Mouth Crush

Do you ever find yourself getting a mouth crush on somebody?

Like you are so in love with their beautiful teeth that you start to have very positive feelings towards them as a person and have to keep reminding yourself that you don't really know them that well?

Or the opposite.  Start to have negative feelings towards someone with maloccluded teeth and periodontal disease?

Well I do.  Had a serious mouth crush today on a 50-something year old guy who has the teeth of a 20 year old.  I hope I didn't get a too chummy.

Eat Crow

Remember when Costley's definition on a slide came straight from Wikipedia?  Well, I'd like to follow suit (while we're using idioms, why not?)

Eating crow is a U.S. colloquial idiom meaning humiliation by admitting wrongness or having been proved wrong after taking a strong position.

Here's the story.

I subbed at my Dad's office last Saturday.  I have subbed there a few times since having Cleo, but on those occasions my first patient was at 2:00pm.  This time my first patient was at 8:00am.  Now on the previous occasions I had a hole or two in the schedule, which means I had some down time.  I have worked for my father for over 5 years.  I assisted until I got into hygiene school and I have done Payroll/Office stuff all the way through school and am still doing it.  Needless to say I know a lot of the ins and outs of the goings on there, especially what my Dad wants and all his weird little quirks (and there is a laundry list of them).  For example, he likes the tissue boxes to be taped to the counter top.  I imagine because it annoys him to pull on a tissue only to have the whole box come with it.  He likes us to ask, "What questions do you have?" instead of "Do you have any questions?"  He doesn't like the phrase "due for" as in "You are due for radiographs today" because it makes it seem impersonal that we are not taking the individual person into account when we take radiographs on a certain schedule.  If you haven't gotten the feeling yet he is VERY PARTICULAR about these types of things.  Patient relationships are huge to him and he is pretty selective about how we communicate to them.

Well, another thing he is picky about is being on time.  On time is late, and early is on time.  Friday night I was at his house and he reminded me to be there 15 minutes early.  Usually I just say, "Ok" or "I know", but he had reminded me to put tape on a tissue box earlier in the week which I felt was uncalled for, because OBVIOUSLY I KNOW!  Right?  So I kind of started in on him about I know I need to be there early and I know the tissue box needs tape on the bottom and I know to restock things when I take the last one and I know to write the date and price on every box I come into contact with, I know to keep the PIE form from last year so we know how to fill out this years, ETC!  (I could go on forever.)

Guess what happened?  I woke up late the next morning.  WOKE UP at 8:00am.  First patient at 8:00am.  I had set my alarm for an hour earlier, planned to pump a bottle for Cleo and get there early early.  Nope.  Sorry Cleo.  Instead, I pulled in to the parking lot at 8:20am.  Came flying out of the car with my loupes already on, hadn't even eaten or brushed my teeth!  Eew, RDH sin.  Megan, bless her soul, had already taken radiographs on my patient (a good friend) and my Dad was doing the exam.

Needless to say, I ATE CROW that morning.  And I hope to never have to again.

Idioms remind me of this.  Thanks Richie Rich.

Richie Rich: My crib? 
Herbert Cadbury: I believe that's street slang for home, sir, an idiom. 
Omar: Who you callin' an idiom?

Couldn't find a YouTube clip of it. 

Dear Patients

Dear Patients,

I love you.  I really do.  Generally.  However, there are a few things that I think you ought to know.

1 - When I am flossing your teeth, just keep your mouth open and jaw still.  You are NOT helping me floss by moving your jaw all around.  Maybe that helps you when you floss yourself.  Fine, do it for you, but it just irritates me when you do it.

2 - Stop feeling guilty.  I'm not asking how often you floss so I can yell at you and make you feel like a bad person.  I honestly want to know, because some people NEVER floss and NEVER get plaque/calculus/tartar on their teeth.  Other people THINK they are great flossers, but are doing a craptacular job, and other people floss all day every day but it still isn't enough.  I'm not trying to make you feel bad.

3 - Yes, I like to talk to you, but when I have my instruments ready and posed at your ever-moving lips that is my sign that it is time to put them IN your mouth.  Take note.

4 - I don't know what your insurance covers.  That is your job.  I am proud of you, if you know and can make me aware that they only cover Fluoride once a year, or BWX, or whatever.  You be in charge of that.

Um . . . that is all I can think of right now.

Thanks for coming in!  Nice to meet you! 

Marianne Moody, RDH

Kiddos

I have been thankful to be subbing in a fantabulous office quite a bit recently.  This office sees a LOT of kids.  Up until yesterday they were all perfectly good, fun, well-behaved children with their normal struggles, but really pretty dang good.  Well . . . yesterday I saw two kids that seriously tried my patience.  I don't know if it was because it was my 4th day of working in a row, or what but HOLY SMOKES I had to try dang hard not to freak out at them.  The girl (seven years old) kept grabbing my instrument while it was in her mouth.  I tried to take BWX of her brother (4 years old) and it was NOT going to happen.  I had explained holding as still as a statue, so at one point he clamped down on the phosphor plate (like 1 of 4 size 0's) and may have permanently ruined it he bit down so hard.  Dang freaking annoying kids.

