Will it has been a LONG time since my last update.  The reason for this is somewhat complicated.  But lately several people have been asking me about it and that they check this blog regularly for updates.  One of them is my friend and fellow Brail traveler Ernie… so for you sir here is a photo for you.  For the rest of the world that does not understand this photo.  It was Ernie and I have some fun at a gas station in Belém Brazil after a great week serving at the Sitío Shalom.

School:  I have 15 weeks left of school!!!!  Or according my iPod app 120 days, 4 hours and 36 minutes.   When return from spring break I will be starting my surgical clinical.  I am going to be at Mount Carmel East for five weeks and Marion General for 10 weeks.  It has been a long and hard two years but I am very happy with my education and doing this program.

Health:  My Polycythemia has been getting worse.  I have been having more symptoms, blurred vision, chest pain, shortness of breath, and some other symptoms as well.  A couple of weeks ago I went to the ER with chest pain and it turned out to be related to the polycythemia and not cardiogenic.  My hemoglobin was 22.  Not good.  I am starting to take better care of myself with diet and life style.  One of the things I am looking for at the complication of school is to be able to exercise more.

Work:  I am still at NASH CSD.  I really enjoy my job.  I have and still learning a lot.  Working in Central Sterile has really help me with school and prepare for a job as a surg tech.

Spiritual: In January of 2010 I left the Vineyard Church and church in general.  To be frank I was tired of the political part of the church, of the “rules” and lack of something.  I feel that today’s church has somewhat lost the original vision of the church.  The Vineyard Church in Mount Vernon Pastor left and is going through some changes so I felt that I should try church again and see if it has gotten better.   A week ago Sunday I went back to VCKC and really enjoyed it.  It was like it was when I first started going to the Vineyard Church.  Teaching instead of preaching.  Worship instead and just singing. And a lot of better things.  I am looking forward to getting back involved.

Life:  Life in general has been fairly good over the past few months.  The normal ups and downs but that is life.

I hope to post more frequently instead every few months.  Thanks for checking in and Oonie tchau amigo!

A few weeks ago some how some way either iPhoto or Flickr! deleted all my albums on Flickr! some 2500 photos.  Not a happy camper.  So I deleted that account and started a new one with the named ChandlerGraphs.  I have loaded two albums, 2011 Cleveland Air Show and Surgical Technologist School.  Hopefully in the coming weeks and get more photos uploaded.

Igreja de Paz, Marudá, Brazil

My Dad got me into photography when I was very young.  He had his own darkroom in the basement of our Reynoldsburg, Ohio house.  He use to take wedding photos and did the church photo/phone directory.  Plus he just took photos has a hobby.

Every since I was young I have had some kind of camera.  Now I have 5 cameras.  Two digital and three film loaded cameras.  I have won some awards.  A couple of awards were won by using a disposable camera.  I enjoy taking photos and capturing the beauty of a sunset, the wonderful smile of a 1 year old, or at nighttime worship at a church in Brazil.

At the Cleveland Air Show I took over 1100 photos and out of those I only have about 113 that I like.  I gave a presentation on camera and photographing for one my college classes and I said, “Take a lot of photos, because you never know which one will be the best and give you and others great joy to look at.”

 

All photos are all rights reserved ©

Friday was finals day for both Spanish and SGT150 – Surgical Procedures I.  I am so glad that Spanish is over with.  I am not sure, yet, what I got as a grade in the class.  The teacher never told us any of our grades, not even the mid-term exam.  Really I do not think she even knew what our grades were.  It was a very disorganized class and that is all I am going to say about.

In SGT150 my overall grade was an 83%.  The entire module I was hovering between 83% and 85%.  I would do really bad on one thing and then really well on something else and it kind of washed each other out.  The final exam, which I got a 74% was better then the mid-term exam.

I do not do written tests well, never have.  I can do really well on the hands on testing, a 94% on a bowel resection case. Though when I have sit down and think about it I get all confused and the answers just leave my brain.  I am not sure how to over come this.  I am also not good at taking oral test.  They are worse then a written test.  I have to visually see the question.  So if there is anyone out there that has some ideas or knows of some kind of help please comment on this post!

Next module SGT160 – Surgical Procedure II starts next Wednesday.  I will still only have school 3 days a week and all in the morning.  With this schedule I can work in the evenings at NASH.  I am up to 5 days a week with 5 hours days at NASH.  I thank God for providing me with more hours and pay.

