Aura V. @auravulpes@computerfairi.es

Highlight of today thus far: going over to the histology lab to say hi and having the histology guys excitedly show us how they do their job. That was really cool, if a bit icky. (One of them showed us a gallbladder.)

I've got orientation today at the hospital I'll be doing clinicals at. Figured I'd take the selfie now instead of at 02:00 tomorrow... (Yeah, 3 AM shift gonna suuuuuck...)

(Image CW: Selfie, eye contact)

If you need me to say more, I do also have an entire blog post on the subject:

https://aurav.neocities.org/blog_posts/blood_dono_psa

I didn't take a picture this time because I was too busy trying to keep the apheresis machine happy, but I gave blood today, so it's time for your periodic reminder that you should also be giving blood if you're able

Hot take: "pi day" and "star wars day" are two of the biggest arguments against the Month/Day/Year date format send toot

So, as part of the whole phlebotomy thing, I've studied a bit about lymphocytes, and I must say, this XKCD about lymphs is absolute 100% accurate 👌​

https://xkcd.com/2749/

My current hobby: harassing a scammer claiming to be a doctor over the fact they've revealed protected health information to me without signed authorization from the patient to do so, a blatant HIPAA violation.

And that doesn't surprise me. If I remember the phlebotomy 1 job openings their only requirements are customer service experience. Makes me wonder how much training they give those who come in with none when they're telling my classmates to forget their training. Seriously, like, that might just be the biggest revelation of this course: most outpatient phlebotomists likely have next to no training. Yikes.

Of course, then again, outpatient labs seem to be more than willing to take less than me. Some of my classmates are working at Labcorp and listening to them talk about their orientation, geez that makes me never want to go to Labcorp again. I'm honestly concerned that my classmates will be the most knowledgeable people at their clinical locations. That's not good.

One semester seemed like an awfully short time 8 weeks ago, and, it kinda is, but it kinda isn't?

Anyways, it's now time for me to head into a hospital and get even better. 8 weeks and they're already trusting me in a hospital. Not alone. I'll still have someone keeping an eye on me. But still. That feels weird, but not?

And, I mean, I'll only get better over the next 8 weeks as I gain more experience not just with doing venipuncture, but doing it on patients harder than my classmates and instructors. All in just 16 weeks. (Actually, probably less. 13 or so, really.) It feels weird knowing that. This seemed like such a complex thing, but...it's not? Like, it is, but it isn't. It's weird.

This really was quite interesting. It's weird just how much competence and confidence you can gain in just 8 weeks. 8 weeks ago, I knew very little about phlebotomy. Now, even before the practice I'll get in clinicals, I'm more competent than the average phlebotomist. Like, I'm now more competent than some of the people who have drawn my blood. That's weird.

8 weeks ago, I walked into this building for the first time. I'm not sure if I really knew what I was in for when I did. Today, having finished finals, I walked out of it for the last. I'm still not technically done. I still have clinicals to do. But, there's still something emotional about this moment. It's been a heck of an 8 weeks, that much is for sure. Now, it's on to the next step.

Now, look, I'm no expert on the postal system of Sumeru or of Teyvat at large, but I don't think that's a valid address.

Your periodic reminder I cannot be trusted with an image editor

@anna I think most Americans just use the Windows character map, though, personally, I use the US International keyboard (which adds level 3 shift) to get those sorts of symbols.

@monoscope
"Is mayonnaise a vehicle?"
"No, Patrick, mayonnaise is not a vehicle."

@NZNewsByABot Bollocks.