am trained and know what I'm doing, the period in between now and then is scary!
I scheduled with my manager to come back for my first 12 hour shift on Monday!

Thursday I had more PCT training at the hospital and learned how to take blood sugars, and then I went to lab at school and learned how to draw up medication with needles and give shots! That was pretty exciting :)

Yesterday after lecture was my first psychiatric clinical, meaning it's at a "mental hospital". I was so very excited about this clinical, but the reality of it was something I wasn't really expecting. I was just hit so hard with how sad I felt for those that are mentally ill and how blessed I am to be mentally healthy.
I don't understand why some of us go about life normally with our brains working fine and others, who are living perfectly normal lives as well, suddenly are hit with a psychotic break and can no longer function because of things going on inside their brains that are tormenting them. I hate it so much for each and every person going through it.
Last night after I got home I just couldn't stop thinking about the people I'd met. M and I went to Ihop for dinner (because it was 11pm) and all I could think about was how I get to be out here eating Ihop and going home to my nice apartment and get to go about my blessed life while they are still there at that place dealing with such terrible things.
I am happy for the opportunity to speak to and interact with and play games and do puzzles with the patients though, because I think they really liked having us there and having someone to talk to, but I definitely am seeing the world differently after being there.

Today I have to attend a 12 step program meeting (such as AA, or narcotics anonymous, or one of the many others). It should also be interesting and eye opening.
Other than that I am going to try to enjoy the weekend because next week will be even crazier and busier than this one. One day at a time!