Monday, May 31, 2010

Wow- beginning week 4 already...

We have had 4 tests already- and I think I have passed them. I know I have passed 2 of them at least- and am fairly sure about the fourth.  This week brings my first clinical- Card IM- at Grace Sinai. Please note: I have NO idea where this is. Where is my map, anyway?

Speaking of maps- I have decided that this is pretty much unchartered waters for me. I feel lost 90% of the time. I am aware that certain things are harder for me than for others- this is okay, but frustrating- clearly youth is helpful in the regard. I hope I will do well in clinicals. I am going to assume that my forte will be the time with patients. Clearly, anatomy and rote memorization are not my forte. There is one area where getting a B will suffice. :)

So, I have spent more money on books in the past month then in my entire life- even building my "horse" library. I can see how they will truly be important. I have lots more I should get, and even more that I'd like to get. I can see how Greys or the full-blown Netters would be quite nice.

I have great classmates- and a new husband in Anne Hall, seen above with her bright smile. Arts comment was we already look alike, which I will take as a compliment. She is bright, smart, sweet and quite funny. She also does tell it like it is, which I appreciate greatly. "Right??"

And, just as a last note- there is NO way that I could have prepared for this. Perhaps taken a "real" anatomy class, and maybe given a bit more of a damn in my sciences that I took. But for the overall picture- they said it would be hard, I believed them, but no way did I ever imagine it would be THIS hard.  Today is an okay day, but then again, I spent hours working this weekend. I decided to update this blog so I have some sort of record and since  type pretty quickly, it's time well spent just so I can remember. Because, forgetting might be the MO soon- not the information but the frustration of gaining all that information into my brain.


Hope that I will get better at updating things- but in the meantime, I shall believe what those that have gone before me have said- those that make it persevere at this point- it's not the brainy but the stubborn that will still be standing in 23 months. And  that drinking from a firehose is tough, just don't try and get it all at once- you can't and might drown trying.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

First day...done!

I left to meet my car pool buddies when the sky was deep velvety blue and the moon was just a clear sliver of bright light.  This, I suppose was the perfect symbolism for this journey- I can't see much but there is a light that I am directed towards, and this is good....

The first day was filled with learning that I probably need more books than I currently possess, and that I had best get cracking soon. The problem with that is this: I have NO idea what to get cracking on! We did not get a clear guide line of what we are to do, so I am somewhat going to punt. I think I read on the Forum that getting those diseases that we are responsible for (our A list) as well as the B and C list is best accomplished by setting them on cards with each section clearly delineated. I will try and find that reference soon!

Off to day 2, and more PE!

Saturday, May 8, 2010

A thank you

to all that were kind enough to mentor me during this process.  I realize that this was an invasion of your work day, time away from getting your job done efficiently. I realize that with each patient that came in the door, you realized, as did I, that my being there was an invasion of their lives- their most private lives. In this, I must also that the patients that accepted me and allowed me to eavesdrop into their visit.

By allowing someone to shadow, to experience what the real word of being a PA, you have given a gift both to the future PA but also to the profession. It is not surprising that it's a requirement to shadow a PA for acceptance into most programs. The day to day life of each PA and their particular area of practice is vastly different from each other. By looking at each particular PA I shadowed and what their careers entailed, I was able to see the possibilities for my own career, and honestly, give me some "oomph" in the rather tedious process of pre-reqs.

I had wonderful PA's to shadow. I sat in on  morning rounds, grand rounds, the weekly trauma meetings, and cardio-thoracic meetings. I was in the hospital, in clinics, in private offices and in the Student Health center. I saw a lot- stitches, a very interesting I & D, burns,  a freshy pregnant woman, a first pelvic, numerous UTI's,  skeletal issues, and things I just had never thought of- how does someone get something stuck in their ear? Especially if they are over the age of six?

So, thank you. Thank you for your time, your advice, your support. Thank you for offering an ear and saying "if you need anything, just drop on email!" Thanks for the tips on surviving school, for the copies of notes taken, for the books passed on. Thanks for taking your time, both for and with me, but for the profession itself.

Sunday, May 2, 2010

One week from today I will really begin!

I have started to put my office together and feel as if I am "nesting" and getting that space together. I want it to reflect me, yet also be very very organized. It's a mess right now (will post progress pictures). I got bookcases at Ikea and Art put doors on them which look amazing! So, now on to filling those cases and getting things done the best that I can.

I am planning on ordering the books that I really REALLY need tomorrow from Amazon. I have enough supplies and things to get the year started. I am very pleased that I have my live scribe pen. My laptop seems to be functioning okay enough, so it will be fine. Was planning on the iPad but don't think so just yet.

I have had a terrible time sleeping and being calm. Up this AM at 6:45, and will push that back 15 min each day until 5:30 is the normal time. Hoping to get to bed by 10ish and up at 5:30. This should work, but I am feeling very flexible in how I deal with everything. That's good, as the rest of my life feels VERY out of control!

I made it home!

So, after a lot of - ahem- issues, we, meaning Reason, Tahoe, Izzy and myself, made it on the road back to MI. This is nothing to brag about, I assure you, but I had to do it, face reality, and get on with it.

Once back here, I realized that the horses, by necessity, will be taking a  back seat in the overall picture. Doc is for sale, and perhaps even Tahoe if the right person comes along. Actually leasing Tahoe would be great, but I need to figure out his silly kidney issues right now. He sure has something that is NQR about him. I like him a lot, so if I don't sell him, that's fine. I'd love the Doc money, however, incl. the Brenderup money....ah, for 20K sitting in the horse-kitty....Nice! (let me state right here that I hate money more than anything else in the entire world...honestly. Well, except child abuse... which is probably often spurred by lack of money.)

So, the trip back was not easy. The truck stalled numerous times, after dying right before I left when I had Autumn pick me up and drive me back to DarkHorse where there was NO power. Yesyesyes. What a way to leave. So Nick P came on Sunday night, took me out for dinner, and I fell asleep knowing that in the AM Stotts would try and solve my truck issues. Well, the damn thing worked JUST fine for them. Once I got on the road Tuesday AM, it started stalling. Thankfully, never totally died. But, the process was miserable.  I made it to MI in 11.5 hrs, and liked the actual drive time a lot- never went inside anywhere- just ate what I had in the truck and drovedrovedrove.  (I am on 3's today...)

So, the truck got me home...and it's status turned to Golden Truck after it died right after I unhitched it. Thankfully Art also was able to see that it was dead, and in his way thinking that I was doing something wrong (as we all would) tried to start it himself. And it did not start. This turns out to be strangely good, as when Palmer got the truck (towed in of course), it started. Now, if Art had not seen and tried to start it, it would have confirmed to him that I am a total whack job. I may well be one, but damn it, this truck has personality and it did not want to leave Tryon any more than I did. Love it when inanimate objects mirror my emotions.

So, the chicks arrived, and 7 died. That has never happened to me and it made me VERY sad. So, I am now at 21 chicks (went and got several more and gave 6 to Trish- 26 + 8=34-6=28-7=21.  See? Math skills intact. They are of course cute as chicks can be.

It's been the week of getting ready to get to PA school. I am trying to get the office in order, and have gotten Bookcases from Ikea which Art and I put together yesterday. I like it, and feel as if I am nesting for school. Its a process, but...oh well, getting there is more than half the battle- only one more week to get there! Sheesh! That  6 months went fast!

So, I started another blog as a PA-S, and will try to keep horse/family/animal/farm things here and more school and personal musings about being a PA on the other blog. I assume that I will cross my lines a lot, but know I am trying. Onto the other blog and the building of the office and Arts Trip to Ikea