So I am 3/4 done with the 2nd week of graduate school at MGH IHP for Direct Entry Nursing. I am stressed out. Today I am not doing well. Yesterday I wasn't either. Yesterday I was depressed. Today I am frustrated.
I was accepted a week before the program started. I accepted on 9/6 and classes started 9/12. A lot of my classmates were accepted MONTHS ago. They had months to prep for this. To buy their books, get scrubs, get MGH IHP patches (for scrubs & lab coat), read everything, do their EHR training, find a place closer to school. I have not. I am trying to play catch-up but it's not easy.
In August I figured that I wasn't getting accepted so I moved on. TJ and I signed a lease for a new place on the Cape, closer to his work. This place is perfect for us: 2 bedroom, central air, newer appliances, just us, just us..oh, did I mention, JUST US?! Same rent price as where we are currently, though we pay separate for utilities. Perfect.
Then the unthinkable (but wonderful) happened; MGH IHP had a spot for me. Then the whirlwind happened. We went on vacation also, got engaged while we were there. I came back and started school. It has been chaos. The schedule is nuts. Driving from the Cape is crazy. I'm grateful because I am staying at a friend-of-a-friends in Winthrop, which cuts my commute time down immensely. That is only temporary though. But I have had several people offer their spare rooms/couches, which is awesome.
I am being grateful. I got the chance to go to my DREAM school. But damn if the Universe isn't making it HARD for me.
I cannot afford to move to Boston and have the place on the Cape. TJ and I agreed we were not giving it up, at least not for now.
AND the commuting is exacerbating the pain in my body. My back, hips, and legs are aching so bad. I keep having muscle cramps in my right calf.
But this is awesome. This is an amazing experience and I will kick it's ass. Eventually.
Thursday, September 22, 2016
Thursday, September 8, 2016
Waitlisted no more!
Dreams do come true, but with a price. Earlier this year I applied to Mass General Hospital Institute for Health Professions in Boston for a Direct Entry Masters of Nursing program. I also applied to Regis College for the same program. Sadly I was wait-listed to both of the programs. By the time August came around I had pretty much resigned myself to not going to grad school this year. So plan B was to retake a Pharmacology Calculations class at the local community college and apply for their Associates in Nursing which would allow me to sit for the NCLEX which is the RN test. And suddenly in early August I found myself with a new job as a medical assistant at a clinic in Hyannis. I didn't tell them about being waitlisted because I had resigned myself to not being called to go to graduate school.
And then last Friday happened. I was on my way home from work taking the backroads because Route 6 was a nightmare and I received a phone call from 617 number, which I knew was Boston, and I expected that it was Mass General Hospital calling me back regarding a question I had about genetic profiles. No, instead it was Brian calling from the admissions department at MGH IHP to let me know that they had a spot for me this semester starting on September 12th. We were coming up on the Labor Day weekend and he gave me until Tuesday to make the decision.
I was completely flabbergasted and unprepared and spent the entire weekend freaking out. If your friends with me on Facebook or friends with me beyond that you know that I spent the entire weekend just losing my mind about the fact that my dream had come true. MGH ihp has been my dream school, their masters in nursing program has been my dream program for 4 years. Everything I have done in terms of school at the community college has been to get into one of these programs. This news completely changed my life.
Here I am now a couple of days away from starting the program and I am freaking out. This college does practically everything online. Because I got taken off the waitlist right before the beginning of the semester I have orientation that I have to do online ,plus orientation to my specific program and orientation to this learning environment we use which is similar to Blackboard online. Plus I have to get all my health information together and sign all the forms and go through all these modules and go through this checklist. Plus wait on financial aid before I can even buy the $900 books that I need. On top of that because I live on the Cape and I'm not moving to Boston, although we're moving to Yarmouth in a month, I have to figure out how and when I'm commuting, if I'm staying with friends during the times that I need to have early classes and late clinicals. They sure as hell don't make it easy for someone who just got taken off the waitlist. Needless to say I'm completely overwhelmed but I'm getting through it and I will get through it just like I'm going to get through this program! 😄 sure I might be stressed out and I might not have time for anybody else but my loved ones are very well aware of that and are very supportive of what I'm doing. Thank Goddess.
