Nothing is impossible

My 1st Haul post

2012-01-24T11:37:00.000-08:00

My 1^sthaul post nail TBH I’m not a person to spend a fortune on themselves, rather Ispend on basics i.e. MAC blusher but not on things I won’t really use thatoften bronzer for my car dash. This is my first attempt at a haul post soplease excuse the crap descriptions

MAC propalatte, MAC blusher, Collection 2000bronzer, Accessorize eye shadows and MUA nail varnish.

Mac Blusher in Dollymix (£17.50) I’m in love with this it’sjust the right shade of Barbie pink without being so pigments it looks likeface paint, yet still allowing a nice colour to be built up. It’s my new favourite go to blusher after justa week of use. However one thing I will say which is in no way a reflection ofthe actual product, rather its packaging after only 3 days in my make up bagthe MAC writing is rubbing off fast and looking a bit scruffy.

The second Mac item is the 4pan pro palette (£6.50) and eyeshadow (£10 sorry don’t know what shade). I’ve been looking at the pro palettesfor a while now, mainly as I always find normal palettes collecting dust at thebottom of my collection with one or two shades left. Just need to fill it with all my favouritesnow whooot! I’m yet to really give this a road test so will have to see on itsstaying power

To stay on eye shadows I picked up the accessorize palette alongwith eyelashes and lip gloss in a Christmas gift set from boots (£3). It’s anice little set which is easy to apply, highly pigmented but I have noticed thestaying power isn’t great (3hour uni lab and it was nearly all gone) but forthe price who cares.

Collection 2000 Shimmer bronzer in shade 5 Sunkissed (£4.20),I have really oily two tone skin so having a spare bronzer in the car for when Iforget my make up bag is a must have. However with a soft top car and thingsgetting nicked it also must be cheap which this does the job great at only£4.20. The staying power is surprisingly good lasting all day with minimaltouch ups. The pigments is as you expect on a bronzer soft yet build able.

Finally MUA Nail varnishes (£1 each) in shade 3-pink andshade 10-pearl. This is the only product I’m disappointed in, I only pickedthem up randomly when paying for some other bits and glad they were reallycheap. I’ve yet to try the pearl colour but after the state of the pink I don’tthink I’m going to bother. One day of lectures has resulted in the polishlooking like I haven’t bothered to paint my nails all week the tip wear is justsomething else, add that to the fact it takes three coats to get decentcoverage and you have something that is worse than colouring your nails withfelt tip as a kid. The only positive I can say is they do glide on and dryquickly maybe something for the kid sisters dressing up box.

So there we have it my 1^st attempt at a haulpost, I would appreciate you feedback.

Final Year projects gulp! and by by medicine dream for another year

2012-01-17T02:41:00.000-08:00

I didn’t think id ever say this but I hate blood pressures!!Its totally my fault see for my project I’ve decided to compare 100 manual andautomated blood pressure readings which is the easy part getting 25 people toturn up at the correct time over two days is another : (

I still haven’t heard anything from Newcastle GEM so know itsgoing to be a rejection!

Off to Nottingham at the weekend to look at a GAMSAT uni as I’mbeginning to wonder if I’m just not cut out for UKCAT schools.

Spring wish list

2012-01-08T11:32:00.000-08:00

I know know its very early but im so bored of black clothes right now and long for the summer sherberts that are every where but the highstreet right now.

1.black mtv city scene print tank top. Riverislandhttp://tinyurl.com/7juvqa9

2. red fan print super skinny jeans Riverisland http://tinyurl.com/6t5bsba

3. Stripey Platform Peep Toe Shoes Newlook http://tinyurl.com/6quv57r

4. light pink fabric and tassel bangles Riverisland http://tinyurl.com/7y47dy3

5. Crystalbobble matinee Ted Baker http://tinyurl.com/7hwzrwv

Its nearly xmas

2011-12-21T11:09:00.000-08:00

As we all settle down in the run up to xmas spare a thought for those that will be spending it wondering how their loved ones abroad fighting for this country are doing!!

Merry Christmas everyone

First rejection of 2011

2011-12-12T09:46:00.001-08:00

Warwick rejection, was expected but rather upset :(

2nd time lucky

2011-10-26T11:11:00.000-07:00

I forgot to write about my final choices for 2012 entry

Newcastle 4yr
Southampton 4yr
Warwick 4yr
Durham 5yr - dont ask how im going to afford it if i get an offer as I have no idea :(

Already thinking about GAMSAT for next year purelly for Notts.....Ill never not apply to newcastle hopefully eventually they just get so sick of reading my PS they will let me in :)

Visiting hours – care for the elderly

2011-09-26T09:35:00.000-07:00

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/sep/26/elderly-care-visiting-hours?newsfeed=true

Right off the back of my other post on mixed sex wards this seems rather personal, but is something I’ve had a passion for since I started volunteering.

I’ve always thought that visiting hours were to restricting and having been an inpatient (or inmate as I felt) I used to count down the minutes until visiting started again so I could see my family. Which brings me onto my first point,

1)Aslong as those without family are not neglected then I don’t see how this cannot benefits everyone as If a relative is looking after X it gives nurses more time to spend with Y

2)As for disturbing the patient, nurse should be educated on reasonable ways to discourage visitors or ask them to leave if the patient is obviously becoming tired or distressed.

3)Its being said that relatives are untrained which is true and therefore the tasks which they are being asked to do need to be limited, for example I would be happy to do any personnal care for my relatives, including bathing etc however some people wouldn’t and if the relative is not comfortable with what is required they need to be able to communicate this easily and not be forced into doing the task.

4)The type of hospital stay and length is also crucial, when I was in as a day patient my boyfriend was not allowed to remain on the ward with me which I found shocking (wisdom tooth removal) and think is an ideal opportunity for this new policy i,e relatives can keep a hold of clothes etc or in my case mash up the food so I could get out of there. However for a patient in long term it would be unreasonable to expect a relative to help at every meal time.

All in all I think the idea is a step in the right direction with people taking more responsibility for the people the love however the finer details need setting before it is rolled out in order to protect the most important people in the NHS – THE PATIENTS

Whats in your bag - university

2011-09-25T12:55:00.000-07:00

Seen a few of these lately and with all the new people going to uni for the first time (wish it was me) I thought id do one as a science student.

