The Great Adventure -- Sean Murphy's Blog

In the Thick of it.

2012-02-11T07:58:00.000-08:00

School is getting busy these days... We're getting ready for our big e-stim checkout on tuesday. I've had to work harder for this checkout than any other one we have had. Basically I'm going to get a scenario and I'll have 15 minutes to pick the appropriate machine, hook it up right, set the appropriate parameters, explain the treatment to the patient, and deliver the treatment correctly. I went in at 6:30 friday to practice and I'll probably be doing the same monday and tuesday. I'll be happy when this checkout is done.Thursday, I have a midterm over e-stim and some soft tissue massage which we'll start on Monday. Then on friday I have a quiz over the bony landmarks of the head and neck. That shouldn't be too bad because I've already had a lot of that in other classes.SO... Big week ahead. It's going to be crazy...Have a great day and God bless...Sean

E-Stim and Crutches

2012-02-04T09:36:00.000-08:00

We are still doing e-stim in our interventions class. I managed to get a 97 on my first mid term in there. I also got a 96 on my assistive device checkout which I was happy about. School is going really well. Have a great day and God bless...Sean

ROM and Electricity

2012-01-28T16:55:00.000-08:00

So it's fun times in all of our PTA classes these days. We're learning all about e-stim and range of motion/ stretching. I got a 97% on my first midterm. Next week, I have my checkout on assistive devices, Range of motion, and stretching. Still need some practice but I think I'll be okay.Have a great day and God bless...Sean

A Shortened School Week

2012-01-21T07:04:00.000-08:00

This was a very short week at school due to the MLK holiday and an unexpected snow day on Wednesday. We've been studying the physiology of pain in my interventions class along with ultrasound. We also just started our electrical stim. unit and I spent about 3 hours on Tuesday afternoon hooked up to various e-stim machines feeling all kinds of different jolts some of which felt good and were really kind of cool, in a weird sort of way, (like the one that made me involuntarily extend my wrist) to really annoying and almost painful. E-stim is very complicated so we have many more lectures and labs still to do on that subject.I also had my first checkout of the term (ultrasound) on Thursday. I haven't gotten my score back yet but I think I did well. In Kinesiology, we're still studying gait and ambulation aids. I'm learning all about how to teach people to manage crutches, canes, walkers, etc. I'll tell you, it's a lot more complicated than it looks. I'm really not minding having afternoon lab. Yes I miss getting out early and it makes the day a lot longer but I get a lot of studying done during our 4 hour break on Tuesday and Thursday. Plus, the weight room is open for an hour during that time so a bunch of us from the program usually go work out. It's kind of neat because it gives us a chance to hang out outside of class a little. Oh, and by the way, I was able to put up 225 on squats X 6 reps on Thursday which I'm pretty happy about given that I haven't done a real squat in about 5 years (no squat racks at SWCC).Okay, pop quiz: Do you know how some people get a headache or a stomach ache and immediately want someone to rub their back because it makes them feel better? Well, there is a real scientific explanation for why that is. I'll give a big "congradulations" to the first person who can tell me what that scientific explanation is. People from my PTA program can't answer this. :o)Have a great day and God bless...Sean

Winter Term Kick-Off

2012-01-13T22:55:00.000-08:00

Winter term kicked off this week with a bang. Most of the week was spent learning how to do theraputic ultrasound and studying gait and ambulation aids such as canes, walkers, and crutches. We had a huge crutch relay race out in the hall today which was kinda fun. We also had our first quiz of the term which I did really well on. All in all, it's off to a good start. Next week is a short week with MLK day on Monday. Thursday will bring my first check out on ultrasound which I'm feeling fairly confident about but I need to run through it a few more times as checkouts can be tricky as I found out last term.Just to make things more interesting, snow is in the forecast for the next few days through Monday at least. As of right now it dosen't look like a huge storm, maybe a couple of inches of accumulation at the most but it could potentially be enough to shut down school and make us miss a day. We'll see what the next few days brings...Have a great day and God bless...Sean

A Boxing Day Excursion

2011-12-26T15:51:00.000-08:00

Had a great time hiking on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge with my friend Doug today. First we went to the Green River Falls trail where I promptly got us lost. Luckily I got us lost in such a way that we ended up going in a big circle right back to our car. Then we drove back toward Vancouver and did part of the Cape Horn trail which is a really cool trail that goes along the cliffs by the Columbia River. There are some excellent viewpoints there and a couple of waterfalls. I would say that the Washington side of the Gorge has the edge in terms of the views but the Oregon side has the better waterfalls. We actually ended up having some decent weather too which surprised me a bit since it was supposed to rain.Anyway, it felt good to get out there and burn off some of that Christmas dinner! I'll have more pictures up on my Facebook page later on. Have a great day and God bless...Sean

4.0!

2011-12-15T07:27:00.001-08:00

Hey all...

This is the last school update of 2011. Throughout the term, I've been trying to post updates about school because I am blessed to have a whole team of family and friends who are right with me as I embark on this adventure. Some of these folks are far away and this is really the only way to keep them informed about how I'm doing.

So, the last week of school...finals week...is officially over for me and what's more, grades are in. I'm excited to say that for the first time in my life, I got a 4.0 GPA for the quarter! I'm excited and thankful to everyone who has supported me through this quarter. Both sets of parents (mine and Amys) have been EXTREMELY helpful and supportive. My Aunt Terry and Uncle Dick (along with a whole host of others) have also been very supportive in terms of prayer and words of encouragement for both myself and Amy. Most of all, my wife Amy has been amazing. For those of you who have never been in a marriage where one spouse goes back to school, the other spouse has to put up with a lot. Amy has had to endure lots of evenings alone upstairs while I am studying, a few last minute changes of plans (like yesterdays last minute "Oh by the way, I have to go into Oregon City and get my last Hepatitis Vaccination today." that I pulled) and even a few (I know this is hard to imagine) days of bad attitudes on my part because I'm stressed over a test or check out. Through it all, she has been nothing but supportive and I really appreciate that more than she will ever know. Love you sweetie!

So anyway, all that to say that I had a successful fall quarter and I just want everyone who has supported Amy and I to share in that with us. Thank you all. I'm excited to enjoy the moment for a little bit and then get back to work on a very challenging winter term in January.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Fall Term in the Books (Almost)

2011-12-09T21:12:00.000-08:00

This week was my last real week of fall term. We ended up PT interventions lab with an overview of theraputic exercise on Tuesday and a simulation on Thursday. The simulation involved a bunch of stations set up like a real hospital room (complete with IV's, catheters, etc.) where we ran through different scenarios (open heart surgery, hip replacement, stroke, pnemonia and MRSA, etc.) As patients, we had to have real catheters put in which was really uncomfortable but to make the experience as realistic as possible, that's what it took. Okay, I'm kidding, we didn't REALLY have catheters put in but we did have a catheter line running into our pockets (and no farther, thank God) and we had fake (i hope) pee in the bag so it was still pretty realistic. Anyway, it was a really good experience. We were all bumbling and making mistakes through the scenarios but at this point, that's still expected. We learned a whole lot and had a lot of fun at the same time.

Finals are next week. Monday is A&P, Tuesday is PT interventions and Wednesday, we finish with Intro to PT. After that, we close to book on fall term.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

First Quarter Winding Down

2011-12-03T10:03:00.000-08:00

Had a great Thanksgiving break. It was kind of hard to buckle down on Monday but by about Thursday night I was back in the swing of things.

Anyway, had my last checkout of the quarter on Tuesday. It was a minor train wreck as I kind of slow roasted my partner on hot packs because I forgot to put layers between her and the heat. That could have been an automatic fail but I think the thing that saved me was that I brought the layers over to the treatment area and just forgot to use them so instead of an automatic fail, I just got marked down a point. I ended up with a 17/20. My worst checkout score yet but still a solid pass so I'm not complaining.

So I now have one more week of classes and then finals week. Studying for finals begins in earnest this week.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

My Summer Clinical Site

2011-11-21T16:56:00.001-08:00

I found out where I will be doing my summer clinical today. I'm going to be working at a Consonus Skilled Nursing Facility. I'm pretty happy with that because although I didn't get any of my top 5 picks, I wanted to start out either in a nursing facility or acute care. I drew number 20/24 in the lottery so I was thrilled that this was still available by the time my turn to pick came up.

So anyway, I'll be working there for 4 weeks at the beginning of the summer for 40 hours a week. After that I will have 3 more clinical rotations in the last year of school. One will be in acute care, one will be in outpatient, and the third will be in the setting of my choosing.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Another Week in the Books

2011-11-18T06:21:00.001-08:00

This week was a slightly less hectic week than last although there were still 2 exams. My first one was on Tuesday in my PT interventions class and I ended up getting a 98 which was a nice surprise because there were some questions at the end that required me to make some clinical judgements with very little information. It turned out though that there was more than one correct answer to these questions and they weren't as difficult as I had thought they were.

My second exam will actually be in an hour and a half in Anatomy and physiology. I've spent the bulk of my time at home studying for that. It's over respiratory system, digestive system, and nutrient metabolism. Once you figure out all of the chemistry nutrient metabolism is actually very interesting. So is digestive. I had no idea how interesting the liver is. It's basically the control center for processing all of our foods. It can decide to store nutrients, send them to the tissues via the bloodstream to be used, or even change their composition (it's true...there's a little chemistry lab in our livers that can in some cases change one nutrient to another nutrient depending on what the needs of our body are at that moment.) It's pretty amazing. In class right now we are studying the urinary system and those of you who follow me on facebook know that I learned why my pee smells so bad when I eat asparagus... It's because... no... I need to move on but if you really want to know either check out my facebook page or drop me a line and I will tell you. It's really quite fascinating.

In my PT classes we have been exploring the use of modalities (heat and cold). Some highlights: shoving my foot into a bucket of ice water on tuesday and having my face turn bright red; and doing parafin on my hand on Thursday. The parafin was kind of weird. Not sure that I really liked it. In intro to PT we have been talking about the health care system. I actually went to a political forum on tuesday for a class assignment which was a debate on universal health care. It was interesting. We're now studying the new health care laws which to my understanding stop short of being universal health care but is kind of moving in that direction. I'm not sure how I feel about the subject just yet. I'll be researching it more over the weekend for class. I'll say for now that the new health care laws have some things in them that I MIGHT like but I have some real concerns too.

Today I start my wheelchair experience. I'll probably spend from noon today until noon tommorow in the chair. I have to go shopping in it and prepare a meal in it as well.

