PALS

PALS (pediatric advanced life support) Getting up at 5:00 AM was a treat, with an extra hour of sleep I did feel more rested. I hopped in the shower, dressed, then snuck out of the house.  The plan was to go to Starbucks and cram, having to work nearly everyday since getting my book there had been very little quiet time to study.  I climbed in the car and double checked to make sure I had the printed off copy of the pretest.  I flipped through the book where I had safely tucked it in preparation and it wasn’t there, I flipped through it again, nope.  Where did I tuck it? I know I tucked it in the book, but it isn’t there now. Shoot, I turned the flashlight on on the phone and searched the car, then I got out and made my way back in the house where a little one was now up and in the bathroom…I was trying not to wake everyone and searching for a paper all around the house was not helping.  At this point I had looked everywhere it could possibly be besides work, it must have fallen out at work. I have to have that paper or they won’t let me in the class, it’s not like I can just print another one.  We don’t even have a printer.  I felt like crying, the only three hours I had to read and study were being spent looking for a paper I had so carefully tucked in a spot it could not be forgotten accidentally.  I woke up Chad to help me then searched the car a second and third time.  Then the kids started coming down stairs. I gave up on Starbucks and started warming up some cold oatmeal. We grabbed the laptop and checked Office Depot’s hours (or Office Max I can’t remember) they opened at 8:00AM and my class started at 9:00AM.  We resubmitted the pretest to be printed and put on a pot of coffee.  I crammed while Chad made a special breakfast for the kids who were now all up an hour early.  Then took the laptop as precautionary incase the paper was not printed and they couldn’t find it.  I crammed some more in the parking lot while waiting for the clock to strike 8:00AM.  They quickly printed the paper for me and I thanked them profusely.  The operator at AMC directed me to the correct room for the class and I checked in a whole 30 min. early.  I kept my cramming until class started and inside I prepared myself for a day filled with potential most embarrassing moments.  I feel so out of my league in these situations. I’m rusty with my rhythm strips and unfamiliar completely with all the recessitation meds other than epi.  It is a good thing that that is almost always the first med given in these code situations.  Luckily there were no most embarrassing moments and I wasn’t the only rusty one.  You gotta just roll up both sleeves and jump in in these situations and not worry what other people think.  I love learning and wish it was practical to take many more classes and tests, and it ended up being a nice breather since I’m looking at tomorrow and Wednesday being both super busy shifts.  The test was good, although maybe not a true picture of my PALS knowledge since the whole class is taught to the test so if you listened you had been given all the test answers throughout the day.  Now what do you think the chances are that I will remember it for two years, maybe three months for ACLS in January? Probably not.  Not with out a chance to practice, and I hope to shout we have none of that in OB.
The kids greeted me at the door Eve had no accidents today and her head is looking better.

Hannah had drawn a picture of a Unicorn giving birth to Pegasus’ baby.

this mama could nurse a whole litter of little ones.  And We got the new tin whistle books in the mail.

Eve proceeded to have an accident on our bed just before bedtime, it’s a good thing the dryer is quick.  Good night all.