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February 27, 2006
you've been missing me, i know it
Where have I been, you might ask. Well, I can’t really say. Seems like I’ve been doing the same thing for forever so nothing new to report, but that’s not true. Our class finished up hemostasis (aka coagulation or bleeding/clotting 101) last week. We had our final and lab practical today. Tomorrow we start a mix of clinical chemistry and clinical issues, which include instrumentation, QC, lab administration and molecular diagnostics. I have mixed feelings about this new topic. On the one hand, I’m glad to be moving away from coag and hematology and starting something fresh and new. On the other hand it’s chemistry.
I’ve started walking to and from the train station as my new daily exercise. I could take a bus from the corner near my house to the train station, but it only takes 10 min to go down the hill in the morning and 15 to hike back up in the evening. Seems like a good workout. ALSO, I’m working on stairs. There are 114 stairs from the train station platform (under some hill) up to the entrance. I’m still puffing, but it’s getting a little easier to make the decision to take the stairs instead of the elevator.
Jeanette and I worked out some code so I could talk smack about some of the folks in the program without them finding out, but I can’t remember what the code words are. J, if you remember, send me those. :) Not that I would ever do anything so uncouth.
I have talked Pat into making the drive down this weekend. So I’ll have a weekend off from driving. If there are any Chico friends reading this blog who happen to like shooting firearms and have the weekend free, maybe March 11th we can a) hit the firing range, or b) meet up for drinks or other.
OH, OH, here’s some exciting news. Just lost power. I’m sitting in the dark watching the battery light on my computer get smaller and smaller. The wind really kicked it up. I guess I can’t read any more tonight. YAY! (oh, did I say that outloud)…
Posted by kat at 08:53 PM
February 14, 2006
Ok, lunchbox, let's try this again.
To the J’s…
I use my lunchbox everyday. I gotta say that was a good call, otherwise I’d be plastic bagging it. :) Thanks!
So, I’ve had some thoughts on this blog. Basically, I’m venting. But after awhile, you guys are going to stop reading it because all I do is bitch. Mostly about working my ass off, taking tests, having no time, and so on. It’s going to get old quick. The other subject I might discourse on (can you have a discourse of one?) would be actual material we covered in class. While that may interest some of you briefly, it’s limiting. So, what do I do? Jason told me to make stuff up. That requires thinking.
So while I’m getting thoughts together on something interesting, I’ll insert the basic material we covered here. On to the white cells, at least the abnormal ones that is. So far we’ve covered acute myelocytic leukemias, chronic myelocytic leukemias, myelodysplastic leukemias, myeloproliferative leukemias and some acute lymphocytic leukemias. Can’t tell the difference among them? Welcome to my world! It’s a blast! (actually, that’s a pun. sorry couldn’t help myself)
Ok, here’s something odd. Muni. I think that about covers it.
Ciao!
Posted by kat at 06:14 PM
February 07, 2006
ok...where was I?
Seriously, somebody help me out here. I’m so lost.
Well, we’re halfway through week 2. What does that mean? Good question!
I think it means something along the lines of we’ve had two quizzes and one practical. On the subject of hematology we have three more quizzes, two more practicals, and two finals. And that’s all by Friday next week. You do the math. :)
So, what have I been doing for the past week, you might ask. Well, we’ve been doing lots of normal differentials. We’re looking at blood smears and counting the white blood cells by type. Basically, we have a little counter-thing that have a lever for each type of white blood cell (FYI: segmented neutrophil, banded neutrophil, monocyte, lymphocyte, eosinophil, and basophil). When the total number of the counter reaches 100, it dings and we have percentages of cell types or a “diff” (which also includes a cursory exam on red blood cells-shape, size- and platelets - numbers). We compare these against a key. Since the smears are normal cells, basically we are setting ourselves up to recognize what a normal cell looks like (did I mention VERY quickly) so we can start looking at abnormal cells. That’s what I’m struggling with now.
Meanwhile, in lecture…
We’ve covered some basic anemias (aplastic, megaloblastic, hemoglobinopathies, thalassemias) with more to come. I’m two chapters short of what I should have read for today (however, I was studying for the quiz for today, so cut me a little slack) and three new chapters by Friday. However, I have a quiz tomorrow and tomorrow night I hope to visit with my friend Carol of Austin. Sooooo….the weekend is looking like a real bright place.
Posted by kat at 07:34 PM
February 01, 2006
my brain is pudding
We’ve got our first quiz tomorrow. I still haven’t gotten (?) caught up with the review reading. I can’t figure out where to find time in the day. Maybe I can get a scholarship and instead of getting moolah, I can get time.
The blood indices are starting to swim. Also, I think I’m going to have to stab someone tomorrow. I mean, draw blood…
We took a field trip to Sunnyvale today. Biotech company sales pitch. However, it was a change of pace and they gave us a tour of their manufacturing facility. It was quite interesting to see how they actually put these parts together. Like, they order plastic parts for their special tubes then they seal them up to make the actual tube instead of just halves. I guess they do it for QC, instead of having the plastic manufacture send them already sealed together. Some parts were a bit like watching computers being assembled. Never really thought about who/how all those parts get put together.
Hump day’s almost over….
Posted by kat at 11:17 PM