Caboolture Placement- Mangina- Phone Trauma

Monday August 17th

I was up early for my first placement. I wasn’t sure how I was going to get there, but luckily I spent quite a bit of time on google last night and got a real life visual of how to walk there from the train station. I was lucky also, that Janice, one of our teachers, offered us a ride. She drops her son off at uni in the morning and it was convenient for her to grab us as well. Adog and Rachel go to Nambour- where Janice just happens to be working as well, but she lives by Woombye. She drops me off at Woombye train station where I got the train for an hour ride to Caboolture. After dropping me off, she takes the girls to her home for a bit since they are a bit early. After Janice and her daughter eat breaky, they go to Nambour Hospital.

The trains here are interesting. They have a variety of different kinds. Some are more subway style, whereas some are long journey style. This one in particular, was the comfort long journey style. It was hard to find a seat as it was pretty full up. This hippy girl- who I assumed was from a far away distant land, had her big pack on a seat. I asked her if she could store it away so I could sit. She did, and I sat contently. If it is one habit I am bad for, its people watching! I put my sunny’s on and hoped she could not tell I was looking at her. I even turned my head but kept my eyes in her direction- so she would be fooled with the direction of my gaze! Haha Sneaky or creepy?? Hmmm… don’t answer! She was writing some stuff down in a journal kind of thing. Looked like some finances and reminders, and then some journaling. She had dread rolls in her hair, and wore a long skirt with a scarf around her neck in a warm way, not fashionable. She wore no make up and looked low maintenance. She eventually closed her eyes. I wish I would have had the guts to strike up a conversation, but it was too early! Everyone was sleeping and chatter didn’t seem to be favoured at this early hour. She must have been back packing across Australia. I sat and thought about the different experiences her and I were getting from our adventures, mine as a uni student, and her’s as a drifter- getting money from odd jobs here and there. I think both ways are incredible. I wish I had the time and freedom to see the world that way, but I also value the friendships I am making this way. I also think I get to see Australia in a way that many Aussies do, where as a back packer lives it through the eyes of a tourist. One day I will travel abroad like this! Maybe it will be the second volume of my future book! Who knows?

My very first day of placement. Yay! This should be interesting. Its only one day a week. Already I was feeling the impact of such a long trip to the Hospital. I left my house at 630am and didn’t arrive at the hospital until 815am. The google directions didn’t help too much, but I did find it ok by asking students where to go, plus I had written down the names of the streets. I was told by my preceptor to meet at the front of the main doors. I wasn’t sure if I was to meet at 0800 or 0830. I was smack in the middle. I knew I was doing community and thought maybe I had missed her, and that everyone had gone out already for home visits. I waited for a couple of minutes until the main admin desk was free. I wondered over and asked where HBACS was. ( Home Based Acute Care Services). The lady phoned someone and she directed me to where it was, or so I thought. I ended up getting lost in this tiny little hospital. Then I asked a janitorial maintenance man where it was and he told me it was the building through this door. So I listened, being naive and all. I went through the door and walked into this building. I asked a lady using a microwave if this was indeed HBACS. It was mental health, and she was rude! I went to retreat through the same door I had entered in. I needed a little fob or whatever they are called. No good. I tried wondering out around the buildings, as I was outside. I was trapped. There was no way out! It was a little prison, and I was starting to worry because I wasn’t sure what time I was suppose to meet my preceptor! Finally, some people came through the evil door and I caught it just in time. I came back through the hallway and the maintenance man was there. He saw me and told me that he realized he had sent me the wrong way. Thanks guy! He then redirected me in the right direction and I soon found myself ringing the doorbell of a little building that said HBACS! SIGH!

Once in, I was informed that it didn’t really matter what time I arrived as it was a pretty laid back environment. The preceptor assigned to me was off on sick leave. I was taken in by pretty much everyone else. In this HBACS team, were physio’s occupationals, nurses, personal carers, social workers, and more. It is quite a multy disciplinary team. I don’t want to go too much into it because it is one of my assignments this semester, and it is too repetitive to have to it twice! Lol

I was soon taken up to the third floor and paired with an RN Julie, who was a CHIP nurse. We spent the day going around to different patients assessing what kind of home care they would need if any. We breaked in the HBACS room for tea and lunch. It was a good day, but there was not much for me to do. I wanted to try an assessment, and Julie thought this was a good idea, but the patient refused. Not very compliant. Boo!

At the end of the day, my facilitator came in to see if I was doing alright. They come to visit every day we are on placement. I was the only one to visit in Caboolture on this day, as I was the only Monday student. The others were on Tuesdays. Mt Facilitator is Elizabeth. She is an Irish lady. She went over some stuff with me concerning my project and other course content. I informed her that I had sent her an email a couple of days before asking if she knew of any students who I would be able to car pool with, as it is quite tedious getting to prac. We discussed options and she offered me a ride home since it was close to hers. Yay! On the way home, we talked about her family and mine, and of course, some school orientated work.

When I got home, I was way too tired to go to the gym. Also my calf was still hurting. I made some dinner and sat on the couch watching Gilmore Girls. I checked FB and email and went to bed soon after! Tomorrow I would be getting a lot of things done! Soo much to do!

