Not long now

Exams tomorrow, Thursday and next Monday, eeekkkk !!!
I've been swatting furiously, especially for Anatomy. The subject is huge and the pace for most of the year was electric.
It has been very tough revising in all this sunshine and I'm feeling a little confident. Hope that comment don't come back and bite me on the a**e.
As an antidote to all the swatting I've taken up walking. I even bought some real ( as opposed to fashion statement overpriced thingies) green leather walking boots ( very proper but trendy too)
The weather has been great lately and I've ( we also, the wife came once) managed one 4.5 mile trek, another 5 mile and a whopping 10 mile. All locally. Thank god I live in the most scenic part of our fair and sceptered isle.
Also a job may be in the offing for after the exams. It may pay for a trip to the seaside, whoopee !
The pleasures of being a student.

Winding down

Hi folks

Sorry for not posting, I've been busy being a student and father, husband and DIY expert.
Sometimes it feels like I can't win. Long hot summer days upon us and it leaves me with a big dilemma. Should I crack on with the 100's of jobs wifey has lined up for me in the house, garden and tidying up outside, re-grout patio, tinker with restoration project, study or do nothing except snooze in the sunshine.
My answer was try to do them all. Or at least as something productive.

I have yet another essay to complete for professional studies, 2000 worms and get some revision done for the July exams. Trouble is the laptop screen is very difficult to see when its bright outside, as are classnotes under the brolly outside, unless one wears sunglasses.

Er' indoors has been on a nagging spree lately really bending my ear by way of a certain promise I made to help the decision process re: "can we/should I/can we afford it/is it fair" for Lostsock to go to Uni full time.
I did say" I'll have lots of time so I can get things done and will help LOTS around the house !"
So, hung by my own p'tard I had to choose make wifey happy. Not an easy task but I went straight for the jugular " I'll do the garden and re-grout the patio" .
Wifey loves the patio immensley but hates the small weeds growing through the 1 cm gap betwixt them. Let me warn you, never put a dry mix of sand/mortar between, it will come back and haunt you a few years later. So, sand, cement, bucket, kneepads, pointing trowel and water on hand I cracked on. After what seemed like an eternity and five mixes later it was done.
My knees and back was killing though.
Quick tidy up and only one trip to dump-it site saw the driveway and garden bottom much improved.
A nervous ascent into loftspace to retrieve one large suitcase full of summer clothes and I was done. Wife happy and it wasn't even one o'clock.
Time for a rest.................................not a chance.
Take son to tennis
Get newspaper on way back and go via Morrisons for " here's the list"
Drop daughter in town exactly to the spot she wants despite the heavy traffic heading for the lovely countryside.
Need fuel, fill up.
Collect son from tennis...........did I mention eat something as well, no i didn't, but i did at some stage, can't remember when.
Removed blue poly cover on car and stared at it for some time ( the car not the cover)
Decided it was too hot to work and get filthy dirty grinding off underseal from rear wheelarch so i extracted the sun lounger from outhouse.
Laid down for exactly 3 minutes when wifey hove into view as said " I thought you were going to do something today ?"

See Lostsock swear, johnny can. ( as Wogan would say)

Then after calming down I had chance to reflect upon things, as one must do as a health professional, its the law and its important I'm told.

I made a plan of sorts. More of a schedule of logic and time planning.

1/. Finish essay

2/. Revise for exams and continue coursework.

3/. Sunbathe whilst we have sunshine ( it may be our only chance)

4/. Start diet and fitness plan

So today sees me having handed in said essay yesterday (Friday) ten days early so I can concentrate on exam prep.

Uni is so empty since all academic lectures finished last week ( not for us though, we have lectures for another 3 weeks, then exams) It is easy to park though.

I missed one item from the list, find a summer job. We need the money.

Maybe more after exams.

What, more !!

