After a relatively easy first week of lectures and films studying the various laws, governing bodies, professional standards, health & safety requirements for the nursing field, we begin week 2. I will admit, the amount of outside-class work -- they weren't kidding, it is staggering. It is also a logistical problem if you'd like to decamp the dorm room and go hole up anywhere else to get some work done. This is because the textbooks require a dolly. Entire forests were mown down in order to provide them. And since I dropped a cool grand on these babies, I'm damned sure gonna read them.
Now that I'm comfortably nested in said dorm room, I find I'm not the only one. Those following me on FaceBook this week know I have encountered several bigger-than-a-breadbox cockroaches in my room. Nothing like a major freak out in the hallway to bring us nursing students together. The friendly and responsive Environmental Services guy from the hospital informs me that my pets are American Cockroaches. (Nice that they're domestic. The other ones are...German. Nuff said.) Anyhoo, we grow things bigger in the USA...my insect tormentors are upwards of 2 inches long, and not smart enough to get out of the way of a 4-inch stiletto.
Needless to say...despite my new memory foam mattress, I'm still not sleeping.
And speaking of wild things, we've got the 2-legged variety here in the dorms as well. I have dubbed them the Gaggles of Giggling Girls collective. They jump around being silly due to various stimuli: the onset of Jersey Shore on tv, a sighting of a cute medical resident, and various other indiscernible reasons. I see myself as an obvious outsider, however I am welcomed into the fold as a visitor -- a la Gorillas in the Mist. I'm resisting any true bonding thus far, since I'm not sure my self-esteem can handle being dubbed Dorm Mom. Still, my favorite moment with the kids so far was when I disclosed to one of my classmates in the hall that I had a date that night, while a gaggle was walking by and overheard. Much squealing and hopping around ensued, followed by pleas that I let them help me "get ready." It was quite endearing actually.
It seems my design skills won't need to be entirely forgotten. We are tasked with building a Professional Portfolio in a binder over the next two years, compiling our experiences and credentials that will, one hopes, help us find that crucial first nursing job. Looking at the professor's example had me cringing inwardly. While I'm sure her credentials are lengthy and impressive -- the book itself looks like it could be at home in any high school locker. And since my former job had me overseeing multi-million dollar proposal packages, I say pish tush to this softball assignment.
What I'm really scared of is giving an enema to an incontinent and combative alzheimer's patient.
The book I can handle.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Monday, August 15, 2011
First Week in the Burgh
Hey folks!
I'm finally catching up on the blog. I've had a lot to say, and many nudges from friends and family to update, however my first gripe is the heavily filtered WiFi in my building owing to the fact that I live in a hospital, and they take patient records pretty seriously. So I'm reporting from Alexander's, only a couple blocks away, and purportedly one of the area's finest Italian restaurants. You'll be hearing a lot about how I'm eating my way through Little Italy for a while since it's right out my door. After the drive across the fruited plain, where there was a distinct lack of variety on the menu, I'm happy to be back among culinarily diverse options.
Okay where should I start? How about the drive?
After surgery #2 and an unexpected overnight stay in the hospital for mega-doses of great pain control drugs I landed back on the couch to recover for a couple of days. Luckily the move off the beach was behind me. Ordinarily I surely would have had a terrible time leaving the cabin, knowing I wouldn't see the beach (or my tub) for 22 months. However, pain and exhaustion kept me from really even acknowledging that farewell. On day 2 of my recovery I thought about it and realized if my Plan C (...or was it, D?) was going to work at all, I'd have to pour myself in the car and drive away, in 24 hours. So I did. (Although my dear friend and host was skeptical it could be done, and...full disclosure...so was I.)
