I was born for adventure, women, whiskey and sin. No, I'll never surrender, live by the sword 'til the end. - Styx, Born For Adventure

Since it's memorial weekend, I figured I'd talk about how all my friends and I are off getting to experience the "adventure" side of the Navy.

A lot has changed for all of us since we graduated Romeo class in October of 2006! Some of my close friends are now LTJG's!! I'll no longer be Ensign Kumpunen on August 12th! I'll get to say LTJG Kumpunen. Weeeeird. And the pay jump is pretty significant for this one. :) Plus, I'll be on deployment, so even more ways to save some money. I know there was a reason I didn't get on those earlier deployments like I wanted to. God always has that plan ready.

In the past month or so, many of my friends have started off on their experiences:

LTJG Meyer (my roommie from OIS): She got last minute orders to report to Bremerton, Washington (outside Seattle) and be stationed on a ship. Can't remember which carrier. My bad. Anywho, she had a cross country journey to Washington. So fun to see the pictures. Since she reported to the ship, she's been sent to San Diego to do additional training. Lucky girl. I know it's a stressful situation being brand new on a carrier! She has a lot to do as an officer and I know she'll be great and I think she's enjoying it, but kinda scary. She's an industrial hygienist, so she's does inspections all over, etc. It's kinda neat hearing about her job.


LTJG Smith (3w nurse nnmc): She got orders to the USNS Mercy!!! I'm so jealous! She flew out to San Diego and met them in Guam. The hospital ship is doing a humanitarian mission all over the Pacific. They will see some amazing things and places. Here's a link to the captain's blog: http://mercycaptain.blogspot.com/. He's a civilian, but you still understand.


ENS Conrad (5w nurse nnmc): Brit got orders to Djibouti, Africa! She's stationed there at a military clinic for a lot of the special forces, etc. It's close by Somalia. She got to spend some time in Cali also and even took a few days to Vegas when they had liberty. I hope I get to do that too! Here's her blog: http://web.mac.com/nursbrit/iWeb/Site/Welcome.html


Me (5c nurse nnmc): I get to leave for Kuwait in less than a month!!! I go on leave the 2nd of June and I'll fly back to DC on the 20th, only to leave for training in Cali on the 22nd. Then, I should be in Kuwait mid July. I am so excited. You have no idea. Obviously, you know my blog. haha.

Anywho, it's so amazing to see all of my friends and I spreading our Navy wings and getting out in the fleet! For a long time I just wanted to feel what it would be like to be away from Bethesda. It's not the same experience here. Very brass. Lots of little stuff to worry about. I hear anywhere else in the fleet, you can kick back more and have a ton of fun. That's just what I'm wanting to do! I love getting emails from all these girls and telling me the amazing things they are doing these days and all the new things they are learning about field medicine, humanitarian missions, shipboard life, training, etc. Now my friends and I are literally all around the world! This is so awesome. This seriously was the best decision I ever made and I only wish some of my other friends back home could join in!

Have a happy and safe memorial day!

Going to jail accused of being a peeping tom. - Parliament, Little Old Country Boy

So, when someone contemplates joining the service, they don't need to ask themselves these questions:

1. Am I tough enough?
2. Can I make it through training?
3. Can I stay up to physical standards?
4. Will I be okay with moving every few years?
5. Will I be okay with people telling me what to do?
6. Do I mind putting myself in harms way?
7. Am I okay with someone controlling my life and being in a contract that I cannot get out of?
8. Will I be fine with living on a ship, in a tent, in barracks, etc?
9. Can I wear the uniform with pride?
10. Do I mind moving somewhere I don't want to move if they tell me to?


They only need to ask themselves this ONE QUESTION....



Am I okay with having someone watch me pee for a drug test?


I swear. This to me is harder than running my PRT. I had to drink so much water at MEPS so that I could go. Maybe for guys it's not that big of a deal. You guys do it all the time. We girls. We have our own little room to do our business. And it's even more difficult when you're having to aim into a little cup. Guys have major control over that.

I have gone for a random urinalysis soooooo many times at this command. This month marks the second time that I've been here that I've had to go 2 times in one month. It had to do with a "sweep" of the entire command this past week. I drank so much water before I went that I thought my bladder would explode. But, it makes it easier so I can just get in and out as fast as I can.

But, it's the most strange thing ever. They stand there and have to stare at you. Just leaving the stall door open is weird.

