My official last day at my home unit was on Thursday. After eleven years I said goodbye. It, of coarse, was bittersweet. I transferred to that unit 11 years ago, January 1, 2005, to be exact, from med-surg. I knew nothing about being an ICU nurse upon my arrival. I gleaned a lot of information and education in those years. The awesome nurses that I worked with me taught me how to be an ICU. I’ve learned invaluable lessons in my time there.
I’ve seen nurses, doctors, managers, and directors come and go. I always thought I was a permanent fixture- at least until that last weekend of April which I talked about it my last post. You know, where I shook my life up, or upside down- however you want to look at it. I took my perfectly predictable, complacent life and turned it into, well, unpredictable.
On Wednesday the staff had an amazing going away party with awesome food, balloons and cake. They gave me a Charleston cookbook that was signed with their going away messages. It’s a gift that I will cherish always. I have officially said goodbye.
I’m not quite sure that reality has really hit me. I was sad to leave my unit. I love the people, but I’m exited too. Yesterday I started packing my suitcase to get ready for my assignment in Florence and it did begin to hit me- I’m really going. The last weeks have been so incredibly busy- the paper work and getting everything ready that I really haven’t had much time to be nervous, just excited.
Last night my husband was looking up hot air balloon rides and RV parks in New Mexico. That is exciting!
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