Day 159 - Maybe Cowbell Will Help (65 Days Left)

I apparently got punished for skipping skool on Friday night by waking up Saturday morning with a dry throat - the beginnings of a scratchy throat, which is the beginnings of a sore throat, and that could lead to a full blown cold, bronchitis, or other nasty things I don't even want to think about.
I ended up going to clinic and doing my shift. I had one client, one student exchange, and then a repeat client: WGH. I got through the shift on cough drops and water. Afterward, WGH and I just "happened" to go by Sonic and have some tator tots and a vanilla malt...oh and a sammich, too. But nothing else on the menu matters to me besides the tator tots and vanilla malt.
Anyway, after the feast on Sonic while sitting in the commuter car, I fell asleep on the way home. Upon arrival at home, I took a peppermint and euchalyptus bath. And then fell asleep.
On Sunday, WGH went to the store and got me a neti-pot, which I found weird, but have gotten used to it and now want to use it about every hour. However, I think that may be overkill. I got done the things I needed to do and rested when I needed to as well.
However, Monday came on like a slap in the face. I wasn't all that congested when I woke up so I thought I was getting better. However, after being at the J-O-B, I was feeling rather miserable and after torturing myself for over six hours at the J-O-B, I finally went home, crawled into bed, and slept for two hours.
When I woke up, I checked my temperature and it said 99.0 degrees, so I knew that when I went to school, I wouldn't be able to receive any bodywork with any kind of fever, but knew that I needed to get to school just because of the hours policy. Plus, it was the first night of this class and I like to see who the teacher is and get a feel for how the class is going to go.
Apparently, though, I wasn't the only one in my class not feeling well. Several - and I mean several - stayed home because they were sick. Oddly enough, all the symptoms seem to be earily similar. Maybe we all got the same bug? Who knows? At any rate, I went like a masochistic pony in a glue factory.
When I arrived at class, I saw that the teacher was someone whom I've known as a TA for all this time. She hasn't been one of my class' regular TA's, but one I've seen around a lot. She seemed rather aloof when I've seen her around, but after tonight's class, I think I've figured out that she's just shy.
We did our introductions and then an exercise in draping, opening, and closings, and then began bodywork. I worked on my partner, and then since I couldn't get any work done, I signed myself out and came home.
Now that I'm home, I'm wondering if I need more cowbell or more neti-pot to help with this fever.

Day 153 - Soul Glow

Remember the movie Coming to America with Eddie Murphy and the product "Soul Glow" specifically manufactured for jerry curls?
Classic movie.
Tonight in our make-up class from Wednesday's snow night, we learned about spa treatments using Salt Glow exfoliation. My partner said that I did glow after he finished with the treatment.
Exfoliation treatments are good for dry skin, fatigue, circulation, and washing the car.
Well, maybe not washing the car. It may scratch the paint.
For a Friday night, it seemed that after we got to doing the bodywork, we almost forgot that it was a Friday and actually seemed to enjoy the class.
Maybe it was just me.
I came home smelling like patchouli and eucalyptus. Interesting combination.
Because of the inclement weather, we didn't have class on Wednesday or Thursday, but we still need to make them up. Like I said, we made up Wednesday's class tonight and we'll make up Thursday's class next Friday. I don't think I'm looking forward to that one as much.
On the side note. On Tuesday, we put the commuter car in the shop. Yesterday as we were trying to dig out of the snow, one of the other cars decided it didn't feel like starting, so we called AAA and had it towed to another shop. It ended up being a loose starter wire and we picked it up this afternoon.
Once again. I'm tired of the car situation and I think we should just buy a couple horses. I wonder what the home owner's association (the gestapo) would think of that.

