I haven’t been here. It’s been a while. School and work have really kept me busy lately. I still love blogging and really miss you guys. I’m probably gonna close this blog down one day. I have started a new site where I plan to chronicle my school experience. Check out RT Student Blog. Thanks for the comments and for being here with me this past year.

I’m here. I know it’s been a while but I wanted to drop by and tell you about some shoes that I bought. This morning actually from the Skechers website. I found a coupon too searching through google that gave me 20% off and free shipping. I need to go find a pair of black ones too because my black ones are falling apart.

As part of the responsibilities that come with the Respiratory Therapy program at my school comes fundraising. We will be going to 2 conferences, and also paying for our state boards upon graduation. The tests alone cost almost 600 bucks each. All added up we are tasked to raise 20,000 dollars by the time we graduate. Well, today we had our first group activity fundraiser. Last semester we raffled off a DVD player and sold doughnuts. Each of those were individual activities. Today we had a bake sale.

Each of us signed up to bring some kind of baked good. I baked cookies (maybe a minute or 2 too long) and brought can drinks. I am happy to say that we brought in 220 bucks. Not too bad. The best part is we had a lot of fun just hanging out not in a class or learning environment. Last July 17 of us showed up for orientation. 17 strangers who met. Now we’re down to 12. 12 friends. 12 future RT’s. I can’t wait for more opportunities to do things like this together.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Well, yesterday was my first day of clinicals at the hospital where I work. It was a long one too. Let me preface it by saying that I worked 3:00pm til 3:30 AM Sunday then remained at the hospital. I read some magazines from 3:30 til 6:30 and did clinicals from 7:00 til 5:30. In case your math is off I arrived at the hospital 2:30 PM Sunday and left at 5:30 PM Monday (27 hours later)

It started off as any other day at clinicals so far. The preceptor (in this case it was our instructor Mrs. G) handed out assignments and we headed to the floor to do breathing treatments. 7 am is the time for the Q4 and Q6 (every 4 hour and every 6 hour) treatments. I had 4 patients and handled it with ease. I assessed them, loaded up the nebulizer’s and remained with each one until the medicine ran out. I only had to treat 3 of the because one was PRN (as needed) and she didn’t need it at this time. Then we went to breakfast. keep reading because it get’s interesting after the jump (i promise) (more…)

I don’t know if any of you know this and I don’t know if any of you care but the writer’s have robbed me. The writers in Hollywood who just ended their strike last week robbed me of the season of 24. Every other series that was placed on hold waiting for them is going on. Some are starting in March and some are starting in April. My favorite show “24” will not be returning until January of 2009. That means that I was robbed of a whole season. I am not too happy about it either. I’m sitting here at work seething as I think about it. I’m pretty sure there’s nothing I can do either. I don’t have the time to put into a major effort to get this season back. So let me end this before I say something I might regret. Thanks for screwing America out of our favorite show. Thanks a lot.

My boy Ted sent me a link to this and I put up the badge in my sidebar. I figured I’d share the music video with you in case you haven’t seen it. Ted’s the crazy one in the tub BTW

Navy Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Michael E. Koch
29 years old from State College, Pennsylvania
East Coast-based SEAL team
February 4, 2008

“There are only approximately 2,500 SEALs in the Navy and they really are a brotherhood,” said Naval Special Warfare spokesman Lt. David Luckett. “This is another unfortunate reminder of the risks and sacrifices these amazing warriors and their families make on a daily basis.”

Koch leaves behind his parents and a fiancee. He enlisted in July 1998 and entered SEAL training in January 1999, according to The Virginian-Pilot of Norfolk. He received the Bronze Star, Joint Service Commendation Medal and three Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals.

Navy SEAL Michael E. Koch died Feb. 4 after being wounded by small-arms fire during combat operations in Iraq alongside fellow SEAL Nathan Hardy, who was profiled last week.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Thats right, gas laws. I bet you didn’t know that gases had laws. Well, they do but I’ll tell you more about that at the end of this post. I’m here now to talk about whats going on at school. Well, Monday was my 3rd day of clinicals. I was at the hospital that I hope to work at one day. My best friend works there. It was an interesting day. The preceptor taught us how to do nasotracheal suctioning. Not on a real person though. It looks like that may be the most disgusting thing that Respiratory therapists do. Or, at least the most disgusting thing I have seen so far. Apparently mucus will build up and need to be suctioned. Just think of the thing the dentist uses to keep saliva out of your mouth while he’s working. Well, apparently you stick something like that in the patients nose down to the lungs. You can only do it for 20 seconds before you have to remove it.

Navy Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Nathan H. Hardy
29 years old from Durham, New Hampshire
East Coast-based SEAL team
February 4, 2008

It was Hardy’s fourth deployment in Iraq, according to his father, Stephen Hardy, a professor of kinesiology a the University of New Hampshire. His mother, Donna Hardy, is an administrative assistant in UNH’s psychology department.

Nathan Hardy grew up in Durham and was a 1997 graduate of Oyster River High School. He joined the Navy after graduation.

Other family members include his wife, Mindy, and their 7-month-old son, Parker; and a brother, Ben, of Middlebury, Vt.

Another brother, Josh, died in 1993 while a senior at Oyster River High School.

“Our hearts go out to Steve and Donna Hardy, and their son, Ben, at this incredibly difficult time,” UNH President Mark Huddleston said in a statement. “We know it was Nate’s dream to become a U.S. Navy SEAL when he graduated from high school, and he pursued that dream and excelled at it. His death has stunned all who knew him, and all who know his parents, who both are so much a part of the UNH community.”

Koch leaves behind his parents and a fiancee. He enlisted in July 1998 and entered SEAL training in January 1999, according to The Virginian-Pilot of Norfolk. He received the Bronze Star, Joint Service Commendation Medal and three Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals.

Navy SEAL Nathan Hardy died Feb. 4 after being wounded by small-arms fire during combat operations in Iraq.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.