First credit to the bag that holds all this shit - A classic Miss Sixty
Personalised laboratory coat, Angel Perfume, Charlie red body spray, Purse, pink lecture notebook, white laboratory notebook, HTC desire, Hair brush, Pencil case, Calculator, Magazine, Diary, Car Keys

What does everyone else carry round at Uni

Fuschia Fever

2011-09-21T11:48:00.000-07:00

Ive always been a cheapest nail polish in the colour I want will do girl. However bright pink has always been my colour so when I set eyes on this I just had to have it.

Revlon Nail Enamel in Fuschia Fever, glides on better than my Dior red and stay put for days (Excuse the wear, until today I worked in a hospital lab).

On to other news and ive got a job working as a bank PTA for a private ambulance firm whoot whoot

Something a little bit medical – Its personal statement time again

2011-09-14T14:07:00.001-07:00

Single sex hospital wards – yey or ney

This seems to be in the news more and more lately, while being something I strongly oppose. Yes they have their benefits of preserving a person dignity however not only do they cost more and often leave patients with the same conditions on different wards making life difficult for junior doctors the question I always ask is “What about husband and wife trauma injuries.”

Before I meet the one this was something that I didn’t even think about however now he is the only one I think about. If heaven forbid we were both ever to be hospitalised I would want to be with him every step of the way and if that meant some male looking at my privates so be it hell they are only body parts. Also when discussing this with some friends who have had children their husbands/partners were not allowed to stay over nigh after they have given birth something that shocked and saddened me greatly, while leaving me questioning is this also due to male/female split. It’s also something that would make me consider a more risky home birth.

What’s your thoughts opinion on this?

21st Birthday

2011-09-04T12:40:00.000-07:00

Quick upload of some of the best shots from my birthday

Cakes which turned out to be the most popular part of my party

Georgous Boyfriend blowing up all the balloons

Pressent off my parents

The mandatory sash for a northern girl

Attack on the front door

It doesnt feel like 3 years ago

2011-08-20T05:18:00.001-07:00

Three years ago today I had my place at Sunderland confirmed, having missed my med offer it was a sorrow time and tbh i didn’t really want to go to Sunderland.

However three years later im having the time of my life, have meet the guy that hopefully will one day be my husband. Looking back I wasn’t mature enough to start medicine at 18 (I was 18 3days before results) now 3years later im in a much better position to apply and no that hell yes it’s defiantly for me.

Congrats to all those off to medical school, to those that didn’t quite make it good luck this year and if your off for another degree then enjoy it. I know i will be enjoying my final year at Sunderland.

Final choices 2012 application - the final shot

2011-07-25T10:41:00.000-07:00

I thought id blog a little bit about why I have chosen the uni’s I have to apply to next year/this year

Newcastle

This is and always will be my 1^st choice, mainly because I’m a Northern lass with both a family and a boyfriend up here. My mam has had 3 strokes, granddad 2 MI’s and nana a brain haemorrhage and although they are all perfectly fine (Thank god) I would hate to think that I was hundreds of miles away and something happened.

However Newcastle offers something all the other uni’s on my list don’t and that a chance to study in and with the people of the region I hope to one day work for. You see the North East has a very diverse and different population to alot of areas due to the both the ethnic mix and deprivation of some areas, I personally think studying in this area would provide a great foundation for a career up here.

Southampton

Low UKCAT cut off is a major factor along with early clinical contact. UKCAT will never ever be my strength however I have quite alot of experience i can write about in my personal statement.

Warwick

Like the course structure, again a very diverse area like Newcastle, large course so my UKCAT should be ok for them

Imperial

Heard great things and would love to live in London

PLACEMENT YEAR

Is nearly over and it has been great...............did i just say that shock, in all honesty it has had its boring bit however overall I’ve learnt so much not just about biomed but also about myself and am so glad I cocked up UKCAT or I would never have had a chance to do it.

UKCAT

2011-07-21T13:53:00.000-07:00

Been revising for UKCAT resently and finding it much easier this year finally.

Thought i would post my final application schools :( as after this year im giving up trying atleast for a few years.

BM4 Newcastle - gotta keep dreaming
BM4 - Warwick
BM4 - southampton
4th choice no idea maybe BM5 Newcastle if I can afford it

All depending on UKCAT of course

Barry M nail polish - unimpressed

2011-06-01T12:46:00.000-07:00

After hearing everyone rave about Barry M nails varnish I just had to give them a go. What can I say but I was totally unimpressed with the normal colours – streaky, pale, life less is the only comments that come to mind. After spending nearly 20minutes painting my nails with 4coats to get anything that looks like a decent colour the varnish was that thick it took forever to dry and still looks streaky.

The crackle effect was much better and something I will be purchasing more colours in as and when they come out. But for now it’s back to trusty No7 nails for me even if the colours aren’t my favourite this year.

A little tease

2011-04-27T14:37:00.000-07:00

Its Sale time again and with this weather a trip to Newcastle was in order. Now for a little tease as well as loads of cheap clothes im likely to wear once I got a few nicer items...........any quess people one is a holiday item!!

Sorry this isnt a longer post but im only awake as next door has called the 9th ambulance this week and the diesel engine is keeping me awake grrrrrrrrr! Before people attack aswell this is a regular occurence over shit normal people would see a GP or stick a plaster on!

D&G sunglasses

2011-04-10T13:03:00.000-07:00

I know I know I said I would do an outfit post on my two new dresses but I haven’t actually had chance to wear them! First off on the medicine front I’ve been averaging around an hour’s UKCAT revision per day which I’m really happy about, also might be going to see a bone marrow biopsy with placement which will hopefully give me a great way of bringing placement into my personal statement.

For my boyfriend valentine’s gift I made a lot of voucher with varying thing on for his pleasure such as meals out and other treats hehe, on Friday he cashed in one with a meal at zizi’s somewhere I hate and he loves but hey I got a shopping trip out of it!!

Im off to Egypt in 67days (not that im counting) for mine and the BF’s first holiday together and was in desperate need of some black sunglasses so when I saw these beauties in House of Frasier I just had to have them.

I also managed to get a few Primark bargins one of which I have lost already, also got a Lipsy light up lipgloss (another post on that later when I’ve actually used it) and a collection of Barry M nail polishes.

A little Matalan a little floral

2011-04-03T08:49:00.000-07:00

Clinical training isn’t all I thought it was going to be; a lot of the laboratory is automated which from a student’s point of view means training isn’t all that interesting. I’m a significant way through my portfolio thank god, which is the more interesting part of my training for me including case studies etc.

As a break from work (yuk) Saturday me and my boyfriend decided a shopping trip was in order, now I’ve been after some of these summer floral dresses for a number of weeks now. As a student money is always tight so this Lipsy dress that I’m currently in love with was out of the question.

