What a Day!

Well, I'll start with last night.  A friend from NWA was in Houston for some training this week, and we had dinner with him last night.  Chris got off work in the late afternoon, came home and walked and fed Baxter.  Then he left for Houston.  He met me at my friends house where I stay, and we went to go pick up Jamie (the friend in town).  Our friends Celina and Jake came to eat with us, too.  We had Saltgrass, and it was SO yummy!  We had a great time 'catching' up (he's not all that interested in what I do) and Chris took him back to his hotel and then headed home.  I rode back with Celina and Jake because I stay with them.

This morning I had clinic, and it was amazing.  I saw a cochlear implant activation.  The activation is the first time the persons electrodes are turned on after the wounds heal, and they hear sound.  It was a woman I saw today, and she started to cry, which in turn made me emotional!  Although audiologists don't perform the surgery, we manage everything hearing wise afterwards, which, let's face it, is the most important part.  Then I saw a BAHA patient.  BAHA stands for Bone Anchored Hearing Aid.  And it's literally that.  It's anchored on the bone.  This is one surgery I'd love to watch.  They basically drill a hole through the skull, anchor a snap into the bone (the snap is on the outside of the head, and is normally covered with hair) and the hearing aid (which looks like a little square) snaps onto the implanted snap.  It's pretty cool.  Anywho, here are some pics of the device.  

 

Ok, I'm an ear nerd.  Now you all know.

Hog Blog

Last weekend we took the toy Chris won in the claw machine at the grocery store to see the sights around town before we move.  We named him Razor Back, and because we don't have kids to take pictures of and Baxter won't pose, it was the best we could do.

Driving to see the sights.  Watch out!  He can't reach the pedals!

A little perspective.  It's the biggest fire hydrant we've ever seen! 

Chris showing Razor Back the ins and outs of the fire hydrant.

A quick meeting with the Texas Energy Commission.  Razor Back never disclosed what they spoke about.

Another week has passed.

Well, another week has almost fully passed, and I still don't want to pack!  Is that wrong?  I know I'll have to eventually, but I just can't will myself to do it.  Without the persuasion of Chris, that is.  

At the VA this week, I saw a 23 year old man, just back from Iraq who had been injured in an IED blast.  After the testing was over, my supervisor and I thanked him for his service.  He said he was grateful for that, and that we'd be surprised by how often they don't hear that.  That's crazy.  These young men, who could pursue anything, decide to become military men, and then sometimes feel like they aren't appreciated.  I appreciate them all.  I am so grateful for their sacrifices.   I also saw a elderly gentleman who fought in the Battle of the Bulge.  He told me great stuff.  He was so kind, I just wanted to hug his neck!   

Also, we had a lovely morning song and dance session of 'Baby Got Back' and 'Soldier boy'.  What?  You're surprised?  So was I!  

There was also a man (older) who declared he was a wealthy Republican, and if we weren't going to issue him new hearing aids, then he's just have to use his contacts.  Well, I think President Bush is just dying to pull strings at the VA so he can get new hearing aids.  EVERYONE at the VA has to follow the same rules, the same guidelines, and just because you're wealthy or not, doesn't mean you're going to get your way.

On another note, I just finished reading 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' by Khaled Hosseini.  I read 'Kite Runner' a few years ago, and loved it, and didn't know what could top it.  But this new book did!  I read all morning, couldn't put it down.  Now I'm going to read 'Running With Scissors'.  I've heard mixed things about it, so I hope it's a good read.  I have a list of books I want to read, but I've stopped buying books...I get sick of looking at them.  So now I have to check the library diligently to find them!  

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Catching Up

We've been packing up these past few days...and I'm sick of it!  We took packed up all of my school books, took the bookcase outside to the storage building, and it broke.  We packed up my desk, and it's in the storage building.  The pictures are off the wall...it's just so barren in here now!  I just want to hire someone to pack it all up!  

We went to Ikea yesterday to look at some stuff I've been eyeing online.  We didn't get anything, because it's just extra to move, but now we know what we like!  Going to Ikea was our reward for packing so much.  I decided that having rewards was a great thing.  Graduate, get a reward; get a white coat, get a reward; pack, get a reward.  It was a quick trip, but it was so nice to get out of the house.  Hopefully next Sunday is as pretty as yesterday was.  We want to go to Galveston one last time before we move.  Baxter loves it there!  Especially digging in the sand and watching it fill back up with water before digging at it again!

This week is Spring Break for me, and although I don't have class today, I do have clinic Tuesday through Thursday.  I go to the VA on those days in Houston.  There's such a wide array of people that come in.  It's never dull there, that's for sure.  Either way, I wish I were on a cruise this week.  We cruise with Royal Caribbean, and although it's not the 'Fun Ship' (Carnival's catch phrase), we always have tons of fun...and there's no planning!  Or heavy packing!

When bad days turn good

Today, I arrived at school a little extra early to get in a little extra study time for a test today.  This is what I've done before every test I've ever had in grad school.  Some girls in my class sit down and ask each other questions that we're not sure about, hoping someone else has the insight.  Study time was up, and we had to go to clinic meeting.  I walk in, and one of the girls in my class was on the phone with our professor.  She was stuck in traffic.  In Houston.  She finally hung up and told us CLASS WAS CANCELLED!  YIPPEE!  No test!  Hot dang!  Next week is spring break, but I'm sure we'll have the test the week after.  But hey, we dodged the bullet today!

btw...it's super windy here today!  I can't wait to have hills and mountains to actually block some of it!  It's so flat here that it just blows like crazy!