So I was at the clinic last night for like an hour, which is ridiculous in itself because I had an appointment, but that's not the funny story. So I realized that I apparently have ringworm on my tummy (a small spot) which is just a fungal infection, no big deal really, it just spreads is all but I got a cream, so it should go away. So anyways, Im sitting there and this big macho guy walks in and he has this HUGE rash all around his elbox area (cubital fossa if you must) and he sees his friend there and says "dude, I don't know what this is. I mean Ive had it for a week and didn't think anything of it, but now dude,I don't know. It's scary. I think it's from one of the cadavers - It gave me a disease." I started giggling because 1. Why is the inside of your ELBOW touching a cadaver - what are you doing with the cadaver and 2. The cadaver can't give you anything like that. He probably had a severe ringworm or an allergic reaction to something. I just thought it was funny, maybe you had to be there but it was so funny that he thought the cadaver gave him a disease. AND he was one of those "tough" guys haha:)
Okay, that was it.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Monday, October 12, 2009
Another test - haha
Okay, so I also passed the Histology Lab practical with an A, hooray! I have another practical test this friday for anatomy so Ill you all know how I did on that as well as soon as I have the results.
On another note, I was coming back from the gym yesterday and as I was filling up my water bottle, I heard a ton of barking in the small field we have between classroom where students play soccer or throw a ball around or whatever. It was dark at this point. I walk over and I see these two cows going at it (I think they were playing, but it looked like they were fighting). The funny part is that the stray dogs in Dominica, were like egging them on. So everytime they would hit each other with hteir heads, the dogs would bark and just run around them, it was hilarious. Eventually one of the cows ran away and the whole spectical was over, but for like a good 7 minutes it was one of the most entertaining things I have probably seen in this country. It was like a boxing match :)
Other notes about my one professor for Histology and the things he says:
1. "Funny blood will flow out" - in relation to what would happen if an aortic septum would mutate in formation
2. "placentar" - this is what he calls the placenta
3. "yumbylylical cord" - the umbilical cord
4. "hanky panky" - saying he knows we all do it, but that he doesn't
5. "Teet cells" - trying to say teeth
6. "I'm not normal, you're all normal" - he just said it in the middle of lecture
He is SO funny - sometimes you're like WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!?!
Another professor likes to write MATER in his notes when he really wants to say MOTHER, and for a good 15-20 minutes the row I sit in was trying to figure out what the heck mater meant. We figured it out. He's a little odd too, and possibly sexist because he was lecturing us about masectomies and said that he doesn't recommend to women to get a full one because "men like us tend to throw them out afterwards." I mean WHAT THE HELL! If I want to cut off my breasts to save my life, who cares, they're just breasts!!
So anyway, it's very diverse in terms of teachers. I saw one of them at the gym yesterday, that was funny - he was one of those people that pretends to work out, kind of does a few things, checks his phone, etc. Another was playing soccer in the field I mentioned and he was just wearing a white cut-off, see-through tank-like top (he's British). It's strange to think they're people too and have normal lives :0
On another note, I was coming back from the gym yesterday and as I was filling up my water bottle, I heard a ton of barking in the small field we have between classroom where students play soccer or throw a ball around or whatever. It was dark at this point. I walk over and I see these two cows going at it (I think they were playing, but it looked like they were fighting). The funny part is that the stray dogs in Dominica, were like egging them on. So everytime they would hit each other with hteir heads, the dogs would bark and just run around them, it was hilarious. Eventually one of the cows ran away and the whole spectical was over, but for like a good 7 minutes it was one of the most entertaining things I have probably seen in this country. It was like a boxing match :)
Other notes about my one professor for Histology and the things he says:
1. "Funny blood will flow out" - in relation to what would happen if an aortic septum would mutate in formation
2. "placentar" - this is what he calls the placenta
3. "yumbylylical cord" - the umbilical cord
4. "hanky panky" - saying he knows we all do it, but that he doesn't
5. "Teet cells" - trying to say teeth
6. "I'm not normal, you're all normal" - he just said it in the middle of lecture
He is SO funny - sometimes you're like WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!?!
Another professor likes to write MATER in his notes when he really wants to say MOTHER, and for a good 15-20 minutes the row I sit in was trying to figure out what the heck mater meant. We figured it out. He's a little odd too, and possibly sexist because he was lecturing us about masectomies and said that he doesn't recommend to women to get a full one because "men like us tend to throw them out afterwards." I mean WHAT THE HELL! If I want to cut off my breasts to save my life, who cares, they're just breasts!!