Morterboards

I didn't feel like I was a big fat loser for getting an Associate's Degree when everybody else was getting a Bachelor's Degree until the last week of school.

"Oh the Excellence in Service Award that you completed 8 modules and lots of paperwork to get, that can only be awarded to those getting a Bachelor's Degree."

"Oh, the purple and white striped honors cord?  That is only for those getting a Bachelor's Degree."

"Oh, the black robes and yellow tassle?  That is only for Bachelor's recipients."

"Oh, if you are getting an Associate's Degree you need to stand at the END of the line, by yourself, not talk to any of your friends and your name will be called out LAST."

It became a funny little joke between MeChel and I.  So, anyone in future Dental Hygiene years just be prepared for the humiliation that getting ONLY an Associate's brings.  I mean . . . not having to worry about Dr. Hansen's research class/thesis/paper may have been worth it.  Um, hold on . . . yes.  It was definitely worth it.

But graduation was still a fun day of pomp and circumstance, seeing friends, realizing it was the last time we would officially be together as a class, and hugging our dedicated instructors as we walked across the stage.  Holy Francis McConaughy crying her eyeballs out!  Didn't expect that from Fran.

Aloha!

DH BFFs

Karlie snagged a QUICK pic before Cam started his shyness.

Camden . . . too shy to show his face.

Good Times

Amidst the stress and amazing frustration of the final weeks at WSU, there were definitely also some good times.

MeChel looking up with a smile from the Class III that needed every medicament imaginable to be comfortable.

Emily scaling away on this curly haired lady.

My pod-mates charting together.

Me, giving Kristie one last good under-the-table-in-school-scaling before we start our adventures in real life.

Picking up our cords, water bottles, and MeChel's license plate cover for GRADUATION!

Light purple lab coat, I miss you already.

S-T-R-E-S-S!

There were times of HIGH STRESS during the school year.  Particularly the weeks before boards and then the weeks before clinic ended as we realized a bunch of random requirements that we hadn't thought about.  I captured a few of these stressful moments, and only wish I could have actually recorded the conversations that went on during these pictures, but I think I remember pretty well what went on.

"If ONE MORE PERSON even BRINGS UP another requirement, I will freak out."

Sam - Karlie - MeChel

"I am so ticked right now.  My Class III just cancelled . . . for the third time."

Karlie

"Wait.  We have to have 4 quads of a Class IV AT WEBER?!?!?  2 of mine are from the VA?!?!?!"

Sarah - Brooke

Instructors

In Fall 2011 I had clinic on Tuesdays.  My instructors were Prof. Susan Alexander, DOCTOR Hansen, Inst. Jenn Wold and Dr. Carol Naylor (kind of).

In Spring 2012 I had clinic on Thursdays.  My instructors were Prof. Susan Alexander (morning?), DOCTOR Hansen (afternoon) Inst. Jenn Wold, and Prof. Shane Perry.  When Dr. Hansen took a job with American Express (not teaching people how to use credit cards) we had the pleasure of having Marilyn Sadler, who had graduated just a year before us, fill in as our other clinical instructor.

So . . . a little summary of each to remember.  (Dr. Hanson has her own post so she will not be listed here.)

Prof. Susan Alexander-
Easy going.  Closed her eyes to really "feel".  Loved taking off amalgam overhangs with files.  Trusting.  Asked what my perio statement was.

Prof. Shane Perry-
High expectations.  Technical with clinical knowledge.  Always drilling with questions.  Didn't care if he made you look like an idiot in front of patients.  Realistic about outcomes of oral health.  Fun.  (An interesting side note about Perry is that after Dr. Hansen left, he became WAY more laid back and fun.  Go figure.)  Cognizant of needs, like if I needed to do a PE or was in a hurry to dismiss a patient at a certain time he would hang around.  He definitely grew on me as the semester went on.  Kept pod wraps to a minimum.

Inst. Jenn Wold-
Trusting of students judgement.  Let me do 4 PE's in one afternoon.  :)  Towards the end of the year her water bottle was always filled with what looked like the yummiest pink punch, don't know what it actually was.

Inst. Marilyn Sadler-
Amazing knowledge of correct charting system and health history.  Made sure everything was perfectly accurate without being rude about it.  Knew the difference between TalEval, Eaglesoft, and real life.  Like if quads needed to be recorded in TalEval differently than what may be billed in a real life situation.  Always around and available.  OFTEN taking on more instructor responsibilities than her own, like when certain instructors would randomly be gone for 45 minutes with no explanation, she would fill in to keep clinic running.  Helps with radiographs, and is dang good at it.       
 

