Things are moving right along

Hi everyone,

No pictures today. Just news.

Sick people are starting to come into the shelters/transitional housing facilities. I'm glad I got my flu shot and I'm washing compulsively. We even had a few cases of Scabies (kind of like lice for the skin) in people coming into the shelters a few nights ago. It really makes you want to go shower. It also makes me want to observe cases as they come in, but sometimes there is not time. My shift tonight was good, but I think something was going down at the main shelter while I was on my way out. I saw two ambulances on the bridge as I left, and when I got back to the other end of the bay I thought I saw another crossing the bridge toward the shelter. I hope the first two were just a precaution and the third was a figment of my imagination.

People are starting to recognize me and say hello in the clinic at night. It makes me feel a lot more comfortable. depending on who it is. There are some individuals with whom I wouldn't mind being anonymous. Luckily, no one creepy knows me by name so far =).

On the medical school front, I was invited for an interview by the University of Colorado yesterday. That brings the total up to 4 schools at this point. Creighton, Rocky Vista, Colorado and A.T. Still are on the list. I have yet to hear from Oregon, Boston University and Chicago. I hope to hear from all of them, but I'm not looking forward to buying the airline tickets. I need to do a little more preparation, but the first interview isn't for another week so I have some time.

Colorado is getting their first snow and I think Boston will get their first this weekend. I'll let you know what I think of it when it comes. Everyone keeps telling me how cold it will be, but they say it's "wicked cold" even when it's 60. When it is freezing I'll be ready =).

I think that's all from here. Wish me luck at my interviews please!

Lynne

A 3 Day and a 2 Day Weekend

Hi all,

It's been a while since my last post. I've been slacking.

Work has been good. I still have to be ready for anything, but I'm starting to get the hang of things at both Transitions and Anchor Inn. I am more efficient at vitals, TB records, even using the computer systems is much faster. I've done several health education groups in the past two weeks that have gone pretty well. One was about hepatitis and HIV, and the other was about diet and exercise. The patients were a little more animated in the Hepatitis/HIV one since there are so many myths about those two diseases, but I think both were effective. This week I'm focusing on tobacco cessation (helping them to quit smoking). I went to a two day training put on by the public health commission, and I learned a lot about the options available to smokers. Hopefully it helps me put together a really effective group this week.

I've been having fun too. Several friends from work who have finally settled into their apartments have been having housewarming parties. I am not totally comfortable walking into a group of strangers and making conversation yet, but I'm getting better every time. I've met some really interesting people at these gatherings. There are a lot of well educated people in Massachusetts, so far as I can tell.

I've also been able to wander around the city. I've discovered that as something I really like to do. Since I have audiobooks on my Ipod, I can do all these things and "read" at the same time. War and Peace is super long but I'm really enjoying it so far. Last weekend was Columbus Day, so I got a lot in. I was able to go to Commonwealth Ave, a street with a park along the median where people can walk. I have a photo. You might be able to see the cloud of gnats over that statue's head. I took the picture because it looked like he was having a brilliant thought (you know, the light bulb lighting up over his head).

I also got to go out to Beacon Hill, a really ritzy neighborhood between Boston Common and Mass General. It is classic Boston, with red brick buildings and cobblestone walks. I read my book there at a bakery and was really grateful for the awesome weather. The next day I spent a lot of time in Davis Square (near Tufts university), went on a run with my friend Caroline and went to Downtown Boston. There were a ton of people out, just because it was such a nice weekend.

The next day, Vitor and I decided to go to the North End, where they have really good Italian food. We met Caroline at the famous Mike's Pastry for cannolis. Vitor and I split an amaretto one and a strawberry one so we could try both. I think the amaretto was my favorite, since the almonds on it helped temper the sweetness. Both were really tasty though. Caroline didn't have anything since our Americorps budgets are so limited, but it was fun to sit and talk.

