Tweaked my "Write Me Your Secrets" project.

I now am going to plainly call it Letters from the World. Because I would love to receive letters from anyone around the world.  Here is the updated explaination portion. Anyone have suggestions?


LETTERS FROM THE WORLD

The idea of this project is to have letters from all over the world. These letters will then be scanned and loaded onto my blog for other people to view. You can write about anything, but here are some ideas

• You can write secrets that you can’t tell to anyone else
• About things that are bothering you
• Why you are the way you are
• What you wish people would understand
• Who brings you most hope in life
• What you want to tell the people of this world
• Or anything else that is on your mind.

I want to read whatever it is you write. It does not matter if I know you or if I don’t. You can write me.
How to do it?

• In letter form, hand written or typed. Hand written is better  But if your hand writing is atrocious, maybe you should type it.
• On a postcard

Don’t know how to write an address on an envelope?

• Here is a link to explain it for ya
  http://www.ehow.co.uk/how_1332_address-envelope.html

Here is a picture as well  However, you can leave out  your name and address if you want to ; I don’t need to know that if you don’t want to share . If you are mailing from the U.S. the Forever stamp is perfect for letters.

• Cost for postage right  now in the U.S. is: $.44 for a letter and $.29 for a post card.

• What to put in the Recipient’s place
  • Keshia A N Witthuhn
    5325 113th Place NE Apt#4
    Kirkland WA 98033
    United States of America (<–use this only if you’re mailing from outside the U.S.)
  Feel free to write me, I will read anything and everything. Even if you can’t write in English, write me. Maybe I can translate it somehow!!
  As I receive letters and postcards I will upload them so the senders will know I received it. If you do not want me to upload it, let me know in your letter/postcard. I will honor your wishes. However, not everyone should do this! I want each of you to be involved, and letting you see the letters that I have received will be one way to do that.  :)
  Thanks everyone!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here is the link to my wordpress page.: http://keshiastravels.wordpress.com/lettersfromtheworld/

this is also the home of my actual blog. 

Postcards and guacamole sandwiches

Alright, so today has been a longish/short day all at the same time. I didn’t get to sleep until about 5 this morning, woke up around 1030 and just putted around the apartment for a bit. I got all my post cards organized to send out here shortly. I was going to go to the Starbucks down the street and write my post cards that needed to go out today. Frankly, I didn’t make it to the Starbucks in time to get the postcards in the post today. However, Tyler and I are going later and I will be filling out my posts 

Ok, so tonight for dinner, there was mainly leftovers. But, leftovers consisted of very cheesy homemade mac and cheese and cheesy lasagna. Both really great foods!! But, I really did not feel like eating a ton of cheese for dinner tonight and not very much else. I also had left over guacamole, and we all know that this can spoil really fast even when there is lime juice on top! So, I decided to take the guac and do something with it.

I meandered into the cupboards and found bread. After this find, I turned around and opened the fridge behind me and found ranch dressing, spinach, my favorite sliced cheese, eggs, and grey poupon. I then started to assemble my very strange sandwich. I fried the eggs, but left no yolk.

I toasted the bread just enough to have it warm, but not browned. I put the cheese on the warm bread, layered that with a good helping of guacamole. then on the other slice of bread I put a thin coat of ranch, lots of spinach, drops of the grey poupon, fried eggs on top of that with a finish of pepper. I put the lesser weighed down slice on top of the egg slice and started to munch….

Frankly, for a crazy on the spot sandwich, it really wasn’t bad!!!

Again go to my page and check this out!  http://keshiastravels.wordpress.com/lettersfromtheworld/ I’m really looking forward to this setting into motion!!

Moved Journals

It's been a while since I posted in this blog because I have been blogging on my wordpress one as of late.

It's address is keshiastravels.wordpress.com if you choose to go and follow.

I am thinking of what to do with this one... because I can only do so much in on blog!!! Geez, I can't do my trip to Africa, post cards, recipes, life, and school stuff all in one blog... or can I?!

