What does a blogger say when they've left the keyboard for 4 months?

Oops. Snap. Crackle. Pop. My bad. 

I think that suffices.

That being said, I'm back. Ready and rollin' to blog once again. 

 I could give you a long life update, but I feel like that would bore the vast majority of you. To target the 5% of you that don't know what's going on in the life of Jenn, let me catch you up to speed with the top 5 biggest updates:

Roadtrip home from Phoenix--Beautiful Utah

•  I survived my summer placement in Arizona at the Mayo Clinic (see previous blogs for an idea of what I did there).I was seriously so blessed by the people of Harvest Bible Chapel North Phoenix who really took the initiative to welcome me into their family. 

•  I finished out my summer working at a place near and dear to my heart, Camp Warwick. It's a Christian camp that I was a counselor at for the summer 2010 in Warwick, New York. Love the people that work there and the kids that come every week. Such a blessing. 

A 452 mile trip from IA to WI, but a nice 2.5 hours from Chicago!

• My Dad got a new job! Therefore, we are smack-dab in the middle of a move from Alton, Iowa to Lomira, Wisconsin. This is a huge answer to prayer for our family. Moving away from all of our family and friends will be a huge adjustment for us, so continue to pray for us. The moving process should be done by Christmas. 

Roomies--Jenn, Candace, Ashley and Jill

•  I moved into my very first apartment, and am living with 3 of my closest friends. Jill, Ashley, Candace and I have been friends since my sophomore year of college, and I'm blessed to be growing alongside of them as we live together this year.  

Jordan & Karin's Wedding!
My church family at Harvest Bible Chapel Palos

•  I am in the midst of my senior year of nursing school! It seems that when I'm not doing homework, I'm studying. When I'm not studying, I am working one of my many odd jobs or serving at my church. And of course, every now and then I come up with some crazy antics to do with my friends. When I'm not doing those things, I might be sleeping. Might. 

Phew. I feel like that is an adequate catch up. All of that to say, these past few months have brought me to right here. To right now. I'm exhausted. Worn out. Too busy. I've rolled my windows up, strapped on my seat-belt, and peeled out into Jenn-Mode, running over one thing at a time. And at the end of some days...it feels like I'm out of gas and that my car took a massive beating. 

But, the beautiful thing about my life in all of this craziness, is that my Lord meets me in the midst of my brokenness. 

He meets me in my weakness, and welcomes me into His presence to lean on Him for strength. Without even realizing it, my anxious heart is molded into a heart desiring the things of the Lord. 

I rest in Him.

And I am content. 

In the midst of all of my craziness and uncertainty about my future (after all, being a SENIOR in COLLEGE is a little frightening), I have a peace that only the Lord provides. He is faithful, from generation to generation. He has never left my side. 

The past few weeks I have been working on learning a Natalie Grant song, "Your Great Name" for my church. This week I was encouraged and challenged to really meditate on the words of this song. Once again, the Lord meets me in my weakness, and draws me into his presence. Below you'll find my favorite shot of the song, a place of humble worship. 

"...every fear has no place at the sound of Your Great Name

The enemy he has to leave at the sound of Your Great Name

Jesus WORTHY is the Lamb that was slain for US

The Son of God and man You are high and LIFTED UP

And ALL the world will praise Your GREAT NAME

All the weak find their strength at the sound of Your great Name

Hungry souls receive grace at the sound of Your great Name..."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuuLBPOYcI8

To sum up this "catch up" blog...

I am content. Whatever my circumstances are, He is with me. The name of Jesus is worthy to be praised and lifted up. I can do all things and tackle on what the day throws at me only through Jesus, because He gives me strength. 

Until next time, cheers. 

jenn

phiippians 4

No Worries, I'm Still Alive

Hello all!


First off, my apologies for not being as diligent in my blog writing as I was in the first couple weeks! I have been fairly busy with my full time job at Mayo and volunteering at my church! Many of you have been emailing, and asking for a little inside look on what I do everyday...


