Spinning my wheels

It's pretty easy for me right now to tell someone about a typical day. I go to work from 8 to 4:30, get home around 5, jump on my bike for an hour or two, shower, eat supper, and head for bed. The jump-on-my-bike part isn't something I always feel like doing but I know I'll enjoy my planned summer adventure far more if I put in the time now.

In 2007 I went on a 10-day bike trip from Roncesvalles to Santiago, Spain with three friends. (You can read about it here.) Though it wasn't always an easy trip, I've been wanting to do something like that every since with riding across the USA being the ultimate adventure. As I near the end of my studies, I figure that now is the time to do it before I get a job and before I get any older. So this summer I signed up for a cross-country ride with the Fuller Center for Housing. The Fuller Center partners with local groups to build or repair decent affordable housing. The goal of the ride is to raise awareness for the Fuller Center along with some funds to help make this possible. In addition we'll be taking four days along the way to help with a building project. Here's some more information and/or ways to help sponsor the trip.

A week after I finish my internship in St. Cloud I'll be joining this bike adventure in Chicago and riding the remaining 2600 miles to Astoria, Oregon. That sounds a little crazy actually. That's a long way to pedal and a long time to sit on a skinny bike seat. And thus the training -- whether I feel like it or not. I spent January and February just reminding my body what exercise was. Since March I've been on my bike. Last week I was able to get outside every day which meant facing the wind. There are times when I wonder how much further I can pedal into its teeth, but then I remember that headwinds will have to be beaten this summer since I won't be able to turn when I'm tired and blow back home. This week I'm back inside since it is cold and rainy. I'm grateful for my trainer (a stand that attaches to the back wheel with a roller to which resistance can be added.) It's not very enjoyable to spin away without going anywhere but it's the best I can do. Add in some intervals and a podcast or two and I feel like I've gotten a good workout after an hour. At least I think two towels soaked in sweat should mean something. I'm hoping I can be back outside next week on the country roads with the wind and hills where I can enjoy the beauty of nature during the arrival of spring. I have two more months to get my legs, seat, and shoulders in shape. 

Working in Mental Health

I am 2 weeks into my second and last rotation. (Only 10 more weeks to go!) The University of Minnesota sets up our placements and they try to give us two different types of settings. My first one was in a smaller hospital where I spent my time primarily in physical disability/rehab. This time I'm in a mental health setting at the VA in St. Cloud. While some of the Veterans I'm working with have physical disabilities, the focus of the OT treatment is helping them in their mental health recovery. The diagnoses include depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, bi-polar, and PTSD. The Veterans involved in OT are living in the community with varying levels of independence. Though each Veteran has different goals, overall they want to increase their independence.

One of the therapists I've been working with has been at the VA for a long time. 30-40 years ago, Veterans could come to OT all day every day. Treatment consisted of some type of creative work with their hands. They worked on wood-working, leather carving, ceramics, models and a host of other projects. Having something purposeful to do did help them improve but coming all day every day didn't necessarily increase their independence. Over the years, the OT program has evolved to the point where now OT continues to provide the creative outlet through "therapeutic media" but the main focus is on skills groups. These groups are designed to help the Veterans increase their skills in every area of life and the Veterans choose which group(s) they will attend each quarter based on their goals. During my first two weeks I've observed a sleep group which is especially helpful to those with PTSD. Another favorite is the relaxation and sensory group where Veterans experience many different types of relaxation and become aware of how different sensory experiences impact their emotions and mental state. The group on dealing with stigma had some animated discussion as the Veterans discussed how to deal with people who treat them unfairly because of their mental illness. This next week I'll go from mainly observing to leading some simple groups and beginning the always present documentation. Thankfully this time it's on the computer so cut and paste makes that process much quicker. I've enjoyed interacting with the Veterans. They are interesting people and have had some rich (and difficult) life experiences.

Observing Surgery

(For some reason this didn't get posted several weeks ago.)

Earlier this week I had the opportunity to observe a total knee replacement surgery. I have never been close to an operating room before so was instructed by several different staff what to do if I started to feel woozy because "once you are in there, you can't come out until it's over." Because new components are being put into the body everything in the room needs to be sterile. The four people directly involved in the surgery were covered from head to toe including closed air circuit helmets as seen below. This is part of the reason the temperature is kept cool enough that everyone else needed a jacket to keep warm.

The anesthesiologist called me over to the head of the patient where a step stool gave me a bird's eye view of everything that happened. He pointed out the chair I could sit on if I needed too. I didn't get woozy though I did take his advice to "breath." He was kind enough to explain the surgery step by step along with some of the improvements that have been made in the 30+ years he's been in the OR. A tourniquet kept the blood to a minimum. This was a scheduled surgery so all of the hardware had been custom made. That included the plates that were "nailed" to the end of the femur and tibia so the cuts made on the bone were precise. It didn't take me long to figure out why people are so sore. Bones are drilled and sawed but the worst is muscles stretched and pulled to the side throughout the entire surgery. Once the components of the new joint had been put in and the stability of the knee verified by plenty of bending and pulling, the components were taken back out and then cemented into place. The patella was sewn back over the joint and the surgeon left to start on the next surgery while his assistant sewed up the rest. The thread now has microscopic barbs that hold it in place so knots, which tend to cause problems, are no longer needed.

I'm thankful for the opportunity to have observed a surgery but am also glad that I work with people once they are all sewed up.

Spring!!

It's been a long cold winter here in Minnesota. I should be used to it. I grew up in the cold and snow but somehow it seemed worse this year. Maybe it's because I spent the coldest part of the winter in Fergus Falls where it was consistently 10-15˚ colder than in NW Iowa where I grew up. That matters when the temperature is below zero as it often was this winter. Maybe it's because I'm no longer a kid or because I actually had to go out in the cold each day and couldn't just study at my desk in sweatpants. My one consolation--I wasn't in Embarrass, MN, which was often the coldest spot in the nation, Alaska included. One advantage of living through long cold winters is that spring is that much sweeter and more appreciated.

Today I went to Minneapolis to visit my church there and spend the afternoon with some friends enjoying spring. For us the 60˚ felt like summer. There is still snow in spots and the trees are no where near budding but the kids had shorts on as we sat in the backyard and roasted bratwurst over the fire pit. Once we were done eating we just sat and soaked up the sun. I also soaked up the time with people who know me well and where I know everyone's name. It was hard to tear myself away and head back up I-94 so I can be ready for another week of learning new names and responsibilities at a new place. More on that next week.