Medical Care

So, on Thursday November 20th, I was getting trained to give the residents (I work at Beehive Nursing Homes) their medication, but before I had to take a TB (tuberculosis) test, which they just stick a needle in your arm, inject stuff, twist the needle around a little, and then you go back and they check it 48 hours later to see if you have tuberculosis (or if your body has been introduced to it). Anyways, I'm usually always a little scared with needles and I get all hyped up, even though I've had 5 shots in my bottom and 2 IV's and countless times getting blood drawn, like I said, it's all in my head. Well, the test went fine, so I was like oh I'll watch this next one, and I was okay for about 2 minutes and then got tingly, saw black and woke up on the floor with tons of pain in my back and head. I guess I had fallen out of my chair, started to seizure, but then stop and rocked my head on the wall. Well, the nurse who took my TB test, did nothing about it until another lady called 911 for me, bless her heart! They then arrived and asked me millions of questions, and each question at least 4 times. Well, I took a trip in the ambulance, without them even calling my family, or telling me which hospital I was at! And so I had to call my mom and tell her, oh but which hospital was I at? She went to Timpanogas and then they directed her to Utah Valley, well about 2 hours passed, while I'm laying there strapped to a dumb back-board, that isn't too comfortable for those who have been on one. They finally come to take me to get X-Ray's and of course they find nothing wrong. Now, I'm wondering why the heck I never got asked if I even wanted to go in the ambulance to the hospital in the first place. Because now I have to pay a bill for it. I also think it's ridiculous the amount of time I spent there! And 4 times my mom went out to the area where the nurses are to ask them if I could have water or something, but everytime she went out, she found 5 nurses sitting chatting with each other laughing, while I sit there on the most uncomfortable thing of my life. And, they just said oh yeah, hold on we'll ask. Well of course I couldn't have anything, but then finally I got my X-Ray's and was ready to go, well, actually I had to wait another 45 minutes to get the nurse to take out my dumb IV. The way hospitals do things (especially Utah Valley) is so asanine. I couldn't even believe it. And they just stick us in these rooms, and yes of course I was fine and I would never put my needs especially those with a real wound (gunshot, overdose, broken limb etc) over mine, but I wanted to get the H out of there and off the back board which didn't help my already hurt back. The way medical things are handled now days is so ridiculous. And I just can't wait to see what Mr. President plans to do with Health Care.

Thursday and Friday

Hi everyone. This is just a reminder that I will be in my office all day on Thursday and Friday to meet with students and answer any questions you may have regarding the Classical Argument paper or the Genre Translation assignment. My flight from England was delayed, and I am just now getting home, so I will be coming in a bit later than I had anticipated tomorrow, but I will still be there all day. I will be in my office from 10:30 AM to 8 PM. (I may be there a little earlier, but I will be there by 10:30 for sure.) On Friday I will be there from 8AM to 8PM.

Oh, and my dissertation defense went really well. Thanks to those of you who wrote me about it.

-Dr. Westover (still sounds a bit weird, but I'll get used to it)

I hate reviews..

Maybe hate is a strong word, but it works. I can not write a review paper for my group members. I know what i think, but i can't turn it into words. I hate these kinds of papers almost as much as i hate the "what did you learn about yourself" papers. I just can't do it, and certainly can't write a page on it. But then i think, what if me saying this makes it even more of a mental block to actually do it? So then i think maybe i need to be more like the little engine that could... I think I can, I think I can... I have lost all dignity and self-respect after that comment. I'm done.

HSM 3!

So i went and watched HSM 3. That's high school musical 3: Senior Year for those of you who aren't done with the hip new acronym. Call me a fruit cake or a little strange/odd, but i loved the trilogy. I have all three soundtracks and movies. I think they are awesome. I'm not just letting you all know how i like the movies, this blog has a purpose. I have a beef with vanessa hudgens character Gabriella Montez. In all three movies she breaks up with him or leaves him in some way. She always doubts him while he always supports and loves her and it really pisses me off. How come girls never appreciate or even seem to notice everything the guy does?.. I wrote my opinion piece on graciousness by the way.. How come the guy always has to tie up the loose ends and keep the relationship strong, keep the girl held together or confident in his commitment. The girl always looses faith. And I'm gonna go ahead and generalize this one because i have reasonable proof from watching the high school musical trilogy and gabriella's behavior. I think maybe girls seem to typically have lower self-esteem than guys do, so maybe they need that reassurance? Kinda like they are playing a bluff card just to see exactly how much their man will do for them? How far can i woman really push their man in this kinda situation? What if the man really does love his partner and because of the constant break downs calling for the reassurance does exactly what the woman is afraid of- the guy leaving.
Give me some feedback. I'm interested in some stories. EVERYONE has a story like this so please post. girls and guys included. sorry if i'm being sexist in a way cuz i know there are situations where the gender is switched, if we can even say their is an accurate gender stereotype for the insecure partner to begin with that could be switched. Just give me something, anything cuz i feel most of my posts go for the most part uncommented on by the majority of the class. Maybe thats because our class isn't very blog friendly, myself included...Im ranting. Im done

Death. You Never Think About it Till it is Forced On You.

We have all had different people die in our lives. Usually it's a grandparent or a distant uncle. These are all really sad occurrences in life. But all of these fail in comparison to losing a close friend. Amanda Clifford, 20, of Lindon, was traveling southbound on the freeway just after 8 a.m., heading to school at Utah Valley University, when she was cut off during the early morning commute. Amanda lost control of her vehicle and swerved to the right, then to the left in front of a semi-trailer. The truck hit Amanda's Honda on the driver's door. Clifford was the only occupant of the vehicle and was transported by helicopter to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in critical condition. Amanda died at approximately 2 P.M. She was an amazing young lady that I had the privilege of knowing for 6 or 7 years. I knew her through Marching Band at Provo High School. She was an amazing friend.
The last time I saw her was this last Sunday at Benjamin Perry's LDS Missionary Farewell. Ben was her boyfriend of 3 years. He was scheduled to leave for Ft. Lauderdale, Florida Mission on Wednessday of this week. She had just recently put her papers in to go serve a LDS Mission herself. They were planning on returning from their missions and getting married.
We never really understand death untill it is imposed uppon our lives. As a young person I tend to have the feeling of being invincible. You never know how fragile life is untill it is taken away from those you love.

Obama..What a joke!..or not

I have come to a disturbing realization concerning obama's presidency.
No one is going to make jokes about him. Since forever SNL, Mad Tv, Jay Leno, Connon O'brian, David Letterman, etc. have been making jokes about the president. But not with obama will any white people make a joke about him fearing they will be labeled a racist? Plenty of minorities made fun of W. Bush, Clinton and Bush, but now that the tables are turned i'm afraid that no one will make jokes about obama. sure their are the impersonators, but they don't really make fun of him. Of course minorities can make fun of him, but not white people. I am interested how this will play out. unfortunately i foresee writers of the networks having a hard time to make jokes and keep viewers interested.

Revised Class/Assignment Schedule on Blackboard

Hi all.

Please be aware: WE ARE MEETING IN THE LIBRARY ON TUESDAY, ROOM 206.

There is now a revised schedule up on Blackboard. This new schedule takes us up through the end of the semester. There are a lot of changes, so you will want to take a look. We will be discussing this on Tuesday and signing up for small groups, so don't miss, and make sure to bring any questions with you. Have a nice rest of your weekend.
-D