On Monday we will be chosing our clinical sites for the summer. There is going to be a lottery and we'll all draw numbers to see who picks first. I'm going to try to get an acute care or nursing facility this first time around if I can. We'll see how it goes though.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

A Crazy Week Comes to an End

2011-11-10T21:11:00.001-08:00

This week at school was only 4 days long because of veterans day but it was craziness. It started with an exam and a quiz on the same day on Monday. I was able to score 100% on both although there was a little bit of lucky guessing involved in that feat. Tuesday I had my wheelchair checkout where I demonstrated my ability to fit another person to a wheelchair, maneuver a wheelchair forward, backward, right, left, and through a door, and operate a reclining wheelchair. I did everything wonderfully until it came time for me to demonstrate folding the wheelchair. Now you have to understand that we have these rickety old wheelchairs that my instructor was using when she was going through the program and they were old then. So I went to fold up the wheelchair like you're supposed to do and it didn't budge. So I panicked a little and grabbed the armrests and tried to pull on them to fold it up. The only problem with that strategy was that these particular armrests were of the "pull out" variety. As you can imagine, things kind of went downhill from there. I think I probably only lost a point and I think I still got a 19 or so out of 20 but still to mess up on the easiest part of the checkout ticked me off a little. It's one of those things where part of you is laughing about it and the other part of you is kinda pissed...

Anyway, today I had my transfer checkout which was the one I was most nervous about. My nervousness didn't exactly go away when the first group to go through the checkout came back and told us that there was something unexpected waiting for us and that they couldn't tell us what it was. Luckily we were the second pair to go and it turned out that she had just planned out a little patient scenario for us. Not a big deal. The checkout went really well. I think I got a 20/20 on it although I don't know officially.

So anyway, long story short, I got through the week. We're starting to get into cryotherapy (cold therapy) which is interesting. Let me just say that I still think that the styrofoam cup filled with ice is the greatest healing device in the history of sports medicine. I just used it the other day for a sore foot and it completely went away after one treatment.

Amy started the Harvest Moon Bazaar today. She made 120 dollars in 4 hours selling her cards. Pretty sweet! We are very thankful. If you didn't make it out to the Bazaar today don't worry. We'll be there tommorow 10-8 and Saturday 10-1 (I think). Speaking of which, gotta get to bed.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Another Interesting Week

2011-11-05T09:20:00.000-07:00

Well, last week sickness was the obstacle to be overcome. This week, it has been the car. Tuesday morning I went out and couldn't get it to start. I borrowed the Carolla from Amys parents and barely made it to school on time. I then came home and charged the battery and the thing started right away. We took it to Les Schwab that afternoon and had them check the battery. The battery checked out normal. Wednesday morning I went to start the car and again it wouldn't start. SO we used the battery charger again that afternoon and back to Les Schwab we went. This time they put in a whole new battery which seemed to do the trick.

SO, we are starting to get into some interesting stuff at school. We've been talking in class about tissue healing and doing an overview of different kinds of injuries that can be sustained by ligaments, tendons, cartilage, and muscle. This is just a fly over look at the topic and we will be delving more in depth into some of these things as the program progresses. I'm pretty happy to be getting into some of the more scientific/ clinical stuff though.

I had a checkout on patient positioning on Tuesday which I thought I had kind of messed up but when I got my evaluation back I found that I'd actually gotten a 19/20 on it. Thursday in lab we learned how to maneuver and maintain a wheelchair. As we were practicing maneuvering in and out of doors other students were wanting to come and hold the door open for us which of course sort of defeated the purpose of practicing. Our instructor had to put a sign up on the door asking people not to help because we needed to practice our mobility. It was kind of a fun and eye opening lab. In a couple of weeks I'm REALLY going to get my eyes open because I have to spend a full 24 hours in a wheelchair. I have to go shopping and prepare a meal while in the chair. Part of me is kind of looking forward to the exercise and part of me is kind of dreading it. There's part of me that feels like I'm kind of misleading people by going around in a chair for a day but I do see the rationale behind the assignment. It's good for people in the medical professions to try to get some idea of what their patients are going through.

We had a lab test in Anatomy and Physiology Friday which I think went well. Should be another A.

Next week is going to be nuts!. Monday I have a mid term and a quiz. Tuesday I have a checkout. Thursday I have another checkout. The term started out kind of slow but it's not slow anymore!

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Illness Update

2011-11-01T13:59:00.001-07:00

Me: Just about over my cold but still have that stupid cough that hangs around for weeks and weeks afterward. Going back to regular activity starting yesterday though.

Amy: Also improving. Sinuses are opening up. Still very weak and tired. That's to be expected though. We did learn a few things about cold management though. #1. Hypertonic (AKA more salt) nasal sinus rinses seem to help with congestion. In theory, the extra salt should draw some of the fluid out from swollen up (and shut) nasal tissues having a decongestant effect. I tried this on Amy over the weekend and it seemed to help her some. #2. For minor nasuea, the over the counter dextrose/ phosphoric acid liquids do seem to work IF you can get it down. They taste super horrible, especially if you have an upset stomach but if ginger ale, pepto bismol, etc fail (or you just don't have any), it's worth a shot.

So today was one of those days. I got up, went to turn on the shower, and the knob came off in my hand. So I had to stand there in my boxers (sorry for the visualization) with a screwdriver for about 5 minutes putting that back together. Then when I went out to the car this morning I discovered that the battery had died overnight. So Larry and Judith kindly let me borrow their Carolla so that I could get to school. I had my checkout today which was a little ugly but I think I passed it.

Then I came home, tinkered around with the car and decided that before I put a bunch of money into a mechanic/ tow truck etc. I should try to jump start it. So I got Larrys battery charger and hooked it up. To my delight the car started right up. I took it for a test drive and later, we're going to take it to Les Schwab to have them check out the battery. If that's the only problem, I'll be relieved. I was thinking I was about to put a new starter in the thing and I've been there and done that and let's just say that's NOT a good time.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

The Sickness Continues

2011-10-29T18:45:00.001-07:00

Amy has been very sick last night and today with what she describes as the worst sinus infection she's ever had. With mucinex, nasal rinses, and sudafed we have finally gotten through some of the stuffiness although it is not completely clear.

She also spiked a little bit of a fever today but that came down on its own. So yeah, it's been kind of a crappy few days.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

School Update Week 4

2011-10-28T13:25:00.000-07:00

Let's see... Lots going on at school. I got a 100 on my midterm in PT Interventions which was a bit of a surprise. I thought I'd done well but didn't realize I'd done that well. I also had a midterm in A&P today which I feel good about. Results should come early next week.

PT Interventions has been all about transfers this week. I had no idea there were so many ways to move people! We've started studying the respiratory system in A&P. Haven't gotten a long way into that yet but should be interesting.

Amy and I have both been sick all week. Kind of put a damper on our anniversary. I've had a bad cough most of the week which is just now starting to loosen its grip. Amy seems to have another sinus infection and is flat on her back as I write this. I've never been this sick before. This is 2 colds now this season and it's not even November yet!!!

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Move Over Clifford... Walter the Farting Dog, Americas New Childrens Book Hero

2011-10-28T06:54:00.000-07:00

I have the picture to prove it. There is an actual series of childrens books available called "Walter the Farting Dog." It's all about the misadventures of a lovable but flatulent canine and his family. Here is the storyline for the first book from Amazon.com.

Walter, an apologetic-looking dog adopted from the pound, passes gas morning, noon, and night, no matter what he eats, whether it's a 25-pound bag of low-fart dog biscuits, cat food, or fried chicken. On the bright side, "If Uncle Irv let one slip, he just went and stood near Walter." When Father reaches the limit of his patience with Walter's flatulence, he decides the pooch is once again pound-bound, despite Betty and Billy's pleading. Poor Walter knows his days are numbered and "He resolved to hold in his farts forever." That very night, two burglars break into Walter's family's house, and (you can see where this is going) Walter gasses the burglars with a "hideous cloud" that forces them to drop their loot and run into the clutches of the police officers, "choking and gasping for air." The next morning Father and Mother discover Walter has saved the day--or at least their silverware and VCR. "And so the family learned to live with Walter, the hero dog. And that is the end of our tail."

There is also a whole series of sequels to this book including such riveting titles as: Walter the Farting Dog: Trouble at the Yard Sale, Walter the Farting Dog: Banned from the Beach, and Walter the Farting Dog Goes on a Cruise (I won't spoil the whole thing for you but it involves poor Walter getting towed behind the cruise liner in a lifeboat for the majority of the cruise). There is even a plush Walter the Farting Dog stuffed toy for the true Walter Buff. I wonder what happens when you squeeze it!

Anyway, I say it's about time that someone had the courage to bring the problem of canine flatulance to the forefront of the national conciousness. I know my old dog Tiger used to let a few slip and it wasn't a pleasant situation for anyone involved when that happened.

Just thought this was an interesting Friday morning topic.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Doctor Visit

2011-10-25T17:45:00.000-07:00

Took Amy to the doctor today to see about her Costochondritis. He gave her a new oral anti inflamatory and a topical one also. Hope they work.

My cough is still there. It was kind of tough dealing with it while trying to do lab today.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Murphy MASH Unit

2011-10-25T05:57:00.000-07:00

Amys Costochondritis has gotten really bad again to the point where it's interfering with her daily activities. I'm taking her to the doctor this afternoon.

Meanwhile, I'm not faring much better. I've had a horrible cough since yesterday. This is my second illness of the winter and we're not even out of October yet. Unreal.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

School Week 4

2011-10-22T19:34:00.001-07:00

It was a busy week 4 at school. I found out early in the week that I got a 98% on my first lab exam in A&P. Now I am busy getting ready for my first lecture exam in that class which will cover, blood, the heart, blood vessels, the lymphatic system, and immunity. There is a ton of information to learn. I don't think I've ever taken a test over this much stuff before.

With a little luck, I was able to pass my vital signs checkout in PT Interventions on Tuesday with a 20/20. I had to accurately measure my partners pulse, respiration, O2 sats, and blood pressure. I dodged a bullet when I started counting my partners respirations without looking at the clock. I had to guess a little but my number corresponded to the number that my instructor got so I got super lucky on that one. I also had to take the blood pressure again (we had a double headed stethescope so that my instructor could do the measurement at the same time that I did. Having a stethescope with two sets of earpieces dampens the sounds even more which made it even harder. Anyway, to my great relief I passed my checkout.

We are working on a variety of things in PT interventions. We practiced some bed mobility (helping patients move up and down in bed, turn over, sit up, etc.) and wheelchair fitting in lab on Thursday. We have also started studying transfers.

I had my first exam in PT interventions on Thursday as well. I haven't gotten my grade for it but I feel like I probably aced it. My studies this week were rounded off by a look at the history of Physical Therapy in my intro class.

Next week promises more busyness. I have a huge lecture exam in A&P which is consuming most of my free time right now. I also have a quiz over transfers on Monday.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

The Vision Walk and a School Update.

