2019 in Review

I realize that February 2020 is already almost over, but I have been reflecting on this past year a lot, and I realized that I could not draw any conclusions just by thinking. So here is my written “word vomit” if you will of the insanity that was 2019.

January:

I made the decision to move to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho to pursue a job in an ICU as a Registered Nurse. January 25th was the official move-in date to my apartment. Road tripped with my dad through the ice and snow storms of Wyoming and Montana, and we survived!

February:

On February 4th, I officially started my job at Kootenai Medical Center in the ICU. This month was filled with orientations, simulations, and getting acquainted with the unit I was on and the people I would be working with. A big shout out to my first preceptor, Shari, for showing me the ropes, keeping things interesting, making sure I was laughing, and inspiring me to be confident as a nurse and do the best work I can do. 

March:

This month was relatively low-key. I had classes and working shifts every week. Kind of like drinking from a fire hose, some would say. Shout out to Jessi, my fellow new grad who went through this residency program with me. Thanks for making me not feel as alone in my fear for the past year.

April:

Birthday month! Took myself to Quinn’s Hot Springs for my birthday. Not going to lie, it was pretty lonely, but I hadn’t gotten to know anyone quite well enough at this point. It was still a beautiful drive and a relaxing time at the springs! Finished it off with wine, ice cream, and movies. The rest of the month was, again, filled with classes and shifts on the unit. 

May:

In the beginning of this month, I took a surprise trip back home to Colorado to wish my best friend Kaylynn a happy birthday and go to her college graduation! It was an absolute blast! This was a great point to go home and remind myself of the amazing support system that I have. And even though they aren’t close by, they’re still always there for me. At the end of this month, I visited an amazing friend from Gold Arrow Camp, Blade. That’s his camp name, and also his real name now. Dr. Blade. How cute is that? Another camp friend, Hoodie, met us in Virginia as well, all the way from England! This trip was filled with sunshine, beaches, laughter, escape rooms, high ropes courses, and hugs. I’ve never met such positive human beings in my life. They filled me with such joy and gratitude. 

June/July:

These summer months were filled with working and playing around Coeur d’Alene. I wanted to really experience summer in my town, and boy, was it amazing! I hiked almost everyday, went to the lake to either float, tan, or paddle board everyday, and relished in the sunshine and people-watching. It was glorious and extremely relaxing. These summers I really became grateful for the location of my apartment being so close to downtown and the lake. It made my summer much more enjoyable to have everything so easily accessible. I was also fortunate enough to go on a family cruise with the entire extended family! We went to Mexico, Honduras, and Belize. What a wonderful time to reconnect with family.

August:

The beginning of this month, Kaylynn came to visit me! She is an amazing friend who goes way back. It was so lovely having a piece of home in my new home. She was also so brave for coming to visit before her new adventures, and she even tried paddle boarding for the first time and absolutely crushed it! This month, I also was fortunate enough to see Mumford and Sons twice! They are one of my favorite bands, and I saw them once at the Gorge Amphitheater in George, WA and another time at Fiddler’s Green Amphitheater in Colorado. They are such incredible musicians and entertainers. It was one of my favorite shows I’ve been to!

September:

A special month for sure! My childhood friend, Tony, got married! It was a beautiful, bitter-sweet day. You never realize how much people grow and change so much with a big event like a wedding. It was great to see him and his family so happy and filled with pride. Starting in September as well, I decided to take an American Sign Language course! This class was so much fun, and an item to check off the bucket list for me. Granted, I haven’t used it since, so not as much stayed as I would have liked, but it was a fun and challenging experience that I will cherish!

October:

This month I finally experienced Seattle for the first time! I visited my friend from nursing school, Madi! She is a stellar Labor and Delivery nurse in the city and was the most generous host and tour guide. We walked all over the city and had amazing food! It was so nice to talk to a fellow new-grad nurse about her experiences, although very different from my own. We also got to see Noah Kahan! For those of you who don’t know, he is my favorite musician! Such amazing music and a fun performer! Blew my mind with his talent, and it was so fun to experience it with Madi as well!

November:

This month finished off with a quick trip home for Thanksgiving after Thanksgiving. The Saturday after, my family and friends gathered for a relaxed dinner and catching up. It was wonderful to see family and see Colorado for this short time. 

December:

This month, I got certified to take care of more challenging patients at work! I learned how to cool patients who’ve had cardiac arrests to preserve brain function, how to manage patients on balloon pumps to help coronary blood flow, and how to manage patients who need continuous renal replacement therapy (patients who are too critical for normal dialysis). I now have taken all of these patients and it’s super fun to have new challenges at work! Ryan also came to visit for Christmas! This was so much fun! We took walks to take pictures, had hilarious meals, laughed way too much, and got to really hang out, which we’ve never done just us. We then flew to Sacramento, CA for a post-Christmas hang with our parents and extended family. It was so fun catching up and adventuring with everyone! We visited the capitol building, walked around some shops, and had huge family dinners. I flew back to Idaho on New Years Eve and got to see the fireworks on the lake to ring in the new year! I also did the polar plunge to start off strong for a year full of challenges, adventures, and new experiences!

January 2020:

On the 22nd, I flew to LA, then China, and then Thailand for my three-week adventure in this beautiful country! More posts to come about each place in Thailand! 

To those who have followed my blog and experiences in 2019- thank you! Your support has gotten me through some incredible times: both wonderful and challenging. I am so grateful for the opportunities that I have been given, for the people I love, and for this amazing thing we call LIFE. 

Cheers to a wild 2020!

Rach