smooshing

Somehow-- and I'm not entirely sure how this happened-- I'm already 25% of the way through my 3rd internship! Two weeks down, and I've found myself facing all kinds of new challenges with the neuro PT population. While I made leaps and bounds as a future PT when I was in pediatrics, learning how to motivate kids to participate and dealing in-depth with patients' families to guide plans of care, neuro patients are throwing all kinds of new challenges my way. Most patients have multiple comorbidities (coinciding diseases or diagnoses), such as serious heart issues or speech aphasias, and many have underlying cognitive deterioration that interferes with insight into their diagnosis, as well as with their ability to understand treatment interventions and the importance of completing home exercise programs to carry over progress made in therapy. I'm becoming extremely familiar with the intricacies the human gait pattern because so many neurological diagnoses interrupt fluidity with walking and weaken the muscles necessary to ambulate efficiently. I've also been struggling to treat patient with undiagnosed conditions. Unlike a broken bone or strained muscle, neurological diagnoses often are difficult to make, and may require years of testing, investigating, and monitoring. It's fascinating to see the effects that people's life choices can have on their lives (such as how unhealthy lifestyle choices can lead to a debilitating injury such as a stroke), and at the same time see how difficult life can be for people diagnosed with diseases less dependent on lifestyle choices and highly dependent on hereditary factors outside of their control. 

While these patients don't necessarily fall into the young, active and athletic population I wish to work with as a PT, there are many things I enjoy in this setting. I've had a blast getting to know my patients; most require multiple rest breaks throughout the hour-long sessions due to physical or cognitive fatigue, giving me ample time for conversation. Though the level of intellect certainly varies by person, often not at the level expected for a certain age due to disease processes affecting the brain, all of my patients have a story to tell, and I'm thrilled to listen and learn. Another thing I enjoy in this setting is the variety of diagnoses I've been able to see. Though stroke seems to dominate, I also have patients with multiple sclerosis, gunshot wound injuries, monoparesis of the vastus medialis (quadriceps), carbon monoxide poisoning, and radicular back pain, in addition to a few mysterious, undiagnosed cases. Plus, I get to incorporate my love for psych into my daily routine-- I even visited the psych ward for the first time this week, which was definitely an experience. And I'm learning all kinds of useful skills for Africa, including communicating across language barriers (one Chinese patient showed up without her interpreter, making for an interesting treatment session on Thursday). 

Other great things about United-- I don't have to decide what to wear each morning because I get to wear scrubs. I'm working in the same department as my classmate and good friend Alisa, who motivates me to arrive at 6:45 a few mornings a week for study sessions. (P.S. What's wrong with the picture to the left?) My CI graduated three years before me at Olaf, so clearly she is awesome. We listen to Cities 97 all day in the gym. Speaking of the gym, all of the outpatient neuro PTs work in one big gym, which makes for a fun environment for us, as well as the patients. I also am liking getting out of work while it's still light out (four-day weeks were nice for a few months, but I need a break from those long hours). I also lucked out with parking and landed myself a parking pass good for any ramp on the United campus (apparently my grandpa is kind of a big deal there :). 

3 generations at tea

Outside of the hospital, I've been busy, to say the least. I've been to more basketball games these past few weeks than I've been to in my entire life. I tried Qdoba for the first time (Chipotle still rules), while Clay bought his first pair of hockey skates (which we tried out at dusk on Lake Ida in 4 degree weather, so much fun). I've driven over 1300 miles in the past three weeks, mostly to and from Monticello, so luckily, I 1) love driving, and 2) now have an iPod hookup in my car. I laughed at Clay's latest article (read it here), and finally cracked open my study book for the boards exam, and have made some headway in the neuro section. I said au revoir to Jack as he headed back to Hamilton, and worked on my sports PT residency applications. I sat down for holiday tea with my mom, grandmas, aunts and (girl) cousins at a Paris-themed tea house in Anoka, and watched part of the U.S. Smooshing Championships in Monticello (here's a video). Plus, Tim Sigler band with Clay, sushi with Dad and Ben, game night at Carl's, Applebees with Clay, Kristy and the rest of the Sawatzke clan, and a night of Gray's Anatomy, old fashioned brandy and homemade pizza with Kristy and Alina. 

Assuming I can kick this sore throat, the rest of the weekend will be chock full of friends (happy hour with Jess and Matt tonight), Tebow ('nuff said), music (at The Station tonight in Monti with Clay), hockey (playing for the first time since my concussion before Christmas!), basketball (Clay's game), and delicious food (coconut chicken is on the menu for tomorrow night). Ahhhh, life is good.

two zero one two

Once again, I'm behind. It's been two whole weeks since I've written (I would apologize for taking so long, but I've been having way too much fun), meaning I have lots to catch you up on. And yesterday, I started internship #3 of 4! So, here goes:

Winter Break, Week 1: Though I was still pretty concussed, I went shopping with mom on Wednesday in Maple Grove, and enjoyed myself thoroughly at the Sawatzke Christmas party that night playing Mafia and Loaded Questions. I devoured some plantain nachos at Chino with my Ole hockey girls the next night. Then came Fantastic Friday #1 (AKA the ultimate Christmasy day): Clay and I went skating (shocker, he can skate! ;), visited his cousins and work (less Christmasy, but still entertaining), ate dinner in Maple Grove (I highly recommend Claddagh's massive onion rings), drove around looking at Christmas lights, decorated his cabin for Christmas Eve, attempted to make a gingerbread house, sipped hot chocolate with mint liqueur, listened to Michael Buble's latest Christmas CD, exchanged Christmas gifts (he gave me a North Stars sweatshirt and I gave him a Wild sweatshirt...I like where this relationship is going...) and watched Elf! 

