Clinic Entrance

I have never studied harder in my life.

Clinic Entrance is a test that is three hours long where you vocalize and perform tests that you have learned over the past year and a half. The following are the subjects that we are tested on:

• Toggle
• Diversified
• Droptable
• Gonstead
• Spinal Analysis
• Vital Signs
• Ab-Thorax
• EENT
• Neurological and Orthopedic
  
• Extremities (more orthopedic testing)
• Physiotherapy
• Case History
• X-Ray

You have 5 minutes to read the question and then 5 minutes to perform and answer the questions. You would think that this would be doable, however once you in the position of performing the test, you heart rate goes up, your throat gets dry, your mind starts racing, and somehow you forget your right and left.

If you perform the exam and do everything right except for something that would harm the patient, then you automatically fail the station. If you perform it right, but vocalize it wrong, then you become dangerously close to failing if not fail completely. If you vocalize it right, but perform it wrong, again you will most likely not make a passing grade (75/100 points).

Thankfully, they give you points for just introducing yourself and being professional. However once again, because of your state of mind when you are in that situation, you seem to forget even the simplest things.

Typically at least 50% of the test takers would have to retake the exam the following week. Because of this I started studying 3 weeks before the test came up. I spent around 4-8 hours a day looking over the different sections and did group studies with Emma Lockwood to make sure that we would pass and not make the little mistakes that are so easily done. As the time got closer though it seemed impossible to be able to know everything and that it was inevitable to have to take remakes.

The day before the exam both Ric Bollen and I have school from 7:30am to 8:00pm which gave us no time to study at all before the test on Wednesday. Once I got home at 8:20pm I had to run to the dentist office to clean that since Monica and Kim are in Hawaii for 3.5 weeks helping out David and Jeanette. This meant that I wasn't going to get home till 9:30pm. There was no way to do anything. On the drive home from the dentist office I felt the spirit whisper to me that I should go to Matt Alexander's home to ask him for a blessing.

I didn't have my phone since I lost that when we went camping two weeks ago at Zion's Camp in the Sierra Nevadas, so I just knocked on the door hoping that they were awake and that he was willing to give me a blessing. Thank goodness he was and he gave me a blessing and sent me on my way. I felt peace come over me and knew that I would be able to stay calm during the test.

On Wednesday just before entering the testing area, all the students waited in the entrance to the school. All of us were worried and you could just feel the tension in the air. I tried to stay by myself to keep a clear head. I didn't want to feel to someone's negative energy. I hummed "I am a Child of God" repeatedly for 15 minutes as we waited to enter the clinic area to take the test.

I started at Toggle and made my way around. I felt pretty good with each exam. I did make a few mistakes such as I had forgotten to introduce myself in the Gonstead station, almost ran out of time in vital signs because the examiner wanted me to perform it bilaterally instead of just saying that I would do so like every one else, and I thought I bombed the x-ray station.

Once done everyone relaxed. I went home and vegged till 2:30am. I just didn't want to go to bed. I still went to school and continued to be the good student. Friday came around and at lunch time the results went up. I was performing a physical exam on a patient already so Ric went to see what I got.

I PASSED!! I couldn't believe it!! Not only that but most of our class made it! I was so proud of everyone. This means that we can now move on in clinic and start helping student families, faculty at LCCW and any other courtesy patients. We still can't take on Out Patients till we are drafted in a pod (group of interns under a licensed D.C in the clinic) and have made 30 adjustments. We are all on our way to make it to graduation and beyond to a beautiful practice.

Where to Practice and What to Use

I have been thinking a lot about where to practice and what are the techniques that I will do. While I would like to eventually go back to Utah, I know that I don't want to go there right away. I have multiple options available to me.

• I could stay here and work with Matt Alexander
• I could go to Reno, NV and work with Steve Perry
• I could go to Yuba City and work with Dr. Ellison
• I could go back to Utah and work with Dr. Free or Dr. Hanson
• I could go to Arizona and work with someone there
• I could go to some random location just because we want to

Also I have been thinking that I want to work with geriatrics. With that in mind I have been needing to find techniques that are no force or low force so that I don't hurt my patients. At first I fell in love with CBP because it deals with posture. Right now I am learning droptable, activator and SOT (Sacro-Occipital Technique). I am also wanting to learn AMIT (Advanced Muscle Integration Technique) as that will reactivate muscles after they have been through an injury. It seems like I have my techniques that I would be able to use for people.

