This week's exam is tomorrow morning... on The Cardiovascular System, the Respiratory System and Vital Signs. For some reason, i find myself unfocused and unable to absorb all this information. Particularly, as usual, the medications. I seem to be getting vasodilators and antiarrythmics and digitalis preparations all mixed up... can i not just say they are all heart meds and be done with it?!?! No? Ok... back to the books...

i am so over being under the weather

i am up at 4am not because i was out having fun, but because i am sick. been sick for a while and i thought, like it has in the past, my body would heal itself. i no longer think this cold is just a sore throat. i think i may have infections, probably both ears and maybe my throat. been about 10 days of pain and now, i think things are getting worse. sucks since my health benefits for work haven't kicked in yet... and, of course, i wait 'til a holiday weekend to want to see a doctor. and, of course, i have no idea where to go... does the US have walk in after hour type clinics or is the only option an emergency room? i reckon (e:uncutsaniflush) will probably... *sigh* i just want to cry.... but... it hurts too much... waahh... what a big baby am i!

I did ok on my first exam, meds I, II and III (but do NOT ask me what the Kefauver-Harris Amendment of 1962 is until the finals, pleeease); got 94%. BUT, we had over a week to study.

Now, i have less than 48 hors to learn all the bits of the Gastrointestinal System as per the instruction and papers i received on Tuesday. The exam is tomorrow morning. So, i am taking a break/procrastinating.

I am not so great with all this medical jargon. And although i know what some of these things actually are, it can be difficult to remember official definitions... like digestion. Go ahead, try (not you, (e:Jenks), you better know!) and do it without using the word "digest".

I've got flatus though... not the actual gas, but the definition. Gas formation in the intestines; expulsion of intestinal gases.

For over 20 years, i have had 14 silver sleeper style hoops in my ears -- 6 on one side and 8 on the other. The idea was to eventually get 6 on one side and 9 on the other since i was born in '69, but for some reason, that 9th one just never happened.

Whenever i have seen a cute lil charm, i have purchased it and attached it to a random hoop. A few years ago, i got myself an evil eye from a place called Courage My Love in Kensington Market in Toronto (on my birthday, 3 years ago i think). That evil eye clinks, jingles and makes a general light metallic sound as the blue eye inside its sliver casing moves around... and as it hits other earrings. The hoops made a slight noise too, but probably one only i could here. Others could hear my evil eye. And, i kinda got used to those sounds.

But, with this new grown up job i have now, i needed to remove the hoops. Actually, it is more because they are a safety hazard to myself and the developmentally disabled individuals i will be working with and for.

Took me about half an hour, but i took them all out and replaced them with a fine gage (maybe i will increase that in time, but the hoops were a fairly fine gage) bone style nose bars.

So weird. So quiet.

I should be studying. I should be studying. But, i thought i would take this time, while i hear the laundry bouncing around in the dryer downstairs, while papers are scattered all over my desk to... well... procrastinate.

It hurt my heart to not be able to see you at the dinner you planned, (e:Ladycroft). I wish i could have been there... and you're leaving soon... i may not have time to see you at all. *sob* When are you leaving? Would a quick coffee/confab/visit work before you leave? I get off work in West Seneca at 4.30pm (if i don't have to have a meeting with my supervisor) tomorrow. Do you still have the same phone number? I do!

I have been getting up at 5.30am since... uhm... 5 June. Orientation at the DDSO has been intense. CPR, First Aide, SKIP-R. I am bruised and battered... and thankful for some cool weather. SKIP-R testing was done on Friday, WITHOUT a/c. I swear it was about 110 in that room... while we listened to the maintenance guy bang on the a/c unit outside the window. Made it so much more difficult to do... uhmm... say... a 2 person supine restraint when the individual being restrained was slippery with sweat.

Now, we move on to training. I think i need a full day's explanation on how to fill out forms for my time sheets. But, i digress, that was covered during orientation.

Today, we had the first of 3 days of meds classes. (e:Mike), will you help me study for the exam next week?!? The information is all memorization and rather dry... no offense to those into pharmacology. :O)...