So on the hunt for something a little cheaper, I decided to have a quick look in Matalan and was shocked at what i found. It a store I’ve always visit for basics such as vest, knickers etc but never been overly interest in their clothes till now. I found these two beautiful floral dresses at only £15 each (Matalan card holders only) and just had to have them both, as well as a beach bag for £8.

The only complaint I have really is the promdress style halter neck is a size 12 were as the fitted dress (pink belt) is a size 8 my normal size, now I hate trying on clothes in stores but recently its something I find I’m having to do more and more.the 1st dress (halter neck) looks significantly nicer on than on the hanger, i may do an outfit post on it soon.

Long time....a new direction

2011-03-17T14:56:00.000-07:00

Well where to start with this update hmm might as well just confess now that I no longer have a life outside of uni.

In basic terms my life currently revolves around getting parts of my portfolio signed off, now this sounds easy enough but the standards are vague and I’ve currently done all the easy ones i.e. bench test such as IM or essays on Equal opportunities, now it evidence of how you contribute to the team etc hmmm.

Although I’m enjoying the lab it’s not 100% what I expected, the lab I’m being trained in is extremely automated which is great for day to day practice. However it leaves very little for us students to do, coupled with my desire to do medicine I’m not really stimulated by it at all. TBH I've been doing a case study which is about the only thing that’s motivated me to do any work in the last month.

Now onto the interesting part for the blog, a big passion in my life other than cars is fashion. Fashion is going to for part of this blog from now on, starting with my latest shopping trip.

2 hours in the metro 2 dresses + this little beauty

Biomed training + why no medicine

2010-10-28T12:11:00.000-07:00

Ive been meaning to write up this post for over a month now but struggled to get up the courage. After a disasterous UKCAT (nose bleed in the middle of it) im off on placement playing to be a biomed for a year yey!!!! Actually really looking forward to it.

Im stil hoping to apply to medicine eventually but its all off for now L

This blog is kinda on hold till i figure out what to do with it. Tempted to go down the line of the medic’s and blog about clinical training as a biomed but doubt anyone would be interested.

1 month till application

2010-08-22T07:09:00.000-07:00

With only a month to go until i send my application (& start final year ) i thought a quick update was in order apologies for this not flowing.

Dissertation currently consists of 20+ journal articles that i need to read, and a rough plan of what I intend doing.

UKCAT revision is going good hopefully should be hitting the 700+ bracket and getting a GEM offer......who am I kidding!

Durham open day for medicine is in a few weeks so ill no doubt be doing a blog about that just need to find out where I’m meant to be going 1^st as although I’m from very near the medical school I actually have no idea where it is!

Work experience is finally 100% written up so I can read over it before any interview if I manage to get them.

That’s all for now

Good luck to everyone else who is also preparing their applications

Gulp new job

2010-08-14T11:24:00.001-07:00

Well after i lost the last one due to lack of suitible refrences. I start my new job on Monday working as bank HCA + home care.

Excited......well just a little

Dissertation

2010-08-03T15:09:00.001-07:00

Still havent got a tittle so no doubt wont be around for a few weeks while i try to work on one!

Sun, sea and cocktails

2010-07-13T07:25:00.000-07:00

Well where to start, ive been back from Egypt over a week now! First off what an amazing country even if it is 39 degrees at 10pm, for me holidays are just a chance to relax round the pool with a good book and cocktail so didnt do much of the scuba diving that egypt is so popular for. We went on a Submarine which was really a complicated glasss bottum boat, was worth the experiance with some of the pictures included below. We didnt make it to Cairo which was a bit disappointing as i fancied seeing the perimids, but from people we know that have been apparently Cairo is violent and dirty something which im trying to find out for sure as we aim to return in September.

Medicine wise im getting there slowly but surely with the personnal statement, one thing that concerns me is this new restructuring of the NHS is likely to come up if i manage to get to interview stage cross fingures and toes. However i havent got a clue what the intended benefits of it are nor can i see any possible problem with it!

Ive got another job interview this time for a home carer in a local town so hopefully that will increase the experiance i can write about a little bit. St John wise was at the minners gala and doing another catherdral duty soon.

Thats all for now as got Taekwondo soon tho no where near ready if i want to go for 2^nd Dan in December.

BTW anyone know how to stop these random chinese comments

EDIT - sorry turned on comment moderation untill i figure out how to stop these annoying junk comments

Gulp Final year Biomedical science project

2010-05-31T16:51:00.000-07:00

Im now seriously starting to look at ideas for this, like my second year project id like something more clinically relevent than lab science but cant think of any idea. Ill try to keep you posted as i move on. One exam remaining on the 4th of June then im free for the summer....bring it on

Revision

2010-05-19T05:53:00.000-07:00

Waxing my car counts as revision right.......i hate this course at times, tho i think i can now name every anti-biotic known to man arghhhhhhh

Modules for second year biomed if anyone interested
*Pathophysiology and therapeutics 1 - exam thursday (20th May)
*Pathophysiology and therapeutics 2 - exam done
*Analytical Biochemistry - 25th May
*Microbiology and molecular biology - Exam 4th June
*Proffessional Practice - No exam thank god
*Disease Process - exam done

I need to pick 3rd year modules prity soon and sort out a final year dissertation so will post about that once the hell of revision is over

Choices for medicine 2011

2010-05-03T09:14:00.000-07:00

*Newcastle GEM
*Newcastle 5 year
*Durham 5 year
*Warwick GEM

Yes its a big big gamble but family circumstance mean i really want to stay close to home, which ive realised more than anything over the last few weeks. So thats it thats where ill be applying

*Personnal statement is nearly finished
*1 Month of revising for second year exams then its UKCAT revision until August when i intend to take the test
*Work experiance is finished
*St Johns is on going

I need a job

2010-04-30T14:49:00.000-07:00

Okay im not your sterio typical skint uni student and yes i get an allowence etc but come on my CV is looking very blank which isnt goood arghhhh. Currently cant find anything thats suitable which sucks really.

New tattoo

2010-04-28T12:36:00.000-07:00

Handed my final piece of 2nd year work in today which is a huge relief, only a slight bit of revision to do then its full steam ahead with the medicine application.

ie
*Finish personnal statement
*Revise for UKCAT - possibly doing a course
*Course on how to perform at interview

Judo duty with SJA on Sunday, so far only had to treat two people hopefully Judo will be the same.

Another way to show how shitly prepaired this country is!

