Patricia benner description of a competent nurse nurse

Hi. I am currently a nursing student. Graduating this December with my BSN. My cumulative GPA is 3.9 and I am planning to apply to ICU. And I have few questions. 1. Is 1-2 years ICU experience enough to apply to CRNA schools? 2. Two of my top CRNA schools require Organic chemistry 1 without lab. I have taken essentials of organic chemistry which I think is slightly different than organic chemistry 1 but essentially might be similar based on the course description I have read. How will I know if the program will accept the organic chemistry I took or will require me to take another organic chemistry?? 3. Does it matter if I work in level 1, 2, 3, or 4 trauma center hospital?? In my research few people said acuity level only affects ER and trauma unit but few people said CRNA school wants 1 or 2... what is ur take on this? 4. I wanted to prepare for GRE early but I also want to study for ICU materials, but also have to retake statistic because it's going to be more than 5 years by the time l apply, should I prioritize studying for ICU first then take statistic then study for GRE and CCRN??? (Ofc after I pass NCLEX, sigh I always struggled with preparing early so plz don't judge) 5. what are some tips on getting involved in leadership roles, in committees and volunteering and securing shadowing opportunities?
Thank you for your time and please be kind.

I am a CNA (PCA) working in a hospital currently. I have some nurses asking me to do things I’m pretty sure I’m not supposed to do, and when I refuse they get mad at me. Should I ask my manager for a document explaining my job description and scope of practice? Also how should I word that email when I write it?

Born in ‘62. Grew up in SW Pennsylvania. Rough times as a teenager.
How many folks here were affected by the seemingly overnight end of US manufacturing dominance?
My dad was an extremely competent blue-collar worker. He lived and died for his employer.
The crap hit the fan for us in ‘76-‘77. My dad lost his job and suddenly everything was different.
My mom was a labor + delivery nurse, so we had a basic level of income. My dad worked as a day laborer for 4-5 years, but man that was a rough patch.
I’ve done fairly well for myself and my family, but I will never, ever forget that period. Can’t afford a barber to cut your hair in high school? Can’t afford to go to the prom? Those were the greatest insults to my self-centered self of all time.
I look back and I’m amazed at how my parents kept it together.
Has anyone else been affected by the ‘70’s disruptions? Gas lines, loss of jobs.
For me, I internalized this stuff. I still have a chip on my shoulder - which is totally irrational, I know.
Folks involved in this regard, how did it affect you, and how did it work out?

This week’s vintage batch feature’s Sheaffer’s Balance in the main, with no less than 9 Balances to choose from, including 6 strange birds from Canada with so-called “reverse trim” and 2 oversized Premiers in 2 of the scarcer colors. Gold-filled Snorkel set in box with papers thrown in for good measure. As always, all pens are fully restored and ready to write.
 
ALBUM & TIMESTAMP
 
Pastable link: https://imgur.com/a/L4ZMl5b
 
Condition (n.b.): All pens listed below have been disassembled, cleaned and restored with new sacs installed in the last couple weeks. Each of these pens is guaranteed to fill and write as designed without leaks or other problems. Nibs have been adjusted when necessary to ensure that all lay down a smooth and consistent line.
THESE PENS HAVE NO CRACKS, CHIPS, PERSONALIZATIONS, LOOSE OR MISSING PARTS, BENT NIBS, MISALIGNED TINES, BROKEN/WORN OFF TIPPING, OR THREADING ISSUES.
 
Line Widths and Writing Samples: To provide buyers with as much information as possible, I have started to adopt the following line width standards: XXF (.1-.2mm); XF (approx .3mm); F (approx .4mm); M (approx .6mm); B (approx .8mm). Nib flexibility is determined by variation (max line width under pressure) and softness (amount of pressure). Flexibility designations based on variation generally run as follows for an XF/F nib: Semi-Flex (approx. 1mm); Flex (1.2-1.9mm); Superflex (>2mm). All line width measurements are taken with a digital caliper but should be considered approximations providing a general guide. Width may vary slightly depending on type of ink and paper used as well as amount of pressure applied. All writing samples are on Rhodia dot paper using Waterman Serenity Blue.
 
 
NOTE: Pens #1-5 and #8-9 in this batch have been restored with silicone sacs to preserve their color. Some silicone sacs are known to cause ink to seep from the nib in certain conditions, e.g. when the pen is carried or isn’t stored nib-up. If this is a concern to you, I’d be happy to install a latex sac before shipment on request at no extra charge.
 
1. c.1936 Canadian Sheaffer Balance 5-30 (Golden Brown, celluloid, NPT, lever filler, 14k Two-Tone F nib). This full-length, standard girth model measures 5 7/16” capped. When one looks into the Balances produced by Sheaffer Canada at their Toronto factory in the 30s, things get weird and none of the usual rules apply. With the exception of the (always) slender Balance Junior, all known versions of the Golden Brown, Marine Green, and Carmine striated Balances in US catalogues have gold-plated trim. Yet this one and those to follow have nickel plating. It was common to refer to this as a “reverse-trim” model, which is true from the American standpoint yet perhaps presumptive for Canadian pens. All 4 striated colors are represented among these first 4 pens (Roseglow is a different pattern altogether). And the only nickel-plated US clip with a Sheaffer’s imprint had a flat ball while the balls of these clips are round. This is to say nothing of the two-toned "Made in Canada" nibs, which resemble a Feather Touch nib but are marked 5-30 (a marking phased out in the early 30s before the striated colors were introduced). All of this makes for a rather unusual group of pens, one that combines the most attractive trimmings of the Balance over the course of its production IMHO. So scarce is this pen and the next 5 that I'd be willing to bet you won't find another like them for sale on any online storefront. But all of this may register as little more than esoterica to anyone but the most devoted Sheaffer nut. In any case, these are very pretty pens for those who prefer white metal and they are all delightful writers. 14k two-tone Sheaffer Balance 5-30 nib lays down a smooth and consistent F line (see WRITING SAMPLE). Condition: near mint [B+]. These Canadian Balances (pens #1-6) come from my own collection, some 20 years in the making. I focused on pens with white metal trim and these Canadian models were the only striated Balances Sheaffer made with it (aside from the Grey pen below and some exceptionally rare, off-catalogue pens). They are the culmination of 2 decades hunting the best examples I could find. Accordingly, this pen is in museum-quality condition, like a time-capsule artifact. Nickel-plated trim, which was especially susceptible to brassing and corrosion, is pristine with no brassing and just a couple pin-sized spots of wear on the sides of the clip ball visible under a loupe. Celluloid has a smooth, lustrous surface with no deep scratches or other notable blemishes - scarcely even any microscratches. Ink-view window has yellow color and excellent transparency. Canadian manufacturer imprint with 1936 patent date on barrel is factory deep and fully legible. On their own, this pen and the following are unusual finds for the Sheaffer collector; to find these available together is downright rare. Price: $210 SOLD
 
2. c.1936 Canadian Sheaffer Balance 5-30 (Marine Green Striated, celluloid, NPT, lever filler, 14k Two-Tone F Stub nib). This full-length, standard girth model measures 5 1/2” capped. Everything mentioned about the aberrances of the Golden Brown pen above applies to this pen as well: you will not find a Marine Green striated Balance with nickel-plated trim in US catalogues. For more info about this unusual Canadian model with “reverse trim,” see the description of pen #1 above. 14k two-tone Sheaffer Balance 5-30 nib is a Factory Stub nib that lays down a smooth and consistent F line on the down-strokes and XF line on the cross-strokes (see WRITING SAMPLE). A nice nib for adding shading to one’s everyday writing. Condition: near mint [B+]. See description of pen #1 for the personal history of these first 6 pens. This pen is also in museum-quality condition. Nickel-plated trim, which was especially susceptible to brassing and corrosion, is pristine with no brassing or other notable blemishes. Celluloid has a smooth, lustrous surface with no deep scratches or other notable flaws - scarcely even any microscratches. Ink-view window has yellow color and excellent transparency. Canadian manufacturer imprint on barrel is only slightly weakened and still fully legible. Price: $230 SOLD
 
3. c.1936 Canadian Sheaffer Balance 5-30 (Grey Pearl Striated, celluloid, NPT, lever filler, 14k Two-Tone XF nib). This full-length, standard girth model measures 5 1/2” capped. For more info about this unusual Canadian model, see the description of pen #1 above. Unlike the other 3, Grey Pearl striated was made in the US with nickel-plated trim, but not like this with a full ball-clip stamped “Sheaffer’s.” 14k two-tone Sheaffer Balance 5-30 nib lays down a smooth and consistent XF line (see WRITING SAMPLE). Condition: near mint [B+]. See description of pen #1 for the personal history of these first 6 pens. This pen is also in museum-quality condition. Nickel-plated trim, which was especially susceptible to brassing and corrosion, is pristine with no brassing or other notable blemishes. Celluloid has a smooth, lustrous surface with no deep scratches or other notable flaws - scarcely even any microscratches. Ink-view window has orange color and excellent transparency. Canadian manufacturer imprint on barrel is factory deep and fully legible. Price: $190 SOLD
 
4. c.1940 Canadian Sheaffer Balance 5-30 (Carmine, celluloid, NPT, lever filler, 14k Two-Tone F Semi-Flex nib). This full-length, standard girth model measures 5 1/2” capped. Everything mentioned about the aberrances of the Golden Brown pen (#1 above) applies to this pen as well: you will not find a Carmine striated Balance with nickel-plated trim in US catalogues. Still more strangely, the desirable Carmine color was a latecomer, being introduced in 1940. So this pen has a 1940 color with an early 1930s model code and trim configuration. For more info about this unusual Canadian model with “reverse trim,” see the description of pen #1 above. Semi-Flexible 14k two-tone Sheaffer Balance 5-30 nib lays down a smooth and consistent F line that widens to a 2B or so (approx 1.1mm) under moderate pressure. A nice choice for adding subtle shading to everyday writing (see WRITING SAMPLE). Condition: excellent+ [B+]. See description of pen #1 for the personal history of these first 6 pens. Nickel-plated trim, which was especially susceptible to brassing and corrosion, is pristine with no notable blemishes aside from two short (approx 3mm) slivers of brassing on the side edges of the lever near the center visible under a loupe. Celluloid has a smooth, lustrous surface with no deep scratches or other notable flaws - scarcely even any microscratches. Ink-view window has yellow color and excellent transparency. Canadian manufacturer imprint on barrel is weakened but still fully legible under a loupe. Price: $250 SOLD
 