Day 102 - Musical Tables

We had an interesting alternative to our regular bodywork tonight. Usually, we partner up with one person (sometimes scheduling a day or so ahead of time with the partner you may want to work with) and exchange bodywork. After I had set up with my partner for this evening, the instructor threw a curve ball at us: half of us would be on the table (face down) and the other half would choose one of the classmates to work on, work for 10 minutes, then switch, work for 10 minutes, then switch, and work for 10 minutes. The person on the table, who may not even know who's working on them, can give feedback on their experiences with each practitioner.
Despite the grumbling over the curve ball, it seemed that the class enjoyed the experience, from both sides of the table.
I guess it goes to show that it's ok to shake things up once and awhile.
Final exam for Core tomorrow night. Then clinic orientation at 9:00 am Saturday. I'm crashing at a classmate's house tomorrow night after the final, since driving 41 miles back home after the final and 41 miles back eight hours later does not sound appealing.

Day 77 - Variations in Review

We got the pleasure of having the Drill Sargeant(DS) back tonight, substitute teaching. I definitely like him. We went over some of the high points of the last several weeks in Massage Variations class, in preparation for the final exams on Wednesday night. We will have a written and hands-on final.
After that - bodywork! I gotta say, though, that with all this bodywork that I have been getting, over the weekend, I found myself a little sore because I hadn't take care of myself properly - not drinking enough water, maybe also not soaking in an Epsom Salt tub to keep my muscles loose.
Tomorrow night's class will be very interesting during the bodywork portion. We will be doing blindfold massages, where the therapist is blindfolded. The thought behind it is that the blindfold will make you "see" with your hands better and also not be as distracted by what's going on around you. Regardless of the reason, it should be interesting.

Day 75 - Pain, Stress, and Malaise? No, Thanks, I'll Pass...

Tonight we studied how pain, stress, and malaise can affect a person and what a Massage Therapist can do to help - or what NOT to do to try to help. It seems like common sense stuff. One thing that it seemed all of the class found unusual was that everybody has the same pain threshhold, but environment, upbringing, basic history, and the like is what actually affects people's tolerance for pain. That took a moment to sink in for everybody, I think.
We also talked about how malaise (depression) can be a downward cycle. For instance, if you become injured, you have to wait to heal, so you don't do what you used to do, so you become depressed. Once you're depressed, then your body becomes stressed and more pain happens, causing less ability to do the things done previously. I think this last year has been my malaise cycle, of which I think I've been slowly coming out. While my mood has certainly lightened, I'm trying to figure out where my physical limits or non-limits are, especially since I haven't been very active. It's hard to be active when I'm either sitting at work, the car, class, or laying on the table. I don't have time for much else, but this week I have gotten up early twice and done a 15 minute walking program with OnDemand exercise.tv. At least it's something.
And of course, we did more practicing on bodywork. Oh, the burden to be practiced on...

Day 16 - Holy Confusion, Batman!

Our class session began in a bit of confusion. Apparently, sometime between Wednesday and Thursday, one of the instructors for another class ceased to be an instructor, which left his class in a state of shock, confusion, and anger, and they were combined with our class! Molly handled as best she could, really putting the TA's to work and even getting assistance from other TA's. But ya know, when stuff like this happens, ya just gotta go with the flow and make the best of it.
We had a time of lecture about how to incorporate all the things we've learned into a full massage experience. Then Molly worked with the other class in doing bodywork demos and whatever else while we took a break and then came back and began doing bodywork, combining all the things we've learned so far.
I worked on my partner for at least an hour, then we took a break, and I was looking forward to my hour massage. When we came back from the break, we had a demo on how to do a foot/calf massage. Then we worked on the partner again for another 20 minutes and after that time, we switched and I got to be on the table. After what seemed like only about five minutes, it was time to clean up and go home. So sad. Well, there's next week.
One of the ladies in the class is pregnant and needs to be addressed differently in the bodywork section. Molly instructed her partner for the evening not to do the foot massage. I thought this was rather interesting as to why, so I asked. Molly explained to me that a foot has trigger points that may cause uterine contractions - something that's bad for a pregnant woman. But it also dawned on me that this information may come in handy for women who are not pregnant - let your hubby give you a foot massage and see what happens.  ;-)
Speaking of hubbies, the 14th is my wedding anniversary to my wonderfully goofy hubby (WGH) of five years. How will we celebrate after taking off the day? We're going to go to the Career Fair at the BsOM (Baltimore School of Massage). I may not be looking for a job right this minute, but at least I can go, check it out, ask questions, and hand out resumes to places that may be looking for something I can do for them while I take classes and work to get licensed.
After that, WGH and I will hopefully check out a restaurant at the Inner Harbor and then check out some other sites around the fair area of Baltimore, like Dundalk and Pasadena.
We are real party animals, can't you tell?

