Life and Nursing School.

beth66335, BSN, RN · Jul 23, 2008

I feel for you. I am 41 and I have 2 teenagers, but I have told them since before NS that if they want fancy stuff they can get it when they are grown up and out on there own! I don't owe them anything but food and necessary clothes and a roof! They know that life will get back to normal in just 1 more (fairly) short year, lol! As for savings, I hear you, we don't qualify for aid because my hubby's salary is just above the limit, but they don't take into account living and three kids to feed! Fortunately I go to a CC, so the tuition is not killing us...yet, but we have had a little help from family as well! Feel free to vent anytime...we are all here for you!

NurseJeanB · Jul 23, 2008

Hello sister student,

I am 40 turning 41 and I quit my job of 21 years to pursue nursing as well. I have only one 15 year old son, but he is high maintenance. I just got back from a trip to San Diego for a soccer tournament, and there were boys down there whose parents were there, but didn't have money to pay for hotel or food, so the rest of the team had to pitch in the money. I didn't mind, but it means we have to put off some house repairs. Doesn't it seem like when you most need stuff to work, it all decides to break down? Craiglist is a great resource for free appliances. In addition, our 12-13 year old dog has just been diagnosed with a cancerous tumor, which the vet wants 3000 dollars to debulk (they said they can't remove it all) and to treat it completely we would need to operate and then follow with radiation at 4000 dollars. All that with no guarantee that it will buy her any additional time. I am considering taking out a small home loan, but that just seems like such a bad idea in these scary economic times.

Many hugs to you and wishes that it will all work out. Take care,

Jean

Jules A, MSN · Jul 23, 2008

I just wanted to add for prospective nursing students reading this that you don't necessarily need to quit your job to go to nursing school. Many of my fellow students worked some even full time and although it is hard we did great without going in the hole financially.

Hang in there. Wishing all of you the best especially the sick pooches, Jules

goodstudentnowRN · Jul 23, 2008

I feel your pain. I will be finishe in may too and everything around me is falling apart. I wish that I could sleep and be awaken in may. I know it hard. I am basically a single parent with two kids and it is really rough on me. I work full time and go to school full time. Life is very rough presently but it will get better. We can do it!! Be positive!

michigansstudent · Jul 23, 2008

All these stories sound the same. It is so nice not to feel alone in this overwhelmed mother moment. LOL. I too have two teenage boys at home and one in college. I was fretting about the cost of books for me and the one at Oakland University when my youngest piped up with "I cant start high school without new clothes. I mean I need the best stuff It's high school!" Ugh. I try to keep my priority's straight but college books and high school attire are right up there with food I guess. I cant leave the little one out, that seems to happen too often. He gets hand me down everything and he is starting high school. Maybe I will have to bust out the plastic for this school shopping trip. I guess I need to be thankful that this will be the first time I have ever had to charge clothes for my children!

The house is still a mess, the dishwasher is broke, and I have a light bulb burned out in this room and no new light bulbs in the cabinet!!!!!!! hee-hee. That's all i can do. Peace to all of you and your crazy houses!

brandy1215 · Jul 23, 2008

although i was just venting, it brought tears to my eyes to know that i am not alone. thanks all for understanding i will make it ( not sure about my doggie, whom i love dearly). we can do it, spoiled teenagers, sick dogs, broke down house and all. may '09 please hurry!!!!!!!!!!!!!:bowingpur

rnmomtobe2010 · Jul 24, 2008

God will provide....THE END!!!!

shoegalRN, RN · Jul 24, 2008

Oh, I'm sooo there. I, too, left a good paying job of 14 years to pursue nursing full time. But the kick was I got offered a very generous package to leave and I jumped on the chance. I have a soon to be 12 year old who so far is apprecative of his clothes, but video games and gadgets are a different story.

My basement flooded from the rotten out gutters which cost me a small fortune to replace. Then I had to replace the carpet in the basement, along with the floor boards and then it was discovered I have black mold. Then I had to get a foot of each wall removed. Did I mention I just painted my basement? And here's the kicker. When the contractor came to remove the walls, he discovered there was no installation, just sheet rock on top of paneling. And that's really funny, considering I paid a guy a small fortune 4 years ago to put installation (that I purchased myself) in the walls.

My school is also having trouble with financial aid. I've been to the financial aid office several times because I have not received an award letter for the next semester. This is the first semester I actually qualify for grants and I got some scholarships and I'm anxious to see how much I will be awarded. I need to plan for the next 5 months as best as I can financially and the financial aid office don't have a clue with the award letters will be out, and we start the Fall semester August 20th.

So, I had to take money out of my 401-K plan which I hate to do, but you just gotta do what you gotta do.

I can't wait until May gets here! I'm tired of this grind!

motivated2nurse · Jul 24, 2008

Hey, nurse2be09, I feel your pain, maybe this experience is just to make us stronger. Thanks for sharing.

LMRN10 · Jul 24, 2008

I'm sorry your feeling that way!!! But yes, I can relate...I do feel like things can just STOP until I'm done! It is very stressful, but look at you - less than one year!!! It is so hard, I know. But if you are determined, I know you can make it work!!! So darn close, yet so far away - I hear ya!

Best of luck!!

mom4jesus · Jul 24, 2008

I can relate to this so much. It seems that things always happen when I go to nursing school. I am getting ready to start the RN program at a local cc. I am currently an LPN that has been a sahm for the last fifeteen years. I am going back to finish my dream. This means big changes in our life. I am currently homeschooling three of my seven children. My eighteen year old decided that mom and dad where too hard on him and moved in with his married sister. All we wanted him to do was get a job and pay his insurance. He is out of school and we can't afford the extra $500/ 6 months. My twenty-one year old is still at home , but thinking of getting married soon. My fifteen year old has to see a pediactic cardiologist next week for an irregular heart beat, dizziness, and chest pain. My husband is an over the road truck driver and can't be here through the week to help out. It was this way when I went to LPN school. It seems that a lot of things go wrong when we are already stressed to the max. But we can all do this. It depends on how much we want to reach our goal. I miss nursing. I am ready to go back because my children are all older and I can't see myself being home alone for the rest of my life. Just remember we can do this!!