I started...

I started shadowing today!

It didn't start off as awesome as I would have liked. But, it picked up in the afternoon and I really think I'll enjoy it. 

I started off my day taking a quick tour of the center and then watching an ultrasound of the heart. It was pretty cool. Then, I went off and watched *something!* I can't for the life of me remember what the name of it was and it's raining so hard outside I don't want to go get my pamphlet.  Anyways. It is used for people who have coronary artery disease and are unable to get bypass or a stent. But clinical studies have shown that this non-surgical option is just as effective. The downside is you have to come in every weekday for 7 weeks. I wish I could explain more, but let's face it, you probably don't care and wouldn't understand anyways :)

Next, I went into the nuclear lab (sounds cooler than it is) and watched a chemical stress test (meaning that they didn't use the treadmill, but rather had a radioactive chemical injected into them).  I also watched a MUGA scan.  This uses a radioactive chemical too, and measures the ejection fraction. EF is the amount of blood that is pumped out of the hearts ventricles. 60-70% is a good range. I was able to follow through on the patient with the MUGA and see her with the P.A.

I then went for lunch.  I went to my dad's office for lunch. That was pleasant. I just love my dad so much :)  Around 1, I went back to the cardiologists office.  I got to follow around a P.A. for about 2 hours, going in and seeing patients with the P.A., and her explaining to me different heart issues and solutions, and medications, and basically everything else.

It was overall a very successful day, and I hope tomorrow will be just as good.

Thanks for tuning in.. Have a good weekend!

Long Overdue...

I haven't posted anything lately. So, here's whats been going on...

I have a Tuesday night class (Anatomy and Physiology 2) and an online class (21st Century Healthcare Leadership..BLAH).

I go down to Fort Myers mid-day Mondays and I return mid-day Wednesday to Orlando.

On Thursdays and Fridays, I will be starting shadowing for a very talented Cardiologist. Yay.
I (my mom) also bought my first pair of SCRUBS. I am thrilled and I can't wait to wear them.

I didn't do well on the GRE, so I am signing up for an online class and will take it again in a month or two.

I am trying to stay positive. I have a LOT going on with school, shadowing, traveling and it's starting to get to me. I need to focus from now on. So, I hope I can.

I read a book, "Redeeming Love" (for like the thousandth time..) and I feel better. I just wish I had more time to read. I enjoy reading so very much.

That's it. Perhaps my next post will have more substantial information :)

Freewrite... Why not.

So, for tonight's blog entry, i just decided to write. anything. everything. something. whatever. no grammar, unless it just comes out, no stopping, unless I'm truly wordless...

I started an online class. Well, I was supposed to start an online class. Like 3 days ago. and I was late, to my FIRST assignment. Ugh. I was SOOO angry. I am not late. It just doesn't happen. and to be late for my first assignment shows that I don't care enough to be on time, which is so not true and i just don't want to give the teacher a false impression. I hate myself tonight for being late. I simply hate it. But there is nothing i can do.

I talked to someone tonight. i found out something that i originally, months ago, thought would pain me. the good news: no pain. not a flicker of pain. nothing. it validated my decision and made me feel good and that i made the right decision. yippie :) i feared jealousy, cuz i am a very jealous person, but there was no jealously, and that made me feel really good. and after being mad at myself for the online class, i felt pretty good...

Eh, that's about all the freewrite that I feel like writing... Whatever. Perhaps next time I'll write something more interesting :)
Thanks for stopping by...

Dynamics of Aging

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This semester I took a class on aging.  Aging terrifies me. Seriously. I am scared to death of getting old, forgetting who I am, and loosing everyone that means the world to me.  

I have recently been watching a lot of Grey's Anatomy.  There are two episodes that just stick to me, and they both the cutest adorable old couples involved.  Each couple has SUCH love for each other and such devotion and care towards each other, it's encouraging. I know, I know, it's just a TV show, but I've SEEN love like that in old age, and I know it can happen.  

Anyways, in one episode, the husband looses the wife after surgery and stands there for a while trying to give chest compressions, unbelieving that she could really have died.  In the other episode, the wife (always the girl...) is diagnosed with advanced cancer -- given 4-6 month to live. The husband doesn't want the wife to know and the wife doesn't want the husband to know.  They both know, but they don't know the other knows. So, they leave the hospital and travel around until she dies.  

They make me cry every single time. 

