31 May 2009

I PASSED MY BOARDS – AND GRADUATED.

A) I graduated, with my family and some friends present (except sister in CA).
B) I was inducted into Alpha Eta (a somewhat prestigious allied health honor society), Ihmotep (sp? honor society) members were re-honored, AND I won a special leadership award!!!!
C) I PASSED MY BOARDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

More soon! Got a lot to do and Mom is still here two more days!!

Category: Occupational Therapy | Comments: 5

23 May 2009

Twitter or Study the night before boards: hmmm

So my Facebook and Twitter account are filled with choruses of “Go to bed” as my big GIANT BIGGEST EXAM EVER is tomorrow. But see, I am smart, and knew there was no way I could fall asleep easily so I deliberately scheduled my exam for 1pm.

In the meantime, I discovered Sockington, the famous Twittering cat, and it irritated me because LESTER THE LION KITTY is WAY better and so in a fit of rage I made him his own Twitter account and SOCKINGTON IS GOING DOWN.

This was my supportive friend Angela's comment on making Lester his own Twitter account (follow him as LesterLionKitty): “Angela:  yes – and then he's going to kick your ass because you didn't go to sleep and you failed your boards and now he has to live in a cardboard box under a bridge and use generic kitty litter that you can afford to buy for him with your dimes

Thanks Angela for the kind words.
I've studied on and off all day today, my brain is saturated. I am going to look at some MET levels (did you know you can't safely resume sexual activity until a MET level of I think 6 to 7?) and then maybe go to bed. Hmm.

 

Category: Occupational Therapy | Comments: 1

23 May 2009

NBCOT Exam tomorrow.

Taking the NBCOT exam tomorow – Saturday, 1pm.

Studying a lot, but the more I study the more I know there is more I should study. When I take tests I tend to get like, 480s….I wish it wasn't quite so close to 450, but it should be far enough unless I get really unlucky with questions. Let's hope not.

Am trying not to get too antsy or nervous, although I know falling asleep tonight might be hard. Can't wait for tomorrow afternoon to be over.

Category: Occupational Therapy | Comments: none

22 May 2009

We've studied too much

Allison:  ahhhhhahahahaha

gag me now
 me:  lol okay, with a spoon
ill make lateral movements
 Allison:  or circular
 me:  hahahahhaahaha
 Allison:  I like those bestest

Tonight at around 1am and after 4 hours of studying together tonight on phone/online, my classmate Allison and I were finishing up study time on Gmail chat.  We were discussing something gross unrelated to OT and ended up with the “gag me now” comment…..incidentally, we have studied that to  facilitate a gag reflex, you press down on the child's tongue with a spoon, using lateral and/or circular movements….so this convo was hilarious to us….

*This is really not funny to the average person
** Don't try this at home, seriously.

TOMORROW – FRIDAY – IS LAST DAY OF STUDYING BEFORE BOARDS on SATURDAY AUGH AUGH AUGH AUGH

Category: Occupational Therapy | Comments: none

21 May 2009

Quick note…

Take boards Saturday, studying a lot right now. Need to go run some important errands but the rest of the day needs to be devoted to studying.

I've been studying with others and I think it helps in this case, although I am not normally a social studier. I have some tips, thoughts, etc on how to study, failure rate, etc, to share later on today. But for now have to run even though I'd much rather sit inside in air conditioning, rather than go do errands out in the BLASTING THIRD DEGREE HEAT OH THE PAIN NOOOOOOOOO.

Also, I got the nicest “fan mail” I've ever gotten re blogging, from a long-term reader, who let me know she got through some of her worst times partially because of my honesty on this blog. I've been criticized before by friends/family/whoever, for publicly writing about the struggles I had going through OT school in terms of anxiety disorder and such, who said that was too private…but I've always somewhat disagreed and knowing that EVEN ONE PERSON was helped by my sharing, means it was all worth it. So, IN YOUR FACE…..just kidding. Kinda.

Anyway, I need to stop procrastinating, go face the HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HEAT I AM MELTING, and come home so I can study the night away in a haze of akathisia, tardive dyskinesia, dysdiadochokinesia, cognitive levels, spinal cord injuries, spina bifida, frames of references, self actualization, and so on. But I do plan to blog tonight on the exam, I feel inspired.

Hope all y'all readers are having fun graduating, starting OT school, finding jobs, whatever it is you are doing. Hi Mom.

Category: Occupational Therapy | Comments: none

21 May 2009

Studying nonstop for a few more days

At this point studying 5+ hours a day …my brain and eyes hurting…but I WILL PASS.

Today's controversy was on Benediction's sign: median or ulnar? Go research it.

I take the NBCOT exam on SATURDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!

My classmate Kerri takes it TOMORROW morning. Send good vibes.