Here is my sample plan for my patients:

1. Start with AMIT because it's no force, no x-ray needed and it will change the neurology of the muscles so that they will hold the adjustments easier.
2. Next I would use SOT because it is also no force, no x-ray needed and is still a chiropractic adjustment.
3. Then I would use Activator as it's a low force, may or may not need x-ray.
4. If that doesn't help, then I will use droptable mixed with CBP to get the structural adjustment that is needed.
   

I feel with these techniques I would be able to help out someone without hurting them needlessly. We'll see what happens, but I am happy with this so far.

Student Clinic 1

It has begun! This quarter was the beginning of my clinic experience. We start out with just one patient called your reciprical. They are you reciprical because they are your peer and they are your doctor also. What has been fun is that typically it's a race to see who can get to CMR (Case Management Review) the fastest because then you are finished with the class and you'll be able to start adjusting at that point.

Typically it takes 4-5 weeks to accomplish this if you are dedicated, however I was able to set the record by doing it by week 3 on Thursday! :) YAHOO!! I was able to start adjusting on week 4 on Wednesday and again today on Friday.

I had tons of mixed feelings as I was not only excited to start, I was also filled with anxiety because this was my first time doing this. I made a diagnosis on someone. That's a big deal! People really like to know what their diagnosis is and it has legal ramifications. Not only that, but there is a ton of paper work that is always demanded of you.

I have seen other interns go up to a doctor and get reamed because they forgot a number or name. Something so simple, yet so important. I hate making mistakes, so I triple check to make sure that I have everything in order before I go up to them. So far they haven't chastised me :)

The other thing that has amazed me is the amount of time that it takes for people to get in and adjust. I have been adjusted multiple times in the health center and it has taken usually an hour to be done. Both times I was able to be done within 20 min. That to me is just incredible.

The really neat thing that is the most important is that my patient has been adjusted by me since the start of our adjusting classes. I have almost never done a good adjustment on him. Today I did a droptable adjustment on his low back - something that has hurt him for a long time and I have never been able to adjust it. It has been a 8/10 pain typically everyday for almost a year. Today he got relief. One adjustment and he felt instant relief. Talk about the best feeling in the world. Knowing that even with my novice hands, I was able to make a positive difference on someone.

I hope that this feeling continues and I start to adjust other people and especially outpatients.

Cleanses

Many years ago I did a cleanse because I had just come back from a two year mission in Chile and wanted to make sure that I didn't have any toxins or parasites that decided to come for the ride. I got really excited about colon cleansing back then because I was also taking microbiology and learning about these different pathogens. I had great results, but it's been awhile since I have revisited this... till now.

Last year I took a class from a physiologist who discouraged from doing a "cleaning program" that you could buy. Instead he encouraged us to just eat healthier and make a lifestyle change. That has lasting results, whereas the other is temporary relief.

Once I heard that my heart dropped. I love my oreos, brownies and ice cream. Our ritual at night is to typically have one or all of these. Realizing that I will need to walk the walk instead of running the risk of being called a hypocrite, I knew I needed to change my diet and lifestyle drastically.

Two big things happened. One, Ric (classmate) helped me get a gym pass at the beginning of the year so that I could go with him two days a week. Two, 4 other classmates offered to help me out with the diet aspect. They started a 21-day cleanse from http://www.cleanprogram.com and offered to bring me lunch 4 days a week and I would bring it they other day.

I have been working out 2 times a week for 3 weeks, but this week was the first time I actually went on my own (making it 3 times this week instead of 2). I am loving it!! I don't know why I hesitated so much before. Being scared to go to a gym is a pretty lame excuse. Luckily I had a great friend who helped me get over that.

As for the diet change, that has been tough. I am an emotional eater. Last week was Monica's birthday so we decided to not officially start that week. I still ate lunches that were super healthy, but I didn't have the shakes nor did I refrain from eating my sugar. This week though was different. We started yesterday. SCARY! I made a green drink last night and I hated it. Monica was able to down it ok, and Kim sucked it down like it was lemonade on a hot summers day. This morning though was a lot better as I had Emma coach me on how to make shakes. It actually tasted good. Thank goodness.

