Short Stories

Don't look up. That's what I'm learning about grad school. If you do you will get a burning uncomfortable feeling in your chest. Anxiety. It's like restless leg syndrome in your chest. Sometimes I wonder if I will pass all my classes. I ran into a third year student I know. I asked him if he was ever afraid he wouldn't make it. He said at least once a week. Luckily it hasn't been that bad for me but I would be lying if I told you I didn't think it was too much a time or two.

Autistic kids can get over stimulated in seconds. One minute they are calm, the next they are ripping your eye balls out. I guess that's what makes them autistic. One kid I was working with last week was basically falling asleep on me. I threw the ball to him and it just bounced off his forehead. Out of spite I kept throwing the ball at his forehead. I went up to him and tickled him. He lit up and laughed and screamed in pure excitement...and then peed all over the room. Lesson learned.

I'm learning about health. What causes high blood pressure and how can I lower mine with food. We learn this on a cellular level. It's as deep and as basic as it gets. Our bodies are constantly producing cancer cells and killing them off. I'm learning about what to eat. All this to say my body is doing weird things. I am understanding things on a cellular level and I am applying it. I feel incredibly healthy...and clean. School is improving my health.

My brain is full tonight. I can't mentally fit anything else into it. I tried. Katie was reading her Bible next to me and quoted a scripture from 2nd Peter. I said, "Liar, there's no 2nd Peter." She ran with it and quoted 3rd Kings. (There isn't one.) I was confused. I forget simple things, stuff that's important to me. You would think that with all the information being learned I would have a system for remembering names and password and that kind of stuff. No, it's much harder for me. Imagine just finishing a two hour exam and doing well and then staring at your combination lock to your bike. You've done it a hundred times but have to call your wife for the combination cause you just can't get it. Yeah, that's me.

Sometimes I wear my hospital scrubs out into the real world. I wear them to study and to the grocery store and around town. They are comfortable. Sitting and studying in jeans for long periods of time can get uncomfortable. So I wear scrubs. I've noticed people treat you different. "Ooooh he is smart or involved in medicine in some way." I think it's gross. Who knows where those scrubs have been. That's why I think it's gross when nurses wear scrubs in public. I don't know, maybe I shouldn't wear them.

I was studying yesterday at Barnes and Noble. There were some pharmacy students next to me. One guy was eating a bran muffin. The other guy grabbed it and they were physically fighting over it. I was like...is this seriously happening right now? It was uncontrollably thrown to another table and apologies were to follow. Are you kidding? Who in grad school physically fights over a muffin? I totally could have used force to take that muffin.

Sometimes I ask Katie if there is anything she wants to know. I do this cause I like talking about what I am learning. She doesn't have a clue what I am talking about. She just smiles in a way that says, "you know that I am smarter than you."

I studied all day today. It was fun.

'night.

Parent Trap

I'm trying to focus. I'm knee deep into some physiology studies and my mind is all over the place. From the living room comes sounds of Mama Mia! Katie's latest movie rental on a night I shove myself into the books. At one point I sat down to watch it with her only to see Peirce Brosnan, you know the old James Bond, singing. It was weird singing too. I will never watch the old Bond movies the same way again. Scarred.

I also got a call tonight from my dad. It was 9:30 eastern time and he is usually in bed so I thought it might be serious. We lost our grandma Eodice. She had been sick for some time and the tone in dad's voice over the past few conversations was pointing in that direction. Fortunately, Dad and Cheryl drove down to Dayton to see her today.

I can't help but reflecting on grandma Eodice. When we would visit Dayton for Christmas or birthdays she always sought me out and asked about what was going on in my life. Then, six or eight months later, the next time I would see her she would remember what we talked about and followed up on our conversation. I remember when I brought Katie home for her Bridal shower in Ohio. Grandma Eodice looked at me and said in a way only family would know, "good work Scott, she's wonderful."

I've always said I have the best divorced family a kid could have. Both sides have been a huge blessing in my life. I always laugh when I see movies about step brothers and sisters. All the drama. I enjoy the relationships I have with my extended "step" family. At this point in my life, saying "step" is more awkward than not saying it. In an event like this you can only hope that it will unite your family even more.