2011-10-16T11:04:00.000-07:00

Well we went to the Vision Walk yesterday morning but had to leave before it even started because Amy was sick. She had a really bad stomach ache and after trying to tough it out for a couple of hours, couldn't take it anymore and had to go home. It was hard but if you're sick you're sick.

Anyway, we came home, Amy slept, I studied and listened to the Beaver game on the radio (another tough loss), Then we watched the Ducks game on TV which was just the coolest thing ever! And I almost didn't watch this week!

ANYWAY today is study day. No football. NO! Books! I have a check out on Tuesday that I'm really nervous about. Basically I have to take someones blood pressure with a special stethescope that allows my instructor to listen in and I have to be within 4 mmHg of what she gets or I'm toast. I also have to take a radial pulse, count respirations, and take someones SpO2 (a little thing that goes on your finger that will measure the oxygen saturation in your red blood cells... You can actually get them at your corner drug store now. Not a terrible idea for someone with respiratory problems). Those should be fairly straightforward but it's the blood pressure that I'm nervous about.

Last week we studied patient positioning and wheelchairs. Not really fun stuff but it's stuff I need to know about. There will be more fun stuff later on when we do hydrotherapy and stuff like that. I had a lab test in A&P which I think went really well. I'm sure I got an A on it. Next thursday I have an exam in my PTA interventions class. So the pace is picking up. Thank you all for your prayers and support. Things are going well.

Have a great day and God bless

Sean

2 Days to Vision Walk and Amy is Sick

2011-10-13T21:26:00.001-07:00

Please pray for Amys health. The Vision Walk is in 2 days and she has a real bad sore throat, sinus pressure, and a lot of drainage. She went on antibiotics today. Please pray that she could be good to go in time for the walk.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Cheese -- The New Morphine

2011-10-11T19:20:00.000-07:00

So Amy and I were at the nutritionists today and we learned something about cheese. It actually has a chemical in it that when broken down by the gut, stimulates the pleasure center of the brain. In fact, according to some articles that I read online this evening, the chemical is basically Morphine at about 1/10 the power of the real drug.

Just thought that was interesting.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

The Hunt is On!

2011-10-08T16:31:00.000-07:00

Amy and I had a good time hunting Friday evening with the Musgroves just outside of Estacada. Actually, Amy was the one officially hunting. I don't have a liscense so I was just along for moral support. We walked back into a location for about a half mile or maybe a little more and tried to wait out some deer however, no deer made an appearance (except while we were walking back in the dark). So anyway it was a fun time and we enjoyed ourselves. Another cool thing was that although Amy was a little sore afterward, she was able to walk back in there and out and required very little rest. Curves is paying off!!

Have a great day and God Bless...

Sean

Week 2 in the Books

2011-10-07T21:46:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm done with my second week of school. It's been a good and educational 5 days. In PTA Interventions we learned how to put on and take off our personal protective equipment (gloves, masks, goggles, gowns, etc.) that we will be using for patient treatment when we get into clinic. There is a certain way to put on and take off this equipment so as not to get contaminated. I have to do a check out on that on Tuesday. We also learned how to take vital signs (pulse, blood pressure, O2 sats, etc).

In Anatomy and Physiology we're studying the heart. We dissected pig hearts today which was interesting because they are very similar to human hearts.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Throat is Better

2011-10-04T06:06:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm happy to say that I don't have a sore throat anymore. Now it's just the basic stuffy/ runny nose, run down feeling, and headache that comes with a cold. Not really happy about having those but they're better than a sore throat. It's frustrating because I so badly want to go for a run. It's been 3 weeks since I've had a real workout. Oh well. Just have to wait it out.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Sore Throat

2011-10-03T06:54:00.001-07:00

Last night I had a really sore throat. It feels better this morning but it is still there. The back of my throat looks really angry. I'm just pounding the water and throat coat tea and gargling with salt water. Hopefully it will just go away on its own.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

First Week Almost Over

2011-09-29T13:57:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm almost done with my first week in the PTA program and I'm still glad I did it. It was actually kind of a slow week homework wise as we got started but it's starting to build up. I'm sure in no time I'll be writing about how every spare minute I have my nose in one book or another.

We started out in the PTA classes learning about posture, body mechanics, and teaching. We spent most of the day in lab today just picking things up and carrying them around and putting them down in random places. Then we brought in a couple of wheel chairs and pushed them around in the midst of all the chaos. We also had a hospital bed rolling around the room. I'm sure it looked pretty funny to anyone who might have been looking into the window of our lab but the point was to push, pull, lift etc with proper technique keeping a neutral spine etc. We've also gotten some practice doing postural assessments on each other which is harder than it might sound.

In anatomy and physiology we're studying blood which I hate because it makes me queasy. I seriously almost passed out twice in class yesterday and tommorow is lab so I will be studying blood part of the time without the luxury of a seat...yeah kinda dangerous. I'm trying to study it a little bit everyday just to get myself used to it. Maybe if I gradually expose myself to thinking, writing, talking, and looking at pictures of blood, I'll be able to overcome my queasiness. If anyone else has any suggestions for that, let me know. It's weird because I can handle blood fairly well in some contexts and not so well in others (the idea of blood draws makes me want to go lay down for awhile...oh and when she started talking about athletes blood doping, I almost went lights out...seriously, who does that??!! And no, I'm not going to explain what blood doping is because I'm getting queasy again so if you don't know, go look it up.)

Okay, new subject. Any new subject. Did you hear about the book that just came out about Walter Payton? This author got some dirt on him -- things like infidelity, drug use, etc. I really kind of hope the book bombs. They guy has been dead for how many years? Leave him and his family alone! What good does it do to bring this stuff out now? Some of the stuff may not even be true although some of it probably is but that's not even the point. Let the guy rest in peace. Let his fans have a good image of him even if it's not a totally accurate one, and let his family move on. It's almost like he's making the family go through his death all over again and I'm sure it will open up a bunch of emotional wounds for them. I'm just sayin'.

Anyway, that's about it for today. Football friday tomorrow!!!

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

My First Day

2011-09-26T18:54:00.000-07:00

Had a good first day of classes today. It was good to finally kick it off. Todays classes were Physical Therapy Interventions, Intro to PT, and Anatomy and Physiology. Tomorrow I have PT interventions and PT interventions lab. We're going to be working on posture.

I bought a stability ball today since I can't use the weight training facilities at Mount Hood. I'm using a backpack full of rocks and the ball to try to get somewhat of a halfway decent workout in. Did some push-ups, lunges, and crunches on the ball. Jillian Michaels would have been real proud. Praying that I can figure out a way to challenge myself with my workouts like I was before. I'm scared to death of losing all of my progress that I spent 2 years gaining.

Have a great day and God bless....

Sean

Workin' Hard

2011-09-25T14:41:00.001-07:00

This last week has been busy. Mostly it's been helping with some projects around the house, wood cutting and stacking, helping Larry in fixing Larry and Judiths deck, trimming the arbor vitae around the house (which is more difficult than I had thought. Some of the branches have gotten to be good sized.) We got a lot done.

School starts tommorow. I'm excited to get started but a little scared as well. I'm going to have to be creative about my exercising because I found out on Thursday that I won't be able to use their fitness center there. I just put a bunch of rocks in my hiking backpack and that might be how I weightlift for the next 2 years.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Orientation Today

2011-09-22T06:59:00.000-07:00

Today I go in for Orientation for the PTA program at Mount Hood. I'll be there from 8 to noon meeting instructors students, etc.

I got my scholarship paperwork all turned in yesterday so that is good to go. I also helped with some more woodcutting. Today after orientation I'll help Larry clean up some wood piles that fell over yesterday. One of them fell as Amy and I were going out to the car to go to an FFB social. I went over and checked it out just long enough to make sure that there were no people underneath the pile when it fell (thank God there wasn't... I had just been in there checking the stack out an hour or so beforehand). Then we had to get to this FFB thing so I left it like it was. I'll clean up the mess this afternoon.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

What A Day

2011-09-20T19:41:00.000-07:00

Today was a big day. It was a good day but busy. I started out by mowing the field. Then the majority of the day after that was helping Larry and another friend of the family cut and stack wood for the winter. That was exhausting but fun. Got to use the chain saw again.

But here's the BIG news: I found out today that I got a scholarship for school. $1000.00 to be spread out through the 3 quarters of the 2011-2012 acedemic year.. It's the MHCC Foundation Riverview Community Bank scholarship. How exciting is that? God is so good! The only down side is that I was supposed to have been notified back in March that I got it but they sent the letter to my old address (I thought I notified the school that I had moved) I have to turn in my acceptance letter by September 23rd SO I'm not taking any chances. Tommorow, I'm going to drive into Gresham after we get another truckload of wood and hand the paperwork in to the financial aid office personally. It's just that important.

So that's all the news. Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

So Long, Farewell, Auf Weidersehn Good bye!!

2011-09-18T06:20:00.000-07:00

Friday was my last day at work at Southwest Community Center. I had worked there for over 7 years. It's strange leaving a place for the last time that you've been going to every day for that long. Never quite had that experience before. Here's how the day went.

8:00 AM -- I arrived for my last workout. I decided to go with moderate level plyometrics... a difficult workout but nothing too crazy like jump lunges. The workout went well and I felt good afterwords

8:45 -- Go to the family change room (locker rooms were closed due to maintenance) put on deoderant, changed clothes etc.

9:00 -- My shift started. Made sure that all of my clients paperwork was in order so that I could pass them on to their next trainer. Wrote a short note in response to a goodbye note from the evening trainer saying that it has been a pleasure working with her. Talked to Bob (my replacement who will be working this shift with me). and then got a spray bottle and rag and started wiping down machines. I didn't do a very good job of cleaning. There was a lot on my mind.

9:45 -- Frank, an 80 year old man comes up to say goodbye. Frank and I have had our differences over the years but we've always managed to stay on good terms. He gives me a big hug and I tell him to take care of himself.

10:15 -- A patron comes up to me angry because there is only one recumbant bike left. I had to dismantle the other two. After the lady stormed out, I started the "It's not my problem countdown". Three hours and forty five minutes until it's not my problem anymore!

10:50 -- Another man asks me about the bike situation. I explain to him that I don't know if they're planning to replace the missing bikes and encourage him to fill out a comment card. He's polite about it but I can tell he's not happy. "It's not my problem countdown": Three hours ten minutes.

11:00 -- Judy, a long time client comes in for the last session with me. Bob comes around with us for part of the session because he will be taking over Judys workouts. They seem to get along well and for that I am happy.