My day starts out, bright and early, at 5:30 AM. Not a fan of that early morning stuff, but once I get my first cup of coffee, I'm good to hit the road. 



The shift starts out at a little before 7 AM, where I find my patient assignments for the day. I look over their histories, medications, lab values, and past assessments to paint a picture of what my plan of care will be for the day. I then receive report from the night nurse with my preceptor (the nurse I assist all day) and we go in the rooms to introduce ourselves. 


The morning is usually a blur or doing full body assessments, lots of computer charting, answering call lights, and passing medications. A huge change for me (but something I really appreciate) is the in-depth patient care that Mayo incorporates. There are many people who provide direct patient care for a specific patient. Each patient on the Hematology/Oncology/Bone Marrow Transplant floor has a nurse, nurse practitioner or physician assistant, social worker, dietitian, pharmacist, and attending physician. All of these people get together in a conference room for "rounds" every morning, and discuss the plan of care for the patient, and to best help them to recovery. So, every morning at about 10:00, it is my job to go into the conference room and give report to these providers. I sometimes still get very nervous, as it's super intimidating to speak to these well-educated people. BUT what I love is that ALL of these people are looking out for the best interest of the patients.
After rounds, I am usually finishing up on my charting and answering more call lights. Yesterday, I was able to sneak off the floor and attend a post-bone marrow transplant caregiver class that one of the nurses on the floor teaches. 


When looking at the population of our patients, I would say that most of our patients come in with some kind of leukemia, and are in need of a bone marrow transplant (BMT). In order to prep our patients for the BMT, they come in a few days before to receive their prep-chemo regimen. The type of chemo depends on the type of cancer the patient has, and what the provider feels will be the best form of "attack" for their specific cancer. Basically, we give them chemo, which completely wipes out their immune system, and cleans out their bone marrow. Therefore, we all have to be very careful that we prevent any type of infection. These patients are in positive-pressure rooms, on neutropenic diets (no fresh fruits or veggies), and we are constantly preaching proper hygiene (washing hands, daily showers, wearing a mask when going outside the room, etc). 

Excuse the science geek part of me...

So, after they receive their high doses of chemo and their marrow is cleaned out, we are able to do the transplant. Patients are either "auto" (receive their own cells back) or "allo" (someone else's cells). When it is transplant day, the medical team calls this "Day 0," and we also say it is their NEW birthday! Many people buy birthday cakes and throw the patient a little party. 


I helped with a transplant yesterday, and it truly is such an emotional experience. I think of the journey this patient and their family has been on, how much hurt and struggle they have gone through. This transplant day is a day of new beginnings for them. Most often, the hospital chaplain comes in right before the transplant to bless the cells, and lead the patient, family, and medical team in a blessing and prayer. I may or may not have teared up a few times (: I get so excited for the patient that this is their chance for a NEW life, and while the road/journey is far from over, this is one of the happiest days of their life. 


The BMT process takes a few hours, and basically looks like a blood transfusion. In the days to follow, many patients start to feel the effects of the chemotherapy they had a few days before, and start exhibiting flu-like symptoms. Let's just say they feel pretty crappy. 12-16 days after "Day 0" we will start to notice the patient's white blood cell counts to come up (we need white blood cells to fight infection) and we call this "engraftment." This means that the transplant cells have started multiplying in the marrow, and the patient is on their way to recovery. This is a huge victory for the patient, because this means that we can start planning for discharge. They will need a 24 hour care provider when they go home, as they are unable to do household chores, provide food, etc as this could cause infection. These patients will continue to have daily outpatient appointments for 2-3 weeks after discharge from the hospital, and will follow up with their regular provider on a regular basis. 


Some patients have a much longer road ahead of them. I have seen patients spend many months in the hospital due to Graft Vs Host Disease (GVHD). This occurs when patients are "allo" transplants, and their body rejects the cells that have been donated. This can cause organ shutdown and many more complications. 


