Eleventh Assignment: Lowell, MA
Dates: July 22nd, 2008- October,
Addresss: 104 River Pointe Way
Unit #2106
Lawrence, MA 01843
Hospital: Lowell General Hospital
I got a position in Lowell, MA towards the end of the assignment in Bakersfield, CA. I was so excited to be finally getting within 30 miles of Boston! My dad flew out to Las Vegas and I picked him up for our cross country trip #2. It was 106 degrees on the World's Largest Thermometer in Baker, CA. We stayed in Monte Carlo. I won $450 at Bellagio!! I always knew I liked that place! After Vegas we drove through the Utah mountains towards Colorado. We went through the Colorado Rockies, which were very steep! My car did not like that very much! We stopped in Vail and looked around. It looked like a Swiss Village. A few of the mountains still had a little snow on the top even in July. Then we headed through the midwest. We saw the original Pony Express Station, the site of the Lincoln-Douglas Debate, and Notre Dame. We also took a small detour and stopped at Niagara Falls. Very large waterfalls and very impressive! We finally made it to New England and spent the night in Bennington, VT, which is a very cute town. Especially the statues of people in various states of daily life...reading the newspaper, shopping, and kids eating ice cream. Then we finally made it to Massachusetts. We checked in to the hotel in Lawrence across the street from my apartments. The next day we went to Boston! We walked around and saw Cheers, Public Garden, Boston Common, Quincy Market, Boston Harbor, MIT, and Harvard to name a few. Later that day we picked up Mama at the Airport in Manchester. While both of my parents were there we explored as much of New England as we could! We went to Salem, Marblehead, Boston in Massachusetts; Portland, Kennebunkport, York in Maine; and other places in New Hampshire and Vermont as well. Then it was time for me to start at Lowell General and time for them to head back to Georgia.
The hospital was fine and pretty busy, especially since the hospital down the street stopped delivering babies and so we got them! The nurses were all very nice and we had a lot of fun working. I met some nurses to keep in touch with, especially Loum, Lin, and Danielle.
While I was in Lawrence I explored more of New England. I went to Newport and Providence, RI. Newport was gorgeous, especially the Cliff Walk and Mansions. One the way to Rhode Island I happened to go by Patriot's Place and on the way back I stopped at the outlets in Wrentham, MA. I also went to Hampton Beach and Portsmouth, New Hampshire and did some shopping in Kittery, Maine and saw the Nubble Light in York, ME. I went up to Burlington, VT and toured the Vermont Teddy Bear Factory and the Ben and Jerry's Factory. I also did more shopping in Nashua and the outlets about Concord, New Hampshire. I was also explored Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket. All beautiful places! Of course, I went to Boston every chance I got!
I also went on a Cruise to Canada on the Royal Caribbean with Aunt Nell. It was a gorgeous and large ship. We never ran out of things to do. We played Putt Putt and Ping Pong everyday. I got facial and massage and Aunt Nell got her hair cut in the Salon. We also spent a lot of time in the Casino. Shocking! We enjoyed all the shows we attended and even went backstage for a tour. We ended up on the highlights video, they got us while we were at the Newlywed Game Show! Embarrassing!! Our first port was Portland, Maine. It was raining the whole time we were there because of Tropical Storm Kyle! Although, that didn't stop us from going on our shopping tour in Freeport, Maine at the outlets! We had planned to go on a Duck Tour but it got rescheduled and conflicted with our shopping tour! Our second port was Bar Harbor, Maine. We took a tour of Acadia National Park. It was nice, especially Thunder Hole and Cadillac Mountain. We did some shopping on main street. Our whale watching tour was canceled due to rough seas. Very sad to have missed that! Our third port was St. John, New Brunswick, Canada. We did two tours of the city and saw all the sites. St. Jon was very pretty. We did a River Boat cruise down the St. John River and I was the “Captain” for a very short time! Our fourth and final port was Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. We went on a Tall Ship Experience, which was awesome! We actually put up the sails and were really sailing by the wind! It was so much fun! Halifax reminded me of San Diego Harbor and also of Boston, they have a public garden also! We also took a duck tour of Halifax and saw more of the sites. We had two days just at sea. We ate at the formal dining room three times but mostly ate at the cafe, which was buffet style. Good food! After we got back to Boston we headed down to Foxwoods, MGM Grand, and Mohegan Sun in Connecticut to do some more gambling!
Almost at the end of the assignment I got my dream job in Boston!! Finally after 3 and a half years of trying to get there I finally made it! I took a week off between assignments and went home for a few days and then to Alabama to see Brandie. I was able to go to her baby shower for Anessa! I can't wait to meet her! She is very active! She kept kicking me! Poor Brandie! I miss hanging out with Brandie and Ray! I will have to go back soon after Anessa is born! On November 1st I moved to BOSTON!!! I had left my car full of my stuff at Lin's house and she took me to the airport and also picked me up from the airport in my car! So nice of her!!
Friday, January 9, 2009
Bakersfield, California
Tenth Assignment: Bakersfield, California
Dates: April 14th,2008-July 12th, 2008
Address: 604 Douglas Street Unit D
Bakersfield, California 93308
Hospital: Bakersfield Memorial Hospital
After hanging out with Brandie and Ry in San Francisco, I drove down to Bakersfield, Ca to move in to my new apartment. It was 90+ degrees while moving in. Welcome to the desert (again). A week after moving in mama flew out to spend some time with me. We went to Sequoia National Park, Kings Canyon National Park, a couple casinos, Los Angeles to see WICKED, and over the the beaches in LA. We had a good time while I was off work. I was able to see Brandie and Ry for breakfast when they were on there way back to Alabama after getting back from China and Japan.
The hospital was alright. The nurses were all nice. I did nights and days there. I was floated to the newborn nursery and SCN a few times, which was a nice change. Nights were very slow and it only took a few minutes to chart since it was all on paper. Days were a little better, but could also be very chaotic.
I didn't really meet any people to hang out with during this assignment, which may have something to do with going off exploring every chance I got! I went back up to San Jose/Palo Alto twice to see Butch. I also went to Universal Studios Hollywood, Santa Barbara, LA a few times and flew to Ohio to see Ann and Olivier. The trip to Ohio was fun. I was able to see a little bit of Ohio and Granville which were Ann and Olivier are living. Granville is a very cute town with a very beautiful downtown with cute little shops and restaurants.
Dates: April 14th,2008-July 12th, 2008
Address: 604 Douglas Street Unit D
Bakersfield, California 93308
Hospital: Bakersfield Memorial Hospital
After hanging out with Brandie and Ry in San Francisco, I drove down to Bakersfield, Ca to move in to my new apartment. It was 90+ degrees while moving in. Welcome to the desert (again). A week after moving in mama flew out to spend some time with me. We went to Sequoia National Park, Kings Canyon National Park, a couple casinos, Los Angeles to see WICKED, and over the the beaches in LA. We had a good time while I was off work. I was able to see Brandie and Ry for breakfast when they were on there way back to Alabama after getting back from China and Japan.
The hospital was alright. The nurses were all nice. I did nights and days there. I was floated to the newborn nursery and SCN a few times, which was a nice change. Nights were very slow and it only took a few minutes to chart since it was all on paper. Days were a little better, but could also be very chaotic.
I didn't really meet any people to hang out with during this assignment, which may have something to do with going off exploring every chance I got! I went back up to San Jose/Palo Alto twice to see Butch. I also went to Universal Studios Hollywood, Santa Barbara, LA a few times and flew to Ohio to see Ann and Olivier. The trip to Ohio was fun. I was able to see a little bit of Ohio and Granville which were Ann and Olivier are living. Granville is a very cute town with a very beautiful downtown with cute little shops and restaurants.
Palo Alto, California
Ninth Assignment: Palo Alto, CA
Dates: December 17th, 2007-
Address: Schooner Bay Apartments
551 Windlass Lane
Foster City, CA 94404
Hospital: Lucille Packard Children's Hospital
I only had the weekend in between my Phoenix assignment and this new assignment in Palo Alto. My dad flew out to Phoenix and drove me to Palo Alto. We spent the night in Palm Springs and went the rest of the way the next day. We moved me in on Friday and explored San Francisco and the Bay area on Saturday and Sunday. He flew home on Sunday. It was a quick trip for him.
My mom flew out in January for a week. We did almost everything there was to do in that week! We shopped, ate and explored the area! We went to San Jose, Gilroy, Half Moon Bay, San Francisco, Berkeley, Palo Alto, San Mateo, and of course Foster City. We had so much fun in San Francisco trying not to get blown away by the insane wind and also trying to stay dry!
The hospital was not exactly what I was expecting considering it is part of Stanford University, but it's not too bad. It is definitely better than the previous hospital! I worked night shift for the first two months and then went to day shift. I definitely prefer day shift. It can be busy and chaotic at times, but what place isn't?? It sure is boring without the fun people there, aka Brandie, Butch, Lindsay, Gina, and Elizabeth.
