Tuesday, March 31, 2009

March 27 & 30, Days 49 & 50

Wow, I didn't realize I missed posting this past Friday.  At the moment I don't exactly recall what I did in school on Friday or Monday but I remember going to the Slice of Logan on Saturday with Jennifer Racener and Monday after school I went to SLU for an initial two hour consultation with people from their psychological testing center in the hopes they might be able to provide germane hints on studying and getting the best grades possible.  

It's actually Tuesday morning, about 4:30 a.m. and my alarms to wake up are going off so I'll have to cut this short and get this day going!  :)

Thursday, March 26, 2009

New License Plate Ordered! :) (Day 48)

Ain't she a 'beaut!  ;)

Now, let's try to justify this by naming all 8 muscles in the anterior forearm ...

1.  Pronator Teres
2.  Flexor Carpi Radialis 
3.  Palmaris Longus
4.  Flexor Carpi Unlaris
5.  Flexor Digitorum Longus
6.  Flexor Digitorum Superficialis (Split)
7.  Flexor Pollicus Digitorum Longus (Divide)
8.  Pronator Quadratus

OK, I got the first four correct, those are the superficial muscles...
There is no #5 - incorrect - - - and #6 is the only intermediate layer m. so, remove #5 and move #6 up to the 5th position ... #7 is incorrect and should read "Flexor Digitorum Profundus" and moved up to #6.  #7 Should be Flexor Pollicus Longus and #8 is fine :)

Correct Muscle List
1.  Pronator Teres
2.  Flexor Carpi Radialis 
3.  Palmaris Longus
4.  Flexor Carpi Unlaris
5.  Flexor Digitorum Superficialis (Split)
6.  Flexor Digitorum Profundus (Pierce)
7.  Flexor Pollicus Longus
8.  Pronator Quadratus

that was good - I just realized the key letter in #6 is P, for Pierce, which means the tendons of that muscle pierce (or split) through the tendons of #5.   ...OK, what nerves and arteries go with each muscle???

1.  Pronator Teres 
- median nerve 
- radial artery
2.  Flexor Carpi Radialis 
- median nerve 
- radial artery
3.  Palmaris Longus 
- median nerve 
- radial or ulnar artery
4.  Flexor Carpi Unlaris 
- ulnar nerve 
- posterior ulnar recurrent artery
5.  Flexor Digitorum Superficialis (Split) 
- median nerve 
- radial and ulnar artery
6.  Flexor Digitorum Profundus (Pierce) 
- medial part gets ulnar nerve
- lateral part gets anterior interosseus nerve
- ulnar and anterior interosseus artery
7.  Flexor Pollicus Longus
- anterior interosseus nerve via median nerve
- anterior interosseus artery
8.  Pronator Quadratus
- anterior interosseus nerve via median nerve
- anterior interosseus artery

Good stuff - I still need to learn all those arteries (and more) that run through the arm.  Regarding the Flexor Digitorum Profundus - we should take note of the word Profundus and remember the Latin derivation - Profundus sounds a lot like the word "Profound" and sometimes we have profound thinking which is deep thiinking - when we see the word profundus as part of the name of a name then we know that name refers to something deep - and with anatomy - deep is to be taken literal and since the word profundus appears as part of the muscle name (Flexor Digitorum Profundus) then we should be thinking that is a deep muscle and, indeed, it is as it is found in the deep, third layer of the anterior muscles of the forearm.

Anyway - Super Cool New License Plate!!!!   :D

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Week 11, Tue & Wed, Days 46 & 47

Finished up my last Biochem Lab today and learned that pretty much all the extra vitamin C I took in over the last week was being excreted each day.  In fact, I was only taking in 1,000 mg of vitamin C but my analysis showed that I was excreting more than 1000 mg, the actual number was 1,150 mg and another girl in our class who also took the extra vitamin C each day excreted 1,050 mg.  

The control subjects who didn't take any extra vitamin C still exctreted 79 mg of vitamin C and the average we were told ahead of time was about 50 mg of vitamin C are excreted each day via a normal diet.  

...now, what am I going to use for my psychological boost!?

