My first, "last" happened today.

 I'm finding that as I get closer to retirement (in about 18 months) 

I'm starting already to wrap up the "Lasts".

Today was one of the "LASTS"

Can you guess from the photo below what it might be?...

Basic Life Support commonly known as CPR!

Every 2 years for the last 40 I've had to recertify in CPR. 

I can't tell If I'll miss it or not... Probably not.

It has been instrumental in my career as an RN (mostly E.R. & ICU Nursing) as I have 

performed CPR more than I want to confess.

Believe it or not, I have met  many CPR-trained instructors that have

 never had to do this daunting task on a real person.

I can tell you it's different, not much at all like the "dummies" we practice on.

and the guidelines are only that, guidelines.

There are times we forget to count " 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and .....

because that's not real life in the middle of the emergency.

but the guidelines are necessary in the big picture when you're trying to save a life.

I hope I never have to do CPR (for real) again, but if I do I will know what to do.

I'm good forever now.

Over the next 18 months or so there will be more "Lasts". 

Some I will look forward to and some I will miss. 

So as I start the countdown, 

I will share from time to time the things that come to me as I finish up 40+ years of nursing.