Subaqua Sternal Rubs

Once again, my apologies for the lack of updates, but I have been pretty busy over the last week. I started one of my classes, Medical Microbiology, on Tuesday. A few lectures in the basics of bacteria, in addition to a few labs where we took throat/other environmental samples, streak-plated them out to grow, and gram-stained the little buggers. Not suprisingly, a number of students had Beta-Hemolytic Streptococci from the airplanes' disease-spreading air-handling systems. Other than that nothing too interesting… Pathology starts tomorrow, which should be fun since we have lab every day. Well, at least it's real medicine, or as close as I've gotten so far…

Other than that, I've been busy with my RA duties… 168 first-termers (new students) in my building needing to be picked up at the airport, checked in and orientated. (Especially on the slightly slower pace of life in Grenada, and the SGU Maintaince Department even more so.) In addition, storage hours for the upper-term students to retrieve their belongings from the summer-storage areas.

I should be updating more frequently as the RA duties are mostly over, and classes are getting into normal schedule. Stay tuned!

Well, I am back in Grenada, my new home away from home (I spend 11 out of 12 months/year here). Vacation was good, but as always, waaay too short (2.5 weeks after 7 months studying). I ended up working in the hospital and the ambulance a little bit, and spending some time with my family when they finally all made it back in town. Sorry no cool EMS or ED stories — all pretty mundane stuff actually. I was hoping for some good trauma or at least a complex medical case, but after 36 ambulance calls (in 2 weeks), the only blood I got on me was from some drunk elderly man that fell down while out walking his dog, and subsequently had some lacerations and blood coming out of his ear canal. In the ED, I was mostly working Sub-acute, with more simple lacerations, extremity injuries (sprained/fractured ankles, wrists, etc.)., and processing detox admits.

After "relaxing" with an insane work/volunteer schedule, I had a few days at home with the family before I had to start packing (at 10PM, the night before, in usual style) for my return to Grenada. One of my flights was delayed, but for the first time ever I got my luggage when I arrived. I was so happy about that.

After getting to my dorm, I headed over to a party/barbecue that one of the other RA's was hosting. Sunday was spent checking people in, doing storage duty, etc. After another barbecue Sunday night, a few of us went to check out Grenada's Carnival. It was a fun party, but we got out of there before the 5AM splashing of paint on each other. I was quite proud of myself for being able to drive through the throngs of people without running anyone over.

Today more check-ins, storage, and tomorrow classes start.