The Beginning of the End

Several people have asked me how school is going so far.  It's time for a serious update.  I know.  I still don't have a New York or Disney post, but I seriously didn't have time to get on the Internet outside of school-related stuff last week.

Monday was day one of our 30 month adventure of Mommy in PA school.  I woke up bright and early at 5:30am to get dressed and ready to go.  Made my lunch like a good girl and woke the girls at 7:00am to get them dressed and ready to go.  We were out the door by 7:10 and at their school by 7:25.  Leaving the girls at school was not made any easier when they both looked up at me and said, "Mommy, wanna go home."  My heart still shatters into a million pieces when I think about that moment.  Thankfully there were no tears as I walked out the door.

I made it to my school by 7:45, which gave me plenty of time to find my building, find a parking spot, organize my things and put on a brave face for Anatomy Lab.  We were divided into six groups, one for each cadaver.  All was well until we opened the lid on our cadaver table.  That is a smell that I don't think I will ever get used to.  I tried to be brave and get close, but then I started feeling the blood drain from my face.  I sat down to avoid passing out.  I must have looked pretty bad because several people asked me if I was okay.  When a girl in my group offered me a piece of gum, I took her up on it and the smell of WinterFresh immediately replaced formaldehyde.  By the end of the class, I was watching my classmates dissect, but was not yet ready to actively participate.

After lab, we have lecture.  This is the schedule everyday.  It's a teleconference with a professor in Oklahoma City.  Questions are harder this way.  Nobody is thrilled with it.  Apparently the Anatomy professor from last year went in for a procedure shortly after the Spring semester let out and didn't make it.  Another example of why I believe that one should consider surgery thoroughly before jumping under the knife.

After lab is lunch and then we have another lecture.  Depending on the day of the week it varies from 2-4 hours long.  In addition to Anatomy, we are taking BioChemistry, Professional Issues in Medicine, and Public Health.  Yesterday we took a Medical Terminology test and assuming I passed, that will be the last I will have of that class.

We didn't get the car seats in for Jonathan's car until Tuesday, so I had to pick the girls up from school Monday and Tuesday.  Now it's Jonathan's job to pick them up.  This gives me a little flexibility so I can spend quality time with the cadavers (I am fully capable of participating in the dissection of Fiona now - Fiona because her skin is a bit green) Thursday evenings in preparation for our weekly Friday lab exams.  Fill-in-the-blank.  Ouch.  There's no guessing.  You just either remember what you are looking at and the term for it or you don't.  Pretty sure I passed, but most likely won't be hanging that grade on the fridge.

I did a good job this week of making up a list of easy meals and shopping for them over the weekend.  I came home and knew exactly what my options were and had everything on hand.  Hopefully I will remain diligent with that.  Despite all my preparation and the support of my amazing husband, I have been experiencing a lot of anxiety.  The kind that twists my stomach in knots and makes me wonder just when I will toss my cookies.  Also, even though I am a (nearly) 30-year old student with a husband and two kids, I feel a bit overlooked by some of the other students - it's like high school all over again.  Hopefully, as my anxiety passes and I get to know everyone better, this too will pass.

As for the girls, they don't seem to be any worse for the wear.  They miss us, but seem to have fun at school.  They only cried two of the five days we went to school and I'm sure that will improve when they get used to our new routine.  I'm not happy with the foods they are fed (taquitos, pancake-on-a-stick, pop tarts - seriously?), but their school is clean and the teachers are nice and they have been napping.

Prayers are appreciated.  This is going to be hard on all of us.

Just When I Thought I Was Going to be Productive...

Yesterday I finally caught up on all my blog reading, so I thought it was (way) past time for me to update the world on my May.  Pictures of the girls, trip to New York, and trip to Disney World.  It's been a busy month.  Just as I was about to put the SD card into the laptop, it turned itself off.  What?!?!  The only things running on my computer were my picture album and Internet Explorer with three tabs open.  I checked to make sure it was still plugged in since the battery doesn't work anymore and the blue light told me it was.  Yet, the darn thing won't turn back on.  I push the button and nothing.  I hold the button down and nothing.  I'm at a loss.  All I know is that ALL the pictures of my girls are on there and if I lose those I will be extremely upset.  So any computer saavy people out there with any suggestions for me?  I suppose I will just take it to the repair shop later today.  If I am able to get my pictures back, any suggestions for how to handle digital photographs in the future?  Thumb drive, CD, external hard drive?  What's the best option?  Any suggestions for new lap tops?  Preferrably ones that don't shut themselves off randomly and refuse to start again.

Okay, must rescue my office from my coloring kids.

Loving The Word

Julia found my Bible in my purse the other day and was carrying it around like a prized possession (she's so smart).  Both girls received two Bibles (Gideon sized) as gifts when they were born, so I pulled them out and let them each have one.  Now they both carry them everywhere with them and ask me to read it to them.  Of course I oblige.  The part that really makes me laugh about the whole thing is that when Julia says Bible, she says it like she's from the deep South.  She also regularly looks for the pictures.  It goes something like this:

Where pictures go?
Where go?
No more pictures.
Pictures gone.

Now Momma needs to take a lesson from her girls and pick up her own Bible more often.