My son (and co-pilot) and I spent the following nights in Butte, MT; Wall SD; and finally Madison, WI -- driving later and later into the night to keep on schedule. Encountering the world-renowned motorcycle rally at Sturgis was a logistical nightmare in terms of finding lodging, but we did it. I'll admit I find it a guilty pleasure checking out men on bikes. And there were zillions. It was like a candy shop. ;)
The road trip went by amazingly fast because we listened to 3.25 books on tape of the Harry Potter series and were drawn in. Now we have the remaining books to listen to on the way back in 22 months.
Pittsburgh. PGH. The Burgh. Welcome to the Big City.
After a couple of wrong turns, we arrived in Pitt at 2:30 a.m. on Thursday. Our welcoming party was Chubby Nudie. He was a hairy, bald obese man in his underwear going to his car to retrieve something on Liberty Avenue. We saw WAY too much of his south end. Because we were punchy...this sent us into hysterics.
Then when we pulled up to my building, we heard a loud crash and a drunk girl on her bicycle had fallen in the middle of the street. Giggling. David and I shared a glance and tried hard not to crack each other up. She was fine. Drunk people bounce. And her chain was off so she had to walk the rest of the way. Lord knows we weren't going to aid and abet by helping her reconnect it and there was NO WAY she had the dexterity to do it. She ambled away. So that's Drunk Cyclist Chick.
[Commercial break: the cheese and wild mushroom ravioli in marsala sauce just arrived and I am over the moon! And since on Monday and Wednesdays it's 1/2 price wine here at Alexander's...it's my new favorite place. I sought it out on the advice of a good friend who said I needed to establish routines...I pick this one.]
I checked into my room on the nurse's floor and my boy stayed on the med-student's floor, which is all guys. And now I will commence my list of gripes, just to get that out of the way:
There are plenty of those. I love old buildings and this town has plenty. Mine was built in 1892. I love exploring new neighborhoods and new churches. Plenty of that to come. I am sure I'll meet people, and that will be fun. The Italians love me already. I shower them (and their food) with praise. People here have been Over the Top Nice. I have always found Seattle fairly standoffish. Especially since I moved there from Abilene, TX -- where you are instantly part of anyone's family. Here in The Burgh I have met the kindest, most helpful people so far.
That is, until they get into their cars. Then they are evil.
Well folks, I hate to ignore my friendly server. It's time for that next glass of wine before I go back to my dorm...and the kids. And the boxes I have yet to unpack. Of course, after the next glass, I may just go to bed. In any case, I had better down it so I don't have to walk home in the dark and get mugged.
Tomorrow is the first day of Orientation. In 21 months and 29 days, I'll be a nurse!
Love and miss you all!
I'm finally catching up on the blog. I've had a lot to say, and many nudges from friends and family to update, however my first gripe is the heavily filtered WiFi in my building owing to the fact that I live in a hospital, and they take patient records pretty seriously. So I'm reporting from Alexander's, only a couple blocks away, and purportedly one of the area's finest Italian restaurants. You'll be hearing a lot about how I'm eating my way through Little Italy for a while since it's right out my door. After the drive across the fruited plain, where there was a distinct lack of variety on the menu, I'm happy to be back among culinarily diverse options.
Okay where should I start? How about the drive?
After surgery #2 and an unexpected overnight stay in the hospital for mega-doses of great pain control drugs I landed back on the couch to recover for a couple of days. Luckily the move off the beach was behind me. Ordinarily I surely would have had a terrible time leaving the cabin, knowing I wouldn't see the beach (or my tub) for 22 months. However, pain and exhaustion kept me from really even acknowledging that farewell. On day 2 of my recovery I thought about it and realized if my Plan C (...or was it, D?) was going to work at all, I'd have to pour myself in the car and drive away, in 24 hours. So I did. (Although my dear friend and host was skeptical it could be done, and...full disclosure...so was I.)
