First Rotation

So I had my first clinical rotation tonight. I worked for 2 3/4 hours on the Neuro-Intermediate Nursing Floor. Basically it has patients with anything from head trauma, to stablizing from a neuro surgery, to any neuro related disease. That includes Cerebral Palsy and Mental Retardation.

When I first got to the hospital floor that I was going to, I went to the nursing station, and told the secretary-looking lady what I was there for. She turned around and told the charge nurse that I was there. She started asking me what kind of medical experience I had. Like if I was a certified nurse assistant, or a med tech, and so on. I'm like, "I don't know a thing, and I can't legally do very much at all." She says, "oh, okay. Well then..." *turns to the other nurses standing there* "who should he go with so he'll see something really good?" Unfortunately, there wasn't anything "good." Or maybe disgusting...but to me, that'd be really cool.

I shadowed two nurses. The shift change came about 45 minutes after I got there, so the first nurse I had been shadowing left, and I shadowed the nurse that took her place. Both the nurses were really nice. They both showed me what they were doing, and why. The first nurse explained what in tarnation those diagnosises meant, and why they were receiving what they were getting. Basically we just went from room to room (we had 6 rooms) and handed out meds, and answered questions, etc. I say we, but actually, the nurse did all that, and I just stood there and looked handsome. :) It's not that hard once you've had practice.

Okay, now that I've posted on my experience, here's some of the world's funniest one-liners.

1). Ninety-nine percent of lawyers give the rest a bad name.
2). Borrow money from a pessimist -- they don't expect it back.
3). Time is what keeps things from happening all at once.
4). Lottery: A tax on people who are bad at math.
5). I don't suffer from insanity; I enjoy every minute of it.
6). Always go to other people’s funerals, or they won’t go to yours.
7). Few women admit their age; few men act it.
8). If we aren't supposed to eat animals, why are they made with meat?
9). No one is listening until you make a mistake.
10). Give me ambiguity or give me something else.
11). We have enough youth. How about a fountain of "Smart"?
12). He who laughs last thinks slowest.
13). Campers: Nature’s way of feeding mosquitoes.
14). Always remember that you are unique; just like everyone else.
15). Consciousness: That annoying time between naps.

my life, as I don't know it.

Hmmm...it's been a while.

Well...I did it again. I am now laying on the couch in our den...unable to rise and walk normally. I have twisted my ankle again. In the same manner as I did before, though not nearly as bad. I was playing football, and came down hard on the side of my foot. My ankle bent...and it now hurts....really badly. I don't know if that is correct or not. Should I say "really badly", "really bad", "real badly", or "real bad"? I don't really care right now.

Anyway, I now have a goose egg on the side of my foot that looks vaguely familiar. I think I had one for about 6 or 7 weeks earlier this year. I can sort of walk on it, but I have to at least wear a brace, and it's slow going. I am also sick with some bug. I've got a pretty sweet headache, and chest congestion. Besides the fact that my leg pounds with every heartbeat.

But...I'm still saved, Jesus still loves me, and I love Him. So everything's good.

Tuesday I have my first Clinical Rotation in the Hospital. I am going to do Neuro-Intermediate Nursing...I'll let you know what it entails and how it went after I finish. Then on the 1st of November, I've got a rotation in Post-Surgical ICU, and 2 weeks after that, I've got a rotation in Surgery, and another in Neuro-Intermediate Nursing.

Yesterday I had to teach Guitar theory at orchestra. Liz is on "vacation" and so I became the teacher instead of Mr. Crowd Control. Have you ever tried teaching 13 boys (ages 8-11ish) and keeping them under control? And when you have no clue what you are teaching, since you have never had a guitar lesson in your life, and the only thing you know about it, you've taught yourself. That'd be me! Yeah. And btw, Pris, if you read this before Liz leaves, which I kind of doubt you will...tell her that she is supposed to get a candy bar this next week from one of her theory students. :)

Here's some more quotes for you LotR fanatics...or at least those of us who love to hear some of Tolkien's works again and again. These are from the book, this time. Just for you, Grace. :)

"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve." - Bilbo at his party

"Where is the horse and the rider? Where is the horn that was blowing? They have passed like rain on the mountain, like a wind in the meadow; The days have gone down in the West behind the hills into shadow."; - Theoden before battle at Helm's Deep

