Tri-7 Wk13, Days 447 & 448, Wednesday & Thursday

hmmmm .... long day. I caught a post from a classmate yesterday who had to get up at 5 a.m. and I'm thinking I've been getting up on average at 4:30 a.m. or earlier for the past three years but, I guess things are always more noteworthy when they're happening to you.

This morning was a 3 a.m. start to the day and I just got home at 9:30 p.m.

We had our Activator written final exam this morning and ...I did pass. I'm having a heck of a time remembering the simplest of things. The toughest part of this morning's exam was filling in the date correctly on my scantron. I knew it was 4-7-11 but had trouble getting it out. First, I put down the 11, then a 7, and finally the 4 ....

AK class wasn't any better ...class had started and I was struggling to pull up my word document I use to take notes for that class, I finally admitted defeat and asked my neighbor what class we were in - for the life of me I just couldn't remember. But, I'd had to ask neighbors before what class we were in so, maybe they're getting used to it by now.

I ended up seeing my 39th patient today which, was my room partner. She got bogged down in a diagnostic ultrasound and we only had 15 minutes before the clinic closed to get her exam in plus, we had two lower tri's join the fun by observing as part of a requirement for a class they were in.

Her adjustment went pretty well.

A semester or two ago, I remembered seeing a section of our exam sheets that referred to tone, symmetry, tenderness, temperature and things like that. I wasn't sure (at the time) about temperature but, in the last month or so, I've been able to notice temperature differences along my patients spines and, when I palpate those areas or challenge the joints I inevitably end up hearing a squelch from my patients because those are sore and tender areas along their spines.

I'm having a much harder time figuring things out like spinous right or spinous left. I can usually tell a bit more from AROM or active ranges of motion. My Gonstead class (in spite of my poor performance in that class) has actually helped me to identify fixated or restricted vertebrae which, isn't exactly always the easiest thing in the world to do.

I'm not sure what's going on tomorrow ...let's see ...Activator practicals are going on first hour but my practical isn't until next Thursday. Then we have .....

Oops, my mistake - we have Geriatrics first! Good class, Dr. Bub!

Then I guess I have an hour break

Then ...well, i've got PT next but my Gonstead teacher wanted me to come see him at 9:15 so I'll probably try and let my PT teacher know what's up then see my Gonstead teacher and, hopefully, get back to my PT class.

5 days left of classes and then 5 days of final exams .....

oh, and for some reason ...my car seems to have gone from getting close to 40 miles to the gallon down to about 13 miles to the gallon. I just filled the thing up yesterday and I'm all the way down to E! I was hoping maybe someone siphoned off my gas or that my gauge is broken.

Dead tired ...gotta get to sleep :)