Palm Springs SANE Training

 Well I am once again a little behind on updating my blog, nothing shocking there!  A month ago I flew to Palm Springs for a week to take a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner course.  This is a 40 class that meant for some VERY long days of training, and homework every night, homework and studying before I got there and long after I got home.  I received my certificate of completion 2 weeks after the class, and I am so glad that I did it.  Eisenhower Medical Center has set a great example for how a forensic nursing program should look at every hospital, and it was great experience for me to be there and network with people who are doing what I aspire to do.  I learned how to do exams and collect and submit evidence for victims and suspects involved in sexual assault. It had the potential to get a little depressing - hour after hour of discussing horrible and depressing things, but this was overcome by us all shooting out the door at the end of everyday and eating great food, perhaps some room service here and there, and enjoying views like this:

 This was my first time in Palm Springs, and I had to laugh when I got off the plane.  The entire airport, meaning the gates and terminals and restaurants and everything is all outdoors under these canopies!  Birds flying all around my head and walking on my luggage while I waiting for my flight.  I didn't really mind....  :)

Free "upgrade" to a tiny little Mini Cooper - my rental car for the week.  It took me 20 minutes to figure out how to put the key in and about 4 days before I knew how to roll the windows down. (learning curve, people...) Every single day I came out to the parking lot and could.not.find.my.car. On the upside, I drove all OVER the desert in that cute little thing, and my grand total for refilling at the gas station before turning it in?  $17.  That's right.