I went to San Francisco a lot while I was there, mostly by myself. I did go with Brandie and Butch and search for a new ring for Ray the whole time . We finally met up with Lindsay and Gina, more travel nurses. We all went over to Sausalito and had dinner. That was a fun time.
I went to a few hockey games in San Jose. I saw the Sharks play Phoenix, Chicago, and Montreal...which I found out later that Butch was working in the next section over at that game! I could of talked to him while I was there and not have been by myself the whole time as usual. Well, now I know he works there and at the hospital.
I have made a lot of friends here, at work and outside of work. I met some fun girls (Virginia, Lita and Susan) at the Crowne Plaza in Foster City. I went out with them a few times and have had a good time each time. I have also met some great friends at work, other travelers, especially Brandie (from Alabama). She invited me to Reno and Tahoe with her husband, Ray, and Butch. We had the BEST time! I attempted to snowboard, but I am a Snowboard School Dropout! I only made it about 30 minutes before my ankle gave out! I had to get Brandie to unhook my feet from my snowboard! So for the rest of the day I just relaxed and watched other people fall down like I did or snowboard/ski really well! We stayed in Reno and went out the first night. That was a lot of fun! We were laughing, talking, and dancing. We even gambled a little bit! Brandie also organized a limo tour of Napa Valley. There were 10 nurses total that went! We had so much fun! We were 10 crazy girls!!! The limo ride was fun and Napa was gorgeous and very green! The wine tasting was okay, but just hanging out together was the best part! It was 8 travelers, 1 ex traveler and one staff nurse! We laughed so much and danced in the limo and out of the limo! We also did a mini tour of San Francisco. We drove over the Golden Gate Bridge, drove by Lombard Street, and took pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge.
I went to see Ann while she was visiting San Francisco. I met her boyfriend, Olivier. He was nice and funny. We all had a good time exploring and riding the Cable Cars together. Unfortunately I was only able to see Ann for the one day because I had to work the other two days she was in town, but at least I got to see her.
I celebrated my 28th birthday in HAWAII! I stayed on Waikiki Beach on Oahu. It was gorgeous. I rented a Mustang Convertible and drove all the way around the island. I went to the North Shore and the Polynesian Cultural Center. At the PCC I went to see the Horizon's show, which was all the different islands traditional dances. It was very interesting. I also went to see Pearl Harbor and went to the South Shore. I saw an amazing sunset before I had to go back to the airport. It was a very quick trip, but I saw a lot!
I attempted to get another assignment in Seattle and even Maryland, but neither one worked out. Then I started hanging out with Brandie and Butch a lot more, so extending sounded better and better. I was very stressed out because the hospital was taking it's time letting me know if I could extend or not. I didn't know until I was on my way home to GA for two weeks. I was planning to fly home for 2 weeks and then fly back to another 3 months at LPCH. I had to move out of my apartment because it was already rented to someone else. I was hoping to move closer to the hospital because the traffic is so bad. I left my car full of my stuff at Brandie's apartment and she and Ray took me to the airport early, early in the morning. However, it did not work out for me to extend at LPCH. The census was too low to hire me back on as a traveler. So I had to start over and start looking for a new job. Meanwhile, I was having fun in California with Brandie, Ry, and Butch! Finally after two weeks, I was able to find a job in Bakersfield, California.
I had a great time in Georgia for those two weeks. I went over to see everyone in Valdosta. I jumped on the trampoline with Luke and Lauren a lot! Luke really liked me this time! He even knew my name! Lauren and Luke wanted to go with me when I went to get my hair done and when I went to eat dinner with Annie and Cindi! They were very disappointed when they couldn't go. I had a good dinner at Mori with Annie and Cindi, which I hadn't seen in a long, long time! After Valdosta, I drove down to see Missy and Tom for Easter weekend. We went shopping and gambling in Ft. Lauderdale and went to the movies on Easter since the mall was CLOSED!! Who closes the mall?? The rest of the time I spent in St. Simons with my parents. I went up in the lighthouse for the first time. It was very windy up there and there were so many stairs!! It was a really nice view, especially the sunset!
Dates: December 17th, 2007-
Address: Schooner Bay Apartments
551 Windlass Lane
Foster City, CA 94404
Hospital: Lucille Packard Children's Hospital
I only had the weekend in between my Phoenix assignment and this new assignment in Palo Alto. My dad flew out to Phoenix and drove me to Palo Alto. We spent the night in Palm Springs and went the rest of the way the next day. We moved me in on Friday and explored San Francisco and the Bay area on Saturday and Sunday. He flew home on Sunday. It was a quick trip for him.
My mom flew out in January for a week. We did almost everything there was to do in that week! We shopped, ate and explored the area! We went to San Jose, Gilroy, Half Moon Bay, San Francisco, Berkeley, Palo Alto, San Mateo, and of course Foster City. We had so much fun in San Francisco trying not to get blown away by the insane wind and also trying to stay dry!
The hospital was not exactly what I was expecting considering it is part of Stanford University, but it's not too bad. It is definitely better than the previous hospital! I worked night shift for the first two months and then went to day shift. I definitely prefer day shift. It can be busy and chaotic at times, but what place isn't?? It sure is boring without the fun people there, aka Brandie, Butch, Lindsay, Gina, and Elizabeth.
I went to San Francisco a lot while I was there, mostly by myself. I did go with Brandie and Butch and search for a new ring for Ray the whole time . We finally met up with Lindsay and Gina, more travel nurses. We all went over to Sausalito and had dinner. That was a fun time.
I went to a few hockey games in San Jose. I saw the Sharks play Phoenix, Chicago, and Montreal...which I found out later that Butch was working in the next section over at that game! I could of talked to him while I was there and not have been by myself the whole time as usual. Well, now I know he works there and at the hospital.
I have made a lot of friends here, at work and outside of work. I met some fun girls (Virginia, Lita and Susan) at the Crowne Plaza in Foster City. I went out with them a few times and have had a good time each time. I have also met some great friends at work, other travelers, especially Brandie (from Alabama). She invited me to Reno and Tahoe with her husband, Ray, and Butch. We had the BEST time! I attempted to snowboard, but I am a Snowboard School Dropout! I only made it about 30 minutes before my ankle gave out! I had to get Brandie to unhook my feet from my snowboard! So for the rest of the day I just relaxed and watched other people fall down like I did or snowboard/ski really well! We stayed in Reno and went out the first night. That was a lot of fun! We were laughing, talking, and dancing. We even gambled a little bit! Brandie also organized a limo tour of Napa Valley. There were 10 nurses total that went! We had so much fun! We were 10 crazy girls!!! The limo ride was fun and Napa was gorgeous and very green! The wine tasting was okay, but just hanging out together was the best part! It was 8 travelers, 1 ex traveler and one staff nurse! We laughed so much and danced in the limo and out of the limo! We also did a mini tour of San Francisco. We drove over the Golden Gate Bridge, drove by Lombard Street, and took pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge.
I went to see Ann while she was visiting San Francisco. I met her boyfriend, Olivier. He was nice and funny. We all had a good time exploring and riding the Cable Cars together. Unfortunately I was only able to see Ann for the one day because I had to work the other two days she was in town, but at least I got to see her.
I celebrated my 28th birthday in HAWAII! I stayed on Waikiki Beach on Oahu. It was gorgeous. I rented a Mustang Convertible and drove all the way around the island. I went to the North Shore and the Polynesian Cultural Center. At the PCC I went to see the Horizon's show, which was all the different islands traditional dances. It was very interesting. I also went to see Pearl Harbor and went to the South Shore. I saw an amazing sunset before I had to go back to the airport. It was a very quick trip, but I saw a lot!
I attempted to get another assignment in Seattle and even Maryland, but neither one worked out. Then I started hanging out with Brandie and Butch a lot more, so extending sounded better and better. I was very stressed out because the hospital was taking it's time letting me know if I could extend or not. I didn't know until I was on my way home to GA for two weeks. I was planning to fly home for 2 weeks and then fly back to another 3 months at LPCH. I had to move out of my apartment because it was already rented to someone else. I was hoping to move closer to the hospital because the traffic is so bad. I left my car full of my stuff at Brandie's apartment and she and Ray took me to the airport early, early in the morning. However, it did not work out for me to extend at LPCH. The census was too low to hire me back on as a traveler. So I had to start over and start looking for a new job. Meanwhile, I was having fun in California with Brandie, Ry, and Butch! Finally after two weeks, I was able to find a job in Bakersfield, California.
I had a great time in Georgia for those two weeks. I went over to see everyone in Valdosta. I jumped on the trampoline with Luke and Lauren a lot! Luke really liked me this time! He even knew my name! Lauren and Luke wanted to go with me when I went to get my hair done and when I went to eat dinner with Annie and Cindi! They were very disappointed when they couldn't go. I had a good dinner at Mori with Annie and Cindi, which I hadn't seen in a long, long time! After Valdosta, I drove down to see Missy and Tom for Easter weekend. We went shopping and gambling in Ft. Lauderdale and went to the movies on Easter since the mall was CLOSED!! Who closes the mall?? The rest of the time I spent in St. Simons with my parents. I went up in the lighthouse for the first time. It was very windy up there and there were so many stairs!! It was a really nice view, especially the sunset!
