January

working nights really throws off my perception of days, weeks, and time. I can't believe that we are already at Inauguration day!! 

I am in my last week of orientation! Some days I feel completely capable and other nights I feel way out of my league. I am thankful for my coworkers and know that I will be encouraged and assisted well after orientation is over. 

We have had some incredible days out here in Boston. Lots of snow and cold days have made it feel like winter! Slipping and sliding along the streets has been fun and I have been enjoying my time in the city. In the snow, I've gotten to explore the Museum of Science, walk along the esplanade, and enjoy the beauty of Boston.

We had an amazing MLK day up here at King's alma mater, BU, yesterday! Paul Farmer of Partners in Health was the keynote speaker and did a good job reminding us of what MLK was about while making ties to president-elect Obama. I'm thankful that I could be there on the eve of such a big day in American history!

As changes take place in DC and the United States, I'll be taking on my new role as a nurse without a preceptor! I'm also figuring out how to work night shift and keep getting my groceries, and making friends during "normal hours". I'm glad the weeks are going by quickly, but I'm also hoping that they slow down a little bit and that I can enjoy each day and take the opportunities that present themselves!

2009

wow. 2009. we made it! i cannot believe how quickly 2008 went and how much has happened since 1/1/08! 

I also can't believe that i have been working for a month already! Today was my last day on the day shift, i switch to my real shift, nights, on sunday! i'm interested to see how working nights goes but am looking forward to being another step closer to being on my own. It's been good to learn all the different aspects of hospital care

It has been interesting to work through the holiday season. I was able to work both Christmas eve and Christmas day. Being in the hospital made it feel a lot less 'holiday-ish' but it was also neat to be able to share some love with those that were not where they wanted to be to celebrate the holiday. it also made flying home Christmas night much more exciting!

the New Year started with old and new friends getting together to celebrate plus working a shift on New Years day! 

Looking back at the past year I'm amazed by what God has done, and I'm so excited to see what he will do! 2009 is sure to be a year of new experiences, unexpected events, and opportunities to see God at work. Can't wait!

I have officially been on the unit for 1 week! and been at Youville for almost 3. It is crazy how quickly the time passes.

the first week and a half of hospital orientation was good, but boring as we sat in a classroom all day and i tried to adjust to sitting for so long. Now i'm adjusting to standing all day, and I have to say- my feet are very tired!!

over the past couple weeks, I have gotten to know the CNA's, transports, and other employees- it is so fun to walk down the hall and have people call hello! Its starting to feel natural to be at Youville and its also starting to be fun. I know my way around 2West and can find the things I"m looking for. I have also helped other people find what they need!

I have also been getting to know the patients.

My favorite patient is a man with an open stoma in his neck (he cannot talk) he is very expressive and writes on a white board. I have worked with him several times, but today i stopped in just to say hi. He asked me about my christmas plans and i was able to tell him about my parents living in Japan. I have never seen someone get excited like he did! it was incredible to see his entire body light up! It turns out he has studied the Japanese alphabets and loves the language. I wrote up some papers for him to 'de-code' and everyone could see how excited he was. He couldn't wait to get at those papers and figure them all out!

I have another patient who is dying from cancer of the tongue/throat. She and her husband have been married 65 years and I feel like i'm watching a movie when i talk with him. They often nap together, her in the hospital bed, him in a chair next to it, holding hands. When you ask him what he did for a living he replies that he loved his wife. He is so eager to help and so good at anticipating her needs, that I have very little to do for her.

Its moments like these that I am so thankful for my job. While these situations did not occur because of my advanced knowledge, or nursing skills, working in a hospital allows you to enter people's lives in such a unique way. I know that these people I'm working with are dramatically touching my life

In my spare time, I'm also seeing more of Boston. Recently, I have travelled the Freedom Trail, shopped the pastry shops of the North End, eaten on Newbury St., hung out in the commons, run a 5k in Somerville, and officially joined a gym! Life seems to be going full-pace and I see no sign of slowing down... I will be working my first holiday on both Christmas Eve and Christmas day, but got enough time in between days to visit home in North Carolina and see the whole family! 

I've also been celebrating Advent, and I have to say, I am anticipating so much this year! Snow, family, traveling... I have come to understand the idea of anticipation much more completely! I can not wait to celebrate the biggest anticipation: the birth of the Messiah!! what an exciting time of year this truly is!

Family Week/ Final Week of relaxing

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Instead of trying to please each other with purchases, the spirit of this holiday is to simply enjoy what we have and to eat! what could be better?!? Eat and enjoy was what I did the past 10 days! It was a great/crazy/relaxing/exhausting week with both Kristin and Andrew here to celebrate the holiday!