So anyway, it's very diverse in terms of teachers. I saw one of them at the gym yesterday, that was funny - he was one of those people that pretends to work out, kind of does a few things, checks his phone, etc. Another was playing soccer in the field I mentioned and he was just wearing a white cut-off, see-through tank-like top (he's British). It's strange to think they're people too and have normal lives :0
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Test 1
Hello all!
I passed my first test as most of you have already heard because I put it on facebook and emailed family and such, and I guess we find out the final and actual score by tomorrow (or so they say). I'll let you know if it changes anything because it very well could if they throw out questions.
So after the test we went out to the beach bash(sponsired by the school, but basically paid by us in our tuition) which was a lot of fun - we had burgers/ribs, music, FREE JUICE - which is ALWAYS exciting, and water activities. Then people always stay out by the hotel bar (right outside of my residence) and get drinks there and just well, hang out. Following this activity we went DANCING- yay, my favorite activity. We danced for like 1.5 hours straight and I forgot how much I missed something as simple as movement - it made the entire experience SO much better. It was of course outside because there are no inside bars here really (or none that I know of at least) and I was sweating my butt of but it was a good workout and an overall fun evening out with some of the girls I met here. My friend Alex is hilarious, she cut her foot open on the beach because she walked into a tree stump so the EMS stopped by and wrapped it for her because it wouldn't stop bleeding and because Staph infections are common here since the water is not fully clean - I think they were overly excited because they just sit around and wait for people to call and they were there in like 5 minutes (on foot - they dont drive here for that kind of stuff unless you're dying). So when we went dancing I thought for SURE she would be in pain, but no, the girl basically crawled on the floor while dancing and I think she got the attention of a few locals. It was hilarious needless to say and something I could never do, but more power to her - she even had a dance to a Brittany Spears song (imagine that). We left at 1 am when everyone else was arriving, which is sad because we had class at 9 the next day and MOST of the class didnt make it - I had 7 hours of sleep, I was fine. We're hoping to go dancing this Friday though, so we'll see if that actually happens.
Tomorrow I have my Histology practical exam, worth 7% of my grade in that class and the rest of the day off, so I will be in the anatomy lab for a while after that because I have my anatomy practical the following Thursday and it turns into a mad house this weekend because everyone wants to look at the bodies again. Everyone will still be in class on Friday (or at least the other semester students will) so Im hoping to get in before there is a huge rush. Then Saturday I have a "mock" practical at 4:30pm so I will for SURE be there for that.
Now off to yet another antomy lab - today I get to record our dissection,which is of the arm. This should take like 4-5 hours. Miss you all - 69 more days!
Barbara
I passed my first test as most of you have already heard because I put it on facebook and emailed family and such, and I guess we find out the final and actual score by tomorrow (or so they say). I'll let you know if it changes anything because it very well could if they throw out questions.
So after the test we went out to the beach bash(sponsired by the school, but basically paid by us in our tuition) which was a lot of fun - we had burgers/ribs, music, FREE JUICE - which is ALWAYS exciting, and water activities. Then people always stay out by the hotel bar (right outside of my residence) and get drinks there and just well, hang out. Following this activity we went DANCING- yay, my favorite activity. We danced for like 1.5 hours straight and I forgot how much I missed something as simple as movement - it made the entire experience SO much better. It was of course outside because there are no inside bars here really (or none that I know of at least) and I was sweating my butt of but it was a good workout and an overall fun evening out with some of the girls I met here. My friend Alex is hilarious, she cut her foot open on the beach because she walked into a tree stump so the EMS stopped by and wrapped it for her because it wouldn't stop bleeding and because Staph infections are common here since the water is not fully clean - I think they were overly excited because they just sit around and wait for people to call and they were there in like 5 minutes (on foot - they dont drive here for that kind of stuff unless you're dying). So when we went dancing I thought for SURE she would be in pain, but no, the girl basically crawled on the floor while dancing and I think she got the attention of a few locals. It was hilarious needless to say and something I could never do, but more power to her - she even had a dance to a Brittany Spears song (imagine that). We left at 1 am when everyone else was arriving, which is sad because we had class at 9 the next day and MOST of the class didnt make it - I had 7 hours of sleep, I was fine. We're hoping to go dancing this Friday though, so we'll see if that actually happens.
