Oh Boy am I Feeling It

I have a part time job in a nursing home.  Back in the day, I was a nursing assistant.  Before I became a 'chemist', I had intended to go to nursing school.  But the waiting list for the nursing program was long and my patience was short.  So, at the urging of my chemistry professor, I switched programs to laboratory science and never looked back.

Until recently I was pretty fine with that.

When the rumbling at work started about the downsizing, I started to think about nursing again and wondering where I would be if I had stayed the course and gotten that RN that I wanted in the beginning.  So, just out of curiosity, I took a nutrition class.  It happens to be a requirement for the nursing program. Well, now it looks like I'm going to be a nurse.  Not anytime soon, mind you.  I can't start the actual program until next year.  But I'm getting there.  My current Human Anatomy class has enough details and booby traps to keep my head spinning and my lips moving for months.  I can't wait for the Human Physiology class next term.  Oy.

In the meantime, since my job was ending, I landed a part time gig as a nursing assistant.  I am here to testify that this is not an easy transition to make.  I've spent the last 16 years at what amounts to a desk job getting fat and out of shape.  The first two shifts last weekend at that nursing home kicked my hiney but good.  Two days later, I'm still feeling it.

Oh boy am I feeling it.

It's not pain exactly...anymore.  But I was using muscles I haven't used in that particular way for a long time.  I don't remember it being that painful when I did the job before.  But it was sixteen years ago and a lot of water and gravy has gone under this bridge in that time.  Oh, and pie.  Mmmmm...pie.  It's harder than it seems it ought to be working on your feet for eight hours at a time.  I know I'll adjust.

But I am still feeling it.

Just so I don't stray too far from the real topic of my blog, here is a gratuitous shot of my black-eyed susans.  Aren't they pretty?  They come up in this spot every year as well as some other random spot.  Enjoy!