Today's random musings
Monkeys on my feet.
I’ve been losing weight pretty rapidly and steadily since the surgery. I know that’s the point, but I thought I would be able to wear my clothes for much longer than I have. Now, this is a good and bad thing. Good because it means everything is working as it should. Bad because I’m just not ready to buy more clothes. I now understand how people can have things in their “to give away” bags with tags on them. I have things in the closet that I figured I’d get to wear on the way down, no problem. It’s looking like I might shrink out of them before I get the chance to wear them. Again, good and bad.
So, when I got ready for work this morning I decided to put on a t-shirt that used to make me look like a sausage. It was previously ONLY worn underneath a larger more flattering shirt. Now I can wear it on its own. It’s not terribly attractive, but it’s fine under my jacket at work. The shirt is a light sea-foamy minty green and happens to match one of the many colors in the Aslan Monkeys I made for myself. It’s a bit of a reach, but I wanted to wear hand knit socks and these were the only ones that are clean and sort of match. So, I’ve got monkeys on my feet….better than one on my back, right?
The protocol of protocols.
School is over. Well, the classroom, 20 hours a weekend part of school is over. I still have to complete approximately six months of externship, but I am no longer obligated to show up at the building on the corner of La Cienaga Blvd. and Gregory Way any more. As part of the program we had to complete what are referred to as protocols. They were a series of shots for each part of the body whether it focused on one or many organs. The protocols are used industry wide. They might be tweaked, changed a bit by each hospital or imaging center, but they’re generally all the same. We had to commit these to memory and were tested on them all through the program. We were admonished to practice the ones we’d previously learned because although we’d moved onto a different subject we would have to know these for later. We would also be required, as a condition of being deemed externship ready, to produce perfect protocols at the end of our programs. They were the final test of our skill and knowledge, the Year-End Protocols. They were to be completed completely free of assitance.....from anyone.
I learned my protocols. I practiced them. I committed them to memory, and I was ready to do my Year-End Protocols at the end of the program. When I decided to take the six months off to be sure I am completely healed and healthy I realized I would not need to do my Year-End Protocols because they have to be done within 30 days of the start of your externship. However, the lab director and externship coordinator felt that it would be a good exercise for me to complete my Year-Ends even though I would be taking the break. So, I started them three weeks after we were allowed to begin them. I got five of the seven completed and approved within two days of beginning them. The last two were tricky. I needed someone who had clear anatomy, a good female reproductive system and a full bladder. It turned out that despite all the help I’d provided them, none of the women I have been in class with since the beginning would fill their bladder for me.
Well, not none. . . . the ones able to do it weren’t willing. There were only two or three others that were as conscientious as me. One of them did not have clear anatomy, one had a uterine variant that might not have worked for the protocol and the other was secretly pregnant so no scanning them. The others were suddenly angry with me. Asking for help but annoyed that I’d gotten through my Year-Ends so quickly and efficiently. It was, “T, could you help me find the main portal vein?” To which I replied, “Sure. Here it is.” And as I walked away I would say, “Is your bladder full yet? And they would print my picture and say happily, “Not yet, but I’m drinking.” This went on for a good ten hours. Finally, a girl who is one quarter behind me said, “T, I’m full. Do you want to scan me?” And another said, “T, do you have all your Year-Ends done? Do you want to scan my kidneys? They’re good.” And poof, my protocols were complete, and approved…and I was done. It was interesting that they all wanted pictures and to make sure I would keep in touch at the end, but still no full bladders in the house.
In knitting news.
I finished a pair of socks I've been working on as a birthday gift for a friend at the end of October. I've also got a pair almost complete to give to another friend in mid-October. I can't believe I'm ahead of the game like this....However, I don't have a birthday gift for my mother...on October 5th....lest you think I've gone and gotten organized on you. I haven't touched my father's sweater either. I have been working on my aunt's shawl though....just six more repeats of the little feather chart and then onto the area that I believe contains the nupps....5ptogs I think. It's very exciting.
Sorry there are no pictures. School might be over, but I'm still not organized!
