Day 106 - Just Call Me Martika

I'm just gonna say it: I love Russian Sports Massage! This stuff makes sense, helps you understand proper body mechanics, and dang it, it feels good, too!

In class this evening, we got beginning information about a few of the strokes used and where to use them. Then we got to practice them on each other. I know I definitely need practice on everything, but from what we did tonight, it just seems so - uh - gonna go Spock here - logical.
At one point while working on my partner, with my best Checkov impression, I said to my partner, "My name is Martika and I will be working on you tonight."
Man! Two Star Trek references! Sweet!
Oh, sorry, back to reality.
Since my blog forum is about the whole massage school experience, I just have to share this...when I left for school this evening, WGH wasn't home. Therefore, we didn't get to really talk to each other today and give each other our affirmations and all that mushy stuff. We try to find ways to communicate with each other the information needed. Today's communication, besides texting, was leaving MS Word documents open with messages like, "Thanks for taking care of me" or "Love you bunches" or you know, mushy stuff. I really couldn't do this without him or his support, physical, emotional, and all that jazz. I surely don't want to take him for granted.
Of course not, and don't call me Shirley.

Day 27 - The Temporal Lobe and the Space-Time Continuum

We had yet ANOTHER night of lecture tonight and by the third night of no bodywork, my eyes are glazing over a bit and my head just may explode. Well, would it be my brain instead? Along with its cerebellum, front lobe, parietal lobe, and my favorite part of the space/time continuum, the temporal lobe.

Ooops, sorry. My geekness seeped out again. I may have admitted previously to being a bit of a geek. Possibly.
Why is it that learning anatomy makes me think about Star Trek?
Anyway, we delved into the brain, spinal cord, and some of the parts of the Peripheral Nervous System, like the Dorsal and Ventral Roots and the Dorsal Ramus and Ventral Ramus. Wasn't Harold Ramus in the Ghostbusters movies? Are Dorsal and Ventral his kids?
On another note, my class is becoming a pretty tight group, even with its many personalities, diversity, and humor. One of my classmates mentioned this evening that I'm shy! I guess I don't think of myself that way, and find it interesting that somebody else does.
Anyway, I am really punchy right now and must seriously go to inspect the inside of my eyelids.

Day 25 - Getting a Little Nervous

I began my first Anatomy class. I can't remember if I've ever even HAD an anatomy class - even in high school. During this four week class of Anatomy, we'll be studying the Nervous System, the Endocrine System, and something else. I forget what it is without looking at the syllabus. Eh, you'll find out later anyway.
We learned tonight that the nervous system is kinda like a biological computer - it takes input in, processes it, and spits out output. We learned about neurons, synapse, myelin, and a bunch of other words that I'm going to have to write down on flashcards, with descriptions on the back.

Part of me has a nerd-like fascination about this - as talking about synapse reminds me of Star Trek because Dr Beverly Crusher would talk about the double synaptic relays that Klingons like Lt Worf have - and part of me wants to blankly stare into space. And yet another part wants to take everything in because it's the nervous system that is mostly affected by Multiple Sclerosis (MS), a disease that my brother was diagnosed with in 1991. I'm sure I will be learning more about MS when we get to the Pathology section.
Whatever happens from today on, I'm a bit nervous, but I can almost see me going "geek" with this.
I also found out that I have a 4.0 GPA right now. Yay!
Let the fun begin!

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.