Inst Wold's usual place and position.

Phenomenon

The observable occurrence of which I speak is somewhat personal.  Not really, but you have to be prepared for it.  Most of my scrub pants, a certain pair especially, tended to fall down throughout the clinic day.  It was one of the only times I was thankful for our knee length lab jackets.  However, another factor in this phenomenon is that my shirt (especially if it was one of our purple or grey Weber shirts) would start to shimmy up.  Even before my belly started growing this would happen.  It just got worse with the uteran increase.  You can imagine, that by the end of morning appts I was functioning on very low mid-section coverage!  One day, Sarah helped me document.  Now remember, I warned you so don't be offended by what you are about to see. 

Not bad for an 18 week fetus!

The lab coat saved you all from witnessing THIS every day.  You're welcome.

Lunch!

Many of you know that lunch was a large part of my happiness at school.  

Possibilities were endless.  

Company was always top notch.  

Clinic gossip was delightful and often hilarious.  

I see no down side.

Lunch from WSU Clinic was often $2 at the Institute.  It ranged from Chick Fil-A, Arby's, Chinese, you name it they had it.  Close, cheap, and fun.  Runner up is probably Burger King.  MeChel and I often brought coupons and split meals.  Pita Pit once with MeChel, Kelsey, and Adrienne.  

Lunch from the VA was often Wendy's at first, but then flipped to Jimmy Johns.  All I know is that I could BARELY get myself out of bed in time to make carpool, so ain't no way in HECK I was also making myself a lunch.  Maybe I brought a lunch one day at the VA Spring Semester, and only because we were going to The Pie afterwards.  

Jimmy John's

At the Union.  Michelle, Karen, MeChel on NCUR Day.

Me, pretending these girls are my friends.

Whoa, Michelle.  What's up? 

There we go!

Burger King.  MeChel had to straighten me out on which smoothie was mine.

The BEST large group picture ever. directly following a pretty darn good hygiene joke.

I think the hygiene joke went something like this.  Alright everybody to the distal, you need to get mesial, TO THE MIDLINE!

Final Clinic Day Potluck!

No offense, but not as good as the previous one.  You can't hardly see the right quadrant!

The Best Memories at lunch.

Za Banquet!

The moment that has been talked about since Day 1 of Senior Year.  The Banquet.  $28 a plate, steak or chicken at The Timbermine.  Chris, Mom and Dad accompanied me.  It was fun.  Kind of taken over by random Awards and Professional Sponsors, but still fun.  It is very weird to be there with all my classmates, but not really be in the same atmosphere as class or clinic.  I kept trying to whisper to people or get somebody's attention about an inside joke, but they were 10 tables away surrounded by a bunch of people I didn't know.  Strange.  I did enjoy sitting at our table with McCall and her family.

My honest impressions were:

If you were a SADHA officer, you got an award.
If you were a TA, you got an award.
If Kami Hanson liked the way you blogged, you got an award (that was for me).

Not that those who got awards, didn't deserve them, it just seems like an all or nothing thing.  We focus so much on helping each other out through the entire program, it seems out of place to single some people out.  If you got an award, congrats.  If you didn't, you're still awesome.

I did get the Golden Scaler Award, but I'm not really sure what that means.  I'd like to ask, without appearing like I'm fishing for compliments.  What Kami said was, "The Golden Scaler award goes to one of my favorite students.  She is a blogger, a media user, I always think she is joking when she is serious . . . Marianne Moody."  At least that is what I remember her saying.  My Dad barely made it back from the bif to hear my name being called.  Prof. Bossenberger did say a little spiel about how I come from a dental family and she went to high school with my Uncle John.  If I find out more about the Golden Scaler, I'll let you know.

There was some mention at Graduation that some left the banquet feeling less than honored, because they didn't get an award.  And that makes me think, they shouldn't do those awards at the Banquet.  They should do them in class, where it is just us.  Especially the scholarships for the Junior Class.  Why are they announced at our Senior Banquet?  They are not pertinent to us at all.  I guess that is how it always is, and probably always will be.   

These next pictures need an explanation.  All year long I have poked fun at the picture of the UDHA (Utah Dental Hygienists' Association) official pictures that is in all the programs for conventions and such throughout the year.  She just looks a little different, and I imagine hygienists' (especially those seeking to be Association Presidents') to look more like Costley to be honest.  Anyway, when she sat behind me at the banquet I knew I needed to take advantage of the opportunity to take a picture with her.  I learned my lesson about poking fun though, because she was SUPER NICE.  I took the picture thinking to maybe do a mocking sort of post, but no more.  She was really nice, and I learned my lesson.  It was funny though to see Costley come up and schmooze her.  Thanking her for coming over and over again.
 

