I started back to school yesterday. I wasn’t happy that my vacation had come to an end, but I am ready to get it over with and get my degree. This semester is supposedly easier than the others. It’s comprised of 3 core classes with two electives. We had the option of getting the electives waived with courses taken in a prior degree, but I figured I should get the most out of my time at NYU and take two more classes. Hopefully I won’t regret that decision later. I’m taking Critical Care Nursing and Spanish for Health Care Providers as my electives.

Finished up my third semester at NYU two weeks ago. I thought it would be easier, since I only had two classes to deal with, but pediatrics was super difficult.

Fall, my final semester, will be a full load of five courses. At least I have a few more weeks of vacation to enjoy.

Had my last final of the Spring semester yesterday. I’m thrilled to be finished, this semester was a real killer. Summer will be nice, I only have 2 classes, which means I’ll have lecture two days a week, and will be working in the hospital 2 days a week. Two semesters down, two to go.

The leg has been hurting more this past week or two, but it’s probably just from using it again. I’m planning on getting a referral to the Hospital for Special Surgery, where I will hopefully have my hip replaced in January 2011, right after I graduate. It should be a shorter recovery this time.

Even though I know it will be difficult to come to terms with replacement surgery every 10-15 years, I can’t deal with this pain, arthritis, and severely limited range of motion for too much longer.

After graduating from Emerson College in 2003, I distinctly remember saying on many occasions, that I would never go back to school. From my first meeting with the Marine recruiters in February ’05, I had planned on a career in the Marine Corps, up until I realized that dream was impossible. For months I struggled with the decision of which direction I wanted my life to go. Finally, in August of last year, I made my decision: I am going to be a nurse.

Since I didn’t take a single math or science course in my 4 years at Emerson (other than Psychology), I had to take quite a few prerequisites before I could work towards a Bachelor of Science degree. I started off with General Biology, Statistics, and College Algebra. Spring of this past year I took Anatomy & Physiology I, Chemistry, and Microbiology. Finally this summer, I took Anatomy & Physiology II, Food & Nutrition, and Psychology of Human Growth & Development.

I was accepted into New York University’s 15-month Accelerated Nursing Program, and this past June I moved to New York City. This is why I was so excited about the Post-9/11 GI Bill, which should cover almost all of my tuition at NYU.

I start classes in less than two weeks. I’m a little nervous, but am mostly excited about starting this next chapter of my life. If all goes well, I’ll graduate in a year from Christmas.

You’re entitled to receive 100% of the benefits payable under the Post-9/11 GI Bill program for training offered by an institution of higher education. We determined this percentage based on your length of creditable active duty service.

Awesome! With the new Post-9/11 GI Bill, you are awarded education benefits based on your length of active duty or reserve service. You will be given:

1. Cost of tuition and fees, not to exceed the most expensive in-state undergraduate tuition at a public institution of higher education (list of states and max tuition)
2. Monthly housing allowance equal to the basic allowance for housing payable to a military E-5 with dependents, in the same zip code as your school (look up your zipcode)
3. Yearly books and supplies stipend of up to $1000 per year

To calculate how much you can be awarded, check out the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits calculator. For those who want to know more about the eligibility requirements, see the VA’s Post-9/11 GI Bill’s website at gibill.va.gov.

If you have any of the following conditions, you will not be allowed to register:

• Chronic back pain requiring ongoing medical treatment (including chiropractic care) and/or daily or frequent prescribed pain medication
• Herniated, bulging or slipped disc anywhere along your spine diagnosed in the past 2 years
• Single back surgery in the past 2 years
• History of a spine fracture, if caused by bone disease
• History of a spine fracture in the past 2 years, if caused by injury
• Placement of rods or pins for scoliosis
• History of a hip or pelvic fracture and/or repair

– www.marrow.org

Figures. I can’t donate blood until March of 2009, due to the 4 units of someone else’s blood I received during and after my surgery. At least one day I’ll be allowed to do that again, and I’m not banned for life.

I patiently read through the tutorial and began my test. 120 minutes to answer 100 questions.

30 minutes later I was finished. The proctor printed out a score sheet and handed it to me while saying, “ya done good.” He then printed out my identification and said I could leave.

I thanked him and left, doing my best to contain how happy I was to be finished with everything.

We finally had our ambulance ride-alongs. I rode on Saturday from midnight until 8AM Sunday. We got called for a woman in labor, a child that got his wrist stuck in a pair of handcuffs, a stroke, a shortness of breath, an overdose, and a man with pancreatitus. They usually get twice as many calls, but I thought it was a nice variety.

Next weekend I’ll be spending the night observing in the emergency department at Boston Medical Center. Hopefully it will be a good experience and I’ll learn some things.