Phoenix, Arizona
Eighth Assignment: Phoenix, Arizona
Dates: September 10th, 2007 to December 15th, 2007
Address: 20250 N. 67th Ave, Apt # 2145
Glendale, AZ 85308
The Isle at Arrowhead Ranch
Hospital: Maryvale Hospital
When my mom and I arrived in Phoenix it was over 100 degrees! It felt like we were standing in front of heater that wouldn't go away! It was crazy! I almost passed out while I was moving in to the apartment. My apartment was very nice and spacious for a one bedroom. The bathroom was pretty big and there was also a wrap around balcony from the dining room to my bedroom. We had to stay in hotels for a week until we could move into my apartment on that Friday after arriving on Labor Day, which was on a Monday. We went to most of the malls and rode around looking for things to see and do while we waited to move into my apartment. We went up to Sedona to see the red rock formations, which were gorgeous. We went to several casinos in the Phoenix area...lost some, won some! We also explored a little bit of Old Town Scottsdale and saw the LOVE sculpture.
I started at Maryvale the following Monday. I was working day shift on the this assignment, which for them was 6AM to 6PM! I went to straight to orienting on the floor and not to hospital orientation like I thought I would. In fact, I never made it to the hospital orientation because they kept canceling it and not telling me when the next one was going to be, which fine because it's all the same from the all the other hospitals! The majority of the patients were spanish speaking only like it was in Oceanside. This was not a good assignment as far as the hospital was concerned. They were very short staffed and the management wasn't very good or helpful. They tried to give me 6 couplets one day or 12 patients, after having 6 couplets by the time the day was over the day before! I was so mad! I was almost ready to walk out, but they found some help and everything turned out alright I was just ready for the assignment to be over though after that incident. Although the nurses were nice and welcoming as usual.
I found my next assignment a little over half way through this assignment. I finally got the position in Palo Alto, CA! I will be working night shift again though, but to get so close to San Francisco I didn't mind! I will only be about 30 minutes south of San Francisco and by the bay!
While I was in Phoenix, I went to Seattle, WA because I had never been there. I had a great time! I stayed in a very nice hotel called Pan Pacific! It had the best bed and the bathroom! It was convenient to everything. I walked everywhere I went, expect I rode the Monorail and the buses a few times. I took the duck tour of Seattle and I went to the top of the Space Needle. I also took a ferry over to Bainbridge Island and back. I was very chilly on the ferry! I met some really nice people at the hotel and spent a lot of time laughing and talking with them.
I drove up to Flagstaff, AZ while I was there. It was cold in the mountains, which was a very nice change of weather and also scenery! I had a really fun time in Flagstaff. I walked around downtown and went up to the observatory. I met some cool people at the hotel and hung out with them for a while! On the way back from Flagstaff I stopped to see Montezuma's Castle, which is built into the side of a mountain. It was interesting.
I went to a baseball game at Chase Field. The Arizona Diamondbacks were playing the San Francisco Giants (was this fate!). I had seats right behind home plate. The D-backs won. The stadium was cool with the retractable roof. At first it was just like the Metrodome in Minneapolis, until the roof began to open. It was cool. The weather was 90 outside, but only 7o inside. I also went to a hockey game, Phoenix Coyotes vs. Boston Bruins. I was cheering for the Bruins and the won! It was nice, I was sitting right behind the Bruins penalty box!
I also went to the Arizona State Fair and rode a lot of the rides. I don't remember rides being so crazy! They flipped and spun you while going really fast! I might be getting too old for those type of rides! I hope not too old for Roller Coasters though!
I flew to Las Vegas with Aunt Nell while I was in Phoenix. I didn't ride any rides, which is very unusual. I tried to ride Speed at Sahara, but it was temporarily closed. Oh well, I'm sure I will be back. While in Las Vegas we rented a car again and drove all over the place. We drove over the Hoover Dam and saw the insanely tall bridge they are building! We hardly played at any of the casinos on the strip. We hit 7 splitters while were there! I had 3 and Aunt Nell had 4! Instead of a tour or show we went to the Spa at Bellagio! She got a facial, which she said was very nice! I got a Hot Stone Massage. It was THE best massage ever! It was so relaxing and felt so wonderful! We also got Manicures and Pedicures. We stayed at New York New York for the first 3 nights and the Bellagio the last 3 nights!
Dates: September 10th, 2007 to December 15th, 2007
Address: 20250 N. 67th Ave, Apt # 2145
Glendale, AZ 85308
The Isle at Arrowhead Ranch
Hospital: Maryvale Hospital
When my mom and I arrived in Phoenix it was over 100 degrees! It felt like we were standing in front of heater that wouldn't go away! It was crazy! I almost passed out while I was moving in to the apartment. My apartment was very nice and spacious for a one bedroom. The bathroom was pretty big and there was also a wrap around balcony from the dining room to my bedroom. We had to stay in hotels for a week until we could move into my apartment on that Friday after arriving on Labor Day, which was on a Monday. We went to most of the malls and rode around looking for things to see and do while we waited to move into my apartment. We went up to Sedona to see the red rock formations, which were gorgeous. We went to several casinos in the Phoenix area...lost some, won some! We also explored a little bit of Old Town Scottsdale and saw the LOVE sculpture.
I started at Maryvale the following Monday. I was working day shift on the this assignment, which for them was 6AM to 6PM! I went to straight to orienting on the floor and not to hospital orientation like I thought I would. In fact, I never made it to the hospital orientation because they kept canceling it and not telling me when the next one was going to be, which fine because it's all the same from the all the other hospitals! The majority of the patients were spanish speaking only like it was in Oceanside. This was not a good assignment as far as the hospital was concerned. They were very short staffed and the management wasn't very good or helpful. They tried to give me 6 couplets one day or 12 patients, after having 6 couplets by the time the day was over the day before! I was so mad! I was almost ready to walk out, but they found some help and everything turned out alright I was just ready for the assignment to be over though after that incident. Although the nurses were nice and welcoming as usual.
I found my next assignment a little over half way through this assignment. I finally got the position in Palo Alto, CA! I will be working night shift again though, but to get so close to San Francisco I didn't mind! I will only be about 30 minutes south of San Francisco and by the bay!
While I was in Phoenix, I went to Seattle, WA because I had never been there. I had a great time! I stayed in a very nice hotel called Pan Pacific! It had the best bed and the bathroom! It was convenient to everything. I walked everywhere I went, expect I rode the Monorail and the buses a few times. I took the duck tour of Seattle and I went to the top of the Space Needle. I also took a ferry over to Bainbridge Island and back. I was very chilly on the ferry! I met some really nice people at the hotel and spent a lot of time laughing and talking with them.
I drove up to Flagstaff, AZ while I was there. It was cold in the mountains, which was a very nice change of weather and also scenery! I had a really fun time in Flagstaff. I walked around downtown and went up to the observatory. I met some cool people at the hotel and hung out with them for a while! On the way back from Flagstaff I stopped to see Montezuma's Castle, which is built into the side of a mountain. It was interesting.
I went to a baseball game at Chase Field. The Arizona Diamondbacks were playing the San Francisco Giants (was this fate!). I had seats right behind home plate. The D-backs won. The stadium was cool with the retractable roof. At first it was just like the Metrodome in Minneapolis, until the roof began to open. It was cool. The weather was 90 outside, but only 7o inside. I also went to a hockey game, Phoenix Coyotes vs. Boston Bruins. I was cheering for the Bruins and the won! It was nice, I was sitting right behind the Bruins penalty box!
I also went to the Arizona State Fair and rode a lot of the rides. I don't remember rides being so crazy! They flipped and spun you while going really fast! I might be getting too old for those type of rides! I hope not too old for Roller Coasters though!
I flew to Las Vegas with Aunt Nell while I was in Phoenix. I didn't ride any rides, which is very unusual. I tried to ride Speed at Sahara, but it was temporarily closed. Oh well, I'm sure I will be back. While in Las Vegas we rented a car again and drove all over the place. We drove over the Hoover Dam and saw the insanely tall bridge they are building! We hardly played at any of the casinos on the strip. We hit 7 splitters while were there! I had 3 and Aunt Nell had 4! Instead of a tour or show we went to the Spa at Bellagio! She got a facial, which she said was very nice! I got a Hot Stone Massage. It was THE best massage ever! It was so relaxing and felt so wonderful! We also got Manicures and Pedicures. We stayed at New York New York for the first 3 nights and the Bellagio the last 3 nights!