The picture I poked fun at all year long.

The picture of a real nice lady. And me. Also a real nice lady.

Another side story.  After taking this picture with the UDHA President, Costley gave me a hug and said congratulations.  I assume she meant for the Golden Scaler award, but then she said, "No, aren't you expecting??"  I got that again from Prof. Bossenberger later in the evening.  "Congratulations!"  "For what?"  "When is this little baby due?"  It was funny, because I hadn't even thought they'd be congratulating me for that.

TWINNERS!

We Did IT!

We went to Denny's, which is equivalent to Village Inn.  

We got hot chocolate and discussed our lives.  

It was great fun.  

The invitation is ALWAYS open to all. 

Preterm Nostalgia

This is it friends.  The last time I will wipe down my unit.  The last time I will bag my instrument cassette.  The last time I will get an HHx/OD/Scale check (not so sad about that one).  The last time I will treat patients based off requirements.  The last time I will be in this unit with Karen and Leigh.  I could go on, obviously.

Today was a super fun day for me.  It didn't work out for anybody to come in this morning (and I really did put forth some effort) so I got organized, got ready for the afternoon, got my patient list ready for Chelsea, tallied up all my requirements, got my Black Bean Dip ready for our luncheon, took Alexander's test :), and soaked it all in.

There was WAY too much yummy food at our Potluck lunch today.  Yummy.  Thanks everyone.

My Dad came in this afternoon.  I was somewhat resistant to the idea of doing a new HH, and full charting just for one cleaning, but I'm glad we did it.  It was fun.  It got SUPER hot here in the afternoon though.  Wow.  To chart restorations my Dad looked in the handheld mirror and the #5 mirror and told me what each tooth had.  Julie saw it, it was awesome.

VA Farewell

Love Connie

Love Katie

Helping Hands

All these prego girls.

After a small walking journey, we got to The Pie!

The Chedda Pull Aparts = YUMMY!

Pizza Pizza!

Sunburn

Apparently it is obvious that I was out in the glorious sun yesterday.  I asked my morning patient if she had been enjoying the nice weather and she told me she is allergic to the sun.  Oh, ok.

The semester is winding down, OBVIOUSLY.  I saw a Class V of Kristie's this morning.  I did have a guy scheduled for the afternoon, I texted and called him yesterday to confirm.  When I called it rang like once then went to his answering machine.  Read - he "rejected" my call.  SO, I called him today on MeChel's phone (HA) he answered.  I said, "Hey are you going to come to the dental hygiene clinic today at 12:30?"  "Oh crap, I forgot!  Uh . . . I don't know, I don't think so."  I said, "Ok thanks" and hung up.  Not worth my breath.  I thought he may be a Class III that I would need earlier in the semester, and when I was trying to schedule him in like February he said he could come in on April 5th.  I said, that is a pretty long ways away.  His response?  "I know, I'm pretty busy."  Busy at putting things off!  Whatev.  His loss.

I need to figure out AmeriCorps hours and money.  So help me.  Instead of being bored out of my mind this afternoon I am going to see a Midtown patient who will need XRAYS!!!  Hooray.  She just may need a few more PA's than she thought she did.

7 PA's, that is all I need.  I could wait and hope for it at the VA, but if someone else needs them there and they could get them that would be good.  So . . . I'm going to try to step up and do it NOW!

Lunch - who knows?  The possibilities are endless.

P.S. I forgot my phone and my loupes.  Nice.  Why didn't I follow through with the thought to get my loupes out of the office @ 3:00am when I was having some gastrointestinal distress, because I am stupid.  That is why.

The Light

Wow.  What to write about.  Mini Graceys my friends.  Are you like me and you've never used them before?? Ever?  Now is the time to get them out.  Holy smokes they are awesome.

I had 4 Q of a Class III this morning.  Great nice young guy who has never had his teeth cleaned.  It was encouraging to clean him, because it was do-able.  My last Class III was infuriating.  No matter what I did I felt like it wasn't enough.  Also, I scaled all four quads in about an hour and a half.  I felt good about that.

Lunch = NCUR.  It was interesting.  It took me back to doing my research presentations at the U.  It was like the last thing we had to do before graduating.  It was fun to see projects.

We BOOKED it back to Clinic, huffin and puffin up the stairs.  Brought my patient back (referred from Dr. Salmon's office), I was being kind of mopey about treating someone who seemed somewhat different to me, but when he got talking I got back into the practitioner mode and wanted to help him.  Here he was seeking out help and I was the gal.  Really, MeChel ended up being the gal.  It worked out perfectly.  I did his OD while MeChel cleaned 2 quads of a Class V, then she jumped right on over and is currently treated my patient who ended up being a Class IV!  She'll get 3 quads because he is missing a lot of teeth.  She is a trooper, he ended up needing Oraqix, injections and nitrous.  Phew.  You've got to work for those quads!  Clinic is turning into a swap-fest.  People working in other people's units, switching all over the place.  It is kind of fun, in a topsy turvy sort of way.