Bundle Price for #1-4: $750 (for posterity sake, it’d be nice to see these exceptionally well-preserved examples kept together in a Sheaffer collection)
 
5. c.1936 Canadian Sheaffer Balance 5-30 (Golden Brown, celluloid, NPT, lever filler, 14k Two-Tone XF nib). This full-length, standard girth model measures 5 1/2” capped. Everything mentioned about the aberrances of the Golden Brown pen (#1 above) applies to this pen as well. For more info about these unusual Canadian models with “reverse trim,” see the description of pen #1 above. This pen and the next are made still more unusual by virtue of their peculiar, WASP-like dagger clips that're known to crop up from time to time (WASP was a sub-brand of W.A. Sheaffer Pen Co.). 14k two-tone Sheaffer Balance 5-30 nib lays down a smooth and consistent XF line (see WRITING SAMPLE). Condition: excellent [B]. See description of pen #1 for the personal history of these first 6 pens. Nickel-plated trim, which was especially susceptible to brassing and corrosion, is clean aside from a peppering of wear to the top of the clip and cap band on the sides of the cap. Celluloid has a smooth, lustrous surface with no deep scratches or other notable flaws - scarcely even any microscratches. Ink-view window has yellow color and excellent transparency. Canadian manufacturer imprint on barrel is factory deep and fully legible. Price: $190 SOLD
 
6. c.1936 Canadian Sheaffer Balance 5-30 (Jet Black, celluloid, NPT, lever filler, 14k Two-Tone XF nib). This full-length, standard girth model measures 5 5/8” capped. Everything mentioned about the aberrances of the Golden Brown pen (#1 above) applies to this pen as well. For more info about these unusual Canadian models with “reverse trim,” see the description of pen #1 above. This pen is made still more unusual by virtue of its peculiar, WASP-like dagger clip that's known to crop up from time to time (WASP was a sub-brand of W.A. Sheaffer Pen Co.). 14k two-tone Sheaffer Balance 5-30 nib lays down a smooth and consistent XF line (see WRITING SAMPLE). Condition: excellent- [B-]. Nickel-plated trim, which was especially susceptible to brassing and corrosion, is clean aside from moderate brassing to the cap band and two short (approx 2-3mm) slivers of brassing on the side edges of the lever near the center visible under a loupe. Celluloid has a smooth, lustrous surface with no deep scratches or other notable flaws - scarcely even any microscratches. Ink-view window has amber color and decent transparency. Canadian manufacturer imprint with 1936 patent date on barrel is factory deep and fully legible. Price: $150 SOLD
 
7. c.1936 Sheaffer Balance Statesman (Golden Brown, celluloid, GPT, lever filler, 14k Two-Tone M “Waverly” nib). This full-length, standard girth model measures 5 1/2” capped. The Statesman was one step down in size from the oversized Balance Premier but was sold for the same price ($10.00). This one is made of Golden Brown striated celluloid complemented by gold-plated furniture. Streamlined radius clip, white dot signifying Sheaffer's lifetime guarantee, and transparent ink-view section window for checking ink level. 14k two-tone Sheaffer Lifetime nib has a slightly upturned point from the factory in the “Waverly” style to enhance smoothness (see DETAIL PHOTO). It lays down a smooth and consistent M line (see WRITING SAMPLE). Condition: near mint [B+]. Gold-plated trim is pristine with no brassing or other noteworthy blemishes. Celluloid has a smooth, lustrous surface with no deep scratches or other notable flaws - scarcely even any microscratches. Ink-view window has orange color and excellent transparency. Manufacturer imprint on barrel is factory deep and fully legible. Price: $240
 
8. 1934-5 Sheaffer Oversized Balance Premier (Grey Pearl w/ Red Veins, celluloid, GPT, lever filler, 14k Two-Tone F/M nib). This oversized model has a thick girth and measures 5 9/16” capped. This pen is made of celluloid in a color patten consisting of grey pearl marble interspersed with brilliant red veins. Made for just 4 years from 1931-5, it’s one of the most difficult OS Balance colors to track down (this is the first I’ve ever offered in 20 years of sales). And it’s especially tough to find clean since it was prone to discoloration, cracks, and destabilization of the plastic – flaws completely absent from this example. Gold plated trim including flat ball clip. White dot signifying Sheaffer's lifetime guarantee. 14k two-tone oversized Lifetime Balance nib lays down a smooth and consistent F/M line (see WRITING SAMPLE). Condition: excellent/excellent+ [B+]. Color is superb – evenly grey across barrel and cap. Gold-plated trim is exceptionally clean with no notable blemishes aside from a triangular spot of brassing on each side of the cap band (see timestamp photo) and typical spots on the sides of the clip ball. Thinning to the Rhodium plating on the nib. Celluloid has a smooth, lustrous surface with no deep scratches or other notable flaws - scarcely even any microscratches. No signs of crystallization or destabilization of the celluloid. Manufacturer imprint on barrel is factory deep and fully legible. Price: $630 SOLD
 
9. 1934-5 Sheaffer Oversized Balance Premier (Ebonized Pearl, celluloid, GPT, lever filler, 14k Two-Tone XF nib). This oversized model has a thick girth and measures 5 1/2” capped. Made of celluloid embedded with genuine abalone chips, Ebonized Pearl is one of the most sought after Balance colors. The chips of iridescent mother of pearl are a sight to behold in person, coruscating and refracting different colors under light. Oversized Balances are less common than smaller catalogued sizes but an OS Balance in Ebonized Pearl (made for only 5 years) is also tough to find. Gold-plated furniture including earlier, flat ball "Sheaffer's" clip. White dot on cap signifying Sheaffer's Lifetime guarantee. 14k two-tone oversized Lifetime Balance nib lays down a smooth and consistent XF line (see WRITING SAMPLE). Condition: excellent+ [B+]. Gold-plated trim is pristine with no brassing or other notable flaws. Celluloid has a smooth, lustrous surface with no deep scratches or other notable flaws – a couple pin-sized nicks but scarcely even any microscratches. Manufacturer imprint on barrel is factory deep and fully legible. Price: $590 SOLD
 
10. 1950s Sheaffer Snorkel Triumph Set in Box w/ Papers (GF, lined pattern, Snorkel filler, 14k Two-Tone XF nib). This full-sized model measures 5 9/16” capped. This matching FP and twist-activated MP set comes in its original factory box with leaflet with filling instructions: BOX1 BOX2. Less common gold-filled exterior with repeating 5-line pattern. Cartouche for engraving on barrel indicates this being a slightly later model (see Jim Gaston's excellent article on these and other details of the Triumph model here). The pen features Sheaffer's famous Rube Goldberg Snorkel filling system, which provides a clean fill even from the very bottom of the bottle since only the Snorkel tube needs to be submerged (see DETAIL PHOTO). To fill one: (1) turns the blindcap to fully extend the Snorkel tube; (2) pulls the blindcap back to fully extend the pump; (3) submerses the Snorkel tube in ink; then (4) depresses the blindcap back into the barrel with one smooth stroke. Two-toned triumph nib with upturned Waverly-style point lays down a smooth and consistent XF line (see WRITING SAMPLE). Typifies the smoothness and versatility of Sheaffer's upturned nibs. Condition: excellent+ [B+] Smooth, lustrous surfaces with no brassing, dents, dings, or notable blemishes to FP or MP apart from one dent on the top of the FP that can only be seen from the top – a very common flaw found on these GF models (see DETAIL PHOTO). All seals and sac were replaced and the pen now fills to factory capacity with no leaks and good pressure – shoots ink like a squirt gun if you’re feeling mischievous. MP is fully operational, propelling, retracting, and gripping lead as designed. Price: $260 SOLD
 
 
 
Shipping: Pens purchased on the weekend are mailed on Tuesday. Otherwise they are mailed within 2 business days of payment. All pens that do not come with their original boxes are packaged in PVC or thick plastic tubes to protect them in transit. To CONUS locations the following shipping options are available:

• USPS First-Class with tracking for $5 Due to the delivery delays that continue under postmaster general DeJoy, I strongly recommend that the Priority shipping option be chosen. All packages will include full insurance (covered by me). Rest assured that a full refund is guaranteed (issued through Paypal) in the event of a lost parcel and you will not have to wait until I receive a reimbursement from the USPS.
  
• USPS Priority with tracking for $9
  

International Customers: Please contact me for shipping quote if located abroad (delivery confirmation required). (Note: due to the issues stated above, my international shipping options are currently limited. PM for more info). Please do not ask me to commit mail fraud by altering the declared value of a pen for customs. Not only am I registered as a business but shipping insurance is based on declared value.
New York Customers: For tax purposes, I am now required to add an 8% sales tax on any sale made in the state of NY. If your shipping address is in NY state, please let me know before payment to receive an adjusted total. Discounted shipping is included for NY State residents to help defray the extra cost.
Ordering: Pens are placed on hold for the first person to reply to the thread and PM me with firm request to purchase (no chat DMs please). A request with the words “I'd like to purchase [pen number]” would be best to avoid confusion), to which I’ll reply with payment details. Please note that a message inquiring into a price discount does not suffice to place a pen on hold. If I haven't received Paypal payment within 24 hrs after a hold is placed, then pen(s) may become available to the next person.
Payment, & Guarantee: Payment by Paypal only. All pens are guaranteed to be in the condition in which I've described them. If I've missed something objectionable or the filling mechanism is not fully functional, the buyer may contact me up to 7 days after receiving the pen for a full refund (issued once I receive the pen back in the same condition as sold). Buyer must ship the return no later than 2 weeks after it was delivered to receive a refund. I've sold pens online for over a decade. Please check my past listings here as well as on the classifieds and historical sales forums on FPN (username: Estragon) and FPGeeks (popcod) for some of my previous offerings.
 
