a little tidbit of info...

I thought it would be worth to tell everyone that yesterday in cadaver lab we took the brains out. Its was pretty cool but pretty gross all at the same time. Like you wanted to participate but totally wanted to keep away at the same time. I also had some fun flash backs to neuro and got to sound smart as Dr. V quizzed us about what crainial nerve comes out of which hole in the skull (got it right on the 1st or 2nd guess). Finals next week. I should probably be studying...

Ana

something to be thankful for

I know its been pushing a month since my last blog. My uncle reminded me yesterday that some people actually try to keep updated about the happenings of my life through this blog... but between classes, tests, friends and fun its always hard to remember to spend a moment or two and update this bad boy.

So in honor of thanksgiving... I would like to say that I am unbelievably thankful for my friends and family in seattle... but also, and maybe more importantly at times... my new friends at school. They have been pivotal to my feeling included, involved, appreciated and loved when classes got hard, conflicts arose and unexpected things took place. I just thought I'd post a picture of these wonderful people that we took when we went ice skating last wednesday. Whether they are study buddies, killer ultimate players, dynamite back rub givers, meal suppliers, or just wonderful friends who are there for me, I couldn't have made it this far (even though its only been 10 weeks) without them.

So thanks karen, james, ryan, kristen, annie, stacey, alex, kevin, holly, kelsey, isaac... and everyone else who didn't go ice skating with us

Halloween!

Hey everyone,

So although its a little late to be sharing my halloween pictures with you, I figure its better late than never... and some of my friends' costumes are awesome so why wouldn't i want you to see?

We went out to fast eddies on tuesday, to celebrate both halloween and the fact that we are done with tests for a whole 2 weeks (ok, really 1 week and 6 days... now 1 week and 2). We had a ball, and my friends even got me to dress up... although I just went as an "asian" and wore my rice patty hat and a japanese shirt.... i'm sure if an actual person from japan saw me they would have gotten mad because the hat is actually vietnamese (I think) but anyways... Here are my pictures....






So we got James as "Captain Safety", Ryan as a sweet ski instructor from the 80's, Stacey as a ballerina, Annie as "the blue fox" -- a space-agey super hero, Matt as the sweetest nerd i've ever seen (he even walked, danced and talked dorky... it was great) Kevin as a skeleton (although you can only see his face), & Karen as an ice skater.

It was a great time...for sure more like it in the future.

well guys! Its saturday morning... the perfect time to hit the books...

take care,
Ana

flying by

Its hard to imagine that we're half way through the quarter. I did very well on my clinical anatomy exam on tuesday and i'm starting to work my butt of for Functional coming up next tuesday. My dad wanted me to throw out there that in my last post i made it sound like i was neglecting functional indefinitely because of clinical. That, however, was a misunderstanding. The truth is that my whole class neglected it until our test on tuesday was over with, now we are on to neglecting our other classes to get functional done. I do have an amendment to my study habits though... a little clinical and functional a night (once this test is over with)... otherwise I may have to do this huge gear switch continuously throughout the quarter... and ultimately that causes a lot of short term memory formation... which is bad because I have to retain enough to pass the number of cumulative tests that i have in front of me (finals, the huge one we have at the end of our second year and ultimately... licensure)

Blake and I had a blast last weekend. We went "hiking" through a state park near by and he got to see my sweet school and meet some of my friend. And this weekend Kirstin comes out! Yay! yippee! wahoo! Although we are planning on studying a fair amount together (she's gonna work on her resume), we are going to have quite a good time. I'm thinking at least drinking a bottle of good wine and going to a martini bar saturday night. Its going to be so great seeing her :)

anyways, gotta study up :)

beijos,
Ana

a quick update

Next Tuesday is coming up faster than I'd like it, but at the same time I think i'll be prepared for my next test by the time it comes. Besides, between me and tuesday is this weekend and Blake is coming out. I'm so excited to see him and have my "first visitor" come in for the weekend. I'm also really excited for him to meet my friends and check out my school, because the longer i'm here that happier I get, and the more content I am with the program I have committed to. Hopefully he likes the cadaver lab as much as i do :)