Tomorrow I have my Histology practical exam, worth 7% of my grade in that class and the rest of the day off, so I will be in the anatomy lab for a while after that because I have my anatomy practical the following Thursday and it turns into a mad house this weekend because everyone wants to look at the bodies again. Everyone will still be in class on Friday (or at least the other semester students will) so Im hoping to get in before there is a huge rush. Then Saturday I have a "mock" practical at 4:30pm so I will for SURE be there for that.
Now off to yet another antomy lab - today I get to record our dissection,which is of the arm. This should take like 4-5 hours. Miss you all - 69 more days!
Barbara
Friday, October 2, 2009
My Cow
Ithought I would put up a picture of my cow - named her Apolla :) The other day she ran towards me and I was a bit frightened that she would knock me down (play a clip of running of the bulls in Spain in my mind) but she came to a halt right in front of mean and gave a grunt. So I extended my hand to her and she licked it (a cow's tongue is like a cat's, a little rough) and then she was disinterested so she starting eating grass/sniffing manure and that's when I took the picture. I also have a picture of the crab that lives in a hole right outside of my apartment. He hangs out at night and then when he sees me coming, he takes cover in the hole. I think we have a connection too. My nature island is finally starting to come alive and "talk to me," or maybe I'm just going crazy - whichever it is, I'm okay with it.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Time for an update
Hola!
Okay, so I have officially been here a month now, hooray - I can say Ive lived in another country for a month, and other than Ukraine/Poland, that's the longest Ive spent in any country. Im really used to life here and sometimes I forget that Im NOT in the states - this usually happens during my long study sessions because Im in doors and you cant always tell where you are if windows are not in sight. The only time I still really see a difference is when I eat because it's a different eating schedule than Im used to normally and different foods. Ive been pretty dedicated to the gym since day one, and go every day except for Wenesday and it relieves my stresses a little bit and allows me to NOT look at science for a while but usually very old, gossipy magazines that they provide for you. I have my test on Monday and Im ready to just get it over with. But I have Friday off (always before the Monday tests we have) and my test it at 1pm Monday and then a beach party to follow. They provide water sports (Im not sure if these are free or not) and free food, drinks and t-shirts. And then the whole process begins again because there's another test in another 4 weeks or so.
On Monday, I woke up sick and now feel like Im carrying around a ballooon on my head. I think this occurred because it's so hot outside and inside in every building, the AC is running on freezing - literally. People bring blankets, sweatshirts, coffee/tea, scarves and hats just to stay warm when they study, so even though I bring sweaters, it's still cold - and lack of sleep and this environment maybe is why Im sick - let's hope this only lasts a few days.
I got a package from home yesterday and it was better than Christmas. I got things like fruit rollups, cereal, like 5 varieties of crackers, BEEF JERKY!!!, gum, cereal bars, etc. It made my day and I of course ate like a queen last night :) Im hoping it will last me until December, so Im going to ration it a little bit but it was the best thing that could have happened to me yesterday - thanks Mom and Dad!
I have a little over 2.5 months left -see you all in December!
Barbara
Okay, so I have officially been here a month now, hooray - I can say Ive lived in another country for a month, and other than Ukraine/Poland, that's the longest Ive spent in any country. Im really used to life here and sometimes I forget that Im NOT in the states - this usually happens during my long study sessions because Im in doors and you cant always tell where you are if windows are not in sight. The only time I still really see a difference is when I eat because it's a different eating schedule than Im used to normally and different foods. Ive been pretty dedicated to the gym since day one, and go every day except for Wenesday and it relieves my stresses a little bit and allows me to NOT look at science for a while but usually very old, gossipy magazines that they provide for you. I have my test on Monday and Im ready to just get it over with. But I have Friday off (always before the Monday tests we have) and my test it at 1pm Monday and then a beach party to follow. They provide water sports (Im not sure if these are free or not) and free food, drinks and t-shirts. And then the whole process begins again because there's another test in another 4 weeks or so.
On Monday, I woke up sick and now feel like Im carrying around a ballooon on my head. I think this occurred because it's so hot outside and inside in every building, the AC is running on freezing - literally. People bring blankets, sweatshirts, coffee/tea, scarves and hats just to stay warm when they study, so even though I bring sweaters, it's still cold - and lack of sleep and this environment maybe is why Im sick - let's hope this only lasts a few days.