 
 
OTHER OPEN LISTINGS

• Flexible Waterman 92 1/2
• Superflex Waterman 0552 1/2 Overlay
  
• Waterman Nurse’s Sets
  
• Off-Catalogue Sheaffer Stubby Balance Lifetime
  
• Psychedelic Bayard Excselsior
  
• Waterman Taperite Citation
  
• Conklin Enduras, Nozac
  

Continuation of Part 1: PSA to newbie premeds: If you are considering UF, consider yourself warned. (PART 1) :
You're going to want to read part 1 first.
This is going to make even more people mad. But I don't care. Downvote me all you want, it doesn't change the reality of this school and city. Summary is at end.
EDIT #1: I am now prefacing this with the fact that my experience as a premed was relatively successful at UF. I maintained a 3.9 GPA as a double major in the Honors college. I earned a 95th-99th percentile MCAT score. I had nearly 1000 hours as a PCA at Shands at the time of my med school application. I had over 500 hours of community-based volunteering, and around 300 hours of medically relevant volunteering. I am a native Floridian of South Asian descent. I ended up getting into a decent, northeastern medical school (US news rank ~40-60, if that means anything). I am thankful to have been successful. But I saw too many other premeds lose their dreams. Sorry if they don't elicit your sympathy.
Over competition/Lack of Opportunities:
There are MULTIPLE opportunity problems at UF. I missed around 30-35 hours of volunteering due to competition. I'm serious - I’m not joking when I say that when UF Shands opens up the volunteering application at 9 AM, ALL 150 OPEN spots fill up in 10 minutes. FLAT. That’s it – you can’t volunteer that semester at Shands. I learned my lesson the next semester and was ready to pounce. Actually, search up that in ufl. And don’t blame the volunteering office (some of the nicest people you'll meet!) – they’re doing their best, but there is only so much space at a hospital for a bunch of desperate premeds. I know for a fact that Orlando and Tampa don’t have NEARLY this level of competition. But we are in Gainesville with a school with a bunch of neurotic premeds, so…
Also, research opportunities are scant for an undergrad. Expect to email >30 profs for months until you get one potential reply. I know at least at FSU (my ex goes there), that there is nowhere near that level of competition for lab positions. If you decide to attend UF, make sure that you hit the ground running on day one, and hope that you end up at a non-toxic lab. One of my friends ended up at a lab with a very toxic and manipulative PI, and she just left… after spending over a year there. A year wasted for this smart and dedicated premed. I’ve seen this too often, especially since there is no accountability for researchers who do this type of practice. I mean, this happens everywhere, so it's nothing special. But UF is not a "special school" for research.
Getting leadership and high-quality community service is also competitive as well. For example, there is a clinic here in Gainesville that serves underserved people, which is a great experience. It has a waiting list of 6 months. At least that’s how long it took me to get in, it’s probably longer than that for other students. Also, the head guy is a POS, he lied to people about the “connections” he has to good schools, but now he won’t even write letter of recs for students who have served reliably for years. Keep in mind that Greek Life and prehealth orgs gatekeep good opportunities often, so if you don’t have the time or the connections, you won’t get the unique experiences that make you a standout applicant. Greek Life notoriously gatekeeps student government, so if you want to get involved in student government, and you’re not willing to fork over thousands for Greek Life every semester, you are straight outta luck, friend.
Also, forget about getting a job as a CNA or EMT if you’re not in Gainesville over the summer. And don’t even think about being well-compensated. This city is flush with nursing students, prePA, and premeds who are ALL competing for the same kind of low-quality underpaid bedside jobs that are plentiful in larger cities like Tampa, Jax, and Orlando. Premed and prePA schools heavily favor applicants with experiences as CNAs or EMTs, and you for sure won’t find them easily at UF.
Easiness of living/Quality of life:
Next, don’t underestimate the Cost of Living in Gainesville… when you tabulate all of your actual expenses (student loans really removes the responsibility), Gainesville is expensive as hell for a “medium-sized city”! That is, unless you’re living in Miami; Gainesville COL is still higher than most of Florida. Specifically, there’s just a handful of companies that control the renting situation here in Gainesville and they’re all in cahoots to maintain high prices. Despite all these new buildings for student apartments, the rent prices are EXTREMELY high. If you’re from out-of-state, with little scholarships, with no family, I must ask… WHAT THE F*CK ARE YOU THINKING? Also, the parking situation at UF here is brutal and the bus system has turned to shyte with all the new students that UF is admitting and the poor funding. If you decide to get “somewhat affordable” housing farther away from campus, you will definitely need a car. Off campus bus system is not reliable and can take a lot of valuable time out of your day. You will still need a permit to park your car on the bus campus routes. If you don’t? Then you can get a $40 ticket with love from TAPS. https://www.reddit.com/ufl/comments/17n0lrq/the_bus_system_in_this_city_sucks_ass/
FSU has a lower acceptance rate than UF now, lol, and Tallahassee can accommodate all those students. Parking permits are $80 a semester here… and you still have to wait 15 minutes just to catch the bus. Unless you have a reliable, cheap car, the car repair prices in Gainesville are quite expensive, and will add up. I was blessed to have a reliable car from my parents, and a scholarship that allowed me to net money, and I will say it again, OOS students with little scholarships will see their expenses explode at UF.
Close-by off campus apartments that are affordable usually have multiple problems, including Cockroach and Termite infestation, overly noisy roommates, outdated facilities, and failing structures. And, because UF turnovers the student body every 4 years (no one stays in Gainesville, lol), these predatory landlords escape accountability. The only organization that escapes this and is (usually) able to find decent housing for their members is… Greek life. Why am I not surprised?
To whoever reads this, I don’t know what place you’re coming from, and I really can’t give you advice until I know, but if you have the opportunity to LOCALLY attend UCF, USF, FAU, or FSU (even maybe FIU or UNF), it’s not worth it to come here (for the most part; there are exceptions). Now if you’re at Santa Fe or Valencia or UWF it would make sense to transfer or choose UF, but just please be aware of the move and the choices that you’re making. If you get an opportunity in Gainesville to shadow or even do research, summer housing is plentiful and you can get cheap apartments for the summer. A gap year in Gainesville could do wonders if you are able to find the right opportunities (research, clinical experience). What I am saying is, if you can, avoid UF, because the quality of life for students is stressful AF. UF is no walk in the park. The last thing you need to worry about while cleaning up your patient’s poop-stained backside is your grade in biochem. That’s all I’m saying. Working as a CNA or EMT or needing extra time for volunteering or MCAT prep puts things into perspective quickly.
Inspiration/Connection:
Lastly, you want a good school with people that will inspire and uplift you in the tough journey towards medicine. You don’t want classmates or friends to break you down. I have a close friend who went to USF for premed (not the one that I was tutoring), and I got to visit him and talk with his friends. They are much happier and more supportive than many people at UF. Luckily, I have been able to maintain a great group of friends. I personally maintain that the students are what makes UF overall one of the best universities in the Southeast. You will be able to make close friends at UF, which is one of the positives of this place… the people are AMAZING.
The problem is that UF’s sprawling size and vast number of students also makes the campus feel more disconnected. Honestly, UF’s campus kinda gives me UCF vibes because of how large it is… This can be seen in the number of students who vote in UF’s student government elections – it’s not that many compared to other institutions in Florida. At UF, you’ll feel like you’re going to work rather than to learn.
Professors here can be hit or miss. A lot of them are very competitive, which bleeds over into other aspects of their life. At UF (like many other non-prestigious schools), your GPA can be determined by specifically what professors you had for a class to a large extent… as an Honors student at UF, I had priority registration for all four years, which allowed me to select the best professors to take, which allowed me to maintain a very high GPA. If I was a regular student, I would probably have a 3.75 instead of a 3.9. However, the highest quality of professors is second to none in the state. IF you’re in the Honors College, then you will have access to the best professors at UF. I maintain that, apart from my fellow students, my access to professors was one of the sole reasons my premed journey was successful.
By contrast, if our administration actually cared about its students, it would first do more to improve their mental health. But the CWC is heavily underfunded, with many graduate students working for minimum wage, caring for 50000 students. God bless them.
Don’t underestimate the level of emotional support you need to pursue medicine. Wherever they are, if your (supportive) family is close by, then stick with them – they will be there for you. If you live in Gainesville, then UF is the obvious choice.
Wherever you are, if it is a decent sized city with more opportunities than UF and a good, cheap, reliable institution, then it would serve you well to not come to Gainesville. Do some good research about it all. No good state school with R1 or even R2 (FAU, FIU, UNF) activity in FL is markedly worse than UF (not even FSU, even though I hate the Noles). Even UNF (if you’re from Jax) might be better if you stay motivated, connected, and are able to find opportunities. I personally know a girl from UNF that got into Yale med and another guy that got into Mayo Clinic med school (don’t forget that Jax has a mayo clinic campus), so it’s definitely possible. But I will emphasize, please do your research.
Obviously, if you’re in Pensacola or Daytona beach, then UF should be a serious option. There’s nothing in those cities. But if you are in Orlando, Tampa or Miami, there are a plethora of research and shadowing opportunities available at UCF, NSU, FAU, FIU, UMiami, and USF. You're not missing out on anything. Tally and Jax are somewhat decent, although Jax is close enough to Gainesville that choosing UF might be the solution.
End of rant.
Summary:
If you’re an in-state premed, really think over whether UF is worth it. You’ll be paying the same price at UF that you will at USF or UCF assuming you got Bright futures, and USF and UCF have lower tuitions in general. I would also say that UCF has the same type of campus feel (except newer) that UF has (disconnected, too many students), but UCF is in Orlando, and UF is in, well, Gainesville. Is UF really worth the pain? If your family is in Orlando, and are within 30 minutes of UCF, then you will have more moral support with the same commuting time as you would have at UF (assuming you get an affordable apartment further away from UF campus). Same goes if your family is closer to FSU, USF, or any other decent public research school in state. UMiami is overpriced, lol.
Now, to reiterate, this information dump really only applies to premeds (except COL, that screws everyone over). I have met engineering students who transferred from Berkeley and Purdue who said that they love UF’s engineering department. Indeed, there seems to be a lot of opportunities available for them. Just do your research and make an informed decision. Don’t be like me, who came here believing the US News “ranking” (which is BS), thinking that because UF had a great medical school then it automatically was a good for premed. It isn’t. I was stupid and lied to by people who I thought knew better. That’s why I sound salty.
My point is NOT for people to reject UF for premed. There are people who will have great experiences. Talk with them too. Find if they are in a similar boat like you. But for a sizable portion of wannabe premeds, UF is NOT the move.
IF you're in the honors college, are strong academically, have support, can quickly find connections, stay over summer, and have some wealth to support you while you focus on academics and experiences, then UF is a good choice as a premed.
But if you don’t have support, don’t have the wealth to support a less stressful quality of life, or aren’t too sure about premed, and are not ready academically, then UF may not be the place for you. Critically think about your decision twice. Talk with as many people as you can.