But, anyways, in continuing on with my day, the afternoon is spent eating lunch (YUM-the cafeteria is too delish for it's own good), checking on patients, giving medications, changing dressings, and assisting other nurses. On some shifts we will have to discharge or admit patients, which is always a long process. On my downtime, my preceptor is great at educating me and encouraging me about the BMT process. She is so great! She is always looking for new ways to push me to excel, and I've learned more from her than I can say. When I first started on the Hematology/Oncology/BMT floor...I can literally say that I felt like I was in a different country where I didn't speak the language at all. Having no experience in this area stressed me out a little, but my preceptor has been so patient in teaching me! One of the things she is currently challenging me with is carrying our little phone. Let me preface this by saying I HATE talking on the phone at the hospital. I'm always terrified I'm going to mess up and look like an idiot, or not have the right answers that the providers, lab, radiology, dietary, etc is looking for! But, so far, so good! I'm still terrified of the stupid thing, but it's going better every day (:


Once it gets closer to 7 pm, we are all scrambling to finish our charting, and we give report to the night nurses! It is my personal job to do all charting (except for medication administration and provider notifications) and give updates/report to the night nurse. 


PHEW! Are you still with me? I know that was like medical-information-overload for some of you. 

Phoenix is GORGEOUS!

I know that was a lot to take in, but I felt bad that I hadn't given ya'll an update on my time here in Arizona. I truly think that this floor is such a beautiful place, and I really love it a lot! When I'm not at the hospital, I love sitting by the pool, running, skype dates, watching old movies at night, helping out at Harvest Bible Chapel North Phoenix, and getting invested in my small group here! Let me side note to HBC North Phoenix...these people are AWESOME! So warm and welcoming, and always making sure that I have company and something to do! I love working with fellow believers!


With all that being said, I feel that the lyrics to a camp song are a proper closing to this post. 


"Go now in peace, may the love of God surround you, everywhere, everywhere, you may go."


Until next time, cheers!


Jenn

It is Rookie Week in Phoenix!

HELLO from sunny Phoenix! 

Hiking at Pinnacle Peak

First off, I want to tell all of you reading how truly awesome you are. Whether you've commented on the blog, facebook'd, texted, emailed, or just prayed for me...the encouragement has been so wonderful. Having a Christian community that surrounds and uplifts me in my new challenges has been irreplaceable, praise God for that gift! 

Secondly, IT IS ROOKIE WEEK! 

No, I haven't burnt anything on the oven (yet), but I'm sure you are curious to see what I have been up to the past couple of days...after all...this is my FIRST WEEK of living by myself. I'm sure you're thinking "oh Jenn is just going to love this time of getting to relax by herself and grow as a person..." "She'll be a good cook by the end of the summer." "Jenn's so independent and crazy and outgoing, she'll make friends right away." 

blah. blah. blah.

Not gonna lie, these past couple weeks have been some of the most challenging times for me. Well rookie week (for me) translates into...who am I? Why am I here? What fears do I have coming into this summer, living by myself?

The fear of being alone for the summer, without my already solid Christian friendships and fellowship opportunities (Audra, Stacy, and Brittany left for the Midwest this week). The fear of being on the most strict budget I've ever had, and a lot of financial responsibilities to take care of. The intimidation of starting a brand new job, with people who OBVIOUSLY have more experience and confidence than I do. The fear of the uncertainty of my family's farm, and being so far away from that process. 

Now, I don't want you to look at this post and say "wow, Jenn. Way to complain the whole blog about how hard your life is." No. That is not what I'm trying to do here. I want to tie back into my first post that I ever wrote, and title for my blog, "Here Comes The Sun."

Sunset in Phoenix, not as beautiful as it is in person!

Because in the midst of intimidation and fear, we are reminded that our Father reaches out to us, so that we may draw near to him. My mind instantly flips to two places in the Bible. The first of which is Psalm 46. "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way....Be still and know that I am God."

Secondly, I think of James, chapter 1. "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." In reflecting on these specific scriptures these past few days, I can certainly say that in the midst of my fear, trials and intimidation, God has answered my prayers. 

Examples, you say?