I have been pondering on the idea of making this blog my post card one... and recipe one. We shall see.. :)

keshia

Donations

So I wanted to let people know from here that my team leader told me this in regards to payment for the trip.
Hey Guys, my team leader Mr. Doug Collier left this comment on my last blog post update 

" Honest blogs are always refreshing to read. Thanks. The website is www.servethechildren.com. Let's have a matching funds contest- I will match the next 4 $25 donations to your trip if they come in before Wednesday"



Do you guys think you can help?!?!?!? PLease?!?!? I can even throw in some money, but I have  already paid for a good portion of it out of pocket. I can't afford anymore or Tyler and I will go without food.. I am really relying on God and everyone support around me.


Thanks.
Keshia


keshiastravels.wordpress.com 

Medical Supplies

So I received an email from the nurse who will be going on the missions trip to Monrovia, Liberia. Her and I will be able to go to the nursing school there, some clinics, and hopefully help out with immunizations for the kids. She gave me a list of things that we would need donated to us to take for the clinic and school to have. Here is the list

blood pressure cuffs including ped and large adult size
stethoscopes
ant fungal cream
anti itch creams
hydrocortisone cream
ferrous sulfate
thermometers
scales
lots of dressing supplies of any kind
dressing tape
scrubs in good condition all sizes and colors
2010 drug books
dressing scissors
wound packing
newer nursing and medical texts (10 years old or less)
ted hose - will take any size but especially need larger sizes
chemcial cold and hot packs
wound disinfectants

I don't see that I have interested readers; but I am really hoping that more people would read and see what we need. I wish this could become a bigger thing and people could see there are things that we need. If you are reading and want to donate any of these things or give money for me to get these things, please let me know. My email address is keshia.witthuhn09@northwestu.edu 

Seriously some of these things are not that expensive! Like scrubs are not too bad, the creams, disenfectants, thermometers, scales, and some others are really not all that expensive. I still need to raise money for myself to go! Please help! 

-K

Support Letter Rough Draft! Comment!!

Dear Friends,  

             I invite you to assist me in my journey to Liberia this summer. As stated in the brochure,  I will be there from June 18^th to July 4^th. The total cost for me to go is only $2700. The plane ticket alone is $2300, gas prices really sky rocketed our ticket price. I am not just attending this trip with seven other people to traipse and gallop all over Monrovia . As a team we will also be bringing books for the children, hopefully nursing books for the nursing school in Monrovia, , mosquito nets, and other miscellaneous items to give to the people who house and take care of us the entire time we are there. The financial support you send will go towards the $2700, my vaccines, and the malaria drugs I will need when I am over there. Any excess will be used to buy donations. I want to take over gloves, stethoscopes, hand sanitizer, hand wipes, and other nursing supplies that the clinics and school in Monrovia are without. I will be working a lot in the clinics, and from what I have heard from past trips the clinics never have enough supplies. Can you also help me in donating to getting the Liberians a better means for sanitary healthcare?

            I not only need assistance financially, I also need it spiritually. In Liberia I will receive great hospitality from people who have much less than I do. This is going to be overwhelming for me. I do not want to take up their resources more than I have to and I would prefer to restore their resources while I am there. These people are going to touch my life the same, if not more, than I will ever hope to touch theirs. I would admonish you to start praying for myself and the seven other team members now and during our trip. Pray for the people of Liberia as well, they are in a country that has war, no civil structure, and are in intense poverty.

            If you want to send financial support the checks can be made out to myself. If you do not  feel comfortable with that, let me know and I will find another way for you to send financial support that is directly to the Serve the Children that can be put on my account. If you want to get boxes of gloves, children’s books, stethoscopes, bottles of hand sanitizer, wipes, or anything else you feel these people could use, please send that as well.   Also, please remember in your daily prayers to pray for myself, the team going, and the Liberians.

                                                                                    Thank you,

                                                                                    

Africa

:) I have been accepted! WOOT! Okay, now comes all the actual work. I have to update my passport, get my visa, get two more shots, see if my health insurance covers me while I am over there, send out support letters, write the support letter first, talk to my Dad's boss and see if he will support me, raise money, make a paypal and facebook group, have a new blog entirely for updates about Africa, get ready to go, take six classes of language and culture training, read two books, and finish a packet for the mission trip.... on top of doing all my nursing stuff! It's going to be busy, but it's going to be good.

