Medical Laboratory Monologues (Part 2) "Hematology"

AHA! The long awaited sequel!
I have had a few people ask me when I would post this post. It has taken me a little while. I'm not going to make any excuses, I am just going to write!
I will fill  you in on a few of my experiences since I last wrote, however. June was finals MONTH--a very intense 4 weeks of studying, exams, and training in blood bank. I had a couple weeks off to recover, attend a family reunion, and get my wisdom teeth removed. After these weeks, I dove into work, moved into a new house, traveled to attend two weddings and my BYU graduation. Now I am finally back and transitioning into my graveyard shift position in the next 2 weeks. What a couple of months!!
Here are some pictures of my travels:

Bingham Copper Mine, SLC

Medical Laboratory Monologues (Part I) "Chemistry"

Here begins the series of “Day in the Life of a Medical Laboratory Scientist” posts.

(Warning: get comfy! Although I am leaving a lot out, this is a pretty long post!)

Introduction: For those of you unaware, the medical laboratory is divided into four main areas: chemistry, hematology (blood studies), microbiology (bacteria and parasite studies), and the blood bank. These areas are defined both by the scientific focus and methods used for testing. Chemistry tests are performed on blood, urine, cerebrospinal fluid, and other body fluids. These tests all use chemical reactions in vitro (in a tube—these reactions do not normally occur within the body) to determine levels of various substances in the body. Hematology is the study of blood. Testing in this area is all about the cellular makeup of the blood, and the presence of blood in other fluids. Microbiology is a broad term meaning “the study of microorganisms,” which (in the lab) almost always means bacteria. It is not an area for the faint of heart or queasy of stomach! Finally, blood banking is a vital area in every hospital. It is the highly regulated preparation, storage, and testing of donor blood that is available to be transfused to patients in the hospital. This area is also not for the faint of heart! Blood banking can be stressful because every transfusion is a life-or-death situation.

In Which: Lab facts and Urban canoeing

It just recently struck me that in the lab, we use the phrase "out of control" in a different way than the rest of the world. In order to ensure that all of our lab tests are valid, we spend a large portion of our time running QC (quality control). Quality control is a pretty complicated process involving various biomedical supply companies, charts, statistics, correlation with other labs, and daily testing. Every machine and manual test must be "in control" in order for test results to be released.

In Which: The Season for Outdoor Adventure is Upon Us

When Felicia and her fiance Andrew came to visit us in Salem, we went to Silver Falls to enjoy the amazing weather we have been having! I think they were tired of having pictures taken, but I am trying so hard to document my life!! So I made them suffer. Ha. You only get to be engaged once (ideally), so you just have to grin and bear the paparazzi, because those memories and photos are precious later. The newly-engaged/newlywed spotlight doesn't last forever! Plus, I think they turned out pretty neat.

(Click "Read More" to see more pictures!)

In Which: Life rolls right along!

Well I have to say, life is Salem is pretty great. It is feeling just like home at last! I am able to go most places without consulting a map beforehand, which is a great victory! Salem is a beautiful small town, and while we might not stay forever in the city proper, there are some nearby places where I could imagine living for a long time. 

Scott is still working for Tandem Northwest as a caregiver for the developmentally disabled. He has gotten a lot of high praise from his supervisors and is one of the favorite workers. The people he cares for seem to really bond well with him, which is understandable! He is kind and caring, and always has the best interest of others in mind. He always goes the extra mile, which I know is a big deal in the eyes of the Powers that Be.

We are continuing to research grad school programs and their prerequesites, but the future is looking bright! Scott has caught his second wind for school, and is ready and motivated to put in the long, hard days ahead that grad school brings.

As for little ol' me, I have accepted a job offer with Salem Health! (The same hospital where I am doing my internship.) I will be working the graveyard shift, which offers extra pay and a 7 on, 7 off schedule; both of which I am excited about! The night shift will be hard, but it will be great to have two full weeks off each month to spend with friends, family, and my cleaning supplies! Neeedless to say, Scott has narrowed his grad school search to local programs (with a few others, just in case) so that I can work for a while during his upcoming school years. Looks like we are Oregonians for good!

In Which: Haynie Haircut and Magnifying Mirrors

Okay! Now that you are pretty much caught up on our lives, I feel like I can just write about how things are going. Phew. We have had so much change and upheaval lately that now it feels like there is nothing to write about, just because nothing HUGE is happening anymore. Which is actually pretty great since I don't think I could even handle another HUGE thing! The little things are hard enough for me right at this second, thank you.
The biggest thing in our lives has been S. "Sampson" Scott Haynie. His hair has been growing and growing! It was out of control and somehow we have been too busy to cut it.. Even with all of our nothing that we do all day. So I finally did it today! What a relief to have regular Scott back.
Here is picture proof of the day we admitted there was a problem.

In Which: A Verrrrrrrryy Long Overdue Post

Time is FLYING by!!

I just finished my first month as an MLS intern at Salem Hospital in Oregon. It has been FABULOUS so far!

Mad Scientist

In which: Belated Christmas Tidings

Hello, long-lost readers!

I have lots to tell you, so I am going to pace myself. I will do as they do in Hollywood, and split this story into two episodes.

Part One: Christmas

We had a wonderful vacation in California!

Grandma Betty took Tilly in while we were gone. I think they became friends.