Well, let's look at the simple day-to-day blessings that God has put in my life.

1) I have shelter over my head, and wonderful housemates who love to include me in social events. 

Hiking with Audra and Stacy at Pinnacle's Peak

2) I received a call from a pastor at Harvest Bible Chapel North Phoenix to become involved in a young adult small group on Monday nights.

3) I truly live in one of the most beautiful places. You may think it is all desert, but no. I live in a valley surrounded by mountains and large hills, perfect for hiking and seeing the wonders of creation!(:

4) I have the best friends in the entire world. Literally, the best. No matter how many miles are between us, I've been encouraged through skype calls, phone calls, text message, and in-person visits. 

5) My preceptor (the nurse I am assisting for the summer) pulled me aside this week to ask if I was a Christian. I responded with an excited "YES" and her entire face glowed as she said "So am I." In that moment, I truly felt God's hand on me, comforting me about my fears in my workplace. How amazing is the gift of Christian community? Right? Right.

So... here comes the sun. God's blessings shine down once again. 

Myself, Brit, Stacy, and Audra at the Grand Canyon

This week I encourage you, as a reader, to write down the simple gifts God has put in your life this week. Although I just reflected on a few different things, His providence is never-ending.

Look for a post soon on my first couple shifts at Mayo on the Hematology/Oncology/Bone Marrow Transplant floor (spoiler: it's pretty much awesome).

Until next time, cheers!

27 hours + 1,524 miles + 1 new tire = Arizona Roadtrip

Hello all! WE MADE IT TO ARIZONA!

I know this blog is coming a week after arriving... but better late than never, right?

Three of the four girls on the trip! Stacy, Audra, and I

We started out our trip at 4 am on Saturday morning (yes, 4 am). After time in prayer for safety on  the roads, we packed up the little Chevy Lumina and headed towards Nebraska. It was a day full of anticipation: for the cross-country road trip we were taking, for my new life in Arizona, and also the constant "hub-ub" about the "end of the world." We heard quite a few talk radio segments on the last topic (:

Speeding on through endless Nebraska (Home of the Good Life), we occupied ourselves with lots of sleeping and singing along to the Backstreet Boys/Rascal Flatts. I'm sorry that I don't have anything more to report on Nebraska...but that is honestly all that I remember! In "colorful" Colorado, we were instantly greeted by hurricane-like conditions and an overflow of tumbleweed! Continuing on through the storm, we used our creative dining skills to make sandwiches in the car, while admiring the beautiful mountains of Colorado! We literally were awestruck by the beauty of the snow-capped mountains while driving through Denver.

Making our way to Colorado Springs....tragedy struck....

Imagine with me, four college girls playing "catch phrase" while driving along the interstate and all of the sudden we hear this popping noise. We pull to the side of the road and much to our dismay we have a flat tire. 

Let me recap. 4 college girls. Flat tire. 700 miles from home. This is going to be good. 

Let me also say that along with 4 college girls comes 4 college girls' luggage. Our trunk was packed SO tight, there was no possible way we could fit anything else into it. This obviously made getting to our spare donut tire even more interesting. Therefore we spilled our entire contents of the trunk onto the side of the interstate and began trying our hand at changing a tire. Obviously when we were all unpacking the truck, we turned to each other saying "Do you know how to change a tire?" "Not really...do you?" "Well, I've never had to.." Great, just great.

Luckily for us, our knight in shining armor came racing down the road about 10 minutes after we pulled to the side. A police officer stopped and actually changed the tire FOR us (: phew. Even though this was a horrifying experience for us, it really happened at the best possible place. We had a lot of room at the side of the interstate, a police officer stopped, and there was a tire shop less than a mile away! Believe it or not, we were back on the road in less than an hour. 

We continued on through Colorado (stopping at Garden of the Gods), and rested for the night near Albuquerque, New Mexico for the night. My friend Stacy had relatives in the area, and they graciously opened up their home to us after 19 hours on the road. After receiving some southwestern hospitality, we hit the road the next day and ventured on to Phoenix!