Where Tyler has been getting up at 5:30 in the mornings, I have been getting up and just going to the gym and walking for about a half hour or so. It's not a really intense workout, just walking on the treadmill, uphill, at a good speed for about two miles :) Then later Tyler and I go do a real workout. It's been nice, I get up and get things done.

I have a long weekend, I am thankful for them and not at the same time. It is hard to organize your time when your time is just this open.

Alright, I just wanted to update with that. :) I need to get back to doing my homework, I am going to start working on a study guide since my clinical paperwork is FINALLY done :( Have fun guys! I will keep all you up to date!
Keshia

The Ferry

Yesterday, tweaked my neck as Tyler said goodbye at 0630 to head to work... Stupid neck (still hurts today too). Felt better after sleep of course since it wasn't holding my heavy noggin up. I have been seriously doing homework all day. I have finished quite a bit too. I am now going to watch  a movie and do my last biopsych movie guide. I was going to do it on Born On the Fourth of July, but seriously, that movie was horrible! And I couldn't really get the movie guide done. So, I am going to do it on Shine instead. This calls for more pain killers first and foremost..

OK, the ferry. I went to Bremerton yesterday to meet with Chad about the mission trip to Sierra Leone. To be honest, it sounds promising. I have a lot more work to do, on top of being in the nursing program, but I have faith I will be able to get it all done.

 Man, I have done a ton of homework today!
I have also realized, that nursing school makes one much fatter than they would like. And having a gym that is only open at certain times during t he day is HIGHLY annoying! Because I would like to go now... but I can't. I can go at 5 when I would rather be making dinner! Oh well. We need to do laundry really bad, like blankets, towels, and clothes. I am in dire need of a pillow case washing... I think my face is breaking out a little bit because I have not changed my pillow cases in over a week. :( I change them once a week because of face ick.

Ok, going to go make good food to eat for lunch/snack for gym. AND take more pain killers.

Just a quick post

So, today is my first psych exam and my first day in the psychiatric hospital. Pretty stoked for both actually. I hope we shadow today so I can get the lay of the land.

Also, I have an interview tomorrow with Chad from NewLife for the missions trip. I am really excited. Tyler starts his work at 7 am, and I have my catheter check out at 12, then I have to get to the ferry to hop on and then meet with Chad at the Starbucks in the terminal. :) Super stoked, it's been a while since I have been on the ferry, and I have never been on one by myself!! Hahahaha, man, too excited for just a ferry ride I tell ya.
Ok
I am going to go study before my test :)
<3

Too long since a post

Aight, it's been much too long for me to have not posted. ... sigh. Oh well, let me catch you up... not that you need to be caught up on too much. Clinicals have been going fine. I have had two really great patients the last two week :) Both very pleasant and kind.

I have found a missions trip to go to Africa this summer for two months. It would be at Sierra Leone, I think in Freetown?? But basically it is through Children of the Nations. They are working with a church in the area and are sending a group of people on this trip. I have to take some classes but basically I have to learn the foriegn language there, Krio. I'm super excited to learn the language, raise the money, and be in Africa for two months. It is a little pricey, but seriously, what missions trips aren't anymore. It is going to cost Tyler and I $8100, we are seriously hoping for a lot of support. All of my babysitting money will be going to the trip and I will be writing up and sending out support letters here in the next couple weeks. I still have to apply for the trip, which I will be doing today since they just sent me the application :) It is a one page application with basically essay questions. This should be fun.

Tyler's job hunt has not been going so well. :( He applied for one job 3Form, had two amazing interviews, then they did not call him back. ... It was a very depressing day, but we just keep moving forward which sucks when we were really excited about that job. He went and interviewed for another job today, which seems to be ran by a tightwad who did not want to pay Tyler the entrance level salary for an engineer with his degree. Well, that is fine by me, I suppose. That means Tyler's last resort, Home Depot, is where he will be working for a while til we can find something more appropriate for his level of skill. It's upsetting but hopefully somewhere there is something for him that is not Home Depot, but we need to pay the bills...

With all this happening with Tyler's work, I am afraid I may not get to go to Africa this summer. But I believe that God can work in wonderous ways.... or I just won't go aye?