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This has just been on my mind lately and it's hard to bring it up without sounding controlling or crazy but this happened a few days ago.
I was on my way home with my young daughter in the backseat. The street we were on ends with a stop sign connecting to another road where traffic doesn't stop. We pull up behind a white pickup truck who's right turn signal is on. There's only the one lane so despite needing to turn left I have to wait for the person ahead of me to turn.
Well I'm waiting and after a moment I realize.. there's no traffic coming. Like I look over and as far as I can see there's no traffic approaching that would keep the person ahead of me from turning right, I look to the left incase their blinker is wrong and no one on that end either. A few cars pull up behind me emphasizing the weird timing now. I honk once incase the guy is distracted or something (the area currently does experience bouts of traffic due to construction nearby rerouting people to this road often, I live on this road so it's been a pain in our sides quite often). I think maybe he has been waiting for traffic to clear and didn't realize it HAD by the time I pull up? But nothing. He doesn't move.
I put on my hazards wondering if something is actually going on and step out of my car waving to the person behind me to signal that I'm going up to the truck. I tell my daughter to wait a moment and leave her in her carseat.
The guy is completely zoned out. I tried getting his attention, shouting loudly through his cracked window trying to get his attention and knocking on the glass. He's just swaying side to side with his head. He's wearing sun glasses so I can't see his eyes. I turn back and signal to the car behind me to call 911. I'm cpr and first aid certified but I'm no medic and it feels like all my training left my mind immediately. All I can think is, this guys gonna hurt someone if he let's go of the brake pedal in this state. I need to get this truck turned off asap.
I try to open the door but of course, it's locked as the vehicle is on and in drive at the moment. I bang on the window harder trying to see if I can get through to him. Probably not my best idea given the fear of him taking his foot off the brake but after a minute it's like he snaps to and he starts shouting at me "what what do you want?!" I plead with him to get out of the car and thankfully he shifts it into park but he seems annoyed and confused. He opens his door asking what my problem is and I tell him I wanted him to get out of the car, that I was worried for him. By now it's been multiple minutes since I've arrived and no traffic coming his way. I explain he's been sitting here with his blinker on the whole time and didn't respond a minute ago when I tried to get his attention. By now some of the cars that are too far back to know what's going on up here have gotten annoyed and are coming up on the shoulder to get around us. I tell the guy to please just step out for a moment so we can make sure he's okay. He does but keeps telling me he's fine he "was just waiting on a call" this obviously makes no sense but I figured he's probably having some sort of confusion going on. I don't know the cause but as long as he's out of the car I feel okay about the situation at hand.
I try explaining again that he was completely unresponsive to me the first time I came to check on him, that no matter how loud I shouted or banged on the window he seemed completely out of it. The man and woman from behind me approach and say they have an ambulance on the way to come check on him. This guy gets really riled up hearing this and starts shouting again that he's fine he doesn't need that and he's leaving. I plead with him not to. That I'm genuinely worried about him. I'm no doctor but how he was acting was not normal and I'm worried he's having a health crisis. To at least stay and let the paramedics look him over before he leaves. He pushes past me hopping back into his truck cursing me out before he leaves, weirdly turning left instead of right like his truck was indicating which made me feel even weirder.
I turned back to the man and woman, the guy is still on his phone. The woman starts to repeat the trucks license plate number for the guy and he says he already gave it to the operator. Cars are still coming up on the shoulder to get around us and honking at us. I feel stupid and ashamed. I just keep repeating I didn't know what else to do.
Everything in my body screamed at me to not let him go into that truck. But I realized as he was leaving I have NO idea what rights I have in that regard. I've heard citizens arrest thrown around growing up but I have no clue if that's an actual thing. I know I'm protected if I give someone medical aid in the form of first aid and CPR while they're unconscious, but do I have the right to "detain" them so to speak when I think they're having a medical emergency and a potential danger to others? Was I allowed to try and stop him from getting back in the truck? If so, did my hesitation possibly lead to someone else getting hurt because this guy wasn't in his right mind?
I don't know. I haven't looked into it because I'm scared of the answer. If the answer is yes I was allowed to stop him from getting back in the truck, I failed to do so and my hesitation let someone who was clearly unwell get back into a 2 ton death trap. If the answer is no... well then I guess that makes me angry ironically. That I had NO power to stop him and would be forced to let him go. Like that's technically what happened because i didn't know the answer but.. I don't know how to articulate it. Maybe that's another reason it's so hard to talk about with others. If it is allowed it's not nearly talked about enough. I know my rights/protections if someone is unconscious and needs medical aid but if someone's conscious and wants to operate a vehicle no less.. up to that moment the only thing I could think of was "citizens arrest" which again I have no idea if that's a real thing outside of like.. someone being assaulted I imagine citizens are allowed to jump in, stop and detain the attacker? But this guy didn't do anything WRONG per se. Just.. clearly not well. If it's not allowed then there's potentially more people in this exact situation, knowing the person is out of it and not thinking clearly but having no way to stop them from potentially harming others.
If the guy was walking or in the store or some place where operating a vehicle wasn't an expressed detail I'd feel more confident (though still worried) about letting him leave over trying to stop him. But because he was going back and driving right after being unresponsive.. ugh it just sucks. Plain and simple.
The man and woman both assured me I did everything I could and I hurried back to my car to start getting out of the way. I turned left and was shortly back to my house. I got my daughter inside and explained to my husband what happened. He understood my frustration but also told me I did everything I could. But I don't know if that's true. I don't know if I should have stopped him. Swiped his keys or something while he was still willing to cooperate with me. Stalled a bit longer or handled it calmer so the paramedics had more time to arrive. I don't even know if the man on the phone gave the guys description or if it was just the license plate. I didn't think to call 911 myself until the next day (too late so I didnt) as I was too distracted just trying to help the man.
He was an older dude, clearly in his 60s to 70s. I don't know what was wrong with him. I'll never know. But I hope I'm never in that situation again. Feeling so helpless and angry at myself for not knowing the right course of action. I thought I would be prepared at least to some extent but every time I replay what happened I see so many spots where I fumbled. I'm a preschool teacher, not a paramedic, not a doctor, a nurse, an officer trained to help these situations.. I know how to stop bleeding and provide good chest compressions, how to signal someone to call 911, but this situation threw me for a curve ball and I'm just.. needing it off my chest so now I'm here wishing I could go back and teach myself what I could've done BEFORE this ever took place.
I will eventually look into the answer. For better or worse I need to know in case I'm ever in this situation again. But I hope I never am.. I don't ever want to feel so stupid and useless again. All that training and I can't tell you whether or not I can stop a guy clearly having some medical issue get back into his car and drive away. What good was I?

I made a post with this a few months ths ago, but with a new cycle on the way, I wanted to post again for accessibility since I know many of you are either likely starting to work on those now.
My stats ( lower GPA applicant):
3.30 cGPA
3.19 sGPA
Post back GPA: 3.90
PCE hours: around 7000
Shadowing hours: around 200
Volunteer hours: 40
Good luck everyone! Take care of your mental health. The application cycles are brutal but don't let it absorb your life!
PERSONAL STATEMENT
Her hand reaches for a pen. A hand that, moments earlier, was crippled with intractable shaking. Now, undeviating and steady, her hand grips the pen and begins gracefully composing a signature of unique and looping complexity. Tears begin to flow past a beaming smile; emotions overwhelmed by the evocative nature of this usually mundane and trivial task. “I haven’t been able to do that in years” says the patient in a joyful state of lachrymose disbelief. This reaction is common in those that undergo initial programming after the insertion of a deep brain stimulator to treat the debilitating symptoms attributed to Parkinson’s. I was fortunate enough to witness this life-altering moment.Tears forming in their eyes and mine, we cried together, reveling in this victory. Immediately, I had a feeling of intense lucidity. A fire, once nascent and juvenile, was ignited within me; fueled by a passion to aid others who are in distress. Thus, I knew that a career as a PA was my destiny; that my calling is to provide medical care that will positively impact the course of health adversity.
Throughout many years of medical experience, I have had exposure to numerous medical professions. From initiating CPR with paramedics and nurses, rehabilitating an ACL tear with athletic trainers, to working cohesively with nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and neurosurgeons, I have experienced a wide breadth of medicine and appreciate all the crucial roles that encapsulate patient care. However, the PA profession has always particularly resonated with me. The lateral mobility allowed for the career, as well as the commitment to life-long learning, are especially appealing. A strength I possess is an insatiable curiosity and an eagerness to diversify intellectually. This aspect reassures me that I will never feel stagnant and can always anticipate novel experiences as evidence based medicine continues to evolve. The frequently changing life of a PA will, without a doubt, call for adaptability. For me, change is a force to embrace, not fear. To quote Winston Churchill, "To improve is to change; but to be perfect is to change often".
Additionally, I have had the pleasure of working with a plethora of incredible providers during my time at __________. This experience has bestowed invaluable insight into the life of a surgical PA. While I do enjoy being a medical assistant, it leaves me yearning to provide care for those in need via a larger medical role. I have the proclivity to be the one who utilizes diagnostic clinical assessment to initiate a plan of care in collaboration with a patient and physician ; the one who can guide someone through a disease and treatment course with competent, patient-centered education and compassion. I am certain I would feel comfortable and satisfied balancing outpatient and inpatient care, as well as working within the operating room and aiding the surgeon as first assist, as I often catch myself daydreaming at the prospect of treating patients in the OR. Envisioning myself on a team that is there for someone in their darkest moments and providing a life-saving intervention brings a smile to my face.
Furthermore, the path to becoming a PA is arduous and difficult, and is indicative of the trials and tribulations I will face throughout my career as a medical provider. Over the past few cycles, I have exhibited continued commitment to achieve my goal of becoming a PA through academic remediation and persistent clinical knowledge acquisition. This journey has been, at times, adversarial, but persevere I shall. Consequently, I find that this highlights a crucial trait that I would bring to the PA profession. Tenacity. I truly want to be a PA with every fiber in my being and will proceed forth with indefatigable ambition until I achieve this aspiration. As it pertains to patient care, I want to unselfishly use this gift of tenacity to treat a patient to the best of my ability. I pledge to never give up on my efforts to benefit their medical longevity. Health crises are trying and difficult, but persevere, we shall.
To succeed in the world of medicine, it is a necessary commitment to aid those in need. From restoration of hand function and renewing the ability to write a signature, to coordinating a multiprovider response to treat metastatic cancer, the goal is always to provide compassionate and competent care to combat medical hardship. I dream to have an impact of this magnitude on someone's life and I am certain that becoming a PA would satisfy a lifelong culmination of effort and determination. It would promise a profession that corresponds with my dedication, compassion, affability, and integrity.Through intellectual, professional, and personal growth, I am confident that I am adequately fitted with the tools necessary to take on this responsibility. I am ready to change lives. I am ready to become a PA

