I passed!

I'm now officially an RN. I passed the boards. I am officially RN, BSN. I'm pretty proud of my accomplishments. I've come a long way to get here. I finally decided to go back to school after already having a family. It was hard, but I did it. I then got sick and pregnant again. I took a little time off but went right back to it and this time with four kids! It hasn't been easy but yesterday the result of all my efforts came to me in the form of one simple word: PASS. :)

Photo Contest!!!

Win a teeth whitening or a grand prize of a professional teeth whitening session in NYC for busy moms who need a get-away and a beauty pick-me-up. I entered Gabbi. Please go here and vote for her picture:http://www.topdentists.com/smile/entry/243427. 


While you are there enter your picture too! Who makes you smile?? Upload the picture and then just try to earn the votes. It's a lot of fun. I never seem to get a lot of votes in these things but I'm trying so share the link, spread the word and enter the contest too! We could all use a little beauty pick-me-up right? I know I can!

Maybe Germs are Loving this Mild Winter?

There is so much sickness going around where we live right now! Central Illinois has been experiencing some wonderful temps for the end of January. I am used to Illinois winters. I am sick of the snow and was not ready for it this year. Last year we had so much of it starting in November and it kept going. We had one storm that literally left one open lane of traffic and 15 foot walls of snow on either side. I wouldn't drive in that. If a car came the other way, what then? Ha!

So this year I kept hearing it would be a bad winter again. I got grumpy and hoped everyone would be wrong. So far? They are wrong. This time of year I'm usually convincing myself it's almost February! Winter will be over soon. Maybe it will warm up a little in March? Well my thermostat read 62 yesterday. 62 in January!!! I'm used to negative temperatures in January! I mean at least in the low teens. So everyone is getting sick. I know a lady who worked at an after hours doctor's office and out of the 8 strep tests she did only one of them was negative. That is a lot of strep! My girls are no exception. Gabbi has been sick with a bad cough. We all lost our voices and have been battling a cold. Mikayla started to get better then got worse again so I figured I better take her in. She has laryngitis, bronchitis and strep throat. She's happy about no school for a few days though.

I think these warm temps are a great breeding ground for the germs usually going around this time of year anyway. Now nothing is stopping them. My throat feels a bit scratchy at the moment. Not sure if I should worry...or not. I did expect some snow this winter. We have had a bit, but not much. Certainly nothing to be concerned about. I keep wondering if the winter will go out like a lion since it came in like a lamb. That's how it works I think!

NCLEX

I have my date set to take the boards. It's coming up fast so wish me luck, send prayers, whatever it is you do! I know I can use it. This past few years I have overcome a lot. I went back to college, had cancer, had a baby, went back to college AGAIN and continued on. I went to nursing college and though at times it seemed like too much I made it and graduated with that Bachelor's degree. I am proud of all I have done and sometimes I sit back and wonder how the heck I did it.

I am relaxing tonight with family. My husband lost his grandmother this past weekend. We attended her funeral yesterday. The hubby's brothers were able to come and spend some unexpected time with us which is nice despite the circumstances. His grandma lived close to us and the my hubby's family is all in North Carolina. It has been very nice to have his brother's here. They stay up late visiting and playing cards. I take my little Gabbi and cuddle with her in bed. LOVE my cuddle time. :)

Technically Four Years

So I have always considered my date of remission the day they called and told me that I was cancer free after my PET scan. Well I discussed with my Oncologist at my last appointment that they consider remission the day of your last treatment, not including radiation. I am not sure why. This would mean my remission date is October 22nd and would make me technically four years in remission. This also means that as of this next October I will be going to my doctor every 6 months instead of every 3 for checkups. I still consider that day that I heard my doctor say there was NO cancer the day I was free from it. That was the day I knew it was gone. I'll be glad to be considered 5 years out in October and the fear of it ever coming back is minimal. I will miss seeing my doctor and nurses so often though. They are like family to me.

I still have to take NCLEX. Please send prayers my way! Things are really moving for me. Thanks for all the love and support all of these years since I began blogging!