My son (and co-pilot) and I spent the following nights in Butte, MT; Wall SD; and finally Madison, WI -- driving later and later into the night to keep on schedule. Encountering the world-renowned motorcycle rally at Sturgis was a logistical nightmare in terms of finding lodging, but we did it. I'll admit I find it a guilty pleasure checking out men on bikes. And there were zillions. It was like a candy shop. ;)
The road trip went by amazingly fast because we listened to 3.25 books on tape of the Harry Potter series and were drawn in. Now we have the remaining books to listen to on the way back in 22 months.
Pittsburgh. PGH. The Burgh. Welcome to the Big City.
After a couple of wrong turns, we arrived in Pitt at 2:30 a.m. on Thursday. Our welcoming party was Chubby Nudie. He was a hairy, bald obese man in his underwear going to his car to retrieve something on Liberty Avenue. We saw WAY too much of his south end. Because we were punchy...this sent us into hysterics.
Then when we pulled up to my building, we heard a loud crash and a drunk girl on her bicycle had fallen in the middle of the street. Giggling. David and I shared a glance and tried hard not to crack each other up. She was fine. Drunk people bounce. And her chain was off so she had to walk the rest of the way. Lord knows we weren't going to aid and abet by helping her reconnect it and there was NO WAY she had the dexterity to do it. She ambled away. So that's Drunk Cyclist Chick.
[Commercial break: the cheese and wild mushroom ravioli in marsala sauce just arrived and I am over the moon! And since on Monday and Wednesdays it's 1/2 price wine here at Alexander's...it's my new favorite place. I sought it out on the advice of a good friend who said I needed to establish routines...I pick this one.]
I checked into my room on the nurse's floor and my boy stayed on the med-student's floor, which is all guys. And now I will commence my list of gripes, just to get that out of the way:
- Living with A/C in a hot and humid place is new to me. I'm either way too hot, or freezing. I haven't found the right setting. And though it's hot enough out to frizz my hair and make me wonder why I showered, I still need to bring a sweater because as soon as I go indoors it is sure to be overly air-conditioned and I'll probably catch a cold.
- No tub. Those of you who know me and my 2 bath a day habit, know that this is a demoralizing thing for me. When will I ever get my reading done? What about my glass of white in the tub? Snoozing? Shaving my legs without balancing dangerously on one foot?!! How do you shower people do it?!! I hate this most of all. I may live in the tub on breaks. Some are suggesting I make friends with the people who live in the suites on my floor. These are seniors in the private apartments. With their private bathtubs, damn them. But I've never been a user, so that's out. (Except for Heather. She has always had a pretty good tub.)
- Did I mention the filtered WiFi?!! No iTunes. No Netflix. No blogging from bed, as per normal. Now the internet is only good for online shopping (thank God) and Facebooking. Which is why you'll see more FB updates from me. It's just easier. I am sadly watching Netflix on my phone! We'll see how this blogging thing goes when it's 3 feet of snow to get to Alexanders. I may need to spring for that thingy that gives me WiFi wherever I go. Just don't want to add a monthly bill if I can work around it.
- Everybody who lives on my floor looks...about 12. And since I feel about 172 around them...this is a big gap. I find myself rebelling by spending WAY too much on dorm room improvements in order to feel like an adult. It. Will. Be. My. Haven. But seriously...I need to stop soon. How many throw pillows does a girl need? Strangely, though I feel like a centenarian right now, apparently I don't look it. TWICE on this trip my 18 year old son and I were mistaken for a couple. I don't really need to add that this sent my son into apoplexy, and he demanded to know if he looked 30 for reals. (Keep in mind I'm 41.) I assured him he did not, and that it was all me. :) And speaking of feeling like an adult...how can I when:
- It's a dry dorm. Yes, unless I want to be a law breaker (this early) I cannot bring in any adult bevies. And even if I wanted to, you can't just go to Safeway and pick up a bottle or two while you replenish provisions. All alcohol is sold at liquor stores here. I feel like I'm back in Canada! Seriously...when I was in college in the 80's we had a DRIVE THROUGH liquor store. Now that was neat. So in order to stay on this side of the dorm law I would have to walk a few blocks to a fairly sketchy liquor store and then drink it in my car. (Which may put me on the wrong side of state law come to think of it.) It is no wonder that I have been craving a glass of wine like an addict wants a needle. Which is why I'm at Alexanders...boozy-blogging. If this goes badly I may need to update from Starbucks in future.