Classes have continued to pick up the pace, I feel really bombarded, but I also have been warned that its only going to get harder until the end of winter quarter (march sometime) so I need to chill out and not get too stressed because, as my mentor Kristen said, "even really stable people lose it winter quarter" (a paraphrase) Like I said in my previous post, we have another pair of tests a week from this next tuesday coming up, and we've been warned by our prof not to neglect his class because of clinical, I think, however, that everyone is going to do just that... including myself.

A little financial update... I'm not going to buy a computer just yet. I'm realizing that mine is kinda on its last leg so I should think more seriously about getting a new laptop than a desktop, the only thing is that the one that I'd like is $100 more than the desktop and even the desktop was pushing it. With the money i have now, if I did buy a computer and then added rent onto it I would have $300 to last me the rest of the year... which won't happen if you consider cell phone, utilities, food, and the occasional beer with friends. I'm thinking of looking into financing something like a "3 months same as cash" deal and stretch it out over next quarter when I'll have my new installment of loan money, but I'm just going to wait on it for now. Besides, Mac is coming out with a new operating system in January or February, so if I postpone buying one I'll only be getting more bang for my buck.

Anyways, I think that's it. Thanks for checking up on me and keeping me updated with my "life in seattle" it is nice to still feel connected when I'm 4 hours away.

beijos,
Ana

One Down... many more to go!

Hey Guys,

I just finished with my first pair of tests and I did just fine. Got about an 86% on written and almost aced my practical. I'm pretty happy about it and glad that I know that I can handle it, even with all of the goofing off i've been doing.

A heads up for other test days that you can call me to check up on or just keep me in your thoughts and prayers:

October 16 Integ written
October 18 Integ practical
October 24 Clinical Anatomy Written and Practical (really two tests)
October 31 Functional Anatomy, Written and Practical

That's all I have in my head so far... but that's a lot of tests for about two weeks!

wish me luck!
Ana

My new friend Homer

We started our lab in clinical anatomy today. I have a fantastic group including my friends James and Ryan, and then Alex and Melissa that make our little cadaver dissecting team awesome. Today, during the first lab, we dissected the gluteal region and hamstring of our body, now more commonly known to us as Homer, which we got the idea of from the fact that we use "Homer's all purpose" buckets from Home Depot to put the body parts we remove into. This way, when our class is done dissecting in 2 quarters, our cadaver and residual parts will be combined, and then sent away to be cremated and buried.

It was a lot less strange than I thought it would be, and I am really excited to return tomorrow and begin working more inferiorly (down lower) on Homer. Well guys, time to study up!

Cheers!

Ana

New Friends

Just thought I'd introduce you to a few of my classmates. These crazy cats are Tarah, Kevin (below) and James. We are all first years and took this at the little gathering the second years planned for us at "Fast Eddie's" a bar near our school. It was fun. Anyways, I just thought you'd all like to know that I've actually made a few friends and don't sit at home alone on friday nights.

ate mais,
Ana

2 days in!

We've been in class two days now and really its everything I expected it to be: long, tiring, interesting, applicable, fun. We've already learned about positioning and draping, measuring joints and had an anatomy quiz (that I got a 20% on) to see how much we know for class, and ultimately see how much we are going to need to know by the time the first test comes by and ultimately our licensure exam in 3 years.

I don't really know what else to say other than that I better start reading "kinesiology of the musculoskeletal system" for my functional anatomy class.

lata!
Ana

Ready or Not?