Afterward we all walked around that neighborhood and ended up at the Aquarium and then Quincy Market. Caroline was really excited about the Sea Lions, which we could look at for free when standing outside the Aquarium. We were there just in time for feeding and watched them doing tricks for the people giving them fish. Then we went to find Caroline some ice cream that was within budget. We found a McDonalds in Government Center for her to get a little ice cream, and just as she went in the Occupy Boston Protesters walked by.

They were pretty orderly at the time, but later that night a few of them were arrested for going into the one place officers told them not to. I really admire the protesters for standing up for what they believe in, but I wish they had been more respectful of the officers' wishes. As far as I could tell, the police had been really cooperative, giving them an escort through the city as they protested and stopping traffic as they went by. The only reason they didn't want protesters camping in that particular park was because the city had just resodded and all the new grass would have been destroyed. That seems legit enough to me.

Caroline went home after her ice cream, and Vitor and I wandered in Boston Common for a while before our movie that evening. It was a really beautiful afternoon and I tried to get a few pictures to illustrate it. Everyone was out in the park enjoying the weather and it was nice to just sit and people watch.

The movie was actually pretty funny, and afterward we parted ways. I wanted to go to Somerville for trivia with my coworkers and Vitor wanted to stay behind and watch another movie. I headed up on the Redline and made it just in time. Our trivia team got killed by a bunch of middle aged teams from Tufts and Harvard but we had a great time anyway. How am I supposed to know what David Lee Roth looked like back in the day, anyway? =).

This weekend was a little more relaxing. I was out late at another housewarming party on Friday, slept in Saturday, and just read and did chores Saturday. On Sunday I went to a Pilates class, then went into downtown to get a library book. I want to pick up knitting/crocheting again and needed instructions. I absolutely love the library. There was an exhibit on the Civil War there that I walked through and I spend a little while in the courtyard enjoying the weather too. I got a pantsuit for my upcoming med school interviews while I was down there too. The pants need to be hemmed a little, but otherwise it fit perfectly. It was pretty exciting. I keep telling myself that Creighton isn't for another couple of weeks and RVU is almost a month, but I still want to feel prepared. I've been reading a book about health care reform and a bunch of different opinions people have so I can make cogent arguments about that topic at least. Ethics are a little easier, since I know how I feel about many medical ethics issues.

This post is way too long, so I'm going to call it there. This week should be really good, though busy. I want to prepare for those interviews really thoroughly, and much of my free time will probably be devoted to that. I hope everyone has a fabulous week and I'll try to keep the blog a little shorter next time!

Lynne

Symphony, HonkFest, Oktoberfest

This weekend was another fun one. The Longwood Symphony Orchestra had a benefit concert for the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, so the other Americorps members and I got free tickets. We all got dressed up and had potluck dinner beforehand. I was really impressed with the show. I haven't been to the symphony since I was a kid and it didn't disappoint. The orchestra is made up of many medical professionals and students, and their concerts benefit many medically-related charities for the underserved in Boston. They didn't sound like amateurs to me.

After the show we went out to a little restaurant that served sweet potato fries and pumpkin beer. I didn't have any of the pumpkin beer, but I finally tried the fabled Harpoon ale that everyone talks about. I thought it was pretty good, though I'm no beer connoisseur. Zoe, the girl I was going to stay with in Somerville, got tired early so Gul, Sam, Zoe and I headed back to her place and watched some TV and ate popcorn.

The next day we all went our separate ways (Zoe went back to sleep, Sam and Gul had other things to do) so I took the red line to Harvard Square and wandered around Harvard and the surrounding area. No matter how many times I go to Cambridge I still feel like I'm surrounded by smart people. I took a few pictures and got to listen in on a tour given in Spanish. My favorite is the one where the tourists are rubbing the feet of John Harvard. I've heard that Harvard students (and Harvard student wannabes) rub his feet for good luck before exams. I've also heard that drunk MIT students urinate on those shoes for that very reason. I wanted to warn the tourists, but I also didn't want to make a scene. I hope they washed their hands before lunch...