The lecture on childhood development and how the maturation rate is compared to those with Developmental Disabilities was interesting... to me at least. Shame it was the shortest part of the day.

Yesterday (wow... was that only yesterday?), we had a lecture on Swallowing Difficulties and although interesting, it was a bit long and long winded. I do think, however, that the Occupational Therapist enjoys her work and is very good at it. Yay. She did a demo on swallowing with us that was informative. For it, we had some water and some... well,what i would call corn chips or tortilla chips. She, on the other hand, called them tacos. Not taco chips, even. Just tacos. And, it is not the first time i have heard this term here. Is this just the WNY slang? If so... weird slang. What do you do when you want to order an actual taco?

Protocol. Procedure. Policy. New York State has it all.

After a long day 8 hour day of sitting, pushing papers around and taking notes, i came home to another coupla hours of preparing things... Preparing papers to deliver to different departments so they know i want what they have to give me. Like money. Benefits. An inter-office email address and user i.d.

And a mind full of new exciting information and options.

.. i am a bureaucrat, a member of a union, a government employee.

First day of 9 days of orientation was today. What i found the most interesting is that today was all about what i get, not what i will do. I filled out forms for unions, and benefits and perks and i got my negative tb test. I found out all about how to accrue sick leave, paid, unpaid and half pay; how to accrue vacation time. And when it all expires.

I heard all about the organization's history, good, bad and ugly. It was the most interesting part of the day. That, and finding out that i will be on a tough team... one with residents with possible behaviour and legal issues. Scary. Challenging.

It was a long day, sitting on my butt. How to office workers do it for 8 hours?

All cars look the same to me... and this one is lacking a rectangular orange thing on the back... but here she is, my new car.





Times, they are a changin'...

Yesterday, (e:Uncutsaniflush) and i both had the day off. We decided to spend it in Canada.

Our plans were slightly delayed (more on that shortly), so we went directly from Buffalo to lunch. We found this wonderful place, Carlos Cantina a while back. I dunno why we haven't shared pictures and our very biased opinion about this place sooner. I think i am going to send Bill Rapaport a positive review.

Much to the chagrin of the waitress (co-owner? manager?), we took pictures of our half eaten food. But we totally could not wait to dive in.


I had Juan's Taquitos, vegetarian, of course. So perfect. Potatoes with veggies rolled up in a flour shell and fried. Could not be better with a dab of sour cream and a bit of picco. The guacamole is as good as i have ever had a in restaurant -- full of flavour without that hint of bitter aftertaste i have had in some.


(e:Uncutsaniflush) had the Flautas Doradas with chicken, if i remember correctly. Corn torillas with chicken, rolled up and fried, sour cream, cheese and sauce on top.

Both served with the best chips and salsa -- 3 to choose from, hot, mild and verde.

(e:Uncutsaniflush) had a margarita, too. Says it was good... fresh limes were used, it smelled like to me.

After lunch, we went for a drive. Found a nice antique place. Meandered along the waterfront. Drove slowly through the falls. Stopped at the botanical gardens beside the Butterfly Conservatory. Very nice. Not fully in bloom just yet, but still gorgeous.

Of course, while there, this is the set of pictures i took. Plants? What are those when one of these is around?!?





So, back to the reason we were delayed. We bought me a car yesterday. Yep. I pick it up tomorrow after the dealer does all the dmv plates stuff and inspection and fixing a coupla minor things. It's an old car, a '97 Saturn SL2, but, it is my first car, and it was inexpensive... and... wow, i own a car! Two months ago, i didn't even have a driver's license!! We ended up being delayed because the old guy, aka "Grandpa" told us the place opened at 9am the next morning. But, they open at 10am. And his son, Paul, wouldn't be there until about 10.30. Then, we had to go to the insurance agent, and they were surprisingly busy. But, we got it done. All i need to do now is get a cashier's check for the balance and pick it up tomorrow. I promise to post pictures of her.

And, the countdown. Today is my last shift at Sally Beauty!!!!!!!! Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!