Tomorrow is the big day! Classes start and we get to find out what this is really all about. Life is already hectic. Made a trip out to Cheney yesterday only to find out we have to go back for our IDs, paid $569 for books (and that wasn't including the ones we "don't need"), $143 for a year-round parking permit, and I am already wondering if the loans I took out will actually be enough after paying for everything we need just to "set up" life this quarter. I think the finances will get better after we get everything but its really a bear! Who knows if I'll even be able to get the computer I want, so far I just have to trust. Trust God that I'm in the right place, trust my logic that my loan will cover all of my expenses, trust that the comcast modem will come in time for our install (i'm at a sweet cafe near my house now) and trust that when my credit card bill comes I won't wipe out my savings to pay for it.

My roommates are great, I think we will get along great. Sure, we are doing a little bit of head butting because we are getting to know each other while also trying to duke out living together, but I think after a week or two we'll get into the groove of things without much trouble.

Our orientation went well. We walked in to a room with a nice gym-bag of stuff with our names on them at each seat. I feel like I'm going to med school because in it was a stethoscope, a blood pressure taker (called a sphygnomonomer or something) goniometers of different sizes, a reflex hammer, a gait belt, stop watch, and all sorts of goodies. They insist that we paid for them with our tuition, but I still would like to consider it a gift. We also get key cards into our classrooms and even a key into the building. Its pretty awesome!

Other than that, I already have my first test scheduled, Thursday in Anatomy... supposedly just to see what we know. Unfortunately I am only good at differentiating my right leg from my left but beyond that I don't remember much. Dr Russell (my advisor, anatomy professor and the director of the PT school) says that this whole year is just an "in-depth review" so hopefully the things I knew will come back to me and the class will be a building ground for the additional learning we need.

Anyways, wish me luck and check in on me! I'm sure I'll be up to my neck with studying before the week is up (Dr Russell informed us that there won't be enough hours in the day to read everything our classes assign) so it would be good to know that there is life beyond our study room.

beijos,
Ana

ps: my african violet is blooming! I think she likes her new window seat

letting go...

As I kissed Josh and Dan goodnight after watching them for 3 years a deep sadness comes over me. Nothing has really bothered me about leaving like leaving my boys. Josh started kindergarden last week. Is it possible that I've watched him since he was 3 and now he's a big 6 year old? Amy talks about how tough it is for her to let go, and I can easily identify with her. Next wednesday someone else will come over to take care of my kids, and while I know that she's fully capable, possibly more capable than I am (a UW grad student studying special ed), I still feel like they are in better care when I am with them. I remember the fall of my junior year of college when I first came over. Danny was still in a high chair and josh was just 3 years old. After one time I taught him that its NOT OK to pee in the tub. Amy called me the next day asking what I had done to teach him that, I said that I told him it was gross and it stuck for some reason. She called me her savior, I told her that that was Jesus, but I'd be happy to help Him out. Josh has forever been my easy kid. You tell him no one time and you never have to say no again. Its crazy to think that my time of being with them at least once a week is over. With tears streaming down my face I realize how following your dreams means you have to let go of the comforts, let go of home, follow blindly, knowing that the path you have laid out for you is better than the path you would have if you stayed put, because staying put is such an easy option, especially when I was accepted into the UW program and could have stayed here if I chose to. But the point is that I'm not meant for the UW right now, EWU has the better place for me... I must go, even if it means that life changes even though my dreams are becoming a reality. No body ever said it was easy, but the rewards are great, and I gladly accept the rewards, along with the challenges, the frustrations and the lessons learned.

here we go!

My Brasil blog was such a hit I thought I'd make one for PT school also. I hope I can be deligent enough to update it regularly, and be a little more thorough than "Arrrgh! too much work, haven't slept in days", but no promises. Knowing that PT school will be harder than undergrad leads me to believe that free time isn't something I'll have a lot of. I hope that everyone can keep me in their prayers, give me a call randomly to get me out of my studying hole, or even drop by spokane (with a little warning) and hang out. I'm sure that I'm going to be missing you all terribly even if I have 35 new friends in my class to keep me company.