Hello folks.
Today finds me in mixed emotions. I've completed one essay ( scored B+) so happy about that. Well on the way with another assignment essay soon to be handed in and made a start on hopefully the last essay before the dreaded "big"exams - Osteology, Imaging Technology & Body systems/Anatomy, all 3 hours each.
We have completed a "mini" exam set of 3, all reasonably short but still a possible banana skin requiring a re-sit come August. I think I passed........hopefully. First one was a practical X-ray exam on a real (professional actor) patient, being observed by an independent assessor.
Second up was a computerised exam on osteology and plain film x-rays followed by the last one named an OSCE ???? a personal interview regarding one exam technique ( Barium Enemas) again which was done by an independent assessor.
So all is well............................................sort of .
When meeting with my personal tutor he informed me of some comments made by clinical staff on placement. This I found very upsetting, to think that someone had made a complaint leading to my "professional suitability" as a radiographer. After a further few meeting and getting someone higher up the chain involved it all turned out to be a storm in a teacup, made by, possibly ( We've still not been told the details, where, when, how & by whom...I think the hospital are feeling guilty at their own lack of organisation & abilities of middle management) someone who has an aversion to older students and is a constant complainer, maybe.
So I spent a few unnecessary sleepless nights worrying over some other persons lack of professional suitability. The upshot is for next placement I get an experienced, technically excellent mature radiographer as mentor............yipeee.
I can't help but worry over the future though, if such a minute and pointless exercises is typical of working " inter professionally".
We are all different, not all of the same motivational level ( Employees & students) different ages and backgrounds, slightly different cultures and beliefs. So my tenet is to accept this difference and get on with learning, be professional and politely engage with all people. The trick is keeping the people who wish to discriminate against you at the slightest opportunity, happy, or at least indifferent to you.
So hence the mixed emotions bit.
Otherwise the timetable post placement is less demanding with several half days. the trouble is the half days are the mornings with attendance required in the afternoon, there's even a late night. Bet the students in residence are loving this approach, partying all, night sleeping late then strolling into lectures well after the pavements are aired.

More soon.

almost one year over

Sorry for not posting sooner, its been a busy time.

Well, I survived placement. Managed to get all my competencies signed off and the three assessments for the log book.
This comprised of completing over 150 x-rays on real live patients, being watched and questioned on 3 x-rays ( chest, abdomen & a limb/joint/digit etc.) and being watched and checked as competent on -: chest, foot, ankle, tib/fib, femur, knee, elbow, wrist, hand, fingers, abdomen/kidneys, shoulder.
I must admit it was not until the last day I did the comp on a knee and assessment on abdo.
Thank you very nice, doggy loving, "mad woman" Senior Radiographer.
I was glad to walk out the last Friday afternoon knowing I'll never visit that crappy old Hospital again ( Its being demolished sometime this month ) The experience was good, and most of the staff helpful and friendly. Only a few "less than student friendly" radiographers, so at least we know now who they are. I expect this aspect of relationships will be slightly different for most students, as in life not everyone gets along or likes everyone else.
Unfortunately at least four students have dropped out since starting placement so our cohort is a little reduced. Particularly the rotation I have been allocated to has had all the dropouts. There are two other rotations to two other areas of this sceptred isle .
I was glad to get back to academic and the easy life. Working on placement 7 1/2 hours a day ( Weds afternoons off) for 5 days really did tire me out and was sleeping by 8.30 each night. The last few weeks was shared in various departments with second year students and this was a big help. It gave us an insight into next placement ( 18 weeks, not the 12 we are currently doing ). Its sounds very tough. You have on average 4 to 5 essays or tasks during this period so work has to be done in the evenings and weekends..............ohhh errrr.
Better get onto the sanatogen and steroids now.
We had three small exams this week, one practical, one oral interview regarding one of the procedures we have helped in ( Barium enemas, whoopee every ones favourite) and a computerised assessment exam in technique and osteology.
I think I passed, hopefully. You have to gain a minimum of 40% on ALL THREE to pass. Otherwise its a total retake in August. Everone seems a little worried regarding their performance and I think some may have failed after listening to some gossip.
At least I passed the reflection assignment, yay........don't know the grade yet. I want a B though, at least. One consolation is in the first year none of your results counts towards your honours degree marks.
We still have TWO big exams looming in June, maybe THREE and another two essays/projects. All in all its going to be very taxing the next few weeks as both exams ( Anatomy & Osteology) are very tough with loads and loads of topics covered throughout the year. I'm getting through this by thinking of the long hot summer and lazy days we're going to have......maybe.
I have to start finding a job for summer to ease the finances and help get my Classic car on the road.

More soon

Getting there

The last few weeks has seen me in good health and spirits ( Except for the rash........shhhhh no more to say on this topic...well OK a little later, and the feet aching come Fridays.
Since the last post I'm still on clinical placement. We do a week in each of several departments at 2 or 3 hospitals. So far since early Jan I've done :-
General at smallish regional Hosp ( Scary !!!! but worth it )
Screening at Old Hosp ( Barium enemas, swallows, arthrograms, meals........complex )
General at New Hosp ( good, friendly & helpful staff, but still a little over my head)
IVU, same dept & team as above. (Great, can do KUB's great now as well as tomograms)
Theatre and mobiles and same team as above. ( cut short due to illness & bad snow)
Chests clinic at Old Hosp ( relaxed and good small team, beginning to get to grips with it all)

Weeks holiday.....................and boy was I glad. My feet and knees were killing me from all the standing. I also developed a rash around the armpits from the starchy top we have to wear.
What we students have to endure for the sake of medical science !!!!

