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More on EAC

An article in the Seattle PI today is about the founder and director of the East African Organization (my 'home' in Kenya): http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/264736_jeneby29.html

In what may be a bit of bad news for the blog, she reports that internet access from the village requires a four mile walk and a canoe....

Au revoir

 

 

At long last, the Musee d'Orsay

On two previous trips to Paris, my Musee d'Orsay visits were spoiled by such inconvenient things as holidays and closing hours. Now, seven years and one week in Paris later I've succeeded in viewing original van Goghs and Monets and Renoirs and Degas. They live up to their reputation and then some.

 

Champagne

 

 

 

Reims Cathedral

 

Safari

I have so much to write about Paris, but so little time before the shops close, so I must postpone that for now. Checking my email just now, I found that I received a response from the EAC and have officially been accepted to an internship in Kenya this summer. For more info about where I'll be and what I'll be doing, see www.eastafricancenter.org. Takaungu, here I come!

Beacon

To me, the Eiffel Tower is Paris and the other way around.  

Thinking

The visit to the Rodin museum was a highlight of the trip. His sculptures are magnificent for their anatomical detail. The detail that fascinated me however was that these very true to life or more lifelike than life sculptures of men and women, hands, poor people and heroes were so obviously and intentionally made of stone. The fact that there was a form in the rock made the observer appreciate the qualities of the rock, the gravity and might and heft, more so than if just looking at a large rock in say the countryside. While many sculpters may work in defiance of their material, with an end result that is liberated from its medium, Rodin seems to enslave his art in order to capture the best qualities of stone and model in a marriage that celebrates both. 

The grave

And alien tears will fall for him

Pity's long broken urn

For his mourners will be outcaste men

And outcastes always mourn

Bonjour monsieur

I stopped in a cafe for lunch and ordered a croque monsieur; a grilled cheese and ham sandwich, topped with parmesan. It was to die for and perfect for this foggy cold day. It came along with green lettuce served simply with a vinaigrette. I think even lettuce tastes better in France.

After a full day of walking, I stopped at some small shops to pick up an orange, a liter of water, a sourdough roll with raisens and an eclaire to eat for dinner back at my hotel.

In addition to eating, I also explored Montmarte, paid my respects at the grave of Degas and Foucalt, counted pigeons and turned down a Frenchman who invited me for a glass of wine. The cold does put a damper on the pleasure of walking in Paris, but provides a good excuse to duck into shops and museums to warm up or buy a warm pastry.

Sacre Coer

A stop along my walking tour of Monmarte, this cathedral is very stunning. It was a cold gray foggy day, which made a trip to the dome seem unnecessary. Instead I took shelter inside, said a prayer, and took note of the art and sculptures filling the space. The mural above the stage area (what's the technical name for that?) was particularly interesting. This cathedral is relatively new and the mural featured people representing a number of cultures walking or standing in a circle. One in particular I noticed was a Native American in full head dress.

Bon voyage

My flights to Paris gave me an opportunity to (finally) read my guidebook and develop a bit of a game plan. I also learned such things as: Hemingway used to catch pigeons in Jardin du Luxembourg, wring their necks and eat them for dinner. Napoleon's corpse was split into 6 coffins but someone made off with his penis. After his beheading, the martyred St. Denis picked up his own head and carried it. (Which seems farfetched, but I did see a statue depicting this little feat today).

I'm at the Hotel Square Calaincourt tonight and the Hotel Dominique with Julie) the following four nights. And now off to soak up Paris!

Online dating

Last night a friend reported he was having poor luck with online dating. We checked out his dating profile - that's what good female friends are for - and discovered that, at least according to his profile, he's only interested in women who are 8' 1" to 8' 11" tall. Perhaps that had something to do with the lack of response.

Final rehash

My classmates and I gathered last night for chili and celebration at the end of the quarter. The final inevitably came up and I'm glad that I wasn't the only person puzzled by some of the questions. Like:

An 82 year old woman with history of right-sided CVA is admitted from the emergency room with a diagnosis of pneumonia. She is ambulatory and incontinent of urine. Which of the following would be appropriate:
A. Insert a catheter
B. Prompt her to go to the toilet every two hours
C. Put her in adult diapers
D. Regularly change the linen.

Or:

The daughter of your patient, a 71 year old man who had a left-sided stroke, reports that when she walks into the room, her father bursts into tears and says "I just don't know what to do." Should you say:
A. Your father really misses you and doesn't want to be in the hospital
B. He is being melodramatic; don't pay any attention to it
C. I think he is depressed because he will die soon
D. After a stroke, emotions can be unpredictable

I'm not sure if it's more disturbing that they expect us to know the answer to these, or that I actually DO know the correct one. I haven't met these people! It seems like the woman with the CVA and pneumonia may have some bigger issues than a little incontinence. What's wrong with an adult diaper? Maybe the guy's a loon. Or his daughter hits him. Despite my resistance, my performance on the final would seem to indicate that my brain is being warped and molded to that of an actual nurse.

Nursing vocabulary

Quarter three of nursing school is officially over and I've got a new vocabulary. It appears that half of medicine (or nursing) is really about using the $10 words in place of the ones everyone actually understands. For example:

I appear to have porcine diaphoresis: I'm sweating like a pig.

I urgently need to micturate: I really need to pee.

My sacrum is pruritic: my back itches.

I have an ecchymotic subcubitis: there's a bruise on my arm.

My nocturia is likely due to excess hs fluid intake: I had too much water before bed and had to pee in the middle of the night.

I am dysarthric when intoxicated: when I'm drunk my speech is slurred.

My ineffective sleeping pattern caused ocular rubor: my eyes are red because I got to bed too late.

That will be $140 please.

Typo

In public health, there's one typo we all fear and scrupulously watch for. But my office recruited a very talented person from another industry which is how the company managed to give over 50 potential clients the new product information sheets which read:

Understanding Pubic Health....
Enabling Pubic Health...
Empowering Public Health...

As my coworker pointed out, this would all make sense if we just change our tag line to "Urology and Gynecology Realized Through Science and Technology."

Soundtrack

I certainly haven't been shopping for any new shoes
- and -
I certainly haven't been spreading myself around
I still only travel by foot and by foot, it's a slow climb,
but I'm good at being uncomfortable, so
I can't stop changing all the time.

If there was a better way to go then it would find me
I can't help it, the road just rolls out behind me
Be kind to me, or treat me mean
I'll make the most of it, I'm an extraordinary machine.

(Fiona Apple)

Bachelor party

It's a long story...