Potato Soup

So, after pilates some friends and I have been getting together and cooking dinner. It was really fun last night to re-live our middle school and high school music days. We had a dance-off where I tired to show my "moves". Hahaha. It's been really nice getting together with everyone. Having friends makes living in Wheeling not as bad. This weekend I am lucky because my parents are coming up to visit me. Well, they aren't coming to see me, I am actually going to see them. The real reason for travel is that they're coming to pick up the dog from Grandma/Grandpa daycare, but I'll take that as coming to visit me. I wish they'd come up to wheeling because one of my favorite restaurants is here and I would love to show it to them. They just don't have a Quaker Steak back home. There is also lots to do here, and it's close enough to Pittsburgh where we could do something fun, but they're only going to be around here for one night, so I guess I will share the glory with Paden City. It will just be nice to have them around for a bit. I am finding that my friends are helping with the adjustment so it's not as bad as it has been. Well, I am off to an advising meeting soon. I left my giant 3" binder at home so I've been trying to get done what I can without the lifeline.

Pilates

So this week I've decided to help some PT students out with their research and do a pilates class 2x a week for 6 weeks. While I am sore enough from last times, we'll see how going back today goes. Apparently our director's wife is a world-renowned pilates instructor, training the Russian ballet and this study is supposed to use her training and measure of it effects posture, balance, and muscle length in 6 weeks. This is pretty cool and since I will soon be assigned research, its important that I help other people out with theirs. Here's to pilates!

This Week's Challenge

So as you all know I am trying to learn something new every day. Well, I actually end up accomplishing that in school, but this week I am going to try something new. Usually I stick to my soup and microwave dinner diet..you know...things that are easy to just grab and go. Starting Friday, I have decided that I am going to try and cook dinner every night this week. I am hoping this will help me hone my cooking skills a bit, and also give me a little bit of a mental break.

As for today, I am getting ready to go to school and go over some stuff about our two patient cases. One is a patient with Cystic Fibrosis the other has had a lumbar spinal fusion after falling on the job. So, I have a week to learn the ins and outs of Worker's Compensation and all of that legal jargon before quizzes on Friday. Having Monday off is going to be really nice, seeing as it will give me extra time to prepare... AND watch movies and drink wine at night. Not a bad combination if I do say so myself.

Also, It has been blizzard-ing the past two days and I am happy to report that the snow has stopped for now! The high today is going to be 25 and that is amazing!!! I pretty much work side-by-side with my electric heater, I am trying not to turn into a popsicle. Though, if I had to turn into a popsicle it would be one of those Firecracker Rocket Pops with the red-white-blue. The white was always the best part
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New Year, New Beginnings

To my dear grandparents,
I promised I would update this more, so I have a new theme for this blog. I have decided to write about all of the good news and new things I have learned or experienced.
So far, I have...

1. Driven in the snow for the first time
2. Toured Pittsburgh
3. Learned new cooking recipes
   
4. Learned all about Cystic Fibrosis and Respiratory Physical therapy

Even though this does not seem like a lot, I feel like I am starting to really come into my own. I've chosen to work on my final research project by validating a tool to measure posture by comparing the numbers that it gets with the measurements from an X-ray. Also, I recently found out that I am going to be home this summer for my first clinical education experience. I am really excited that things are starting to look up. This weekend is a long weekend, in which I plan on studying for quizzes next week, cooking and baking more, and getting my oil changed. I know this doesn't really sound amazing, but I can already tell this semester is going to fly by fast, as it should. I will try to update with new information as I learn it. We're starting low back pain tomorrow and reading chest X-rays. If I hear anything about prevention, or any fun facts, I will let you know!
Love,
Ashley