- Parking. It's a pain. But on the up-side I am an expert parallel parker. But feeding meters every 2 hours my first days here got old quickly. I'm now in the lot provided by the school. The several blocks walk seems fine. Now. Ask me again in the 3 feet of snow.
- Did I mention the heat? I think I did, but clearly I wasn't finished. I stood in line, (svhizing) for my Healthcare Worker's CPR class and asked the instructor if today was considered a pretty hot day on average as I madly fanned myself with my booklet. She looked nonplussed and said actually today was considered cool. Tomorrow's supposed to be a real scorcher and I'm left wondering how much less I can wear before breaking laws for both the school AND the state.
- I could throw a stone at The Hood. Really. My charming, albeit working-class, Italian district borders places where I really shouldn't wander. Yes mom, I unpacked the hot-pink mace. And I had to keep possession of my son's switch blade, since he flew home with carry on bags. Yes!! Very handy for opening boxes. Hope I don't need it for any other reason.
- City people watching. I'm really having fun with this. Heavier women in daisy-dukes and 4 inch heels. Swarms of people in every-color-scrubs around my hospital...some in (gasp) yucky Hello Kitty scrubs. (Why?!) And then there was The Miner. (This is an over-18 observation. Please skip down if you're easily offended.) So on David's last day here I took him to get some *surprise* Italian food. We were sharing some cheese and walnut ravioli in gorgonzola sauce with artichokes and groaning with delight when I observed what had to be a drug dealer guy on the corner. I mean, why else would he spend the whole hour on the corner?! (Says the girl from the burbs.) Then I was transfixed, in that way when you can't look away from an accident, as this guy "readjusted himself" for...uh...had to be 5 minutes. At least long enough for me to realize it wasn't going to end, so I could point it out to my son. Sure enough, David looked over. And stared aghast, as it went...well, on and on. Then I started exclaiming, as the represented female in the group, that a girl can overlook it if anatomy requires a little adjusting from time to time. She can glance away, knowing it would be over by the time she looked back. But this guy was conducting a Mining Operation! Hence...Miner Guy. Sorry. But we shared another laugh together. It was hot, and we were punchy again.
- Oh I have more gripes, but what will I write about next week? :)
There are plenty of those. I love old buildings and this town has plenty. Mine was built in 1892. I love exploring new neighborhoods and new churches. Plenty of that to come. I am sure I'll meet people, and that will be fun. The Italians love me already. I shower them (and their food) with praise. People here have been Over the Top Nice. I have always found Seattle fairly standoffish. Especially since I moved there from Abilene, TX -- where you are instantly part of anyone's family. Here in The Burgh I have met the kindest, most helpful people so far.
That is, until they get into their cars. Then they are evil.
Well folks, I hate to ignore my friendly server. It's time for that next glass of wine before I go back to my dorm...and the kids. And the boxes I have yet to unpack. Of course, after the next glass, I may just go to bed. In any case, I had better down it so I don't have to walk home in the dark and get mugged.
Tomorrow is the first day of Orientation. In 21 months and 29 days, I'll be a nurse!
Love and miss you all!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Update from the Couch
Satan's babies, the kidney stones on both sides of my body, made themselves known last week, and that is how I ended up here on my friend's couch, instead of on the beach, packing.
Yesterday I went in for surgery so I could rid myself of them once and for all before heading off to school. Though it was a surprise that I was going to need surgery in the last two weeks before my move, somehow the schedule would have worked out if everything had gone according to plan.
But it didn't.
In the middle of my operation, when my surgeon was going to blast one of the suckers with his laser beam -- the machine refused to operate! I was brought out of surgery, only half done with the procedure and told he'd have to go back in when a new machine was found.