Durham, North Carolina
Seventh Assignment: Durham, North Carolina
Dates: January 22nd-July 21st, 2007
Address: 5205 Rose Garden Lane
Durham, NC 27707
Lenox at Patterson Place
Hospital: Durham Regional Hospital
After driving back across the country will my dad, I started my assignment in Durham, North Carolina. Overall, this was a good assignment. I was finally able to get a Nursery position, which , of course, is my favorite. I love working with the babies! I was working 3pm to 11pm for the first 3 months and then I was able to work 11am to 11pm for the second 3 months. The nurses were very nice and welcoming as usual. The only problem was the fact that a lot of the staff had left prior to my coming there, so it was very short staffed. Another good thing was that they had paper charting, which makes it easier and faster to chart on the babies! Except when you have to take care of 8 babies that are all in the mom's rooms or you have brand new babies coming in one after the other to be assessed for the first time.
I made some good friends while on this assignment. I went to Carolina Beach and the Biltmore Estate with Stacey. We had a really good time at both places. Also, my aunt was only about 1 hour away, so I got to see her a lot while I was there. We went to Myrtle Beach, shopping in Durham/Raleigh area, gambling in Atlantic City with my sister, as well as New York City. While in NYC, we went to see the Broadway play “Legally Blonde: The Musical”. That was really fun and exciting to see! We also ate a Serendipity 3! The desserts are heavenly! Unfortunately my aunt got a case of food poisoning while in NYC and wasn't able to go to the play or eat at Serendipity 3. We will just have to try again another time!(Luckily for Aunt Nell there is a Serendipity 3 in Vegas.)
I took a quick trip up to Boston while I was there! I went to my second Red Sox game, which they won!! I went July 1st through 4th, so I went to see the Boston Pops Concert for a little while. I did some shopping and a lot of walking around wishing I didn't have to go back to North Carolina. I just love Boston!
I almost had an assignment in NYC after Durham, but while I was deciding on NYC I got a call from Cambridge, Massachusetts! I tried for 4 weeks to get that assignment! I had to wait 2 weeks for my license, then another 2 weeks to wait for the nurse manager to tell me that they no longer needed me! It was very sad. I was so excited thinking I was finally making it to Boston! Oh well, I guess it just wasn't the right time yet! Then while I tried to find another assignment I stayed with my parents and visited my family and friends. After a total of 5 ½ weeks I finally got an assignment in Phoenix, Arizona. So it was time to drive back across country! My mom drove with me this time. We took another 4 days and 2200 miles to get to Phoenix. We went through Atlanta, Birmingham, Memphis, Oklahoma City, Albuquerque, and Santa Fe.
Dates: January 22nd-July 21st, 2007
Address: 5205 Rose Garden Lane
Durham, NC 27707
Lenox at Patterson Place
Hospital: Durham Regional Hospital
After driving back across the country will my dad, I started my assignment in Durham, North Carolina. Overall, this was a good assignment. I was finally able to get a Nursery position, which , of course, is my favorite. I love working with the babies! I was working 3pm to 11pm for the first 3 months and then I was able to work 11am to 11pm for the second 3 months. The nurses were very nice and welcoming as usual. The only problem was the fact that a lot of the staff had left prior to my coming there, so it was very short staffed. Another good thing was that they had paper charting, which makes it easier and faster to chart on the babies! Except when you have to take care of 8 babies that are all in the mom's rooms or you have brand new babies coming in one after the other to be assessed for the first time.
I made some good friends while on this assignment. I went to Carolina Beach and the Biltmore Estate with Stacey. We had a really good time at both places. Also, my aunt was only about 1 hour away, so I got to see her a lot while I was there. We went to Myrtle Beach, shopping in Durham/Raleigh area, gambling in Atlantic City with my sister, as well as New York City. While in NYC, we went to see the Broadway play “Legally Blonde: The Musical”. That was really fun and exciting to see! We also ate a Serendipity 3! The desserts are heavenly! Unfortunately my aunt got a case of food poisoning while in NYC and wasn't able to go to the play or eat at Serendipity 3. We will just have to try again another time!(Luckily for Aunt Nell there is a Serendipity 3 in Vegas.)
I took a quick trip up to Boston while I was there! I went to my second Red Sox game, which they won!! I went July 1st through 4th, so I went to see the Boston Pops Concert for a little while. I did some shopping and a lot of walking around wishing I didn't have to go back to North Carolina. I just love Boston!
I almost had an assignment in NYC after Durham, but while I was deciding on NYC I got a call from Cambridge, Massachusetts! I tried for 4 weeks to get that assignment! I had to wait 2 weeks for my license, then another 2 weeks to wait for the nurse manager to tell me that they no longer needed me! It was very sad. I was so excited thinking I was finally making it to Boston! Oh well, I guess it just wasn't the right time yet! Then while I tried to find another assignment I stayed with my parents and visited my family and friends. After a total of 5 ½ weeks I finally got an assignment in Phoenix, Arizona. So it was time to drive back across country! My mom drove with me this time. We took another 4 days and 2200 miles to get to Phoenix. We went through Atlanta, Birmingham, Memphis, Oklahoma City, Albuquerque, and Santa Fe.
Oceanside, California
Sixth Assignment: Oceanside, California
Dates: August 21st, 2006 through December 30th, 2006
Address: 999 N. Pacific Street
Unit B-221
Oceanside, CA 92054
North Coast Village on the Sand
Hospital: Tri City Medical Center
This was a good assignment. I had a beachfront condo. It was very nice. I had a view of the beach from my balcony and an elevator. It was a vacation rental so I had everything I needed, just like Panama City. Of course everything was much bigger in the condo in Oceanside. I had a king size bed and all kinds of beach items. The Harbor and Pier were both in walking distance from my place. I saw two surfing contests while I was there. One in front of the Harbor and one by the Pier. The Harbor had restaurants, shops, and boating activities. It had a small lighthouse and was very nice. The Pier is the longest wooden pier on the west coast. It was very popular for fishing and had a restaurant at the end of the pier. Downtown was also within walking distance. The movies, shops, library and train station were downtown.
I took the train down to San Diego a few times and up to Los Angeles and Anaheim a few times. I went to a Los Angeles Dodgers vs. San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium. I sat right behind home plate, which is fly ball territory. I saw downtown LA and Chinatown. I went to Beverly Hills a few times and went shopping on Rodeo Drive. I tried on a coat in one store that was $1,500. Only $1,400 out of my price range. I also took my mom shopping in Beverly Hills while she was visiting. We went over to Malibu, Venice Beach, Santa Monica, and a few other beaches in the area. We were going to go to Disney Land, but my mom bought a purse instead. I guess Beverly Hills got to her.
Camp Pendleton was the across the Harbor from my condo. I went on base for the hospital Christmas party. It was at a Club on base. It was a very nice party.
I went to two Anaheim Ducks games. They won both times. The defeated Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars. I also explored the beaches of San Diego. I rode around Coronado Island when my dad came out to ride back to Georgia with me. Overall, I had a really good time exploring Southern California.
The hospital was pretty good. The nurses were all very nice. I made some good friends while I was working there. The unit was Mother/Baby. They had a nursery nurse that would go to the deliveries in Labor and Delivery. Sometimes there would be a second nurse taking care of the babies from that days Cesarean Sections. I was able to be in the nursery a few times. I helped out a little with the initial assessments and went to a few C-Sections. It was fun. They had recently renovated a new unit that had about 10 private rooms. The original unit had about 20 semi-private rooms. They used computer charting, which had a good bit of double and unnecessary charting. They finally figured this out right before I left. At least the staff will benefit from it. I stayed an extra 6 weeks there. I did this so I could have Thanksgiving off and would not have to drive to GA and then right back for another assignment in CA.
I tried to get to San Francisco for my next assignment. The holidays put a wrench in that plan, as no one was hiring travelers at the time. So I decided to just go back to Georgia and see what came up for my next assignment. The next day, Durham Regional Hospital in Durham, North Carolina called with a nursery position. My dad flew out to San Diego so we could drive back to St. Simons. We drove the first night to Yuma, Arizona after waiting all day for his luggage to be delivered after being lost.(He's never checked a bag since!) The next day we drove to El Paso, Texas by way of Tucson. Then we drove to Vicksburg, Mississippi and stayed at a casino. We made it to St. Simons by the next night. It was 2400 miles and 4 days worth of driving!
Dates: August 21st, 2006 through December 30th, 2006
Address: 999 N. Pacific Street
Unit B-221
Oceanside, CA 92054
North Coast Village on the Sand
Hospital: Tri City Medical Center
This was a good assignment. I had a beachfront condo. It was very nice. I had a view of the beach from my balcony and an elevator. It was a vacation rental so I had everything I needed, just like Panama City. Of course everything was much bigger in the condo in Oceanside. I had a king size bed and all kinds of beach items. The Harbor and Pier were both in walking distance from my place. I saw two surfing contests while I was there. One in front of the Harbor and one by the Pier. The Harbor had restaurants, shops, and boating activities. It had a small lighthouse and was very nice. The Pier is the longest wooden pier on the west coast. It was very popular for fishing and had a restaurant at the end of the pier. Downtown was also within walking distance. The movies, shops, library and train station were downtown.
