I am on my 3rd night working after nearly 2 weeks away from my unit. Last week I shadowed in the Albuquerque neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), to get some experience handling premies and really sick babies, so that in the case that we have on up in Espanola, I can be more prepared to care for him/her, as there is no NICU or even pediatric docs in house at night. Hanging out with little 1 and 2 pound babies was definitely a worthwhile and strange experience.
In Albuquerque I stayed at my friend Eric's house, which is within walking distance to the hospital--a refreshing change from a 35mile commute. Following my 3 days on the day shift, I lazed about the house all day, then went out for tapas and salsa dancing with my friend Lisa. After an amazing dance, one guy asked where I was from, and when I said Iowa, he laughed--surprised and amused--and then said: "you fine!" People always have funny reactions to Iowa...
The next day, Eric and I drove down to Las Cruces, where we couchsurfed with some PhD astronomy students who showed us Saturn, the surface of the moon, and some solar flares on the sun via their super-powered telescopes. I had forgotten all about space, being too focused on my little microcosm here, and it was a refreshing shift in thought. We also went hiking with my friend from college, Sarah, in the deserty Organ mountains.
The next day we went to White Sands, which is an incredible gypsum desert, where we camped in our very own pristine dune. We froze at night, then woke up boiling in the sun, then dragged our sunworn and sandy selves to Alamagordo, where we couchsurfed with a retired airforce couple. There we delighted in showers and fresh filipino food and toured the base, which was interesting to me, as I had never been on one...and don't feel the need to again. Patrick had met Nori when he was stationed in the Philippines and brought her home with him 40 years ago.
The next day we drove to Carlsbad, where we climbed into "lower cave," 850 feet below the surface. We got to see cave pearls, clear crickets, and an array of different types of magnificent cave formations. We ate dinner at a Chinese-Mexican restaurant, which served menudo alongside lo mein, then went to a drive-thru movie, and camped outside White's City. The next morning we returned to Carlsbad Caverns to explore the natural entrance, and then slowly made our way back to Albuquerque via the beautiful Lincoln National Forest (where Smokey the Bear is from) and the mountains surrounding Ruidoso.
The past 2 weeks have further solidified my delight in my "wait list" status for the nurse-midwifery program. I wasn't honestly disappointed for a second that I didn't get in right away, as I am not quite ready to give up my free time, which allows for such adventures. Nor am I anxious to put myself into $75k worth of debt. The more I think about it, the less I want to ever put myself in a situation again that makes me feel the need to work in a hospital (or any other such institution that does not allign with my beliefs). No...I now aspire to simply buy a piece of land, build a home out of earth and recycled materials, farm and collect honey, and attend occasional births for family and the surrounding community. :)
Happy May Day! I hope you spent your day celebrating/promoting workers and immigrats rights! I brought my little sister (big brother big sister program) to an amazing parade with giant puppets of the Dalai Lama, Emma Goldman, Cesar Chavez, etc, which ended in a protest of Arizona's new racial profiling law, and a feast of free food at the farmers market.
xo RO
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