Noon -- My last session with Judy comes to an end. I will miss her. She's been working with me for over 3 years and her condition in that time has improved drastically. I gave her my e-mail address so that she can keep in touch. She gives me a big hug and then leaves. I look down to find that my supervisor has left me a card with a gift in it and a very kind note. She has left for the day (the turkey). That's okay. I don't think goodbyes are either of our thing. I make a mental note to leave her a note before I leave. She's been a great supervisor and a great leader.

12:30 -- I say goodbye to Maya, another trainer.

1:00 -- Nancy and Towner, 2 other long time clients in their 80's come in for their last session. They had forgotten that it was my last day. We have a good (but short -- Towner had a doctors appointment to get to) session and they leave expressing gratitude for our work together. I admonish them to keep going with exercise and not let themselves get sedentary. They promise to. I really hope they keep that promise.

1:30 -- I look busy but really I'm doing nothing. I have only 30 minutes to go in my career as a personal trainer. My mind is going a mile a minute.

1:45 -- A man gets into an argument with another man over the recumbant bike. I don't intervene. I just listen from the back room. I'm done handling that kind of stuff. If it gets out of hand Bob is out there. He can handle it. One of the men starts asking Bob a bunch of questions about the maintenance on the bike. I finally go out and let him know that I have scheduled an appointment for someone to come out and work on it maybe next week. He seems satisfied with that. "It's not my problem countdown": 15 minutes.

1:50 -- The man complains to Bob that the bike is acting up and needs lubrication. Bob takes care of it. "It's not my problem countdown:" 10 minutes.

1:55 -- I'm just wandering around the fitness center by now. Something in my head tells me, "It's time." I ask Bob if he has any last minute questions. He does not. So I wish him luck and leave the fitness center. I talk to the center director for awhile and then sit out in the lobby and write Linda a note thanking her for all that she's done for me over the years. I go back to the center director, have her sign my last timesheet, put it in the appropriate spot, say a final goodbye to the front desk ladies and Terry the maintenace guy and leave. I don't take my usual route through the supply hallway. That is an employees only area.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

This is it...

2011-09-15T17:25:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow will be the last day of a 10 year personal training career. In a way I'm looking forward to it, and in a way I'm not. There are a lot of hard goodbyes to say especially to clients and co workers. It's time though. I'm ready. I think I just want the day to go quick so it doesn't drag out. I'm sure that as I walk out the door for the last time, the memories will come flooding back. Like the guy who had a heart attack in there, (he lived) the umm... let's just say confused teenager who was such a pain but wanted so much for me to like him. The strange characters who came in from time to time like the guy who invited me to the Boom Boom Room after work because "That's where the Blazers be hangin' out" (I politely declined.) Lots of memories over 7 years. Often I thought that couldn't wait for this day to come but now that it's here, it's bittersweet. I'm attached to the place and for better or worse, I'm attached to the people there. Anytime you leave a situation like that it hurts a little. But every good book has chapters and to get anything out of the book, from time to time you have to leave one chapter and go on to the next. And so tommorow afternoon at about 2:00, the page will turn and the next chapter will begin. Can't wait to see where the story goes next.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Maintenance Over

2011-09-14T17:30:00.000-07:00

Well, the last three days have been a blur of maintenance projects at work. We emptied the back room with all of the group fitness equipment (weights etc) on Monday so that they could put up plywood to protect the walls. I then did maintenance on all of the machines that hadn't been maintained last week. Tuesday I couldn't really do much because they weren't done with the back room. Today was exhausting. We put all of the stuff back into the back room. Then I high dusted and mopped the floors. All of it took about 7 hours with very little in the way of breaks etc but I feel good about it. The back room looks amazing...better than it ever has since I've worked there and the fitness center is much less dusty than it was. It feels good that with the help of my co-workers, I will be leaving the place much better than I found it just over 7 years ago.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

The Final Countdown

2011-09-12T06:50:00.000-07:00

Today I start my last week as a personal trainer. A ten year career comes to an end on Friday. It's a little scary and a little sad... also a little exciting. I know I can't stay. I know that this will not make a life for Amy and I. After this week I'll take my first steps down a new career path which I believe will set us up well for the future.

Monday through Wednesday the building will be closed for maintenance so I'll be going in for a few hours here and there to do some work in the fitness center. Then Thursday and Friday, I will have my last two days to say goodbye to patrons, clients, other staff, etc. Please pray this week as I'm sure it will be an emotional roller coaster.

Have a great day and God bless....

Sean

Home Again

2011-09-06T07:36:00.000-07:00

Had a great time in Medford this Labor Day weekend. Enjoyed watching the game with our friends Rhonda and Jeff (even though the outcome wasn't really what we had hoped for) on Saturday and then spending the day with my parents up around the Union Creek area on Sunday. Had a good drive back on Monday (lots of traffic) and am ready to get back to work today...

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Whirlwind Update

2011-09-03T11:00:00.000-07:00

Hey all...

Just wanted to update you on what's up! Thursday I took probably the best first aid/ CPR/ AED class I've ever taken. It was at a company called CPR Lifeline and the instructor was really good. He made it really interesting and he also made us practice and actually learn the stuff (go figure) unlike some other places where I've been trained *cough* red cross *cough*. Anyway, I'm a lot more confident now especially with the AED. I also learned how to use a bag mask on a patient.

Friday was my last full 8 hour shift at my job. I'll go in part time for the next two weeks mainly to train my replacement and finish up with clients. Then I'm done there. It's exciting and scary at the same time.

Remember on Monday when I couldn't complete my three mile run test? Well yesterday I tried it again and not only did I complete it but I shaved over 2:00 off of my May time. I was excited. For those of you keeping track, my time was 24:41. Average speed: 7.3 MPH.

After work, Amy and I drove to my parents house down in Medford. We're going to spend Labor day weekend here, visit with our friends Rhonda and Jeff and our God Children and of course watch the big game. GO DUCKS!!

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

My Crazy Schedule

2011-08-31T17:31:00.000-07:00

Tonight: Errands
Tommorow...

4:30 -- Get Up
6:00 AM to Noon -- Work
1:00 PM to 10:00 PM -- Basic Life Support / First Aid Class

4:30 AM Friday -- Get up.
6:00 AM to 2:00 PM -- Work
Evening: Drive to Medford.

Look at me go!!!

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Another First -- The First Chain Saw Experience

2011-08-24T21:31:00.001-07:00

I had another "First Time" today. Today I used a chain saw for the first time in my life. My father in law has a pile of wood that needs to be cut so that's my project for the next few days. It's actually a bit of a fear that I've had to face. When I was a kid I read a story about a guy who went out cutting wood by himself. His chain saw kicked on him and caught him in the neck if I remember right. By some miracle, he was able to get himself back to his truck and drive to a fire station that was a few miles away. He ended up surviving but lost a lot of blood and needed a bunch of stitches and surgeries to repair the blood vessels and nerves in his neck. Not good times.

Anyway, after that, I've always been a little wary around chain saws. It's not too bad though. It's actually kind of fun and I'm glad I can do this for my Father in law. Still, I'll be glad when all the wood is cut for the winter.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Rollin' Along

2011-08-23T21:40:00.000-07:00

Not a whole lot new here. Just trying to get myself mentally prepared for school in the fall. Work is winding down. I'm in the process of trying to make it a smooth transition to me not being there in a few weeks. It's a scary, sad, exciting, happy time if that makes any sense at all.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

4.0 (So Far)

2011-08-19T22:38:00.000-07:00

I just finished with my last test in Medical Terminology. I got 25/25 right so that wraps up an A in the class. So I've got A's in Anatomy and Physiology and in Medical Terminology. 4.0 so far!!! Sweet!

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Cannon Beach and Poo-poo Paper

2011-08-14T20:15:00.000-07:00

Amy and I took a drive to Cannon Beach for the day on Saturday... It was a good time. We hung out with her sisters and their families for awhile and then went out on our own and drove the Tillamook loop home. You can see pics on my facebook page but the MAIN highlight was poopoo paper, available at the Tillamook Cheese Factory. Poopoo paper is a line of napkins, stationary, greeting cards and other paper products make out of cow poop. I'm not kidding about this at all. The think I like most about them is their slogan: "We're number 1 at number 2!" Very creative. By the way, the paper is oderless and completely sanitary. It's just made out of the grass that cows poop out in the field. I guess the farmer that came up with the idea has made a fortune.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Test Scorecard

2011-08-09T18:28:00.000-07:00

Medical Terminology Test 1: 25/25
Anatomy & Physiology Test 1: 108/110
Medical Terminology Test 2: 25/25
Anatomy & Physiology Quiz: 14/15
Anatomy & Physiology Final: Tommorow.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

A Whole Week of Crazy Comin' at me

2011-08-03T17:25:00.000-07:00

Here's what my next week looks like:

Friday: Test in Medical Terminology

Monday: Exam in Anatomy and Physiology; Test in Medical Terminology.

Tuesday: Quiz in Anatomy and Physiology; Assignment due in Anatomy and Physiology.

Wednesday: Final exam in Anatomy and Physiology.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

On the Home Stretch for Summer Term

2011-08-02T17:18:00.000-07:00

Well, I have 2 more weeks of Anatomy and Physiology and about 6 more weeks of Medical Terminology. So far I have a 98.8% in A&P and a 99.5% in Med. Term. I want to be sure and not take my foot off the gas for these last few weeks and finish strong.

Amy has been doing well. We have been walking a lot lately and she seems to be doing really well with it. Praise God for that!

Other than that, not much new going on. Just day to day stuff...

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Ramona Falls Hike

2011-07-16T12:51:00.000-07:00

Flowers along the Sandy River

Ramona Falls

Ramona Creek

Some of the geology of the Ramona Falls area.

Ramona Creek cutting its way throught he forest.

Today my friend Mark and I hiked the Ramona Falls loop up around Mount Hood. It's about a 7 mile loop (6.9 officially) and it's a fairly easy trail. Not a lot of elevation gain or anything like that. Even though it poured down rain for much of this hike, as you can see from the pictures, there was still some beautiful scenery, especially on the first leg of the trip.

We got on the trail at about 6 AM and it was pouring. It poured right up to the time we left Ramona falls. Then the rain suddenly stopped. It was still boatloads of fun though. It felt good to get out into the woods again. By the way, if you want to see more pictures, check out my Facebook page.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Ever Held a Fetal Skull?

2011-07-12T19:14:00.000-07:00

Yep... I did. I held a fetal skull in Anatomy and Physiology today. I don't like to think about where they might have gotten it but it was interesting all the same. It was about the size of my fist, maybe a little smaller. You could see the soft spots where the bones of the skull overlap as they pass through the birth canal. It was very tiny.

My friend Mark and I are going hiking up past Ramona Falls on Mount Hood this weekend. I'm totally pumped for that.

