Interview #2

I have a job interview tomorrow, and I'm super excited about it! It's with the skilled nursing facility I'm currently at for my internship/practicum, and I'm really hoping that I get the job!

The job would involve working with adults in long-term and transitional care who have (or had) any of the following:

• stroke
• brain injury
• dementia
• cognitive deficits
• swallowing disorders
• voice disorders
• any number of diseases (Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's, etc.)

Anyway....send some positive energy my way tomorrow at 10 a.m. CST, please!

You know it's a good day when...

...you get an email like this:


University of Minnesota
Graduate School Spring 2010 Commencement Ceremony

Dear Heidi,

Re: Attendance verification

This e-mail serves as confirmation that the Graduate School has received your Commencement Attendance Approval form and is planning on your attendance at the Spring 2010, University of Minnesota Graduate School Commencement Ceremony.


Bring it. 

Aliens

I decided today that I should start keeping track of some of the things I hear everyday at the skilled nursing facility. Sometimes, patients say the funniest things. I don't mean to make fun of vulnerable people--I just think that it's one of those situations where you either laugh about it, or you cry about it. So I choose to laugh.

Today's conversation of the day:

Me: Why are you here, Bob*?
Bob: Well, I had a brain aneurysm. That, and I complained about aliens visiting me.

Note: To my knowledge, Bob never complained of alien sightings. His brain injury causes him to make up things and have a poor short-term memory. He sometimes thinks that he is in a school, not a skilled nursing facility. In fact, he told me today that this weekend was his graduation. The good thing: despite these challenges, Bob is not angry, and he responds well to others (like me and the SLP) correcting him. Our challenge: trying to help him learn memory and reasoning strategies to sort through reality and fabrications.

What an interesting fellow, that Bob.

*Patient names changed to protect the innocent and follow HIPAA rules.

2 months and counting

Exactly 2 months from tomorrow, I will be walking across the stage at Northrop Auditorium and accepting my diploma. I might also need to throw my hands up in the air and let out a cry of joy/exhaustion/relief.

I can't wait.

Yet....there are a million and one things to do before then.

I have been so busy lately and so tired, but the thing is that I am really enjoying most of the things that are taking up my time. I really like working at the skilled nursing facility -- the old folks are great. It's sad sometimes (especially the other day when one of my former patients passed away...), but it is also great to see their successes and help improve their quality of life. Other than that, I've been studying for comps (coming up April 9) with a friend twice a week, and that hasn't been too bad. There's just a lot to know, but it's been nice to talk everything out with another person rather than just study by myself. And then there's work and two classes (both of which are about assessing and treating people who are bilingual -- super interesting and relevant here in MN, where we have really high numbers of immigrants and refugees!).

So, yeah....life has been busy lately, and I am feeling like I'm ready to graduate and be an SLP! I am leaning toward working in a school setting, so keep your fingers crossed that I get called for an interview soon!

So, let's do some highs and lows for the past couple weeks, shall we?

Highs:

• Getting called for my first interview at a pediatric clinic
• Feeling like I am getting a handle on how to treat adults with swallowing, voice and cognitive disorders, along with Dementia
• Buying our rowing machine (I need to get on that thing more frequently!)
• Seeing the sun for the past week and actually noticing that the snow is melting (so I can no see over the snowbanks at the end of our driveway when I'm backing out)
• Visiting with Miss Finn last weekend for a bit. She walked over to my chair and held her arms up, like "pick me up!" She's a doll. And I love that after taking a drink, she goes "ahhhh."

Lows:

• Finding out that a patient died on Thursday morning. So sad...
• Having wayyyy too much to do for school before Spring Break and wondering how I'm ever going to finish it all.
• Being sick last week with a stomach flu and not getting to go up north on a snowshoe/cabin adventure. 
• Having to get Indy some anti-seizure meds. We're starting them today.

Well, that's about it for now. I hope to provide more frequent updates about fun projects around the house (crafts, gardening/yard remodeling, etc.) after May! Stay tuned...