Nursing

ISU College Of Nursing Nursing school can be incredibly overwheming at times! Tests, care plans, clinicals, case studies, the Neighborhood, and studying, studying, studying...At the sam time it's all essential.

Some Cool Things I've done/seen the last 3 weeks.

Placed an NG tube

Watched Open Heart Surgery

Calmed an anxious patient

Gave a blood transfusion

Started IVs

Learned about Takotsubo syndrome

Made my longest care plan (38 pages)

Did a rotation on the Pediatric floor and some in Pediatric ICU

Watched a patient die knowing nothing more could be done

Comforted a family members

Listened

Most of all NURSES DARE TO CARE!!

Welcome to the terrible 2s!

2 Years (well just about)

India just celebrated her 2nd Birthday this week and it caused for much reflection in me!

India on her 1st Birthday.

India on her blessing day.
I think of everything we went through to get this little girl here. I think of all the times we thought she wouldn't make it or would make it too soon. With all the challenges she's definately lightened our lives! I'm so grateful for the joy she brings into my life even if she does insist on calling me Cassidy!

Hangin with the Bro

Cassidy, my little brother the star of the bike wreck video came home from his mission just about two weeks ago because he needed surgery on his feet. We say feet because it sounds so much more manly then saying his pinky toes. ha ha He flew into Pocatello where our family had all gathered to welcome him home afterall, we hadn't seen the kid in what 6 months. After we all went to his favorite place Bamboo Gardens, an Chinese buffet. He came up on Tuesday and went teaching with the Elders on the ISU campus. He really enjoyed that despite having to end earlier then he had planned because of sore feet. He had surgery the next morning which went well and turned out he'd need to be home for 6 weeks rather than the planned 3. They released him as a missionary, but will reset him apart and call him to the same mission Louisiana Baton Rouge.

I was able to go spend Monday with him. When I first got there he was in the middle of scripture study so I joined right on in and he taught me so much! It was great to see how much he's grown. Then we played some battleship and other games. PS I WON!! Then I took him to the dentist where he had one cavity. Sadly, I have two. Which was a first that I had more than him. He loved that. We rented some movies, went home and just kinda chilled together. The best is when I was getting ready to leave and I walk into the room where he's sitting in the recliner with his feet up. In his hands he has an alligator head and he's just staring at it. STRANGE!! I went in and asked him what was up. He explained he just wanted to be back in Louisiana and not at home sitting! Poor guy. Then it led into a photo shoot. Ha ha we're dorks...

Oh the Alligator head...

Yikes it's gonna eat me.

Those teeth are pretty freaky!

The boots he was supposed to be wearing

My Missionary Brother

Here's a video my little brother sent me.

And my parent's wonder why his bike is always in the shop needing fixed ha ha

Christmas!

This year our family had a different Christmas. My older sister, Crystal, went into the hospital on Saturday the 20th. Sunday, India and I went to spend a few days with my parents because Matt had to work. Then on Christmas Eve when it became apparent Crystal wouldn't be out of the hospital our family made the decision to spend Christmas in Pocatello. In all the years she's been sick this was her first Christmas in the hospital. Since, our family was coming from out of town the hospital gave us dinner at Texas Roadhouse and then a hotel stay at Best Western. We dropped off all the presents at CeJay's house. Then we went to the hospital for a visit. After we ate and checked into the hotel. Brooke and Brecklyn came over at 11pm to go swimming in the hotel pool and hot tub. It was so fun watching Brecklyn!

Christmas morning we got up and had some hotel breakfast. Then ventured to the hospital in a ton of snow!! Not really sure how we didn't get stuck!

After the hospital we went over to CeJay's and opened the gifts Santa had brought. Brecklyn got a doll and doll stroller which was one of the favorite toys of Christmas by far!

Then my mom, dad, and I went back over to the hospital to watch Matt, Crystal, and India open their gifts from Jolly Old Saint Grandpa. When we got to there we walked in and found India with a whole host of doll accessories.

