If that stupid dog barks when I come home or if I wake up to the sound of it whimpering one more time, I'm going to stab it in it's throat! No, no...I'm not that evil person anymore. Ahh!! I hate dogs!!!! Ahhh...All this studying for is driving me insane!!!! My supervisor is even letting me take it easy today. :/

Summer School

My lumbar vertebrae region aches from overworking my psoas muscle. Sternocleidomastoids aren't doing so well either because I flex my neck most of the day, hunched over reading and studying.

The first week of school was hectic as I expected. I was signed up for ochem and speech MWF and hoping to add anatomy for TR. Yes, it was a crazy plan. I added anatomy successfully since the teacher said half the class usually drops before the semester ends (scary). I dropped speech, thinking it would be better to go for 2 rigorous classes. By the end of the week I felt dead! I hadn't even touched anatomy material and the only reason why I was on top of my ochem work was because I had a little of it in Davis. I only got 14 hours of sleep that week. So, I knew later on in the semester I would suffer because the lecture instructor was crazy! One chapter per day, but she only lectured about certain topics. She lectured poorly too! She made us do all the problems in the chapter and at the end of the chapter! A chapter has ~50 problems but each problem has ~20 parts! We had to read the chapter (and I mean read because she gave out reading quizzes) and understand too! Also, I don't really like chem labs and it was horrible having it 3 hours, 3 times a week! So, on Monday I said "screw it" and drop ochem. Ochem isn't a subject I want to teach myself. I need a good instructor to teach me chem. Plus, I didn't want to stop work or volunteering.

For anatomy, the teacher doesn't teach. He says "learning from your classmates will be more beneficial than having me lecture you for 4 hours." He sometimes has notes for us, but they're really sketchy. We watch videos of a British anatomist showing us stuff on a cadaver for about an hour or two, then the rest of the time is used collaborating with our classmates. It's pretty cool, since the majority of the class are going to be clinicians. We'll have to do this in our field, so might as well start now. The thing is, since the teacher doesn't lecture, we don't know what to expect on the exams. So, we have to study everything! He even said "study everything because if I tell you to not learn these 10 bones then would it be okay for me to also remove those 10 bones from your body?" I mean, he gives us a rough outline (like learn the shoulder, forearm, leg, etc.) I think this class is the most challenging course I've embarked on thus far. I've joined a group that has 12 people in it. That's like 1/4-1/3 of the class. It's a good group. We clash sometimes but that just makes us process the information better when we straighten questions out. On of the guys is an EMT, which is really amazing. He majored in physiology, so he knows a lot of the stuff. (bad thing is, people like him will screw up the curve for people like me :( )

The first exam is next week and I'm studying my gluteus maximus off. It's putting a sore spot on my ischial tuberosities. Just decided to take a break because I think my brain has stopped processing information for the rest of the day. Hmm..I think I'm crushing my common fibular nerve by crossing my legs. Wait, is it possible to crush the artery?! I don't know if having if having your limb fall asleep is due to constricted blood flow or crushing a nerve!!

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Edit: It involves both blood flow and nerve sensation! Ok..I think that's where the genicular artery is.

Oh! We got to see the cadaver at Canada College in Redwood on Tuesday! The teacher only brought a few gloves and I (of course) snatched one! Some of my classmates were curious and wanted to see the face so I unwrapped it! I sort of got scared before unveiling the eyes because I didn't know if they were opened or closed. (They were closed! :)). I would never consider having my body donated for students to poke at, but the body was really cool. The chemicals made the room smell like ham. I was sort of hungry during the time too. (No...cannibalism x.X). We get to go see it again before the second midterm! Ok, back to studying!

Last Day

Summer school starts tomorrow. I've been home for so long I wonder if I'll be able to survive. I'm already signed up for 2 classes and will be trying to add a third. My schedule is going to be crazy whether it's 7 units or 11. Last day and I will be spending it at work. Oh well, it was a good break.

Bittersweet

I arrived at Moran Hall and neither the artist nor the other volunteer was there. The portfolios and art supplies were set out though, so I went up to the units to get a few of the patients. O4 was playing bingo and all of them wanted to finish the game, so I went up to M6. The guy that usually comes was out on a bus trip. On my way back to Moran, I caught up with the other volunteer who was escorting two of the patients from O4. I asked the one that was walking if they finished the game. He told me he's been playing bingo since he was 6 and give the prizes away to the other patients. Yeah, he's a little absent-minded but he's sounds really amazing when you talk to him. When I asked him earlier on the ward if he wanted to go down to art he told me about his "modeling career" after telling me I was pretty. It touched me when he thanked me for remembering him. After having them settle, I walked to F6. The nurse said the patient hasn't been really been active but she made him go anyway. I helped him 1:1 in painting but after awhile it was clear that he didn't want to do art today. The artist said he's hasn't been his best in awhile. After taking him back to his unit, I spent time with another patient who was painting by himself in the corner. The first week I met him I couldn't make out what he was saying but we're able to make light conversation now. He told me how he went to business school and was on the basketball and football team. When I told him that I had to leave and that it would be my last day working with "Art with Elders," he looked so sad. He kept asking "why?" even though I told him I was going back to college in the summer during our conversation.

I dropped by E4 as request by the A.T. after art. Surprise, surprise! She did throw something big! She had the staff room decorated with a few balloons. On the table laid a cake that read "Thank you, Kim! Good luck from E4!" There was also sodas and ice cream. All the nurses and the doctor on the unit were there to wish me luck and thank me. The A.T. handed me a card and when I opened it there was some cash and all the signatures of the staff that were working today. I knew the A.T. wanted to get me a gift certificated because she kept asking me what stores I shopped at and what stores were up in Davis yesterday (I told her I don't really shop and Davis has mostly mom-and-pop stores). Anyways, I insisted to help pass out ice cream to the residents even though the A.T. said this was my party and I should sit and enjoy the food. The patients knew I was coming back so all they did was thanked me for the ice cream. LOL! I love the patients on E4!

Whoever knows me knows I'm a fast walker. I was a block away from home when I startled a lady walking in front of me with the sound of my fast pace. Turns out her son got shot a few blocks away and she's never too careful now. I seemed to make her day because I told her how I was coming back from volunteering at a rehabilitation hospital and how sorry I was to hear what happened. It was really nice meeting one of the neighbors even though it was through misfortune. I hope her son gets better.