Today I am recovering on the couch from surgery #1 and dreading #2, which will happen next Tuesday. Morale is low and my moving plans are shot all to hell considering the schedule didn't have much play in it. When I can concentrate further, I'll be working on Plan B for getting myself to Pittsburgh on time in order to become a nurse.
Life sure does take a turn sometimes. The bright side being, this is one more experience that will give me greater insight and compassion when I begin taking care of patients.
All I can say folks is...Drink Your Water!!
Yesterday I went in for surgery so I could rid myself of them once and for all before heading off to school. Though it was a surprise that I was going to need surgery in the last two weeks before my move, somehow the schedule would have worked out if everything had gone according to plan.
But it didn't.
In the middle of my operation, when my surgeon was going to blast one of the suckers with his laser beam -- the machine refused to operate! I was brought out of surgery, only half done with the procedure and told he'd have to go back in when a new machine was found.
Today I am recovering on the couch from surgery #1 and dreading #2, which will happen next Tuesday. Morale is low and my moving plans are shot all to hell considering the schedule didn't have much play in it. When I can concentrate further, I'll be working on Plan B for getting myself to Pittsburgh on time in order to become a nurse.
Life sure does take a turn sometimes. The bright side being, this is one more experience that will give me greater insight and compassion when I begin taking care of patients.
All I can say folks is...Drink Your Water!!
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Last Call
Have started thinking about everything in terms of "lasts." Last 4th of July on the beach. Last time I might see that friend. Was that the last time I'm going to see my nieces and nephews? They had better not grow for the 22 months I'll be gone. Will this be the last time I get a My Pie at Katie Downs Pizza?
I'm having a strange sort of paralysis. I have less than four weeks to execute a to-do list that, when I look it over, makes me want to go back to bed. All I really want to do is wrap on a sarong, sit on my deck slathered in spf 42, and listen to the waves. I am trying to figure out how to bottle the scent of home: salty brine, cocoa butter tanning lotion, evergreens and wood smoke.
I have diagnosed myself with Premature Homesickness.
The calendar is certainly filling up. Lunches, coffees, dinners with friends. I feel like a rock band on a farewell tour! I'll have to squeeze in the packing and organizing in between these events. It doesn't help that I'm jetting off to the east coast on Monday. A quick trip to New York to see a friend, then down to Pittsburgh to attend a pre-registration thing. I'm pretty excited to get a preview of what will become my life for the next 2 years.
I dug my way through a pile of paperwork for the school yesterday. I am gratified to know how closely they look at anyone who wants to work in healthcare. Can't just swan in. They want to know if you are a felon. Or a druggie. Today I need to head to the police station to submit my prints for an FBI background check.
Great. Now I'll never be able to go on the lam!
Other than the necessary action items to make sure I actually qualify to do nursing school, I'm not really thinking much about my upcoming east coast life. I figure I'll have about 3000 miles to go over all of that in my trek across the fruited plain.
I'm going to soak up the sun and the fellowship with friends first.
I'm having a strange sort of paralysis. I have less than four weeks to execute a to-do list that, when I look it over, makes me want to go back to bed. All I really want to do is wrap on a sarong, sit on my deck slathered in spf 42, and listen to the waves. I am trying to figure out how to bottle the scent of home: salty brine, cocoa butter tanning lotion, evergreens and wood smoke.
I have diagnosed myself with Premature Homesickness.
The calendar is certainly filling up. Lunches, coffees, dinners with friends. I feel like a rock band on a farewell tour! I'll have to squeeze in the packing and organizing in between these events. It doesn't help that I'm jetting off to the east coast on Monday. A quick trip to New York to see a friend, then down to Pittsburgh to attend a pre-registration thing. I'm pretty excited to get a preview of what will become my life for the next 2 years.