2010-04-15T10:52:00.000-07:00

Drop the aircraft below 10,000 feet = flights can operate oh yeah whats that air traffic control couldnt cope erm spare capacity in the system not existing.....get the idiots out of number 10 please before they make this country even less prepaired.

Stressed revision arghhh

2010-04-04T14:00:00.000-07:00

In just over a month i will sit my second year exams. Now for most people in my year these exams dont mean much as they only count 10% towards the final degree classification to me they mean well everything. See the results of these exams are the ones that any medical schools i apply to will see and the ones on which my predicted degree classification will be based.

So majorly stressed, but doing some shadowing which is motivating me to work my backside off on the revision front.

One step closer but still so many to take!

Is science a religion

2010-04-01T16:17:00.001-07:00

This is a question one of my cousin was asked in an RE lesson. It is something im going to try and answer purelly out of interest she had to write 500 wors ive so far got a 1000. Id be interested to know what people think

Bad times and great north run

2010-03-19T13:46:00.000-07:00

Arghh on Monday someone crashed into my new car which is now awaiting repair!

Question of this post is tho "Who shall i run Great North Run for?"
Contenders
BASICS
St John's Ambulance
Great North Air Ambulance
RSPCA

Votes in comments please

Update

2010-03-12T01:06:00.000-08:00

So short blog as im meant to be doing work (It's 9am & my group has me in the library :shock:).

The new car is going great had the top down loads but sighs the typical British weather has put a stop to that now. Im over halfway through my degree and it feels great in some ways and bad in others. My course can be done as a sandwitch degree taking a year out to gain compintance as a biomedical scientist this is done between 2nd and 3rd year ie next year. Now i have no intention of doing a placement however one of our group of friends is ill be sad to see him go as hes not only a great group member but a close friend!!

Work wise the biggest pain in my arse is corrently a portfolio worth 75% of a module that i have minimum evidence for arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Been out on a few duties with St John's really need to work on my confidence i still hate treating patients!

New toy

2010-02-27T13:27:00.000-08:00

Pick it up on Wednessday can't wait!

New day new start

2010-02-24T17:51:00.000-08:00

New day new start, well a special someone has made me realise i need to forget my past and move on so.

Detagged all the facebook photos of the ex - Check

Got rid of cards etc from the ex - Check

Tidied room - Check

Cleaned my car out shock horror - check = Happy Vicky

More to come as i spring clean my life

This is why i hate group work

2010-02-11T15:15:00.000-08:00

firstly apologies for the really bad spelling in this post but it hasnt been spell checked.

We have to produce a discussion paper as a group for friday we have had 2 months to do this. \my group decided tonight was a good night to do their contribution, im now looking at their work and they have wrote a critical review not a discussion paper. I now have 2500words to write by 8am and currently am on twitter, TSR & Facebook.......bollocks

Spam comments

2010-02-09T16:50:00.001-08:00

Whats with the random comments in chinese?

Test post

2010-02-04T03:40:00.001-08:00

Just to see what this apps is like. Tonights post will be the question people have been asking me "what's biomed like?"

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone hence excuse the spelling etc

Volunteering screw up whooops

2010-02-02T06:56:00.001-08:00

Short post as i really have way to much work to the point its not even funny. Im a meet & greet volunteer at one of the local hospital. Now imagine this lady around 30-40(im crap at ages) walks into outpatients saying she needs to go to a ward on the opposite side of the hospital to visit someone. This is a rather large hospital and the wards around 10minutes walk away.

I got asked to show her the way up no problem however the lifts where really busy so i took her up in one of the lifts in the middle of the hospital that visitor or patients can use but rearly do hence these lifts are often used by porters to take bodies from the wards to the mortuary. Lift came and i jumped in the woman following me, on autopilot so didn’t even think to look at the trolley the porter had in the lift.

Next thing i know the woman is asking the porter why that trolley looks funny then realises that it contained a body que the OMG OMG freaks out on behalf of the woman in a lift that isn’t going to stop till it goes up 5 floors. Major face palm.

More to come once I get this stats work done by midnight.

2010-01-09T08:07:00.000-08:00

Jesus its so long since i wrote anything on here, but in reality i don’t really have anything to talk about! Did my FAW in December 1st duty freezing my little butt off at a carol service god that was fun (Diehard atheist here).

Hmm uni life is going ok im back at uni on Monday after a long xmas holidays this is the 1st year i don’t have exams in January so its been nice just to relax with nothing to worry about other than assignments.

I got my timetable for Easter work experience back and ill be placed in General Medicine and Paediatrics for 2 weeks each. It should be interesting hopefully anyway!! If anyone has done work experience in these areas before than please comment me on what you did!

Ive also applied to spend 2 weeks of my summer at hole in the wall which is a summer camp for kids with serious and life limiting illnesses, this is something i wanted to do last year but due to when the parents booked to go on holiday i couldn’t go.

Apply for carer jobs as id like to get some money behind me in case tution fees shoot up next year which i have a suspicion they will.

Ill no doubt get some more blog up in the next week however my current to do list is below

-Case studies x 2
- Stats assignment
- Lab reports x 2
-Lay abstract

Its going to be a busy one

Happy New year + GEM

2010-01-01T15:28:00.001-08:00

Happy new year everyone hope you all have a great 2010 and didnt get to drunk last night!

It has come to my attention that I am once again officially a medical applicant, I will submit my application for 2011 GEM in october shit that means i actually need to be organised this year.

Quick update

2009-12-15T16:31:00.000-08:00

Im currently on my FAW (First aid at work) with st johns finish tomorrow so promise ill get a post up then

St Johns

2009-11-05T15:43:00.000-08:00

Was on duty at bonfire night got soaked through to the skin. Still trying to dry out.

My case studies are submitted yey free time!!!

Case Studies arghhh

2009-11-02T23:15:00.001-08:00

I went back to uni this year determined that all coursework would be done more than the day before hmmm thats why im sat in the library at 7am on the day my 1st piece of assessed work is due.

I really must learn to organise my life!

Case Studies

2009-11-01T12:51:00.001-08:00

one down one to go. 4,500 words on one. God I love university!

My current to do list

-~~Case study 1~~
-Case study 2
-Analytical biochemistry lab report
-Molecular microbiology notes
-Analytical biochemistry notes
-Pathophysiology and theraputics notes

Been at St Johns swimming gala today was fun but tiring!

GP shadowing

2009-10-30T16:26:00.001-07:00

The last week I’ve been thinking about what i could possibly write in my personal statement about the work shadowing I’ve just done. TBH for me it has just become box ticking as I know I want to do medicine now and nothing is going to confirm or change my mind that happened a few years ago now.