I'm tired, I skipped chapel, I think it is time for me to go read my homework and finish up today's assignments. I have a lot to get done today.... and I have a lot of praying to do... more like, I will be fussing at God a bit because I have no idea what he is doing with our lives right now and frankly I am not fond of what is going on in it. I feel that Tyler deserves a better job. So whats with this NOT FINDING A JOB! What's with this, danging Africa right in my face and then making me feel like it will just get ripped away  like so many times before! I am done with this life where I can't do what I would love to do... What I would love to do is go to Africa, deal with malaria and other sickiness, and help out people who would love it. I want to play with the kids there, the adults, I want to hear their stories. I want to go. I don't want to live a fantastical life, I'm not asking to be a famous missionary or super hero!! I JUST WANT TO GO! I want that more than I want children.

You guys enjoy your day. I start at the psychiatric facility this week on Wednesday, so I hope I can have some stories to tell that are not too in depth... since I don't want to break HIPPA.

<3

Today is...... 126!

Well, tomorrow is my first day of clinicals this semester. Last week was just orientation and shadowing the nurse/s. Tomorrow, going to the hospital around 1030 and I get done at 2230... Ug. Such a long day. But I am kinda looking forward to it. I mean, hours of paperwork, learning and new discoveries! I am not really enjoying this semester, so I am hoping it will turn around. I only have two weeks at my medsurg rotation then on Feb 9th I am off to the psychiatric hospital! Now, that should be interesting.

I just got done with a lot of my study guide for my Adult health exam next week. ... I am satisfied with it. I did not type it up this time like I did last semester. Why? I really don't know. I think I found it more convenient to go to Starbucks with my paper, pen, and books than lug the computer everywhere.

Tyler is watching Hot Fuzz. =) It is a lot of fun to watch while studying because it is something that is easy to ignore and makes a good background noise. Now, it is very close to bedtime... then up and gettin to gym?? maybe... depends on if I want to! I have a long day, might not want to make it longer!

Tyler got me some beautiful flowers, gerber daisies! Love them some much.... well, those type of flowers that is. I love working with something colourful next to me. I also love having the candles lit. It just adds something, I don't know what, but it does definitely add something.

Ok, bedtime. Sigh, bed time.......then clinicals!! YAY!.... My moods are going to change about these clinicals, I can tell.

Clinicals and Weekend.

Alright, so this past Friday I shadowed a nurse at our new rotation. Basically, I am not enjoying nursing. MedSurg is just not where I find interest most likely. So, I may not necessarily dislike nursing, I just dislike medsurg. For some reason helping people after a surgery or during a acute renal failure, is just NOT fun.... they are grouchy, jerks, and overall unpleasant. I kept a few notes on my first day, so I will do my best to write about it without breaking any HIPPA laws, which is really easy if you don't mention names or diagnosis I do believe. I will just write overalls and I am not even mentioning what floor or place I was at. So I feel that is really vague but can still be direct about what I want to talk about.

The nurse I had on Friday was a quieter nurse. She did not talk to me much, explain what she was doing, or seem to have a general life for her job. Thats ok, she did a good job at what she did. She was really on top of all her patient's needs and knew a lot about telemetry. She seemed to be patient... or just not care about stuff. She had four patients to care for. Three of her four patients were grouchy and generally unpleasant to deal with. I could see that on her face. Her one patient that was sweet, polite, and respectful could not even speak English! But they were so considerate, we had a interpretor and the communication between patient and nurse was AMAZING even with that hiccup. I did, however, get to see an IV put in :) That made my night!! I got to watch the nurse attempt it first, then watch the IV nurse do it. The first nurse got it in, but she hit a valve in the vein so it bruised and was very painful for the patient. She did not want to poke the patient again, so she called IV therapy and they came up to do it again. First try and IV therapy got it in :)

I am excited to get my patient next week, just so I have something to do. I can try to keep my knowledge fresh, work on my physical assessment skills and all that jazz. I am interested in learning about knew pathologies and knew cures and surgeries. But overall, I am thinking of finishing up this semester and seeing where to go from here. Oddly enough, I am thinking of looking into premed at UDub. Yea Yea Yea, I am going to be in school til I am 30, but whatever. I don't know what I want to do with my life. But I am going to keep trying to find things I enjoy as opposed to sitting in stuff I don't enjoy and hating life. Either way, I need to do some sort of over sea trip at some point in life.... like next summer!! AH!