I got a package from home yesterday and it was better than Christmas. I got things like fruit rollups, cereal, like 5 varieties of crackers, BEEF JERKY!!!, gum, cereal bars, etc. It made my day and I of course ate like a queen last night :) Im hoping it will last me until December, so Im going to ration it a little bit but it was the best thing that could have happened to me yesterday - thanks Mom and Dad!
I have a little over 2.5 months left -see you all in December!
Barbara
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Frustration
Hello all,
I have now been here for 3 weeks and 2 days and am halfway into my third week of class. In 1.5 weeks I have that first test I keep mentioning and it's starting to really scare me. I too a practice quiz yesterday and I didnt get an A, and that scared me. I realized I knew al of the subjects I just had to go over definitions of certain words again and then it made me feel better. Then I found out that these quizzes are much harder than anything we'll actually have on the test, and that made me feel great. But still, Im starting to freak out a little bit. So I keep reading, re-reading and pushing myself. I went to bed at 2 am last night - not a good idea. I had to have a lot of coffee today but I feel pretty good right now, not tired. Still, not a good idea - I have to get used to getting sleep and making myself go to sleep. Taking anatomy was a good idea in college because it is helping me so much right now while others are really nervous about it, along with all of the other stuff we have to know.
So I had a mini breakdown last night, but Im okay today. I just have to keep going. I tried to remember why Im here and that an 80% in med school is an A. But only 120 questions on this test from ALL 6 subjects we study, but then each of those 6 has 7-8 subjects within them and about 2-3 questions will be on each of those subjects. But think that we have like 4-8 hours of lecture PER one of those small topics and that's enough time to give A LOT of information on each of those subjects, so really I have like 48 topics or so and 2 or 3 questons from each topic that will come out on the test -so know EVERYTHING!!! It's just scary and they give a lot of tricky questions.
Oh well, I will push on :) I gotta get through this and I DO enjoy the information I;m actually learning vs. learning what we had to in undergrad and hating every minute of it.
Well, gotta get back to studying so I can pass this test. That was my venting session in a way.
Barbara
p.s. - I have decided to name the cow that I see every morning (or most mosrnings) Apolla because she reminds me of a cat I know. He's male, so I made the name female. He's orange, the cow is orange. He likes to rub on shoes and she likes to rub on poles. He's fat and she's QUITE large, especially in proportion to the other cows around her :)
I have now been here for 3 weeks and 2 days and am halfway into my third week of class. In 1.5 weeks I have that first test I keep mentioning and it's starting to really scare me. I too a practice quiz yesterday and I didnt get an A, and that scared me. I realized I knew al of the subjects I just had to go over definitions of certain words again and then it made me feel better. Then I found out that these quizzes are much harder than anything we'll actually have on the test, and that made me feel great. But still, Im starting to freak out a little bit. So I keep reading, re-reading and pushing myself. I went to bed at 2 am last night - not a good idea. I had to have a lot of coffee today but I feel pretty good right now, not tired. Still, not a good idea - I have to get used to getting sleep and making myself go to sleep. Taking anatomy was a good idea in college because it is helping me so much right now while others are really nervous about it, along with all of the other stuff we have to know.
So I had a mini breakdown last night, but Im okay today. I just have to keep going. I tried to remember why Im here and that an 80% in med school is an A. But only 120 questions on this test from ALL 6 subjects we study, but then each of those 6 has 7-8 subjects within them and about 2-3 questions will be on each of those subjects. But think that we have like 4-8 hours of lecture PER one of those small topics and that's enough time to give A LOT of information on each of those subjects, so really I have like 48 topics or so and 2 or 3 questons from each topic that will come out on the test -so know EVERYTHING!!! It's just scary and they give a lot of tricky questions.
Oh well, I will push on :) I gotta get through this and I DO enjoy the information I;m actually learning vs. learning what we had to in undergrad and hating every minute of it.
Well, gotta get back to studying so I can pass this test. That was my venting session in a way.
Barbara
p.s. - I have decided to name the cow that I see every morning (or most mosrnings) Apolla because she reminds me of a cat I know. He's male, so I made the name female. He's orange, the cow is orange. He likes to rub on shoes and she likes to rub on poles. He's fat and she's QUITE large, especially in proportion to the other cows around her :)
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