In rode the Lord of the Nazgûl. A great black shape against the fires beyond he loomed up, grown to a vast menace of despair. In rode the Lord of the Nazgûl, under the archway that no ememy ever yet had passed, and all fled before his face. All save one. There waiting, silent and still in the space before the Gate, sat Gandalf upon Shadowfax: Shadowfax who alone amoung the free horses of the earth endured the terror, unmoving, steadfast as a graven image in Rath Dínin. "You cannot enter here," said Gandalf, and the huge shadow halted. "Go back to the abyss prepared for you! Go back! Fall into the nothingness that awaits you and your master. Go!" The Black Rider flung back his hood, and behold! he had a kingly crown; and yet upon no head visible was it set. The red fires shone between it and the mantled shoulders vast and dark. From a mouth unseen there came a deadly laughter. "Old fool!' he said. 'Old fool! This is my hour. Do you not know death when you see it? Die now and curse in vain!" And with that he lifted high his sword and flames ran down the blade. Gandalf did not move. And in that very moment, away behind behind in some courtyard of the City, a cock crowed. Shrill and clear he crowed, recking nothing of wizardry or war, welcoming only the morning that in the sky far above the shadows of death was coming with the dawn. And as if in answer there came from far away another note. Horns, horns, horns. In dark Mindolluin's sides they dimly echoed. Great horns of the North wildly blowing. Rohan had come at last. - Gandalf confronts the Witch King



And two from the Movie.

Home is behind
The world ahead
and there are many paths to tread
Through shadow to the edge of night
until the stars are all alight
Mist and shadow
Cloud and shade
All shall fade
All shall... fade.
- Pippin sings to Denethor

can't you just hear Pip singing this haunting song?

"Spears shall be shaken, shields shall be splintered. It is a sword-day; a red day, ere the sun rises! Ride now! Ride now! Ride for ruin, and the world's ending! Forth Eorlingas!";
- Theoden to the Rohirrim, before battle at the Pelennor

Inspiration to end the world, eh?

Lord of the Rings

Okay, so I must needs post on some favorite quotes from Lord of The Rings. Thank you to Mr. Tolkien for writing this so many years ago, so that I could post them on the internet. :)

“Sam: [Both are overcome by exhaustion] Do you remember the Shire, Mr. Frodo? It'll be spring soon. And the orchards will be in blossom. And the birds will be nesting in the hazel thicket. And they'll be sowing the summer barley in the lower fields... and eating the first of the strawberries with cream. Do you remember the taste of strawberries?

Frodo: No, Sam. I can't recall the taste of food... nor the sound of water... nor the touch of grass. I'm... naked in the dark, with nothing, no veil... between me... and the wheel of fire! I can see him... with my waking eyes!

Sam: Then let us be rid of it... once and for all! Come on, Mr. Frodo. I can't carry it for you... but I can carry you!”

How this could apply to our lives as Christians! Christ commands us to carry one another's burdens. See Galatians 6:2 "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ." In this case, Sam could not carry Frodo's burden, and burden it was, but he did what he could. In this case, he carried Frodo himself.

Pippin: I feel like I'm back at the Green Dragon.

Merry: [through a mouthful of food] Mm. Green Dragon.

Pippin: A mug of ale in my hand, putting my feet up on a settle after a hard day's work.

Merry: Only, you've never done a hard day's work.

[They laugh; Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli ride up. Merry stands and gives an exaggerated bow]

Merry: Welcome, my lords, to Isengard!

Gimli: You young rascals! A merry hunt you've led us on, and now we find you... feasting and... and *smoking.*

Pippin: We are sitting on a field of victory enjoying a few well-earned comforts.

[Merry blows a smoke ring]

Pippin: The salted pork is particularly good.

Gimli: [eagerly] Salted pork?

Gandalf: [exasperated] Hobbits.

Merry: We're under orders from Treebeard, who has taken over management of Isengard.

Treebeard: [as they walk toward the tower] Hroom, young master Gandalf! I'm relieved that you've come. Wood and water, stock and stone I can master, but there's a wizard to manage here. Locked his tower.”

I love the part where Merry tells Pip that he's never done a hard day's work in his life. That'd be completely true for a Hobbit. And watching the actors doing this scene in the movie is totally cool.

No TB...Lots of Music...And Pastor's Day!