Christmas Weekend: Christmas Eve was delightful as usual- Grandpa juice and Grandma's mouth-watering dinner spread (especially the candied apples and kranzekake!) were highlights. Christmas morning, we opened presents (highlights: iPod hookup for my car, Sevens, beer stein from our fav town in Germany, Anthropologie gift card, a care package coupon courtesy of Jack for when I'm in Washington, and a football for the fam...which we proceeded to use because it was a balmy, snow-less 45 degree day). I gave Jack a Batman shirt, which I expect him to wear at least 3 days each week. Mom prepared a wonderful brunch, and that night I headed up to Monti for games and a white elephant gift exchange (with 2 shower gels, nailpolish, and lip gloss-- compared to other "gifts" such as shoe polish-- I came out on top, though I am jealous of Kristy's Disney princess band-aids). (Yes, I drive a lot, and have learned the freeway from VH to Monti well. To pass the time, I 1) see how many billboards I can memorize in order from south to north, 2) try to find catchy song lyrics to tweet, or 3) practice mastering my turn signal shortcut for passing, which turns off automatically after 3 blinks if you tap it just the right way.) 

Winter Break, Week 2: Brunch at the Downtowner (where I spotted 2 Wild players...I have an eye for these things) on Monday, then Wild game that night. We lost (and I don't wanna talk about it), but Clay and I did make it on the fan cam for six long, slightly awkward seconds. Tuesday, I officially started applying to sports med PT residencies for next year! Wednesday, I spent the afternoon with Kristy's high school girlfriends playing games (in particular, something involving a hot dog, a mousetrap, a string, and reaction time). I then watched the Monti Magic girls bball team win themselves a spot in the championship game of their tourney (way to go Laura!). Thursday, I ran around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to tackle my to-do list and get everything ready for United on Monday. Then, Fantastic Friday #2: After stops at Caribou (for caffeine, duh) and Von Hanson's (for spicy beef sticks), I headed up to the cabin with Ben and Clay to join the fam (plus my uncle's Parisian foreign exchange student and Izzy, Jack's college friend from Philly). We spent the day shoveling the lake (with intermittent snow fights...because yes, there was snow!), playing pickup hockey, throwing the football around on the ice (risky), enjoying a cold beer in a very hot sauna (heavenly), and trying not to eat too much of grandpa's BBQ chicken and grandma's homemade cherry pie. 

New Year's 2012: Headed back to MN with Jack, Rizzo, Ben and Clay on Saturday. Dinner at Chianti, checked into our hotel, and headed to Whisky Park (with our gigantic group of 22 people) at 8:30. The music selection improved significantly as the night went on, we drank champagne meant for midnight at 11:57 because it had almost completely spilled as we danced, and had an overall great night ringing in the new year with my favorite people. (Props to Clay for giving up his shoes and walking downtown in his socks in the snow because my feet were in pain. Gold star!) New Year's Day, I made some pretty snazzy cupcakes with Kristy, finally got my hands on some of Kim's white chicken chili, and even tried a little lobstah at our annual New Years fam dinner. 

Day 1 at United: Yesterday marked my third first day! I'll be spending the next 8 weeks in downtown St. Paul (I think I'm going to love working "downtown" for now, especially across the street from Cossetta's and the X) doing acute rehab (post-surgery, lymphadema, oncology) and outpatient neurorehab (stroke, TBI, multiple sclerosis). Just like ortho, I think I'll like the environment- big gym, real patient conversations (i.e. the conversations I had with babies in peds were awfully one-sided), and the variety of diagnoses. Just like peds, though, I think the pace will be a bit slow for my liking. And unlike either, I anticipate coming across much more complex cases (neurological diagnoses = brain involvement = slower processing time, speech impediments, emotional difficulties, balance and coordination impairments, or very likely some combination of the bunch). My CI, Kate, is awesome (I worked with her on a previous school project), and she traveled on the first ever U of M trip to Niger, so she plans on spending the whole second half of the internship helping me prepare for what I'll see in Africa! All in all, day one was fine and dandy- except that yesterday was a national holiday so no one else had to work, and I missed the Winter Classic (not surprising that my bf's promise of that recorded on DVR, along with some spicy Hawaiian pizza, lured me to Monti last night). 

Speaking of Africa-- tickets are officially purchased as of this afternoon. Just in case Niger itself won't be cool enough, we're extending our layover in Paris on the way home from 5 hours to 5 days, and I get to sit next to Kaitlin on the plane. WOO! 

More about United soon, but this entry is already longer than it should be. Time to go study up on my French! A bientot!