Well, I guess I haven't written in this for a long time. So here is a jump start. Today was a pretty good day. School and work. Pretty standard now. This week I am working 20 some hours. Next week 25. Last week I worked 30 hours. So, its been fun trying to balance everything out. Work is good though, I try to pretend in my mind I am a pharmacist and see how well I do or what I thinks should be done and see what the pharmacist does. The other day we had this crazy psycho patient come in when we were short staffed and had 75 scripts waiting to be filled. She flipped out on our store manager who was helping ringing people out. My pharmacist was checking prescriptions and was focusing on that. So, that left me to intervene when she started yelling at Danny (the store manager), "I thought I was supposed to get a Z-pak, why didn't I get that?" Looking confused, Danny doesn't say a word, I walk into the situation and started to handle it. I told the patient what she was getting had the same active ingredient as the medication her primary care physician wrote for. I then started to counsel her on the meds. She was taking hydrocodone and azythromycin susp. I asked what medications she was on and she was taking an OCP. I told her about the effects of azythromycin and OCPs and to use a backup method for a month to be safe. And then I counseled her on the other meds. She then needed some OTC meds for her runny nose and sore throat (most likely from the cough). I then took her to the various OTC products and helped her find what she most appropriately needed. I also found out she had a mitral valve prolapse, but did not have hypertension. Regardless, I told her not to use pseudoephedrine like products orally. I gave her ocean nasal spray, afrin 2 - 3 spray in each nostril q12h for 3 days, and told her to take Claritin 24h. I know that the Claritin might not help her out; however, my paps swears it still works, so I advised her on that note. She thanked me and told me I should be a doctor. The next day she called me back while I was at work and gave me a follow up. The hydrocodone knocked her out. 5 mg hydrocodone put her asleep for 5 hours. So I told her to cut the dose in half and take 2.5 mls during the day for severe cough and just keep sipping H20. And at night before bed, take a dose of hydrocodone to get a good nights rest. All in all, I enjoyed handling the situation. My pharmacist commented that I did a good job in calming the patient down, instructing her on how the medications worked, why they were prescribed, and adverse drug reactions. She also, thought I made appropriate recommendations considering the complexity of the situation. The best part about the experience was the practice and the independce I felt because I knew what I was doing. So now switching topics, in a couple days I should be hearing back from the Air Force. I am thinking I have a pretty good chance of making it into the scholarship program. I am pretty excited about that because I know if I commit three years to them I will have my life set and be totally independent from my parents. I have been trying to be ultra anal and take care of shit fast and effeciently now to mentally prepare for the ridged lifestyle of military life. I have to work on the sleeping though. I have been working out more as well and pushing myself harder. Hopefully, in these next 2 - 3 years I will be able to do all the physical requirements no problem. I have been throwing in Aerobic workouts more often, my goal is to be able to run a 6 - 7 minute mile for 3 miles (this will take time), 50 pushups in 1 minute (no problem), and 50 situps (still needs some work). And now on Tuesdays, once I get a day off form work too, I want to check out these Wu Shu classes with some friends from pharmacy school. So, my short term goals now are: (in any order) 1) Perfect pharmacy practice 2) Prepare for the Airforce 3) Engage in extracirricular aerobic activities to hangout with friends 4) Try to keep up with my philosophy reading 5) Hobbies (Photography being the new one / playing with the new digital camera) I have stopped thinking about school so much. Everything I am reading is just practice information and information I need so I don't kill a patient. School is more or less like a big training course before you are allowed to sign off as a licensed practioner. Anyways... its 2:30 am and I am going AdHd now. Switching back to the Airforce.. The more and more I think about the situation I am going to place myself in, I think its an honorable thing to do. As citizens, we take all of our life for granted. We have all these liberties and amendments because others have fought for them. By actually working for the US government, I would be protecting the sanctity of life of all those who take it for granted. It's an honor to think that I could influence the overall all structure of our community, though in probably a small way, by enhancing the livelihood of other servicemen. The more immediate benefits of serving would be mostly for my family, once I find a spouse. The commitment and sacrifice is something my children and wife would benefit the most from. And ultimately, I know that is something was to happen to me while I was serving, they would be taking cared off through the monetary benefits of the hardwork I have done over all these years. That thought usually gives me great peace of mind when comparing other jobs to the public sector and the benefits from working with them. Anyways.. Ill be continuing my written account of my ramblings tomorrow or whenever I get some free time. That is on a day when I have no work, research, social obligations, etc.... so at 1 am. Gnite | 