So what did i do??

-Shadowed in a baby clinic ( I so want a kid right now)
-House visits – just wow
-Went out to a homeless hostel
-Sat in on surgeries
-Shadowed district nurse

TBH I’m not going to post exactly what i learnt or intend to write about as our PS are checked using plagiarism software which scans the net for similar phrase.
The main point that came out of this for me that is different to what i had experienced on previous work experience was the desperation along side of wealth near where i live.

I personally come from a comfortable well off family where both my parents are in the police force and we have a business, I’ve never known my family struggle for the basic of life ie we have never had to think where is our next meal coming from or how am i getting to work tomorrow.

These people struggle for even the basic necessities never mind the thing i take for granted ie Dad I neeeeeed an iPhone, Dad can i have some money to go out etc. Im most of us have done this and i imagine alot of medical applicant will have purely due to a significant proportion of medical applicants coming from the middle class.
I slowly realised how much I would struggle to relate to these people if i ever become their doctor, not out of lack of wanting to but rather never having been in that position myself. It also made me think twice about my attitude of get off your arse and get a job, it really isn’t that easy for some people ie those with long term medical conditions etc.

I’m going to come back to this later as I’m really struggerling how to express what i want to!

Over all yes this work experience although not changing my mind on what i want to do with my life it has changed my attitude to a significant proportion of our society which must not be forgot or sidelined.

Unfortunately right now i don’t have time to do any significant work in this area but it is defiantly something I WILL be doing in the future.

Step 1 Convince dad to donate all the leftover food (Tonnes of it) from the business to the local homeless shelter at the end of the night.

iPhone

2009-10-30T14:31:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post to see if this works. Got the new toy on Tuesday and still trying to work out exactly how to use it. I've got a proper post wrote actually on my application to post up!

Work shadowing

2009-10-22T12:00:00.000-07:00

With the GP was great more on that later when i finish my diary!

Just heard back from all the local hospitals and its a no on the work experiance front. Seen as most graduate entry programs expect significant work experiance I think this could be the end of trying to get into graduate entry before i have even sent my UCAS.

WHy is it so hard to become a doctor goes off to cry in a corner!

Case studies - laptops suck

2009-10-18T12:24:00.000-07:00

“A67 year old leukemic patient developed bacteraemia in hospital. It was suspected that his plastic central line catheter was colonized as indicated by the swelling at the point of entry in his skin. Blood culture showed gram-positive cocci in clusters.”

Thats my case study seems easy enough however my laptop picked tonight to totally corrupt and i have now lost all my work, so dont expect to be around for a few days!

The downside to group work and shadowing

2009-10-13T15:32:00.000-07:00

This is meant as rant rather just some info on why group work is bloody hard work.
One of our modules is analytical biochemistry which is an ok module however we have a presentation to do on the 1st week lab. Luckily everyone in our group but two are good mates so it should have been easy hmm not.

Why can’t people just do their work and get off their backside to come into uni.

*We need to compile our data however one pair out of the 4 pairs has made the standard curve but hasn’t actually tested the sample

*One can’t be bothered to send me the results and doesn’t want to come in on her day off ie tomorrow

*Two pairs couldn’t be bothered to stay back after lecture on Monday so we are now going to be doing it tomorrow ie the day before its due

Ohhh don’t you just love group work.

Now for something I do love

£4 for small piece and regular side at Pizza hut I think we have found our new dinner hide out for this year yummy.

Shadowing in less than a week so should be blogging every night then, went up to have to find where I am going yesterday and the surgery is huge. Hopefully that will give me something to mention on my personnel statement as all the GP shadowing I have done previously has been at small town/village surgeries where as this is in a deprived area of a major city so I expect the patient will be significantly different even if the clinical conditions are the same!

Volunteering

2009-10-09T15:31:00.000-07:00

Im now back being a regular hospital volunteer. Ive been doing some meeting a greeting which basically involves pointing people in the right direction or if they look like they won’t be able to find their way ie older people taking them down to where they want to be. Now im the sort of person that managed to miss multiple 30foot motorway signs for Hexham however I didn’t realise until I ended in Morpoth a good few miles further north.

I haven’t managed to get anyone lost yet. This week I took a parcel collector (blonde moment and I can’t think of a better way of putting it) down to a ward to collect what I thought was going to be a simple letter. Uh huh I thought wrong but it was actually quite good.

The parcel was 8 boxes of donated medical supplies to a clinic in Pakistan I didn’t realise medic over here were able to get so involved in medicine in poor country and it is defiantly something I can see myself doing in the future. I really take my hat off to the medic who is organising it.

A funny if stupid video

UNI update

2009-10-09T15:30:00.001-07:00

Well we’ve been back long enough to form opinions of our new lectures all of which I would say are ok apart from a certain one. He has us for one module and im beginning to hate it. Course work accounts for 40% of our module mark which is great and allows for you to bank and significant proportion of the marks need for a 2:1 or indeed a 1st before even stepping foot in the exam hall.

Brilliant I hear you saying. Well 10% of these marks come from two case studies which are easy enough in their selves if we had been taught what he expected. Ie does he just want the biomedical test or does he want the pathological basis of the disease. Does he want an explanation of how they cause symptoms or even what these symptoms are I feel a headache coming on. Have an appointment with my tutor on Monday to discus it and hopefully get some idea of what to do.

Other than that nothing much to blog about, taekwondo is going good and my grade is getting scaringly close also have work shadowing soon. Haven’t been doing as many HCA shifts as I hoped but that will improve once I get back into the habit of juggerling twenty things at once.

The uni taekwondo club starts back on Sunday and we managed to sign up loads of people at fresher fair so it will be interesting to see how many turn up seen as the session is free we expect quite a few.

Ill leave you with a song im currently addicted to have on repeat.

Britney spear – 3 or 1,2,3

2009-10-07T08:53:00.001-07:00

Came across this today really makes me wish my parents would hurry up and move so i can spend all my summer holidays there

You know it's July in Florida when:

Hot water comes out of both taps.

You find out that a seatbelt buckle makes a pretty nice branding iron.
Yes, it gets hot in Florida. But did you know it got this hot?

The trees are whistling for the dogs.

You find out that you can get sunburned through your car window.

The birds need to use potholders to pull worms out of the ground.

You burn your hand opening the car door.

The temperature drops below 95 and you put on a sweater.

You can make instant sun tea.