Category: Occupational Therapy | Comments: 1

18 May 2009

OMG! This is so horrible, its hilarious

http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/personal/05/15/oprah.caring.for.parents/index.html

“Bill and I are training his dad to ‘go toward the light,'” said my friend Anne, whose father-in-law no longer recognizes his family. “Any light we see — lamps, flashlights, the TV — we steer him over there. We figure he can use the practice.”

*This was intended to be humorous, a point in the article about having to take your struggles with a grain of salt…but still, WOW. Even *I*, queen of inappropriateness, wouldn’t say that.

Seriously though, the article brings up some good basic points – it’s hard to take care of your elderly parents. It requires support. It requires laughing so you don’t cry.

 

Category: laughs, Occupational Therapy | Comments: 1

17 May 2009

I WILL PASS………

Studying studying studying. Still have a long way to go. I take the new NBCOT exam May 23rd and will know my pass/fail by June 1st. Have not been giving my blog much attention lately but I should. By the way, most of my OT classmates have jobs now and I've heard a range from $24/hr to $40/hr (no benefits). Most on average will be making in the 50,000 range I think. That's most realistic in this area. Pediatrics pays less, but nursing homes etc can pay really high. I still have no job, more or less by choice. I'm waiting to hear from a particular hospital here – hopefully by mid June at the latest, and depending on the answer, I will be moving away pretty much ASAP to try my luck in another city. I'd REALLY like inpatient peds but I am discovering that is close to impossible to get as a new grad without connections EVEN THOUGH I COULD BE AWESOME. Oh well. Will keep trying in various states and places ….peds, mental health….will do whatever I can to NOT be in phys dys (physical dysfunction)…just not my bag, baby….

I guess I'll go to sleep now. My plan for this next week is to study a minimum of 3 hours each day until Saturday, and continue taking as many practice tests as possible. I WILL PASS I WILL PASS I WILL PASS………

Category: Occupational Therapy | Comments: 1

13 May 2009

nightmares! real world too scary to face!!

Having nightmares. Feeling like stomach swooping on a roller coaster and heart racing. One of the nightmares has become recurrent, where I have to somehow navigate past a rapidly spinning/moving obstacle that others seem to bypass easily but I can't figure out. I get scared I'm about to be squooshed to death or something. My other nightmare was actually rather amusing as while it was scary, it did involve Rainbow Brite/Care Bears teams fighting against each other in a star battle in a mall.

A lot of my nightmares – I unfortunately have a ton – have to do with crawling or getting through a tiny space which brings out massive claustrophobia and fear and make me feel like I can't breathe. FUN!

Anyways, I woke up around 345am with my heart racing from several of the nightmares and now it's 532am and I still feel icky!

I think these nightmares just reflect board exam/job process stuff/prospect of moving soon. I've been in Memphis almost 10 years now – my entire adult life (17 to 26) – and it's all I feel familar with. But there is NO JOB in Memphis that appeals to me besides a hard-to-procure position at the pediatric cancer hospital. I love to volunteer at the other local great peds hospital, but A) they're not really hiring and B) I've spent enough time there to know I have personality conflicts with some of the rehab staff, making me feel like I'm back in high school as a total loser!!

Anyway…I've been studying for boards quite a bit, some alone and some with classmates, trying to stay active (I'm a couch sweet potato), and that's the focus these days. I did finally finish my Christmas thank you notes, LOL.

ONE DAY I will catch up on life. But I've been telling myself this for years. I guess it's not possible. Maybe if I take a tiny bit of speed for like, 3 days, I could catch up. JUST KIDDING…….but wouldn't it be cool to take a pill and get all your chores done quickly and easily?!

ANYWAY AGAIN. I guess I'm going to attempt to sleep some/rest. I can hear Lester snoring. HE IS SO CUTE. Anytime I have something in my hands he tries to investigate to see if it's food for him. Which is so adorable since he stands up on hind legs and tentatively puts a paw out, that I have to go get him food, popping the dry bits into his mouth as he enthusiastically chomps. I guess rewarding him for his behavior reinforces it but that's okay with me.

I think I may be slightly delirious. Maybe soon I'll post a really really good and articulate post…..just kidding, we all know that's impossible.

Good night, or I mean good morning….

Category: Occupational Therapy | Comments: 3

12 May 2009

Study study study

I have been reading sooooooooooooooooo many books lately from the library. Mostly health related autobiographies/biographies. Tons of them mention OT at least once. Unfortunately it's usually in a sentence that dismisses OT, which sucks. Usually they dismiss the benefits of OT because their particular OT practitioner did a crappy job of developing a therapeutic relationship/understanding the true needs. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. NOT A FAN.

What I am a fan of, however, is watching my Facebook OT friends bestow virtual gifts upon each other such as raised toilet seats. Gotta love it.

Studied a lot today. More studying tomorrow.

Category: Occupational Therapy | Comments: none