I thought that when I took this Dynamics of Aging class, it would help me understand getting older better, and help me feel better about aging.  But no. It just gave me the facts and that's it. It was an informative class, but I don't feel better about aging. 

Obviously, I don't have a choice, as people remind me.  But luckily, I have a while :) 

I just hope that I have love like the movies -- and that will get me though.

What Happens In Vegas...

Don't have much to say, so I'll say what I'm thinking::::

In ONE WEEK I take my Organic Chemistry final!!!!

I have about an 87 in the class right now, so that's extremely encouraging. 

 CASPA (The online PA application) has officially opened, which means that I can officially start my application, which means I am officially freaking out!

In TWO WEEKS I get to go on a cruise with my mother!

For 2 whole weeks I get to read whatever I want, and not a textbook!! Woohoo!

I get to go home this weekend on Saturday to watch Kim, my future sister-in-law, try on wedding dresses!!

This is the front-runner. Gorgeous.

MaggieSottero.com

Dress: Vogue

On Sunday, I get to spend the entire evening and night with Mary and we're going to eat at Too Jay's and watch Sherlock Holmes and talk and I just am so excited. I love Mary!

Did I mention I get to go Vegas in June?! I've never been, but can't wait. 

 If you want some great shopping tips for some inexpensive clothes, check out Mary's blog this week!

Home

I got to come home for Easter weekend

I met my mom at the Bass Pro Shop because I needed hiking boots. I have failed to mention that I am going on a week long hiking trip. It's not quite the hiking trip you'd imagine. We rented a chalet (like a log cabin) and we are going to be day hiking. We will be dropped off/picked up by a person from our group who isn't hiking and we'll spend the evenings happy in beds, relaxing in the hot tub. This is where we are staying::

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Anyways, I got hiking boots, these to be exact.. ( I know, I know, they are HIDEOUS. BUT I found pink socks, so it's all okay :D)

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After that, we went to the nearby outlet malls (fabulous!) I needed a jacket that could be used in light weather or heavy weather and one that was waterproof. So, we headed over to Columbia Sportswear, where I found a $260 jacket for $50!! 

On Saturday, we went shopping for some furniture and then headed over to my brother and his wife's house for some dinner and went to bed early for Sunday.  

On Sunday, we went to church and then went to the local Country Club for lunch -- a tradition we've had for about 18 years, if not more.  My mom and I went to see "The Last Song" that afternoon.

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*Spoiler Alert*

This was a Nicholas Sparks novel that was made into a movie. Now, he is famous for writing sappy love stories where a main character (usually) dies. My mom HATES movies where people die, absolutely hates it. (I thought she was never going to see a movie with me again after "A Walk to Remember").. Anyways, I looked up a review and decided that no one dies, so I convinced her to go with me. Of course, half way through the movie, someone coughs and she looks at me with the death stare and I knew I was in trouble. Oops. She forgave me, once again, but vowed to never ever see another Nicholas Sparks movie again. 

Monday, I got to go shopping briefly with my mom and we took Katelynn to Chuck-E-Cheeses.

After that, I got to have lunch with Mary, whom my Wordless Wednesday Post was dedicated to. We went shopping as well and that was, as always, very enjoyable.  I came home and chilled with my mom and then we went out to dinner with my dad and brother and Kate.  We came home and relaxed again.  I had such a great Easter weekend. 

Hope you did too :) 

P.S. Please pray for my family. We will most likely have to put my grandmother in a nursing home this week and that will be very difficult on my father.  Please pray that the transition, if one is made, goes smoothly and everything works out..

Church Camp

Now, obviously you can tell by the look on my very young face that I hated camp. Every miserable day I was at camp, I just wanted to get out of there. I think I'm like the only one in the world to hate camp, but sharing a room with 10 girls, not sleeping, and forcing me to go into a lake, NOT my idea of fun. At all. I probably look so unhappy in this picture cuz I hadn't slept in days due to giggly girls at 4 in the morning, not to mention they force you to wake up at 7:30 to eat breakfast.

Wow, off that soapbox. I have a point. I promise :)

Anyways. Camp is one of those places that give people the ultimate "high" that churchgoers get.  You know, the spiritual "highs" and "lows"...You come home and you feel great about God and your life WILL be different this time... (and it rarely ever is). I, at some point during the years, have come to dislike that feeling.

