This is supposed to be my year

It has been 3 months since my last confession...I mean, blog. Where has the time gone? Don't ask me to recall what I have been up to. I have the most dodgy memory this side of the equator. When I was visiting my hometown last month, Matt (my brother) and I were lamenting over how bad our memories were. I can only remember bits and pieces from my childhood and I think I remember even less about high school and college. Friends will say, "Hey, remember when we went to that place and talked to so and so and did this and that? You were so crazy/funny/stupid/drunk (insert adjectives here)!!" I'll try to flip through the rolodex in my empty brain, and then just laugh and say "Yeah, good times!" It's terrible.

I do know that I've been going through a lot of stress lately. And according to Chinese astrology I should be having the best year of my life. I'm a Pig (go on, laugh) and this is the Year of the Pig. But so far I'm just covered in mud. Nursing school is getting more and more challenging, I had to go to the States by myself because of a glitch with Lachlan's travel visa, and someone got a hold of my debit card number and went on an Ebay shopping spree. Some good things need to start happening so I can look back and laugh at this other crap.

I recently finished a two-week clinical placement at a high-level care nursing home. I had to work the morning shift (7am-3pm) Monday through Friday and assist as many residents as I could manage along with a few of my fellow classmates. The first few days were quite traumatizing. I had to feed them, hoist them out of bed and into a shower chair/commode, change their incontinence pads, shower them/give them a sponge bath, put on their clothes, and hoist them into their wheelchairs and bring them to the activity room where they sat until lunchtime. It was too much at first - I didn't want to go back. But I forced myself to get on with it and by the end of the 2 weeks I grew quite attached to one of the residents. He was a bit like Dustin Hoffman in "Rainman" but 80 years old. I'll miss him.

My trip back to the States was fraught with anxiety, due to traveling solo and trying to work on our custody battle. For those of you who are wondering, "what's she on about?" - Lachlan and I are trying to get custody of his 5-year-old daughter Chelsea from his former marriage. Chelsea's mother is in a lot of trouble, and Chelsea has been living with her grandparents for the last 6 months or so. We are hoping to bring Chelsea to Australia and provide a good, stable life for her. Anyway, it was really bizarre being back in the States, and especially the Midwest. I think I have adapted to the Australian culture, so I felt really awkward in WI. It was lovely seeing friends and family again, but I was really glad to get back here. No offense! I hope that some of you will visit me next time.

Lachlan left for the States last weekend. He also went by himself because we can't afford to have me go back again. With all of the working in the nursing home, planning for Lachlan's trip and custody battle, and fighting off another cold, I don't even have the energy to get upset about the turd who used my debit card number to buy over $700 of items on Ebay. At least the bank has promised to get my money back, in time. I need a vacation!!

Hopefully our luck will change and Lachlan will bring Chelsea back with him to Australia. Please keep your fingers crossed! (Isn't she beautiful?)