I have another Anatomy test tomorrow - it's over two regions.  I pretty much know the muscles from region 14 but still have Region 15 to learn which is over the anterior forearm.  There are 8 muscles in that region and there's a minimum of 5 things to know about each muscle so I have a minimum of 40 things to learn about those muscles.  

The arteries in the arm are an entirely differnt matter.  It's fairly easy to learn and associate a single name of an artery like "brachial artery" which supplies blood to the biceps brachii but there is a fairly complicated network of arteries in the arm and we need to know how they all piece together.  

i know there are recurrent arteries which head back to the heart and the collateral arteries keep running distal from the heart

the whole concept of capilaries is rather amazing.  I was told the other day that you can't really go more than two cells in the human body without running into a capillary which, for those non-anatomy people out there - a capillary is where the red, oxygenated blood that runs through our arteries gives up it's oxygen and then switches over from arteries to veins.  

and ...for those of you who have visited my home and saw the paper I have taped to my front door ...well, those equations are exactly what happens when hemoglobin gives up it's oxygen in the capillaries.  At least, one of those equations is for that, the other equation is how hemoglobin gains oxygen in the lungs.

Good Stuff!  :)

Monday, March 23, 2009

Week 11, Day 45 - YEBO!

I just won a set of Netters musculoskeletal flashcards on ebay for $10.49 and that INCLUDES Shipping!!!!!  I was checking these cards out today at the bookstore but they retail for about $40+ with tax and I couldn't find anything less than $30 online and ebay just happened to have one set for auction which ended tonight and which I won!  :)

In other news - I got an 82.5% on my Spinal Anatomy test today ...rough class - lots of study and not such spectacular grades ...well, I guess that isn't too bad.  In most universities that score would be a B but at logan we need an 83 or 84% to get a B, maybe if the teacher rounds up then I'll have a B.  Fairly respectable.

I had gross anatomy tutoring yesterday and learned a lot about the arteries in the arms and forearms ...kind of tricky stuff.  Some arteries are called recurrent which means they make a U-turn and travel back up the arm.  Arteries which continue down the arm can be called "collateral".

I thought about this for a while, then found a way for it to make sense to me.  I was thinking about rivers and running with the current and figured to turn around is to travel against the current ...hence, re-current - against the current.  It works in my head anyway :)

I'm really happy about getting those flashcards.   I'd also like to get a full skeleton and a bag of vertebrae bones.  The vertebrae bones have been selling fast in the bookstore but I'm hesitating on the $40 price tag.  

Having a bit of extra money does make things a lot nicer.  I think about that when I consider selling my home and know that I've got over 20% equity which would make for a very nice cushion - big cushion, plenty of money, less than 10 minutes from school ...sounds nice ...maybe I could spend occassional evenings at my parents house in their spare bedroom on weekends or once a month or something like that.  

I could sure reduce a lot of expenses and I've still got a tad over three years left at Logan ...pardon my language but that's a hell of a lot of driving and it isn't exactly doing anything for my health.  My legs have been hurting and it's starting sometimes to get painful.  

oh well - on to Anatomy studies before bedtime!  :)

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Friday, March 20 - Wk10, Day 44

I absolutely rocked our anatomy quiz today and got a perfect score on the extra credit the day before so that quiz goes down in the books as a 110%!  Yahoooooo!!!

I've been studying for my Spinal Anatomy quiz and after making up a spreadsheet found it's still mathematically possible to pull out a nice grade in that class so that's what I've been working towards.  I've also been working towards getting an A on the upcoming gross anatomy test this coming Thursday. (spinal anatomy test is Monday, March 23rd)

Wednesday is a biochem lab quiz and so far I've gotten 5/5, 4/5 and 5/5 on those test so, we'll have 3 more of those test and the lowest quiz grade gets dropped.  
I've got a DVD made up of all our biochem classes from last week, week 10 and will be sure to watch it Monday night before our first biochem class of week 11 on Tuesday :)

Histology Lab test is this week so I'll need to start looking at the slides we'll be tested over soon and keep looking at them until our test.  Hopefully we can push that test off until 10:30 instead of 9:30 to have an extra hour to study before the test.  

