5 for 5!

Hey! As of tonight I'm five for five on perfect quiz scores! I didn't think I'd get it this week, since I blew off studying for the most part until late Sunday afternoon, then took time to watch the first half of the Bears/Packers game; at which point I went to bed thoroughly disgusted. So I had to cram the chapters on the respiratory and cardiovascular systems into my brain, basically, in two nights. Mind you this is just a terminology class, but there are sure a heck of a lot of terms to know the spellings and meanings of from the physiology of the structures to the clinical procedures, pathologies and lab terms. I was really thinking that this would be the quiz that would get "thrown out" as far as final grades go. I can breathe a little easier knowing I still have that one in my pocket. Next week is the mid-term exam, and that one is cumulative, so I've got a lot of review to do now.
And now, back to the Bears game....
I guess the jinx is back on me. If I watch a game on tv during the regular season they do miserably. If I stop watching, they wage a successful comeback, as in Sunday, or the AZ game last year; or I just have to not watch at all. I wish I could get behind Griese, but I still have no confidence in him or anyone associated with the offense. We are still a team with a "D" that can work wonders, but our "O" just makes me scratch my head and wonder what the heck is going on. However, if anyone happens to ask me to go to the game this week, I'll be right there, as my jinx does not apply if I am watching at Soldier Field - only when I watch on tv.
Tomorrow Mom & I will take care of Zachary, while Phil bowls and Christie swims. I love playing with him, but it did occur to me that I might be overstimulating him and keeping him from getting to his normal bedtime and a good night's sleep. I know I should quiet things down and read to him. But he seems just as eager to play until he can't play anymore. I loved when he fell asleep in my arms the first night we babysat. It brought back such good memories. Those days pass by so quickly and I'm glad that I memorized them and committed them to memory - both mental and physical. I hope that P & C are doing the same. I remember watching Z fall asleep in C's arms months ago at Mom & Dad's and thinking, "memorize this moment-it will never happen again". I guess we should think that way about many things. Perhaps 11 things.
Eric and Chandra are coming in November! On Marv's birthday, no less. We will all go see Robert Fripp and the League of Crafty Guitarists at Park West and then I think that that Saturday night everyone should be together at Mom & Dad's. The new baby will be here! How about Brad & Becky too, Chris and Erica, and can Shannon come? I'd love to see her again. If it is a bash, I will not feel bad about not being with my lovely horse.
I rode him! Finally! It was sooooooo wonderful. He is so strong and full of energy. Even for being a lazy horse, I can feel his potential for great things. I could swear he is just waiting for us to rise to his level. Riding other horses does not compare. I can't wait to ride him again.
I saw a new Dr about my collarbone last week. As you are likely to already know, the Dr who did my surgery, etc, etc, moved to West Virginia and left me hanging. So I went to a whole new practice, OAD Orthopaedics. I saw one of their physiatrists, who will look after my back issues, and he recommended their shoulder guru. Seems like a good move. Updates will follow.

MilkToast

That's the only thing that comes to mind when I think of the Bears offense and the very offensive coaching for Chicago. I'm not sure why, but that is just the feeling that comes over me. Lovie Smith's leadership by "commitment" (to the quarterback) is the most flawed approach I could imagine. It only builds weakness. Competition and discpline builds strength and I haven't seen any of that, especially since Lovie got his shiny new contract. But what do I know? Besides that though, I have never had so much fun watching a Bears game on tv as I did today, cheering all the while for the Lions. Next week I think I'll wear yellow and green.
I'm three for three on my quizzes so far in Biomedical Terminology. I've never studied so hard in my life. And now that I've got how I feel about the Bears off my chest, I must get back to it.