I dug my way through a pile of paperwork for the school yesterday. I am gratified to know how closely they look at anyone who wants to work in healthcare. Can't just swan in. They want to know if you are a felon. Or a druggie. Today I need to head to the police station to submit my prints for an FBI background check.
Great. Now I'll never be able to go on the lam!
Other than the necessary action items to make sure I actually qualify to do nursing school, I'm not really thinking much about my upcoming east coast life. I figure I'll have about 3000 miles to go over all of that in my trek across the fruited plain.
I'm going to soak up the sun and the fellowship with friends first.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Sweet Relief
It's over! That long and extremely intense combined A & P class is done as of today. I never knew I could physically feel my brain become too stretched and exhausted until this class. It's been 4 days straight of intensive studying culminating in a 3 hour final this morning. Some of the students got together for lunch (and a lengthy bitch-fest) after the test. The instructor wasn't kidding when he said that comprehensive exam was going to be rough. I wanted to bang my head against the desk through most of it. Thankfully he ran the grades right after. I am happy to report an A in 241, and an A- in 242.
Some have said that this class is just a precursor of how rigorous the nursing classes are going to be. I must say I go a little limp at that thought but then I remind myself that its only a 22-month program. AND it will begin after a lengthy 8 week break (starting today!!!) I can do it. Wish I was going to be able to do it close to home surrounded by friends and family, but maybe its better to be away where I can focus. I do hate to miss out on any goings-on around here. The many breaks throughout the year will allow me to travel home and reconnect during times when I won't be loaded down with stress.
8 weeks seems like a lot of time off. Remember summers as a kid? They seemed to stretch into eternity and by the end all I could do was look forward to school starting with excitement. Silly kid. :) Now I look at my calendar and gasp at how short a time that really is to pack up and move out of my house, get it ready to rent, get my son ready for college AND myself. AND move across country! (The list is really much much longer, but I won't bore you...)
On the very top of the list is scheduled time with close friends and family, and hopefully some long leisurely days on my beach.
SCHOOL'S OUT...SUMMER TIME!!!
Some have said that this class is just a precursor of how rigorous the nursing classes are going to be. I must say I go a little limp at that thought but then I remind myself that its only a 22-month program. AND it will begin after a lengthy 8 week break (starting today!!!) I can do it. Wish I was going to be able to do it close to home surrounded by friends and family, but maybe its better to be away where I can focus. I do hate to miss out on any goings-on around here. The many breaks throughout the year will allow me to travel home and reconnect during times when I won't be loaded down with stress.
8 weeks seems like a lot of time off. Remember summers as a kid? They seemed to stretch into eternity and by the end all I could do was look forward to school starting with excitement. Silly kid. :) Now I look at my calendar and gasp at how short a time that really is to pack up and move out of my house, get it ready to rent, get my son ready for college AND myself. AND move across country! (The list is really much much longer, but I won't bore you...)
On the very top of the list is scheduled time with close friends and family, and hopefully some long leisurely days on my beach.
SCHOOL'S OUT...SUMMER TIME!!!
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Good Riddance
In the final week of my A & P class, I FINALLY was able to be seen for those pesky kidney stones that happened during the first week of class! After an ultrasound today I learned that one of my satan's babies is no more, having wandered out of my body in tiny enough bits that I never felt a thing. It may have been the tanker-load of fluids I've been downing, and quite a bit of help from above. (Thank you GOD!) Still have one hanging out in my right kidney, but it may decide to hang wallpaper and stay a while. I don't really care, since they called it "non-occluding," meaning it isn't blocking anything. And it doesn't seem to be kicking up a fuss. Fine by me. Plus, if it should make an appearance at some future date...hello, I'll be living the next 2 years in a magnet hospital!
How strange that I studied the urinary system and kidney anatomy just last week, watched as my instructor dissected down into the cadaver to reveal the kidney in place and then today I got to see my whole entire system on the ultrasound. I got to watch the blood flowing *cue rote memorization* in from the renal artery, through the renal medulla, pushing through those tiny nephrons to be filtered and back out again with every heart beat. I actually saw the ureter jets propelling fluid into the bladder.