I think that's it for test this week.  We also have a clay model of the thoracic spine that we'll need to have completed by Friday.  
For Wednesday's biochemistry class we'll actually be using a sample of my own urine for lab.  I'm taking 1000 mg of vitamin C each day and we'll do a titration with the urine sample to determine how much of the vitamin is being excreted.

Other than that it's basically been non-stop school work.  I did get a quick 20 minute workout in at Gold's Gym last night.  

I'm thinking about making a You-Tube video on drawing the brachial plexus, I think the way I draw it is far superior to anything else I've seen.  Less lines, same results, very neat and east to draw.

I just woke up not too long ago and need to leave for my gross anatomy tutoring in about 3 hours - I'll have to focus on spinal anatomy before leaving and maybe get some note cards I can tape to my dashboard to glance at occasionally while driving.  

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Wk 10, Day 43

It's almost midnight so it's a bit of a challenge to remember everything that happened today ...
Let's see, we had an extra credit opportunity in anatomy today and I rocked it and got 100% which adds 10% to my anatomy quiz tomorrow - 
I've studied well.  ...have to get to sleep!

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Week 10, Day 42 - Fantastic Studying!

I've totally rocked the studying for today - I've been up since 9 p.m. last night and still going strong but coming close to winding it up and prepping for tomorrow.
We had a test in Histology today, Extra Credit Opportunity in Gross Anatomy tomorrow and an Anatomy Test on Friday - Only 4 test next week - very doable and nicely spaced :)
One test every day except for Tuesday.  I'll need to get a jump on Regions 14 & 15 for the Anatomy test on Thursday and get a LOT of studying done this weekend for the Spinal Anatomy test on Monday - Wednesday's Biochem test and Friday's Histology test should both be A's.

i just realized I have to be back in class in 8.5 hours - wrap up the night, prep for tomorrow, sleep, drive 50 miles in the next 8.5 hours ...but ...actually, my alarms go off at 4:30 a.m. so I've only got 5.5 hours between now and when I need to get up.

Here's advice for anyone thinking of going to school to become a doctor ...
Live in the same state as your school!!!!!!!!!!!  

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Day 41 - Fried Brain

it's 9:55 p.m. and I just woke up.  I managed an hour sleep last night and things have been non-stop.  I got my third A in a row in Anatomy.  I talked to a classmate of mine just a bit ago (the reason I woke up) and they mentioned a lot of people around them getting C's on the test today which maybe indicates that the test was a bit tougher than usual so the A I got is a bit more worthwhile.  I made one bone-headed mistake on the test but got the extra credit correct which brought me back up to the A mark.

I have a poster due in Spinal Anatomy tomorrrow and a test in Histology.  I have my work cut out for me tonight.  We have another test in Anatomy on Friday and fortunately our Spinal Anatomy test got moved to Monday.

I should not be so far away from school.  Thoughts of getting rid of my dog and moving came to mind during my drive to school this morning.  I hate wasting so much time.  Can't dwell, need to get work done.  I am getting help from my parents so I'm saving time there but there are other concerns besides the time.  The debilitating effects on my health are another concern.  I already sit all day long either in class or studying and feel like i'm in a little capsule when driving to school.  My legs are aching.  

Poster and Histology Test - less than 8 hours to get these things done ...YIKES!

Monday, March 16, 2009

Day 40 - It's Still Monday!??

I've done so much today that I honestly thought maybe it was later in the week, like Wednesday perhaps.  

I've been up since 4:30 a.m. and it's closing in on midnight but I don't think I'll be getting to bed anytime soon because I have an anatomy test tomorrow.  We have quizes in anatomy at least once and sometimes twice per week and they combine for a total of 20% of our final grade.  I HAVE to take them as seriously as a regular exam or final, I just have to.  If I can continue to score A's on these quizzes then I'll be in a very good position to get an A on the Final Exam as well as on the Final Practical and can maybe eek out a really decent grade in anatomy - that would be FANTASTIC!

It's been non-stop since I left the house this morning.  Our classes finished at 11 today but I had to go participate in another research study, then meet with my intern and then partake in another research study (the multifidus one)  I hit the library to pick up some bones then came home and stopped by Wal-Mart to pick up supplies I needed for a poster that is due Wednesday in Spinal Anatomy.  

