Physiology Fun!

I didn't expect much from Physiology lab. Most labs I have taken in my life are pretty much the same. You have some fun exercises, but mostly people try to get in and get out as quickly as possible... and many of my classmates still do, but I have enjoyed the time I have in lab. Maybe it's because I am older (about 8 years older... ugh) or maybe I just enjoy what we are doing. Today for example, I had to pee in a cup 5 times in 2 hours! Who can argue with that kind of fun!

Ok, maybe that wasn't so much fun, but it is pretty cool to see the various things you can learn about the way your body is functioning by something that up till now seemed so simple. As one girl in my class put is, "I just pee, I don't need to know how it happens." Using test strips like these... you can test kidney function by looking at pH levels, concentrations of certain ions in urine and glucose in the urine (a major flag for diabetes).

Last week we took samples of our own blood (with a simple pin prick, and yes mom it was a new needle) and got to test blood types. I am finding that many of the other students are a bit squeamish about things like needles or urine (even their own), and I am not sure how they are going to handle being around other people's bodily fluids. I on the other hand think it's fascinating and can't wait to start seeing these things in real patients!

Korea

The ship has left Busan (or Pusan to some) South Korea. I've heard both Busan and Pusan, so I finally asked Jade while he was over there which was the correct spelling... apparently it is both. But he mentioned that he saw more signs as Busan and decided to use that one, so I will as well. It wasn't as exciting of a port as many of the others, they had limited liberty for a variety of reasons, of which I am not exactly sure... as I am never really sure of anything pertaining to the Navy :). Although Jade had Shore Patrol (on duty making sure no one gets in trouble, and bailing them out if they do...), he was kind of lucky because this allowed him to get a (Navy sponsored) hotel room while the other guys (and girls) had to stay on the ship while in port! This was great for me because it allowed quite a bit of time for skype! Although it was difficult for Jade to find a phone compatible with a calling card, he had internet access right from his hotel room!

Jade looks great and is doing well. He is busy with all the jobs he has, but is also cramming in as much study time as possible since his is quickly approaching his HAC board (if you're not sure what HAC stands for, join the club and ask someone who does! ;-) It has something to do with being the helicopter commander, I don't remember what the 'A' stands for, but basically once he becomes a HAC, Jade will be responsible for the helicopter and its crew when he is flying).

As for me, school is still going well and keeping me busy. Last week was my midterm week and I made it through with out too much stress or a lack of sleep! Just about a month and a half left before I move back down to San Diego and really get on my way to becoming a nurse!

Playing with organs!

I held a man's heart in my hands today... literally. We finished with anatomy lab a little early, so I put some gloves on to go over some structures (nerves) we had been looking at. As interesting (or not so much) as nerves are, I was almost instantly side tracked by all the cool looking organs in the thoracic and abdominal cavity! In my physiology class we are learning about the circulatory and respiratory systems, so I immediately went to the heart and lungs to help me further understand what I am learning (since everyone else in the class has already passed anatomy I thought I should catch up a little). Since the organs had already been dissected out, they were very easy to remove from the body. It was incredible to see the structures that I have, up to now, only been able to see labeled on a diagram. The aorta is MASSIVE, way bigger than I imagined. The volume of blood that can be pumped through at once is mind boggling! I know a lot of this is pretty creepy to some people, and to be honest I wasn't sure how I was going to react to it either, but I am finding it fascinating and am loving learning about the structures and functions of the body.

Also, last weekend I spent the day up in Big Bear teaching my friend's daughter how to ski. She is 5 years old and it was her first weekend on skis. I wanted to share a video from one of the green runs we took her on. We took her up to the top of the mountains and as you can see from the video, she's a natural!

Skype

I know that I am probably WAY behind the technology curve on this one, but I have just discovered the joys of skype! For those of you who may be farther behind the curve than me, skype is a website that allows for free video chatting all over the globe. A few days ago Jade and the guys (and gals) were in Japan. Having prepared to attempt this video chat thing I went to Wal-mart and bought a cheap web cam and mic that plug right into my computer. Once Jade got to Japan all he had to do was take his laptop to a wifi hot spot, download the program and there he was on my computer screen... it's the next best thing to having him here! I can't explain how amazing it was to see his face and hear his voice all at the same time. I haven't seen him in almost 2 months; you start to forget the little expressions that piece together someones personality. It's very comforting to see him sitting there, in real time, and to know that he is safe and doing well. With the risk of sounding like an infomertial, I highly recommend skype or a similar program for anyone who has loved ones over seas, or even for family and friends who live in the states, but that you don't get to see very often. It is a tremendous comfort to know that I get to see his face in a few weeks, or month (or whenever they pull in to port next) and be able to express the things that can't be conveyed over e-mail or even by phone.