57 Days to Pinning....

We are planning our class pinning ceremony with all the zest of people who are about to be released from captivity...not necessarily the serious POW kind, but in a sense, the walls of our classroom have no windows and some days feel like hostage crisis, Day 283, especially today. So with a little creativity and somewhere sandwiched between mental and community health, a couple classmates put their photography skills to work shooting headshots and candids of all our classmates for our pinning ceremony, to be held on Dec. 10, 2009, approximately 57 days from now (not that I have a countdown on my lap top or anything like that!)

As we approach this milestone, thoughts about the people I've shared my life with over the last 283 days are fond. We navigated some serious landmines in theory and clinical, shared a lot of laughs and tears. I made friends in nursing school that will be life long friends, professional colleagues I know I could turn to in a crisis. ABSN programs are unique nursing programs, pouring out insane amounts of learning wherein 38 adults from all walks of life, dedicate a year of their lives in pursuit of a common goal, supporting each other, knowing what we have emotionally, physically and financially invested in this journey. I can't begin to count the sacrifices we and our loved ones have had to make in order for us to get to this point. These are the best people...super human student nurses, supported by super human family and friends. The nursing profession is going to benefit from the heart this ABSN centennial class will bring to it. That's not to say there haven't been moments of sheer irritation. It's a lot like family.

Breathe. The roller coaster is starting to slow down. Hallelujah.