Probation

Today was most fabulous. It felt a little more natural to do the probing after having done the whole exploring thing. I am getting more used to being in the mouth but I think that I really need to practice on my typodont at home. I like to practice in my pj's on my bed, I feel alot less nervous that way. If only I could practice hygiene that way too!!
This week is our first test and I thought that i was going to study way ahead and be all sorts of prepared and i just don't think that happened. This weekend disappeared in a flash and I feel that I need to tweek my life schedule a little more to get everything to fit. We'll see how the next few weeks go. I don't think it will be too bad.
I am really starting to enjoy all of this program. I think that it is neat that each person is a good friend and that I have so many lives to be apart of. I love hearing more about each person and discovering what they are really like. I love to leave the facades of acquaintences and head into the deeper relationships of good friends, that is really meaningful to me.
I have also appreciated how understanding and genuine everyone is. I babble on incesently about my life and my thoughts, yet everyone listens and tries to really understand where I am coming from. I love our class and I think that it is most fabulous.
I am so glad that I am in this program and that I can grow because of it. I have really enjoyed the experience thus far and I know that I will miss it when it is gone.
This will be a beautiful week!!

Dora the Explorer

A little more practice with the explorer and I think that I might stop making people bleed. I can't wait until it just feels natural, I think that i say that about every technique that we learn, but it's true.
I am nervous for some of the first tests that we have coming up. I really over booked myself last week and I hardly had the chance to study, so I feel that I have alot of catching up to do. It's hard to find the time during the week because I go to work right after school, I have to have money. then on the weekends, who wants to study?
If I study all of the time then I will never get married!! I'm not too concerned about the whole marriage thing as much as I used to be, but I must say that I look at all of the married people in our class and I can't helpo but to want it myself just a little bit. I may sound like a boy-crazy gal, but I think there is nothing more edifying and beautiful as loving someone else with all of your heart. I realize that I am living it easy not having to worry about all of the house stuff while I live at home, but just like everything else, there are pros and cons.
I can honestly say though, that I am really starting to love the program. I feel that I am learning so much and that I am building some of the coolest friendships. Each day that goes by, I think, 'oh, no, we are that much closer to being done and not seeing each other again'. So I am going to try to live up and appreciate each day.
Lucky me.

curvature.

It's all about curving with the teeth. Ouch!! I think that i started to get it after a few injuries. I think that I was really paranoid going subgingivally today because I thought I would tear the peridontal ligaments. So far all of the teeth are still intact, phew!!
I feel that I have started to get the hang of school just a bit. I am always surprised by how much there is to remember and to study. I tried to study today and 4 hours just wasn't enough, interesting.
I used to feel that my personality was a little loud and overwhelming and sometimes I am still self-consious of that and I really want everyone to like me, so initially i tried to subdue my birght personality but I have decided to let it shine. So if I am too annoying just let me know. Love you

Monday, Monday

Today was got to do the whole do dah. It was fun to do HHX, vitals, intra and oral exams, and fulcruming. I felt alot less awkward than I did last time so that was encouraging. I got to do all of the examination on Holly and that was fun, because she is so funny. I like the fact that my pod likes to laugh during clinic it makes it alot more managable. I think that we have all found that we tend to forget little things here and there, gloves, mask, when class starts, but overall we are all getting into the swing of things.
We get to start scaling on each other next week and I think it will be really solidifying to apply fulcruming by actually using the skill set we just learned.
This is going to be a great wekk, I can tell.

Fulcrums and Magnification

Trying on the glasses was kind of cool. Our whole pod didn't really like them, but I actually did. I think that they help me see things just a bit better and they help me not strain as much to see what is going on. I think that I might get some when I have practiced as a hygienist and actually have money.
We switched lab jackets with each other today and that was fun. The TA thought that I was Joni and that Joni was Celeste. She kept on saying our names backwards so much that Joni and I had a hard time taking vitals because we were laughing so much. I think that clinic should be focused, but not overly serious. Sometimes though, I think that I like to be too goofy.
Fulcruming is AWKWARD!! I had a hard time getting everything in the right position. I want to keep on practicing so that I can get better at it and not feel so dumb. There is just alot to remember. but i am sure that i will get it soon.