In my former life, I doubt I would have even bothered to look at the screen during the test. But today I was a bit transfixed by it all. Sad that I'm my own guinea pig, but weirdly pleased that it all came together this way to reinforce my interest in all things medical these days. And...bonus, I came out with 2 working kidneys to boot.
It's nice to know I won't be requiring surgery in these five weeks of summer left on the beach before the big move across the country.
How strange that I studied the urinary system and kidney anatomy just last week, watched as my instructor dissected down into the cadaver to reveal the kidney in place and then today I got to see my whole entire system on the ultrasound. I got to watch the blood flowing *cue rote memorization* in from the renal artery, through the renal medulla, pushing through those tiny nephrons to be filtered and back out again with every heart beat. I actually saw the ureter jets propelling fluid into the bladder.
In my former life, I doubt I would have even bothered to look at the screen during the test. But today I was a bit transfixed by it all. Sad that I'm my own guinea pig, but weirdly pleased that it all came together this way to reinforce my interest in all things medical these days. And...bonus, I came out with 2 working kidneys to boot.
It's nice to know I won't be requiring surgery in these five weeks of summer left on the beach before the big move across the country.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Turning Point
There are only a handful of days I call "Turning Point Days," that happen in life. Days you can point to that really changed everything that happened next. A wedding day. The birth of a child. Leaving a job.
Today is one of those days.
I have been waiting to hear if I am accepted into a nursing school back east and today, while I was in lab getting ready to do a pluck dissection (everything that fills the thoracic cavity: trachea, heart, lungs) my phone rang. Seeing the area code, I ran out into the hall to answer the call. It was the recruiter for the school with the good news that I will be joining their fall 2011 cohort! I think she was as excited to tell me as I was to hear the news (since she usually sends an acceptance letter, but made an exception this once since I'll only have a short time to get my life out west sorted out.) I giddily floated back into class and was congratulated by my A & P prof and fellow classmates.
I thought it would be difficult to focus on the lab, but I have to say they saved the best for last. This is our final dissection, and I found it the most interesting (other than the cadaver.) We got to feed an air hose into the trachea of a fresh set of calf lungs and actually re-inflate them. They blew right up like lung-shaped balloons and turned a pretty shade of light pink. It was really incredible to hold them and feel what they were like empty and full. Then we got to cut away the heart from the rest of the pluck and actually dissect down until we could see through the valves and into the chambers. We had to fill them with water and compress the heart to watch the action of the valves opening and closing. Without question, the hands-on experience of the labs in A & P are SO reinforcing in terms of bringing it all together. Just studying photos and diagrams wouldn't be the same at all.
And speaking of the cadaver -- I wasn't as brave as I wanted to be, but I didn't disgrace myself either. I double-gloved as if I might dig in and root around...but when it actually came time, I stood by and watched others. It wasn't so much the gore that bothered me, but rather the chemical smell they use to preserve the body. It was strong enough that I got a bit green around the gills. Standing next to him was the best I could do. I think if we had had several chances to work with him, I would have become accustomed to it and may have laid hands on eventually. It was rather fascinating to wonder what killed him. He still had a central line attached, and his heart looked about 2 times normal size. Most of his ribs were broken, indicating they had done CPR on him. Heart event?
Tonight I need to study for the last big exam we have before going into finals in a couple of weeks. This test is going to be a doozy, and yet I am fairly distracted with all of the details now that I know I'll be moving. I am going to TRY and put it aside until after the test tomorrow. After that I'll think about:
- planning out the budget
- renting out the house
- packing up the stuff
- servicing the truck
- getting son off to college
- enjoying the weeks of summer left here on the beach
- what the uniforms look like for nursing students
- what my dorm looks like
- where my neighborhood will be
etc...
Onward!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)