Shade determines the best parking space, not distance.

Farmers feed their chickens crushed ice to keep them from laying hard boiled eggs.

When you step outside at 7:30 a.m., you break into a sweat.

Potatoes cook underground. This is convenient because all you have to do is pull one out and add salt, pepper and butter.

You discover that asphalt has a liquid state.

You realize that it only takes two fingers to steer your car.

One day one day i will live in a hot country

St Johns, Voluntery work and uni

2009-09-29T15:31:00.000-07:00

I originally stared this blog to chart my progress hopefully to medical school but it seems to have got well a little bit side tracked so a little post that is on topic.

Voluntary work

I went back after having shingles on Monday and was volunteering as a meet and greater in outpatients. Now this would have been fine at the hospital I used to volunteer at last year however where I am now, I have no idea what department is located where or anything. As you can imagine the shift was hard work to say the least but I now know my basic way round the hospital. Also a Asian couple came down looking for a taxi home no problem for me it was only when the guy I was with pointed out that I had responded in Chinese to them that I actually realised I had! See I have usefull for some things!

St Johns

Hmm where to start
Induction – Apparently I was meant to be on a induction course last weekend which I could have gone had they bothered to tell me I was meant to be going.
Hopefully will be going on the course shortly so should have more to post on after that.

That’s about it really its my 1st week back at uni so haven’t got much work to do thank god! Every introductory lecture so far has stressed to us how much work is involved this year to the point im actually beginning to get scared.

Doing a degree you dont want to do!

2009-09-26T18:22:00.000-07:00

I really intended to write this when Alevel results came out but never got round to it so here goes.

For some you this week will have been the 1st of many at medical school for some it will be the start of a gap year and for others it will be the start of a degree that you really don’t want to do. This time last year I was in the later group, I had drastically missed my medical school offer and was faced with giving up medicine or trying for graduate entry.

As anyone who actually read this blog know I decided on graduate entry and got a place at Sunderland University on Biomedical Science Bsc through clearing. A year today I was sat in my halls flat looking forward to Monday my 1st day of lectures. A year later im sat at home still looking forward to Monday. Its been a difficult but successful year to be 100% honest I haven’t really done much to benefit my application but have a lot lined up for the coming year. Im now a HCA and a volunteer with St Johns ambulance.

I guess what im trying to say is that bad Alevel results aren’t the end of the world and if you are starting a degree that you don’t really want to do still go into it with your heart set on getting a 1st and try to enjoy yourself.

I have an uncle who is a doctor and he had already bought me a stethoscope for results day last year sadly i havent got to use it yet but when I found it the other day it reminded me why I work so hard at my degree.

Update - uni has begun again

2009-09-22T18:39:00.001-07:00

Well its finally hit me how soon lectures start ie Monday! So at 2.35am im sat printing 300 pages that when stapled will form my copy of the lecture slide for the next month. Yup just a month.

It’s the sport and society fare on the 30th of September so I need to try and think of something interesting for the taekwondo club to do – suggestions in a comment!

Don’t know what else to write about really so just a quick ill be back with more regular updating now I actually have something to blog about.

My long to do list also includes an essay on taekwondo if I ever want to grade oh boy fun times. Training tomorrow and Friday whoot actually looking forward to it for the 1st time in a long while which is reassuring.

No uni accomodation

2009-09-18T19:44:00.001-07:00

Well im a sunderland university student, now from past years most second years have lived in halls of residence however this year due to the huge demand for university places the uni has took on way to many people.

Guess who no longer has a flat yup me – house hunting tomorrow. More than a days notice would have been nice.

Thanks sunderland university!

Bah bad mood

2009-09-11T18:07:00.000-07:00

I know know i intended to post but im in the worest premenstral mood ever. Spent 4 hours in A&E with the mother, after driving for an hour as she wouldnt listen to me about our local A&E having closed. Felt like batting a bouncer in the face.

Not happy going to bed before i kill someone. Also in a very jelous mood about some medics i meet today that are arses. Why do grades mean everything now!

ITS NOT MOTHER FUCKING FAIR!! I HATE THIS FUCKING COUNTRY

Bit and bobs - proper post tomorrow

2009-09-09T15:40:00.000-07:00

Work

Well im loving my job so far, got puked on by a drunken teenager at 11am today like WTF. Strangely it made me smile and feel like a medical applicant again not just a failure which to be honest is what ive been feeling for the last year. Yes ill admit im slightly weired!

Taekwondo

Preparation going well grading is getting closer and im getting more nervous.

Hmm what else

I haven’t been up to much really went to St Johns on Monday other than that been decorating my step parents house. Kinda boring roll on the start of uni in a few weeks!

Reading

Brilliant book – you should all check it out

That’s I for tonight I promise ill write a proper post soon – thanks to a certain reader for getting into contact with me makes me keep blogging when I realise I aren’t just talking to myself. Double promise on the relevant post tomorrow it may be something on my dissertation plan!

The joys of kids

2009-09-06T07:51:00.000-07:00

Bloody kids
I got landed looking after the neighbours twins today, now although this is fun they are so picky when it comes to food it’s a nightmare!

The convocation went something like this

Me- You want fish and noodles
Them – Yuk
Me – Fish and chips
Them – Yuk
Me – Pizza
Them – Yuk
Me – Mc Donald’s just don’t tell your dad
Them – Nah
Me- well what do you guys want
Them – Shrugged their shoulders
Me- Arghhhhhhhhh storms into the kitchen.

Here was my idea – mini jacket potatoes

Thank god they ate it. Ive recently done my 1st shift as a HCA so will write something to do with that shortly after I find the floor in the games room again. St John’s tomorrow so might try and write something about that. My CRB that was sent off for them should have come back by now as the one I sent after that has. Thank god they don’t show up speeding tickets was really worried about that.

By the looks of that photo I need to invest in a new phone, shame it has to be orange…I wonder when my upgrades due.

Why medicine the dreaded question and for me why not a paramedic?

2009-09-04T17:56:00.000-07:00

The question most applicants dread at a medicine is “Why do YOU want to be a Doctor?”. Now to most people this seems a simple question to me it so isn’t. To be honest I don’t have a hard fast answer, medicine for me is just something I really really really want to do.

When I think back part of the reason for this is the fact I nearly died from a nose bleed (More on that later) and the fact my mam had a stroke when I was 10. Both these events made me realise that I want to be a doctor and help to heal the complex human body. (I should be revising anatomy right now). Now this reason for admission tutors wouldn’t get me an offer not even close.

