A cold week

It was a cold week this week! I am glad it will be warming up over the weekend and into next week. My body just does not like it. First of all, my ears hurt very badly when I'm walking outside and it's windy. It doesn't necessarily even have to be that cold, but if it's just merely windy, then you can bet my ears will ache. Also, I am thankful that my SIL made me a scarf - that has made a difference in how cold I am when walking around outside. If my face is covered up, it really does make me feel warmer.

Second, my skin does not like the cold and dry weather. As I type, my right hand has cracks in 3 places, one of which bled openly not too long ago (it is bandaged up now). It doesn't help that I have mild OCD and wash my hands frequently. Combine that with the cold weather we've been having and the heater on occasionally, and it is just not fun.

Anyway, I'll stop talking about the weather. Yesterday I did one of my community clinical rotations. I was at a health resource center. It kind of worked like a health clinic. I assisted the medical assistants and mostly observed them. I also wanted to note that I tried Stevia for the first time yesterday. It was the coldest day of the week, and I was taking a break. One of the medical assistants asked me if I wanted to try tea, to which I obliged because I was so cold and warm liquids would help. She asked me if I wanted sugar, but I said no thanks because I drink mine plain. Well, this one was pretty bitter - or maybe it was because I left the tea bag in there too long.

Anyway, I wanted to finish it, but all I could find were a bunch of Sweet 'n Lows (AUGH, saccharin!!!), one Splenda packet, and a few packets of pure sugar. I felt bad taking the last Splenda, so I just kept looking. Finally, near the coffee pot, I saw a canister of something.....it was Stevia! I heard that it was an all-natural, zero calorie sweetener. The canister said that it didn't leave a bad aftertaste and what-not. I think my SIL is even growing it in her and my brother's garden?

So I tried it, and it wasn't bad! And it helped me be able to finish the green tea.

On another note, I have been seriously praying about starting training to become a certified birth doula. I had heard about doulas back in my college years (most likely it was at the midwifery booth in April 2004), but I never had serious thoughts of becoming one. Since the end of last semester and even more this semester, the desire to become a CD (or CBD, as CBI certifies them to be) has grown a lot. I have done some reading on both Allnurses.com and Alldoulas.com about whether OB nurses should have doula training. It seemed that a majority of the posters said that OB nurses should indeed have doula training. They teach you things in doula training that they don't teach you in nursing school. I esp. like the fact that doula provide physical and emotional support. I wonder about how I am going to get my 2 births in, but I am sure I will work that out if I start certification.

This is very exciting, and I am not sure if/when I am going to start. Childbirth International is the program I want to certify with. They give you 3 years to complete your certification. I want to start NOW, but I have so many school assignments to do between now and spring break. So currently I am reading through the introductory course, which is free. I would love to support a woman in labor. Especially pregnant teens, single moms, moms whose spouse cannot be present, etc.

I am going to keep praying. Like my friend said, if God has put a passion in my heart, then it makes sense to act upon it. I believe that, too. I have to remember one of my life mottoes: One life to live. How am I going to make a difference in this world? God put a passion in my heart for serving pregnant teens. Maybe I could serve them through being a doula for them. I am not sure if I will work as a doula (possibly thinking of volunteering?), since I will work as an RN, but it will be super valuable if I get into L&D and will be a good background if I go onto nurse-midwifery school.