Along the way, we stopped by the Grand Canyon! We were able to walk around and catch a beautiful sunset, admiring the work of our great God, the maker of the heavens and the earth, the creator and sustainer of everything that we see here on this Earth.  Psalm 19:1-4 says, "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world."  

After admiring such beauty, we finished the last 3 hours of our trip and were warmly welcomed into Phoenix! We've been resting and relaxing,  unpacking, and exploring the town! I have also been staying busy with orientation at the Mayo Clinic (my new home for the summer)! Sorry the picture is horrible, it's the best that my little camera phone can do! 

I think I've caught you up on most of the excitement of our trip...watch for my next blog about my first day and our adventures in Phoenix/Scottsdale! I don't have a mailing address yet, but will update you when I do. Feel free to email me at jennifer.vanderveen@trnty.edu! 

Until next time, cheers! 

Sometimes I Make Impulsive Decisions

Sometimes I make super impulsive decisions. This week? Sitting in the barber's chair and suddenly deciding that bangs would be a good move. Thoughts? I guess I'm stuck with them for a good while now! It's only hair, right?!

Gearing up for Sunny Days in Arizona

Hello my friends! I know that it has been a couple weeks since my last post, and for that I have no other excuse than the classic “I’ve been busy.” Cliche. I know. Jenn? Busy? Nah. But I guess that means I have more to write about, right? Between studying for my final nursing exams, attending a conference with my church (Harvest Bible Chapel), working, and saying my final “goodbye’s” to my friends in Chicago, I feel like I’ve hardly had time to breathe, let alone think through what I am going to blog about! Now things have finally settled down, and I’m settled back into my family’s farmtown in Iowa. As I alluded to in my first blog post, I’ve been gearing up for a lot of crazy and exciting things. Let me share them with you.

First thing is first.....my summer plans. So, let me set you straight, because the majority of you are probably confused as to what shenanigans I am up to this summer. My parents and brothers live in a small, Dutch community in Iowa, while I go to school in the big city of Chicago. Last summer, I worked at a Christian camp in New York, and had the best summer of my entire life. Going into my “last” summer (sigh) as a student, I decided to try for a ridiculous externship opportunity (side note: I don’t actually know what an externship is, but that’s what I guess nursing internships are called). I applied a lot of different places all across the country, and was honored to receive an externship position at the Mayo Clinic Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona. 

Now, what is this all supposed to consist of? I’m not really sure. I do know that I will be working on the Hematology/Oncology/Bone Marrow Transplant recovery unit (blood disorders, cancer, etc..), about 3 times a week, 7 am - 7 pm. I will be working alongside a Mayo registered nurse, and assisting her with all of her duties. My goal throughout the summer is to become more confident in my health assessment skills, and get a better idea as to what kind of unit I would like to work on next year after I graduate. As far as my living situation, I will be living in the home of a couple who both work at Mayo. I will have my own bedroom/bathroom, and will be able to use all of the kitchen appliances. The house is about 4 miles away from my place of work, and was such an answer to prayer to find! I will be sure to post pictures of both the hospital and my home as soon as I can! Other than that, I’ve been gearing up to find strong enough suntan lotion, a visor for my car to protect it from the heat, and searching for the perfect pair of necessary sunglasses (:

With all of that background, I am asking all of you to please pray for this new adventure. Pray specifically and earnestly for safe travel for my friends and I (Audra, Stacy, & Brittany) in the little lumina. We will be leaving on Saturday, the 21st of May, and will hopefully be arriving into Phoenix on the 23rd. I am so thankful for these girls to travel as my companions! They will be helping me get settled, and leave about a week after my orientation starts (a nice vacation for them)! Secondly, I ask that you pray for me in this adjustment to lay my burdens at the feet of our Lord. While I know that I can “do anything for just a summer,” I am nervous to be moving to a new place where I don’t know anyone. I am also nervous to be starting in a new hospital, and measuring up to their expectations for this competitive opportunity. Thirdly, I ask for prayers for me to be intentional with my relationships, and sharing my faith boldly to both believers and unbelievers. “At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison--that I may speak it clear, which is how I ought to speak” (Colossians 4:3-4).So, with that being said, I once again am asking you all to pray with and for me, as well as my friends traveling along with me and the family I am leaving behind. 