After I wandered for a while, I ended up back in the square just in time for something called HonkFest. Apparently it is a festival where activist street bands get together for a parade. These bands were out for all sorts of causes. There were kids with typical marching band instruments, people on stills or custom made bikes, there were puppeteers and gymnasts. The Free Masons and some veteran's groups even showed up. There were people everywhere, food tents lined the streets and people were passing out pamphlets all over the place. I also got a picture of the parade that I'll post. Oktoberfest was also happening at the same time, but I wasn't sure where HonkFest ended and Oktoberfest began. Around 130 some of the other Americorps members showed up and I got to spend sometime wandering the booths with them. Christina and Alex were also there and I walked with them for about half an hour before they headed home. Yesterday was their first anniversary - It's hard to believe that their wedding was a year ago but it's very exciting. After wandering a little longer with my coworkers I headed back to Quincy for the night.

I have been preparing for the work week and spending time with the roommates too. Someone slid into Vitor during a rainy soccer game on Saturday and his knee is sore and swollen. I hope they give him a break, since his coach sometimes asks him to play injured. Nahit is nice and he likes to watch movies, but not necessarily the kind of movies I like. So far we've watched a lot of cop films, mobster films, and Dracula. I am usually pretty open to any kind of movie, but I'm starting to tire of the violence I think. Next time I'll ask if he and Vitor want to play Wii Sports instead.

I've been working on my health ed topics for the next week. I think I'm going to focus on Hepatitis C and HIV since the folks at Transitions have a lot of questions about that. There is a case manager who specializes in HIV and Hepatitis C though and I think he might be in this week. I'll ask the nurse before I get to far into this project. I'd hate to make them sit through the same group twice in a week. If I don't do those illnesses, I'll probably do diet and exercise instead. Those were the areas where they had the most questions last week. I really like how engaged they are. I sometimes struggle to redirect them when they get to talking, but the more practice I get the easier it will be. I'm learning a lot in the clinic and I think I'm finally settling in to my job. I try to help the nurses as much as I can but I've discovered there are limits to what I can do without them. I can't wait until we get a fax machine. There is a lot of paperwork and I have to walk over to the Long Island Shelter every time I want to send a fax. The girls over there are really nice, but I bet they're sick of my wandering in five times a day to use their equipment.

Hope everyone has a really great week!

Lynne

Latest

Hi everyone!

I got up early before work this morning and thought I’d blog in my extra time. Things have been really good at work. The Island is actually really pretty this time of year. There are a bunch of old TB hospital buildings, worn down from wind and weather in the bay, and everything is really green. There is even a little farm on the campus where people harvest vegetables that are served at the shelter. There are a ton of facilities out there, and I’m finally starting to learn which is which. My first position is at Transitions. Transitions is a housing program for people with nowhere to go after detox. It is usually a 28 day program where people can have support and education while looking for a new place to live. It’s been a little crazy since they just moved to Long Island from Mattapan.

The nurse I’m working with is really amazing. There is always something or someone interrupting her work, but she never seems to get frazzled. I was really nervous my first few days (so much so I even put a blood pressure cuff on upside down when taking someone’s blood pressure! How embarrassing… ), but she’s been really patient with my while I’m learning. I still feel pretty green, but I’m getting more comfortable. I finally got access to the benefits database yesterday so I can actually live up to my title of “Benefits Specialist.” So far I’ve been doing paperwork stuff, but yesterday my boss asked me if I’d like to do some health education. She also asked me how often I wanted to do it. When I said once a week she said, “Only once a week?” so it sounds like I’ll be doing health education presentations twice a week for the folks out there. I am trying to come up with good topics I can work on each week so if you have any ideas let me know. My first is going to be on cold/flu stuff since we’ll be giving out vaccines next week. I think I might do a men’s/women’s health one too coming up soon.

