Ah...What An Experience!

I made it through the CNA program!  It's been quite the experience...

I met some really great people.  Smart, caring, generous women that I would be proud to work with in the future.  :-)  Yesterday we finished up our clinical experience (I'll re-visit that again in a minute) and took our final exam.

I got a 98% on my final!  YAY ME!!!!  I missed ONE question - and the "right" answer to that question is so outdated that it's truly not applicable anymore.

Anywho, the clinical experience was an exercise in patience, joy and frustration.  I started with Ms. A and she a sweet little thing once she was up and about.  The rest of the week I had Ms. B - who is exactly who I hope to be as an elderly woman.  She was the life of the proverbial party, yelled out my name when she wanted my attention {no call light for her!} and everyone in my class gravitated to her.  My parting gift to her was a manicure with some great red nail polish {she wasn't a fan of the pink that a volunteer had put on her}.  Her parting gift to me was to  compliment me so much, tell me how much she loved me, beg me not to leave her - that I sobbed in the car on the way back to class to take my final.

My only frustration with our clinical site was that there just didn't seem to be enough supplies to go around.  It was a search each day to find everything you needed to properly take care of the residents.

If everyone could think happy thoughts for me, I'd appreciate it.  My last step is to take the state exam.  Hopefully I'll have a date for it soon! Then I'll get a good year worth of practical experience under my belt before nursing school  :-)

P.S. A big thank you to Jane, Kristin, Mrs. Jones, Andrea, Holly, Jessica and everyone else who has supported me as I change careers.  Your encouragement is invaluable!  I love you all.