I did quite abit of work experience in year 12 and loved it, the time I spent in GPs and hospital confirmed for me medicine was what I really wanted to do but shall I tell you something I still didn’t have a hard fast answer for the question. Why medicine or the worse one Why not nursing.

If im going to be honest my answer for the why not nursing question is easier,

-Increased responsibility of a doctor – I enjoy leading teams and being able to find the answer
-Prescribing right
-Im a big geek at heart and love science the limits of the nursing course would have me constantly asking why I need details I need to know the tiny details i.e that equation that’s going to be no use in clinical practice.

Now im going to have to work on that again if im hoping for grad entry!!!!

Why not a paramedic?

This is the big one for me, when I missed my medicine offer and was faced with clearing I did nearly go to Hertfordshire to do Paramedic sciences. If I hadn’t come home that day to cry that I was never going to be a doctor id likely be writing a very different blog right now.

Yes my interest in medicine is pre-hospital care and trauma, but as my dissertation is going to reflex im interested in what role a doctor has in this! As paramedics get more and more qualified they are creeping on doctors knowledge and are in emergency situation more useful that medics (More on that in the nose bleed post!). So what changed my mind – Again I want that vast medical knowledge and the big bag of tricks. Oh yeah and if I don’t get into A&E, ICU will be my next choice.

Im posting this up mainly for my benefit so I can come back to it over the next two years up to application and see how my views change! Hopefully ill be able to answer that question more confidently soon if not im fucked!

Shame just knowing deep down its what you want to isn’t enough!

Application - GEM

2009-09-02T12:21:00.000-07:00

Well its time I started to think about where I want to go for my med degree or more realistically where im likely to get a place considering my Alevels grades!

Over the next few months we will be travelling to a lot of the universities that offer GEM (Graduate entry to medicine). Ill try and write up a small bit on each one as I go along. For now ive looked through all the prospectuses and am thinking long the lines of

Newcastle GEM
Newcastle 5Year
Nottingham GEM
Warwick GEM

Im a northern lass born and bred so would love to stay up here shame our local med school is so competitive. The 5year course is also an insurance grads are systically alot more likely to get an offer on the 5yr course than GEM due to their being alot more 5yr places.

In love with vission express

2009-09-01T08:54:00.000-07:00

Well I managed to get these babies down from £80 to £20 bargin tho the total bill was £70 ouch bloody eye test and contact lense test cost. On the reassuring front my prescription the same as it was two years ago, so hopefully it ill remain the same for the next two years and i can get laser surgery after my 21st.

Yes im a stereotypical geek

2009-08-30T13:19:00.000-07:00

Well im kinda blind as bat without my glasses so you can imagine my horror when my brother sat on them. Luckily I have a pile of contact lenses for in the shop (for the none glasses wearers steam off cooking plus glasses = being able to see jack shit).

The one thing I love living up north is we are around ten minutes from the Metro Centre which is open as normal on bank holidays and late on weekdays, a big plus for someone like me who never manages to be organised enough to go shopping etc at normal time/ on normal days.

Hopefully dad will be paying.

BBQ and being a veggie

2009-08-29T12:38:00.000-07:00

Surprisingly ive so far manage to stick to it but the lack of food means the drinks rapidly going to my head. Had a great post line up for tonight but it will have to wait.

Now to go be the sensible one and drag the idiots out of the hot tub, thank god we emptied the pool.

Wow a post thats not a winge

2009-08-28T18:50:00.001-07:00

Whoot im happy had a great night training at taekwondo, have a family BBQ tomorrow. Oh yeah and my uncle got me a pink stethoscope to hang on my notice board as reminder of why i am up at 3am writting a dissertation proposal. Actually must get back to it

byez

NHS vs private a personnal opinion

2009-08-27T12:12:00.000-07:00

As promised a health care related post. I was reading the junior doctors blog earlier and came across this post The Junior Doctor it something I intended posting on after my accident ( post is HERE ) but never got round to however after recent events ill post it now. The NHS really does seem to get a lot of negative press which in my opinion it doesn’t deserve.

Where would you prefer to be treated considering the below?(trends)

I posted a few weeks back about being involved in a car accident the care I received after this was excellent, today I had to go back to the hospital for a check up due to having asthma and my chest being injured in the accident.

Now bare in mind ive only had one serious asthma attack and that was my fault. Cycling 5 miles then trying to spar for an hour when you have exercise induced asthma and haven’t took your preventer inhaler isn’t a good idea. Unless I want to do the likes of above I can get away with not taking anything so not really a case for regular hospital checkups. However the consultant I saw today was excellent answered all my questions etc and reassured my mother. Definite thumbs up – This was an NHS appointment as I was automatically referred back to him due to being taken to an NHS A&E. My appointment was at 9am and I was seen on time and out of the hospital by 10am.

Now we do have private medical insurance – the reason why ill explain in a later post.

Now day before yesterday my mam went into have the leaders in her toe cut and her toe straightened. This was at one of the local hospitals run by our insurance company. She had to be in for 7.30am and was booked to go down to theatre at 9am we were told she was the 1st patient of the day. Now remember this is a private hospital that does not deal with emergencies, she eventually went to theatre at 11am.

When ive previously been to this hospital all relatives are offered coffee etc while they wait for the patient to come back from theatre and are told before they arrive so they can be waiting for their relative. On this occasion no coffee and my mam was back on the ward an hour before we were told she was back not good when this operation is costing the insurance over 10k.

Now im prepared to forget about this and just get mam ready to go home, the consultant came back around and rudely said to my mam she was free to go at 3pm. Didn’t answer any of my mams questions or anything.

After the drip had finished my mam asked the nurse to remove the IV 9 times only to be told certainly ill come back in a few minutes to do this. After wandering round a few times it was obvious the nurse weren’t short staffed but rather sat drinking coffee at the nurses station. Now im well aware they need time to relax but there were 10 nurses and HCA sat at the nurse station and 5 patients on the ward. The staff ratio is meant to be 1 nurse and 1 HCA to a patient with each consultant only having 4 patients booked in per day and each consultant having a SHO or registrar.

As said the consultant discharged my mam at 3pm it was 5pm by the time the nursing sister came and removed my mam IV so she could leave the ward.

Overall not good service.
In the case of my accident I had
Chest xray
Neck and back xray
Bloods and blood gas
Leg xray
Pelvic xray and scan
Wound on my shoulder stitched

The whole time the doctor was explaining what was going on a reassuring me on a level appropriate to me.

