Follow the leader

I had a ride planned with Teresa and the "B Train" (aka Ian and Joan). I was to meet up with Teresa around 5:15p and then we'd meet Ian and Joan at 5:30p. Well, around 4:30 I heard rumbling. I went into denial and just said "I must be hungry" and continued to get ready. Then I saw a flash and again in denial, just said "Must be having a stroke" and still continued on my way. I packed my bike into the car and left. Teresa called while I was enroute and said Wynn told her a storm was coming. We decided to move forward with the plan to ride, but change the route so we were never that far from her house.

The sky looked pretty decent when we left. We made our way down "the hill" and found Ian and Joan waiting at the bottom. Teresa mentioned a route to follow and off we went. I had my tri bike so I had to maintain a little distance from the group since I would be in my aerobars.

The B Train led the way. When we got to Mill Road, I thought we were going straight, but they made a right. I looked back to Teresa and she said she thought they would go straight. So we followed along. When we got to Edwards, they said let's make a left and then double back. I mentioned to Teresa why don't we make a right and head back that way. She shot me a look that if she had daggers for eyes, I'd be dead instantaneously. Making a right would mean eventually she would have to ride up "Mount Ventoux" or as most folks would know it as the hill on 51. So I zipped it and followed the leader. I wasn't sure exactly where we were heading so I could never ride up front. I sat in the middle and would occasionally help Teresa bridge the gap back up to the B Train. 

The weather held up nicely. We unanimously agreed that Wynn should quit his day job and become a meteorologist. His prediction was just as accurate as the guys that get paid to do it.

Tomorrow I have a busy day planned. There is no session at the lab so I am off, but I have a doctor's appt for a physical and then an ortho session with Sinead.

"it's been a long, cold, lonely winter....."

Great words by George Harrison. For a while it seemed like my working weekends was never going to end. Today was the final day. I made a big push to get all the returns done that were sent in last minute. Wingman and I went in Friday evening and stayed until 11:30p, then worked all day Saturday and Sunday. Everything is done that needed to be done. And now I get my weekends back!! Next weekend I plan on getting out with the camera and take some photos. I am way overdue in updating my photo site. This morning my mother's client was a professional photographer. He saw samples of my work (I gave her a digital frame for her birthday filled with photo's I have taken) and gave me some nice compliments and ideas for future shots.

My sister brought in her dog today so I spent some time going upstairs to get Holly Yoda (I refuse to call the dog by her real name) riled up and then go back downstairs. I had to play nice though as she recently came back from the vet and still had the stitches. By the end of the day, the poor dog was pooped. You could see her energy levels were down. She stopped doing sprint laps around the desk. Sad thing is, I could relate to that. I had the same energy level as that dog.

Wingman and I made it home in time to see the end of the Masters on TV. It was nice to see Phil Mickelson win his 3rd green jacket. Last year he took some time off away from golf to be with his wife while she get treatment for breast cancer. Classy guy.

Now we're watching coverage of the Paris-Roubaix bike race. I am exhausted just watching it. These guys race over many sections of cobblestones. You can see how it jars their bodies as they ride over the stones. It must be so physically demanding to do this race. Unfortunately I am only half watching it. Late this afternoon my electro professor sent out the article we have to read for tomorrow and prepare for a discussion on it. So I have to get this thing read. Plus I have to prepare for my neuro practical later this week. But more importantly, I will be heading to sleep early tonight!! 

It's go time

I was back in school this week. Spring break is over and it was time to get back to the grind. I was fortunate enough to ease back into the swing of things this week. My usual Monday 8:30a-7p turned into 5-7p. And my Wednesday morning class was cancelled. So I gained some valuable study time for my ortho practical today. Practicals are tough enough, but this one seemed to be the hardest. It covered the entire spine from occiput (head) down to the sacrum. We could be tested on assessments and/or treatments. When you are called into the room, you can feel your pulse rate quicken. Then you need to pick from 2 sheets of paper. They are turned upside down so you have no idea what they say. You have to use some psychic powers to help you pick. But then again, Uncle Murphy will always strike and you will pick a card that has a technique you are just not that good at. And once again, I was bit in the ass. My sheet had two elements on it:

1. Perform an ERS MET to the cervical spine (I got to pick direction and segment)
2. Perform the long sit/standing marcher's test

Needless to say #1 was not my strong suit. I performed #2 first. And again, my dumb luck, the results of the two tests don't match. The professor asked me what I would do. I first told him I would do a standing flexion test, but he wanted a different answer. I then said I would retest the two exams I did. Bingo. Onward to my nemesis. For the most part I did fine with this intervention. The feedback I got was my elbows could have come out more to the side. It would have made the intervention easier for me to perform. No worries, I did it and it's over. Monday we start the upper extremity. Can't wait for that.

I thought April would be a 'light' month, but turns out I will be busy. Next week I have my Neuro practical covering NDT, PNF and Task-Oriented Approach. Each Wednesday for the next 3 weeks I have to go observe/evaluate/treat a 2 year old in physical therapy for my pediatrics class. This should be interesting. Pediatrics is an area I want to run screaming from. April 30th we have a field trip to Helen Hayes Hospital and their spinal cord injury rehab department.

Then my final exams will come up sooner than later. I got the schedule emailed to me just before spring break:

1. 5/10 - Ortho written final
2. 5/13 - Ortho practical
3. 5/17 or 5/19 - Eletrotherapy practical
4. 5/17 - Neuro Practical
5. 5/18 - Cardio rehab written final
6. 5/18 or 5/19 - Pediatrics practical
7. 5/20 - Pediatrics written final
8. 5/20 - Neuro take home final due
9. 5/21 - Electrotherapy written exam

Wow, come to think of it, this is coming down fast. My first final is only a month away!! It's go time!