I took the train down to San Diego a few times and up to Los Angeles and Anaheim a few times. I went to a Los Angeles Dodgers vs. San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium. I sat right behind home plate, which is fly ball territory. I saw downtown LA and Chinatown. I went to Beverly Hills a few times and went shopping on Rodeo Drive. I tried on a coat in one store that was $1,500. Only $1,400 out of my price range. I also took my mom shopping in Beverly Hills while she was visiting. We went over to Malibu, Venice Beach, Santa Monica, and a few other beaches in the area. We were going to go to Disney Land, but my mom bought a purse instead. I guess Beverly Hills got to her.
Camp Pendleton was the across the Harbor from my condo. I went on base for the hospital Christmas party. It was at a Club on base. It was a very nice party.
I went to two Anaheim Ducks games. They won both times. The defeated Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars. I also explored the beaches of San Diego. I rode around Coronado Island when my dad came out to ride back to Georgia with me. Overall, I had a really good time exploring Southern California.
The hospital was pretty good. The nurses were all very nice. I made some good friends while I was working there. The unit was Mother/Baby. They had a nursery nurse that would go to the deliveries in Labor and Delivery. Sometimes there would be a second nurse taking care of the babies from that days Cesarean Sections. I was able to be in the nursery a few times. I helped out a little with the initial assessments and went to a few C-Sections. It was fun. They had recently renovated a new unit that had about 10 private rooms. The original unit had about 20 semi-private rooms. They used computer charting, which had a good bit of double and unnecessary charting. They finally figured this out right before I left. At least the staff will benefit from it. I stayed an extra 6 weeks there. I did this so I could have Thanksgiving off and would not have to drive to GA and then right back for another assignment in CA.
I tried to get to San Francisco for my next assignment. The holidays put a wrench in that plan, as no one was hiring travelers at the time. So I decided to just go back to Georgia and see what came up for my next assignment. The next day, Durham Regional Hospital in Durham, North Carolina called with a nursery position. My dad flew out to San Diego so we could drive back to St. Simons. We drove the first night to Yuma, Arizona after waiting all day for his luggage to be delivered after being lost.(He's never checked a bag since!) The next day we drove to El Paso, Texas by way of Tucson. Then we drove to Vicksburg, Mississippi and stayed at a casino. We made it to St. Simons by the next night. It was 2400 miles and 4 days worth of driving!
Fridley, Minnesota
Fifth Assignment: Fridley, Minnesota
Dates: May 8th, 2006 through August 5th, 2006
Address: 33 Village Pkwy
Unit 423
Circle Pines, Minnesota 55014
Hospital: Unity Hospital
It took 3 days to get there from Rocky Mount. Luckily my dad drove up with me. We took turns driving. We went through Virginia, West Virginia (lots of mountains), Kentucky (pretty state), Indiana (stayed a night there), and Wisconsin (stayed a night there also). We went all over the Twin Cities area. We went to the Mall of America, a Twins game at the Metrodome, and to Mystic Lake Casino. My dad had luck, but I didn’t. I used the rest of my Las Vegas money. We were having such a good time we stayed for 6 hours.
I met Ann Chauvin (Marteau now) the day I moved in. She is from Louisiana and on her first assignment. She lived right down the hall and it just so happened that she was working at Unity on the M/B unit too. We hung out almost every day we were not working. We went to the Mall of America twice to ride the rides, once just us and then with her boyfriend at time, Zack. That was a lot of fun. Ann went to Chicago for her next assignment. We have kept in touch with each other since Minnesota. (A great friends to this day!)
I worked days and nights on this assignment. It was the first time I ever worked days! It was a little bit of an adjustment, but not too bad. Day shift can be hectic, but at least I get to sleep when normal people sleep (at night). I ended up working mostly day shift. The hospital was well staffed and pretty well organized. They were in the midst of changing from paper charting to computer charting. By the time they started the computer charting though, I was already gone. All of the nurses were very nice. I felt like I fit in the very first day! I definitely enjoyed this assignment.
My apartment was brand new. It was very nice, but still had a few quirks to work out. The elevator broke down a few times while I was there and it was also though to get in touch with the manager. She was hardly ever in her office, but overall it was very nice. It was about 15 minutes from work.
While I was in MN, I took a trip to Chicago for the first time. I took two tours while I was there. Chicago is very nice! I really enjoyed my weekend there! I took lots of pictures. I saw everything I could possibly see in a weekend.
My mom flew up so we could drive to my next assignment in California. We took a few detours along the way. We drove through the badlands of South Dakota, saw Devils Tower and went to Mount Rushmore. We also drove through Yellowstone National Park. I’m really glad we did because it was really pretty and interesting, especially Old Faithful. After that we drove by the salt flats in Utah and the desert of Nevada on the way to Lake Tahoe, by way of Reno. We stayed in Lake Tahoe for the night and gambled a little, but neither of us had any luck. The next day we drove over to Sacramento to get my California Nursing License. Then we drove down the 17 mile drive and through Big Sur. It was a very pretty ride, but a very long one. We finally arrived in Oceanside, but there were no rooms available so we kept going on to San Diego. While in San Diego, we went to Sea World and took a harbor cruise! I took lots of pictures of the whole trip. (Gotta love digital cameras!)
Dates: May 8th, 2006 through August 5th, 2006
Address: 33 Village Pkwy
Unit 423
Circle Pines, Minnesota 55014
Hospital: Unity Hospital
It took 3 days to get there from Rocky Mount. Luckily my dad drove up with me. We took turns driving. We went through Virginia, West Virginia (lots of mountains), Kentucky (pretty state), Indiana (stayed a night there), and Wisconsin (stayed a night there also). We went all over the Twin Cities area. We went to the Mall of America, a Twins game at the Metrodome, and to Mystic Lake Casino. My dad had luck, but I didn’t. I used the rest of my Las Vegas money. We were having such a good time we stayed for 6 hours.
I met Ann Chauvin (Marteau now) the day I moved in. She is from Louisiana and on her first assignment. She lived right down the hall and it just so happened that she was working at Unity on the M/B unit too. We hung out almost every day we were not working. We went to the Mall of America twice to ride the rides, once just us and then with her boyfriend at time, Zack. That was a lot of fun. Ann went to Chicago for her next assignment. We have kept in touch with each other since Minnesota. (A great friends to this day!)
I worked days and nights on this assignment. It was the first time I ever worked days! It was a little bit of an adjustment, but not too bad. Day shift can be hectic, but at least I get to sleep when normal people sleep (at night). I ended up working mostly day shift. The hospital was well staffed and pretty well organized. They were in the midst of changing from paper charting to computer charting. By the time they started the computer charting though, I was already gone. All of the nurses were very nice. I felt like I fit in the very first day! I definitely enjoyed this assignment.
My apartment was brand new. It was very nice, but still had a few quirks to work out. The elevator broke down a few times while I was there and it was also though to get in touch with the manager. She was hardly ever in her office, but overall it was very nice. It was about 15 minutes from work.
While I was in MN, I took a trip to Chicago for the first time. I took two tours while I was there. Chicago is very nice! I really enjoyed my weekend there! I took lots of pictures. I saw everything I could possibly see in a weekend.
My mom flew up so we could drive to my next assignment in California. We took a few detours along the way. We drove through the badlands of South Dakota, saw Devils Tower and went to Mount Rushmore. We also drove through Yellowstone National Park. I’m really glad we did because it was really pretty and interesting, especially Old Faithful. After that we drove by the salt flats in Utah and the desert of Nevada on the way to Lake Tahoe, by way of Reno. We stayed in Lake Tahoe for the night and gambled a little, but neither of us had any luck. The next day we drove over to Sacramento to get my California Nursing License. Then we drove down the 17 mile drive and through Big Sur. It was a very pretty ride, but a very long one. We finally arrived in Oceanside, but there were no rooms available so we kept going on to San Diego. While in San Diego, we went to Sea World and took a harbor cruise! I took lots of pictures of the whole trip. (Gotta love digital cameras!)
New Haven, Connecticut
Fourth Assignment: New Haven, Connecticut
Dates: January 23rd to April 22nd, 2006
Address: 6311 Town Walk Dr.
Hamden, CT 06518
Avalon Walk
Hospital: Hospital of St. Raphael
Okay, let’s see. My dad drove up with me from Arlington. The traffic wasn’t too bad until the George Washington Bridge. That was a one time only experience. I will find alternate routes in the future. It was crazy. I really don't know how I didn't hit anyone or get hit by anyone with the merging from 10 lanes to 2! We went drove 6 hours from Virginia to just inside of Connecticut without stopping! We got up there a week before my assignment started and explored as much of Connecticut as we could fit in! We took the train into NYC and walked around and rode the subway to a few spots and then went back. We went to Foxwoods Casino, but neither of us had any luck. (First of many times to Foxwoods! Soon to find out that Mohegan Sun was only about 10 minutes away from Foxwoods.)