hello all!! i passed dlsu (medbio), im waiting for ust (slp), and uerm (medtech). here r the pros and cons
ust
pros: good med school i rly wna go here bc their med is good, ill have a license if i become a slp, the salary is rly good esp if i practice private
cons: its college of rehab is centered around patient care (its not pt/ot), idk if itll help me in the nmat
dlsu
pros: DREAM SCHOOL and prio course like since birth, ive been praying abt this ever since i was a kid, medbio is a good premed and will help me in the nmat they cover a lot of subjs in the nmat.
cons: i wont have a license. if i want to go abroad i dont have a fall back im not a medtech/nurse. pursuing residency abroad is malabo bc ur competing with sm ppl.
uerm
pros: dream course its a good premed, will have a license, if i dont pursue med i have a fall back cons: new environment, less org and social life, feels purely a choice just to have a “fallback”
im still waiting for the results for the other schools so nothing is set on stone yet, im js weighing my options. my parents said that if i pursue medtech, at least ill have a fall back if i want to go abroad (i rly do plan to go abroad). they also said its better if i pursue med abroad (esp w the healthcare system and quality of life) but the cost of living and getting picked to do residency will be hard for an international student. they want na when i graduate medtech i do boards and then med school pero i wanna go med school agad.
idk maybe i js havent experienced studying med yet but i dont want to give myself the option of giving up. but the rank of my choices are: dlsu > ust > uerm
ok hehe thank u for listening!

I tried to post this in a sub specific to my country but the mods removed it, i don't know why. the few people who answered told me not to do this as it would be a waste of creativity. anyway, I'm a 3rd semester computer engineering student. I'm already 33 and went for it because i really enjoyed programming after trying it out almost randomly (i'm an adventure seeker, lol) and figured i had nothing to lose if it didnt work out. College is cheap here. Already own a house. No interest in marriage/kids ever. No previous career only job hopping between low-end café jobs. You know the story...
Anyway, almost my whole family worked/work in the public healthcare system, i was rejected twice and now i got a call from them after waiting for ~8 years. Now, this isn't my dream job at all, i'd Start out as a janitor and could switch later to something else but it wouldnt be anything i like , i don't feel like becoming a nurse or doctor or chemist. Studying and working at the same time is not an option because for the first few years there you have unpredictable schedules. So why would i go for that?

• it's a government job, which means im financially set-up for life . Not gonna be a millionaire but don't want to either way, as long as i have food, Shelter and healthcare i'm cool
• wages are higher than those of the same positions on the prívate sector. Yes, even as a janitor or data entry clerk you can live fairly decently. There's growth opportunities anyway Even if You don't want to get into nursing, they have dozens of Jobs there
• AMAZING work/life balance. This is what really gets me. Everyone gets 2 days off, 1 month of paid vacation just to start (then more days as years pass), shifts are either 6 or 8 hours, meal time included, you can take leave for months up to a year and still keep your job.

Now, i know that programming can get you SO MUCH MONEY in the long term and what not but i don't wanna idealize something im not even familiar with. The few programmers i know are kinda burnt out and they don't even code anymore, they're project managers and just wanna retire and own a farm or something.
As much as i love my major, i don't know what to do. I feel that with a job like that and with all that free time i could have more creative Freedom and work on whatever i want without caring about selling myself and competing in a race i feel behind because i'm way too prone to anxiety. I'm fascinated by technology in general. I also love all the things college would teach me after i'm done with all the math, but i know that even then i could be stuck doing webdev because the job market is brutal. I.like what i do, i don't even want a farm. But i feel that if i don't do programming profesionally i'm never gonna get good enough to create anything actually useful.
as you can imagine and as per my work history i'm a misfit in society and this job would free me from dealing with HR ever again... or kill my dreams once and for all.
Any insight?

Recently I've commented on other people's posts that I was NC with Nmom for three months while she was in a care facility. My NC with her ended when she was brought back home after it was deemed safe enough for me and NDad to be her primary caregivers. Less than a week later, she had to take an ambulance ride back to hospital due to a rapidly developing infection that had fortunately been caught in the early stages and has since been treated.
We followed the instructions as best as we could on how to take care of her, yet this still happened.
Anyway, I promptly notified the APS (Adult Protective Services) worker assigned to her after getting to the emergency room, as I thought that was what I was supposed to do. Two days later, an investigator came by to inspect the house. The investigator was let in, but in hindsight that was definitely not a good idea.
NDad owns the house, and he wasn't on his best behavior (surprise, surprise) while I was more polite and honest to the investigator about the condition of the house (again, I now realize this was also a bad idea especially without having a lawyer involved). I did warn NMom's social worker before the discharge not only about the condition of the house, but also about me and NDad not being competent enough to take care of NMom as we've never done this before. A head nurse was present for that conversation, but Nmom was still sent home anyway.
I'm fearful that an elder abuse case may be brought against me and NDad, but at the same time I think NMom was unsafely discharged.
I'm going to consult with an attorney specializing in elder abuse cases first, just in case the state does decide to bring charges. I see fighting such charges as likely more successful than filing a lawsuit against the hospital, let alone winning it. NDad is obviously doing diddly squat to cover his own ass, so I'm covering my own.
In doing so, I gathered a piece of evidence that I think may help tremendously, depending on its admissibility in court.
While visiting NMom yesterday, I finally got her to admit, on tape (I live in a one-party consent state), to abusing me when I was a child. I did this because I think CPS (Child Protective Services) no longer possesses the record of the case opened against her after a serious incident involving me and NMom, since I myself am already an adult and the record may have been destroyed because of that. The CPS case was closed because the caseworker who came by stupidly interviewed both me and NMom in the same room together and I was too scared to say anything.
Again, I'm not sure if the recording of NMom's confession will help or not, but I hope it does. I don't want to go to prison and possibly be killed there (nobody likes anyone accused of abuse) after already having suffered under this toxic roof for almost three decades. I know this probably belongs on legaladvice, but I'll let the mods decide that.
I'm so fucking scared right now.

I hated being short.
Lack of height is the worst thing that can happen to a man. I'm a nice guy with a charming personality but females always swiftly declined my scintillating conversations about crypto and my fantasy sports teams just because they viewed me as fun-sized. My brother looks, acts and talks like Goofy but he can pull any woman he wants simply because he's 6' 4''.
Having tried every desperate measure, of course I'd heard about height enhancement surgery. Every guy in my position has stumbled across it in our hours of need. Weeks of recovery in exchange for a few extra inches? Sign me up. However, I am just a warehouse mover; a working stiff. No chance in Hell I could ever afford it. You need to send in your stock portfolio before the receptionist will even speak to you.
That's why when I found out Fabian would do the procedure for a tenth of the cost, I jumped at the opportunity.
The ad was buried in the search engine, far past the web pages for Beverly Hills silicone towers, but Fabian promised he was just as competent. Presenting himself as a clean-cut symbol of generic handsomeness, I was taken aback by the man(?) who greeted me in that back-alley waiting room. Hairless except for a soul patch, the specialist in growth was ironically barely five foot himself, although his frame was Kingpin-sized. He also spoke in a weird amalgamation of every European accent ever. I didn't care if Fumbles McGee had the scalpel. I just wanted to grow.
"Yeow," I hollered upon the first hobble of my knee. The pain was intolerable and briefly made me reconsider my rashness. "I thought you said I was going to be asleep for this?"
"You will be soon."
True to his word, I passed out shortly after the bone saw was introduced. In the blink of an eye, Fabian was gone. In his place, a Valkyrie-shaped nurse picked me up with little regard for my fresh wounds and tossed me into a recovery cell, where I spent the next six months eating gruel in between the good doctor running "progress checks" that could've been a little more pleasant IMO. The euphoria of showing off the new statuesque me blocked out all my crying synapses.
Now I'm happier than I've ever been. Yeah, there's still a teensy bit of agony and the bones kinda stick out but you know what they say: "it's better to be a painful 5'8'' than a comfortable 5'7''."

Edit: i just read the rule about not requesting only chat discussion. So I will post my questions.
I was fine until age 9, then had incontinence problems along with some behavioral stuff after a session of summer camp where I was terrified, refused to use the outhouse, and was incontinent and encopretic and severely depressed. I was sent home with sores on my vulva and horrible UTI infection. After that, I had more severe utis and was examined and treated, with multiple catheterizations. At 11, I had a meatotomy and reduction of vaginal and labial adhesions that no one seems to have noticed or mentioned previously, and the medical records indicate it was the same doctors each time I was treated, so there was continuity. I know that adhesions are common in young girls, but I didn't have them before age 11, apparently. What would cause them to happen?
The actual description is "examination and cystoscopy under anesthesia revealed vaginal adhesions and hymenal adhesions attached to the lower lip of the external meatus, external meatus is deformed and pulled up and partially covered by hemenal tissue. there are also two adhesions. Those were separated. Meatotomy was performed at 3, 9, and 6 o'clock." What does that mean?
I am trying to understand a surgery I had when I was 11. I am hoping to discuss with an actual ob/gyn or nurse who can interpret the medical terms. while I feel awkward about putting it out here on the internet, I suppose the whole purpose of reddit is so we can all learn from each other, but for some reason I've got a lot of shame surrounding this. Is anyone willing to pm me?
Thank you.

