Today

Today was the first day I was in the nursing home where I will be learning for the next 5 weeks. We get there at 5:45 am two days per week. Today was just an orientation type day to get to know our surroundings a little bit better and see where things are how they work. Surprisingly enough I did not have the feelings that I thought I would. I was calm and anxious at the same time. I wasn't nervous at all, that's the calm part. But I was anxious to jump in and get started, I didn't want to just walk around and look at stuff. Every time I peaked in a room and saw a resident or saw someone rolling themself down the hallway in his wheelchair I just wanted to start helping. I probably could have, but I stayed focus on what our instructor was telling us. I am definitely excited to get started. When we do start for real next week, as nursing students we will take care of taking everyone's (there's about 35 residents but can change any time) Vital signs (blood pressure, temperature, pulse, respiratory rate) and then we will assist the CNA's in the morning routines. Twice through the semester we will also give medications to a patient, with the supervision of our instructor. Part of this class is reading a book that I just started tonight. I think it is going to be a truly engaging and touching story. It's called Life With 'Big Al'. It is a journal that a woman kept throughout the three years that she was the primary caregiver for her husband who suffered from early onset Alzheimer's. My great-grandmother died of this disease, but I wasn't there for any of the progression as we lived in a different state. It is so amazing to read about it and see how the disease effects absolutely everything.

Changing subjects, my home teachers were over tonight. Home teachers are a companionship of men from my church group that come and check up on me at least once a month to make sure everything is okay and to deliver a message. Tonight we talked about prophets. I remember when my testimony of Living Prophets on the earth today was really solidified. It was August of 2005. President Hinckley, president and prophet of the Church at the time, had just come out at the beginning of the month asking everyone to read the Book of Mormon from cover to cover before the end of the year. This was the first time in a long while that there was very specific counsel and people jumped in and heeded the prophet's words. He promised that if we did this three things would happen:
"Without reservation I promise you that if each of you will observe this simple program, regardless of how many times you previously may have read the Book of Mormon, there will come into your lives and into your homes an added measure of the Spirit of the Lord, a strengthened resolution to walk in obedience to His commandments, and a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son of God."
Less than four weeks later Hurricane Katrina came. I only thought of the saints that lived in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Texas. Would people have been able to handle what was happening if they hadn't started this routine earlier? I wonder if people had a strengthened sense of peace because of this promise during this time of utter chaos...Prophets live and I believe the Lord speaks through them; we should hearken to their counsel.

Talking about Hurricane Katrina also reminded me of another thing. A reason (for there are many) for my choice in becoming a nurse. I want to eventually work for the Red Cross and become a natural disaster relief nurse. Pick up and go wherever there is a need in the world. I am so lucky to be getting such an education.

Signing off, if you made it through this post, then you are a brave soul. Sorry I guess I kind of tangented a bit...is that a word?