I’ve been losing weight pretty rapidly and steadily since the surgery. I know that’s the point, but I thought I would be able to wear my clothes for much longer than I have. Now, this is a good and bad thing. Good because it means everything is working as it should. Bad because I’m just not ready to buy more clothes. I now understand how people can have things in their “to give away” bags with tags on them. I have things in the closet that I figured I’d get to wear on the way down, no problem. It’s looking like I might shrink out of them before I get the chance to wear them. Again, good and bad.
So, when I got ready for work this morning I decided to put on a t-shirt that used to make me look like a sausage. It was previously ONLY worn underneath a larger more flattering shirt. Now I can wear it on its own. It’s not terribly attractive, but it’s fine under my jacket at work. The shirt is a light sea-foamy minty green and happens to match one of the many colors in the Aslan Monkeys I made for myself. It’s a bit of a reach, but I wanted to wear hand knit socks and these were the only ones that are clean and sort of match. So, I’ve got monkeys on my feet….better than one on my back, right?
The protocol of protocols.
School is over. Well, the classroom, 20 hours a weekend part of school is over. I still have to complete approximately six months of externship, but I am no longer obligated to show up at the building on the corner of La Cienaga Blvd. and Gregory Way any more. As part of the program we had to complete what are referred to as protocols. They were a series of shots for each part of the body whether it focused on one or many organs. The protocols are used industry wide. They might be tweaked, changed a bit by each hospital or imaging center, but they’re generally all the same. We had to commit these to memory and were tested on them all through the program. We were admonished to practice the ones we’d previously learned because although we’d moved onto a different subject we would have to know these for later. We would also be required, as a condition of being deemed externship ready, to produce perfect protocols at the end of our programs. They were the final test of our skill and knowledge, the Year-End Protocols. They were to be completed completely free of assitance.....from anyone.
I learned my protocols. I practiced them. I committed them to memory, and I was ready to do my Year-End Protocols at the end of the program. When I decided to take the six months off to be sure I am completely healed and healthy I realized I would not need to do my Year-End Protocols because they have to be done within 30 days of the start of your externship. However, the lab director and externship coordinator felt that it would be a good exercise for me to complete my Year-Ends even though I would be taking the break. So, I started them three weeks after we were allowed to begin them. I got five of the seven completed and approved within two days of beginning them. The last two were tricky. I needed someone who had clear anatomy, a good female reproductive system and a full bladder. It turned out that despite all the help I’d provided them, none of the women I have been in class with since the beginning would fill their bladder for me.
Well, not none. . . . the ones able to do it weren’t willing. There were only two or three others that were as conscientious as me. One of them did not have clear anatomy, one had a uterine variant that might not have worked for the protocol and the other was secretly pregnant so no scanning them. The others were suddenly angry with me. Asking for help but annoyed that I’d gotten through my Year-Ends so quickly and efficiently. It was, “T, could you help me find the main portal vein?” To which I replied, “Sure. Here it is.” And as I walked away I would say, “Is your bladder full yet? And they would print my picture and say happily, “Not yet, but I’m drinking.” This went on for a good ten hours. Finally, a girl who is one quarter behind me said, “T, I’m full. Do you want to scan me?” And another said, “T, do you have all your Year-Ends done? Do you want to scan my kidneys? They’re good.” And poof, my protocols were complete, and approved…and I was done. It was interesting that they all wanted pictures and to make sure I would keep in touch at the end, but still no full bladders in the house.
In knitting news.
I finished a pair of socks I've been working on as a birthday gift for a friend at the end of October. I've also got a pair almost complete to give to another friend in mid-October. I can't believe I'm ahead of the game like this....However, I don't have a birthday gift for my mother...on October 5th....lest you think I've gone and gotten organized on you. I haven't touched my father's sweater either. I have been working on my aunt's shawl though....just six more repeats of the little feather chart and then onto the area that I believe contains the nupps....5ptogs I think. It's very exciting.
Sorry there are no pictures. School might be over, but I'm still not organized!
posted by tb at 4:44 PM
1 Comments:
Wish I could say the same about my clothes.
Miss ya...hope all is well.
Tootles~
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