Tuesday August 18th

I woke up and realized my mobile was not working!!! This is not good! How am I suppose to talk to Justin! I haven’t had the best mood lately- still a bit emo. I got up and ready slowly. I spent a lot of time on the computer emailing Justin messages back and forth. Finally he was going to sleep. I wasn’t able to talk to him, and so this motivated me to get off my butt and go to the plaza to fix my phone!! I bused it all the way there wishing I would have left a lot sooner. I hadn’t gotten anything done! What a waste. As soon as I got to the plaza, I went to Optus to look at new phones. It was time! I was looking when a man came to assist me. I told him of my phone and gave it too him to see what he could do. He called Optus help line, and it didn’t work. Then he tried calling the store, and suddenly, just like that- BAM- it worked! He wasn’t sure as to why it wasn’t working. He said it could have been the network, but that that wasn’t likely. I told him of the previous problems I have had with the phone and how old it was- as it was Shonleighs for a couple years before it was mine- and that I had also given it a rain bath one night- all night. He agreed that maybe it was time for a new phone. Haha.

I looked over all the ones on the wall for pre-paid. I started asking a bunch of questions and was pretty interested in a white one, until he of course told me that they no longer came in white. I guess I would have to settle for a boring black phone. He kept saying that this other phone that I wasn’t really looking at had all of the features that I was interested in. I started to ask about this one. He informed me that it was very hard to get as it was priced in a non accurate way. It was a $100 phone but should have actually been about $200. There was no list I could put my name on for the phone, but since I am soo persistent and sweet and kind, this nice man filled out an order form for me. This was something he was not suppose to do, as it was in high demand. Teehee

After looking for this prize phone at a couple of different stores, and having no luck- except for one little kiosk that I also talked the lady into putting my name on a non existent list, I went home. I was happy and hopeful that I would get this phone, but also that mine would work in the meantime while waiting! Fingers crossed!

When I got home, I readied myself for the gym. The bunch of us Canadian girls did RPM- or spin class, and our other day to day regimes, then went home. At the gym, we are regulars. The staff is getting to know us and vice versa. One manager type guy calls Adog and I the water bottle girls because we both have these neat water bottles from Canada- thank you Mandy. It is getting a lot of use and is a tad lumpy from excessive use! The one girl at the front counter eve knows who’s keys belong to who. ( we give them our keys in exchange for a locker key). I enjoy the gym.

When I got home, Benny, Brock, and Yates were over. I made myself some fish, with green beans and zucchini steamed on the side. It was delicious. It was cheap Tuesday and everyone else was eating pizza! Haha

We sat around and talked after watching Taken. It was a lot of fun too. Those boys are pretty funny. Benny let us draw on his chin – two eyes and a mouth! We covered his face except his chin and took pictures and a video!! Sooo funny! Hahaha I also got my ipod out, the one I got in Canada, and tricked people into thinking it was broken and needed fixing. Im soo sneaky. I shocked at least 3 people in the same room with it! HA! Eventually, Joel was over, as well as Wooley and her cousin who we had never met before. He must have thought we were pretty weird, especially when Benny came around the corner with his pants down- full on Mangina!! No he was not drunk! It was just a random Tuesday!! For those of you who are not familiar with Mangina’s, it is when the guy places his man bits away between his legs, making it appear like he has girls bits!! It was unexpected and we all laughed in disgust!!! He did it very well. Just from the stretching, it actually looked like he had a landing strip! Hahaha GROSS!

They were all still downstairs, but it was getting late and so I snuck off to email my man. I washed up and went into bed!

Wednesday August 19th

Today was not quite as eventful as yesterday! I woke up for lecture and texted Justin the entire time. It is a class that I am well familiar with, so I was still able to listen at the same time. After class I caught up with some friends from school. Everyone seemed to have a good holiday. It was nice to see them as well.

When I got home I spent the main part of the day- blogging. Its no walk in the park you know. It takes an incredible amount of effort!! ( This is why I like to know who reads it…). I had my window open as it was a nice day out. I saw Kirstenne walking outside. I said hello and she came around for a quick visit. She has never seen our place, although similar to hers, it was different. She had lots of stuff to do and so she went on her way.

I went to second lecture. Came home and got ready for the gym. We were all going to go to circuit, but I got the time wrong and we missed it. Instead we did RPM with Katie! She is the drill sergeant of the gym! She is not afraid to yell and scream at you and tell you that you are cheating yourself. Once in a body attack class- her class, she said that if anyone fell out of this one exercise, she would make everyone start over. My arms gave away just as we were almost done. She pointed me out and the whole class had to start over from the beginning! It was brutal! The RPM class was not soo bad since you can fake the amount of resistance you put on. The problem is, if you put too much on, there is not taking it off! She can tell! I never will make that mistake again!

I went home and made some food after a well needed shower. We sweat soo much in our workouts- and then twice as much afterwards in the sauna. I walk home drenched most of the time! Haha I ate dinner and made some apple crisp from scratch. Im still learning and there are improvements to be implemented, but it was still pretty good. ( especially the next day when I ate it as cereal and added soy milk to it!!! ) I watched Gilmore girls and did my usual FB and email check on the computer. Bed!