(Reposted per Mod’s request)
I did not finish Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson. I know, I know, its actually called The Final Empire. The name Mistborn has stuck with so many readers for a reason, so I'll continue to use it as a shorthand. The book didn't work for me, but I think WHY it didn't work for me might be interesting to read about, especially for fellow authors.
If you have read and enjoyed the Mistborn books, or any work by Brandon Sanderson, I'm delighted. I want to applaud any work of fiction that brings people joy (so long as it or its author is not reprehensible in some way (he said, covering his ass)). I don't want you to think this is me taking shots at you or at Sanderson. I'm just talking about a work of fiction and what it did to my brain.
Believe me when I tell you I have no delusions about being some high-handed minister of good taste. You should see some of the anime I watch to destress at the end of a long day trying to be a self-published author, editor, and, well, just an ordinary semi-functioning human being.
I've read many, many books and loved them, only to come back to them later and find they were … less deserving of my matured tastes. Sometimes books meet us at the right time. If Mistborn was, or is, one such book for you, I would be a jerk and a fool if I tried to tell you that you were wrong for liking it. That isn't what this is. But, if you're at all curious why I didn't like it the way you did, here are my thoughts.
Instead of trying to construct some long elaborate essay, I've decided to present my reading notes as I was writing them. If you're at all familiar with my SPFBO9 opening reads thread, this is in a similar, though much protracted style. This is my travelogue of the first few chapters. If these notes are rough or feel stilted in places, I'm sorry. I DNF'd the book a few months ago, and I found in trying to clean up my notes that I was making up commentary to fill in gaps and I don't think that's fair. I've tried to provide some context where I could.
Pages referenced are from the first mass market edition, published August 2007 by Tor
My Notes: Starts well enough. Interesting introduction to the fantastic elements of the environment (the ash fall) and the enslavement of the skaa. Some neat 2nd world titles “obligator,” etc.
Not great, not riveting, but competent introduction of world and one protagonist, Kelsier. He doesn't know what to do with Vin, though. Disconnect between the characters as we're told they are and their actions. Lacking coherent motivation.
(P.5)The slave that stands and stares defiantly sending a chill through the lord so-and-so is a bit melodramatic. Both actions struck me as over the top.
(writing note)…too many “of courses”
The writing is competent and descriptive. The Mist at night is another interesting setting detail.
(p.6) I immediately dislike Kelsier. “I’ll have to cure them of that (fear of the mist) some day.” This is has an unsympathetic arrogance about it. If this is also the man who stared defiantly at lord-so-and-so, hes blasé about endangering these people, and seems to look down on them, much like lord-so-and-so. I suspect this impression is not intentional. I suspect I’m supposed to think him strong and clever. We’ll see.
(7) rolling his eyes at these people. This seems intentional. But it’s also annoying.
(10) beatings beatings beatings. These “peasants” and their daily beatings. Did I mention the beatings? Their lives are harsh! There are beatings!
(‘) what is this talk about Tepper “leading” the skaa? Leading them how? They’re slaves! What decisions are they making? No, really. What is this forced little conflict? It’s pointless.
(‘) “How do you do that?” “What?” “Smile all the time” - there’s no reason for him to ask this. It’s unmotivated dialogue. How do you smile all the time? How? No. Why, sure. “You keep smiling. Is something about our home funny to you?”
(19-20, ch.1) I’m having trouble with Sandersons storytelling. This is coming across as heavy handed and simplistic. Here’s Vin. She was betrayed. There are betrayals. This boy who came to get her who’s nice enough will also betray her. But the ash is free…
I wonder if we’re going to slowly work through the alphabet section by section. Ash, then beatings and betrayal… who knows what could be next? Crime? I bet it’s crime.
Also - Reen’s sayings and betrayal. I think in general I find it a bit affected when we meet a character and they’re immediately thinking of their backstory … but that’s probably not fair of me. I think what comes across as affected is Sandersons execution. There’s a very light fiction - YA quality about Vin’s angsty introduction. I might have loved it if I read it at 14, but not now.
I’d like to think of an example of what would be more appealing to me - the introduction of a character with similar enough circumstances… Actually, Gideon the 9th might be a good example. We get to hear Gideon’s voice in the prose and the dialogue and get a strong sense of her character as well as the specific and very interesting world building details of how she got into the 9th house. Here, Reen’s betrayal is left completely unexplored, and so I wonder why bring it up at all except for that cheap YA punch in the gut of “my brother betrayed me and now I’m here.”
Maybe Sanderson felt some necessity to move faster here. He wanted to get to the city theiving … but it isn’t working for me, so obviously I think it was a mistake. Obviously he was hoping this would create a sense of anticipation that we would eventually find out HOW Vin’s brother betrayed her, but because he leads with it and then doesn’t explain it, it makes it seem like it doesn’t really matter HOW Vin was betrayed, what’s important is that she was betrayed and now she doesn’t trust anyone. It’s just a bit weak.
THE HEAVY HANDEDNESS (People being mean to Vin - her hard life) (21) the slap in the face (23) Theron looking Vin up and down - “eyes lingered on her … running down the length of her body. … She was hardly enticing (didn’t even look 16); some men preferred such women, however.” (24) “what do you know?” “Enough” - Vin hurts her, expositional dialogue about her brother’s debt and selling her to a whorehouse.
(25) fearing Vin would disappear in a scene she doesn’t have much to do during, we get these unnecessary interjections of her watching the interaction, followed by the explanation of Camon thinking Vin is his good luck charm. This should have been presented earlier, because it just interrupts the dialogue here. But also, it feels inaccurate after Vin made such a useful critique of Camon’s servants. She seems much more useful in other ways than a luck charm, and comfortable offering her criticism without the slightest hesitation.
This chapter ends rather abruptly and without much Go to it. Vin uses her Luck and gets our stuffy official to consider her boss’s mundane business proposal.
The notion that Camon brings Vin along because he thinks of her as his luck charm feels really thin, especially on a job like this where everyone has to look the part. Which raises an important question: what was Vin doing there? I mean literally. Why didn’t Camon have SOMETHING for her to do. Camon didn’t dress her up in any part, she didn’t have any kind of cover story as his daughter or nurse or anything. Just some kid in the room dressed … who knows how while important official business is discussed. She just floats somewhere, doing nothing, as far as anyone is concerned.
VIN’S MOTIVATION Where is it? What does she get out of making this work for Camon if he has no idea what she’s doing? Why is she avoiding him if this is such an important job? Why is she helping him at all?
The pieces are there, but Sanderson doesn’t put them together.
Camon should know about Vin’s ability to “smooth things over” in some capacity. This would give him a serious reason for her being there on this crucial job. Vin should be motivated to help him because if this lucrative job works out, it will go a long way towards paying off her brother’s debt. Now suddenly there is a sense of urgency for her instead of just having a bad time owned by a “crew leader” getting slapped around. The scam itself isn’t enough. Frankly, it’s kind of boring at this point. It’s a slow moving beurocratic swindle.
(32) Kelsier. Sanderson is doing a good job introducing some thieves’ cant here as Dockson and Kelsier are planning their job, talking about how they need a “Smoker.” Someone is a good Tineye. The loss of a man to the Steel Ministry underscores the mortal risk these men are taking. But … there’s something about all this crime play that feels a bit cute, like Sanderson had only a passing, generic understanding of (fictional) gangs/criminal organizations. He’s spent his world building energy on the fantasy aspects of the story - the dystopian Tolkien Lord Ruler and Steel Ministry, skaa, ashfalls, mist - but not on developing the criminal world of the characters, linguistically speaking. They’re all crews working on a job headed by a crew leader. This is the world we’re living in, most immediately, and yet it feels the most underdeveloped.
“Kelsier shook his head. ‘No. He’s a good Smoker, but he’s not a good enough man.’ Dockson smiled. ‘Not a good enough man to be on a THIEVING CREW … Kell, I have missed working with you.”
This stopped me dead. I laughed at the book and put my hand over my eyes. “Thieving crew” is just silly. It’s sixth grade D&D language, but even more ridiculous is the sentiment of Dockson’s statement: that character is somehow a moot point because they are criminals. It’s as if he’s saying: we’re breaking the law, so we’re the bad guys, and bad guys don’t work with “good men.”
Here we see Sanderson’s shallow understanding of the characters he’s portraying. They are stealing from slavers who exist in the service of a brutal, oppressive dictator. But put that aside, and consider we’ve just been told one of their ilk had been caught and beheaded by the Ministry. The risk these people are facing couldn’t be higher. Working with people they can trust, a stand up guy or a “good man,” would be one of the most important things to them. From their point of view a “good man” doesn’t mean a patron saint of the poor, but it means a hell of a lot. If a guy is a drunk who cheats on his wife, you can’t trust him not to turn on you. If he gambles too much, you can’t trust him not to gamble on your safety. He doesn’t keep his apartment clean, how can you trust him to be conscientious about keeping you alive. It all matters - even more so because he’s on a “thieving crew.”
Now, Sanderson probably didn’t give this line more than a moment's thought. He was writing fast and sailed right over it. But that’s exactly the problem. It gives the book a kind of childish, YA feeling.
(33) “Kelsier turned with curious eyes.” I’ve written lines like this, but I almost always revise them because I write about eyes too much. The point is his eyes aren’t curious, Kelsier is, and it shows on his face. I can’t picture curious eyes, and I’m sure you can’t either. And I would cut the next line of dialogue - going to chastise my brother … we already know he was going to do this because he said so, and the line just isn’t very good anyway. A look of curiosity from Kell, and the promise from Dockson “it’ll be worth your time,” gets us out of the section better. Sometimes the best repartee between characters is a look.
(33-34) the scenes with Vin remain heavy handed, and affected. This section adds almost nothing to the story accept for the disappointingly narrow view of a fantasy underworld that the women in it are only ever whores. This from a world crawling with Smokers and Tineyes? I think not. The clumsy presentation of Vin’s awful life is what makes these sections particularly affected. With her particular ability to use her Luck, I can’t help but wonder why she’s even still here. That seems to be the story to me. Not the abuse, but why she remains when she clearly has the power to get out. She can smooth over deals with reps from the SM, but she hasn’t thought to calm some member of the crew and then just … walk? Go literally anywhere in the city and use her Luck to get work where she won’t be whipped and slapped. It seems like the easiest thing in the world, so why hasn’t she done it? This is what the story here could have been, and it would have been so much more interesting.
Obviously she has to be there so Sanderson can have terrible things happen to her so she can be saved by Kelsier just like he saved the other raped scaa girl (let’s all take a moment to roll our eyes) and then her character can have a trajectory from passive victim to active hero - but that’s an excuse, and excuses don’t make good stories.
That said, as is, these two pages could be cut entirely and with very minor revision to the next session, nothing would be lost. It introduces a hideout we don’t need to know about, abuse that is redundant, over the top and unmotivated, and then Camon says “it’s time.” It’s just a prelude, in which nothing happens, before the actual scene. So just cut to the actual scene.
(36) we finally find out what the Camon job was supposed to be, I suspect because Sanderson finally decided what the details were. It would have been much more interesting to know this earlier, just like it would have been more interesting to understand about the particulars of Vin’s brothers betrayal earlier, so we could understand the context of the story being told.
But a LARGER ISSUE continues to emerge. First Camon tells Vin nothing about his plans. She says she is apparently the only crew member who didn’t know what was going on. Then, as they sit in the waiting room, in the vey belly of the obligator beast, he tells her everything. Why? Because Sanderson wants us to know even though he never decided who this character was.
He wants her to be a passive victim of inordinate abuses by a group of irredeemable villains, who only avoids constant sexual assault through the exhausting use of her secret magic so she can be saved and then learn how to be powerful later. But he also wants her to be a smart, capable member of Camon’s crew who is considered as such, because he knows passive protagonists aren’t interesting and because he wants us, the reader, to know what’s going on, and also think that Vin is cool. She can’t be both at the same time. She either needs to be less of an abject, pathetic victim, or she needs to be less involved in this big important scam - and that means she knows less about it and does less to make it work. As is, he’s done too little with either idea of her character and both Vin and Camon are an unmotivated mess.
(42) steel inquisitor. Cool, creepy, disgusting - something straight out of hellraiser.
(43) “Besides, I’m not about to let a possible Mistborn slip away from us” Ah!
Ch3 (45) after the meeting with the obligator (that was a trap), is the first time Vin ever expresses any interest in getting away. Much too late Sanderson gives us a much too thin reason why Vin hasn’t run away (considering the conflicting versions of her character as mentioned before). It’s little more than an afterthought.
(47) in no more than 2 pages Vin goes from never thinking she could make it on her own to leaving for good, telling herself she’d survived sleeping in alleyways before, she could do it again and - “Reen had taught her how to scavenge and beg. Both were difficult in the Final Empire … but she would find a way, if she had too.”
So far, this is all based on a bad feeling. More motivation conflict - Vin has no problem telling Camon directly how his plans won’t work and that he should change the way the servants are dressed, helps him succeed with her luck in both plans, but sees no reason to tell him “I have a bad feeling about this. That was too easy. Why did that obligator suddenly agree. Doesn’t this seem weird to you?”
Sanderson has many of the right pieces, but he hasn’t been able to put them together coherently.
(45)(And, just as an aside, I’m not sure why a girl who has spent to book so far reiterating to herself that EVERYONE WILL BETRAY ME is going out of her way to tell Ulef she has a bad feeling and to get him to come with her. Sanderson says “if he would go with her, then at least she wouldn’t be alone.” But he has also up until this point defined her character by a near constant desire to be alone - when she is introduced sitting in the window of the hideout thinking her brothers word “Vin wasn’t on duty; the watch-hole was simply one of the few places where she could find solitude. And Vin liked solitude. ‘When you’re alone, no one can betray you’- (37) at the “It’s just another betrayal, she thought sickly. Why does it still bother me so? Everyone betrays everyone else. That’s the way life is … She wanted to find a corner - someplace cramped and secluded - and hide. Alone.”
(47) "Bringing Ulef was a good idea. He had contacts in Luthadel." These after the fact explanations are no good. This isn't Vin thinking this, it's the author coming up with more justification for Vin's action, but in order for her character to seem active and motivated, this needed to be revised into the section where Vin decides to bring Ulef. Now it's just tacked on - oh, yeah, and, by the way, if you weren't sure it made sense for Vin to do this, Ulef probably knows people. So, there.
It doesn’t wash. Who is this girl? Can she not stand the idea of being alone, or is it the one and only thing she wants? Is she strong and resourceful in spite of her circumstances, or is she a passive victim? Does she believe everyone will betray her, or does she desperately want to believe otherwise because she can’t live in such an unkind world? Sanderson doesn’t seem to have been able to make up his mind. Maybe some of these details were added in revision on the suggestion of beta readers and the result is a checkerboard character. I’ve seen that before where you make a suggestion to a writer and they add your suggestion but they don’t make the necessary changes to the rest of the book so that the new material earns its place, they just throw it in and dust off their hands - job well done, gotta stay on schedule to publish! But now I’m just writing fan fiction about Sanderson’s process. I don’t know.
(55) Vin’s “weakness” - the contradictions/inexactitude of characters seems to be an ongoing issue for Sanderson, at least for Vin. Is she weak and has to pretend to be strong, or is she strong and often chooses to pretend to be weak (so far she has seemed to be weak and act weak, other than her Luck).
Well, that's as far as I got. Kel shows up just in time to be the wrath of justice for Vin. He's the superman who will make everything alright for this feckless girl. Our hero. Did Sanderson lay it on thick enough? Did you get that these people were all so irredeemably and stupidly bad? Aren't you so glad this strong man has shown up to be Vin's vengeance, just like had been telegraphed all along?
Sorry, I don't mean to be sarcastic. This part of the narrative really isn't so bad, its just been so heavy handedly and clumsily lead up to that there's no thrill in it for me. It isn't a bit satisfying. I'm just glad I don't have to read about any of these shallow side-characters anymore. Except, I have no intention to read on, so I don't have to read about any of them anymore.
Is this book bad? Yes and no. I don't want to read any more, and only read as far as I did as an examination of storytelling, so for me its bad. You only get so many eyerolls before I have to say that. The sentences are very clear and coherent. On their own, they are coherent. Together, they fail to paint of picture of coherent characters who drive the action of the story. If you don't have that, at least in my book, you've got nothing.
The images work. The setting, in its broad strokes, is eveocative. I'd love to set a DnD campaign in a world of ash and a dark lord and all that (I'm not the least mad about the cliché of the dark lord, by the way. Who doesn't love archetypical stories?) But, as near as I can tell, there are no human beings in this book. No one is real. The characters are just that, only characters in a book. They are paper cutouts. They fall flat when the hand of the author isn't pushing them around and making them do things.
Fans often hold Sanderson up as the gold standard of a fantasy author who produces work fast. And having read this far into Mistborn, I can say this about it: It reads like it was written fast.
Yes, Mistborn was an earlier book of his, so I can't judge him by it alone. But it is a work that is so often held up as a favorite by his readers. That's why I picked it up, to see what all the fuss was about. There were many things I enjoyed, but what I enjoyed wasn't the narrative. The story and the characters who moved it were the thing that I enjoyed least. The unique magic and broad setting details and description of places and creepy Inquisitors were what I liked best. The proper nouns were fun.
But proper nouns don't make a story for me. So I did not finish Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson.
If I were looking for a light fantasy read that I didn't have to take seriously and I could pick up and put down whenever I wanted because it was never that exciting or particularly witty or clever, but managed to string along one event after another and kept them going, more or less, whether it made much sense or not, until the end, I think Mistborn would be a fine book to dip into. Lots of people have read it. But then, that seems to me to be its major appeal. It’s a book you can talk about with other people.
It's not enough for me, though. There's lots of fun fantasy books out there that feel more coherent, and, well, INTERESTED in the story they're telling. Interested in violence and revolution and crime in an oppressively totalitarian, dystopian world. Interested in the plight of a young girl who only wants … well, what does she want? To be safe? But the only way she finds she can be safe is to go toward danger and realize how very strong she is? Maybe this story would like to be that, but it hasn't been for the first 60 or so pages.
Sanderson's novel felt more interested in the large and vague story shapes around the characters - a city, a dark lord, slavery, soot snow, bad mist, some kinds of magic, and (I cringe to say it) rape and thieving and beatings - but not in the world of their lives.
I've heard good things about The Way Of Kings from people who did not like Mistborn either, but its safe to say at this point that I have reservations about my reading tastes being a good match for Sanderson's work, at least at this point in time.
If I'm looking for fun I'd rather read another swanky, noir fantasy by Douglas Lumsden any day, or the next gothic gaslamp fantasy mystery by Morgan Stang, or discover my next favorite author, indie or otherwise.
I don't think Mistborn was terrible by any stretch of the imagination. Sanderson has delighted readers for over a decade now! He's prolific, hard working, and he delivers what his fans want, and he and they continue to be richly rewarded for his efforts. He is a Name in the genre, often listed alongside the greats. And why not? Isn't pleasing readers what this is all about? Taylor Swift has oceans of adoring fans, and she's no less deserving of her accolades. Brandon Sanderson is the Taylor Swift of fantasy, you could say. I just don't like her music either.
Thanks for reading! TOM MOCK Fantasy Authoeditor
What should I read next?