I haven’t been exposed to TB! No Pris, that’s not you this time. It’s Tuberculosis. On Tuesday, I had the orientation meeting for Medical Explorers, and I had to get a TB Skin Test. They inject a little bit of the virus under your skin, and if you’ve ever been exposed to it, then your body will have antibodies still roaming around, so the spot where you got the injection will flare up a little bit. Sort of like a poison ivy rash, but just one bump. Well, anyway, I didn’t have it.
I went bike riding with Owen on Saturday. We went 22 miles on the trail. I hadn’t ridden but once in at least a year. I felt really sore afterwards. That night, the PHPHSO performed the Pre-Concert Performance at the Symphony. It was Liz and Joy’s last performance. It actually went fairly well. We had a fairly large crowd listening to us.
The actual Symphony performance was really good. The piano player they had as the guest artist was fairly good, but the piano wasn’t milked, and she got drowned out a lot, so you really couldn’t tell how good she really was. The second half of the performance was one of the 2 best ½ performances I’ve ever been to. They played some music written about the 1001 Tales of the Arabian Nights, by Rimsky-Korsakov. Wow.

One of the songs was totally cool. As soon as it started, I got a picture in my mind, then as the song went on, the picture grew into a tale, the last battle of a war that had gone on for many years. The "good" country was outnumbered in this last battle, yet they had to win, or all would be lost. As they arrayed for battle in a wooded area, trumpets sounded, and over a hill in front of their lines came a massive troop of enemy cavalry. (Here at this point I’ll call the "good" guys: Foodsnogites; and the "bad" guys: Santaites.) The Foodsnogites gave a great cheer to boost their morale as they prepared to withstand a charge. Then from the left came another trumpet sounding, and another troop of Santaite Cavalry came trotting down the hill. Morale in the Foodsnogite’s ranks fell, but they prepared themselves to face the enemy on their left flank and in the center. Again, a trumpet sounded, and a third troop came over a low rise on the Foodsnogite’s right flank. As the Santaites rushed down upon the Foodsnogites, a fourth trumpet sounded, this one a different tone. From behind the Foodsnogites came their reinforcements. Yet it was pitifully small. All day long the battle was fought, the country’s freedom and existence on the line. Against impossibly horrible odds, the Foodsnogites struggled valiantly. The sweat trickled down the tear and bloodstained faces.

As the day drew to a close, the Santaites gathered for one last charge against the Foodsnogites. The Foodsnogites knew that this was their last chance. They rallied together, their numbers piteously few. A peace came over them, and they knew that if they could withstand this charge, then the Santaites would be defeated, having lost too many men. The Santaites charged down upon the group of steadfast men, trying to ride them over. The first two rows of the Foodsnogites knelt with what spears remained pointed towards the Santaites. Behind them, the next two lines stood with whatever sharp weapons were left pointed out. What remaining Archers the Foodsnogites had alive stood behind the line firing the few arrows they had. The first wave of Santaite Cavalry crashed into the spears. The Foodsnogite’s General fell. The line wavered, then stood. Again and again, the Santaites tried to break through the wall of determined men, but in vain. At last, with the final vestiges of sunlight disappearing beneath the horizon, the remaining Santaites wheeled and galloped off the battlefield.

The Foodsnogites slowly relaxed and started to look around them at the carnage. As they walked through the forest, trying to find any survivors, but seeing only dead fellow soldiers lying on the ground, they started to weep. They realized the cost of victory was dear. At last they found the general, lying with an arrow in his chest, and his leg badly mangled and twisted beneath him. He tried to speak, but couldn’t find the breath. The men crowded round, trying to hear what he was saying. "We sure told ‘em, didn’t we?" Noticing the tears on the men’s faces, he spoke once more. "To cry is natural, but don’t let mourning become your life. You’ve won your country’s freedom, now what will you do with your Country?" His voice slipped off into a mumble, then he sighed and leaned back, closing his eyes and drawing his last breath. As the men buried their dead, they thought about what their General had said.
Very sad, but yet with a strange sense of wonderful Victory. They had preserved their nation, although at great cost to themselves.

Okay, I’ve got that out of my system now. We had some pretty cool lightening last night. I tried taking some pictures of it. Have you ever tried to take pictures of lightening with a slow digital camera? It’s really hard to do. But I got a couple of cool shots, with a little bit of lightening in them.

So, yesterday, the Mayor of S- declared Sunday, September 30, to be Billy H. B- Day. Billy is my pastor. He just recently stepped down from the senior pastor position at our church, and now holds the title: Pastor Emeritus. Yesterday was his Birthday, and also his 50-year anniversary for serving in the ministry. So we had a big shindig at our church. When Pastor came into the service (of course we made sure he got there late, so everyone else was already there, ready to cheer when he came in), the drummer played some sort of drum roll/cool intro beat, and then the brass section of our praise and worship team played "Hail to the Chief."

Did you know it used to be against the law in Kansas to serve Ice Cream on Cherry Pie?