I also bought a new coloring book from Netters today since our Spinal Anatomy teacher liked the pictures from that book so I made some copies of the pictures she liked and enlarged them so I can trace them out on my poster and hopefully give her what she wants and get the best grade possible.  

I have to get back to studying.  I'm makeing some documents - one for the muscles of each region, one for the nerves of each region and one for the arteries of each region that we'll be studying in the 2nd half of our Tri-1 Anatomy class.  

I had the muscles and nerves documents made up for the first half of the tri but not at the beginning, it was something I learned along the way that I found to be useful so I'll finish up the arteries and have a good handle on those three documents and then keep adding information to them as the remaining days of the semester unfold.  

OK - back to studying - back to learning.

I was tired, wiped out and exhausted around 8 p.m. tonight and probably could have fallen asleep by 6:30 but I've countered those feelings with another fresh pot of coffee and will do everything I can to Ace tomorrows Anatomy test - 

Screw pony's for that class - there aren't that many anyway for the anatomy and I can learn this stuff on my own.  And, I can Ace it on my own.  And, I can know the Anatomy of the human body as well or better than any other doctor on the face of the planet.  No doubt!  I can do it!  :)

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Saturday Studies - Axillary Artery!

Today's focus was the axillary artery.  

OK, from the heart blood goes through the aorta and runs into the brachiochephalic artery which then becomes the the right subclavian artery (as opposed to the left common carotid a. and left subclavian a. on the other side) and once the subclavian artery passes to the lateral side of the first rib it's called the Axillary artery and maintains that name until it passes a point even with the inferior border of the teres major muscle.  

From the lateral edge of the 1st rib until the medial side of the pectoralis minor muscle, we may refer to the 1st part of the axillary artery.  There are three parts (1, 2 and 3) and each part also corresponds to the number of branches emminating from the axillary artery.  In part one we have one branch, the superior thoracic a. 

The second part of the axillary artery is the portion which runs deep to the pectoralis minor muscle and contains two branches
1.  the thoracoacromial trunk and 
2.  the lateral thoracic a.

The thoracoacromial trunk has four branches itself - those being the acromial branch, clavicular branch, deltoid branch and the pectoral branch.

the lateral thoracis artery supplies the serratus anterior muscles.

the third part of the axillary artery runs from the lateral border of the pectoralis minor muscle to the inferior border of the teres major muscle (whose insertion is on the medial lip of the intertubercular groove of the humerus)
the three branches ...
1.  The subscapular artery which branches off into the circumflex scapular artery after which point the subscapular artery becomes the thoracodorsal artery
2 & 3 are pretty much related - here we have the anterior and posterior circumflex humeral arteries.

That's pretty much it.  About the only other thing I could mention is that the subclavian artery runs superior to the 1st rib and deep to the clavicle.  It's hard to believe I spent most of the day on this but, I kind of know it pretty well now.  Much more to learn - I've really got to rachet up my learning/studying tomorrow.

Many test over the next two weeks - 
3/17 Tue - Anatomy
3/18 Wed - Histo exam 2 and Spinal posters due for spinal anatomy
3/20 Fri - Anatomy quiz - Spinal Anatomy Exam #4
3/25 Wed - Biochemistry Lab Quiz #4
3/26 Thur - Anatomy Regions 14 & 15
3/27 Fri - Histology Lab test

I guess that isn't so bad - we've had worse!  :)


Friday, March 13, 2009

Days 38 & 39, Thur & Fri

I got an email from a friend this morning who noted that I hadn't blogged last night and wondered how I did on my test.  Yesterday seems so long ago that I forgot what had transpired and it took me a while to remember that I even had a test yesterday.  

Originally, we were supposed to be off school yesterday and today but somebody decided that trimesters who were not taking boards this weekend had to attend school these days anyway which would be alright if it were not for the fact that many people actually make plans for times when school is not in session (including the teachers) so most all of the classes today were cancelled except for two afternoon classes and on class this morning which had about 30 out of 80 or 90 students showing up.  

