The Very Productive Day
As I mentioned in Thursday's early morning post, the day was chock a block with stuff to do. Well, I got everything listed done and then some. It felt pretty good.
Headed over to Tampa early because USF was holding a Graduate School Recruitment Fair. When I got there, I found that my intended program was not present, but I got names and directions over to their building on campus.
Two visits to offices that weren't the right place, a simple tour by a really nice GA and then a even more comprehensive tour by the director of the Instructional Technology program. He brought me to one of the two program advisors and we spent nearly an hour talking about the Instructional Technology curriculum, the three tracks to the program and what software and hardware I will need to do course work. (Design Elements Pro, here we come).
The other day, I was told that no, I can't take graduate level courses as an undergraduate. If a course interests me, by all means, I should take it, according to Dr. D. The only stipulations they put on the 6000 level classes for me is that my advisor attests to the fact that I have a B or better average and can handle the work load. That shouldn't be a problem.
Oh, and yet again, another person at this school told me students have to work a lot harder to get a bachelor's than they do in the Graduate programs. Probably because you're only concentrating on one area of study.
While driving over there, I made the daily phone call to the Gyn's office, hoping for an afternoon cancellation. As soon as the receptionist asked my date of birth, I knew the efforts had paid off. Late afternoon, at the campus facility. That worked, because I needed to meet a student from my Literature class after the other two appointments.
Visit to the campus successful, I hightailed it to the other side of town and saw the neurologist. We discussed the results of that MRI and thankfully, he doesn't think it needs surgery BUT I absolutely, positively cannot lift weights ever and I should avoid yelling at all costs. Hmmm, now I know why I get a band headache along the back of my head when I do that!
I need to have an MRI every year to monitor for changes, and surprise, surprise, there's yet another body part with arthritis. For the upcoming surgery and any that might follow, no epidurals ever again. This also means that the RSD treatment that was proposed a few years ago is not an option.
After lunch at one of my old haunts in Hyde Park (Da Flats-for less than a Big Mac, too!), it was back to the hospital to get Dr. J's opinion on protocols pre and post op. I got to see Nurse A and she was impressed with how good the leg looks. Last time she saw My Stupid Leg (trademark pending), it was infected!
The surgery precautions are Lovenox the morning of any surgery, and an overnight stay to put the leg squeezers on for at least 12 hours. Dr. J tells Nurse A that he'll send a letter to Dr. P to tell him what is recommended. Bummer, I will never have truly outpatient surgery ever again. Wah.
Back to the campus, where the tractor beam of the college bookstore didn't pull me in (but the computer store did-probably safer, because I can't afford anything in there), and I used the bandwidth to work on the Children's Lit paper, then dropped off the book for Ty to pick up later.
And a month earlier than the scheduled appointment, I got in to see Dr. P. He was delayed by a bit-apparently, he'd been reviewing Dr. J's email about what is advised in my situation.
Soooo, I'm keeping the appointment for December 11th-because it will be a post-op visit. Phew!
Surgery is a go. Overnight hospital stay, liquid diet for 5 days prior, clear liquids for the 24 hours before surgery (good thing I am addicted to Vitamin Water, eh?). I'll have some testing done in a week or so.
The day was very long, very tiring (although that might have been the brewing cold), and extremely productive.
I couldn't ask for more.
Headed over to Tampa early because USF was holding a Graduate School Recruitment Fair. When I got there, I found that my intended program was not present, but I got names and directions over to their building on campus.
Two visits to offices that weren't the right place, a simple tour by a really nice GA and then a even more comprehensive tour by the director of the Instructional Technology program. He brought me to one of the two program advisors and we spent nearly an hour talking about the Instructional Technology curriculum, the three tracks to the program and what software and hardware I will need to do course work. (Design Elements Pro, here we come).
The other day, I was told that no, I can't take graduate level courses as an undergraduate. If a course interests me, by all means, I should take it, according to Dr. D. The only stipulations they put on the 6000 level classes for me is that my advisor attests to the fact that I have a B or better average and can handle the work load. That shouldn't be a problem.
Oh, and yet again, another person at this school told me students have to work a lot harder to get a bachelor's than they do in the Graduate programs. Probably because you're only concentrating on one area of study.
While driving over there, I made the daily phone call to the Gyn's office, hoping for an afternoon cancellation. As soon as the receptionist asked my date of birth, I knew the efforts had paid off. Late afternoon, at the campus facility. That worked, because I needed to meet a student from my Literature class after the other two appointments.
Visit to the campus successful, I hightailed it to the other side of town and saw the neurologist. We discussed the results of that MRI and thankfully, he doesn't think it needs surgery BUT I absolutely, positively cannot lift weights ever and I should avoid yelling at all costs. Hmmm, now I know why I get a band headache along the back of my head when I do that!
I need to have an MRI every year to monitor for changes, and surprise, surprise, there's yet another body part with arthritis. For the upcoming surgery and any that might follow, no epidurals ever again. This also means that the RSD treatment that was proposed a few years ago is not an option.
After lunch at one of my old haunts in Hyde Park (Da Flats-for less than a Big Mac, too!), it was back to the hospital to get Dr. J's opinion on protocols pre and post op. I got to see Nurse A and she was impressed with how good the leg looks. Last time she saw My Stupid Leg (trademark pending), it was infected!
The surgery precautions are Lovenox the morning of any surgery, and an overnight stay to put the leg squeezers on for at least 12 hours. Dr. J tells Nurse A that he'll send a letter to Dr. P to tell him what is recommended. Bummer, I will never have truly outpatient surgery ever again. Wah.
Back to the campus, where the tractor beam of the college bookstore didn't pull me in (but the computer store did-probably safer, because I can't afford anything in there), and I used the bandwidth to work on the Children's Lit paper, then dropped off the book for Ty to pick up later.
And a month earlier than the scheduled appointment, I got in to see Dr. P. He was delayed by a bit-apparently, he'd been reviewing Dr. J's email about what is advised in my situation.
Soooo, I'm keeping the appointment for December 11th-because it will be a post-op visit. Phew!
Surgery is a go. Overnight hospital stay, liquid diet for 5 days prior, clear liquids for the 24 hours before surgery (good thing I am addicted to Vitamin Water, eh?). I'll have some testing done in a week or so.
The day was very long, very tiring (although that might have been the brewing cold), and extremely productive.
I couldn't ask for more.
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