I have become so bitter at this "high" that christians get that I had been trying to avoid it. Yes, you read correctly. I have been trying to AVOID the spiritual high. In my avoidance, I learned that I can not avoid it, if I want to remain close to God.  I, of course, realize that lows will happen, but I believe they will bring an even better spiritual high.  I have been in a spiritual low, for quite some time. I am confident that God is teaching you something when you are in a spiritual low.
 
I need to learn to disconnect myself from the "camp feeling" and realize that spiritual highs are a good thing. Everyone who is a believer should feel close to God as often as possible. Spiritual highs are necessary.No one should ever be content in their spiritual walk, because God is always trying to teach us something! Yay!

Up, Up, and Away.

The title of this post has NOTHING to do with anything, I just couldn't think of a title, and it popped into my head :)

I took a risk tonight. I'm not sure if I regret it yet or not.  It was probably a mistake, and NONE of my business. I have a very dear friend and I feel he's being taken advantage of, and I let him know.  

Honestly was definitely always my thing. Some people love it. Some people hate it. But I am very honest with everyone.  Sometimes too honest, my brain-mouth filter doesn't always work.  

I actually thought about this decision though, as it was bothering me for a few days before I actually decided to go ahead with it.  It could potentially change a few relationships, including mine with the person.  I do hope that he realizes that it was out of love -- out of friendship.  It was my opinion.

Only time will tell.

Ignorance

I am usually a very positive person, giving people the benefit of the doubt. But sometimes, I want to look people in the eye and go "SERIOUSLY?!!?"

Research and Reality

I do TONS of research on getting into P.A. schools, the stats needed, the volunteer work, the GPA, the GRE, and so on and so forth.. but when the times comes to actually DOING the things needed for those stats, I sometimes lack in motivation. Studying for the GRE.. memorizing endless vocabulary words, attempting to understand Organic Chemistry.. I just don't want to do it.. I'm in that terrible place where it seems so far away, I just can't seem to find an end in sight...

I can do this. I can. And I will...

I just need to keep reminding myself that, it'll be worth it..

I WILL GET IN!

On a much, much sadder note... I am interested in blogging, and I found some great blogs that I've been following, but have never met. On of them was A Little Pink in a World of Camo. She is a newly married (10 months) 23-year old with a brand new baby girl (honeymoon baby)..She is also the wife of a Marine.

On March 15, she found out her husband was killed in Afghanistan, he never got to meet his baby girl. This is a tragic time for her and her baby and their families.  Although you may not know them (me either) they could use some prayer. 

Wedding

I went to a BEAUTIFUL wedding this weekend in Orlando. It was a very memorable weekend and I am glad to have shared the day with them.   I also got to see my friend, Courtney, which I was just absolutely thrilled about. I saw some friends had I hadn't seen in a while (and even got to sit with them for a bit), which was very pleasant. I love catching up.

Tyler and I drove down on Friday afternoon and got to have dinner with Ben (my brother) and my parents that evening -- I L-o-V-e my mom's cooking! Then we just chilled for the evening. I didn't sleep well AT ALL that night though. My niece, Kate, stayed with us and about 1 in the morning, she woke up scared due to Tyler's very, very loud text message that is Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka screaming something (I still couldn't figure it out)...The text message went off every like 9 minutes ALL NIGHT LONG. (Tyler is NOT a light sleeper and didn't hear it...) So, dark and scared, my niece wanted to sleep in my bed with me. Let me tell you right now, 2-yr olds have absolutely no sense of personal space whatsoever, especially when sleeping. So, I didn't sleep. But I did wake up to Blueberry muffins :) 

The next morning, we went out to an early lunch. It was early because we had the wedding to get to, and my parents had to leave because my brother was running a marathon the next morning and they went to stay with him. It was his first (and last, according to him) marathon. 

After the wedding, we drove back home.  It was a very pleasant car ride and Tyler and I had some very good conversation.  AND we got to eat Pizza Hut for dinner (which I haven't had since we broke up because I feel like it'd be a waste ordering the pizza for just me..) He drove the whole way, which was VERY sweet of him. I don't think I could've driven though, I was SO exhausted (and I hate driving, which he knows).  I came home and slept very well :) 

~Here's some pictures of the weekend~

 Getting married!!

 

YAY! THEY'RE MARRIED.

Me and Christie. :)

Congratulations Rob and Christie. You make a beautiful couple in Christ and I am honored to be your friend

(On a different note, I have 2 tests and a paper due this week, so pray for me!!!)