She also got a doll and stroller. She kept walking the stroller up and down the hall. Along the hall they have little night light type vent thingy's which India always thinks is hot. When she was walking her doll, she stopped and said to the doll, "Wanna touch? HOT!" Then she took the doll out and put it's hand on the light and said, "See! HOT!" I was laughing soooooooooooo stinkin hard. As I thought "is this how Crystal taught her hot?"
When we were getting ready to leave the hospital to go back to CeJay and Brooke's for Christmas lunch we got a phone call from CeJay saying Cassidy had called early. We rushed over to CeJay's house. I don't think I've ever seen my mom jump out of a car so incredibly fast ever before in my entire life. She ran to the phone and talked to her little baby boy ha ha. She laughed and cried and then repeated over and over ALL day long. I was slightly annoyed when I was talking to him and mom felt the need to steal the phone after two seconds of conversation. Then lunch was ready; we let Cassidy go to talk to Crystal while we ate. He then called back and I finally got some uninterrupted time to talk to my little brother.

We all went back to the hospital and opened family gifts. India got incredibly excited when she opened the gift I gave her of boots and hair bows. India had drawn my name and gave her "Aunt Cassidy" a sweater.
Then we decided to venture home in the blizzard. An hour drive took over 2 1/2 hours!! I'm pretty sure my dad was white knuckling the steering wheel the whole way!

That my friends is how our family spent Christmas. We were so grateful for the generosity of others who made it possible for our family to spend Christmas together through such a difficult time. We'd been praying for a Christmas miracle it wasn't exactly how we'd imagined the miracle working out, but in the end it made for a Christmas which will never be forgotten!

Some Extra Pictures

Brecklyn and her cheesy smile

Help in the kitchen

Not really sure what the deal was here.

Showing off their mommy skills

A Description

This is how my friend Nelson, from Japan, described me to his mother...
Theres a girl in church her name is Cyndal Golightly and she came from Preston Idaho, shes best friends with napolean dynamite, and she races beds for fun
and shes AWESOMELY AMAZING!!!!
Not really sure as to why he felt the need to describe me to his mother. Nonetheless, I found it amusing and thought I'd share!
Thanks Nelson from Japan!

Awkward Moments of My Life...well for Today

Story Number 1
This afternoon my secretary,Lauren, and I decided to go visit some sisters in our ward. We knock on the door and hear a voice, not from above. It's a man . He says, "Who's there?" We don't answer under the impression he's talking to someone in the room. Then again we hear the voice a second time, but this time louder and most definately closer saying, "Who's there?" This time we answer, "Cyndal and Lauren." The door opens just a crack. In that crack you see a man kinda using the door as a shield. We ask to see if the person we were coming to visit was home. He told us she wasn't and then he throws in there that he's not really clothed either. Thus, the door being a shield. We simply turn our heads and hand him the gift and treat we came to give. As we walked away in sheer embarassment and laughter.

Story Number 2
My visiting teaching companion was out of town so I just asked Lauren, since she was already with me if she'd like to go. Clearly, she agreed or else that sentence would have been completely irrelevant. We knock on Hannah's door as I'm knocking, the door comes open. Nobody's answering so I kinda just kick the door a little and say, "Hello, anyone home?" Dead silence. Lauren and I are standing at the door discussing what to do. Mind you the door is STILL open! I say to Lauren, "Would you consider it creepy if I just went in a put this on her bed?" After some deliberation Lauren convinces me it's not creepy. I walk in and go to put it on the bed when suddenly I realize Hannah is sound asleep on the bed under a blanket. I loudly say "OH!" and run out laughing down the hall. Lauren stays standing at the door laughing. I motion through my laughter and crossing my legs in attempts not to pee my pants for Lauren to shut the door. Finally, she shuts it and we carry on laughing uncontrollably!

Story Number 3
After this all happens. I go to a Christmas fireside at the Institute. Sitting there I had severe attention issues. I suddenly realize the bottom of my high heel shoe is turned a little funny. I had no problem simply taking off my shoe in attempts to fix it right then and there. By this time everyone around, minus the people in front, are involved in "Operation Fix Cyndal's Shoe". The shoe isn't turning. To get a little more leverage I stick it between my legs and attempt to twist. Just as I stick the shoe between my legs the people in front of us turn around and see the action. The look on the face was one of conservative horror and a smirk of disgust. Finally, Nelson, from Japan, takes the shoe from me and after small struggles; it's all fixed and my shoe lived happily ever after on my foot!

This is why I live by the statement, "Embrace the Awkardness!"