I was out of A&E with 6hours yes that not within the governments targets but considering the amount of test run it seems fast turnaround especially considering what my mam has just had at a private hospital with less than a quarter of the number of patients.

Personally god forbid anything like that happens again I’d much rather be treat in an NHS hospital.

The service provided by the ambulance service was also great and much better than I experianced when taken by private ambulance with an asthma attack as mentioned above. Again this was to the same private hospital as treat my mam this week.

Yet unlike the rubbish Medic999 and RandomReality have to put up with the private guys only get private patients and are unlikely to ever deal with drunks or be assualted.

My whole experiance has really made me realise how much we as a population dont appriciate what the NHS offers us.

Applying for halls sucks - Pay peanuts get monkeys

2009-08-27T11:01:00.000-07:00

Argh last year in halls I had a bit of a nightmare with one of my flat mates so decided to not live there again. However I eventually managed to move halls and meet some great flat mates who this year are once again living in halls and ive decided to join them.

Now I missed the deadline due to what was going on so wont be placed until October which I don’t mind however im getting no where, the uni operate a system where by when you send your application you get a confirmation email which I never got I applied back in july and ever since have been attempting to get the uni to confirm my application.

8 emails the same as below later

Dear sirs
Due to the circumstance last year I missed the deadline for applying for halls for the academin year 2009/2010, as a returning student I am aware I will not be placed until October.

However I never received the automated confirmation email when I applied I am enquiring if you have received my application?

Thanks for you attention inregards to this matter.

Now their reply

I am really sorry but returning student will not be allocated until October may I suggest a private landlord.

How in the world does that answer the question above. Ive also rang them to be told the same and whenever I ask if they got my application they just say returning student wont be allocated until October without even taking a name to check if they have my application.

Pay peanuts get monkeys

More health care related post when I carm down in an hour or so!!!

Public space, public librarys - should they exist

2009-08-26T18:25:00.000-07:00

Just a little cartoon i found on Digg.com

Why I hate summer - plan for the week.

2009-08-23T01:28:00.000-07:00

Being away from uni means a lot of my friends are up and down the country making for a boring summer oh well their back in the next few weeks. For a lot of student the summer is a chance to catch up with old friends however it rather boring for me due to my ex stealing a lot of our shared friends oh well. It not that I don’t have friends at home rather they don’t do the traditional going out on a night etc. below is my plan for the next week,

Monday – St Johns
Tuesday – Taekwondo
Wednessday – Taekwondo
Thursday – Free day no doubt wont turn into that as my mam will be out of hospital after her foot operation.
Friday – Hospital with the step gran then taekwondo on the night
Saturday – Pattern training, parents shift BBQ on the night
Sunday –Senior grade training

I really fancy going out and getting to know some lads again now miss having a boyfriend.

Dissertation/biomed project

2009-08-21T16:49:00.000-07:00

Help me plan it guys. I know im only going into 2nd year but want to start this early. Im applying for graduate entry medicine so need a really good mark ha there’s for wishful thinking.

My interest in medicine is prehospital care and the role of a doctor in this tho I doubt I can make a biomed project relevant to this.

Any suggestions please I don’t want to end up doing it on some little gene or something stuck in a molecular bio lab i.e my least favourite module. Hence the early planning.

Oh yeah im doing this at stupid oclock as my mam has the heating on that high everyone else in the house is frying so awake while she sleeps like a baby. Wish i could make you guys a fly on the wall it would make ideal reality TV

Long update

2009-08-20T09:58:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the delay in an update but im ill with shingles lol it sucks. Right where to start.

St Johns

Second meeting went well how can I put this incredibly bad. Managed to fumble my way through CPR and went as red as a tomato, god what must they think of me embarrassing with a capital E.

Taekwondo

Slowly getting to black belt standard just over 3 months to go and starting to luck forward to it hopefully ill be buying one of these soon.

Also on my taekwondo shopping list

-Shin guards the class I go to is being taken over by woman and I feel like im not in proper kit without them. Being the highest grade female i feel like i should set an example. Tho I’d rather be more male and do without

-Boxing gloves same as above tho I did stop wearing the club ones half way through the lesson like the lads.

On another note what is it with white belts arghh I told the new starter to stop punching before the command seems reasonable as thats what is expected of the senior grades aswell. So what did she do punch so soft trying to make me look soft. I was so tempted to go full force on her in sparring to make a point but managed not to. Thankfully my instructor realised what was going on and didn’t look down on me for it.

Uni

Still haven’t heard back from the accommodation office so don’t know if ill be living in halls or at home next year. Hope to god it halls I love my mam to bits, but she starting to drive me nuts now. She just so tidy and organised it ridiculous, im sure she has OCD. If not I may start looking for a house share.

Hospital

Went to my stepgrans hospital appointment with her I might aswell walk around with Gradmed applicant on my forehead, she told everyone we meet bless her. Tho I did managed to get some shadowing organised out of it. Yey!!!!!

That’s all for now back to volunteering next week when my scabs have healed.

Becoming a veggy

2009-08-17T15:07:00.001-07:00

Today is the day ive done what ive wanted to do for a long while now im no longer going to eat meat ever! Ive been watching Fast food junkies on 4OD watching the yak being slaughtered was the final straw enough is enough, every time I look at meat now all I can see is the little chicken running around or the cow smiling back at me.

If youve got a ka join

2009-08-16T17:10:00.000-07:00

www.fk-oc.com

Bloody chavs

2009-08-16T09:17:00.000-07:00

My dad’s a cop and last night went out to a chav house unfortuanly he brought back a few little visitors, more commonly known as flees on his uniform. Needles to say im not happy about being bitten to hell and mams even less happy about having to have the games room fumigated from now on he will be getting changed at work!

Been stationary shopping today, so that one section on my list crossed off just a few more to go. Also picked up a 1st aid manual so going to have a little preread for tomorrow.

EDIT: They arent bites on my side its bloody shingles. I was ment to be starting my job as a HCA on tuesday bollocks. Apparently ive most likely got it as a result of swine flu or the shock of the accident. Not happy ive just got back to my normal self and now im stuck in the house again well they say bad things run in threes.

I once again dont feel ill with a contagous infection but it means i cant leave the house again arghhhh. I was going to the metro tomorrow, if it wasnt for the fact that im not selfish and know what it can do to immunecompromised people i would go anyway.

Going to ring the St Johns people and ask if they are happy for me to come down if i put a dressing on the rash. Ill be goint to taekwondo training anyway, my instructor already warned me its not a reason not to train with the comp coming up so atleast i wont be to bored.