Hi everyone, I’m looking for any guidance or support with my recent seizure episodes. This has caused me to dig up a lot of similar events over the last 10 years that were dismissed by friends, family, and medical professionals. This is going to be a long post… my doctors aren’t sure what’s going on yet.
My first noted seizure was on February 25, 2024. I was at an arcade bar on a ski trip with friends. I wasn’t drinking and hadn’t in months. I was looking at one of the video games and staring at the screen was causing some fatigue, so I went to play foosball with friends. Then the lightheadedness started, I drank some water, then my vision blurred and I sat down in a chair because I remembered the feeling. I went unconscious for 30 seconds according to a friend. That same friend had a seizure when he was very young and told me my symptoms looked odd; my eyes were wide open and my body stiffened. Whole episode lasted 5+ minutes and I couldn’t see, talk, or walk for a while after regaining consciousness. I overheated while I was sitting in the chair. I went to the ER two days later (I have medical anxiety from my parents… getting over it) after returning from my trip and got a CT scan, blood, and urine tests that all looked normal. They wouldn’t do an MRI in the ER for some reason and referred me to neurology in that same hospital.
About three weeks later I finally met with the neurologist, who was an NP. She talked to me about the episode and my symptoms, brought up POTS and vasovagal syncope, which didn’t resonate with me, and discussed that I likely wouldn’t be able to get into an EEG monitoring facility because my seizures were not frequent enough. I told her about a head injury from 2014 that was never treated because my parents have medical anxiety. I became severely depressed, suicidal, and sensitive to light after this event. The nurse was very dismissive about this event, as well as when I told her that my masseuse and chiropractor both mentioned that one of the vertebrae in my neck (C2 or C4) seemed to be dislodged out of place. She scheduled an MRI and EEG that wouldn’t be for another month and a half, two months after the seizure in February.
This last Tuesday, April 30th, I was sitting at my desk home alone on a work call when I suddenly became confused, experienced intense abdominal pain/nausea, then I started getting lightheaded and my vision blurred. I got off the call and laid down on the ground so I wouldn’t hit my head. Then my ears started ringing, I overheated, and lost control of my bowels. Ironically, my MRI and EEG were scheduled for the next morning. My cousin came over immediately and has been present for all of my medical appointments.
Later the next day, I was reading the MRI results and saw the doctor who completed it mentioned I have a developmental venous anomaly (DVA) in my left frontal lobe. The next morning, I emailed the NP about the DVA, shared all the details of my seizure episode on 4/30, reiterated that I’m worried this is related to the head injury from 2014, and requested assistance going on medical leave at work. She replied, obviously hadn’t seen my message, and said the EEG and MRI results came back normal and I should go to cardiology. What?! The other doctor noted I had brain damage in my left frontal lobe and she didn’t even mention it. About an hour or two later she saw my message and sent another message, saying I should consider going on Lamotrigine and referred me to a PA to discuss treatment options for the head injury.
So, I went to see my psychiatrist yesterday and she was extremely concerned about how this had been handled by the hospital. She validated that the DVA could be related to my seizure episodes (she worked in neurology up to 2016 and disclosed her knowledge is dated), but I need to also talk to a neurologist about this. I am working with her and my PCP to go on leave at work and get referred to another neurologist, as well as a cardiologist. She mentioned she doesn’t want me using cannabis or psilocybin for my OCD and anxiety, since we’re not sure what’s going on with my brain. I’m a bit worried about cannabis withdrawal because I’ve been using this almost daily for the last 10 years to help manage my OCD.
I’m seeking any advice or support on my situation. I am very scared; it felt like I almost died on Tuesday. I have been having profound spiritual experiences that feel related to the seizures if anyone is interested in more details there.
More detail about my head injury and other seizure-like episodes: - 2014: hit my head on a sidewalk at a track meet, medical person walked me to the other side of the track and I don’t remember what was discussed. I recall that I kept competing and took a computerized concussion test days after that said I didn’t have a concussion. My parents never took me to get any imaging done and I’m no longer in contact with my mother because she was and continues to be abusive. I became severely depressed and suicidal months after this happened, and remember I spent an entire day in my room in the dark because the lights hurt my eyes/head. - July 29, 2015: first seizure episode. I got lightheaded at a concert, it felt like the lights were bothering me. I got on the ground and then quickly stood back up. Security saw and had me go to a medical tent. They assumed I was dehydrated and I went back to the concert with friends. - April 27, 2017: at my college’s spring concert, I felt light sensitivity, got lightheaded, vision blurred, and I collapsed. 911 was called, went to a hospital and I think I had an EKG done that looked normal. I’m going to call the hospital to get these records. - August 2018: collapsed on a crowded train after a music festival in Chicago. I felt lightheaded and sensitive to the bright lights on the train. - late 2018/early 2019: went to a concert by myself, collapsed outside the venue after the show because I was lightheaded and my vision blurred. I don’t know how long I was unconscious. Got in an Uber and vommitted on myself on the way home. I thought I had been roofied. - date unknown: at a concert by myself, got lightheaded and my vision blurred, went into the lobby, drank water, sat down, and it passed. - Feb 25, 2024: see details above - April 30, 2024: see details above
Trauma dump over… would appreciate any thoughts or guidance. I don’t want to go on an anti-seizure med because of the side effects I’ve read about. I’m interested in the keto eating pattern and Ayurvedic medicine. I will of course work with my PCP who I trust before making any changes. Peace and love to you all ❤️

