Wow, it's been a while

Hey there.

Remember me?

I'm the guy that used to post stuff to this blog.

It's been a while huh? Well, I'm back. Not sure for how long, but I'm back.

2012 is over. Thank goodness. It was the hardest, worst, most traumatic year of my entire life.

However, it was punctuated by some really great things, like this:

Not too bad for 17 graduate level credits.

And this (I'll do a separate post for this):

Do you have any idea how hard it is to get a 4 yr old and a 1 yr old to look at a camera at the same time??

So, the year ended as well as it could. But best of all, it ended. I was thinking of trying to summarize how last semester turned out, but that just seemed too daunting a task.  So, just look at the report card above and know that I learned some stuff (feels forgotten already) and passed all my classes with flying colors.

Now, it's a new year and a new semester of this crazy thing called PA school.  We just finished the first week and here's what I'm already knee deep in:

PAS 5009: BEHAVIORAL & COMMUNITY MEDICINE – 2
The second course in the PAS 5005, 5009 sequence. A continuation of the study of the biopsychosocial model of health care and the study of the American health care system emphasizing the role of the PA on the health care team; patient education/preventive medicine/community health; medicolegal ethics.
PAS 5004: CLINICAL PROBLEM-SOLVING / DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
An introduction to critical thinking in the development of the medical diagnosis and treatment plan.
PAS 5007C: CLINICAL PROCEDURES
The primary objective of the Clinical Procedures course is to help PA students develop an understanding of and basic competence in the skills needed to perform diagnostic and outpatient, in-house, and emergency procedures. It is not intended to be conclusive nor is this class meant to turn out “skilled professionals.” Basic skills and knowledge learned here will prepare the student to further refine these skills with more intense, personalized instruction in the clinical setting.
PAS 5027: EKG INTERPRETATION 
A study of the principles and practical applications of electrocardiography for the physician assistant. An overview of common laboratory studies frequently encountered in the clinical setting. Students will learn when to order and how to interpret a variety of laboratory studies.
PAS 5020: INTRODUCTION TO MEDICINE – 2
The second course in the sequence PAS 5010, 5020. Signs, symptoms, and pathophysiology of common diseases of all ages; special studies in differential diagnosis. Individual sections cover various specialties included in the coursePAS 5001: PATIENT EVALUATION AND HOSPITAL PRACTICUM
Utilizing the hospital setting, the student will obtain experience in performing and recording patient histories and physical examinations and presenting clinical data.

There is some really cool stuff going on this semester.  We are starting to learn a lot more practical/application type stuff and are getting to have a lot more hands-on experiences.  For instance, on Monday, I will be completing my first full patient history and physical exam on a real. live. patient.  The class has been split into groups of six and assigned a resident.  We met with ours yesterday and he was really cool.  He took us over to the VA hospital--where we will be doing our interviews--and showed us around.  This weekend he'll email us our patient assignments.  Kind of nervous and kind of excited at the same time.  I'm definitely ready to get out of the classroom and interact with patients again.  That is by far my favorite part of health care.  I love sitting and talking to people, getting to know their stories.

This semester we also get to learn how to do cool things like venipuncture, suturing (we'll practice on pigs' feet and fake skin), casting, and lumbar punctures.

It all seems so overwhelming.  Too overwhelming.  But, I've been told that I think that at the start of every semester, yet every semester it turns out OK.  So, I guess I have reason to believe this semester will turn out alright as well.

Still Alive

I promise.  I am.  I know there's only, like, 3 people that even look at this thing, but I wanted to let you know that I am, in fact, still amongst the living.

If you guessed that I've been busy, you guessed right.  To the tune of two exams a week.  Not quizzes.  Exams.  Every time I think I'm going to have a moment to update y'all on what's been going on, I remember that I have soooo much to do for the next test.

But, I promise I will post when I get even a moment's time to do so.  It'll be a post overload.

Until then,
Peace out.

Free Fallin

Bucket List

So, I promised you a little more excitement in this week's post, and I will deliver.  However, I want to tell you about this week's other happenings first.  So, here goes.

Monday, our intramural co-ed flag football team had its first game.  It was so much fun.  I never really had the chance to play intramurals at BYU, so this is kind of a new experience for me.  Let me tell you, the outcome of this game was so much better than it ever was during intramural basketball this summer.  We won 29-0!  They had to invoke the mercy rule.  Here we are after the game.

Naughty Bears

On Tuesday, we had our first Pharmacology exam.  It covered pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and Antibacterial drugs.  I wasn't too sure how I would do one, but it turned out just fine.  I got a 91%.
We also started our Hematology/Oncology section in Clinical Medicine.  This is proving to be the most difficult section yet.  There's about a hundred different kinds of anemia.  Then there's the whole coagulation cascade, which is a fairly complex biochemical chain reaction whose end goal is to clot off your blood so you don't bleed to death when you get a cut.
On Thursday, we had our ENT exam and, unfortunately, this was my lowest grade yet.  Barring any favorable point adjustments, I scored somewhere in the high 80s.  (Official scores should be posted tomorrow).
Then on Friday, we had to endure the WORST lecture since school began.  I think it was a combination of factors that made it so terrible.