Call me a dork...

...but I actually really enjoyed my Organic Lab this weekend (on a Saturday!)

We took a normal Excedrin tablet....

crushed it up into a powder form, and extracted the caffeine, acetaminophen, and aspirin out of it.

It was SO cool.  I am starting to understand why Organic is actually pretty important to medicine. I don't like it any better, but at least it's useful for something :) 

Random Anatomy Fact: The body has 206 bones!

Luckily, I don't have to memorize ALL of them now (I will, eventually), but I do need to know the bulk of them...It's not really hard learning the bones, but learning all the holes, and dips, and processes, and angles and lines and stuff on each bone is definitely hard. We JUST learned it on Saturday and we have a quiz already on Tuesday.. Ugh... Here's a scapula (shoulder blade) and all of it's labels..

 

I also went to the Edison Festival of Lights on Saturday night, but honestly, nothing was noteworthy about it.. Except it took me 45 minutes to get home.. I live 10 minutes away. 

This week will be uneventful, so don't expect much blogging, but I am for sure counting down the days until Friday. I am heading home for a quick trip for Rob and Christie's wedding. Yay. Congrats to them. :)

 

 I hope everyone has a really good week!!!

P.S. Hi Josh :)

Weekend O' Fun

On Friday night, I had the fortune of eating at Del Frisco's in a private room. We had steak and lobster (well, everyone else did, I don't like lobster) and crab cakes and just a TON of food. It was delicious!!

Also, on Friday night, Jon "officially" proposed to Kim, with a ring, and she said yes. :) Go to Kim's Page to read about the proposal and see more pictures. It's a cute story. Yay for future sisters-in-law!

Then on Saturday, it was Alexa (my sister in law)'s birthday, and she choose to eat at Colorado Fondue.  It's quite an experience. You start off with bread, and then a salad, and then you get fondue cheese (I got cheddar) and then you get a really really hot rock and raw meat. You cook the meat yourself on the rock and enjoy. Then for dessert you get fondue chocolate. I got mudslide..Kahlua and Irish Creme blended in milk chocolate with crushed Oreo and graham cracker cookies. The chocolate and the strawberries are my personal fave. After dinner, we got a picture with the moose, named Big Al.

 

(Sorry Josh for blocking you...)

Then, I saw "Valentine's Day" on Valentine's Day with my mom. I was disappointed.. It really wasn't a bad movie, but I don't think I'd recommend it.

 

The opening credit had 20 main characters!!! It was sort of hard to follow because you would forget about the characters and which story line they were attached to.. and then, of course, everyone knew everyone, and you really had to pay attention...Some of the story lines were not something that I morally agree with, but it's Hollywood. If you see it, make sure you see the bloopers, they were funny :)

Hope you had a GREAT Valentine's Day <3  

Jennifer Aniston

For some reason, whenever I think of pilates, I think of Jennifer Aniston.
Speaking of pilates, I tried out my first pilates class ever this morning. I. LOVED. it.
Hopefully, I'll become just as toned as Jennifer Aniston :)

I was super nervous going into it, which was silly, according to my mother and Tyler. But, they were right, I had no reason to be nervous. It was great. I saw this girl (rather older than me) walking up to the building carrying a mat, so I got out of my car and befriended her and she was SO friendly and helped me find the class, the mat, the weights, and got me all set up and everything. And her name was Candie. lol. The class was pretty big, but it still felt personalized and relaxing.

I now plan on going every Tuesday and Thursday! I'll be fit and toned in no time! Just in time for summer to roll around and hit the beaches. Now i just need to work on that tan....

Phantom of the Opera

I got to come home this weekend! I came for a reason though. My mom bought my family tickets to see Phantom of the Opera this weekend. My entire family just LoVeS Phantom and we've all seen it many many times, but each time is different and each time is fantastic.
We weren't allowed to take pictures or I would definitely put some up...

A bit of a rewind though. I came home on Friday morning and my mom and I did what we do best: went shopping! We then went to Publix and came home and just chilled for a while.
Then, that night, we had Mark, Alexa, Jon, Kim, and Josh over for dinner. We had all my favorite food.. Flank steak, broccoli, potato casserole, bread, and angel food cake with strawberries and cool whip for dessert. Just thinking about it makes me want it again already.
I then went over to Mark's for a while and me, Josh, and Mark just hung out.. watched the X-games (did anyone else see Shaun White's wipeout??... OUCH!!). We also played Buzz. Mark kicked our butts both times...