I slept about 12 hours last night :)  Most students had very little sleep the night before due to our biochemistry exam.  I can only guess as to how I faired with that exam but I've seen the answers posted and estimate I probably got around a 23 out of 30.  The class average is usually about 19 out of 30 so I was above the curve although maybe not as much as I would like to have been.  

No test today and none on Monday so it's like a four day vacation!  :)  My gross anatomy tutoring has been changed to Sunday at 3 p.m. from Saturday at 5 p.m.  I'll have to focus on getting some work in on all my classes this weekend and the weekends fly by so I'll need to get moving.

I went to the cadaver lab after classes yesterday and saw the brachial plexus then spent time on the chalk board drawing out the brachial plexus a few times to start getting familiar with it.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Days 36 & 37 - Tues Mar 10 & Wed Mar 11

I got a 100% on yesterdays Anatomy test but, that might not be good enough for my patients.  There are far too many doctors out there - of any degree...MD, OD or DC that don't know the human anatomy as well as they should for their position.  I'd guess DC's probably learn it the best since they have a bit more schooling in Anatomy then the other doctorate degrees but it's a pretty indispensable basis for being able to treat a patient.  

Pathology is different and deals with the organs of the body but, as a chiropractor we are neuromusculature experts and as such, we need to know that anatomy the way a carpenter knows a hammer and nail.  

I'm going to leave up all the powerpoints in my home pertaining to the anatomy of the human body.  Some may be condensed to have only the most informative information needed such as the basic name, origin, insertion, action, innervation and blood supply but that information will go a long way in diagnosis.  

I'm still clean shaven and I can only shave if I get an A on my anatomy test otherwise the whiskers win and get to proliferate my face until I do get an A.  

Chiropractors don't study drugs, we study the human body - we have more anatomy and about 3 times the number of hours spent learning neurology than an MD.  

I'm going to know my gross anatomy better than any doctor out there - others may be able to equal me but none will know it better. 

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Day 35 - Monday, March 9, 2009

I was mistaken about one of the grades I thought I would get this past Friday.  Two of the grades were A's but the one for Spinal Anatomy ...the take home test that I stayed up until 2:30 a.m. completing ended up being a very middle of the road C.  Grrrr!  :(

I don't understand it.  People who did far less and copied straight from previous semesters study guides ended up with 100's and A's.  The teacher wanted us to do our own work so I made sure I did and cited references for every answer I gave so she would know I looked everything up.  Kind of sucks - can't spend too much time dwelling on it because other matters are pressing.

On a scale of 1-10, I'd say my stress levels are back between 10 and 12 right now - very much in the red-line.  

Major thanks go out to my Mom and Dad for all the extra work and help they've given me.  It's definitely made a difference and allowed me to more fully focus on my school work.  I guess I should also give a shout out and big thank you to that discrete little angel that drops off goodies and school supplies to my door while I'm at school.  Everything has been useful and used.

It's after 2 a.m. and I've just been studying over and over for my anatomy test tomorrow - I have to get an A or I don't get to shave and everyone will know I did poorly on my anatomy test.  
I was so wiped out after I got home today I fell asleep around 4 p.m. until 8 or so - fully dressed and forgot I let my dog outside before collapsing on my bed.  I'm thinking of getting another hour or two of sleep before heading back to school to study some more.  

We had our Philosophy midterm today and I don't believe I did as well as I would have liked to have done.  I just gotta keep plugging along.  I made up some flashcards using a new site on the Internet called rememberize.com which has been very useful.  It's a no-frills kind of site which is perfect because flashcards aren't supposed to be frilly, they're just supposed to see if you can remember what's on the back of the flashcard.  I still have learning to do with my current set of 30 flashcards.  

I also need to get down a few bordered areas of the deltoid region to have any chance at all of getting an A on tomorrow's test.  

If I can just hand in there a little longer then this trimester will be over.  There's only about 5 weeks left until finals.  I'm not sure how much longer I could make it otherwise.  

