Ah So Busy

So I'm a little behind in updating. This semester is CRAZY. At the end of this week I will officially be half way done with my second semester. I felt like it first semester went by so slow and now here I am almost done with the second one. And let me tell you this semester is hard, and with a total of five snow days and just a lot of theoretical learning its been hard staying on top of things. 

I was able to visit Liz, Nate, and baby Evelyn just a few days after Evelyn was born. She's a beautifully precious baby. It was a laid back weekend for me (most likely not so much for Liz and Nate adjusting to being new parents :] ) but I loved every second of it

I came home from Virginia on Monday the 10th for school the next day only to have three snow days in a row. It seemed as though the whole state of Georgia shut down. However, the ice was actually very bad. Here's a picture of my apartment's golf cart getting stuck outside my building. I'm not sure the orange cones laying next to it did much help.

Then there's Valentine's Day. I made all my valentines day cards and had a lot of fun. I bought Jeremy a new book he wanted to read and then I sent him Wild (which I finished and enjoyed greatly). He sent me pounds and pounds of gummies from Albanese in Merrillville, Indiana right of I-65. All to say I love all their products and the thought he put into the gift. 

This past weekend I tried doing as much school work as I could. Crazy thing occurred: we had a earthquake and I felt it. I have proof too: here's the text I sent Jeremy when I felt it (ignore my child like behavior of watching the Lizzie Mcguire movie) and then when I found out it was actually real the next morning. 

How crazy is that?!?! The next day I took my roommate to Ikea, she had never been before. There was also a bookshelf I've been interested in that I purchase with a Visa gift card I had.  I obviously need more books to fill it :]

And lastly here's my puddles picture, can't forget about him :] I caught him mid yawn

This Saturday I will be leaving for a week long trip to the Yucatan. It is a three credit class where I will see the involvement of occupational therapy in other countries. I am beyond excited and grateful for this opportunity. Stay tuned for pictures to come :] 

Much Love

Snow Day

Never thought it would happen, but I have a snow day tomorrow.  We got about a quarter inch of snow today.  It all looks really beautiful. Pretty sure the whole state of Georgia is just shut down, people don't know what to do with snow on the ground. Here are some pretty pictures of my apartment complex with the snow.

Day One of Fieldwork

My second week of the semester went well.  Things started to pile up a little more.  Friday night I watched the movie prisoners with a few students, it is a very long, intense movie. The rest of the weekend I didn't do much but school work.  I'm also reading the book Wild.  It's about a woman's journey hiking the Pacific Coast Trail from south California to Portland.

Today I started my first level one fieldwork at a pediatric private clinic in Flowery Branch.  It's about a twenty mile drive from my apartment. I was extremely nervous, not knowing what it was going to be like. All to say I loved it.  I got to wear scrubs, I stood on my feet all day, and got to meet with six children who were there for occupational therapy.  The clinic is very large with so much technology, interactive rooms, and rooms full of swings, monkey bars, and toys.

One of my favorite things I encountered today was playing on the swings. The picture I attached is very similar to what they have.  The board is attached to a hook that is suspended in the ceiling.  There is a carabiner that allows you to take off this swing and add a different attachment.  A child can sit on the swing and be swung back and forth and it serves as a calming vestibular affect on the children.  If the child is calmer, more in tune, then they may be able to better focus on the their handwriting they need working on or fine motor tasks.

I was also able to watch an evaluation of a child.  In lab last week I learned about the BOT2 evaluation and today I was able to see it as a whole given to a child.  I learned a lot more than I did in lab simply from seeing it in action.

Swing Time

Scrub Action

Getting Back Into It

My first week of class went well. Mostly going over syllabi and reading in our assigned books. Thursday night I took a strip to the University of Georgia in Athens with a few friends.  We had a lot of fun seeing the campus and went to a bar.  They have a large downtown area, puts Purdue in the dust.  The rest of the weekend I spent reading for class and reading the books in the Mortal Instruments series.  I'm enjoying the series a lot, its mostly fluff, young adult like but non the less I am immersed in them. 

In late March I'm running the Georgia half marathon and have been doing so so with my training.  I had previously only run 7 miles, but on Sunday I went out and ran 10 miles.  The hills are murderous here. Monday I didn't have my fieldwork so I spent the day baking and doing homework.  I made my first batch of french loaves and they were delicious.  I also made two loaves of banana bread which I brought in for my professional reasoning class today.  Everyone enjoyed it. 

 First day of class back with Miss Dani

French bread

Weekly picture with Mr. Puddles

Round Two

Winter break will officially be over in one day.  The first week of break I went a visited Liz and Nate.  We did some christmas shopping and baby nursery crafts.  The rest of break I had a nice time, I read 12 books, slept a lot, and watched all the Marvel movies.  I was able to go home to Illinois over Christmas and spend time with family.  I got a lot of fun card making crafts, clothes, and gadgets.  I'm not looking forward to starting up on Monday, yet I am excited to see everyone in my class.  This semester my classes are focused on occupational therapy for pediatrics. 

My classes are:

Professional Reasoning for Infants and Children

Functional Kinesiology

Occupational Therapy for Infants and Children

Qualitative Evidence Based Practice

Occupational Therapy Applications for Infants and Children

Every Monday I go to a pediatric clinic in Flowery Branch and observe. Starting this semester as well I begin working on my thesis.  Its a group thesis which has its pros and cons. The topic I will be researching is fall prevention in community dwellers.  I am excited about the topic because a lot of my undergrad classes looked at falling.  

These pictures sum up my break nicely

An awesome card making set

Life in Virginia

Mr. Puds

One Step Closer

It's official my first semester of OT is over.  I took my last final this morning and turned in my last assignment this afternoon.  It was definitely a roller coaster ride, but I have made some amazing friends. This past week I found out next semester, every Monday I will be at Aspire Pediatric Therapy of Georgia in Flowery Branch, GA. I'm looking forward to the opportunity to learn in an area of OT that I haven't experienced before.

This evening a few of us got together and had dinner at a fellow classmate's house. It was nice to relax and be done with school for the moment.  I got my first monogram and can officially be a southern gal.

Tomorrow I'm driving up to Virginia to stay with Liz and Nate for the week, yay!

mBc

Katlyn, Sarah, Dani

Katie, Me, Kristen

This past school week went fine as usual.  I had a large exam on Thursday that I spend most of my week stressing out for.  Yet, I only have one more full week of classes. I have a lot left to do.  I still have two more anatomy lecture exam, two more anatomy lab quizzes, a neuro lab practical, two more papers, two presentations, and a neuro quiz. Then once that's all done I'll have finals week to worry about.

Part of professional reasoning class this semester was to get to know a person in the community who has a disability.  I have had a wonderful time these past twelve weeks with my community partner.  He is an younger male in his early thirties who suffered a traumatic brain injury at the age of 17.  On Monday I will present my community partner experience with my class, and I'm looking forward to telling everyone about him and what we've done all semster.  The presentation is supposed to be creative so I will be simulating a mock interview and I will be acting as my community partner while the rest of the class will be employees for a company he wishes to work at. I have created a resume based on everything I've learned from him and each "employer" will have one to look at.

This week I made banana bread and homemade meatballs. I've enjoyed both. The meatballs are good  leftovers on top of leftover pasta. Plus I got to use my brand new blue Bella crock pot. I loved it and seemed to do a great job.