Have a great weekend!!!

“This weekend I will write a blog.”  I always tell myself and it never happens. Bummer.  But I have some time this afternoon.  I came home early from school being sick and now I have some time to kill before work.

In my last blog I wrote about the heat and work.  Well the heat is gone and we (Knox County Ohio) are sitting comfortably in the high 60’s.  Work is still going well.  I enjoy my job and coworkers.  I am hoping to be able to start observing more surgeries soon.

I conclude my last post wanting to update you on school.  At the time of that post I had just completed my exploratory laparotomy

Ex-Lap Back Table

sign off.  I got a 92% on it and this is from not having any practice.  I did not think I did that good, but my teacher reassured me that I did.  I have been really enjoying my teacher this module.  The teacher takes the time to help, answer question (even if they have to go and look it up), and make good suggestions.  I am going to miss this teacher next module.  Anyway… I was very happy when I saw my grade for the ex-lap

At the end of last week I got signed off on a bowel resection case to which I got a 94%.  Also I lost seven minutes on my setup time!  This case went much better.  I was less nervous then with the ex-lap.  I think it was because I did get a chance to practice.  Also again the teacher is very calming.

This is the last week of the first module of the third semester and it went by FAST!  I am really glad the Spanish class is coming to an end.  I did not enjoy that class at all.  So this week is about studying for final exams.

Next module I only will have Surg Tech 160 in the mornings three days a week.  I am very happy for that.  I am hoping that a couple of days a week between school and work I can observe surgeries at NASH.

Well that is about it from here.  I will try and do better the next five-week about posting.  Oh! There is something that God has placed on my heart after I get done with school next August.  I am reluctant to share right now but I hope to in the future.

The first two days of September saw temperatures in Central Ohio in mid to high 90’s and even at one point in the 100’s.  I do not think in all of the month August we had two consecutive days with the temperature in the 90’s.  And August is supposed to be the hot month.  On Thursday when I got out of classes at 4:00PM my car outside temperature sensor said it was 102, that was from sitting in the sun all day, though by the time I got to NASH the temperature sensor had drop only 5 degrees.

The outside has not been the only hot place NASH CSD has been too.  In CSD there are four autoclaves that are approximately 7 feet deep and 4 feet high and wide.  Some instruments are sterilized at a minium of 270-degrees for 4 minutes and other at the same temperature for 8 minutes.  The autoclaves do cool down some before they are opened up.  When the autoclave opens it is still very warm and the heat is expelled into the room, thus the room temperature, which is usually at 65f, climbs dramatically.

Also in deco (decontamination), while wearing a head cap, mask, plastic apron, double gloves and paper boots, it can get very warm.  I use very hot water to prewash some of the instruments, which make it steamy hot.  Also just moving around all geared up makes it warm too.   If I do not take a break of some kind my scrubs can become soak with sweat and condensation from the plastic apron.

At school in the OR Lab it can become warm as well.  We try to keep it cool in the OR for a couple of reason one to simulate an actually OR setting and second to keep us cool.  When I become “sterile” (gown, masked, head cover, and gloves) I become very again.  None of the “clothing” breathes.  On top of all of this stuff that I am wearing I am nervous about whatever I am being checked off on.  So this adds to my body temperature and I sweat more.

I do not want it to sound like I am complaining about the work and school conditions.  I am not.  I actually enjoy it.  When I am getting hot like that I feel like I am working harder and or accomplishing the task at hand.  The only thing that I am complaining about it the 90-degree heat in the first of September!

(This post has become a bit long and I wanted to share about my week in Surg Tech too, but I will wait and write a separate post about that.)

Have a great weekend and stay cool wherever you are!

I have been waiting to write a post for a while now.  The reason/excuse I have not had the time or know what exactly I wanted to say.  So here I go with a try:

Work: WOW!!!  Mount Carmel is a good place to work.  During the first day of orientation they really emphasized the fact that it is a faith-based hospital.  They really got into talking about the crucifixion and how that was the base for the nuns to start a hospital.  I have worked for other organizations that are own/operated by Christians or proclaimed to be a religious organization.  Though this is thr first place that has openly proclaimed their “Christianity” in such a public way and not apologize for it.

