Snow Day!

Growing up, we would get snow days with as little as a couple inches of snow. But we didn't care. It was snow! We would meticulously scoop up the snow from the yard and build a snowman. Or if we were really lucky, a snow fort. Of course, the once beautifully white yard was now bare again, but we had something to show for it.

Two years ago, my first winter in Spokane, was also my first academic year at EWU. It was a pretty hard winter. I trudged through the snow up hill [but only one way;)]to get to class. We only lived about a mile from school, and since our car had recently died, Bob drove the other one to work. I loved walking in the snow. It was exciting. And peaceful. And soooo beautiful. There wasn't much time during that winter that we didn't have snow on the ground. Christmas Eve we got snowed in at Mom and Dad's. It was a great winter. But school kept going, even though we had all that snow, until one night we got about 18 inches. They canceled school because the plows couldn't keep up, and there was no place for off-campus students to park.

But this morning when I woke up, I checked my e-mail on my cell. I received a lovely message from a classmate, informing me that we had no school today. Inconceivable! There's only about 4-6 inches on the ground max. Oh well, I'll take it.

I've needed some down time. Yesterday, every spare block of time was accounted for for the next 2 weeks of the quarter. So many group projects. Research, pediatrics, assistive technology, and emerging practice all have group projects this quarter. So today is a welcomed break from that. Today I can take the time to catch up on things in life that are truly important. Like preparing for those group projects (just kidding... but I will take advantage of this time and get a head start). No, but seriously. Time for Bob. Time for devotions, and not just those hurried ones I'm unfortunately accustomed to. Time for me. It's going to be a wonderful day. :)

Happy new year!

I should have written this as my first post of the year. Guess it wasn't the first thing on my mind. I believe 2011 is going to be an amazing year! I am so excited about finishing my education this next year and beginning my practice as an occupational therapist.

These next two quarters will be quite intense: finishing up our research project and write-up, presenting our project at EWU's symposium, peds and geriatric fieldworks, and our final oral exam. Not to mention graduation in June! :) Then I will begin my first level 2 fieldwork at a local skilled nursing facility for my summer quarter. In the fall I will be working in the Cheney school district, and in December I will complete my requirements for my MOT! :) That means that a year from now, I will hopefully have a job lined up, and I'll likely be frantically studying for my state boards.

This coming year will be an exciting one- can't wait to see what all is in store. Anyone else have exciting plans lined up for this coming year??

When it Rains it Pours

First off- I've gotta say this is an amazingly beautiful brisk fall morning. A nice break from the grey skies we've had lately. Don't get me wrong- I love rainy grey weather, but it's definitely nice to see the sun shine through as well.

Lately I have been SO stressed. We've been preparing for the last month now for a practicum that is scheduled for tomorrow morning. I am not as prepared as I would like to be, but fortunately I have done quite a bit of prep work leading up to it. Today I just need to put all the pieces together for the scenarios.

I also am stressed out about something that happened in the last week. In the process, I believe I hurt a friend's feelings. Though I have apologized, I'm still not convinced things are better, and I feel bad about it. I need to think before I speak.

I am also dealing with continued chronic pain. After 2 weeks of tingling/burning/numb sensations in my right leg and arm, I went to the chiropractor today. After a number of assessments, he is quite sure that I have a slipped disc. Oh joy. As if my back doesn't have enough going on. So he said that if I guard it, the likelyhood of it healing on its own is fairly high. However, if I am not careful, surgery could be in my future.

Boo... I am too young for this. Only 23. I have so many active things in my future. He is writing a letter today to the student disability support services of EWU. This will enable my professors to work with my fieldwork sites so that they will be required to accommodate for a lifting restriction (no more than 20 lbs). This leads me to question what area of OT I can realistically go into that won't require this lifting. It's discouraging. Areas that I am interested in may not be reasonable.

What about other areas of life? I want to take my dog on a walk- but that risks re-injuring my still healing impinged rotator cuff, or twisting my back to injure my disc. What about motherhood? Even though that's quite a ways down the road, I do think about it. Pretty sure that requires lifting more than 20 lbs. What about the pregnancy itself? That's some major strain on the back.

Well I should be getting on with my day. Though I feel like I've hit a wall, the world still keeps moving and I need to catch up. Back to studying for the practicum. Thanks for listening, friends. :)

Frenzied Thoughts of a Busy Student

Let me start by just saying: I was sorely disappointed this evening to receive a soy latte after ordering a pumpkin-spice tea latte. They're very different. And, unfortunately, this means that I will likely be up late tonight. Very late. But- on the flip side- this does mean more time to study for the ominous practicum that is happening a week from tomorrow- yikes!

Lately I've been thinking more about my career as an OT. It isn't that far away! A year from this December I will be DONE! It's crazy to think how close that is- I don't feel prepared, but I am confident that I will be by then.

Today I received confirmation that I will have my level 1 fieldwork at the Portland VA this fall. I am so excited! And my fieldwork educator is allowing me to choose from which area I want experience in: inpatient/SNF or outpatient/polytrauma/hands. I don't know what to choose! SNF and hands are both areas I am interested in.

This has led me to wonder what area of OT I will eventually end up working in. I've always thought it would be children (either a peds clinic or school-based OT), but I am also drawn to the elderly. So maybe home health or SNF (skilled nursing facility)? But becoming a certified hand therapist would likely save my back from unnecessary lifting. And it pays well. But that would require working full time for 5 years to become eligible to sit for boards. What about our family? Can't put that off forever. ;)

Thankfully these fieldwork experiences will provide some insight and will hopefully aid in coming to a decision. Until then, I'll just have to be a sponge and take in all the info that is thrown my way. Which reminds me... I should be memorizing my innervations. :)

Any thoughts from my faithful readers? Is one area easier to picture me in than others?