Catching Up

For those of you that have been following the story of my frustration with my doctor's office, I finally have resolution for you.  I went with the calling three times a day strategy until I got some answers.  It took three days before I finally got to talk to the nurse.  She said that all my results for all my lab work were good, except there was one that my doctor was unsure of and wanted to review with another doctor.  She told me that he said it was his fault he hadn't done anything on it yet and that he planned to do it before noon that day.  So I said, "Then theoretically I should get a phone call before the end of the day today?"  I'm told yet.  Good thing I didn't hold my breath.  So I resumed my three times a day calls until I finally received a phone call 13 days after my blood was drawn for my titers.  They thought my Hep B titer had come back negative.  Turns out they ran the wrong test on it.  And it apparently took them 13 DAYS to figure this out.  Fortunately the lab girl I spoke with was surprisingly helpful.  She told me they wouldn't charge for the test I didn't need done (gee, how sweet) and arranged for me to have it done at an office very near my house the same day.  I tried to get a babysitter for the girls, but it was short notice, so I braved the trip to the office with the girls.  My normally wild, all-over-the-place girls were angels.  I put on my bravest face and smiled through the whole thing and told the girls exactly what was happening.  Julia stuffed all her fingers in her mouth at once and cried the whole time my blood was being drawn.  I kept telling her it didn't hurt and that Mommy was okay, but she was very upset for me.  Amelia just stared and wasn't quite sure what to think.  When the phlebotomist wrapped my arm in guaze they were afraid that I had an owie.  "Just a little one," I told them.  "It will be all better by the time we get home."  The next day I was able to go pickup all my paperwork from my doctor's office, so I can finally get it to my school.

In more interesting news to all my Mommy readers out there, we have been working on potty training at our house.  The girls were telling me they needed to potty often - and by often I mean that I felt as though I was spending my day in the bathroom.  I wouldn't have minded if they actually did something up there aside from playing, but they weren't.  It was just an excuse to get Mommy's undivided attention.  In an effort to reward good potty behavior and curb "bad" potty behavior, I started giving two Reeses Pieces every time they actually did something on the potty.  This seems to be working.  Now we go diaperless most of the morning and part of the afternoon and both girls are really getting the hang of it.  Julia has even started asking to go when we are out in public!  This should add an unexpected twist to our Disney trip, but I think it's well-worth it.

Now for a laugh:  Julia is still really enjoying her "Little Bunny Poopoo" song and both girls have added motions to it.  They are really working hard at making bunny ears with their fingers.  I had no idea it was all that tricky until I watched them try to do it.

Lastly, pray for wisdom for us as we go through the process of accepting and declining student loans.  What a headache.

Countdown

Six days until I leave for NYC to celebrate turning 30 with three of my girlfriends.

Eighteen days until I leave for DisneyWorld with the hubby and kiddos.

Four weeks until orientation.

One month until school starts.

Thirty-one months until graduation.

Sweet Sisters

My girls had a stomach bug last week.  Julia woke up at 12:45am Friday morning.  At 1:00 I had to change her sheets.  At one point I brought Amelia into our bed to sleep because she was so uncomfortable and just needed to cuddle.  I heard Julia get sick again and jumped out of bed.  When I tried to put Julia back in bed she wouldn't go to sleep because she didn't know where her sister was.  "Sissy.  Sissy," she kept crying out.  Meanwhile, Amelia had heard her sister crying and was on her way to help her.  I returned Amelia to her own bed so they could be together again.  Later, Amelia needed to go to the restroom to throw up.  Right after she got sick, she heard her sister crying in their room.  "Sissy, crying," she said as she ran in to check on her.  She gave her a little pat as her sister got sick in her bed.  Not a night I'd like to relive, but even in those terrible few hours, I was offered the fleeting opportunities to see just how much my girls love each other.  It's times like that I feel beyond blessed to have been given twins.

In unrelated news, if you really want a laugh, ask Julia about Little Bunny FooFoo and she'll tell you all about Little Bunny PooPoo.

An Update on my Frustrations

Let's see.  When I last left you with my angst, I had gone in for my lab results last Wednesday only to be told that the doctor was reviewing them and I would get a call when he was done.  Guess who never received a call?  Yup.  That's me.  So yesterday I called around 1:30.  I was told they would leave a message for the nurse and she would call me back.  No call.

Bear in mind that not only have I been asking for lab work from my blood draw on April 21st, but I also had lab work done April 7th that I still haven't heard anything on.  AND, I have told them repeatedly (as if they care) that this stuff is for paperwork that has to be turned in May 1st.  Guess who didn't get her paperwork turned in on time?  So not my style.

So I called this morning at 8:40.  "I'll leave a message for the nurse", says Candy the receptionist.  Thank you, Candy.  That's the same run-around garbage I've been told everytime I've called.  Of course I didn't say that.  I was polite.  It's not Candy's fault my doctor's nurse lacks follow-through.

I called again at 1:00.  This time I spoke with Cliff the receptionist.  "Hi, Cliff.  I called this morning to get my bloodwork results from April 7th and April 21st.  I've been told multiple times that I would get a call back and have yet to receive one.  I'd really like to know what's going on and at this point I feel like I have to pester you all to get any kind of answer.  Can you, please, tell me what's going on, Cliff?"  Cliff lets me know that the nurse is on lunch, but should be back in 15-20 minutes and he'll leave her a message to call me.  Thanks, Cliff, but your messages are apparently worthless because it's now 1:30 and the nurse still hasn't called me.

Do I need to call everyday three times a day to find out what's going on with my blood work?  Do I need to allow my two year-olds to run amuck in their office to get some answers?  What would you do if you were in my shoes?