The First Day of School

I had my first day of PA school Monday. Walking to school was actually exhilarating: I’m very much a school girl—I love going to school. The weather was perfect—cool enough for a jacket so it felt reminiscent of the lovely dry mountainous weather in Provo. But since I haven’t been attending classes since the end of December, I felt slightly insecure walking, wondering if I had remembered to zip up all of my zippers so books and writing instruments weren’t trailing behind me. Nope, no worries.

Pathology (study of disease) is a class of PAs, 2nd year Pharmacy, Cytotechnology, and Clinical Perfusion students (~120 people). We will be given lectures by different faculty—it appears each of them average about two days of lecture with us. This could be good because it switches it up, but bad because figuring out how to study for a test with no consistent professor will be difficult. Thankfully the first day was pretty much the syllabus, like undergrad, and some interesting info about how they collect and prepare tissue samples for observation under the microscope. I must say I kind of felt cheated because I was expecting real information, but also relieved that one of my classes had an easy first day.

Afterwards we all picked up our financial aid (= student loan) checks and felt very rich (until we discussed the whole paying them back part). I declined a lot of my GradPLUS loan because Jeff’s loans will be used for living expenses, but hearing how much people took out has now made me paranoid about whether or not I’ll be able to pay tuition. I’ve crunched the numbers billions of times, though, I’m sure it will be fine. Next we all chilled and talked and ate lunches. It was really quite refreshing to see so many students sitting at the tables in the Sorrell (our beautiful one year old building) and outside during lunch conversing with one another. I didn’t like how everyone studied—I’m not used to being surrounded by over-achievers who over-achieve more than me. That’s going to take some getting used to.

Physiology was boring. It is a class of PAs, PTs (Physical Therapy), and 1st year Pharm students (~200 people). We have a different professor each test period, so each exam could be wildly different depending on the lecturer. Our first professor is nice, just not the most riveting lecturer. But I love physiology (it was supposed to be my major until getting married and transferring), so I’m looking forward to the stuff we’ll be learning.

Anatomy made for a long day. The locker rooms are very nice, but when filled with almost 80 people, it makes for a tight space. Changing in front of everyone makes me paranoid: it’s not the body image thing, it’s the garment thing. I think all of us know how much the garment differs from the typical female underwear. I did wear a tank top to lessen me standing out, but I know others noticed the bottoms. I doubt anyone will really ask me, considering that most of the girls in my area are PT students I’ve never seen before, but perhaps a good missionary moment could result.

Lab went overall pretty well. Sometimes the stench of the cadavers was unbearable (like when we first opened the body bags) that my eyes water, my nose runs, and I just need to step away for a moment. Our advisor in the cadaver lab is pregnant with twins (due in November!) and has to wear a gas mask, so communication was pretty hard (for those who don’t know, the chemicals used to embalm and preserve the body are harsh teratogens, meaning they will cause birth defects). I had reservations about cutting off the skin because the skin makes the person a person. With the skin removed and only meaty flesh, it feels like we’re studying a human body and not a person. I found that removing the skin, fat, and subcutaneous tissue surprisingly thrilling. It was fun pulling it off and finding the muscle underneath. We spent a lot of time cleaning off the muscle (a few of us in the group are perfectionists) and got started on the dissection. Our cadaver is a female who died of breast carcinoma (cancer) which metastasized (spread) to her brain. She did have a mastectomy, hysterectomy, and veins removed from her legs. Poor lady. We left the lab at 6:30 pm (lab was to end at 5), not even halfway through the dissection. Not encouraging. The second years said it will come to the point of not showering because you won’t have time. I laughed at that, but I’m thinking that could be a reality in the near future….

I come home and find that Jeff was sweet and got some hamburger cooking. We had hamburger helper (yes, I know, very processed, but hey, we’re busy). I’m so glad he started something because I was exhausted. It’s strange knowing that after my 8 hour days of standing at the assembly line job and coming home with energy to cook and clean, I can hardly think nor move after sitting for most hours and standing for nearly four. This is going to be one of those ‘just get by’ semesters in terms of cooking and cleaning. And Jeff was appalled that I didn’t want to study after I got home. I still did, though grumbling about the fact that I should get a break after my first day and it didn’t seem like he was so gung-ho about studying his first day.

This is going to take some getting used to. I already stink, even after showering and washing my hands many times. It’s weird bringing my cup of milk to my mouth and also smelling the strong stench of phenol/formaldehyde solution from my hand while drinking. Ugh. I stink. And it’s going to be this way for this whole semester. I’m somehow going to have to figure out how to avoid sticking my hands in my mouth for flossing. Suggestions?