The second and third days of “orientation” I was at my site hospital, New Albany Surgical Hospital (NASH from now on).  I got all my passwords and sign-on for the many computer accounts that I have.  We, the four new employees at NASH, got really familiar with NASH.  There only about 400 total employee at NASH, so it is like a big family where everyone “knows” each other.  When I worked at Riverside Hospital there were thousands of employees.  At NASH I see a lot of the same people and starting to form relationships with them.

NASH is a specialty hospital.  There is no ED (Emergency Department), no L&D, nor any cardiac units.  The only surgeries that are preformed are orthopedics.  The average stay for a patient is 2-3 days.  Since of the specialty of the hospital all new medical staff has the chance to observe a surgery as part of orientation.  Therefore on Friday of that first week I got to observe a total knee replacement!  It was very exciting to watch!

Also as an employee of the Central Sterile Dept. (CSD), which is assocated with surgery, I can observe a surgery whenever I want to.  Since that first surgery I have been able to observe one more, a cervical spine implant.

I have been training in CSD.  I have been signed off on processing, which is wrapping casket (case) in a blue wrap to be sterilized.  Also putting instruments, casket, and other equipment in a large roll-in sterilizer.

Spine Set

This past week I was assembling instrument in to their respectable cases.  Since NASH only does ortho surgical cases there are a lot of big instruments and casket.  One of the larger caskets to assemble is the total spine casket.  My first attempt took about 1.5 hours and was a mess.  The second attempt (photo:) took a little less then an hour and looked much better.  The most difficult part is learning the names of the instruments (some are the same from surg tech school, but have a different name).  I am now down to about 45-mins putting a total spine casket together (my trainer can do it in about 20 minutes).

I was hired only to work 10-hours a week. Praise the Lord, this past week I was told that I will be able to get more and right now will be working about 20-hours a week.  20-hours a week will as much as I can work with school.  So it works out perfectly.  Again, Praise the Lord.

I think for the first time in my working-life I have now have the weekends off!!! No on call, no every-other weekend, nothing!  This is great because I have two days off together without work or school.  Before I would work the weekend and go to school during the week.  Also I can now go to church and to friends house to watch OSU games!!!

School starts on Tuesday.  I am looking forward to getting back into the routine, lab, and just learning more about surg tech.  I will have a new teacher so that will be interesting too!

I have found a new author that I like, Noel Hynd.  He writes “spy/government” type book with a Christian base.  I read the “Hostage in Havana” first, which is a first book in a new trilogy “The Cuban Trilogy”.  I did not know that the main character, Alexandra LaDuca, was in the first three books too.  So now I have gone back and started on those three books “The Russian Trilogy”, which all three books can be purchased together with the book called “The Russian“.

Well that is about it from here.  I hope you all are having a relaxing and restful weekend!

Today is the last day of July and the last day of 141 days without a job.  God has blessed me with friends that have helped me when I have needed it.  In short, as promised, God has provided.   I thank Him!

Matthew 6:25-27 (NIV) – 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[e]?

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

The past couple of weeks I have been recovering from surgery.  This recover has been more difficult then both the appendectomy and cholecystectomy.  I have been having short “tearing” pain in my right lower quadrant.  Even though the Dr and hospital said that the recovery would be week I am glad had two weeks.

Tomorrow I start a career with Mount Carmel Health at Mount Carmel New Albany, or otherwise know as New Albany Surgical Hospital (NASH).  It is my prayer that this will be a long, successful, productive, and happy employment with Mount Carmel Health.  In one year I will have complete my surg tech training.  I hope I can seamlessly transfer from an instrument tech to a surg tech.

I have received my schedule for school.  I have classes Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 7:00AM to 4:00PM or 4:30PM.  There are pros and cons to this.  The pros are only three days of classes.  The cons, those three days I will have to get up at 4:30AM.

I am looking forward to getting back into a routine, a regular schedule; both with school and work.

 

 

The surgery went well on Tuesday. Dr. Turner removed the falciform ligament and the cyst! I am a bit sore and hurting from the residual medical gas left in my body.  I was doing well, recovering, until Monty Cat jump up on my bed and onto my abdomen landing on my incisions! PAIN!!! He feels bad about it.

Thank you again for your prayers!

On July 4^th I went to the COSO at the Ohio Wesleyan campus.  It is an outdoor concert.  It was a very good time.  I got to hang out with my friends and enjoy good music.

In my last update on June 21, 2011, I mention about a job interview I had at New Albany Surgical Hospital (NASH) for an Instrument Tech position.  The interviewer told me that she was hoping to make a discission by the end of that week and would let me know.  Well I did not hear anything from here.  Two weeks after the interview I called her and left a voice message inquiring about the position.  Again I did not hear any thing back, so I gave up on it.

