Tomorrow is the big day!

So…tomorrow is the big day!  Back to Phillips House 21 at MGH.  Back to wearing scrubs and clogs to work…a stethescope around the neck.  Back to vitals and I&Os.  Morning rounds.  Family meetings.  Back to needing a boost, hanging IVs, a crowded med closet, counting narcotics and discharge planning.  And on to some new things such as hanging blood, and CHEMO!!  PICCs, central lines, portacaths.  Peripheral lines, and blood draws.  STAT labs and code blues.  Its exciting and overwhelming at the same time.  I’m looking forward to that invisible badge of honor that comes with being a nurse.  Its something I’m pretty proud of.  We do something that most people say they “couldn’t do”.  Its scary too…the weight of responsibilty that comes with caring for sick people.  The responsibility of keeping our patients safe, comfortable, in control, happy…the responsibility of earning the respect and trust of family members.  But regardless of the nervous feelings I have, I am mostly excited to begin.  A new chapter in my life.  It feels like a natural progression.  It feels like the right time.  And that everything just fell into place very easily.  Like it was meant to be.  Being a strong believer in fate…I like the way it all feels.  So I am here, scrubs are washed, dried and folded.  New shoes and a new stethescope ready to go.  I’m ready.  whew.  here we go!