The hospital is pretty small and the postpartum unit is only 11 beds. Everyone was very nice and I had a very good experience. The only problem was that it was pretty slow at night, which made for really long nights! After Virginia, this was a welcome break. The way the routine worked, by 10pm you were pretty much done for the night. All you had to do then was make sure the babies were eating like they should.
While I was in Connecticut I met Livia (from New Zealand) and Autumn (from Nebraska). They were a lot of fun to hang out with. I met Livia at a Japanese restaurant and we talked throughout the whole meal, even though she was on a first date. I guess I was more interesting. Autumn is her roommate. Autumn and I are like the same person, she is just the taller version of me. I’m going to miss them. I have kept in touch with Livia through text messages every so often. (Livia is now married and living in Virginia.) I also met a cute guy on the internet, but our schedules were very conflicting. We only got to meet once and that was only for 30 minutes. Unfortunately I had to leave two days later because my assignment was ending. I guess you could say it was bad timing. I also hung out with Katelyn one time before I left. We had a lot of fun. I keep in touch with her online also. Thank goodness for Myspace (LOL! Myspace!!)
I went to another Hockey game while in CT. I went to see the Hartford Wolf Pack. They won! That was a fun game. I sat right next to the penalty box. It was funny seeing the players sitting next to me anxiously waiting to get back into the game! Also, a few of them were missing teeth! Ha ha! I went out after the game with the group sitting behind me. We had a good time. My mom came up and we went to Boston and took a tour on the hop on, hop off trolley. However it was so cold that we just stayed on! We also went to NYC for the day. We went to Mohegan Sun and I won $450 on a nickel Monopoly game! That was awesome! We also drove up to Mystic, CT and ate at the famous Mystic Pizza. It was very tasty. We almost froze on the bridge in Mystic. It was so cold with the wind and everything. Cindi was able to come up for a few days while she was visiting her brother in NY. We mostly just hung out. We had a good time playing Family Feud at my apartment. We also went to see Disney on Ice, Monster’s Inc in Bridgeport. That was cute.
I went to Boston on my birthday to distract me from the fact that I had to spend my birthday alone. I went another time so I could go to a Red Sox game. Even though they lost, it was still a lot of fun. I stayed at the Radisson both times. I also went to NYC to go shopping a few times. I was supposed to meet another traveler, Carol, there but she had lost her cell phone, and so we never got to meet up with each other. I had a good time anyway. It's a good thing I am used to doing all these things by myself.
My apartment was very nice too. It was up on a hill and relatively new. It was about 20 minutes from work. There was a really good pizza place, sandwich shop and Mexican place conveniently located down the street. While I was in Connecticut there was a blizzard! It snowed for 24 hours straight and added up to 18 inches of snow!! (That's nothing compared to the almost 3 feet in a few years) It was gorgeous! Everything looks so much better under a blanket of snow! It also snowed when my mom came to visit! We had a snowball fight on the beach.
I am really considering settling down in New England when I am done traveling! Of course, you just never know where I will end up in the end. I have really enjoyed the 2 seasons, Winter and Spring! As I was leaving everything was turning green and the flowers were beginning to bloom. It was very nice! I'm sure Summer and Fall aren't too bad either.
At the end of the assignment I drove down to Rocky Mount, which took almost 12 hours with the traffic. It was worth it because when I got there I went to Las Vegas with Aunt Nell. We stayed at Luxor for the first half and Mandalay Bay for the last half. We rented a car this time, so I drove us all over Vegas. I also won two splitters at Bellagio, $250 and $125. That was awesome!! We also went to see O, which was really cool. Gotta love Bellagio!! (and Vegas!)
Dates: January 23rd to April 22nd, 2006
Address: 6311 Town Walk Dr.
Hamden, CT 06518
Avalon Walk
Hospital: Hospital of St. Raphael
Okay, let’s see. My dad drove up with me from Arlington. The traffic wasn’t too bad until the George Washington Bridge. That was a one time only experience. I will find alternate routes in the future. It was crazy. I really don't know how I didn't hit anyone or get hit by anyone with the merging from 10 lanes to 2! We went drove 6 hours from Virginia to just inside of Connecticut without stopping! We got up there a week before my assignment started and explored as much of Connecticut as we could fit in! We took the train into NYC and walked around and rode the subway to a few spots and then went back. We went to Foxwoods Casino, but neither of us had any luck. (First of many times to Foxwoods! Soon to find out that Mohegan Sun was only about 10 minutes away from Foxwoods.)
The hospital is pretty small and the postpartum unit is only 11 beds. Everyone was very nice and I had a very good experience. The only problem was that it was pretty slow at night, which made for really long nights! After Virginia, this was a welcome break. The way the routine worked, by 10pm you were pretty much done for the night. All you had to do then was make sure the babies were eating like they should.
While I was in Connecticut I met Livia (from New Zealand) and Autumn (from Nebraska). They were a lot of fun to hang out with. I met Livia at a Japanese restaurant and we talked throughout the whole meal, even though she was on a first date. I guess I was more interesting. Autumn is her roommate. Autumn and I are like the same person, she is just the taller version of me. I’m going to miss them. I have kept in touch with Livia through text messages every so often. (Livia is now married and living in Virginia.) I also met a cute guy on the internet, but our schedules were very conflicting. We only got to meet once and that was only for 30 minutes. Unfortunately I had to leave two days later because my assignment was ending. I guess you could say it was bad timing. I also hung out with Katelyn one time before I left. We had a lot of fun. I keep in touch with her online also. Thank goodness for Myspace (LOL! Myspace!!)
I went to another Hockey game while in CT. I went to see the Hartford Wolf Pack. They won! That was a fun game. I sat right next to the penalty box. It was funny seeing the players sitting next to me anxiously waiting to get back into the game! Also, a few of them were missing teeth! Ha ha! I went out after the game with the group sitting behind me. We had a good time. My mom came up and we went to Boston and took a tour on the hop on, hop off trolley. However it was so cold that we just stayed on! We also went to NYC for the day. We went to Mohegan Sun and I won $450 on a nickel Monopoly game! That was awesome! We also drove up to Mystic, CT and ate at the famous Mystic Pizza. It was very tasty. We almost froze on the bridge in Mystic. It was so cold with the wind and everything. Cindi was able to come up for a few days while she was visiting her brother in NY. We mostly just hung out. We had a good time playing Family Feud at my apartment. We also went to see Disney on Ice, Monster’s Inc in Bridgeport. That was cute.
I went to Boston on my birthday to distract me from the fact that I had to spend my birthday alone. I went another time so I could go to a Red Sox game. Even though they lost, it was still a lot of fun. I stayed at the Radisson both times. I also went to NYC to go shopping a few times. I was supposed to meet another traveler, Carol, there but she had lost her cell phone, and so we never got to meet up with each other. I had a good time anyway. It's a good thing I am used to doing all these things by myself.
My apartment was very nice too. It was up on a hill and relatively new. It was about 20 minutes from work. There was a really good pizza place, sandwich shop and Mexican place conveniently located down the street. While I was in Connecticut there was a blizzard! It snowed for 24 hours straight and added up to 18 inches of snow!! (That's nothing compared to the almost 3 feet in a few years) It was gorgeous! Everything looks so much better under a blanket of snow! It also snowed when my mom came to visit! We had a snowball fight on the beach.
I am really considering settling down in New England when I am done traveling! Of course, you just never know where I will end up in the end. I have really enjoyed the 2 seasons, Winter and Spring! As I was leaving everything was turning green and the flowers were beginning to bloom. It was very nice! I'm sure Summer and Fall aren't too bad either.
At the end of the assignment I drove down to Rocky Mount, which took almost 12 hours with the traffic. It was worth it because when I got there I went to Las Vegas with Aunt Nell. We stayed at Luxor for the first half and Mandalay Bay for the last half. We rented a car this time, so I drove us all over Vegas. I also won two splitters at Bellagio, $250 and $125. That was awesome!! We also went to see O, which was really cool. Gotta love Bellagio!! (and Vegas!)
Arlington, Virginia
Third Assignment: Arlington, Virginia
Dates: October 17, 2005-January 14th, 2006
Address: 706 N. Wayne Street
Unit 205
Arlington, VA 22201
Sheffield Court
Hospital: Virginia Hospital Center
Well, I arrived on Sunday, Oct 16th after spending the week visiting Mama, Daddy, Chuck, Brooke, Lauren and Luke. I also saw Cindi and Annie while in Valdosta. I left my things at Aunt Nell’s house and picked them up on the way back. We went shopping in Raleigh and played Bingo. I won $90. It was fun!
When I got to my apartment complex I was put in the wrong apartment and I didn’t realize it until after the office was closed and I had moved all my stuff up to the second floor apartment. So I had to move all of my things to the right apartment on Monday, which of course was also on the second floor in another building. I thought my arms would fall off!! The apartment was alright, but it was in need of an update. The clubhouse was really nice. It has a good fitness room (which I actually used a couple times), a bar, a theater room, a big screen TV, and a business center.