Last week I was talking with my friend, Micah, who is in the States on furlough from Brazil.  As we were talking he asked if I had heard anything back, I said no.  Though during that conversation NASH did call and ask me to return their call.  I did.  I GOT THE JOB!!!

As an instrument tech I will be working the Sterile Processing Department (SPD) cleaning, organizing, and sterilizing surgical instruments.  This is the job I wanted.  It is going to be extremely beneficial to me as I continue my surg tech class and preparing me for a job in the surg tech field.  There are quite a few surg techs that have gotten their start working as instrument tech and there surg tech who have left the OR, for whatever reason, and now work as instrument techs.  I will start with Mount Carmel Health (the parent company of NASH) on August 1.

I ended last month by work at a day camp called Sandlot Sports Camp.  It is a 5-day sports focus camp.  I was a “Coach” for 25 elementary and middle school age kids.  It was a blast.  I have heard Matt talk about for many years but never been a part of it.  In the mornings there would be field type sports i.e. soccer, kick-ball, dodge ball, and other sports.  In the afternoon we would go to a swimming pool, or a gym.  I was a long hard week for me, but I had a lot of great experiences doing it.  I hope in the future I can do it again.  I really loved working and hanging out with the kids.

After my last medical appointment with the surgeon here in Mount Vernon, I decided to find another surgeon.  I contacted my surg tech program director and was given a couple of name of surgeons.  I contacted Dr. Turner with Metropolitan Surgery, Inc. in Columbus.

On July 11 I met with Dr. Turner and we discussed what was going on, what I was feeling, and how he could help me.  Dr. Turner decided to do an exploratory laparoscopy.  He is going to view the abdominal contents and the abdominal wall.  He is also going to remove the cyst that was left in from when I had the Cholecystectomy.  Also he said that he is going to do a ligament resection on a ligament that is attached to the liver.  He said that, in the past, he has had patient with abdomen pain and when he has done this resection the patient’s pain was relieved.

I am having the surgery July 19 at Mount Carmel East, in Columbus.  It will be an outpatient procedure.  I should only be laid up a week.  I am praying that Dr. Turner will be able to find the route of the pain and take care of it.

Well that has, so far been, my month.  I will try an update sometime after my surgery.

 

I LOVE TO READ!!!  Since I started to log the books that I have read I have read over 530 books.  When I very young my mom would read to us kids “The Black Stallion” by Walter Farley.  Also at a young age in school the teacher during “reading time” read “Island of the Blue Dolphins”, “The Indian in the Cupboard” and “The Sign of the Beaver”.

The first book I really learn how to read and checked it out many, many times from the Rosehill Elementary School Library was “Ann Can Fly” (in January of 2005 I received a copy of the book as a birthday gift).  I developed my reading skills on the When They Were Young Series.  I still have many of the original books that I collected over the years and hope to pass them onto my children someday.

My high school LD teacher got me reading more and more novels.  I can remember when I read Richard Peck’s “Father Figure”, “Those Summer Girls”, and “Remembering the Good Times” how a “movie” was playing in my mine as I read.  In that same time I read “Memphis Belle” by Monte Merrick and N.H. Kienhaum “Dead Poet Society” before I saw them as movies.

I started to read a lot more when I was an Aircraft Rescue FireFighter (ARFF) in Memphis, TN.  As an ARFF I had to stand watch 2-3 hours a night while on shift.  I would sit in the watch room and read and read.  There were times that I would be so enthroned in a book that I would take several watches just to continue to read (I do not think any of my fellow firefighters minded that).

Some time after I returned from Memphis I enrolled in the Book of the Month Club.  It was a great club getting book at a reduced price and some even free.  I also join some of the local bookstores book-discount clubs.  I took advantage of Barnes & Noble reduce price book table.  With the discount membership I could get several books for the price of one book at regular price.

The wife of one of my dad’s former coworkers uses managed the B. Dalton’s Books store in Westerville.  From time to time I would go see Nancy and she would set me up with some real good books.  She got me interested in Stuart Woods, “Cheifs”.

The night before I had knee surgery I went and saw Nancy at her bookstore and she loaded me up on books.  I think I got around $100.00 worth of paper back books to read during my recovery.  One day as I was recovering I read two books in that one day.

More to come…