Two quizzes so far and no wrong answers yet. I've gone through about a thousand terms, prefixes, suffixes, and combining forms and I'm still running with an A in the class. We have a break this week; some sort of inservice gives us a day off, so I have until next week to study up for quiz number three. I do need the extra time because I had to work this weekend at the store and I HAD to go to the Bears game.
It was great to be back at Soldier Field again. I don't think I went to any of the games last year. In fact, I know that I didn't. The year before? Hmmm, can't remember if I have been there since the new stadium opened. I love it. It was great to see Devon Hester do his thing. And the defense was outstanding as usual. I had hoped that Rex would have had a better day. But I still don't think the O-line gives him much of a chance. I just don't believe it's all Rex's fault that the offense doesn't perform better. Let's just hope for more positive change before next week. I'm down to crossing my fingers and toes, rubbing a lucky rabbit's foot (that would be a foot that is still attached to a live and thriving rabbit), and saying a prayer that the football gods will look favorably on the Bears.
Friday I will see a new Dr about my crookedness and the pain in my low back. "I've had it up to here with the likes of (those) guys", but with my insurance deductible paid for the year and my annual out of pocket expense almost maxxed, this is the year to get caught up on all my medical conditions that are in need of attention. There really aren't that many, but since the diagnostics can cost so much and so little is covered by my insurance, I just have to get the job done.
Okay, now it's time to eat the dinner which Marv has prepared.

My! It's been a while, eh?

Not to worry, I am here, keeping busier than ever it seems. Since the last you heard from me (unless I have seen you over the last few days) I have rejoined the health club and started back two or three times a week, and then fell by the wayside again. I'll get back there soon, but I have to get used to my new endeavor: I AM A COLLEGE STUDENT! Go figure, right? Why would I do such a thing? The answer is long and involved:
Once, about 33 years ago, I worked in the Physical Therapy Dept of Marionjoy Rehabilitation Hospital. I was fascinated by the work done there, by the patients as well as the therapists. But at that time all I really wanted out of life was having a little house and some kids. So I had some kids and we all lived happily (right, kids?) in the (too)little house. As the years went by my career path was determined by the necessities of each day and I found a certain level of success in sales and sales management. It provided enough to keep us in shoes and for me to get involved in my horse habit/hobby, which was something I have dreamed about since I was a little girl. That hobby and my sales/mgmt experience led me to the comfy little job I have now, as a tack shop manager, which I will say is very pleasant.
But thanks to that hobby, I just spent about 12 weeks in physical therapy. I had plenty of time at the pulleys, hand treadmill, and various other activities there to observe and find my fascination again with the work of physical therapy and rehabilitation. One day, at therapy, as I was working at lifting my arm up above my head, I thought, 'I should do this.' There were no trumpets or heavenly choirs heralding this revelation, I just thought, 'I should do this.'
That thought sat down in the back of my mind, crossed its legs and waited. Then something terrible happened.
My best friend from high school and beyond; the one who actually helped me get that job at Marionjoy 33 years ago, died. Deb Zoller Fisher, only 52, died suddenly on July 4. I was told it was a blood clot - in her lung. She and I had so many wonderfully good times together over the years. Unfortunately we had lost touch with each other over the last few, but I thought of her constantly. Debbie and I were in each other's weddings. She then went on to marry two more times. She spent many years on her own, and through it all, she would take classes at U of I in Champaign/Urbana. One after another, she took classes, as they interested her, as she could afford them, while supporting herself and later on supporting her children as well. She lived in student housing, she lived simply, shopped resale, and worked co-op's to provide sustenance. I was always amazed at how she did it all, and never seemed to loose heart. Finally she said to me one day that she realized she had taken enough classes that she might as well get a degree. She then finished her Bachelor's, proceeded to get a Master's degree, and then one day exclaimed to me how incredible it was that there were people willing to pay her for all her knowledge and so why not get a Doctorate! She was just about finished with it when she was suddenly gone. I'm sad that I will never get another chance to see her in my lifetime. But I am even sadder that she was not able to realize that accomplishment. I was so proud of her.
And so, I thought that if she could put every effort she could into her education, even in times when she didn't know where it would lead her, that I could give it a try now too. I submitted my application to College of DuPage, got accepted, took the placement tests - which, I want you to know placed me into HONORS ENGLISH - and registered for classes. COD has a Physical Therapy Assistant program that I plan to try for, and that is my goal as of now. Who knows where this will lead, but I enrolled in one class to start with: Biomedical Terminology. I did actually register for a speech class too, but decided one class was enough to test the waters for this semester, and so I dropped Speech. The class has met twice so far. Tomorrow is my first quiz. I've been a studying fool - something I never was, EVER before! I spend about 2 hours each day working on exercises and flash cards and trying to memorize hundreds of words, combining forms, prefixes and suffixes. All I can say is "Hang on to your epithelial cells!" I hope it all goes well. I'll try to keep you posted...