How the West was won.... and other stories

So it's been a while. Basically I moved to Los Angeles, took part in some online dating for a few weeks, met an amazing guy I had tried to be "just friends" with, fell in love, moved-in together within 3 months, got a new job with organ donation organization in Southern Cali, and here I am. Whew! Sounds so simple that way. I had to move ALL of my stuff out here from Missouri, and it's all still sitting in the garage. Boo. Unpacking sucks. And we've been in this house for almost 2 months. We had our housewarming party last weekend; I need more friends here. I had one awesome friend, but she moved away last month to Boston of all places. The complete other side of the country. Sad. It's hard to find a church here that feels like home. And CA never ceases to amaze me at the over-regulation of everything. I feel like I'm in a foreign country most days. Anyway, that's a quick update. I'll have to add more later.

So my contract in Phoenix ended and now I'm in Hollywood, CA. Right on Hollywood Blvd

It's definitely a change...more traffic, things here are so congested and on top of each other, there's hardly anywhere to park so it seems I do a lot of walking. Plus they have rush hour everyday of the week.

I saw the Pacific ocean the other day, so now I've seen both the pacific and atlantic, as well as the gulf, all in the span of about a month!

I'm working dayshift now for the first time; it's busy but I kinda like it. And I have no idea what I want to do when this assignment is over. Stay? do another travel assignment? get a permanent job...and if so where?

Wow, it's been a while. Didn't mean to abandon my xanga like that.

I renewed my contract in Phoenix so I'll be here until the end of January. I miss home though, after I went to KC between my contracts. I miss my friends, I miss church, I miss familiarity. It's very lonely here too now that my neighbor moved back to Alabama (it was fun while we got to hang out).

I'm sick of work already and it was only my first week back after being off for 3 weeks. And my patient died tonight, it was very sad. Lots of tears, lots of hugs. Then I had to clean the body and put him in a body bag

I'm off tomorrow (Sunday) and am in desperate need of fellowship. I may try this thing called Soma North...I get the impression it's sorta like the Gathering from back home.

For some reason, the hospital hasn't restricted xanga but I can't get on my facebook. I'd really like to be posting this on there right now. Boo radley.

So I decided to hike up Squaw Peak today...not a good idea. I had hiked in the mountain preserve and up Lookout Mountain right after I first got here but I guess I've really gotten accustomed to my air conditioning over the last few weeks. It was HOT today. No shade. Little hot breeze. Not to mention a tall steep climb.

I had more water than anyone I saw out there, I took it slow, and I still didn't make it to the top. In fact, when I had about 20 oz. of water left I decided to just go back down. However, that did not stop what will now forever traumatize my mind. Everyone else I saw hiking the summit trail had one bottle of water! And they were like running up there huffing and puffing but doing fine none the less! I felt like my stomach was just FULL of water (I had drank 2 bottles already in like half a mile walk). I was workin on my last bottle which happened to be an insulated extra large bottle full of ice that I usually take on my bike. Anyway, I noticed that despite my constant intake of water and bulging veins, I was not sweating any longer. I also noticed my skin was BRIGHT red. I started to feel sleepy, weak, complete with muscle shakes. I became a little confused. I was already on my way down (which is always much easier than going up) and I missed the trail at one of the turns (this is how confused I became... I was to the point of wandering off aimlessly). I was nauseous. Things felt cloudy, I was very hot but getting goosebumps and feeling a little hazy and numb. I just wanted to lay down where I was.

Of course, being a nurse and also having read this book about Death in the Grand Canyon, I knew I didn't really have long and was just praying to make it down to my car safely without consequences. Literally praying, every step. I could see my car; it looked so small and far away! I ran out of water before I was down partly because I had to use small amounts to splash on my skin since I wasn't producing sweat anymore. Oh mercy. I somehow made it down but I was NOT okay. I got in my car and felt SO weak, I couldn't hardly drive my car. It was hard to use the pedals. I was driving home and felt like it was worse than being drunk. I missed my exit because I was so hazy and confused. The AC on high just wasn't helping that much. I needed cold liquids!

So I had no choice but to stop at the first place I saw which happened to be Jack in the Box and got a cold soda (I know, not the best for rehydration but it was cold). That felt good but I didn't recover for several hours. I almost didn't make it up the stairs to my apartment either! It took a long cold shower, rest, and some potassium and sodium rich guacamole to feel more alive

Trust me, Arizona is hot. I am so sick of hearing "it's a dry heat". I can ride my bike 20 miles in KC in 100 degree weather, but I can't walk up a mountain in AZ more than like half a mile without almost dying.

So I'm finally updating this thing. I've been in Phoenix for 2 weeks now and I love it! So far the hospital seems good but I've only been through a week of hospital orientation...no working time on the unit yet. Tomorrow night (Tuesday night) I have my first night of clinical orientation working on the unit. I get to do my own schedule and I only have to work 3 shifts a week. The nurses seemed really nice when I went up to fill out my schedule. This hospital is located in a retirement suburb and I've seen mostly sweet old ladies there; they always smile whenever they see someone. I'm sure it's not always a picnic, but so far it seems really nice.

Phoenix is beautiful and I have a really amazing view of the sunset every night. I live in a gated community on a golf course and it's right in the middle of everything. So although I live really near the mountain preserve, I also live near lots of cool shopping/dining areas. My apartment is furnished and is maybe better than my apartment back home in KC! Now I just need people to come visit me!

I met another girl who is a travel nurse on a different unit; she lives in the building next to mine. We've gone to the gym a couple of times. I found an awesome chuch finally...Scottsdale Vineyard. It's a really small group meeting in an office-type building and seems to be the fellowship I've been praying for. I'm really excited about this. I tried out a really big Vineyard church in Glendale and an odd but pleasant church in the same area but didn't feel either was the right fit, so this small church is much better.

They seem to have organic food at every grocery store here so that's pretty awesome! Even the cheap stores! I love it here!

Some pics I took: