For the past 10 or so years we have been sending our kids to Hidden Acres Summer Camp. Jeremy went there through middle school & high school for all our church youth group retreats & I joined him when we moved to Iowa my junior year. Our oldest son had the privilege of working in the kitchen for 2 summers & matured substantially. To say that our family loves Hidden Acres would be completely accurate. I love to listen to my children tell me all about their adventures after we pick them up every year but I've always wondered what Hidden Acres is like during summer camp & it occurred to me that I could experience a taste if I went as the camp nurse. It wouldn't be exactly the same but it would be close.
I mentioned this in passing to Jeremy & he really pushed me this last year to get my license out of retirement & complete my CEU's so that I could be there. I was totally excited about the idea of going to camp but as the time neared I started to doubt my decision. You see, I haven't used my nursing license. I graduated nursing school & immediately started having babies. I've been pregnant or breastfeeding for the past 19years. I've continued to do research & learn many things about nursing but I've never gotten paid for all the skills I've used on my own children & our farm animals.
As my week got closer I started to get more nervous. I began to think about all the things I haven't done in the last 19 years. I started to dream about things like calculating dosages, feeding tubes, and diabetic pumps & running around trying to save all the campers from weird sicknesses that no one had ever heard of. I was definitely doubting my abilities but I knew that there would be 4 other nurses there to lean on if I needed.
When I arrived on Sunday afternoon I was nervous & excited but more excited than anything else. I met the other nurses that I'd be working with & got the low down on our responsibilities-didn't sound too hard. We set up to check in the camper's meds, put the meds into the daily med cases, & alphabetized them in the cupboards. I moved a little slowly at first because I was triple checking my doses & names but I got in the groove & my nervous energy dissipated.
The first morning dawned bright & early & I headed over to the nurse's station. We handed out morning meds & the kids started trickling in to get bandaids & bug paste. Those little sweeties stole my heart the first day! The homesick ones that just needed a hug until they started to have fun, the ones that smile & wave as we drove the golf cart with the coolers of water, the ones that fell down & needed bandages, & the ones we saw multiple times a day for meds. I didn't realize how quickly they would imbed themselves into my heart & not only the campers but the counselor too! I started thinking of them as MY kids! I checked on them throughout the week & worried about the ones that were still sad or had a tummy ache. I connected with so many kids even if it was just a high five, a smile & wave or a hug!
I worked from 7am to 10:30pm every day! I could have taken a break but I didn't want to miss a thing! I ate most of my meals in the nurse's station or on the run as I cared for the campers. I had the most fun I've had in such a long time! There were fun stories & hilarious stories. The kids made us laugh all day long! I gave some common sense-mom advice to the counselors on how to handle some tough campers & I comforted the counselors & campers that were injured in all their fun. It rained a lot but we still had a blast.
I made new friends in the other nurses that I got to work with! We laughed so much! There is a tradition at camp that the counselors come up with funny things that happen during the week & make them into T-shirts- we came up with a few ourselves: (overheard) "Jesus suffered more than this, we're going back to the cabin", "my feet hurt, bandage me", "When was the last time you pooped?", "Where is your water bottle?", "Bandaids solve everything", "Open the window before you talk", "What is that funk?", "Can you tell me what this is?"
My memories will be forever tattooed with: my homesick birthday buddy, the boy that just didn't want to walk, the poltergeist puker, the wilderness boys' foot funk, the airsoft pellet I popped out of a gal's eye (no joke-totally awesome!!!), the "no peanut but thought it was" Epi-pen ER visit, the biggest bloody nose I've ever seen during bubble wars, the over zealous WWE skit gone bad on the counselor's shoulder, magic tricks in the down time, golf cart water stations runs, hometown kids check-in, poison ivy, the almost seizure & trip to Urgent Care, "bandage me", "Klemmer" & Adam with an A, boxes of sheets to launder, the chipped tooth that "isn't a cavity because I ate sugar & it didn't hurt", meds that taste like turtle-because he just held a turtle, the majesty of the monarch butterflies everywhere that added to the magic of camp, the tower specialist that got a break from the heat, the last minute lice checks, seeing my own kids as they ran by, fireworks in the rain & all the inside jokes with the fantastic counselors.
My mind is still wondering how they are today even though I got home yesterday. I miss their little smiles & I'm kinda sad that I won't be there tomorrow to welcome a new group to camp with the counselors. BY THE WAY: counselors are SAINTS! They have so much to deal with besides herding kids to their next activity! I'll be praying for them this week for sure.
I will DEFINITELY be doing this every year! It was so great & well worth the tiredness I have today!!! Can't wait for next year! I wish I had taken pictures!
The last BEST thing that happened was that I was asked to come back next year by 2 counselors at separate times saying that I was the best nurse they have had this summer! My heart was soaring!