Hello,
I'm going to sum this up as quickly as possible. I'm 40, in the Bay Area/Sacramento looking for a career switch from 20yrs in banking/finance to Nursing or Respiratory. I have an existing bachelors in Business. Currently work full time, but will be unemployed soon. I have ruled out traditonal non porfit schools due to timing needs. I do not have time to complete pre reqs ahead of a program for a non-profit school although my business degree carries some which transfer over. I also do not have time to be put on a waitlist, and compete to get into a school. With that, I understand the sacrifices I'll need to make with paying a tuition premium and possibly not as great of an education as some would argue.
Option # 1 - Nightingale College BSN to become an RN. I've read ALL the pros and cons. I'm struggling with the fact not many reviews are from non-healthcare individuals completing this and the difficulty for them. It's mostly from LVN/CNA to RN reviews and its hit or miss. Cost is roughly 60k for BSN not including travel cost for clinicals. Timeline 6 semesters (2yrs due to transferred credits) Pro - I can start now before being unemployed. Con - not many reviews from people from a non-healthcare background and difficulty from this angle.
Option # 2 - Carrington College or SJVC for Associates in Respiratory. Cost 60k and timeline is 1.5yrs. Con - I can't start until I'm laid off and will have a gap after layoffs because school only starts twice a year. Pro - In-person education and I know several people (including family) that successfully completed with no Healthcare background and obtained great jobs. Con - I can't start until I'm unemployed which might be anytime from now until mid next year.
I'm fully aware the pros and cons of each job, career growth, job duties ect. Strictly from a school perspective, what are you thoughts? I'm aware of the cost, difference of job functions, job saturation in both, ect and likely be starting in entry level positions not in hospitals due to the schools and job saturation levels.
Thanks so much for your feedback.
Edit - the one thing that I realized I neglected to mention is Nightingale is a hybrid school and mostly online, but the clinicals are done in person in various states. You pay the travel expenses.

Hello,
I'm going to sum this up as quickly as possible. I'm 40, in the Bay Area/Sacramento looking for a career switch from 20yrs in banking/finance to Nursing or Respiratory. I have an existing bachelors in Business. Currently work full time, but will be unemployed soon. I have ruled out traditonal non porfit schools due to timing needs. I do not have time to complete pre reqs ahead of a program for a non-profit school although my business degree carries some which transfer over. I also do not have time to be put on a waitlist, and compete to get into a school. With that, I understand the sacrifices I'll need to make with paying a tuition premium and possibly not as great of an education as some would argue.
Option # 1 - Nightingale College BSN to become an RN. I've read ALL the pros and cons. I'm struggling with the fact not many reviews are from non-healthcare individuals completing this and the difficulty for them. It's mostly from LVN/CNA to RN reviews and its hit or miss. Cost is roughly 60k for BSN not including travel cost for clinicals. Timeline 6 semesters (2yrs due to transferred credits) Pro - I can start now before being unemployed. Con - not many reviews from people from a non-healthcare background and difficulty from this angle.
Option # 2 - Carrington College or SJVC for Associates in Respiratory. Cost 60k and timeline is 1.5yrs. Con - I can't start until I'm laid off and will have a gap after layoffs because school only starts twice a year. Pro - In-person education and I know several people (including family) that successfully completed with no Healthcare background and obtained great jobs. Con - I can't start until I'm unemployed which might be anytime from now until mid next year.
I'm fully aware the pros and cons of each job, career growth, job duties ect. Strictly from a school perspective, what are you thoughts? I'm aware of the cost, difference of job functions, job saturation in both, ect and likely be starting in entry level positions not in hospitals due to the schools and job saturation levels.
Thanks so much for your feedback.

I've started to play this game with unique builds like Otz does in his streams and I just wanted to share my thoughts and maybe incourage you to play the same playstyle if you are bored with regular DBD.
Here's what I do:
1) nightlight.gg provides a feature to use unique builds that have never been used or haven't been tracked of being used.
2) Play for hooks, not kills. I don't tunnel, I don't proxy camp etc. I simply play for hooks and chases. I do try, but with when hit with higher MMR players it becomes really hard to win, but I doesn't bother me. I know top players, swf's, even average players do gens insanely fast, so there's no point in raging about it and using same perks every game (talking about pop, pain resonance etc.), it just becomes so stale and boring. It also makes me more angry, because I am using the most efficient gen defence perks, but the outcome is still the same so I gotta play Nurse to actually compete with top players.
3) The game is a lot more fun for both sides. I get to chase different people and every player gets to be chased, which is the most fun aspect for both sides in this game.
What I found is that killers don't get anything for playing for hooks, which is a damn shame, because that's the most fun thing about this game - chases with different people, not just the same guy that you want to tunnel out. Gen speeds are so busted right now I usually get 1 or 2 chases before 4 gens are already done. I DON'T WANT gen time to increase, I just don't want my games to end before 10 minutes with 1 or 2 chases whole game.
Those are only MY thoughts and MY opinion, but I really do find the game to be more fun.