Baton Rouge!!

Wow...it's been that long since I've updated, eh?  Well, for those who don't know, I'm currently in Baton Rouge, LA working at a clinic for people who has Leprosy as part of my 2nd clinical rotation.  Man, I seriously looooove my job!  I love it!!  The people here are so incredibly nice...the physical therapists I work with are so freakin chilled...the patients here are wonderful people to work with - they have such a positive attitude even though they've been shunned on and ignored by the rest of society due to the knowledge of their disease or seeing their deformities. But I just love going to work every morning.  I'm learning so much about the disease and its history...and listening to their stories of all they've been through...I'm just so amazed.  

You wonder how does physical therapy come into play?  I asked that myself in the beginning. (I'm sorry if this sounds like a plug for Physical Therapy, but people...we're involved in so many health related fields! Check it out!! )  Basically I look at their feet...making sure that they don't get any sores or ulcers because they really don't have much sensation in their extremities.  So any little thing can be a big problem to them; whereas, people like us who have normal sensation, we would adjust our foot or take the pebble out of our shoes if it bothers us...however, they don't feel anything there so with continued pressure, they would eventually have an infected foot if nothing is done to it.  We also make certain customized orthotics and special shoes for them in order to protect their feet.  So I do a lot of management of the foot...such as callus and nail trimming (it's a lot harder than it looks!)...cleaning lots of wounds and putting different sort of dressings over them, making casts and splints.  Ok, so it may not be the most ideal job for everybody, but it's amazing how much it helps the patient when you figure out the problem and find the correct footwear for them. You just can't get easily grossed out.   Ultimately, it comes down to how close we work with our patients...you are able to develop an amazing relationship with them. 

I've only been here 3 weeks, but i feel like i'm already part of this wonderful family. My PT made me some awesome Louisiana cajun food for lunch yesterday and showed me how to appropriately peel crawfish after I told them I've never had crawfish before.  I've just been so blessed with my clinicals so far...'cause i know some of my classmates who did or are having a rough time in theirs.  hopefully, it's gonna continue for the rest of my clinical rotations!  The only thing I'm worried about is that I don't come back with a serious twang (I know Aaaalice that I already have a slight one) but hopefully it won't get worse.  Ok, that's my life so far in a nutshell.       

Molina...My Love

It's taken me awhile to figure out what I wanted to write on this Xanga page.  Everyone's been asking me about my trip to Japan and China, and a lot of times I don't really know how to respond because I haven't had time to really reflect on the experience.  There was so much that I've learned this past month that it's hard to put it all down into words.  And then I was thinking, should I write a funnier entry or a deeper one...i've decided to write the funnier one next time w/ all the crazy things that could only happen in China. ;)

The last time I was in China, I was 4 yrs old, so basically I really don't know anything about China (as FOB as I am). :)  I realize how truly blessed I am...to be living in this country...to have the freedom to speak out my feelings over religion or politics...to have parents who truly support me in all my decisions...to be able to do whatever I want without having to think of anybody but myself...to have everything that I need and much much more...to not only have 1 bathroom in my apartment, but 2...and a shower head...a refrigerator...a soft FULL-size bed...central air...  The list goes on.  You may think I must've lived in a dump or something during my trip...but I'm only describing the luxuried one didn't have in a typical home in China.  

And then there's the wealthy.  Gosh, what a distinction.  It's amazing how fine the dividing line it is between the poor and the rich, who a large part are foreigners. The rich have thier personal drivers...the maid...the nice, huge HOUSEs (while there are not enough land to build cheaper aparments for the typical Chinese, a lot of the land is used to build these 3-4 acres-size homes for the rich)...all the luxury that one would want.  It's not the fault of the rich. If us typical Americans go back...we'll probably be able to afford that sort of lifestyle - it's basically handed to us on a silver platter simply because we're "Americans".  How peoples' attitude change once they find out you're from the United States of America.  It made me feel extremely uncomfortable; and lot of times, I would lie and say I'm from China (after my Chinese have gotten better, of course). :)    

It was awesome being able to talk to the locals though.  It was a lot of fun getting their stories - the taxi driver, who hates the fact that the Olympics will be in Beijing 2008; this 24-yr-old girl who isn't able to have a career that she really wants because she has to think about her family back in the countryside; a 40-yr-old man who is happy to be living in China, and turned down the opportunity to go to the US...the list goes on. 

The Chinese don't care much about the political freedom or religious freedom.  As long as they work hard, they earn as much as they can, and live a peaceful life, then they are satisfied.  Pretty simple.  

Ok, there's a lot more, but I really don't have enough time to think more about this!  Exam time!  I know...already, right?  Now, I go back to my boring PT life...  

Michigan

Oh my...it's been a crazy, crazy semester!  1st year of PT school is about to be over!  It's been a hectic month...with 2-3 exams going on every week since after our Spring Break until Finals, and then moving to Ann Arbor, MI 2 days with a classmate after our last final for my 1st Clinical internship...we finally made it here!  No electricy for the 1st 5 days since the girl we're subletting from haven't moved in yet so she didn't get electricity connected.  The girl's boyfriend was nice enough to bring over this long extension cord so we can plug into our neighbor's outlet, as well as a Lamp. So we're in our apartment, which is in a basement, w/ ONE freakin lamp standing in the middle of our tiny living room?  Couldn't buy any groceries, 'cause we couldn't use the fridge or the stove.  No internet. No electricity.  The next day we went to Panara - spent 5 hrs there using the internet and charging our phones.  At night, we would unplug the lamp, and use our tiny laptop to watch a movie before going to bed.  We got up at around 5 every morning, so it's freakin dark...remember now, no electricity except for that ONE lamp...we have no idea what we look like in morning as we head out to our clinic.  Once we get there...dude...a mess.  It's just been hilarious looking back at it.  We've finally settled down...still haven't had time to really explore the city since we don't get back until around 7pm, and by that time, we're so exhausted from the 10.5 hrs work, we just eat dinner, pop in a movie, and go to sleep.  Pretty sad, huh?      But overall, i've been loving the experience!  I love interacting w/ the patients...esp the older ones...they're  cute.  And just learning more about our bodies...seeing things that we've learned in class come into play  in real people...it really is a wonder.  I love it.  I really need to work out the strength of my fingers...i'm still too soft...patients actually complain about it!  They keep encouraging me to push harder. Hahaha!  6 more weeks to go...and then...off to China!  Woo-hoo!  Anybody care to join me in touring China?