I went to work on Monday and Tuesday during the day shift for orientation. Not too bad…then came night shift. This hospital is so behind in terms of computer charting. They seriously need to update their computer system. Also, the scheduling is messed up almost everyday and they don’t plan ahead at all. Definitely not a place to work full time! The nurses are very nice though, which was only way I made it through the entire 13 weeks without quitting! There was also another traveler who lived across the courtyard from me. She felt the same way I did about the hospital. Glad it was only for 3 months. Rebecca and I went to the Cheesecake Factory a couple times. We walked both times, bundled up in our coats, scarves, and hats. Rebecca went back to Australia for 6 weeks and then came back and took a travel assignment in California. She also got me interested in Hockey. I went to a Capitals game…so much fun. I still hear from her every now and then online. (She is now married with two kids and living in Minnesota.)
I also hung out with Tami Kelley. She was a lot of fun to work with and hang out with. We went out a few times and had a great time. I also keep in touch with her online.
Arlington is a very pretty town. I can’t believe it is only 4 miles from DC. Just riding around you can see the monuments in DC. It’s so awesome! It’s gorgeous at night! I lived across the street from Arlington Cemetery. There is serious shopping to be done here! Every store you can imagine is within 10 miles or so! I also went to a Wizards basketball game too. That was pretty good, but I was up in the nose bleed section, so they kind of looked like ants! It also snowed a little bit while I was there. It was pretty icy on the side roads. I almost slid into another car parked on the side of the road. (Turns out it was only practice for all the snow in Connecticut and Boston! Litttle did I know the amounts of snow I would be driving in!)
Overall, it was a pretty good experience. I had a great time exploring DC and the surrounding areas. Just not at work!
Dates: October 17, 2005-January 14th, 2006
Address: 706 N. Wayne Street
Unit 205
Arlington, VA 22201
Sheffield Court
Hospital: Virginia Hospital Center
Well, I arrived on Sunday, Oct 16th after spending the week visiting Mama, Daddy, Chuck, Brooke, Lauren and Luke. I also saw Cindi and Annie while in Valdosta. I left my things at Aunt Nell’s house and picked them up on the way back. We went shopping in Raleigh and played Bingo. I won $90. It was fun!
When I got to my apartment complex I was put in the wrong apartment and I didn’t realize it until after the office was closed and I had moved all my stuff up to the second floor apartment. So I had to move all of my things to the right apartment on Monday, which of course was also on the second floor in another building. I thought my arms would fall off!! The apartment was alright, but it was in need of an update. The clubhouse was really nice. It has a good fitness room (which I actually used a couple times), a bar, a theater room, a big screen TV, and a business center.
I went to work on Monday and Tuesday during the day shift for orientation. Not too bad…then came night shift. This hospital is so behind in terms of computer charting. They seriously need to update their computer system. Also, the scheduling is messed up almost everyday and they don’t plan ahead at all. Definitely not a place to work full time! The nurses are very nice though, which was only way I made it through the entire 13 weeks without quitting! There was also another traveler who lived across the courtyard from me. She felt the same way I did about the hospital. Glad it was only for 3 months. Rebecca and I went to the Cheesecake Factory a couple times. We walked both times, bundled up in our coats, scarves, and hats. Rebecca went back to Australia for 6 weeks and then came back and took a travel assignment in California. She also got me interested in Hockey. I went to a Capitals game…so much fun. I still hear from her every now and then online. (She is now married with two kids and living in Minnesota.)
I also hung out with Tami Kelley. She was a lot of fun to work with and hang out with. We went out a few times and had a great time. I also keep in touch with her online.
Arlington is a very pretty town. I can’t believe it is only 4 miles from DC. Just riding around you can see the monuments in DC. It’s so awesome! It’s gorgeous at night! I lived across the street from Arlington Cemetery. There is serious shopping to be done here! Every store you can imagine is within 10 miles or so! I also went to a Wizards basketball game too. That was pretty good, but I was up in the nose bleed section, so they kind of looked like ants! It also snowed a little bit while I was there. It was pretty icy on the side roads. I almost slid into another car parked on the side of the road. (Turns out it was only practice for all the snow in Connecticut and Boston! Litttle did I know the amounts of snow I would be driving in!)
Overall, it was a pretty good experience. I had a great time exploring DC and the surrounding areas. Just not at work!
Frederick, Maryland
Chapter Two
Second Assignment: Frederick, Maryland
Dates: July 11th- October 8th, 2005
Address: 133 Willowdale Drive
Unit 21
Frederick, MD 21702
The Residences at the Manor
Hospital: Frederick Memorial Hospital
I was originally holding out for Boston, Massachusetts, but they weren’t interviewing because they were deciding whether they were going to strike or not. So I thought of Baltimore, but they wanted someone with Antepartum experience. So, then I interviewed with Frederick on my last night of work at Gulf Coast. Cutting it a little close?? I think so! I am so glad I got to go there. Frederick is so gorgeous. It is surrounded by mountains and the downtown area is very pretty. There are trees all the way down the road coming in over the street. The roads are very winding up into the mountains. So fun to drive around and explore.
It was a long ride up there. (Boy will that seem like a short trip later!) Luckily my dad was with me or it would have been very boring. We stopped and stayed with my Aunt Nell and then went the rest of the way the next day. We had to go to Baltimore first so I could get my temporary Maryland Nursing License. Then we came over to Frederick. It's not a very long drive form Baltimore to Frederick, only about 45 minutes. We checked into the Sleep Inn and explored the surrounding areas: Charles Town (casino), Gettysburg, and of course Frederick. My dad took the bus home after I got settled into my apartment.
It was very confusing driving around Frederick. I drove around in many circles until I finally figured out where all the different roads go. Lots of one way streets!! I could never figure out which direction I wanted to go. I think I just about had a figured out when it was time to leave!
Unfortunately, I forgot to ask about what I needed to bring with me since the Panama City assignment’s housing had everything I needed. When I got there, the only thing in the apartment was furniture. I had to go out and buy a new TV (15” LCD screen), bedding, dishes, pots and pans, microwave, and toaster. Oh well, never hurts to have all new things.
Frederick was a good assignment. I met a lot of nice people there. I went shopping and had dinner with Gina Parker a few times. Unfortunately I lost touch with her. I also went on a date with a guy from Frederick. Turns out he wasn’t for me! Oh well, all you can do is try.
Frederick Memorial had a 26 bed unit that was pretty well staffed. There were lots of nice nurses there. They also used Meditech for charting, although a different version. It turned out to be a good assignment. The hospital provided the scrubs for this assignment.
I explored Baltimore’s Inner Harbor while I was there. I took the duck tour, so I was able to see Baltimore from the streets as well as the harbor. I shopped my way up to Hershey, PA to see the chocolate factory. I went to Annapolis, Chesapeake Beach, Hagerstown, College Park (Moe’s), Gettysburg, Harrisburg and other small towns. Maryland and Pennsylvania are very pretty in the summer and fall.
I also took a train ride up to Atlantic City with Aunt Nell, didn’t win, but still had lots of fun trying. Then I took a train up to Boston, which I fell in love with immediately. I am hoping to get an assignment there before I am done! I stopped in NYC on my way back. Explored Central Park; finally found the zoo and saw the penguins! I also went to a NY Mets game at Shea Stadium. The Mets lost to the Colorado Rockies, but it was fun anyway! I walked around Boston and New York so much my legs and feet hurt so bad I could barely walk! Apparently I walked so much that I walked through the pain. It was great exploring the cities. Plus, that was my first long train ride. It took 8 hours to get to Boston from Baltimore. The train is the way to go if you have the time! The seats are much bigger and you can get up and walk around whenever you want, unlike an airplane!
Second Assignment: Frederick, Maryland
Dates: July 11th- October 8th, 2005
Address: 133 Willowdale Drive
Unit 21
Frederick, MD 21702
The Residences at the Manor
Hospital: Frederick Memorial Hospital
I was originally holding out for Boston, Massachusetts, but they weren’t interviewing because they were deciding whether they were going to strike or not. So I thought of Baltimore, but they wanted someone with Antepartum experience. So, then I interviewed with Frederick on my last night of work at Gulf Coast. Cutting it a little close?? I think so! I am so glad I got to go there. Frederick is so gorgeous. It is surrounded by mountains and the downtown area is very pretty. There are trees all the way down the road coming in over the street. The roads are very winding up into the mountains. So fun to drive around and explore.
It was a long ride up there. (Boy will that seem like a short trip later!) Luckily my dad was with me or it would have been very boring. We stopped and stayed with my Aunt Nell and then went the rest of the way the next day. We had to go to Baltimore first so I could get my temporary Maryland Nursing License. Then we came over to Frederick. It's not a very long drive form Baltimore to Frederick, only about 45 minutes. We checked into the Sleep Inn and explored the surrounding areas: Charles Town (casino), Gettysburg, and of course Frederick. My dad took the bus home after I got settled into my apartment.