So if any of you have suggestions for anything that will help me along this path I would greatly appreciate it. Feel free to say hi or drop me some love mail.
Love love love
Kate
And then last Friday happened. I was on my way home from work taking the backroads because Route 6 was a nightmare and I received a phone call from 617 number, which I knew was Boston, and I expected that it was Mass General Hospital calling me back regarding a question I had about genetic profiles. No, instead it was Brian calling from the admissions department at MGH IHP to let me know that they had a spot for me this semester starting on September 12th. We were coming up on the Labor Day weekend and he gave me until Tuesday to make the decision.
I was completely flabbergasted and unprepared and spent the entire weekend freaking out. If your friends with me on Facebook or friends with me beyond that you know that I spent the entire weekend just losing my mind about the fact that my dream had come true. MGH ihp has been my dream school, their masters in nursing program has been my dream program for 4 years. Everything I have done in terms of school at the community college has been to get into one of these programs. This news completely changed my life.
Here I am now a couple of days away from starting the program and I am freaking out. This college does practically everything online. Because I got taken off the waitlist right before the beginning of the semester I have orientation that I have to do online ,plus orientation to my specific program and orientation to this learning environment we use which is similar to Blackboard online. Plus I have to get all my health information together and sign all the forms and go through all these modules and go through this checklist. Plus wait on financial aid before I can even buy the $900 books that I need. On top of that because I live on the Cape and I'm not moving to Boston, although we're moving to Yarmouth in a month, I have to figure out how and when I'm commuting, if I'm staying with friends during the times that I need to have early classes and late clinicals. They sure as hell don't make it easy for someone who just got taken off the waitlist. Needless to say I'm completely overwhelmed but I'm getting through it and I will get through it just like I'm going to get through this program! 😄 sure I might be stressed out and I might not have time for anybody else but my loved ones are very well aware of that and are very supportive of what I'm doing. Thank Goddess.
So if any of you have suggestions for anything that will help me along this path I would greatly appreciate it. Feel free to say hi or drop me some love mail.
Love love love
Kate
Monday, September 5, 2016
Some BIG news
Well hello there. Another long stretch of days have gone by, but this time I have NEWS, good news.
Friday I got THE call from my dream school. I have been accepted into the Direct Entry Master's of Nursing program at Mass General Hospital's Institute for Health Professionals. I will officially accept tomorrow and classes start the 12th. Holy crap.
Wow. My dreams are coming true. All the efforts I have put forth in the last 4 years are being acknowledged. Holy fucking wow.
I am still somewhat in shock. This weekend has been a whirlwind of emotions, decisions, and celebrations. Thank goddess today is a national holiday here, as I need all the time off I can get. Besides this big news, I am suffering through a fibro flare and back-pain flare. TS Hermine isn't helping with this pain but other things help.
Sadly this news means I will very likely not have time to update this blog. I will when I can. I don't yet know what my schedule will be. I am sadly resigning from both my jobs and will be spending less time with my loved ones, BUT this is a huge step in my career. I am thrilled and elated.
On that note, you can always keep in touch on Facebook , Instagram, or good ole' fashion email tildesk at gmail dot com. You can find some of my old stuff on Deviantart also.
Cheers friends!
Friday I got THE call from my dream school. I have been accepted into the Direct Entry Master's of Nursing program at Mass General Hospital's Institute for Health Professionals. I will officially accept tomorrow and classes start the 12th. Holy crap.
Wow. My dreams are coming true. All the efforts I have put forth in the last 4 years are being acknowledged. Holy fucking wow.
I am still somewhat in shock. This weekend has been a whirlwind of emotions, decisions, and celebrations. Thank goddess today is a national holiday here, as I need all the time off I can get. Besides this big news, I am suffering through a fibro flare and back-pain flare. TS Hermine isn't helping with this pain but other things help.
Sadly this news means I will very likely not have time to update this blog. I will when I can. I don't yet know what my schedule will be. I am sadly resigning from both my jobs and will be spending less time with my loved ones, BUT this is a huge step in my career. I am thrilled and elated.
On that note, you can always keep in touch on Facebook , Instagram, or good ole' fashion email tildesk at gmail dot com. You can find some of my old stuff on Deviantart also.
Cheers friends!
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