Been, this bank holiday weekend, to a friend's for a street party. On reflection, getting all "hello, yes I AM a student nurse, aren't I wonderful!" was all fine and dandy, until I found out I was in the company of two doctors, one psychiatrist and one 30+ years experience nurse. Herewith lies the first fundemental lesson: Don't get cocky, there is always someone greater and you may just look silly!    And so the reflection begins .......................................................... :)

So, here we are. I am officially a student nurse :) Yes, me! How the hell did that happen? Well, I guess it started over ten years ago really, although I didn't know it at the time. A number of experiences, some good and some not so, have led me to this point, starting with my first foray into higher education back in 2000. That time I was a single 30 yr old looking for a life change. Did I get one! Met the man of my dreams and future daddy of my precious child, met a crazy, troubled man who turned his life around completely, became a nurse himself and who would inspire me to join him all these years later.

 After graduating with a 2.1 in Zoology, a huge overdraft and in total amazement that I actually passed at all, I began my career working with animals. I was a guide dog trainer and welfare worker ( lots of A&P, health, first aid, snappy patients), a primate / gorilla keeper (masses of nutrition, general healthcare, grumpy patients) and a wildlife rehabilitator (wound care, injury care, aggressive patients ...... see where I'm going with this?). I was a regular Miss Doolittle. happily bandaging torn doggy ears, bottle feeding baby bunnies and being peed on by rogue squirrel monkeys. Then I fell pregnant.  And then I had a baby. And that was it. My need to nurture humans burst through. 

I now find myself at a point that is right and ripe for me. My daughter is now at school, my partner is doing whatever he does, my dog doesn't do anything anyway and I am gearing up to be the best I've ever been.

You are welcome to follow my journey. I can't promise it will always be pretty. I can't promise it will always be pleasant but come anyway, at least it may make you smile xx