Thank you to Leigh for charting for both my patients today, Michelle and Karen for cleaning up my room and everyone else who always helps me all the time.  I am becoming somewhat nostalgic for these times.  Today has been the first real day I am feeling that.  I took an AWESOME picture of how my scrub bottoms scooch down and my shirt scooches up when I have my lab coat on leaving me and my G's QUITE exposed.  :)  Thanks for taking it Sarah.  I did get some dang good pictures of fellow classmates being their clinician selves.  It was good.  I'll post them when I get home.

Kristie brought CUPCAKES today!  Holy cow, what an angel.  They are delicious.  And I got some dang cute pictures of Taylor getting her teeth worked on by Mommy.  You can thank me later posterity.

NOTE TO LEIGH:See below and listen to the WHOLE thing.  :)




Sarah and Leigh did the Diagnodent on me, it was quite an EXPERIENCE!  (har har)

3 Day at the VA

It has been quite awhile since I saw 3 patients at the VA.  It has been really nice to finish my morning patient BARELY after the last 9:30 pt has been seated, thereby leaving my AMPLE time for relaxation before lunch.  Today, however, I was not so lucky.  Done to early.  :)  I saw some really nice people though.  I need to do some hand strengthening exercises (thankfully my hubband spent WAY too much money on some grip things so I can use those) because my hand was cramping like MAD on my morning pt.  To give myself a break I would pretend to be switching instruments or wiping something off on gauze, but really I was just resting.  How embarrasing is that?  I only took 2 PA's today, but next week I am going to get a MeChel Day (8 PA's and 2 Q of a III - lucky dog, thanks to Karen pt swapping) and be sitting pretty.  My patient in the afternoon was brand spankin new, needed pano, bwx, and full charting.  He was a 1B and yes I was the last one done, HOWEVER he had a lingual bar from hades, so I am using that to defend myself.

One of my grievances in school is that we treat patients who are mild-severe periodontally involved, but when we get out into the world of General Practice (where most of us are going, at least at first) we will be seeing LOTS of braces and lingual bars.  Well, how many of my Class III patients do you think have a lingual bar?  Seriously, put your guess in the comment section.  In other words, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO CLEAN A LINGUAL BAR!  

Boardy Boards

Things I may want to remember at some point in my life about boards.

I picked my patient up at her house.  I had to leave ESPECIALLY early to do this.  I was proud of myself for waking up.

Small talk was a little awkward on the way there, a little more so on the way home.

We got here ay 7:30am, clinic entrance time is 8:00.  I took pulse and blood pressure.  All good.  She didn't want any muffins or juice.

We walked in, sat down, and I made the biggest mistake of my life.  I checked her teeth with an explorer.  I started DB of #31.  nothing.  That freaked me out.  Shouldn't that be a prime spot for calculus growth?!?  So, I non-sequentially explored around with fear in my heart.  I got her all ready and the Chief Examiner checked.  She went to the examiners.  I watched her walk to the door, and saw my $1200 go down the drain.  Not really.  Actually, I was just getting mentally prepared to go get my backup patient from downstairs.  I figured IF ANYTHING my second submission on my first patient would qualify.  She was one of the first to go back and the LAST to come back to me.  But there was no ITC, instructing me on what to do.  Miracle.  Her first submission went through.  Wow.

I sat her down.  Picked up the triple bend ultrasonic, and was shaking like crazy!  I never shake!  Eventually my nerves settled and I cleaned away.  I felt done in about an hour, and that was after checking, air drying, scaling, rechecking, re-ultrasonicing, air drying, rechecking, and on and on and on.

Walked her out and cleaned up!

Towards the end of her cleaning my head was hurting more than usual.  I wasn't sure why and kept adjusting my loupes.  Eventually I realized that I had kept my safety glasses on and then put my loupes on top of them.  Wow, must have not been thinking.  And I hadn't even noticed it effect my vision at all.

I didn't use any extra instruments or anything.  By the time I cleaned up and went downstairs, Candice had beat me to it.  She was waiting for me.  I grabbed a muffin and we were out of there.

I didn't realize how exhausting the stress/schedule of that week was, but I have been sleeping A LOT since then.  Nap Saturday afternoon.  Nap Sunday afternoon.  Nap Monday afternoon/night.  Wow.

Candice and I before excited to get this show on the road!