On Saturday, me, my mom, Jon and Kim, who recently got engaged, went ring shopping to find an engagement ring. She found a GORGEOUS one..
After ring shopping, I worked on some homework and then got ready for Phantom. It was splendid.

I unfortunately have to go back home tomorrow (Monday). I wish I could have stayed longer. I'll be back home in a few weeks though. I suppose I'll just have to wait. Fortunately I have plenty of school work to keep me busy. I have my first test of the semester on Thursday in Organic Chemistry. Wish me luck!! :)

Hope you're Monday is great.

Instead of Homework...

I decided to change my blog :D
I think that this suits me perfectly and I just love it.
And I hope you do too!

I went to a new church this morning. I actually enjoyed it a lot, although I only had minimal socialization. They have a college group that meets on Wednesdays that I plan on trying. Hopefully sometime soon I'll have some friends...

In the meantime, I continue to watch movies and do some homework!!
Oh the life of a single, full-time student. Exciting, huh?!?!

Also, I had a real conversation on the phone with my BEAUTIFUL two year old niece whom I just love with all my heart. She's just so smart... So, here's some pictures!

Katelynn and Mr. PotatoHead!

Me and my beautiful niece.

Light

I see a hint of light.. whether from a crack in the door, a hole in the wall, WHATEVER! IT'S THERE!

I'll explain :D
I have been in Fort Myers since September. I am, obviously, a hopeful P.A. student. To be "competitive" you need to have some experience in the health care industry. Whether that be actually already having some degree, shadowing, anything.
I have had absolutely ZERO luck trying to find someone that would be willing to let me shadow them. None. Zilch. Nada.
I pulled some strings, and finally something came up. My dad's NP (nurse practitioner) in Orlando has a best friend in Fort Myers who is an NP. She went to school in New York, and has a friend who just moved down here and is a PA! SO, When i was super sick, my dad's NP called me and gave me this guys number. I finally got the time to call him and...HE'S WILLING TO HELP! YAY!
Finally. Someone is helping. He's unfortunately sick, so he's going to call back on Monday and we're going to set something up. I. Cannot. Wait.
:D

Sick!

Ugh. I've been sick for 2 days. Not just the "I don't feel well" sick, the don't-get-out-of-bed sick. I didn't move from my bed the first day except to refill my beverages and ya know, be sick. The second day I managed to move to the couch and stay there all day.

I'm {slowly} getting better. Hopefully the 4 hour Anatomy and Physiology won't make it worse....

170.

The amount of money that I saved today! Yay.
I went shopping and spent about 80, BUT I saved 170. Yahoo.

I got these except instead of the blue, it's pink!!
I got this too, except a white shirt and blue outline. It's pretty.
I got both of these half off!! :D

I also got these from JCPenny.


I got the platter for $5 and the plates for $3 a piece!


I found this quilt for $20 and it was orginally $80! I just LOVE it. It brightens up my room and makes me happy every time I walk into my room. Yay. (picture courtesy the bag it came in.. NOT my actual bed, unfortunately....)
Was definitely a successful shopping day.

I had my first class last night. It. Was. LOOOOOONNNNNNG. I thought it was NEVER going to end. I definitely think the class is going to be extremely difficult. Not much to say on it, but the prof. is a major talker. He talks and talks and talks and talks, which of course leads to a full 4-hr. class.

Hope you have a fantastic weekend!

Coming to an End.

My time in Orlando is coming to an end, sadly. I've had a magnificent time here, although I am VERY much looking forward to starting my classes and being closer to getting into PA school!

I have a had a good birthday weekend (even though my actual birthday was less-than-stellar). My mom and I are going shopping tomorrow and I know that'll be tons of fun. My friend Ryan got me a great, practical cookbook that makes dinners and such with only 4 ingredients! Sounds right up my alley. Many of the things in the cookbook are super convenient and stuff that I would have anyways, but definitely didn't think of putting together, I'm thrilled to try this out.

When I return to Ft. Myers, I plan on visiting the Y, making sure it's not sketchy, and then hopefully signing up! I will also go to my local Joann's (after finding out where it is...) and grab a class schedule and sign up for my quilt making lessons. I am also going to set aside time to get going on that GRE studying. Standardized Testing and i don't get along. At. All.

Soon, it's back to being a full time student. Can't wait! :)