Just had to share my feelings about it. I don't know if I'll ever get used to it.

Hold the candle in your heart to shine the light on hidden parts. - Garbage, Cherry Lips

Here's this year's video I had to do for the candle light service. One of these days I'll get a good program to put together a great video, but I get so busy, that I just want it to get done. There were a TON more videos this year, so it was hard to fit them all in the song. Also, that's not my finger in a lot of those pictures! hahaha.

These are all the military, civilian, and contract nurses throughout our hospital and clinics.

It was a lot more fun taking them this year because I know more people around the hospital.

Anywho, enjoy.

On a place they call the planet Earth, my orders are to sit here and watch the world go by. - Electric Light Orchestra, Mission

I got my official orders for Kuwait today. :) I leave D.C. on June 22nd and my estimated date of return is January 8th, 2009. Weird.

On our schedule for the floor it has me listed for 5 days of work then "LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLdepdepdepdepdepdepdep", etc.

L=leave (in Tejas)
dep=deployment

That's how it will be on the schedule until January of 2009. Crazy! It's all real now. I'm looking forward to the change of scenery. I'm looking forward to getting away from some drama that is starting to creep up at work. I'm looking forward to getting away from bogus admissions and endless chart checks. I'm looking forward to a few weeks in California! I'm looking forward to wearing sports bras and camis every day. Not... haha. I'll probably be so sick of wearing the same thing every single day for 6 months. I can't imagine doing it for a year and a half.

All around I'm just excited to start a new, but small chapter in my life. I hope to learn a lot about myself, the navy, and other cultures.

Okay, that all being said. Here's my tentative plan for leave in Tejas:

June 3rd: parents fly in
4th: move into storage and start the drive back home
5th: arrive in Arlington, TX
6-8th: camping/tubing in New Braunfels (including Robert Earl Keen concert Saturday and a stop for breakfast/lunch in Austin on Sunday)
9th-14th: Arlington
14th: stop in Austin to see some friends before going to Beth and Adam's wedding in Driftwood. Then, on to Houston to stay with my sis
15-17th: Houston
17-20th: Arlington
20th: fly back to DC
22nd: fly to Cali!

Life has been so busy since the beginning of March and I really want this leave to be peaceful. SO, if any of you start giving me a hard time about not getting to see me a lot on my leave and guilting me...I'm just going to walk away. I'll do my best, but I'm already driving all over the state to see people, so I'm not going to spend my free days driving all over the DFW area. I can't wait to come home for a while and see everyone!

I just got my smallpox site checked today, my 3rd anthrax shot, and my battle record up to date today.

The only thing that stinks is that Tanya's in the hospital. :( Poor thing. Long story of complications from when she was really sick as a kid and now she had to have emergency surgery and it is a day by day thing. She's def doing better than she was a few days ago, but still. I hate seeing her sick. I helped wash her hair today. I'll be in to see her tomorrow. I've been able to stop in on her every day so far. I'm glad I work right there. She's my best friend up here. I hate that she's not feeling well. I hope she can get out soon so we can hang out before I leave. If you guys can, please say a prayer they don't have to take her back into surgery and that her wound heals fast and well.

You better let somebody love you before it's too late. - The Eagles, Desperado

A long time ago someone special sent me a Jimmy Eat World cd and I listened to this song over and over. It came on my itunes tonight and as I watched the rain and storm outside, I began to realize that this song means so much more now than ever. I couldn't find the actual music video, so I'll just use this one, but I didn't want to put just the lyrics.

I just finished reading a book with my church small group and it was a difficult read. The author pushed me and made me think things I never would have thought or believed. Now that I've finished it, I can see what I've learned from it all.

I've already caught myself being a typical girl about guys. I'm learning to stop and not let my heart get wrapped into something that is not right. Normally, after one call or one message or something, I would get so excited and think that maybe God was sending me someone. It's not true. It's nothing. It's nothing until God says it is something and until He brings him to me. Until then, there must still be a reason he wants me to be on my own. This past week so many people have questioned me on how I'm still single. I don't know why. Why do people ask?? I just tell them that God hasn't sent me my forever.

Some of my guy friends that are married have told me that I have amazing qualities and they don't believe that I'm still single after all this time and being so young. Ya, well.

Then, I had a fellow nurse say the same thing. Again, what do they want me to say? I have a good time on my own. I think that is why I'm overall so happy. haha. I just really feel like God is teaching me a lot and having me grow. Plus, He must still be working on my future love.