Kristin arrived on Friday evening after scoring big with the airlines. Saturday found us bundled up with Carrie to go watch the annual Harvard/Yale football game. It was incredible. the game itself was rather boring (Harvard won!) but it was the first time i was with Harvard crowds. Living so close to Harvard i know i interact with students and faculty regularly, but this was Harvard pride at its finest. We did however get the tickets from Yale and were sitting with Yale alumni all around us! The most interesting part of the game was the two bands half-time shows. They weren't very good bands but they each put on performances about killing the other team and how good the world was because the other school was no longer part of it! A little different from how we do it in the midwest! It took us the rest of the day to warm up and recover from the experience

After church on Sunday we cooked and cooked before heading over to Allston to have thanksgiving with the gang. Even though 11 people were eating, we had so much food! (the leftovers were fabulous the rest of the week!) Thanksgiving #1

On Monday, we woke up super early and caught a bus out of Boston at 6:30am bound for NYC! When we arrived we were greeted by Valpo friend, Tyler. Thus began our adventure. Having all been to NYC before, there were no pressing tourist attractions to see, so we enjoyed the day exploring, eating, and laughing! We eventually made our way to the evening performance of Avenue Q!! After the show we left Tyler, found our way to Penn Station and arrived back in Boston at 4am. Although it was only 24 hours in the city, it was awesome to have the day there!

Tuesday morning found us rushing around to get Kristin on the commuter rail to meet Drew at Gordon to spend the day with him. They both came home to the apartment that evening. It was so good to be reunited!! It didn't feel quite like thanksgiving without mom and dad, but Skype allowed us some good moments together!

Wednesday we relaxed, slept in, and eventually made our way to church for a thanksgiving meal with the people i cook with. It was a good night of fellowship, food, and fun games! Thanksgiving meal #2

Thursday was the actual Thanksgiving day and so we headed to the park to play flag football with church friends and then made our way to family friends right here in Cambridge! what a blessing it was to have friends of mom and dad's so close with whom to share old memories and create new memories with. Thanksgiving #3!!

Friday we nursed our turkey lethargy while resisting consumerism. kristin and i did make it to the gym for an urban rebounding class which was a cardio workout on mini trampolines! (i thought it would be an easy workout with a lot of fun and bouncing. in reality, it really is a hard workout!!)

As Saturday was our last day together we put the final pieces on Kristin's amazing astronomy video project, cut drew's hair, watched a couple movies and cooked. it was a relaxing day!

This morning Kristin had an early flight and Drew eventually caught the commuter rail back to Gordon.

Now i'm home alone awaiting the return of the roommates while anxiously thinking about tomorrow and my first day at Youville! Also, I'm hoping for some snow instead of all the rain we are getting... but i am thankful that it has been dry this long!

Tomorrow starts a new chapter- Amberly Killmer RN! can't wait to see what the job is actually like and how long it takes for the commute to get old as well as what color scrubs i get to wear, and when i can start using my earned days off! I still have a lot to learn, but for tonight I'm going to enjoy sitting on the couch, drinking hot tea, and reading!

JOB!!!

I will be a working woman starting Dec. 1st! 

It has been awesome to see how God was at work behind the scenes. I spoke with several family friends at the end of school year about Boston and where I could find work. Youville Hospital came up but I wasn't sure how likely they were to give me a job as it is a small hospital. Then I moved to Cambridge and started searching for a job. The job search is not as easy as they make it sound when you are in school!!! Youville gave me an interview last week, and I signed all the paperwork/officially accepted the job yesterday! 

I will be working on an oncology unit and eventually working nights. It'll be hard work but i think it will be great! i'm looking forward to finally being a real nurse!

God is so good! I'm so thankful that he continues to provide, even when I feel like giving up

and now the fun can really begin! Kristin flies in tomorrow, Andrew comes on Tuesday and we have so much planned for the whole time they are here! be ready for a long post in about 2 weeks

XDR TB

I wrote about this in a previous post, but found more information on XDRTB and James Nachtwey. Please check it out: xdrtb.org (click on the title of this post)

Spread the news. Stop the disease!

Happy November

October ended with a bang and the three roommates were shooting stars (we are holding guns!) for Halloween!!

I can't believe November is here! Boston is getting cold! I really do like seasons changing and am looking forward to when it snows :)

I am still happy to be living in Boston- and I'm glad to show Boston to visitors! Kaori came to Boston for a Japanese job fair and it was so wonderful to catch up after 6 years!! We have also had many Bowdoin visitors, and I've enjoyed getting to know people that Carrie has told me so much about. I'm looking forward to more visitors (PLEASE COME VISIT!!) and am hoping that some Valpo people make a trip east!

As usual, I'm also looking forward to traveling! I leave tomorrow for DC and Erica's wedding!! Can't believe that my freshman RA is getting married- but I'm thrilled to be a part of the day!

I finally switched cell phone providers (cingular does not get service in this area of Cambridge :( ) so i now have Verizon and i kept my old number! I know I'll be thankful to not have to wander around outside in order to talk to people, but I wish cell phones weren't so expensive!

I'm still praying about a job and the patience to see God's provision. My friend Lauren reminded me today that God provided in unexpected ways for the Israelites and that he has continued to provide for his people since then. 

In election news, Massachusetts and North Carolina made some interesting decisions on their own. Yesterday marijuana possession was legalized in MA and NC chose its first female governor, Beverly Purdue! History is being made in so many arenas

That's all the news for now. Remember, remember the 5th of November!