I'm tired, hungry, frustrated & stressed out to the max 

but - maybe that's not all such a bad thing, especially if there is adaptation to the stress (which I hope there is)

We did have our CPR & first aid training today and got to practice on some very advanced manikins.  These manikins are hooked up to a computer and measure the depth of compressions as well as the timing and retraction of the compressions to make sure that the CPR compressions we're delivering are adequate enough to give the best chance at saving a life.  It's kind of remarkable.  My timing and compressions scored a fine 98.1%
Many of the girls had to take the test a couple times before scoring high enough to pass.  The test consisted of 5 sets of 30 compressions with two breaths given by a partner every 30 compressions.  We also learned how to give CPR to an infant, proper use of an AED (automated external defibrilator) and basic first aid.  

Saturday, March 7, 2009

Saturday Studies

Except for a motorcycle ride to Wal-Mart to pick up some masking tape and dividers everything else was fairly business oriented today but it doesn't seem like I got a lot done.  I did manage to put up Region 11 & 12 powerpoints up on my hall wall and I played my anatomy DVD a lot today.  This afternoon I went to the cadaver lab at Logan then to the library to print out some more school material.  

Tomorrow - will be my first day I'll be able to stay at home after 14 straight days of having to head up to Logan.  I think I'm feeling a little run down.  Another full nights sleep should help and I really need to force exercise into my life.  I'm still signed up for a 1/2 marathon in May over in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Our prosector tutor at Logan is also a student doctor/intern.  He had a patient the other day that was experiencing numbness in his legs and his MD couldn't figure out what was wrong but still prescribed medication/drugs to help alieviate the situation (as if the cause of the numbness was a lack of the drugs to begin with)

Our prosector learned the patient had gotten some new boots and those boots were impinging on the patients sural cutaneous nerves in his leg which was causing the numbness.  When the patient told his MD about it the MD confessed that he had forgotten about those nerves.  

I've been learning about the differences in schooling between MDs and DCs and have learned that it takes more schooling to become a chiropractor.  MDs have 4 years of school with summers off and chiropractors, well, at least where I go at Logan is year round and completed in 3 1/3 years.  or 10 semesters of school as compared with 8 for MDs.  

It sure would be nice to have summers off :)

Friday, March 6, 2009

Day 34 - *A*A*A*

Fun day.  I was up until 2:30 a.m. last night finishing my Spinal Anatomy test then slept an hour and got back up at 3:30 a.m.  I think I probably got an A on my Spinal Anatomy test then I skipped spinal analysis to study my histology slides which wasn't something I originally intended to do but our class voted to have the test an hour earlier so I lost the hour I had allocated for studying and it was something I had to get it - It paid off as far as the grade went because I got a 24/25 in Histology and then managed a 19/20 on my Anatomy quiz.  Good grades today - three A's!  :)

I'm kind of in a Zombie state and need to get some rest.  I'm sorry I can't study tonight because I need to but also need to sleep.  Our Philosophy midterm is on Monday, another Anatomy test on Tuesday and we have a biochem test on Thursday ...oh, and we conclude our CPR training after school on Monday and get certified.  

Our philosophy teacher had another interesting story regarding a recent patient.  Female, 45, pain in leg - 9 on a scale of 1 to 10.  She saw her MD who prescribed drugs.  When she showed the drugs to her DC he asked if this is what her body was missing.  

Obviously, the lack of drugs generally isn't the cause of a persons dis-ease but by asking patients that question they get to make that conclusion themselves.  

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Day 33 - 12 Classes and 8 Syllable Words

I'm just getting this post in under the midnight wire.  I'll probably be up all night studying but that's alright - there's nothing else I'd rather be doing with my life right now.  Maybe sharing it with someone special would be nice but that's not currently the case.  I did get a nice visit from my parents tonight and got to share some things with them which is always fun.  

Unfortunately, I forgot my Dad's birthday yesterday and didn't get in touch with him until the wee a.m. hours this morning to wish him a happy birthday - kinda made me feel like a big bucket of you-know-what ....

I've got three test tomorrow and one of them is a take-home test that I'm still working on.  I'm on #18 of 30.  I also still need to study my Histology lab slides and get them memorized so I can get a decent grade.  After that, we have an Anatomy test tomorrow and I've already announced to the world (my world) on Facebook that I wasn't going to shave until I got an A on an Anatomy test.  :)

6 test in a week - if that doesn't keep a person out of trouble then nothing will.  