This whole week I've been trying to figure out why my A&P instructor has been wearing a kilt to class. Today I found out that he's a highland games competitor and I think the games at Mount Hood are this weekend. Makes more sense now. Speaking of A&P, got a 118 out of 120 on my last big exam. Pretty happy about that.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

School is Going Well

2011-07-06T19:43:00.000-07:00

Hey All...

Haven't written for awhile because I've been very busy. School is intense! I'm handling it though. I got a 119/120 on that anatomy and physiology exam I took last week. I got 25/25 on my Med. Terminology quiz that I took today. I also had another A&P exam today which I think I pretty much nailed.

Fourth of July was uneventful. I spent most of the day studying.

Amy seems to be doing better. Things are looking up...

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

An Update

2011-06-28T19:52:00.000-07:00

Well you haven't heard a lot from me lately. Why you ask? Three words: Anatomy and Physiology. Oh my gosh that class is intense. Every night I'm studying for about 2 hours just for that class. I had my first quiz last week and got a 14/15 which was the best score in the class. A lot of it was luck. I totally guessed on a couple of questions and just happened to get them right. Tommorow is my first big exam in that class. I think I'm ready. I'm actually really enjoying it despite all of the tedious hours of studying. I've forgotten how fascinating cells are!

Medical terminology is much much easier. I took my first test last Friday and got a 25/25. The test only took me 6 minutes to complete (I know because I took it in the testing center on a computer that timed me. It's not that I was timing myself or anything.) I have my next test due for that on Friday.

So anyway, I'm enjoying school. REALLY enjoying getting off work early on Monday Tuesday and Wednesday to go there. Not so much enjoying the smaller paychecks but it will be worth it in the long run.

In other news, Amy is doing better. They started her on a new drug, (amitriptalyine) today. Not sure why they're giving her an antidepressant for her costochondritis but I'm guessing that it has some kind of calming effect on the nerves which might dull the pain. We know that emotional pain and physical pain travel a lot of the same pathways in the body so maybe they're using the amitriptalyine to get at that. (I even read an article in a science magazine once that suggested taking tylenol to lift your mood.) Anyway, we'll see how it works.

Other than that, not much new. Hope you all are doing well...

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Another Trip to the ER

2011-06-22T21:33:00.000-07:00

Amy started on Gaba Pentin today. She took her first pill at about 7:30 this morning. She started feeling bad at about 11. When I got home, she was in bed complaining of being very tired. I wasn't really concerned at that point because that is the most common side effect of this medication. Drowsiness happens to just about everyone who takes it. She came down stairs while I was starting to make dinner. As she was talking to me, the muscles around her left eye went into a spasm and she had to sit down. Then she started having trouble speaking. It started with an occasional stutter and progressed to the point where she could not form a word without trouble. We called her doctor who told us to go to the ER.

So I packed her up and took her to Kaiser. They gave her an anti anxiety med which brought back her speech and a CAT scan to make sure there was nothing wrong with her brain. (While she was getting the CAT scan, I was being entertained by the man 2 rooms down who kept screaming obscenities at the nurses and pounding the table in his room.) The CAT scan came out good and her symptoms dissappeared after awhile so they sent us home. Thank God there wasn't a major problem....

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Anatomy and Physiology Coming Out my Ears

2011-06-21T20:48:00.000-07:00

The last two days my thoughts have been consumed with A&P. It is an intense class. Not only is the subject a tough one but we are packing a 12 week course into 8. We have already covered intro material and a good part of cellular biology and I just finished day 2!! Our first quiz is tommorow... I think I'm ready...

Here's something interesting I learned. You know how people always say that if you have muscle cramps, you should eat a bannana because it has potassium? WELL, did you know that one small baked potato has as much potassium as FIVE bannanas?? So there you have it, Bannanas are now officially worthless (except if they are being used as an ingredient in the Bannana Chocolate Chip Cookies at the diabetic bakery.)

Anyway, it's been a strange week. It feels weird leaving work at 11. I'm sure I'll get used to it soon.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Tommorows the Big Day

2011-06-19T15:43:00.001-07:00

Well, tommorow, the day I've been working to make happen for two years will finally happen. Tommorow at noon, I officially become a college student again. For the next 7 weeks, I have anatomy and physiology on Monday Tuesday and Wednesday and Medical Terminology online. It all adds up to 6 credits. Then I get a break for over a month before fall term starts. It will allow me to work through the summer which is good.

So anyway, here we go!! Hope the old brain works as good as it used to!

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Wet Soggy FFB Event at the Vancouver Wal Mart

2011-06-18T15:21:00.001-07:00

The impromptu duck tape job I did on our sign to keep the wind from blowing it over. Never go anywhere without your duck tape.

Our table...

Rainwater dripping from our canopy.

The front view of our booth featuring the bike that we raffled off. The raffle raised $116 for the Foundation Fighting Blindness...

So as you can see by the pictures, it was a miserable, wet, gross, soggy day to be out in a parking lot. It rained constantly...not regular rain either. It was that misty nasty rain that makes you freezing cold no matter how many layers you are wearing (which for me was not enough... after the beautiful day we had yesterday, I underestimated how nasty this day would be.) On the plus side, we did manage to raise some money for FFB thanks to the generosity of Wal Mart and the manager of the vision center in Vancouver. Also on the plus side, I got the first two chapters of my medical terminology book read while we sat there.

I think Amy kind of overdid it today though. Her chest was really hurting bad when we got home. She is taking a nap now.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Shots and amys breathing test today

2011-06-16T05:28:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I got off work a little early and drove to Oregon City to get a bunch of vaccinations at the Clackamas County Health Department. I needed to get them because of school. There are certain vaccinations that everyone in the medical field are required to have because of potential exposure to sick people and dirty needles etc. I got a total of four shots. Chicken pox, mumps/measles/rubella, Hepatitis A and B, and Diptheria/pertussis/tetanus. In a month I have to go back for three more shots, then a couple of months after that, I have to go back again for one more. My shoulders are a little sore this morning but not bad. I don't think this will slow me down much.

Amy goes in for a breathing test at 1:45 today. They also want to do some more bloodwork on her for some odd reason. She was feeling pretty good yesterday for which we are thankful (although she is still tender).

School starts in four days.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

And Then it Hits You

2011-06-10T23:58:00.001-07:00

On Thursday I met the guy who is going to replace me at my job when I go back to school. He's an older guy in his mid forties and seems very passionate about fitness. I think he will be a good fit. It was one of those moments where the reality of what is happening hits you. When you go to a place day in and day out for seven years and one day you realize that very soon you will no longer be going there, it feels weird. I don't know if I would call what I'm feeling sadness...it's more just uneasiness. The feeling a skydiver might get in the first seconds after leaving the safety of the airplane... There is no going back now. I have just set in motion a chain of events and I must now ride out what I have set in motion to it's conclusion whatever that may be. I'll have options along the way but turning back will not be one of them.

I am concerned about who will be training my clients after I leave. I want them to have the trainer who will be the best fit for them. Please pray for wisdom.

Have a great day and god bless...

Sean

Amy Back on Prednisone

2011-06-08T13:18:00.001-07:00

We had an appointment at Amys Pulmonologist today. He confirmed that she has costochondritis but isn't sure why it's still there. In order to reduce the inflamation, he's put her on a 5 day cycle of a low dose of Prednisone. Many of you may remember that this was the drug that touched off such a medical firestorm last year. This time, however, we will be watching her blood sugar closely while she is on it. The low dose and short duration of treatment will hopefully keep side effects to a minimum. Amy also had blood tests today in order to rule out some unlikely causes of her pain. SO... Lots of fun... *sarcastic laugh*

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

A Murphy Update

2011-06-07T17:39:00.000-07:00

Check out this picture. This is a table that was on Amys parents back deck during the thunderstorms we had Sunday night. It was apparently either struck by lightning or was in close proximity to a lightning strike because this is what it looked like Monday morning. Glad nobody was out on the deck watching the storm...

In other news, I'm all set to go for summer term at school which starts in just under 2 weeks. Tuition is paid, books are bought, all I have to do now is go to class... Also, it's starting to get out among employees and patrons at work that I'm leaving. I'm getting more and more questions about it.

Amy is still struggling with the pain in her ribs. It gets better and then comes back. We have an appointment with her pulmonologist tommorow for a follow up on her asthma and we're hoping he might have some suggestions about ways to make it heal quicker but I'm not holding my breath there either. It's one of those things that just has to run its course.

So that's pretty much where we're at...

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Still Rough Going For Amy

2011-06-02T05:12:00.001-07:00

Amy is on another medication for her chest. It's similar to a narcotic but it's not. So now she is on that, an anti inflammatory, and Tylenol. Between the three the pain seems to be under control (although not gone) for now. The doctor wants her to have a bone scan at the hospital tomorrow so I'll be taking the day off to go with her.

Have a great day and God bless...
Sean

Amy Still in Pain

2011-05-31T19:05:00.000-07:00

Please continue to pray for Amy... As you may know, she has been struggling with Costochondritis, an inflamation of the joints in the ribcage, for the past couple of months. They have given her NSAIDS (Medicines in the same family as Ibuprofen or motrin) and physical therapy. We are also icing her ribs regularly but all of these measures have given her limited relief at best. This condition takes about 6 months on average to go away because these joints are always moving (every time we breathe they move). In the meantime she has to be on very limited activity as any amount of overuse can cause these joints to flare up. She has been in a lot of pain for the past couple of days. Please pray for patience, peace, and healing.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Every New Beginning is From Some Other Beginnings End

2011-05-29T22:29:00.001-07:00

It's amazing how we connect to places. We went by the old apartment,the one we moved out of yesterday, to do a final clean up today and I have to tell you, as I cleaned memories of the last year in that apartment went through my head... I remembered moving in and being so excited to finally be in a decent apartment that didn't feel slummy... I remembered staying up all night with Amy there the evening after her sinus surgery... I remembered watching the Oregon ducks mow their way through the PAC ten right there in that living room. I remembered decorating for Christmas and despite tripping the circuit breaker there time after time, winning the Christmas light contest... I remembered celebrating with Amy there upon finding out that I was accepted to the PTA program just last month... The places we live in become part of who we are and that's why when we leave them, it's often like saying goodbye to an old friend. As I turned out the lights and walked out the door for the last time, there was a little sadness.

