Stressful Week

Wow, this week has been a little rough.  Had a quiz and an exam on Monday.  Phys Di was the exam, and that went well.  Wednesday, I had two practicals:  the final practicals in both Cervicals and in Phys Di.  Was a rather stressful day. 

The Phys Di exam on Monday was over the Abdomen and the clinical relevance/findings, etc.  Was a harder exam than I expected, which I think was because I finished reading that chapter in my Mosby's text about a week ago and had already moved on to the next chapters covering the Integumentary System (Skin, Hair, and Nails).  The information wasn't as fresh, but I did review the note set before taking the test, and I'm sure that helped.

Delaney had run a low-grade fever over the weekend and woke up Tuesday morning at 3:30 am with fever that I could definitely feel with my hand on her head.  She stayed home Tuesday and Wednesday from daycare and Jon, my mom, and I all took turns taking care of her and working around each other's schedules.

The Cervicals practical was on Wednesday was scary.  I did very poorly on the last practical, having an anxiety attack during the practical.  I went blank and looking at the listings on the card didn't prompt my memory to remind me how to set up the listings.  I scored only 17 out of 36 on that one and was worried that I would not pass the class due to the low score, however, after class I met with the professor and we went over the points still available and it looks like I'm still going to be able to pass the class, as long as I do moderately well for the rest of the term (which is really only about two more weeks, one week of which is finals).  So I went into this practical on Wednesday very concerned because I needed to do well.  I did much better this time, using some of the techniques for calming myself down that I learned in Boards Review; to look up, to chew gum or basically move your tongue around in your mouth, and one other thing that is not acceptable in public (which I did not do).  These actions help activate the parasympathetic system and calm down the hypersensitive sympathetic system.  I think they helped me.  I also did more review of the relevant material, and I'm sure that helped as well.  There was only one listing that I just couldn't remember how to do, I thought, however, I actually did remember, I just didn't trust that I was right, so I kept second-guessing and didn't end up doing the correct set-up.  I should try to trust my instincts more, but since I've had anxiety issues, I have a harder time making decisions and don't think I'm right as much.  I was satisfied with the 25 out of 36.  Most of the mistakes I made were very small, 1 point off mistakes, like not having the correct angle of arm, affecting Line of Correction, but overall I definitely felt better about the set ups and only had one reconsider, which is when you are totally wrong and they let you try again (that was the one I missed completely).

I was much more stressed about the Cervicals practical than the Phys Di practical.  The Phys Di practical was so much better for me, probably because I feel a lot more confident in that class and because I really love the material.  I put most of my study time into Cervicals and not much in to Phys Di, as the practical was a combination of all the previous practicals we've had this term in that class.  Since I did well on those, I wasn't as nervous about this one, but it was still stressful knowing that as soon as I was done with the Cervicals practical, that I'd have the next practical in less than an hour.  One of my friends, Jen, didn't have a class that hour, so I ran through the practical with her really quick.  It was enough.  I scored 109.5 out of 120.  I was satisfied with that score, too. 

Today was spent running back and forth to and from class, Jon helping me both return the rental car I've had since January 31st because of the repairs to our Honda from the car accident I was in on December 29th, and to pick up the repaired car from the body shop.  I also had to pick Lani up from daycare and take her to the dentist this morning.  When I got to her school, she was playing at the water table (no surprise there, she loves water!), and her shirt and pants were wet.  I took her into the bathroom and changed her clothes and diaper and got her bundled up.  Hurried to her pediatric dentist, Dr. Joel Peterson, of Children's Dentistry.  He's great.  Very mild-mannered and patient.  He was Dartagnan's peds dentist, too.  His entire office is full of Disney everything, and there are tropical fish tanks between each exam chair.  He has kid arcade-style games, huge stuffed Disney characters and small ones.  It is a fun office for kids; they feel very comfortable there. 

After Lani's checkup (no cavities! YEA!), I took her to lunch at Greatest Grains.  Thought maybe Jon would be able to join us, but he wasn't feeling well and had gone home to rest.  Lani picked out the hot meal deal, with roasted turkey, braised beets and carrots, wedged red parsley potatoes, and cranberry applesauce.  She hardly touched her food.  I got the spinach pate, a veggie-stuffed baked potato, and a slice of cherry cheesecake for Jon.  Was pretty full after the spinach, so brought the rest of the food home.  Lani and I did a little grocery shopping there (we needed some rice milk, almond milk, and frozen organic raspberries and strawberries).  When we got in the van afterward, she said she didn't want to go back to school, so we came home.  She fell asleep in the car (another YEA!), and stayed asleep when I brought her in the house and Jon laid her down in her bed.  She slept quite awhile this afternoon, which is good, because they only lay down from 1:00 to 3:15 at school and sometimes she doesn't even fall asleep until 1:45 or so.  I slept too.  About 3 hours.

Tomorrow is the next Spinal Evaluation in Cervicals and we have to examine a patient as though the patient is coming in our office for a visit.  We have to do the tests, exams, etc., that we would perform in the office.  I'm not too nervous, because the one I had last Friday went well, so hopefully tomorrow will go well too.  I'm going to practice in the morning after PNS, because I have only PNS at 7:30, then my next class on Friday is Cervicals at noon.  I think I will be ready.