Another week gone

It is Friday already. I can't believe how fast time has been flying by. I really can't believe it when I sit down to study Pharm and it seems like I get through half of what I want to and over two hours have passed by. That part stinks. Pharm is a scary class for me. It is cumulative (which completely sucks, but it probably should be...grrr) and that is scary. That is a lot of drugs that I supposedly have a good grasp on that will be tested on in no particular order. One of the few things that gives me hope is that I see some of the upperclassmen and tell myself that if they could do it, so can I....ha ha.

One crazy thing that has been going on here lately has been the recent number of attacks on SEPTA trains by teenagers. Over the past few weeks, it has mainly been teenager on teenager, but yesterday that changed. Sean Patrick was killed by four truant teenagers for no apparent reason. According to the many news sites (here is one) he just was in the wrong place at the wrong time. It is crazy how uncivilized this city is. This city has some of America's most important history, amazing culture, and atmosphere, but turn the corner and this city is a dump. Some of the areas in this city are unbelievable. Not only can you not believe that human beings live this way, but I am amazed at how little they want to change their lives. Anyways, just one more unbelievable story out there.

Back to school. I can't believe that I am getting ready for finals. This is what I have been waiting for what seems like forever. I am so pumped to finally get the chance to work on real people. As exciting as typodont teeth are, and realistic as you try to make doing endo on real teeth feel like a real patient, as much as drilling into pig skulls seems more realistic, it is not the same. I can't wait to not only work on people, but to have the interaction with them. I have been working for a very, very successful dentist and I want to see if I have learned anything from him when it comes to dealing with humans.

This last week we received an email from our restorative IV teacher about a quiz we took last week. I did fine on it, but a lot of the class did very poorly (failing badly poorly). She decided that we would retake the quiz next Wednesday. At first I was bugged, because I don't want to spend another day of my life studying that stuff, but then when she said that the quiz was optional and she would take the higher of the two scores, I thought what the heck. I will study a little and see if I can't pad my grade a little so I am not as worried come finals. Anyhow, the wife wants me off the computer to spend a little time with them before I get to feeling guilty again and bust out Pharm.....

p.s. I found the pics of my gum grafting on pigs....I will have to post those soon. I still can't find my implant pictures. :(

Tonight, you get two for one

Just about to sit down and tackle a Pharm back exam in preparations for the final coming up soon, and then my son had a milestone in his life. Whether it is a good one or bad one, well that is up to you, but I am leaning towards not so good. My wife is playing with one of the hundreds (or so it seems) toys that he received from the wife and I, grandparents, wife's patients, etc for Easter when I hear a cough/sneeze. The wife lets out a holler and calls for a tissue. Just seconds later, another shriek (again from the wife) comes from across the room with a more frenzied call for a tissue. I put down the back test, get the tissue and go to deliver the wanted good. When I get there, I discover what the commotion was all about.

My son sneezed, partially blowing out a bugger (gross, I know, but I must continue). That was the cause of the first holler. Then, probably due to the fact that Garrett is now 4 1/2 months old and discovering all sorts of new feelings and that he can direct his hands very deftly now, Garrett takes his finger straight to his nose and cleans that nostril right up. Hence the second scream. My son's first nose picking experience. My son is now officially a nose picker; at 4 1/2 months. Like I said, whether or not you think that is good, well that is up to you. I just wanted to get this special moment in time written down.

Quiet before the storm

Mid-terms came and went, were stressful and are now done. It feels weird, the quiet before the storm. Starting April 8, we begin finals which runs until April 17. So, as of today, there is 24 days until this all ends. I have been trying to get through Endo and Pharm, but it feels as though I am not going to remember all of this long enough for finals. It is hard to really describe how it feels. I know in my mind that I need to be cracking down and really getting this info down, because I am running out of time, but there isn't that feeling of urgency that really makes you bust your butt off.

Today was our endo practical. We had to access two molars; one maxillary and one mandibular molar. That wasn't too bad. My mandibular molar access was a little wide, but I am happy with it considering that is was only the second access I have ever done (whoops, I should of practiced maybe once or twice more) and the pulp chamber was very, very small. Talk about being relieved when I finally found the pulp chamber. We also had to access and obturate the canal. That went smoothly.

All in all, not a bad day.