Anchor Inn is a more traditional homeless shelter, and there are several programs associated with their facility. Some programs are short term, around two weeks, and others are up to two years. Out there they have a more structured clinic. I pass out over the counter medications, take vital signs and keep up with their records and TB logs. I also do educational bulletin boards, which have been interesting because I’m so artistically challenged, and will be doing some health education. My supervisor told me to relax last night since there is a lot of down time, and much of the pressure I was feeling is off. In both settings, I often find myself wanting to do something, but hesitating because I’m not sure if I’m allowed to do something or if I’m doing it right. I hope I learn that stuff quickly because I hate that feeling. Like any position I take, I’m sure I’ll look back on the first couple of weeks and wonder what I was so worried about. I am starting to think I’m more of a type A-minus personality than a type B.

I’ve been having fun in my free time too. Saturday we trained in volunteer management downtown, and then ran patient activities at the medical respite home. I had a really good time. I’ll be leading the group on my own this coming Saturday. Sunday was a really relaxed day. I got to have lunch and walk around with my roommate Vitor and my friend Sharon. There is a picture of them in here somewhere. The restaurant we went to was called “Fire and Ice.” You take cold ingredients that you want cooked, throw them in a bowl with whichever sauce you want, and they cook it for you. Since it was Sunday brunch, they had everything from stir-fry and burgers to pancakes and bacon. Afterward, we wandered around the Public Gardens and Boston Common. Sharon and I proceeded to Cambridge where we met my Americorps coworkers for a picnic. It was a really beautiful day and I put in pictures of that park too.

I think that’s it for now. It’s almost time for me to leave for work. Love to everyone!


Vitor and Sharon in the Public Gardens

Swan Boats. Some peddle faster than others.

JFK Park in the afternoon

View from the bridge in the public garden

Fountain in JFK Park

Harvard from the bridge over the Charles River

Hare Krishna Festival in Boston Common. They were rapping about their religion. Crazy!

Summer Thanksgiving

It's been another awesome couple of days here. I start my position at the shelters tomorrow. I'm nervous and excited to meet my supervisor. Everyone says she is just amazing and I can't wait to meet her. I just hope she likes me too =).

At Americorps, we finished our generic training on Friday with our first service project. We went to the 8th Pole Project at Suffolk Downs Horse Racing Track. The track is classified as a migrant labor camp, so the track isn't subject to the same wage standards that other institutions are (that's my understanding, at least). This makes health care difficult to come by, and therefore the Boston Health Care for the Homeless program opened up a small clinic onsite. The clinic is a three-room trailer with basic medical supplies, an office and a food bank. It was our job to clean and organize this space for the coming year. This project was our September 11th service project, in commemoration of Patriot Day. It was fun working with my coworkers and learning about the track, the horses and the workers. I may go back on a race day sometime, just to see what it's like then.

After the project was over, we all met at a sports bar called Sissy K's, where they serve free food during certain hours. Since our living allowances aren't exactly CEO's salaries, we are all about free food. Everything we do, even the fun stuff, has been a learning experience. We caravanned through Boston so I could learn my way and I even parallel-parked when we got there, which was an accomplishment. It was a huge space, but I was still proud. We were able to hang out for a few hours and pounced on the free quesadillas, hot wings and nachos as they appeared. It was a good time and a great way to start the weekend.

Saturday was an awesome day too. I was invited to go to Christina's friend Talia's house in Lakeville for the night and was preparing for the overnight stay. I've known Talia for a while now and I consider her one of my friends too, it's just easier to explain how I know her that way. The plan was to meet at Talia's work, the Planetarium in the Boston Museum of Science, then drive to Lakeville and stay the night. On Saturday morning I finally picked up that gym membership I've been eyeing, and went to the friendliest laundromat ever before I left. Then I dashed to catch the subway so I could get to the Planetarium. There I met Sharon and eventually Talia. Talia is a presenter and we got to see a few shows for free. The planetarium is an amazing space, and the data they have is incredible. The software allows them to compile images and coordinates from scientists all over the world and add it to a vast database of information. Essentially, they can take you to anywhere in the universe that we have seen, with a telescope or otherwise. I was really impressed, and even though the shows seem geared toward small children I learned things. What does that say about me...