Well, you are all now caught up to speed with as much as I know about my Arizona adventures! I’ll be sure to update you and tell stories as soon as possible. 

So, what else is new with me?

 #1... I’m officially a SENIOR in college (WHAT?!) and can’t believe how the time has flown.

#2...Tulip Festival (my favorite time of the year in Orange City) is this week! Gotta love the pig-in-the-blankets, klompen dancing, catching up with high school friends, funnel cakes, parades, and poffertjes! 

#3...I had the best time at Harvest University last week (the conference I attended with my church) and can’t wait to be reunited with the congregation in August to work with the High School Ministry and Worship team! 

#4 I have something new to add to the list of “Jenn’s being a grown-up!” My best friends and I just signed a lease for our own apartment for next year!! I can’t wait to see what the Lord has in store for us next year. 

#5...CONGRATS to my little brother (who is now 6”3 and not so little) on making it to the Iowa State Track Meet! He will be racing in the 4x200 relay, and I wish that I could make it down to watch! Run like the wind, bullseye! (:

Now that you’re all caught up on me, I would love to hear from YOU. Email, blog post, telephone call, snail mail....all of those things are my favorite! 

Well, until next time, cheers! 

The One With The Very First Blog

 Welcome! Yes, like so many others...I have decided to write down my thoughts in form of a blog for the world to see. I'm excited to document my adventures, as well as my simple thoughts. 

Here comes the sun. Yup, it's the name of my blog. 

I'm sure you all thought of that one song by that one band (yeah, yeah, I'm well aware that I should properly site the Beatles for my blog title). However, most of the time when I read this title, I don't think of a hit song. To say "here comes the sun" means that at one point you were in complete darkness. Alone. Unable to see. Unable to discern which way to go. 

Darkness can take many different shapes. For example, families struggle, friends fall away, school becomes more demanding, and you don't have enough energy or time to process it all. For a long time I felt bogged down by the weight of my own  darkness. The constant struggle to fit in, be accepted, feel uplifted and encouraged during my times of need. Bearing the hurts of my mother, father, brothers, and extended family, both big and small. Carrying the my friends' anguish alongside of them. Feeling completely inadequate to stay in school, because I just felt like a failure and lacked a purpose for my community. All of that is heavy. Completely dark.  

But here comes the sun. Freedom from the darkness. 

It's an appropriate title for my blog. The story of my continuing journey of coming from darkness into the sunlight. Into beauty. Into warmth. Into love. Into new beginnings. 

I find it to be the perfect description of where I'm at right now in my college journey. I'm at this strange, yet wonderful point in my life where I am flooded with independence, choices, responsibilities, relationships, knowledge, and faith. I've never been here before and I don't know what it's supposed to look like. While it is far too easy to become weighed down with all these changes, I am committed into stepping into the light, by the grace of God. For it is HE who sent His Son, Jesus, to sweep me out of the darkness, into His wonderful light. Just as I eagerly wait for the times where I can say "here comes the sun" in my earthly trials, so I eagerly wait for the day when I can say "here comes the SON," and spend eternity in His light. 

This doesn't mean that I don't struggle. Not at all. It means that I have finally come to a point where I'm choosing to share my journey of looking for the sun in my life. Sharing the burdens that are on my heart, yet the joys and excitement the Lord has blessed me with. And I hope a few of you don't mind taking that journey with me. 

So here comes the sun.

I have lots of new and exciting things to share with you. Summer plans, friends, and stories of faith where the Son has shown down on me...all are things that I look forward to sharing with you. 

I promise that not all posts will be as serious as this one. 

I just figured I owed my first blogging audience an explanation for the blatant use of Beatle's lyrics. 

Until next time, cheers!