Blood Pressure and Patient Positioning

Blood pressure review went pretty well. I love to hear the heart beat and analyze people's health, it makes me feel smart. I think that with more practice, I will be better at hearing the geart beats. What I like to do with pulse and respirations it count each for 15 seconds just at the beginning and then times it by four. It takes alot less time that way.
We also found some helpful hints for patient positioning. We (our pod) passed off those PE's today. I call our pod "Pod Power". We are really good at teaching each other and trying to stay on top of all the assignments.
I am excited about the blood pressure cuff that I got. It seems a little juvenille. It is bright green with cute monkeys on it. I sort-of feel immature with it, but it totally emmulates my personality.
Overall, I am feeling pretty on top of things. I just want to do a little bit better. I think that I will have to stay up a little later this week to get on top of things so that Saturday I can get ahead. I am still struggling to get really used to the schedule and to feel like I am in the rhythm of things. Of course, I just broke up with the person I had been dating for a while, so I am trying to get used to that change. I am happy to be single again and just play with my gals that I love so much. Life is just good, fast and busy, but good. I just feel fantastic.
Another one of my main goals is to feel like I am close to the people of our class. I figure that we a re together almost everyday for two years so there is no reason for us not to be good friends. I love the dental hygiene program because I feel that we are all really supportive of each other, plus I feel that all of the instructors truly want us to succeed and they will help us do that.

Blood Pressure and Patient Positioning

Blood pressure review went pretty well. I love to hear the heart beat and analyze people's health, it makes me feel smart. I think that with more practice, I will be better at hearing the geart beats. What I like to do with pulse and respirations it count each for 15 seconds just at the beginning and then times it by four. It takes alot less time that way.
We also found some helpful hints for patient positioning. We (our pod) passed off those PE's today. I call our pod "Pod Power". We are really good at teaching each other and trying to stay on top of all the assignments.
I am excited about the blood pressure cuff that I got. It seems a little juvenille. It is bright green with cute monkeys on it. I sort-of feel immature with it, but it totally emmulates my personality.
Overall, I am feeling pretty on top of things. I just want to do a little bit better. I think that I will have to stay up a little later this week to get on top of things so that Saturday I can get ahead. I am still struggling to get really used to the schedule and to feel like I am in the rhythm of things. Of course, I just broke up with the person I had been dating for a while, so I am trying to get used to that change. I am happy to be single again and just play with my gals that I love so much. Life is just good, fast and busy, but good. I just feel fantastic.
Another one of my main goals is to feel like I am close to the people of our class. I figure that we a re together almost everyday for two years so there is no reason for us not to be good friends. I love the dental hygiene program because I feel that we are all really supportive of each other, plus I feel that all of the instructors truly want us to succeed and they will help us do that.

Clinic health histories

Today was pretty good. The paper work that we need to do seems to be a bit extensive, but very thorough. I am excited for when I can do it with ease and not have to try so hard to remember everything. I always get worried that I will miss information. However, all of the information is good because this is the health field and we are health care providers and I feel that we have the opportunity to really help people.
Yesterday, I had my interview with Mrs. Costley and whe thought that it would be good to blog what my goals were. I have made the goal to use Saturdays as my get ahead days instead of my catch-up days. I will do that by studying enough during the week that I have no reading to catch up on, rather I could read ahead for the next week so that I can study for tests, be prepared for class, and experience less stress. We'll see how that goes though. So far I have felt that it is kind-of tough to get ahead. Just when I feel like I get on top of things I go to class and realize that I am still behind. I feel that there really is no time for anything elses but school. I have been working right after class until about 8:00 at night and I just feel that there is not enough time for everything. I think that if I just get super organized, I will start to feel like I can get more done.
I am really excited though to get to know all of the other people in our class. I think that we have a good mix of personalities and a real opportunity to make some lasting friendships. I feel good that there are 29 other people who understand what life is like and that I get to see those people almost everyday.
I've also found that I love the weekends. No stress, just study and it's nice to not have to go to class for a day and see the long lost friends who think that I have disappeared. Life is beautiful.