One of the purposes of this blog - in my initial conception - was to share what I was learning and I'm not sure how good of a job I've been doing with that.  I don't live with anyone so my interaction with other people is pretty much limited to the people I see at school or with people at the gym whenever I can make it in for a workout.  

What the heck did we do today?

Oh yeah - in Spinal Analysis we watched some videos of necks and spines via some kind of x-ray movie.  I'm getting to know the body pretty well but I'd have to say I am going to be an expert at the spine.  I like the idea of being an expert at something but, even then I do realize that being an expert is relative to other people who are not experts.  

Before Spinal Analysis we had biochemistry - we're learning about sugar - glucose, fructose, galactose, maltose and seeing them in Heyward projections.  We're learning about anameric carbons and adding together glucose with fructose to obtain sucrose which is basically cane sugar and it really doesn't matter if you have regular sugar, brown sugar or powdered sugar - you still have sucrose or cane sugar.  But, we can make it sound a bit more impressive by saying we have alpha 1 - beta 2 sucrose.  So far, I understand all of that except for where the 2 is coming from and I was thinking it should be a 1.  I'll get that straightened out though.  

Biochemistry is really amazingly interesting and it's hard to do it justice in this blog.  I keep having a goal in my head of wanting to learn 1% of what's in our teacher's head but I'm not sure I'll be able to learn that much, after all, he's been at this for 30 years and that's after he got his PhD in biochem but, I'll do my best :)

I'm in group A for dissection and today was group B's turn to dissect and normally I would have gone to the ampitheater to watch the prosection lecture but I knew I needed to study more for our Cell Bio test ...I'm not sure what to say about that test but I'm glad it doesn't make up the bulk of my Histology grade - no excuses, I just didn't do as well as I would have liked.  

We had Anatomy after Cell bio today but the class got started a little late because so much of the class was mulling around in the halls after our test.  I think most everyone was a little shell-shocked.  I know I was.  I'll just have to do better. 

We mainly went over the bones in anatomy and I still need to get them all memorized - from clavicle and scapula down to the tips of the fingers in the arms.  Just learning the basic names of the bones would be pretty simple (relatively speaking) but, if we consider a simple small bone like the clavicle then we also need to know the 8 different regions on the bone, what the regions are for as well as the end names and the names of the joints the bone makes with other bones.  Even that isn't all that difficult - it just requires time ....

I did some counting yesterday and realized a couple things - 
One thing is that I have a total of 12 different classes and labs I'm having to juggle this first trimester of the DC program and the other thing I counted were the number of syllables in some of the words we use in anatomy - the first word I counted had 8 syllables and that kind of explained to me why it does take a bit of time to get used to these words.  The word I checked out was "acromioclavicular" from the acromioclavicular joint which is between the acromion process of the scapula and the clavicle bone and, of course, at the other end of the clavicle we have the sternoclavicular joint.  The words are OK once you get them down but they don't exactly roll off the tongue when you first come across them - not for me anyway - not yet.  For now, I feel like a grade-school kid just who has just learned their ABC's and are trying to form words for the first time.  

A neat artery we came across in spinal anatomy was the "Great Radicular Artery of Adamkiewicz"  Good name, huh?  :)

I guess that's a general overview of today.  I hit the library after my classes and picked up some bones - two of them were human bones which is kind of cool and the other was a model of the arm bones.  Wow - I've really got a lot to learn - I better get another cup of coffee - this night is going to fly by and I've got to learn all I can to make some respectable grades tomorrow - 

It's tough - it's a really tough program.  Some people in my class have had dental anatomy and it seems like everyone under the sun has studied micro-biology and numerous other -ology type courses.  I've had two years of calculus based physics and over 100 hours of mathematics.  Good stuff and it certainly works the logic areas of the brain but leaves me wanting a bit with all the stuff we're learning.  Of course, you never can really tell when something is good or bad when you're going through it and usually only perspective from a distance can provide anything close to a reasonable answer as to whether something may have been good or bad.  