After the shows, we met Christina and Alex and set off for the house. When we got there, the afternoon sun was glinting off the water and the house smelled like apple crisp. Talia's parents are fabulous people, a nurse and a GI doc who love to entertain. In all I think there were a dozen guests and all stayed the night on floors, couches and guest rooms. The night (and the next day) were filled with copious amounts of delicious food, good conversation, wading in the lake and great weather. I have to say it one of the best parties I have ever been to. I am a little embarrassed about how much I ate, but I think everyone was just enjoying the awesome cooking. Did I mention how happy I am to finally have that gym membership? We were celebrating everything from Talia's birthday, Sharon's return to Boston, new jobs and upcoming anniversaries. It was a really fun group of people. While floating in the lake this morning, I couldn't help but think how grateful I am in my life, and how amazing the people in it are. Even though this new job may be stressful, I know that I always have supportive friends and family to rely on in the good days and bad. This little party was kind of like a Summer Thanksgiving - insane amounts of food, good company and a strong reminder of how lucky I am to be here. I've attached pictures from the back porch where we spent most of the afternoon talking. The bottom line is that I am really happy and I'm grateful to absolutely everyone who has made that possible. That includes family, friends and strangers.

Lots of love to all of you. I'll keep you posted on what Long Island is like.

Lynne

Nantasket Beach and a Work Picnic

Well it's been a really fantastic Labor Day weekend! You probably saw in my previous post that I got to wander Boston Friday night and Saturday. Today, my roommate Victor invited me to go to the beach with him and his friends from school. It was so beautiful out and I had a great time. His friends are super friendly and they are all really bright. You're probably sick of photos by now, but I attached pictures from the beach this afternoon. Keep in mind that while the water looks inviting, it is actually really cold =).

After the beach, we were going to go out to eat, but I'd told my Americorps coworkers I'd join their picnic at 5. Since we didn't leave the apartment again until 330, I had to duck out before dinner (sad, I know) and head into downtown Boston to meet the Americorps folks. We met in JFK Park near Harvard, and once again it was really lovely. It has been threatening rain all day, but we were spared. There was a copious amount of food and we had a good time socializing and playing frisbee. I've been on antihistamines all day so I feel a little disconnected, but not too bad. I just hope I wasn't to "off" at the picnic. It's weird that the meds haven't really helped yet, especially since I've been away from the cats most of the day and I don't think I have hayfever. I hope I'm not coming down with something, especially after spending the day with other people. I don't feel sick and washed my hands alot just in case, but we'll just have to see. this is probably why they won't let me be a doctor ;).

Love to everyone!

Lynne

Boston so far...

Hi everyone,

It has been a really fun couple of days. Right now I'm at the Boston Public Library updating the blog. I've been wandering around the city exploring the sights while I still have my borrowed, unlimited public transportation pass. I have to give it back to another member on Thursday when she gets back from vacation, so I'm going to use it as much as possible before then.

My new position should be really interesting. We've been training since Thursday, and the other Americorps folks seem pretty cool. Many of them are living in Somerville, so I probably won't see too much of them after this. We were able to go to Fenway and get a tour yesterday as part of our "training," so that was pretty cool. I'll post pictures so you can see stuff. The picture with just the red seat is my favorite. It is where Ted William's 475 ft home run landed. It's the longest home run in Fenway history. The others are the view from the Green Monster, the original Red Sox jerseys from 1903, the grandstands, etc. Enjoy!

I've also been able to see a few things around town in my off time. I went to Boston University's Medical School again. I think I'm going to try and find someone to shadow there, even though my odds of getting in with someone are doubtful. I am very excited for the upcoming year and the job I'll be doing!

I also completed one of my missions today. I went to the Bull and Finch, now renamed Cheers! for the TV show it inspired. I attached a picture of that too. One mission down, several more to go.

The library computer will kick me off soon, so I'm off.

Lynne