Late Bloomer

I am coming to this post late, but felt compelled to add my two cents. I was the child in an abusive situation and later progressed to my own abusive situation with children. Whether he hits the children or not they are not safe. Through your relationship they are learning their own value. They may develope PTSD, like I did, or they will learn to deny their own dreams for the sake of someone else. The best thing you can do for your childrens wellbeing is to show them what a happy and fulfilled person looks like. You MUST leave this man. They will fight you about it, tell you they miss their father and other things, but this is because nothing is more scarry for the abused child than the unknown. This will pass and after they get used to the new freedom and the new you they will be very happy. Like you said, do this with your head not your heart. Plan your escape very carefully. I hid my valuable jewelry in my pressure cooker, I knew he'd try to destroy my things and would never look there. Leave no clues. Get a post office box and a bank account that he has no access to and no clue of there existance. Go to a lawyer now and get information, DO NOT TAKE the children to this visit. They will inadvertantly tell him something. Men and women who have no history of violence have shot their spouse when they found out it was over. Don't underestimate this fact. I live just outside of Houston, and lived in Houston for 5 years, it is very expensive. Consider moving to Katy. Memorial Hermann Katy has a very nice intership program and being a new hospital is looking for RNs. UT and Memorial Hermann Houston both have child care programs I believe. Waiting until summer to do the intership will give you time to put your escape plan into order, get in contact with the women's shelter and visit the library. There are books on what the state laws for divorce are mistakes not to make. It's hard to do, finacially devistating, and scarry as hell. After 13 years of marriage. When I left I worked two jobs making 7.50 and hour, had three kids and a $650 a month mortgage. I lost the house, had to file bankruptcy and move south to get help from family. NO help from ex-husband. I can still say it was the best thing I ever gave myself and my children. I am now in my second semester of ADN training, have a wonderful and supportive husband of 13 years and have never been happier. The main reason this will all be so difficult is because he's had 10 years to convince you your nothing. Don't buy it! You only need to look at what you've accomplished to see how capable you are. Protect yourself. Good luck.

I have just completed my first semester of ADN classes. We covered all of the IM injection sites and had to pass a checkoff. We did not practice on each other (I am glad to say, we practiced on maniquins and injection pads) and were told we did not really need to know the Z-track. It was covered in our book though. No one told me that the VG site was not recommened for use now. I gave my first two SQ injections to a patient at the end of the semester. No one in the class has reported being able to actually give an IM. Next semester starts, the first day, with IV technique. I do have a problem with the clinical setting though, it seems that most of our experiences are to be found on our own. My instructor tries to be sure we get experience with some things, but a lot of things we are expected to just ask nurses on the floor if we can do stuff. Assertiveness is highly prized. I find I am worried about doing something and then having the instructor say "where do you get off?!" doing xyz. The nurses are just too happy to have us do anything they are time pressed to do.

Went through all 42 pages to see that no one is from Wharton County Junior College, Wharton, Texas. I will start the ADN program on the 28th. Trying not to let the nervousness get a hold of me. For my sake and my future patients, I hope at the end of it all I can say it was a great school.

Celest, Your husband is so lucky to have you and to have learned so much from you that he didn't let those two fools cause him more physical pain and suffering than he was already going through. I'm not a nurse yet, but I have always believed that no one should go to the hospital without a family member present to prevent the "bad nurses" from messing you up. As in every field there are some good and some stupid people and you have to protect yourself. Focus on the good years. Good luck in the future.

I was in girlscouts and we had a first aide lesson. I was hooked. I'm one of those people who tries to be prepared for anything. As one of six children we spent a lot of time in the emergency room, stiches and the like. My mom handled broken arms and all with such calm, her ability impressed the hell out of me. So after marriage, children, divorce and re-marriage, I am finally starting ADN classes the 28th of this month. I've always wanted it and been afraid of the magnatude of it at the same time. Reading the posts on this website make me feel better prepared to avoid some of the mishaps that the rest of you had to go through. Thanks for the advance education.

I am totally overwhelmed with the advice that so many people have taken the time to give me. God bless you people!! Yes, I have accepted the ADN position. Some lucky somebody will get the LVN spot that I declined. I don't know why I make things harder on myself than need be, but this is very important to me and making the right decission is the first step. It was a red letter day when I found this website and the members that visit here. Thank you all for the push I needed.

Thanks for the advice. I wanted to go to the ADN, but have been trying for acceptance for three years so I applied to LVN. What I want the most is to be a really good nurse. ADN was my first choice, I didn't want to take the extra step of LVN. But if going there first will make me a better nurse I'll go there. I guess I'm just nervous about making the wrong decision. I thought about nursing for years before I got up the nerve to start taking the steps. Y'all are great.

I have been accepted to an LVN program and an ADN program. An LVN friend said that it's better to go into the LVN first, work for a few years and then go to ADN. The ADN training doesn't give enough clinical time. It made a lot of sense when she was telling me, but now I have the opportunity to go to the ADN program and I don't want to miss the boat. HELP!!