Weathering the storm

My college is closed today and tomorrow due to the "frankinstorm" Sandy, the weather reporters title, not mine. They are calling for 8-10" of rain for our area and 60-70 mph dusts... I will be taking this time to work on homework, eventually. While Arthur is taking this time to chew on his Kong and show it who is boss.

We also took this time to do some more baking. I was even lucky enough to have a tiny helper visit.

We made chocolate chip cookies, they were a major hit. 

A delicious bread flop

Today I took the time to use up our very browned bananas. I searched "far and wide" on the internet to find a perfect recipe for banana bread. I found it here. The blog Not without Salt delivered a simply yummy banana bread. My bread pan was more deep than the recipe called for, so I decided to adjust my bake time. After checking the bread and taking core samples, as I like to think of it, the bread seemed done. It looked great too! I decided to take a quick photo with my iPhone as it cooled in the pan.

The bread smelled like banana heaven! After some time of cooling inside the pan I decided I should transfer it to a cooling rack...Surprise! The bread was not done in the middle! The inside broke through the top of the bread and oozed through the wire rack completely ruining the loaf...Only one piece I had already cut from the edge remained, it tasted amazing.  The rest of my bread was now trash. I am feeling defeated, next time I will not use such a deep pan!

Clinical Note-We never push the red button!

Yesterday was not my day. I started positive and ready to take on the day...I had planed to complete my first competency exam. Or as we call them "comp." With a comp the student (in this case, me) performs the exam from start to finish without assistance. I setup the x-ray tube and table, retrieve the patient, have them change into a gown if necessary. Then I bring them into the exam room ask a series of questions and history. Then I position the patient and take the required x-rays according to affected part and hospital protocol. I review each image for correctness and re-take images accordingly. Now that that is explained I can move on....

I chickened out. I did not comp on this exam. I chose to do a mock comp, where I did everything as though I was comp-ing but I was not graded. I was still nervous. Everything went fairly smooth until I had to continually move my patient. The x-ray tube and table were unable to move past the point at which they were. It is difficult to explain, but nonetheless the table started beeping because the patient was "too high"toward the head of the table. With all the beeping and me feeling guilty for making the patient move whilst pain I just wanted the darn beeping to stop!

 I look for the switch on the table that unlocks and locks it hoping that will make it stop. I see a button, it is big and red...I push it. "Don't push the red button" goes through my head. Finally I get some help from those in the back (likely shaking their heads at the student who has no clue). The red button shut down the system and now it has to reboot. My patient is none the wiser. I take this time to maneuver them into the required position, using this "extra time" in order to be ready when the system comes back. It is back, I take the x-ray, and that concludes the exam. I am glad that was not graded...

A day at the park

Arthur experienced the lake for the first time today. It was a perfect sunny 65 degree day. We enjoyed a picturesque fall day...

Clinical Note-Don't forget the salt!!

I had my clinical rotation today at the hospital. Nothing excitingly interesting to share today, except this.:

If you were away from home and could bring only a minimal amount of items with you, what would they be? What is of the utmost importance to you? The person I was transporting made a very interesting choice...Himalayan sea salt. I understand the hospital food is notorious for being less than adequate but this made me laugh (to myself, of course.) I imagined them requesting that a loved one bring this to the hospital. Or better yet, does the person carry the sea salt on a daily basis? I am certainly a sea salt fan but I may have had a different request. Nutella perhaps?

First Post

This post is exercise in procrastination. This weekend has been primarily devoted to studying for a test I have Monday. To be honest, I haven't really felt like studying at all this weekend. Why? The main reason has to do with a small adorable new distraction:

ARTHUR
*evidence of the distraction pictured below.

Really, how could one study with that adorable little face staring at you? 

My boyfriend, Mike and I adopted him on Thursday. It has been a blast having a dog again. Sandy, my previous dog pasted away about 1 1/2 years ago. Since then I have been trying to find a doggy match for us. Arthur seems to fit right in! He is mellow, fun, people oriented and eager to please! His only "flaw" if you can call it that is he snores!! Loud snorting that keeps you up all night and drives your mate to the couch kind. This unfortunately has earned Arthur a private sleep quarters. 

Back to this studying business...