2014: My Personal Year in Review

-What was the best thing that happened to me this year? I was given the chance to spend 8 months with my sister and nephew before they moved across the world (literally). Also, I got into grad school and found a job that I love.

-What did I do this year that I’m really proud of? I got straight A's my first semester in graduate school despite all of the other things going on. 

-Who did I really help? As I was still an ICU nurse until August I'd have to say many of my patients. I wish there were more beyond that, but this year was the year that others were there for me rather than vice versa.

-Who do I need to thank and acknowledge for having been there for me? This is going to be a long list due to the many unfortunate things that have happened over the year so I'm just going to list the ones that immediately come to mind: Alister, my parents, Dick & Katie, Lyndsey B., Erin G., my therapist, my shrink, Chloe B., my vet Dr. Neligon, my neighbors across the street Tony & Shonda, Alex & Sam, John A., Tracy T., Melissa H., Katy R., my "regular" coworkers (and by regular I mean the ones I work with the most): Tangue T., Rachel W., Melody M., & Cathy M., my very understanding manager Trish, and Pat & Joyce,

If I forgot anyone I sincerely apologize. It was a long and rocky year, and thankfully there were a lot of people who helped me through some hard times.

-What are the top three lessons I learned?

1. When at first you don't succeed, keep trying, even if it really sucks to do so.
2. There is almost always a light at the end of the tunnel.
3. No matter how bad things are, rest assured that at least someone out there in the world has it way worse.

-What increased my happiness and joy this year? That's a really hard question, because as many of you know I came close to having a nervous breakdown earlier in the year. I also have 4 pets who battled health issues pretty much the entire year and that was incredibly stressful too. Additionally, as I'm writing this, I have a very uncomfortable stent in my ureter that is there due to my massively uncomfortable kidney stones. So in terms of happiness and joy, if I had to think of something, I'd pick all the time I got to spend with my nephew and sister the first 2/3 of the year. It was sad when they left for Japan but I was blessed to spend time with them January-September and I won't ever forget it.

-What’s something I got through that was really tough? I honestly have to say my first semester of graduate school. Everyone in the program, and everyone I know who's been in NP school, all said that first semester was the hardest, so surviving it was my proudest and my toughest time this year. In addition to grad school I'd also have to say my near nervous breakdown which just so happened to occur during my first semester of school. If it weren't for everyone listed above and Pfizer (who just so happens to make Xanax), I may have actually had one.

-What did I avoid that I must pay more attention to in 2015? My health. I continually put off healthy eating, exercising, and getting enough sleep, and my well-being definitely suffered. Not only do I need to do more to prevent future kidney stones but I need to be in better shape so that I don't get short of breath running upstairs. I know I'm in my 30's, but I consider myself too young to be acting like a 70 year old man with COPD.

-What character trait did I develop most this year? Perseverance. Grad school and life have given me that this year and it looks like I'll be needing it the next few.

-What new people did I meet that are now in my life? All of the people in my grad school class. While it's an online program, we do meet on campus several times and I've had the pleasure of getting to know some really neat people.