I am applying for a job and lookin for jobs in hospitals. But where do I start?? I just don't know how to get in there and do work. I was thinking of applying as a transporter. I feel that could be lots of fun and you meet all sorts of different people in that position. I am going to keep looking at it. I also applied back to Starbucks for even something temporary, just in the mornings before classes. From like 4:30 to 8:30. :) I want to do something with my mornings and I feel like I am wasting a lot of time doing other things.

My biggest weakness is I am smart. (yes I know, cocky). But I am. And because I learn fast and I am smart, I know I can waste a certain amount of time. So, if I start disciplining my time with work I will start NOT wasting time doing other things like watching TV...... sigh. Ok... back to some studying before the gym opens.

Day120

Well today is day 120, but so far this semester is going just peachy! Though, it is only the second week of school and it seriously feels like the end of the semester still. SIGH! Seriously two weeks and it feels like this?!?! What type of schooling is this!

I am really enjoying this semester more than last semester so far. I do believe it is because I know more of what I am suppose to do and what is going on.

Having Tyler home has not been as distracting as I thought it was going to be. I have actually been getting a lot more done than when he was gone. CRAZY! I feel it is because I have to do less texting and phone calling to just talk to him. We are able to talk and hang out whenever, and I mean... we live with each other so we kinda know what is now going on in each other's lives! It is much better this way. I know he enjoys that I think that.

I am at computer training for our next clinical rotation, on lunch actually. So... I am going to go now! We will be starting shortlyish. This is blog 1 for this week. I will blog again after my nurse shadow tomorrow I will hav much more interesting things to talk about then. Right now I just don't have a lot to talk about.

Orientation I

Ok, so today was orientation at a certain mental hospital in the Seattle area. Needless to say, I am quite excited to start my rotation there in February. Just sitting in the orientation as the head personel were explaining what happens on what unit and how each unit is different I couldn't help but be completely interested. I found I am most interested in the unit that holds the patients who are more psychotic, experiencing visions and hearing voices. That floor really interests me. I am not that interested in detox or the other floors that have more mentally stable patients. Also, during orientation the Dr. there gave us a very important tip that us nursing students are expected to do during our rotation at this facility. We are to " Just be open to every even that happens. Have a desire to learn from everything".

Sadly, I have to report to you I had thoughts I most likely should not have while being there. But during orientation I couldn't help but keep thinking I was going to basically going to be in a zoo with signs all over the place that say , "Do not feed the animals". Because we are not allowed to really give into anything that the patients are doing. But also, each circumstance is different. I know that sounds cold, but believe me there is much more to it that I can not mentally explain at this point. I'm wiped, I have to get up early tomorrow just like I did today, so I am wanting to hit the bed early :( But with our patients at the hospital, there mental psyche is fragile. Sometimes we should let them have one of their episodes and other times we should not. When this happens is seriously up to the doctors and more experienced personel on the floors... not me.

Ok, bed time. night! Hopefully I can tell you that I succeeded in my clinical checkouts after my orientation tomorrow. IV piggybacking, infusion, and drip rates! Right after 6 hours of orientation... so... exciting... YAY! Its ok. Just take it one week/day at a time and it feels like everyday is a success and everyday is unique with its own questing to get taken care of. :)

When I pass my check outs tomorrow, it is like one more quest is complete on my path to being a RN :)

Day 111 and New Years Resolutions

Well today was our long day... 7.5 hours of freakin classes... with our 40 minute lunch break... jeez. So much disdain will be in store for Tuesdays. Classes seem fine. I'm wiped though. I don't know why... but guess what! I am. I will most likely go to bed early tonight. Hopefully right after this blog. Anyway, I have come up with a list of 7 resolutions. I don't usually do these things.. but might as well!

1.) Discover My Super Power

•  I feel that this is the most important resolution I can have in my life. My super power may help me with    every other resolution I have! Thus discovering it is very important! 

2.) Pass My Second Semester of Nursing School

• This is of course my second goal. Because if I do not pass the second semester I can't move onto the third and fourth! 

3.) Re-assemble the Penguin Army

• my life has gone too far long without my dear penguin army in it. The world is just a better place when the penguin army is monitoring the baddies. 