Day 15 - What is Necessary is Never Unwise

I admit it: I am a Trekkie. No, I don't dress up for Star Trek Cons, but I do love me some Star Trek. Mostly STNG, Voyager, and Enterprise with that cutie Scott Bakula. When JJ Abrams' Star Trek came out last year, I was all a-twitter. I made sure that I had a copy of the DVD when it came out and have probably watched it no less than 15 times. All that to talk about one scene where Spock's mom had perished and during a conversation with his father, Sarek, said something to the effect of "sharing my emotions would be unwise," to which Sarek responded, "What is necessary is never unwise."
Stacy, what does that have to do with massage school?
I've talked about the First Aid lectures and hands-on things we have been doing. It's not fun like doing the bodywork, nor as relaxing, but it is necessary. What happens if somebody is on my table and has a heart attack? I need to know what to do in that situation. In order become a licensed Massage Therapist in Maryland, I need to pass my First Aid final exam with an 80% or higher. I have had four classes in it now, and believe I could pass today if I had to take the exam today. However, I have until next Wednesday that I will be studying, because sometimes 80% just isn't good enough.
If I find you in an emergency situation, would you be confident in me, knowing that I barely passed my final exam in First Aid? Would you want your doctor to have crammed, doing all-nighters with Twinkies and coffee, to be able to pass the medical exam?
Didn't think so.
So, as this is necessary, but not glamourous, it is wise for me take the time and learn even more about reacting in emergency situations.
After the discussion about First Aid, we also talked about being bodyworkers who could potentially be working with clients who are living with HIV/AIDS. As long as we have their doctor's permission, what a loving act to do for somebody who may have been ostracized and deemed as "untouchable" because of the disease. As far as safety, it is potentially more damaging to the client than it would be to us, the bodyworker, as massages can compromise the immune system.
Once again, I stand amazed at how much I am learning in such a short amount of time.

Day 14 - Let Your Fingers Do the Walking

When I signed up for the classes, I had been told that two nights were lecture and two nights were bodywork. During this section, however, we have been doing a little lecture each night and bodywork three nights, maybe even four. Trust me, I am not complaining. Not at all. One night a week, we've been learning about First Aid and the other nights are lecture/bodywork.
In last night's lecture, we learned about "fleshing" - which is when bodyworkers work toward putting muscles in the place where they are supposed to be.
For the bodywork session, we learned how to use a new tool: fingers. This tool can get into specific areas where forearms, fists, and knuckles may not be able to get to. It's also the tool that will tire out the most easily, as I found out. Also for this tool, fingernails are a bad thing. For this type of work, I have too much fingernail. I never thought I would hear myself say that. My piano teacher had to always remind the other girls in my class to cut their nails...never me. I usually chewed on mine. And they never really grew anyway.
Oh, sorry. Sidebar.
I went first on the table and my partner practiced using his fingers on my neck, back, arms, and legs the way Molly had demonstrated on one of the TA's, Jenna. I nearly fell asleep in the prone position - on my stomach. Before I knew it, it was time to switch up and I began working on my partner. With him in the supine (on his back) position, I worked on his neck muscles, a little neck massage, arms, legs, and then had him turn over. While I was working on his legs, he seemed very comfortable and as I continued, I checked in with him, and realized that I had to wake him up. I think the drool gave it away. I guess I was doing a pretty good job.
Before I knew it, it was time to clean up the room and go home. Because the class is so awesome, I don't always realize how late we are there, until I get home and have to go to bed because I need to be up in six hours for work the next day. It doesn't seem to matter because I know that I'm learning bunches and having fun while doing it!
Another benefit to having a nice little (ok - long) drive to get there is that I can put on my hands-free headset for my phone and chat away with my husband, mom, sister, and friends. I spend probably about half the time on the phone and then try to enjoy some music. Nice bit of "me" time.