Lessons Learned

Today I learned something about the StepWedge process.  The films HAVE ALREADY BEEN EXPOSED!  So all you have to do (if you are the lowly CA) is develop them.  Wow.  Good to know now that I won't be doing it again for the rest of my life.

Also, Heather McKay knows sign language.  How cool is that?

Also, when you open the Pelton & Crane Autoclave (even if it has been venting for some time) STAND BACK or you will get steam burned on your face and chemical up your nose.

Also, the Pita Pit is yummy.

Also, being CA at Weebs is so much better than being CA at the VA, because you stay BUSY!  It is nice to have so much to do, and makes the day go much much faster.

Possibly more to come.

Cheer Tryouts

Today at Local Anesthesia Clinical Boards I was reminded almost EXACTLY of Cheer Tryouts in Jr. High.  Everyone huddled together in a room (locker room), stressing about their time to go, jealous of those who got to go first, getting reports back from those who had already gone.  The support of everybody, friends, husbands, (moms) cheering each other on and struggling with let downs as if they are your own.  For those who had to try again, it was just a callback.  And we always said that callbacks were good, because you got another chance to show the judges why they should chose you!  I got done about 12:15, but hung around just to be with everybody and provide the support that you all gave me. 

I love you all, no matter what the outcomes were today.

Job Interview

For Sarah Borseth Morris.  This is how you answer that question.  :)



You can't go wrong following in the footsteps of Michael Scott.

Glory Glory

So many of my blog titles have to do with "Glory Glory" or "Hallelujah", because I just feel so jubilant when clinic day is over.  It is overwhelming.  Once I'm here I like it, but when I'm in my bed in the morning it's a little much.  So, today was good.  Well . . . this afternoon was good.  The morning I saw a Class III lady.  Three quads.  She was freaking hard.  That or I am getting worse, maybe both.  I HATE HATE HATE the communication barrier so I can't fully explain things to her.  Her bottom teeth may/will/probably fall out now that her lingual calculus bar is gone.  And subgingival anterior radiographic calculus!  Freak, the anatomy up there is impossible.  So I may/will/probably not get an A in clinic this semester.  meh.

lunch - Institute Arby's fast because MeChel, Karlie and I were working into the wee hours of lunch.

afternoon - 2 1A's.  Thanks to MeChel Berrett for helping me TREMENDOUSLY, by doing sealants on the 6 year old and getting me any willy nilly thing I forgot for the 10 year old.  What a peach, an angel, a savior, a friend, a confidant, etc.  

Speaking of that peach, a patient that my Dad referred to me, to the clinic, to MeChel qualifies as a board for Mechie.  Hooray! 

Michelle Bott, etc

Yes, Michelle Bott.  She is a riot.  She was the entertainment at lunch today, which I quite enjoyed while alternating between stuffing my face with Little Ceaser's pizza and laughing my head off.  The subject matter was highly entertaining including many feminine topics such as ultrasounds, bikini waxes, brazilians (shivers), pap smears, etc.  Again, it was a good time. 

I learned that I sit on the edge of my chair while cleaning.  Right up on the edge.  That's probably not so good.  Also, I started off the afternoon with a VERY squeaky chair.  My patient and I both highly disagreed with that so thankfully we could steal one from the left handed unit.

I don't even want to write this because I try to be sensitive to others' struggles, but Mockboard #3 was good and great.  My patient is a peach.  She looked really cute today and smelled really good.  She is so easy to work with, doesn't need to be numb, not fidgety, or nothin.  I had to retake 1 radiograph, she was cool with that.  I'm glad I got looking at those radiographs this morning so now I am set for boards.  Phew.  They're going to have to piece it together, but it should go through.  I didn't feel as glassy smooth confident with this quad as last time, but I had no errors so . . . it worked for whatever reason.  I will knock on wood long and hard after posting this because I think a hitch in my plan could be coming.  Hope not.

On another note I am CONSTANTLY thirsty.  THIRSTY!  Holy smokes.

MeChel hasn't felt good today.  Sore throat.  It is sad.  When she talks though it is pretty funny.  You know when your throat hurts like the devil and you try to talk without moving any vocal chords or throat muscles or anything?  It's like that.  It's funny, almost like she has an accent.  The Thursday clinics are counting down and when it comes to lunch time especially I am going to miss these lunch times.  Very very bad.

Also, my friend Shane is here today!  He is interpreting for a Hispanic patient.  That was a fun surprise.

Hmmm, what else can I tell you?