4.) Blog at Least Two Times a Week

• this is just for me. It is something to help watch how my clinicals are going, what is going on in my head, and what has been happening. I hope to improve my blogging skillzzz. I know I may  not be the best blogger, but I am trying! More people just need to read it. ... advertising.... hmmmm

5.) Up the Creeper

• for two reasons. 1. I need more down time to just creep on someone. Life is sooooo serious with the nursing program, so I need something that is not completely serious. 2. People could use it. 

6.) Develop my own safety dance! 

• Men Without Hats

7.) Treat Everyday As Thought it is a Quest

• this will help my days not seem so boring and drab. If I can find something to make into a quest from day to day maybe  the homework load and life load won't be as overwhelming. :) 

THATS ALL!!! 

See, resolutions are that scary!! Especially when you keep them realistic ;) 

G'night to you all... I'm heading to bed at 8:36! 

Day 110

So today was the beginning of another semester. I am now working on getting some playlists together on my iPod before I go to the gym and I am organizing my readings for classes. After the gym I will do my reading for all these classes. This week is going to be hecktic!! And next week is also going to be a dooooozy!

Nathan is over hanging out with Tyler, so I am at the kitchen table... completely distracted btw... COMPLETELY!!!.... Ok, I think I will talk more later! LATER LATER LATER!! Day 110!



And tons tons more I want to talk about, but really nothing to talk about all at the same time.

Great Wolf Lodge

So, Tyler and I have been at Great Wolf Lodge today and a little yesterday! Yesterday we took a long trip around Washington to see Kyle Thelander. Our trip was suppose to include seeing Mt. Rainier as well; however,  loverly Washington decided that clouds were in order and seeing the mountain was a no no. .. However, Tyler and I had tons of fun driving around and finding stuff. We came to GWL around 6ish, got our room and hit the waterpark they have here! Ok, so seriously, my only complaint about the waterpark... WATER TOO COLD! Seriously. Turn up the heat in the building like 5 more degrees, I realize they keep it at 82 or something like that in the water park, but I would seriously love it just a bit hotter! Tyler and I didn't do the big rides last night. Just hung out for a bit then came back to our room and played a riveting game of cribbage... twice. And I dominated him. Then we decided to play some Skip Bo and watch MythBusters.

Today! We decided to play Magiquest! Soooo fun!! Eheehehehehe! It is a video game, you have wands, and you DON'T just sit down! So, you play on five floors of the building! So, up and down the stairs over and over and over and over!! AHHAAH! I loved it! But we didn't do Magiquest first, FIRST we of course went to the water park before I showered :) We decided to wait to ride the awesome big rides for tonight... when it's dark and the lights are on and going CRAZY! EHEHEHEHEH!

Then we came back, went to eat lunch, then got wands for Magiquest! We played this for HOURS!! Then went to the Arcade, came back to the room and challenged each other at more Skip-bo... I won best two out of three... Tyler whooped my butt later at air hockey! SO FREAKIN ANGRY! I am the tramp at air hockey usually, but NOOOOOOO Tyler has to go and WIN on me! He won best 2 out of 3.... grrr...

We then came back to the room to eat eat eat eat... cause we were HUNGRY! So, pizza and salad!! I love the salad... love it love it love it. Tyler and I then played some more games and then went back to the water park and rode that Tornado thing... seriously Tyler was a jerk face and let me face backwards.... seriously, I went backwards down the tube... IN THE DARK!!! Yea, I screamed! Totally did, all Tyler saw was the lights... below us and was worried about me... awwww.. such a cutie!

Anyway, we came back to the apartment, dressed and went out questing. Tyler is guilty now for spending so much of my dads money on the credit card.... it was a gift! But yea, I seriously do not think we have spent as much as Tyler thinks we have. ... but, he is right... no more spending! We have spent enough and have enough leftovers for two or three days now from that pizza, my subway, and lunch this afternoon. Having me around, someone who does not eat that much, surely adds up on the left overs.

Ok, we are watching Whose Line Is It Anyway....... Tyler is just laughing so hard!

Aight, night!  Sadly, we go home tomorrow :( and Mister Kyle will be staying at our house!! SLEEP OVER!!!! So much fun! Bahahahaha!!! Sadly, we will have to share our leftovers! YAY!
OK!. Laters