So, until then, I'll lay down, listen to this song, remember those feelings of what it was like to be in love and cherish the memories of loves past, but focus on what is ahead of me and what God is doing in my life right now.

Don't lose your grip on the dreams of the past, you must fight just to keep them alive. - Survivor, Eye Of The Tiger

Saturday night had to be one of the best nights of my life. I met amazing men and women that have stood up and been courageous and fought to take care of our military men and women. They fought to get the nurse corps established in 1908. They fought to get an Admiral spot in the navy. They fought to allow men to be in the nurse corps. They fought to keep tradition and stories for all of us.

I'm truly honored to have been able to sit in the same room with all these retired and active duty navy nurses. To hear stories from senators and other people, like Bob Woodruff, who were treated by navy nurses was touching. To hear from the retired captains I talked to that spoke to me about WWII, Korea, Vietnam, etc, was inspiring. To be wearing the same uniform as all these other bright eyed ensigns that chose to not only sacrifice to take care of others, but to also sacrifice their life for their country and navy, it just....there are no words. I'm proud of us, Nurse Corps.

I hope that I can stay in the 20 years. I know the memories, stories, friends (who are all instantly family) will stay with me the rest of my life. I know that this was the best decision for my life and that God really had his hand in the middle of all of this.

I want to thank my friends back home who all support, love, call me, and are just overall there for me when I'm homesick and I question if this hard life is really what I should be doing. I want to thank my friends here that have become so close to my heart. You guys are like my brothers and sisters. I wouldn't be able to see the amazing things that this world can bring without you all. We do the impossible sometimes. No matter our backgrounds or differences, we all love each other the same.

Happy 100th, Nurse Corps!!! GO Navy!

More pics can be found at my picasa (http://picasaweb.google.com/ckumpunen) or on facebook.

When the working day is done, girls they just want to have fun. - Cyndi Lauper, Girls Just Want To Have Fun

Ho hum. I'm working right now. I just realized that I can write blog messages on the computers here at the hospital. I also just found out that I can check my gmail, yahoo, myspace, and whatever other websites that are blocked here, on my cell phone.

What? It's been a productful night shift. We did our bi-monthly crash cart drill and inventory. We made our own cold stone in the back report room with ice cream, sprinkles, whip cream, etc. I filled out a survey for my deployment online. We signed some going away cards for people.

I had gotten stressed out last weekend. Everything seemed to pile up and I was looking at everything that is coming up in the next few months and it was overwhelming. Now, I'm just trying to take a breath and be cool. One day at a time. This morning I have to go weigh in for the PRT and Friday morning (after my night shift) I have to run my PRT. I'm getting nervous. But, the good news is that I should be getting my new ipod today in the mail and I have a special playlist for the PRT. I think it'll keep me going.

I'm craving cake. Or a candy bar. Good news is, we're having a going away party for some people this morning, so a lot of people are bringing food in. :) I'll go weigh in first before I pig out! Then, can't forget to pick up cat food on my way home. Then, sleep and come back up tonight. Not too bad of a day. If tonight's shift is anything like this one is, it won't be a problem.

Let's see. I'm gonna find something of significance to talk about. I have just been talking about nothing.

Ha. Go figure. I go to cnn.com and the first story to catch my attention is this one:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/04/30/dinosaur.dung.ap/index.html
130-million-year-old poop sells for $960

So much for talking about something of significance. Now, I'm learning all about old dinosaur dung.

Ah. Here we go: http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/conditions/04/28/hm.fatigue/index.html
Fatigue is more than just plain tired

For a couple weeks now I have just been flat out exhausted. I've been thinking I need to get my thyroid checked. My mom, both grandmothers, sister, and now my brother are all diagnosed with hypothyroidism. There are other reasons why, but still. I should look into it. That just means another doc appt. I'm tired of coming into work on my days off. But, as the article shows... I shouldn't just push away feeling fatigued. I used to have so much energy on nights that I would wake up hours early and work out and still feel rested. Now, I skip the gym many times and I wake up with the alarm and still feel exhausted. I don't know. It might just be everything going on. After this weekend, things should come down a bit.

I'm excited though. Friday night at cancun cantina with a bunch of the nurses at the hospital and then Saturday night is the 100th Navy Nurse Corps birthday ball. :)

It's gonna be a good weekend!