It was very confusing driving around Frederick. I drove around in many circles until I finally figured out where all the different roads go. Lots of one way streets!! I could never figure out which direction I wanted to go. I think I just about had a figured out when it was time to leave!
Unfortunately, I forgot to ask about what I needed to bring with me since the Panama City assignment’s housing had everything I needed. When I got there, the only thing in the apartment was furniture. I had to go out and buy a new TV (15” LCD screen), bedding, dishes, pots and pans, microwave, and toaster. Oh well, never hurts to have all new things.
Frederick was a good assignment. I met a lot of nice people there. I went shopping and had dinner with Gina Parker a few times. Unfortunately I lost touch with her. I also went on a date with a guy from Frederick. Turns out he wasn’t for me! Oh well, all you can do is try.
Frederick Memorial had a 26 bed unit that was pretty well staffed. There were lots of nice nurses there. They also used Meditech for charting, although a different version. It turned out to be a good assignment. The hospital provided the scrubs for this assignment.
I explored Baltimore’s Inner Harbor while I was there. I took the duck tour, so I was able to see Baltimore from the streets as well as the harbor. I shopped my way up to Hershey, PA to see the chocolate factory. I went to Annapolis, Chesapeake Beach, Hagerstown, College Park (Moe’s), Gettysburg, Harrisburg and other small towns. Maryland and Pennsylvania are very pretty in the summer and fall.
I also took a train ride up to Atlantic City with Aunt Nell, didn’t win, but still had lots of fun trying. Then I took a train up to Boston, which I fell in love with immediately. I am hoping to get an assignment there before I am done! I stopped in NYC on my way back. Explored Central Park; finally found the zoo and saw the penguins! I also went to a NY Mets game at Shea Stadium. The Mets lost to the Colorado Rockies, but it was fun anyway! I walked around Boston and New York so much my legs and feet hurt so bad I could barely walk! Apparently I walked so much that I walked through the pain. It was great exploring the cities. Plus, that was my first long train ride. It took 8 hours to get to Boston from Baltimore. The train is the way to go if you have the time! The seats are much bigger and you can get up and walk around whenever you want, unlike an airplane!
Panama City Beach
First travel assignment: Panama City, Florida
Dates: March 28th- June 25th, 2005
Address: 1219 Thomas Drive Unit 85
Panama City Beach, Florida 32407
Emerald Pointe
Hospital: Gulf Coast Medical Center
I was excited and also pretty nervous going into my first assignment as a travel nurse. I wasn't sure what to expect. I chose Panama City because I knew one of my friends from Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, Lea Todd, lived there. We had a good time going to the movies, dinner, and getting manicures and pedicures. We also had Gilmore Girl marathons. I also chose Panama City because it was close to Tallahassee and Valdosta. I went to see my college roommate and really good friend, Cindi, at least once a month or so and she also came to visit me a few times. She even came to help me pack up. My best friend Annie also came to see me while I was there. I went to Valdosta twice while I was there, once to ride to St. Simons with Chuck, Brooke, and Lauren and once to meet my dad so I could see him for a few hours. I stopped in Tallahassee on the way back and stayed with Nita, also from Tallahassee Memorial. I also saw everyone from the hospital a couple times too, which it was really good to see them and tell them all about my new experiences. My nephew Luke was born right before I finished up this assignment. He was born on June 21st, 2005. I was able to meet him 3 days later! He was a wonderful addition to the family. Lauren went around calling him "my baby." Too cute!
I met a lot of great people at the hospital. Pam, also a travel nurse, was hilarious!! She’s from the Boston area, which I was determined to get there for an assignment. We went to the dog races in Ebro. Randy, Heather and her two girls also went. It was so much fun. She went to Manchester, NH. Randy is also a travel nurse. We started on the same day. I went to the dog races with her a second time. We had a really good time. She went to Gainesville, FL. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to keep in touch with many people from Gulf Coast, except Lea.
Gulf Coast Medical Center is a small hospital. The unit was only 11 postpartum beds, 10 labor and delivery, and 10 pediatric rooms. The overall experience was a good one and good learning experience as well. The nurses were welcoming and helpful. I learned a new way of dispensing medication, called Electronic Medication Administration Record (EMAR) and used Meditech for charting.
My place was at a resort complex called Emerald Pointe. It was a small one bedroom, one bath cottage. It was like someone cut a single wide trailer in half lengthwise. It was cute, but I couldn’t have lived there long or with anyone else. It was pretty small inside, especially the bathroom. I even felt tall in the shower, which is saying a lot considering I am only 4' 11 1/2"! It had everything I needed, i.e. TV, bedding, dishes, etc. It’s definitely a good place just for a weekend at the beach. It was about a 10 minute ride over to the beach.
I also bought my Toyota Rav4 while I was there. I love it. It is so cute! I needed something bigger to carry around my things from one place to the next. Besides, my Honda Accord was beginning to fall apart and definitely was not going to be able to carry around all my belongings.
I went to California with Heather Gibson , who I met at Tallhassee Memorial, at the end of this assignment. We had so much fun. We explored Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Hollywood and Santa Barbara. The main reason for going out to California was to go to Six Flags Magic Mountain to ride the roller coaster “X”. It was so much fun, but the scariest roller coaster ever!!! We also road Goliath, that is always on the Travel Channel. It was a lot of fun too. The traffic in LA was insane! There are so are so many people in LA and they all seem to have a car! Also, they all seem to need to be at the same place at the same time! Oh well, it was fun to know that I could drive in LA traffic without any problems. If you can drive in LA, you can drive anywhere!
Dates: March 28th- June 25th, 2005
Address: 1219 Thomas Drive Unit 85
Panama City Beach, Florida 32407
Emerald Pointe
Hospital: Gulf Coast Medical Center
I was excited and also pretty nervous going into my first assignment as a travel nurse. I wasn't sure what to expect. I chose Panama City because I knew one of my friends from Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, Lea Todd, lived there. We had a good time going to the movies, dinner, and getting manicures and pedicures. We also had Gilmore Girl marathons. I also chose Panama City because it was close to Tallahassee and Valdosta. I went to see my college roommate and really good friend, Cindi, at least once a month or so and she also came to visit me a few times. She even came to help me pack up. My best friend Annie also came to see me while I was there. I went to Valdosta twice while I was there, once to ride to St. Simons with Chuck, Brooke, and Lauren and once to meet my dad so I could see him for a few hours. I stopped in Tallahassee on the way back and stayed with Nita, also from Tallahassee Memorial. I also saw everyone from the hospital a couple times too, which it was really good to see them and tell them all about my new experiences. My nephew Luke was born right before I finished up this assignment. He was born on June 21st, 2005. I was able to meet him 3 days later! He was a wonderful addition to the family. Lauren went around calling him "my baby." Too cute!
I met a lot of great people at the hospital. Pam, also a travel nurse, was hilarious!! She’s from the Boston area, which I was determined to get there for an assignment. We went to the dog races in Ebro. Randy, Heather and her two girls also went. It was so much fun. She went to Manchester, NH. Randy is also a travel nurse. We started on the same day. I went to the dog races with her a second time. We had a really good time. She went to Gainesville, FL. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to keep in touch with many people from Gulf Coast, except Lea.
Gulf Coast Medical Center is a small hospital. The unit was only 11 postpartum beds, 10 labor and delivery, and 10 pediatric rooms. The overall experience was a good one and good learning experience as well. The nurses were welcoming and helpful. I learned a new way of dispensing medication, called Electronic Medication Administration Record (EMAR) and used Meditech for charting.
My place was at a resort complex called Emerald Pointe. It was a small one bedroom, one bath cottage. It was like someone cut a single wide trailer in half lengthwise. It was cute, but I couldn’t have lived there long or with anyone else. It was pretty small inside, especially the bathroom. I even felt tall in the shower, which is saying a lot considering I am only 4' 11 1/2"! It had everything I needed, i.e. TV, bedding, dishes, etc. It’s definitely a good place just for a weekend at the beach. It was about a 10 minute ride over to the beach.
I also bought my Toyota Rav4 while I was there. I love it. It is so cute! I needed something bigger to carry around my things from one place to the next. Besides, my Honda Accord was beginning to fall apart and definitely was not going to be able to carry around all my belongings.
I went to California with Heather Gibson , who I met at Tallhassee Memorial, at the end of this assignment. We had so much fun. We explored Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Hollywood and Santa Barbara. The main reason for going out to California was to go to Six Flags Magic Mountain to ride the roller coaster “X”. It was so much fun, but the scariest roller coaster ever!!! We also road Goliath, that is always on the Travel Channel. It was a lot of fun too. The traffic in LA was insane! There are so are so many people in LA and they all seem to have a car! Also, they all seem to need to be at the same place at the same time! Oh well, it was fun to know that I could drive in LA traffic without any problems. If you can drive in LA, you can drive anywhere!
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