Oh oh oh oh oh I don't think we can move on without mentioning Madi's patient this morning.  It was SO sad.  Funny if you're not being empathetic and sad if you are.  We later found out that this woman is having severe gastrointestinal problems.  Here is what I know.  I was at the front when Madi brought her up.  She ran to the bathroom for a second and came back out with LOTS of wet paper towels.  As I was sitting her down in the examiner chair I noticed (and trust me I was not looking) some wet paper towels stuffed down her shirt.  Then, as she was getting situated she was lifting up her shirt and putting some wet paper towels on her stomach.  I didn't dare ask, so . . . we just carried on.  She was a little moany, but handle-able.  Well . . . then Madi cleaned her and she had to come back to the examiner chair.  This time was not so easy for her.  She was SUPER moany and was obviously very uncomfortable.  After that she visited the bathroom again.  Madi checked on her, she said she just needed to use the restroom, then I walked by the bathroom a few minutes later and heard some violent throwing up noises.  It was awful.  Needless to say, she was done with the appointment and was free to go.  Well, she ended up waiting for her ride for like HOURS after that.  It was so sad.  I guess her boyfriend has her car and was supposed to pick her up.  :(  We all felt so bad for her.  Hope she gets better very very soon.

"CAAAAAAATS?" -Edgar the Butler of the Aristocats

Thank you Jennifer Brooke Baker for reminding me of this important story.  At the VA (3 days left Hallelujah) in the afternoon (after a Jimmy John lunch) I saw a patient that had less than stellar home care.  He has been depressed, in the hopsital, severe PTSD, and hasn't brushed in who knows how long.  We are talking caked on facial calculus on #6 and #7.  That's neglect my friends.  Anyway, I ultrasonic-ed to just get all the crap out to be able to probe and explore and stuff.  While doing so I noticed some . . . wait for it . . . hairs.  Just a few little ones.  I wasn't really sure what to think of it, but they did eventually ultrasonic out.  A little 4 mm black hair and a 6 mm white hair.  Define that in clinical terms.  Come on Perry, I dare you.  While telling this story to the gals in my group, Karlie Willard Weeks so nonchalantly said, "Oh!  He eats cats!"  We had a good laugh.  This is the most valuable part of the VA, the stories.  The end of this story is actually pretty sad.  I didn't get an OD check on this dude.  I was kind of lost because I was ultrasonic-ing to get just debride him and then . . . that kind of naturally lends itself to calculus removal right??  Well, I didn't get an OD.  And Katie Poulson, Instructor, resented that a bit.  So she gave me ONE QUAD of a III instead of 2 or 3 or 4.  Psh.  I will pass this semester in spite of her.

I couldn't find the isolated "CATS?" part, so if you're short on time skip to minute 1:00 of the vid.

Bull Ride

Friends.  It was a good day.  LA Mockboard went good and great.  I love getting Chris' blood pressure because I can hear it like a balloon popping.  So easy.  Same with his pulse.  Love this healthy man.

Studied a bit during morning down time.

Chinese for lunch.  Thank you Institute.

Afternoon.  Class IV.  I get apprehensive right before a big appointment like todays.  I think . . . this is going to be hard, maybe I shouldn't do this, and I ALMOST chicken out and then I think . . . here goes nothing.  Thankfully I pressed on, finished his last 3 quads, did 2 PE's, and feel good about him.  Eaglesoft patient donsies?  I think so.

One more epiphany.  On this patient with loads of tenacious calculus, I can see the distal of his most distal molars.  So I can SEE the brown stained calculus that I still need to get.  If I could not see it, I would NEVER know to come back and try again.  I would NEVER get the scaler in the right place.  Even when I can see it, it is dang hard to scrape it off.  I am sure that bits like that get left all over the place because I can't see.  That is one thing that would make perio surgery so interesting and so depressing.  You could see where you have missed.  The game of a class IV like today is to endure to the end.  It is hard to keep going over spots that you feel, it would be EASY to just say you're done even when you know you haven't checked every spot.  But I persevered today, tb polished, flossed and re-explored.  It was good.  3 spots missed, can't complain to much.

Brain Dump

I know, that YOU know that eating is usually the highlight of my day.  Well, yesterday was a real treat because I ate a Hot Pocket from the freezer (thanks Mark!) and then Madi and Stefanie had extra from Little Ceaser's so I ate a piece of pizza and a breadstick.  It was yummy, and thankfully MeChel is the best partner ever because she had already taken radiographs on our first afternoon child by the time I re-entered clinic.  What a peach.  And thank you to everyone else who shared their yummy food with me.

My dental hygiene stress comes out in my dreams.  Last night/morning (I woke up at 8, got a drink, went back to sleep then had this dream) I dreamt that Perry decided to leave the ranks of WSU.  I was furious. Incensed.  LIVID.  I felt so betrayed.  It was weird and I really thought it was real.  Let's all pray it's not.

