Ben has taken up his blogging pen. That's a link to his new site and I updated the link on the right side of this side as well. Please add him to your usual internet browsing!

This week in clinicals was great but I'm pooped and don't want to get all worked up writing about it on this here blog. My legs are moaning with ache - I'm not sure if it's because I couldn't find my compression socks this morning or because it's the end of two 12 hour days. I was ravenous and exhausted when I got home a couple hours ago. Now my tummy is full of tacos and my veins are coursing with happy diet coke, my legs up propped up on pillows and I'm catching up on two days of internet hoo ha (whoa, 700 BILLION?). I hope to write up my experiences tomorrow, but I may not get to it. Then the weekend will be here and I won't every get around to it. That happens. Basically I'm writing now to at least say hello, so I don't feel too bad about myself for not writing later. If you're a bored passer-by on my blog, entertain yourself by figuring out what this is - I talked to a Certified First Assistant RN today (she was so cool!) and she talked about this:

Did you know that fish, stage make-up latex, and dog butt musk share the same unpleasant scent?

My hoodie stank so I washed it. It still stinks. It smells like alkaline chemical, like the stuff I used in darkroom. I haven't been in a darkroom in 8 years.

Question posed on another blog: What are your most re-watched movies? In no particular order:

The Princess Bride
Star Wars Return of the Jedi
The Lord of the Rings (all three, plus bonus features when I'm sick)
Singin' in the Rain
Rushmore

TV shows?
Arrested Development
Seinfeld
Friends
Family Guy
Spaced

LD was very slow today with only 4 laboring patients, and mine was the only one who looked like she would deliver during our shift. The other student and I faced off with rock-paper-scissors to win the patient - I was lucky to get her. She was very sweet and pregnant with her first child. Supportive family was there the whole time. She delivered vaginally with an epidural and episiotomy. The pushing was only 20 minutes long and not nearly as gross as I expected. I followed her the rest of the day until she went to the post-partum unit.

I got to check her cervix (or attempt to - it's very gooshy and confusing in there), remove her foley catheter, and assess the newborn after an hour. I helped her get the baby latch in order to breastfeed. I even got to put in a straight catheter to empty her bladder just before she left the unit. So even though it was a super slow morning and I sat around waiting for a long time I got to do a lot of fun things in the end. (Yes, inserting catheters is fun!).

The birth was totally exciting and happy. We were a little worried about the fetal heart rate, lots of decelerations during contractions. My nurse surmised that the cord was wrapped around the baby's neck and she was right. We worried that having all that trouble would exhaust the baby before she could be pushed out. But pushing labor went fast enough (20 minutes) so there weren't any real problems. The placenta came sliding out quickly with a waterfall of blood behind it. The placenta had a marginal cord insertion site so that was cool to see. I would have liked to look at it closer with better lights, but I decided it might be inappropriate for me to sneak off with the tub and poke and play with it. They might think that was weird :-)

America's Best Contacts and Eyeglasses rocks. As I said before, my light purple glasses I've been wearing for 7 years broke. I was able to hot glue the hinge back together to wear them during class but clearly this is not a long term solution. I started looking for a cheap way to replace them - cheap because I have no eye coverage with my bare-bones health plan and because we're living on a student budget. Here's the breakdown of what I found:

Eye exam:
Target = 55
Lenscrafters = 65
Walmart = 62
America's Best = free with purchase (40 without)

Frames:
Target = start at 99
Lenscrafters = start at 99
Walmart = start at 19
America's Best = start at 49, but buy two for 69, lenses included

Lenses:
Target = 100+
Lenscrafters = 125+ but had a half off deal through November
Walmart = 69+
America's Best = basic lenses are included in the two for 69 deal. Upgrades start at 69.

So really no comparison. Any other place would total 255+ for the whole package, or just 69 from America's Best plus you get a second pair. I figured if they didn't have good frames then I would get the cheap exam and take my prescription to an online shop like zennioptical, where frames + lenses start at $8. But they had decent stuff and at least I could try them on. I'm glad I got some new ones ordered so quickly - not so glad I have to wait 7-10 days for them to arrive.

Those are the two pairs I ordered, but the one on top is purple/pink (I could only find a pic of the blue version). Miranda graciously accompanied me to offer much needed advice. She was very direct and honest and made me feel really good about my purchases. I'm pretty excited to have two pairs because I frequently leave my glasses in my school bag or my purse, and then when I get to the movies or lecture I realize I left them in my other bag. No more!

By the way, remember my shoe conundrum this summer? Just wanted to let you know how awesome my dansko clogs are. I would wear them everyday if that wasn't so boring. They feel great on my feet and offer the most support I've felt outside of a pointe shoe. Amanda has been converted to the dansko love as well. If you need some good shoes I whole heartedly recommend them.

By the way, I got another A on my OB test today. So far I'm rockin' the 4.0.

Studying pre-eclampsia and other pregnancy/labor complications.

Watching It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Burn Notice.

Shopping for new glasses. My frames broke yesterday :-(

Snacking on Fruity Pebbles leftover from my fro-yo for cooking club.

Loving the cold weather turn. Bring on the sweaters and long sleeves!

Knitting a lovely project that will be secret for now.

Desperately needing a haircut. A color job wouldn't hurt either.

Contemplating getting my ears pierced.

So what am I still interested in?

• General Med/Surg (but not rehabilitation)
• medical or surgical ICU
• Wound care
• OR nursing
• ER (I at least want to try it, I'm not sure it would be a match)

What have I nixed?

• Postpartum/NICU
• Long term care (especially Russian speaking Alzheimer's units)
• Hospice
• Mental Health
• Pediatrics (I'm pretty sure, but I won't know until my peds rotation later in the year)