So here's to memories, both those in the past and those yet to be experienced in new places.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

The Move

2011-05-28T22:14:00.001-07:00

We got all moved into our new place today. The move went smoothly and we were pretty much all unloaded by noon. We even put a pretty good dent in the unpacking. We got ecko in the afternoon and as I write this she has just finished with a lengthy exploration of the upstairs section of the barn and has collapsed exhausted at the foot of the bed. Laying on the bed next to me is Amy who overdid it today and was in quite a bit of pain earlier. She seems to be sleeping now thank God. She will have to take it easy for the next few days. As for me I am also exhausted. Lots of work done, lots left to do. Unpacking and cleaning mostly. We didn't get a chance to clean the barn before we moved in and it is very dusty and cobwebby. Allergies are teeing off. So anyway, I'm going to sleep. Have a great day and God bless.
Sean

Rain Rain Go Away

2011-05-27T15:29:00.000-07:00

Well, right now I'm SUPPOSED to be moving my last load of boxes over to the new homestead. Why am I writing on my blog instead of moving, you ask? One word: RAIN!!! It's been showering all day long and I've had to work my moving in between rain showers which are very annoying. The pickup truck that we're using to move stuff is sitting under the carport as I write this. It's all tarped up, tied down and ready to go but I can't because it's pouring down rain. Seriously, I would be done by now if it wasn't for this stupid rain. Anyway, other than the rain, we're doing pretty good so far. Tommorow we move all of our furniture over and a few remaining boxes. We're having people come over to help for that for which we are grateful. Tonight is our last night in our appartment.... Kinda sad really... I liked this place...

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

3 More Days

2011-05-25T05:11:00.000-07:00

Well, in 3 days we move to Amys parents barn where we will live for the next two years while I am in school. The forecast calls for a rainy moving day which would suck. Please pray for dry weather.

Also, I ordered my books on Amazon for my summer classes. I saved about 80 dollars as opposed to buying them at the MHCC bookstore. School starts June 20th. I'll be taking two classes, Anatomy and Physiology and Medical Terminology. A&P will be Monday through Wednesday from noon to 2:30 and MT will be online. I'll also be working during that time. Monday through Wednesday from 6-11 and Thursday and Friday from 6 to 2. So that's a little snapshot of what life will look like in about a month...

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Tool Time

2011-05-23T05:05:00.000-07:00

Lots of projects going on this weekend and into this week. Saturday I finished my paint job in the barn where we will be living starting this coming weekend. Then yesterday, My friend Nate, my friend Murray and I crawled under Nates house to start putting up some reinforcing boards to fix his floor which was moving a lot. Todays project after work is going to be laying some carpet in our new living area. Then next weekend, we move. So you can see there's lots going on. Life is sure coming at us fast these days.

Have a great day and God Bless...

Sean

Sheer Terror Phase

2011-05-18T05:08:00.001-07:00

So I got into the Physical Therapist Assistant program at Mount Hood and I think I am starting to come out of the celebration phase and am entering the "Holy crap how am I going to do this?" phase. This is the phase where a bunch of questions come up like, "How are we going to live while I go to school?" "Am I going to have to work part time?" "If so, how part time?" "What are necessities and what are things we are going to have to sacrifice?" "Between school, studying, and possibly working, how am I going to find time to spend with my wife, to exercise, and be in the word?" (I'm having trouble getting the last item in as it is.) "Do I need to take out student loans? If so, how much?" These are the kind of questions that have been going through my mind the last day or so and it's got me kind of freaked out. I should be trusting God. But I'm starting to get scared. Please God give Amy and I some peace.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Doctors Appointment

2011-05-12T05:14:00.000-07:00

Amy has a doctors appointment today at see if they can get her any relief from the pain in her chest. One of our friends is going to take her. Please pray that something could be figured out. She had another rough night with it last night after feeling better during the day.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Costochondritis

2011-05-11T05:17:00.000-07:00

Amys been really having a rough time the last couple of days due to a condition called costochondritis. Costochondritis is basically inflamation in the chest wall where the ribs meet the sternum. It's a lot like arthritis. The joints get inflamed and painful. The symptoms mirror those of a heart attack (in fact you may remember back in March when I rushed Amy to the ER with chest pain...this is what was causing it.) You get severe chest pain, shortness of breath etc. Costochondritis is not dangerous and usually goes away on its own although often it can take a couple of months. There's not a lot they can do for it except give you pain meds. We've also been using heat and ice.

Anyway, bottom line is please pray for Amy because she's having a really rough time with it right now. We're expecting a call from her doctor today. Hopefully we can figure out a combination of medicine that will give her some relief...

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Orientation Meeting

2011-05-05T05:09:00.000-07:00

The PTA class of 2013 met as a class for the first time yesterday. We basically just went over some housekeeping stuff; immunization requirements, etc. I got my schedule and book list for fall and found out what previous college classes I can use toward this degree (that went better than expected). We also got a tour of the PTA lab which was fun. The cost of everything is really starting to hit me. I'm really hoping and praying that I can get some kind of financial aid. I don't know what I'm going to do if I can't.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Fast and Furious

2011-05-04T05:00:00.000-07:00

Wow... I've been at a dead sprint since Easter... Packing is now in full swing (We move at the end of this month). Every once in awhile paperwork comes in from MHCC that I have to fill out and send back. Today is my orientation meeting at Mount Hood. It will be the first time we are together as a class.

Please continue to pray for financial aid. I won't find out for another 4-6 weeks.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

The Car is Back

2011-04-27T18:21:00.001-07:00

Well, we got the Saturn back on Monday. There was more wrong with it than we originally thought so we had to sink an extra $200 into it. So our emergency fund is just about tapped out.

Other than that, I've just been trying to get financial aid for school over the last couple of days. I'm a little nervous about that because since I have a bachelors degree (that isn't worth the paper it's printed on), it's a lot harder for me to get financial aid. Even loans are harder to come by if you have a bachelors degree. I wish there was a way I could just give the degree back so that I can get financial aid.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Car Back in the Shop -- Busted Water Pump

2011-04-22T23:18:00.001-07:00

I was driving home from picking up Chinese food today and while stopped at a stoplight, I heard a strange noise. Just as I was saying to myself, "Man, some poor schmuck is really having engine trouble!" I noticed smoke coming from under my hood. I quickly pulled into a parking lot and opened the hood and found a good portion of the engine compartment drenched with antifreeze. So I called up my father in law and he drove out and followed me to the garage. We made it there without incident (I had the heater cranked and that did a pretty good job of keeping the engine temp down.) After checking the car out they concluded that the water pump is shot so just barely a week after our $600 transmission job, we now get to shell out another $250 for a new water pump. It could be worse. Unlike some cars, the water pump in the Saturn is fairly accessable which will keep labor costs down a little. I'm still bummed though. I haven't even started school yet and I'm already running out of money. This car has 160000 miles on it and I'm just afraid that we are reaching the point where it needs to be put out to pasture. I don't have money for another car and I really need this thing to run reliably for me for the next 2 years. Yeah. I know. Good luck with that! So anyway, I think there is a car issue developing quickly and I'm not quite sure what I am going to do.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Catch up

2011-04-15T23:03:00.001-07:00

Its been a busy few days since I last wrote. Nothing terribly exciting, just lots of run of the mill stuff. I got the car out of the shop yesterday complete with a new transmission valve body. I'm glad it didn't have to be totally rebuilt but it still cost $600.

I'm working on two big projects right now: an article about ResponderLife for our church newsletter and financial aid paperwork for school. They're keeping me busy for sure.

Have a great day and god bless...

Sean

No News is Good News

2011-04-14T04:59:00.000-07:00

I didn't get a call on the car yesterday and I'm actually kind of happy about that because the only reason for him to have called me yesterday was if the transmission was totally thrashed and had to be rebuilt. I'm hoping this means that it was just the valve body (still a 600 dollar job).

The day before yesterday I told my boss at work about going back to school. I told her that right now it looks like I'll be able to work pretty much full time during the summer but in the fall she will need to find another person. She was happy for me but said she will hate to lose me. I'm still not sure how the money thing is going to play out for all of this. Maybe I can do something part time on or close to campus if I need to. We'll have to wait and see how things play out. This is an exercise in trusting God.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Car in the Shop and a Broken Mower

2011-04-12T19:22:00.000-07:00

All of a sudden as I was driving home from work, the car started shifting really rough... I mean it was just slamming into gear. So after I took Amy to her doctors appointment, we took the car to the transmission shop. The mechanic and I took it for a test drive and let's just say that it's never a good sign when the mechanics only comment is "wow!" SO, long story short, there are two possible things wrong with the transmission. 1. The valve body could be bad ($600) or 2. The whole transmission could be fried ($2200), in which case, I would probably take the car back, use it as a boat anchor, and buy a bus pass. Anyway, Amys parents came and rescued us from the shop where we were stranded. We went back to their house and Amy and I took the Corolla (which I am driving until we figure out what is going to happen with the car) and got some sandwiches for dinner. When we pulled back up to the house, there was Amys dad's mower in the ditch and her dad walking across the front field carrying the front wheel of said mower. Seems like we brought our bad luck to Amys parents house because the wheel just popped off while he was making a turn. Everyone was okay but we were left with the problem of how to get the mower back up to the house with a wheel that won't stay on. Soon, every guy in the neighborhood was on the scene (ever notice how when one guy has something break down, within minutes there are 10 0ther guys there?) and we managed to rig a jack under the front of the mower and push the mower back into the garage. SO the one good thing in all of this was that I was able to be there to help out with the mower situation. Anyway, please pray that the Saturn could be fixed. I could be without a car. Have a great day and God bless... Sean

Employee of the Quarter

2011-04-11T05:01:00.000-07:00

I went to an all staff meeting last night which in and of itself sucks. However I did get employee of the quarter and a 20 dollar gift card to target so I guess it wasn't all bad. Have a great day and God bless... Sean

I GOT IN!!!