Went to the VA this week and had clinic.  I have Wednesday and Saturday off and still feel completely drained from dental hygiene.  I don't know how these other girls who are doing stuff EVERY day survive it.  The patients at the VA make it fun.  I actually had a more productive Thursday clinic than previous weeks this semester.  My morning patient (from the 9:00 family) is a Class III.  Praise the heavens!  And my afternoon was a 1B, so that tells you how productive my previous weeks have been (not very).  Oh, but I did do sealants on my afternoon kid so now those are out of the way.  One requirement down.  That is how I have to think through the semester, take one or two requirements at a time and check them off as they're done.  Otherwise, I lose all hope and want VERY badly to just give up.     

Thank heavens for Saturday morning sleep till 10.  :)

Shaney Laney

I can't NOT start my post with Professor Perry.  He just throws you for a loop.  I think it is his goal.  In fact, I know it is his goal.  And doggonnit, he got me today.  I can usually keep my cool under pressure, but my poor morning patient assuredly thought he had the idiot of the world working on him, because that is what I sounded like.

"Blood?  Inflammation?  Cytokines? Neutrophils? Water? Inflammation? Edema? Heat? Redness? Swelling?  Swelling?  Biofilm? Water flushing?  Elliptical?  Metal Rods?" and on and on for 20 minutes.  Yeah, that instilled confidence in my morning patient man.

I mostly can't wait for our Mini Perry Pod-Wrap to hear what secrets he tells ONLY his three week disciples. 

On a funnier note, my afternoon Class IV patient cancelled.  "I want to get this done, but I just can't come in."  Ok, fine.  When I asked how is quad I cleaned 3 weeks ago is, he shared the following VERY SLOWLY, "I'm actually quite comfortable with what you've done.  However, something interesting has been happening.  I keep trying to talk with my mouth closed."  Me - "Oh really?  That does sound interesting." "Yes, it is quite hard to explain.  It's like . . . my lips are closed . . . and my back teeth aren't touching . . . and . . . it's hard to explain."  We were having a good laugh about that at lunch.  This is also the patient who asked, "Are you going to CUT my GUMS?"

So since he cancelled I tried calling a family that Mr. S-sauce had given me.  The conversation went a little something like this . . .

Them: "Beuno!"
 Me: "Beuno!"  Is this Carlos?
Them: "No, wrong number."
Me: "What about Lizeth?"
Them: "Oh yes, she is here.  She is driving."
Me: "This is Marianne from the Weber State Hygiene Clinic wondering if anyone could come in this afternoon at 12:30?"
Them: "yes"
Me: "You could?  Sweet!"
Them: "Do you speak Spanish?"
Me: "No."

Anyway, we went on to have MeChel tell him in Spanish to come today at 12:30, then he said "Bye!" and we thought everything was good.

Well, when we get back to clinic I had Mr. S-Sauce call him.  Don't worry, he lives in ARIZONA.  Hmmm, yeah maybe he could have made it in the next 30 minutes.  Oh man.  So Chris came in at 1:15 and had to be gone by 2:15.  I'm glad Chris came in, and he did need a cleaning, but it's just so sad to be in such a big hurry and have to pay $32 when I could do it at home.  sigh.  Oh well.

HERO

Hail the conquering HERO!

MeChel found a size 1 ScanX Plate IN THE GARBAGE!  SHE SAVED IT FROM IT'S FINAL RESTING PLACE!  I had already checked the garbage can she found it in.  I was in Mr. Solomon's office telling Amy that I was in the darkest depths of despair when I heard, "FOUND IT!" from X-ray room 1.  It was extremely exciting.  Seriously, MeChel is a hero.

On another note, Mockboards take 2 are now over.  I LOVE my patient and just pray every night that she can keep coming until March.  She is so laid back, easy to clean, not sensitive, tough, doesn't need anesthetic . . . what else can I tell you?  (That is my favorite blogging phrase.)

On another note, I scheduled my Written Anesthesia Exam.  Monday night at 5:30pm.  Kristie and I are going to have a zen session then go rock the test out of it's socks.  Yes.  It is true.

KHanson4

Wow.  The news is starting to sink in.  I am realizing what a loss JW is going to suffer on January 30th, when KHanson4 leaves us.  I have only had a few issues with DOCTOR Hanson.  One of them happened when I called her Instructor or Professor, and she freaked a leak.  Lesson learned, doctor, doctor, doctor.  She is definitely all or nothing.  Go big or go home.  Black or white.  But I have come to really love her.  I will miss;

• Her being blunt and laying the smack down on stupidity.
• Her always thinking I am being sarcastic, when I am only mostly being sarcastic.
• That she gets me and my attitude.
• Her beautiful gifts in terms of classifications.
• Her fun personality.
• Her genuine-ness.  She is herself, all the time and you know it.
• Her PASSION for instrumentation.  She really gets excited when you do the twist.
• Her love for rap music and beginning of class JAM sessions.
• Calling it like it is.

I'm sure there is more I will miss and I'll update as they come to me. 
I'll seriously miss you KHanson4.