Well, the movie's over now. Katie wants to join Broadway. I wouldn't put it past her. Katie can sing better than James Bond.

Another Opportunity to Trust

Well, it's 1:15pm here and I'm sitting outside in the sun. I don't mean to rub it in; I'm telling you this because I was told to. One of my professors told us they discovered vitamin D was actually a hormone. It is incredibly important. Of course you all know that the sun is a great source of vitamin D. So here I sit, not for vanity but for my health. 15 minutes a day. I apologize to all of you in the northern half who are under multiple feet of snow.

I can't focus right now. During my fifteen minutes of sun I tried to study. I can honestly say I think i'm ready for my tests and quizzes. So it's difficult to go over the material again and again. I decided to pray. You see I need to pray right now. Sometimes I just like to pray but right now I need to pray. I got an email from one of my instructors about our clinicals in June. To fill you in, we are required to go and get field training six different times in my 2 1/2 more years here at Loma Linda. In those rotations it doesn't matter if you are married, single, with or without children, carless or sick-you go where you go. It's a lottery. And the randomness keeps it "fair". So coming this February I will get to choose, kind of, where I will spend my first two weeks of June doing my clinicals. I need wisdom. What should I pursue? If it isn't in biking distance how am I going to get there? I don't have a car. How will Katie feel if I am far away? I know she will be fine but that still stinks. Will I have a good Clinical Instructor? I hear the horror stories. Will the place I go to be a place I can keep as a contact for a future job? So many questions.

Yet I don't worry. It isn't my place to worry. This is a new year and in my reflections and thoughts the word "glorify" comes to mind. When I was young(er) I spoke frequently. More than I should. "God is this, God is that." Without words I want to put my faith even more into action. I figure I will tell everyone how and what we are doing and hopefully they will see a difference in how events get carried out on a day to day basis. Based on events past I see God's hand in my life every step. I can say with trust and without worry He will do whatever he wants with this situation Kate and I will face next. We'll keep you updated.

Just Another Step

Well, it's Saturday late morning and the day is underway at the Lyon household. Katie just got in "cleaning" mode. Don't get in her way. If you do you're asking for trouble. I am about to head out for a few hours of studying. School is going to be challenging this quarter. On top of that I have picked up a few more training appointments all while working at the autistic counseling center. I guess I am more productive when I am busy.

I was with the autistic kids when the earthquake hit. That was a fun time.(sarcasm) It was Katies first earthquake. She was home alone and didn't really know what to do. What do you do? I'm sorry but what do you do? They are so short that you don't really have time to think. I just enjoy them. They are actually quite a rush. You all should try one sometime.

I would like to write more but I need to get going. Katie has some people coming over and I really should hit the books. I really do enjoy what I am learning.

A Great Game

A friend of mine invited me to the San Diego Chargers football game this past Saturday. He was given free tickets from his boss. Was I excited? You better believe it. Going to a Chargers game was on my list of things to do while Kate and I are here in Cali. But I never thought this... I figured it would be a game that didn't matter. But no, it was a playoff game-against the Indianapolis Colts-Payton Manning MVP of the league- both teams with everything on the line-we had great seats-and it was a great game- an OVERTIME win!
We arrived early just to hang out.A professional football game is like a huge party. It's the only place you will see a middle aged man run around with caution tape around his neck (I guess because it's yellow.) screaming at the top of his lungs, "Go Chargers."They pulled out the flag and sang the National Anthem. I appreciated that and thought of David.
After the thrilling finish everyone was giving "high fives." I was neutral and didn't really care who won. I just wanted a good game. I joined in on the cheers because of the great game that it was.

Here we go again...

I just woke up from a nap. I needed it. Tomorrow we start school again and from what I hear it is a difficult quarter. The material isn't anymore challenging that previous classes. I'm told it's boring. It's like going back to undergrad. I don't know for sure though. I try not to listen to what other students say because from my experience they are often wrong. "You won't like this teacher" or "This class is just worthless." I end up liking the teachers and classes most students don't like.

I have so much to say and pictures to post. I have a "review of 2008" waiting to post but it isn't done yet. I also went to the Chargers/Colts playoff game with a friend of mine. I hope to post pics soon.

That's all for now. Bring on 2009!

Scott