2011-04-07T18:25:00.000-07:00

There it is... The letter I've been waiting 2 years to get. This is a letter informing me that I've been accepted into the Physical Therapist Assistant program at Mount Hood Community College. I've been watching our mailbox for the last 3 weeks for this but it actually showed up in my e-mail where I least expected it. Amy was on the phone with a friend when I opened the e-mail and let me tell you, it seemed like forever until she hung up. I then told her in a non chalant voice that we needed to keep the evening of May 4th open. She asked why, I told her that I had a meeting to go to that night for new students in the physical therapist asst. program at Mount Hood. From there, it's been pandemonium at the Murphys, a flood of phone calls, a celebration dinner at Outback, and a bunch of praising God. We are super excited! I'm really humbled by this because I thought I was probably about the least qualified guy in the room when I interviewed. Not that I was that bad but the other candidates were that good. This was all God, let me tell you. I've known for 2 years that I'm supposed to be here. Now is our time. Our lives take a different direction starting now. Please pray as I prepare to go back to school... For the financial aid package and funding, for all of the paperwork that needs to be done etc. Have a great day and God bless... Sean

The Pressure is on

2011-03-29T05:24:00.000-07:00

So I cut out of work about 20 minutes early yesterday to go to a meeting at PCC regarding their Biomedical Engineering Technician program. (BMET) A BMET basically does maintenance on medical equipment. It looks like a promising career and the program at PCC looks good but I'm still struggling with whether or not it is right for me. I'm not sure that I have the "Techie brain" it would take to be successful. It's very math intensive and I'm not a math person. On the other hand, the pay scale is very good, there is room to grow in the field (all of the PCC credits are transferrable toward a bachelors degree at OIT). and I could see it being interesting...at least the medical portion of it. I'm not sure how I'd do at the tech stuff though. Would I get bored??? I also need to try to figure out if I can stay in the portland are and have a good chance of finding a job in the field. Another interesting thing that I learned is that since the BMET degree and the general Electronic Engineering Tech degree are about 70 percent the same, I can take some extra credits and get both so that I would be more versitile in the job market. So for instance if I couldn't find a job in the medical field right away I would still be qualified for a more generalized position. That was good information to have. So anyway, the bottom line is that I need prayer. If the Physical Therapist Assistant thing falls through I will have until the end of May to figure out what my next move is going to be. (That is when our lease at our appartment is up and we will need to know whether we are staying here or moving into Amys parents barn in preparation for a return to school). 2 months to figure out the rest of my life. No pressure though... :op Have a great day and God bless... Sean

Long Day Today

2011-03-28T05:18:00.000-07:00

Today I'm going to do almost a full day at work. I'm going to cut out about 20-30 minutes early to go to an information session at PCC about their biomedical technology program. Biomedical technology is basically fixing medical equipment in hospitals and doctors offices. It looks promising from my preliminary research online but I haven't really been able to get my questions answered about the program at PCC. I know it's a 2 year associates degree and that's about it. Hopefully today I'll get more information. Have a great day and God bless... Sean

Fear of Gods Will

2011-03-27T09:04:00.000-07:00

In our mens class today they were talking about the sin of fearing Gods will. That hit me hard because that's been a huge thing for me over the last year or so. I know that I'm supposed to trust God and seek his will for my life but what if Gods will is for us to remain poor? What if Gods will is for me to remain in an unfulfilling job or for Amy to continue to have health problems? What if it's Gods will for us to be dependant on others financially for the rest of our lives? What if it's Gods will for our dreams to remain unfulfilled? In short, what if Gods will for us is the exact opposite of everything I want? Yeah, I know it sounds selfish and unspiritual. Maybe I need a good kick in the butt, I don't know. But it's what is going through my mind every day and it's why my walk is suffering. I can't surrender myself to Gods will because I'm afraid that Gods will might hurt too much or worse, that it might hurt my wife too much. Does this resonate with anyone? Am I alone in my struggle with this? Do other people struggle with this issue or am I just weird? Have a great day and God bless... Sean

ER Trip

2011-03-23T05:03:00.000-07:00

Yesterday at about 3:00 in the afternoon, Amy suddenly began having chest pain and shortness of breath. This is not uncommon with asthma so I gave her a dose of her rescue inhaler expecting relief within a few minutes. It didn't come. I gave her a second dose. Nothing. In fact, the chest pain seemed to be worsening and to make matters worse, Amy was starting to panic (and really given the circumstances, who wouldn't?) Pulse was good, the area on her chest where it hurt was tender to the touch (which believe it or not can actually be a good sign), her color was good, but the fact that she rated her pain at about an 8 and that she was having trouble moving air without pain, combined with the sudden onset of the symptoms concerned me enough to drive her to the ER.

They got her back fairly quickly by ER standards. Her vitals were good. They did a full workup of blood tests and a CT scan of her lungs. All were clear. The doctor finally diagnosed pluersy which is an irritation of the membrane surrounding the outside of the lungs and the inside of the chest wall. This can be caused by a number of things and we don't know what caused it in Amys case but in any event it's usually not a serious condition and usually goes away on its own. So with a big sigh of relief, we left the ER with a prescription for painkillers and anti-inflamatories.

So praise God that it turned out to be nothing serious. It was a crazy evening though.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Canker Sores Unleashed

2011-03-20T11:25:00.001-07:00

Please pray for Amy. Her canker sores have been out of control for the last several days. They are very painful and have been keeping her up at night. She has an appointment to see her doc on Tuesday. Please pray for healing.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Paramedics, Cops, Treadmills, and Guide Dogs...All in One Day

2011-03-18T23:11:00.001-07:00

It was an interesting day today. I got flagged down at work by a man who spoke no English. He seemed winded and kept pointing to his chest. I could't figure out what was wrong with him. On the one hand, he didn't look that distressed. Most of the time you can look at a persons face and tell if they're in real trouble and he didn't have that look. On the other hand he was possibly indicating that he was having chest pain so I got a lifeguard and a manager and started an ambulance out there just to be safe. A simple conversation in English would have avoided all these dramatics. Anyway the guy got up eventually and started walking around and it turned out that he had just exercised too hard and needed to take a rest. People should have to know basic English before being allowed to live here. Just sayin'...

Our two new treadmills came in today. Should make life a lot easier.

The last thing that happened at work was that this loony guy that has been causing problems down there finally took it too far. Apparently he had some kind of run in with one of the female trainers and came lookin for her today. Park rangers had to be called out because he was yelling and screaming. I guess he was even in the fitness center for awhile carrying on but I missed it because I was in the back room working (small favors). Anyway he yelled and screamed at the park rangers and refused to show I.d. So he got excluded for 90 days. It should have been forever. This guy is a total whack job. We've all had run ins with him. Hopefully he's mad enough that he'll never come back but at any rate I have a 90 day break from him which suits me just fine.

After work, Amy, our friend Holly, her 2 daughters and I went on a tour of the guide dogs for the blind facility out in Boring. It's quite an impressive operation with really nice dorms, a fully equipped vet clinic, and of course dogs galore! Shelly and her canine assistant Babs (a retired guide dog) gave us a great tour and we learned a lot about what guide dogs is all about. FYI, one of their "career change" dogs who didn't quite make it as a guide dog has just been deployed to japan as a search and rescue dog. I thought that was pretty interesting.

So...that was my day. Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Happy Birthday Grandma

2011-03-14T05:03:00.001-07:00

This last weekend we were in Medford for my Grandma Chesneys 90th birthday party. It was great to be able to make it to that. I got to see relatives that I haven't seen in 15-20 years in many cases. We had a nice visit but it's good to be home again.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

A Headache For Me

2011-03-10T19:16:00.000-08:00

I woke up at midnight last night with a headache that felt like an ice pick going through the middle of my head. It didn't get better. As soon as I stepped in the door to work I had to deal with a lady I've had trouble with in the past who hogs the treadmills. She had some guy all upset so I had to talk to him and calm him down and report this lady (again) to our center director. Then I immediately had a very pregnant and very hormonal woman give me the riot act because of a bike that wasn't fixed yet. This was all within the first 20 minutes of me getting there. The rest of the day got progressively less stressful but it still took 2 doses of ibuprofen and one dose of caffiene to get my headache to go away which it finally did around noon. Yep... I'm livin' the dream allright.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

PTA School Interview Wrap - Up

2011-03-09T14:37:00.000-08:00

I just got home from doing my interview to get into the Physical Therapist Assistant program at Mount Hood Community College. The interview went much better than last year but I feel like the competition was stiffer too. I really felt like the other candidates were better spoken than I am. Also, just about everyone else there was either working full time or volunteering regularly in a PT related field. I feel like I did as good of a job as I could of selling the value of my Personal Training experience (something that I neglected last year) but my experience is that the field of personal training is not well accepted among healthcare practitioners in any field. It's an uphill battle to get someone in the medical field to see Personal Training as legitimate experience on which to start building a career in Medicine.

The questions asked were exactly the same as the ones from last year and I feel like I was better prepared to answer them. I stumbled over my words a couple of times pretty badly but I'm trying to tell myself that my verbal miscues will work in my favor because they makes me look like a human being and not a robot. I mean at least I didn't sound like I was reading a prepared statement, right? Hey, it sounds good in theory and it makes me feel better so let me keep thinking that.

The bottom line is that I think I gave a good interview but for this program, good isn't good enough. In the next few days I'll be looking harder at other options, limited as they are, and trying to come to terms with the idea that all of the hard work, lost work wages, and sacrifice that I've put into this dream may have been for nothing. It's a hard pill to swallow but I think I need to start preparing myself to swallow it. I don't see it as being negative...I see it as being realistic. True, God could still pull out a miracle. But miracles are called miracles for a reason. They're things that happen against all likelihood and until we see a miracle, we have to prepare ourselves for what is likely.

SO...by mid April I will get one of three letters: A letter telling me that I've been accepted into the program, a letter telling me that I'm on the waiting list to get into the program, or a letter telling me that I am not accepted. If I am not accepted, as painful as it will be, I will not try again. I'm 34 years old and I can't be doing this year after year.

Thank you to all who prayed for this interview. Please continue to pray as hope is not lost until the rejection letter arrives.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Interview tomorrow and new treadmills coming

2011-03-08T22:13:00.001-08:00

This is kind of interesting. I've actually figured out how to blog by writing a post in an email and sending it to my blog. It's a good thing to know how to do considering that our iPad won't post directly on blogger.

So. The big interview is tomorrow at 1. I've put a lot more preparation into it than I did last year. I've gone over a bunch of possible interview questions,formulated answers, written them out, and practiced them. I've more than doubled my observation hours since last year, I'm going with a new dress scheme (dress casual..more appropriate for a pt environment than last years dress shirt and tie), and I have a better idea of what to expect in the interview than last year. Overall, I'm feeling pretty good although I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little nervous. I really covet prayers tomorrow for peace and calm.

There was also some good news on the work front today. First, our last broken treadmill gets fixed tomorrow. Even better, we have finally been approved for funding to buy two new treadmills!! I'm super stoked about that. They should be operational before the end of the month.

One last thing: here's something that was posted on a sign outside a pub In sw Portland.

"Free beer
Topless waitresses
And false advertising"

A little edgy for sure but it still gave me a chuckle...

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

One Last Shadow

2011-03-07T07:33:00.000-08:00

Today I'm shadowing at Black Diamond Physical Therapy one last time before my interview on Wednesday. I'll probably get about 7 hours or so which will bring my total hours up to about 95. Hopefully that will be enough to make an impression.

Have a great day and God bless....