Old Hosp -Admin/Nursing duties ( Fantastic staff ,bit boring, but at least I can "book em in" )
A&E old Hosp ( Busy,busy busy.............lots of snotty staff but got plenty experience)
Flouroscopy this week......................I'll let you know. The rash has gone yipeee. My aching feet was caused by the "statins" I'm taking. Now this has stopped for 1 months trial and already I'm feeling the benefit so I went out on by bike this weekend to celebrate.

More soon.

What goes around..............

Well so much for feeling fine. Yes its happened again folks, poor old Lostsock has been ill.

It seems every time I mention I've not been Ill or there's a holiday coming up ( or either or both ) I am.

This time a dreaded Pu***g and Poo*** rush during the night, x 2.

It would appear that I'm getting something every 4/5 weeks on average. This time it struck without warning and was pretty debilitating whilst it lasted ( followed by 2 days of coughing very very carefully )

So I missed the last two days of placement ( Theatres & Mobiles ) well at least they are not vital and don't need any competencies signing off on them.

It seems that since I've stopped smoking ( 20 weeks ago ) cut down drastically on the drinking and started eating a daily 5 my resistance disease is zero.

So much for a healthy lifestyle change !!!!

A new dept for placement this week and this one also is great.

A small and really helpful team, comfy location a little out of the way off the the main hospital corridor ( Large run down city centre hospital soon to be closing )

I may even complete more competencies at this rate. even the weather has improved and I'm managing to see daylight on the commute out and back.

Still missing the money though !!!!

p.s thanks wifey for all your efforts when I was "dying".

comings and goings afoot

How student life varies. I have to report that at least two people have dropped out from this years cohort of 30 odd. One for personal reasons/children/transport etc, prior to placement starting and one a few weeks after the reality of a radiographers job hit home from the placement experience.
This I can understand since I was very shaken after my first week. I'm naturally confident and rather experienced in life's matters, however nothing can prepare you for how you will react in difficult situations. I got very angry inside with one or two of the "old school" type of radiographers who thought essays and university are a load of rubbish, you get to be a radiographer " by gettin yer andz onem" and remembering your centering points. Maybe I was annoyed by my own stupidity at not remembering the CP's more. I did learn that I find it difficult to think when pressurised, and did stupid things. So, even for a super cool dude like me the placement ( especially the first one ) does do things to ones sanity and emotions.
For some of the "normal" students, ( by this I mean young and straight from school/college and never having been in any working environment) it must be somewhat of a shock.

Spent all last week doing IVU ( intravenous urograms ) The IVU is a special diagnostic test that follows the time course of excretion of a radiopaque contrast dye through the kidneys, ureters (the tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder) and bladder after it is injected into a vein in your arm. X-ray pictures of your kidneys, ureters and bladder are taken before the dye is injected, and then at intervals afterwards. The investigation is performed to assist in the diagnosis of kidney and bladder disorders.
I loved it.
The sequence was easy to remember, the patients talkative, the rads helpful and happy for me to do most of it. The week before I had difficulties getting the kidneys and bladder all on one cassette ( Called KUB- Kids , Ureter, Bladder) but now I'm expert having done quite a few.I can even tell if they will not fit one one cassette and thus require a renal ( kidneys only)
So to stop me from getting too cocky fate sent me TWO really weird shaped patients.
One short and stocky with Kids and Blad miles away from each other then a tall lanky patient with their kids almost balanced on top of their blad. So welcome to the radiographers "twitch"
This is a phenomenon that says no matter where you position your central beam you will always want to move it at the last minute by one cm. But..................especially if a student has done the positioning.
Next week sees me in the same dept on mobiles and theatre. I'm scared already.
I have visions of leaning against a wall and switching all the lights off at a crucial moment.
Or tripping over and putting my hand in some empty patient body cavity.
Since we have all been in the same cramped viewing area for the last few weeks the earlier students on this rota say you are in and out very quickly with no time to hang around or ask questions. Still mobiles will give me the chance to see more of the vast hospital.

Think I've solved the aching feet problem..............................Busy Feet Gel insoles !!
I'll let you know if they are any good.