OK, coffee awaits ...coffee, 12 more spinal anatomy questions and three powerpoint presentations with around 100 slides that need to be committed to memory in the next 9 hours.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Day 32 - Hammers & Nails

I really don't have much time to blog tonight.  It's Wednesday night and I have 4 test over the next two days.  I'm hoping my midterm anatomy practical test turns out better than my written midterm in anatomy - I've really got my work cut out for me.  

One thing that's been going through my head is that when the only tool you have is a hammer - then everything starts looking like a nail.  That saying has more to do with the allopathic system of health care we have in this country ...health care, sick care, crisis intervention - whatever you want to call it.  bottom line is we can only fix issues with the tools we have available.  

Our philosophy teacher runs a full time chiropractic business and teaches only in the mornings for an hour each day.  Today he related a story about a patient who had numbness in the tips of his fingers.  Apparently this man has had the issue for 8 years and while his wife and daughter both received chiropractic care he was a bit too macho for such a thing but finally our teacher convinced him to try some treatment.  The teacher was figuring it might take a bit to get certain vertebrae straightened out but this time - a single treatment specifically focusing on the C5 cervical vertebrae removed the numbness from this guys fingers.  To me this makes sense because C5 is one of the vertebrea from which the brachial plexus emminates and heads down the arms.  If there is pressure on any of those nerves then there are certainly going to be issues.

What I found amazing was that the best this guys MD doctors could come up with for an explinaton had something to do with cholesterol levels or the mans cholesterol medication but, I guess that goes back to the tools we have at hand or perhaps the tools we are used to using becuase most general MDs I guess just aren't looking at the entire human body for answers but rather within the tools they have available and are used to using.  

I have to get to bed - test or not, i can't stay awake any longer.  I've got to make it two more days - I'll be getting up early tomorrow (I sure hope) and will continue this exciting ride then!  :)

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Day 31 - Midterm Practical - Done!

11:45 p.m. and the end of a very long day.  I've got to get to bed.

The master bathroom is covered with Region 10 powerpoints from Anatomy.  4x6 flashcards of region 10 have been completed.  I have two human clavicle bones and a model of an arm w/ scapula.  I stayed after school today for biochem lab tutoring and then worked on learning the 8 main parts of the clavicle.  I'm also working on learning the 8 carpal bones in the wrist.  

I think I remember the mnemonic for the wrist bones - it's, "Some Lovers Try Positions That They Can't Handle"  it stands for ...

Proximal row, radial to ulnar: Scaphoid Lunate Triquetrum Pisiform. 
Distal row, radial to ulnar: Trapezium, Trapezoid, Capitate, Hamate


(had to look it up because i don't have it memorized yet)  :)

Monday, March 2, 2009

Day 30 - oops!

I'm not sure why but I slept through my alarms this morning and missed my philosophy class.  I got to bed at a decent time but was exhausted.  I also fell asleep for a couple hours after I got home today.  I could really use that two hours per day I spend commuting.  I know Leah commuted for her last two years but that was living with someone, not during her first 4 trimesters and not when the main highway was closed during construction.

I've got another 9 months before the highway is reopened then i should save up to 30 minutes on the commute - 4 less exits and merges to deal with and 6 less miles.

Our anatomy tutor laid it on the line for us on Saturday and said anatomy needs to become our life which is pretty much what I had concluded a few blogs ago.  

I've got all the powerpoints printed and awaiting plastering on my walls but i'm out of tape right now - i'll get some this week.  

Lateral abduction of the arm was fascinating to learn about in anatomy today.  The supraspinatus muscle actually is responsible for the first 15 degrees of abduction before the more powerful deltoid muscles take over.  The deltoid can raise the arms about 120 degrees from vertical and for every two degrees the arm raises, the scapula rotates about 1 degree.  The middle area of the trap muscle works to rotate the scapula during arm abduction.

plenty more stuff but I've got 6 test this week and 8 more hours of laborious driving ...ugh.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Sunday Studying

I spent the majority of today out at Logan in the cadaver lab and a little bit of time in the library printing out some papers for biochem and picking up some bones to study.  I forgot to get the papers for biochem but remembered to check out the bones.  I got a couple really good DVDs on anatomy and just need to get to bed now.  I recently realized I'll have 14 days straight of heading up to the school before i get a day to stay at home -