Sean

Sportsmans Banquest

2011-03-05T09:19:00.000-08:00

I had a nice surprise last night. It shouldn't have been a surprise because I got my ticket like 3 weeks ago but then I put it in my wallet and totally spaced it. Luckily, Amys Dad mentioned to Amy that the Sportsmans Banquet at Good Shepherd was last night. I'm not really a hunter or a fisherman but you really don't have to be to enjoy this event. They have all kinds of cool displays (I mean really, who dosen't like guns and stuff that blows other stuff up), great food (Last night I ate Buffalo, Antelope, Deer, Salmon, Shrimp, and believe it or not, Bobcat!), and a great speaker (Jerry Boykin...Can't get much better than that.) Here are some pics.

The coolest item in the displays was that Japaneese flag that is the table cloth here. (Look under the guns.). Everyone knows of the famous picture of the raising of the american flag at Iwo Jima. Well most people don't know that in order to raise the American flag, our Marines first had to take down a Japaneese flag. The flag you are looking at is the actual flag that was taken down at Iwo Jima so that the American flag could be raised. Cool, huh?

There's the room. About 715 guys attended the event.

It was a great time.

In other news, I won't tell you where but I saw Thurber from Gold Rush Alaska yesterday!! That guy rocks the moustache like no ones business! Burt Reynolds, Tom Selleck... As far as the Moustache department goes, in my humble opininon, Thurber has them all beat! Who would have thought that the worlds best Moustache lives right here in the PDX area??!!

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Physical Therapy Brings Relief

2011-03-03T15:50:00.000-08:00

Amy went to physical therapy for her headache and it seemed to give her some relief. She has some exercises she has to do and hopefully that will loosen up some of those cervical joints. SO we may have found our culprit...

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Cervicogenic Headache

2011-03-03T05:05:00.001-08:00

Amy went to her primary care doc yesterday and he diagnosed her with a cervicogenic headache. It has symptoms similar to a migraine but is a totaly different thing. It's where the nerves and muscles in the back of the neck become inflamed and refer pain up into the back of the head. The doctor put her on a muscle relaxant and referred her for physical therapy which she will start today. I'm going to take off work early to go with her #1 to support my wife and #2 to get one more hour of clinical observation time. (Every little bit helps at this point).

By the way, my interview is less than one week away. I'm going to shadow at Black Diamond again on Monday. One way or another it will be my last job shadow. I'm getting nervous. There is a lot riding on this interview. I'm starting to feel the pressure.

By the way, yesterday went a little better at work. There were still times that it was stressful but it wasn't nearly as bad as the day before.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Another Rotten Day

2011-03-02T05:10:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was another rotten day at work. The HVAC system at our building, like just about everything else there, is a piece of crap so it was really hot and humid in the fitness center all day. As I've said before, take a bunch of people who aren't very nice to be around to begin with, crank up the temperature 10 - 15 degrees, throw in some equipment that's been down for weeks, and you'll start to get an idea of how my day went. I had a training session get interupted by a complaining patron and at one point there was an acutal line (albeit only 2 people long but still a line) of people in front of me with complaints.

I also had a mini panic attack at work yesterday. I started dry heaving a little and was having trouble catching my breath. I had to leave the room for a few minutes to get everything calmed down. At the end of the day, my body pretty much crashed. I dozed off twice on the freeway coming home and once at a stoplight in Gresham. When I got home, all I really wanted to do was sit in front of the TV and eat. I'm eating more than usual lately.

You get the picture. I'm not doing well.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

What's New

2011-03-01T05:15:00.000-08:00

Well, Amy is back safe and sound from the retreat and it sounds like she had a good time. Thank you for your prayers for her health. After a rough first night, she was able to enjoy the rest of the retreat. That night however, we were back at urgent care for headaches. They put her on a new medicine that as of today dosen't seem to be working as well as we would like. These headaches act just like migraines but they don't seem to respond to any of the traditional treatments for migraines. We made an appointment with her primary care doc for thursday.

I shadowed at Black Diamond PT again yesterday for about 5 hours. It was a good time. I'm shadowing one more time this coming Monday and then on Wednesday is my interview. I'm trying not to think too much about it. If I do I'll get overwhelmed. Whether I get into school or not, Amy and I will not have an easy road ahead of us.

Back to work today. I wonder if they managed to fix any of our broken machines while I've been out. Probably not. I really dread going to that place these days.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Bachelor For a Weekend

2011-02-26T09:55:00.001-08:00

Amy is off at womens retreat this weekend so I'm flying solo for a few days. I know...scary. Hey quick question: does anyone have any ideas for getting a giant mutant radioactive monkey out of a pantry?? It wasn't my fault. He tricked me. Don't tell Amy... :o) Okay, there's not really a giant radioactive monkey in our pantry. But you get the picture... The home just dosen't run the same when the wife is out of town. :o) Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

P.S. On a serious note, Please pray for Amys health. She's still having issues with headaches and she had to pass on some of last nights festivities to go lay down. Tonight is costume night and she's worked really hard on her costume. Please pray that her health would hold out so she can enjoy the evening. I really want her to have a good time. She's been through a lot in the past year and she deserves it.

2 Idiots, 1 Machine... This Can't End Well...

2011-02-24T17:01:00.000-08:00

So today, a guy followed me into the bathroom and yelled at me through the stall while I was taking a dump about a lady who he thought had been on a machine for more than half an hour. (She wasn't.) Do you see what I'm dealing with here? I can't even go poop without one of these idiots causing me problems... Apparently these two had an altercation over the same machine on monday. I was able to talk to the lady and get her off the machine right at 30 minutes. So she gets off that machine, he gets on, and she gets on the machine right next to him and starts nagging him about erasing his name from the waiting list. Then they started arguing and I just let them go. They weren't being loud and it didn't get physical so I just let it be.

I've said this before but I just cant empahsize it enough: I hate that place!

Looking Up (A Little Bit)

2011-02-23T18:46:00.001-08:00

We got one of our two broken treadmills fixed today (finally). It got a new running belt and deck. That will take some of the pressure off anyway. We still really need that other one up and running fast though.

Also, I found out today that I have an interview to get into the Physical Therapist Assistant program at Mount Hood Community College on Wednesday March 9th at 1:00 PM. I'm not terribly excited since as you recall I also got an interview for the program last year only to have my hopes dashed a few weeks later. Hopefully things will go differently this time. This will be my final attempt to get into the program. If I don't make it this time, I'm going to assume that God has other plans for me and try to pursue other career options although none look nearly as good as PTA school. SO please keep this in prayer...

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

When Does it End

2011-02-21T14:42:00.000-08:00

Another bad day with lots of angry people about the treadmill including a Lutheran Minister who chewed me up one side and down the other about the situation. All I can say to that is: Real nice witness, PASTOR!! Another man, a doctor stated that there is a real nice YMCA that he's considering going to instead of our place. See, he's making a mistake that a lot of people make. He's assuming that I care whether he stays or goes. He's not one of my clients so if he leaves, I still get paid the same. So dude, go. Seriously, I want you to. It would be one less angry customer I have to deal with everyday. Anyway,They're supposed to come out and fix at least one of the treadmills Wednesday afternoon. So I still have practically 2 more days of this to go.

Amys headache and nasuea is back. Going back to the Doctor today. Please pray that something can be done.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Amy Feeling Better

2011-02-19T10:04:00.001-08:00

Amy is feeling better. She's still on a bunch of meds for the headaches. We'll go back on Monday to follow up.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

Tension Mounting

2011-02-18T05:39:00.000-08:00

Tension at work continues to mount as we go into our third week without a full component of working treadmills. Yesterday a woman was singing on an elliptical. Another woman yelled at her to sing to herself. I ignored it. I decided that when they come to blows I'll call the police and have them both thrown out but until then I'm going to do everything I can not to get involved in their stupid petty argument. Nothing I can really do anyway. We don't have a rule against singing.

Urgent Care

2011-02-18T05:31:00.000-08:00

I got a call from Amy at work yesterday afternoon. She told me that her migraine was really bad and that her doctor had advised her to go to the ER. Since she was breathing okay, wasn't losing blood, didn't have a fever, wasn't vomiting, and was coherent, I thought the better place to go would be urgent care.

So we went and they tried to give her a shot for migraines which made things worse. They gave her another shot for naseua which helped and then sent her home with prescriptions for a ton of different drugs. We have to go back on Monday to reevaluate her condition. Her symptoms were a lot like a migraine but now they don't think it's a migraine because it didn't respond to migraine medicines. From what she's describing something seems to be irritating the cranial nerves in the back of the head so we're hoping the meds they gave her will relax the muscles etc back there and get the pressure off those nerves.

They also gave her a headache diary so that she can record more specifics about headaches as she gets them.

Have a great day and God bless...

Sean

The Great Adventure -- Sean Murphy's Blog

In the Thick of it.

E-Stim and Crutches

ROM and Electricity

A Shortened School Week

Winter Term Kick-Off

A Boxing Day Excursion

4.0!

Fall Term in the Books (Almost)

First Quarter Winding Down

My Summer Clinical Site

Another Week in the Books

A Crazy Week Comes to an End

Another Interesting Week

Illness Update

The Sickness Continues

School Update Week 4

Move Over Clifford... Walter the Farting Dog, Americas New Childrens Book Hero

Doctor Visit

Murphy M*A*S*H* Unit

School Week 4

The Vision Walk and a School Update.

2 Days to Vision Walk and Amy is Sick

Cheese -- The New Morphine

The Hunt is On!

Week 2 in the Books

Throat is Better

Sore Throat

First Week Almost Over

My First Day

Workin' Hard

Orientation Today

What A Day

So Long, Farewell, Auf Weidersehn Good bye!!

This is it...

Maintenance Over

The Final Countdown

Home Again

Whirlwind Update

My Crazy Schedule

Another First -- The First Chain Saw Experience

Rollin' Along

4.0 (So Far)

Cannon Beach and Poo-poo Paper

Test Scorecard

A Whole Week of Crazy Comin' at me

On the Home Stretch for Summer Term

Ramona Falls Hike

Ever Held a Fetal Skull?

School is Going Well

An Update

Another Trip to the ER

Anatomy and Physiology Coming Out my Ears

Tommorows the Big Day

Wet Soggy FFB Event at the Vancouver Wal Mart

Shots and amys breathing test today

And Then it Hits You

Amy Back on Prednisone

A Murphy Update

Still Rough Going For Amy

Amy Still in Pain

Every New Beginning is From Some Other Beginnings End

The Move

Rain Rain Go Away

3 More Days

Tool Time

Sheer Terror Phase

Doctors Appointment

Costochondritis

Orientation Meeting

Fast and Furious

The Car is Back

Car Back in the Shop -- Busted Water Pump

Catch up

No News is Good News

Car in the Shop and a Broken Mower

Employee of the Quarter

I GOT IN!!!

The Pressure is on

Long Day Today

Murphy MASH Unit