1. It was the last lecture of a very long week. 
2. It was a 2 hour lecture  
3. The lecturer was incredibly boring AND talked way over our heads
4. The material was complicated...or at least he made it complicated

I mean, if anybody can decipher this diagram, let me know.

OK, now that that's out of the way, let's talk about the awesome stuff.  I was able to check two things off my bucket list this weekend!  The first one is kinda nerdy, but I don't care.  I have wanted to learn how to fence for a long time now.  It's just a really elegant sport that requires calculation and quick reflexes.  Shane, a member of my ward has been fencing for about 5 years and is now the co-owner of a fencing club here in Gainesville.  So, he brought a bunch of equipment to the church on Friday night for an Elders Quorum activity.  He taught us about the history of the sport and how that influences the three different styles (foil, epee, and sabre).  Then he showed us some simple footwork and how to lunge.  Since there wasn't enough gear to go around, half of us suited up and the other half learned how to poke us with swords.  After being a pincushion for a few minutes, we switched sides and I got to do the stabbing.  Then, he would officiate while two people dueled (or whatever they call it).  It was a ton of fun and a great work out for your legs and butt.

Me acting the pincushion.

My turn to do the stabbing.

Look at that form.

My first point...right in the throat.

This is me scoring a point.  The first shot got him in the shoulder, which doesn't count.  But, the next shot is picture perfect.  I won 5 to 3.  Shane actually asked me if I had fenced before.  Not too bad for my first time, huh?

Then, on Saturday, I was able to do something that I have wanted to do even longer than I have wanted to learn to fence.  This wish began when I was really little.  I would have these fairly regular dreams that I could fly.  Not like a bird, but like Peter Pan.  But, my dreams were as close as I ever got to flying.  Then yesterday, I actually got to fly in real life...well, kinda.  I went SKYDIVING!

My friend from class, Laura Beth, is a member of the UF Adventure Club and they were going skydiving this month.  She invited anybody that wanted to to come along.  Well, I had been putting it off for years for various reasons.  The time wasn't necessarily "right," but I didn't see it ever being perfect, so I took her up on her offer.  I was not disappointed.

We left Gainesville at about 20 to noon to make the 50 minute drive out to Palatka.

Sorry, these first couple are out of order. We took these on our way out.

We got there just in time for our 1:00 appointment.  Turns out that whole "appointment" thing is a load-a-poo.  We had to wait 5 HOURS before we got to jump.  I guess they had just sold their big plane a few weeks ago, so they were using these 2 little tiny planes that could only hold 4 people max.  Well, when you do a tandem jump and have a photographer, that means that only one paying customer can go up at a time every 20 mins.  There was another group ahead of us plus a bunch of regulars that, for some reason, got to go in front of us.  It was a bit frustrating but totally worth the wait.

Laura Beth and me

Next up!

Getting strapped in.

Jairo trying to proposition me.

Yeah, it's my middle name.

Kinda surprised this tiny, rickety, old thing made it to 10,500.

Both feet back on the ground.

 It was seriously one of the most amazing experiences I've ever had.  You spend 20 mins cramped up in this tiny little plane.  Then they open the door at 10,000 feet.  There's this blast of cool air (but I barely registered the temperature...my mind was elsewhere) when they open the door.  The camera man climbs out, then you and your tandem instructor scoot toward the door.  That's when your brain starts screaming at you that jumping out of an airplane will lead to your certain doom.  But, you're strapped on to somebody else, and once you step out on that step, there's no turning back.  After rocking forwards, then backwards, we launched ourselves out into nothingness.  Back on the ground, I had asked Jairo if we could do some extra flips on the way out, and he didn't disappoint.  We got a good 3 or 4 in before flattening out.  I cannot describe to you how loud it is.  It was like nothing I had ever experienced before.  I was kicking myself for forgetting my earplugs.  The free fall only lasts about 50 seconds, but it seems more like 5.  It's all over so quick, then you're under canopy.  But floating down under your chute is almost better than the free fall.  Once he pulls the cord, everything goes silent and you can see for miles around.  Jairo was cool enough to point out landmarks as we were coming down.  He then gave me the toggles for the chute and totally let me control the turns.  I was a little tentative at first, but he reassured me that I wouldn't break it and told me to really give it a tug.  I sent us into some great turns...at least they felt pretty awesome to me.  Then after a couple minutes, we were back on planet earth and it was all over.  I wanted to get right back on the airplane and do it again.  It was such an amazing experience.  I got video taken, so when the DVD arrives, I'll be sure and post it.  Someday, when I've got the cash, I'll definitely do it again.

So there you have it.  All-in-all, it was a pretty amazing week.