Another Open Door

God has been so good to us! This past year we've faced lots of unknowns- getting married (a good thing, but definitely an adventure!), finding a home, getting settled in a new town, and discovering what God has in store for us as far as work and school.

I have been going to school here since September, aiming at starting the OT program this summer. There are typically 60-70 applicants each year, and 30 are accepted. We have been waiting since the first of February to hear whether or not I got in, and today we got the letter- I'm in! I am ecstatic about this opportunity and truly feel that it is where God is leading me. This career will let me help others lead more fulfilling lives, and let me use the talents God has given me.

Bob has been blessed with a job at the UCC Office off and on for the past 8 months. He was first hired for 3, then for an extra month, and after the December fire, was hired back on. During the months he was not working for the conference, he has had side jobs where people have needed computer help, and God has provided for us. Bob has been promised work at the office through the end of this month. We pray that God will give us the patience to wait on Him and the wisdom to follow His will. It will be interesting to see where God leads him in his work next. :)

Exciting News!

Ever since my first meeting with my adviser the second week of school, I've been feverishly tracking down professors, department heads, and transcripts. It's taken quite some time to sort out the mess caused by my transfer from Walla Walla. Today I met with my adviser again, and found out that I WILL be able to finish my undergraduate credits in time to apply to the occupational therapy program this next spring.

While hearing that it was possible was music to my ears, I realized just how much work it's going to be. To complete everything in time will mean a lot of effort. During Christmas break, I will complete the GRE exam so I can apply to the Masters of Occupational Therapy Program. I will also complete two computer literacy courses (new version of Windows since I took it at WWU so they couldn't accept the credit). During December, I'll also be shadowing OTs, and working on the application essay, letter, and finding people to fill out recommendation forms.

After Christmas "break", I will take 20 credits for winter quarter: Theories of Personality(5), Social Psychology (5), Intro to Literature (5), and Modern Government in the American Context (5). Spring quarter will also be 20 credits. I will take Emotion & Emotional Intelligence (5), Music in the Humanities (5), The American Experience (5), and Social Problems (5). After that, I'll be ready to start the OT classes!

I'm a bit nervous about taking 20 credits, this quarter has kept me quite busy with the normal load of 16, but it will be worth it. I am so excited to hear that I will be able to start this summer!

Studies, stress, and struggles

Well, after a year and half of being out of school, I find myself hurled back into the swift current of studies. I say it like it's a bad thing, but it's not. It's just a little overwhelming at the moment.

Classes started a week ago today. I'm taking 5 classes this quarter: Life-Span Development, Abnormal Psychology, Medical Terminology, Intro to OT, and Women in American History. All of them have a LOT of reading involved. In 3 different classes, I walked into the classroom on the first day and the teacher expected us to have the first 2-3 chapters read already. Needless to say, I have been playing catch up most of the week. It's frustrating, because one of my goals this year was to stay ahead with the reading- pretty tough when they start you out behind!!

I didn't realize just how different classes would be here compared to Walla Walla. I knew there would be many more students on campus, and that there would be people from lots of different backgrounds. I did not anticipate, however, just how different the teaching would be. When I walked into my first class, the professor said, "Let's start off with...." and I'm used to hearing "a word of prayer," but she said, "taking a look at the syllabus." Okay, I thought. That's okay. I need to get used to this.

It became very difficult for me when in my Abnormal Psych book they blamed Christianity for many extreme treatments for abnormal behavior (such as Jesus casting out demons), and said that Christianity is responsible for the diverting the attention of people in finding "effective treatment" in these disorders. Furthermore, they had Joan of Arch and Christ as examples of individuals who had "disillusions of grandeur." It really bothers me to hear Christ and Christianity talked about in such a condescending way.

Another issue that I am currently dealing with is a book that is required for my Women in American History class. We are required to read a book called, "Talking to the Dead" about the Fox sisters who started a movement in spiritualism. I am very against reading this book, but it accounts for 20% of the overall grade in the class. I am going to speak with my professor and see if she will allow me to read a different book instead. If not, I am faced with the two options of either taking an 80% as the maximum grade I can receive, or withdrawing from the class.

Another challenge I'm facing right now is meeting the core requirements I need in order to apply to the Occupational Therapy program this next spring. I thought I had all the prereqs taken care of, but it turns out that I not only had the required OT classes, I also have the core classes for a bachelor's degree that I need to fulfill. It turns out that 3 classes I took at WWU (computer literacy, A&P, and Western Thought) may help fulfill some of these requirements. I need to meet with the department heads for each of these subjects and plead my case. If they all accept it, then it is possible for me to have everything ready for this spring. It will mean that this coming winter and spring quarter I will need to take 20 credits. If one of the department heads decides that they cannot accept my class credits, then it will mean staying on the main campus one more year, and graduating with my masters in 2012 instead of 2011.

After all these negatives, I must say that there are many positive things to talk about too. God blessed Bob and I greatly when I was awarded two grants that completely covered my tuition for the year. It was a HUGE answer to prayer, and I am very thankful. And even though I am not surrounded by other Adventists in my classes, I am blessed to have an amazing husband, close, loving in-laws, and a wonderful church family to support me here while I go to school. Not to mention all my family and friends who live elsewhere who are always there for me!