For those of you wondering if you should change your healthy habits, just know that there are so many ways you can do it. Figure out what works for you and go for it. I know I am glad I did.

Christmas and National Boards

This is Kim's first Christmas and our first Christmas in California. We are celebrating it with Jeff and Becca. It's been nice to take a break from school - especially this past quarter. I failed Infectious Disease and have the chance to take it again this next quarter. I am allowed to miss one class that is required for national boards, so as long as I pass all my classes this next quarter I'll be okay. I have been scanning in class notes to be able to study better and to sell them for my class and myself for profit. It's really coming together. Blake is even helping me with setting up a website to host all the files.

Kim has been growing up extremely well this year. She is still tiny which is great :) She's able to wave, shake and nod her head. In fact today when we were at the Christmas party, someone asked Kim if she was adorable and Kim nodded. It was so precious.

She still isn't vaccinated. Both Monica and I are, and we just don't know if we want to. There are pros and cons both ways and it's tough to figure it out. Part of me wants to say that if you eat healthy, move well, and think well you'll be fine. The other part of me thinks of Murphy's law and that she could get sick and die. I am not prepared to make a decision now, but I know how I feel. I feel that if we were to get her vaccinated I would feel like we gave in and would regret it. So I need to study it out and figure out this controversial issue. Needless to say, she is still cute.

As for Christmas, Monica and I sat down and wrote down some Christmas traditions that we would want to implement. Obviously Kim isn't aware of what's going on now, but seeing her cousin who just turned three we can tell it means a lot for him. We started to wonder what do we want to focus on during Christmas time. It's easy to talk about Santa and say Merry Christmas, but how do you bring Christ in one of the most busiest times of the year?

This year it helped that there were three baptisms within two weeks in December. It forced us to do church work, but still it was hard to bring it home. Our washer gave up the ghost so we had to buy a new one (THANK YOU Craigslist), also bought a wii with a projector (also cheap deals - thank you again craigslist). Monica got the whole family to pull together some money so that I could get a chiropractor table. She got $600 together! WOW! I got her a silhouette and power tools that she wanted.

Overall this season has been fun. I have loved being able to just be home with Monica and Kim. They are my family and the reason that I work so hard. I love them with all my heart. I am lucky to have such a wonderful wife and daughter.

Gaining my Philosophy

I wrote this to my family after reading a post about having a sick child in the hospital.

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Sheesh that is hard. I thank my lucky stars that we have Kim. She is one of the biggest highlights of my life. I am so glad that she is happy and healthy. It's scary to learn about all of these diseases in school and how even just simple actions can have large consequences later in life.

Take for instance an avid runner who lives in Berkley. He loves to run and in Berkley there are hills. So he runs up the hills. This causes him to run in a constant flexed position. He is only 24 and now can't run uphill. Why? Because with every step he took running uphill, caused his bones to deform in the front and collapse. Compression fracture. Simple little things like that. You think you are doing the right thing, by eating right, exercising, etc. and then you find out that you didn't do something right and now your life changes. Blah! Not cool.

It has been interesting to learn about philosophy. We are talking about how we don't cure anything. We don't even treat any symptoms. All we do is remove the interference within the nervous system and allow your own spirit heal you. It's not even your body. A dead body has a nervous system, but it doesn't have a spirit. Our spirit uses our master organ (brain) to communicate with the rest of the body (through the nervous system directly which then connects to the endocrine system) and together it's able to correct just about any problem it faces. IT'S INCREDIBLE! But it's also relieving to know that I don't have to heal anyone. They can do it for themselves. I don't have to coach them on how to be healthy, their spirit will tell them. It's not my job to show you how to be healthy, there are other people who get paid for that. I am just there to help you connect your spirit with your body. Pretty cool stuff.

Ok, well that's what I have been learning in school. It feels good to actually put it in words. Kinda weird to also know that I am saying this type of thing.

The Stress Mounts

Fourth Quarter... The dreaded fourth quarter. Infectious Diseases with Dr. Boss. He is known to flunk half of the students in a single blow.

I was so stressed about this quarter that I hurt my back just a few days before it even started! The first week they told us all the homework needed to do, the 17 online quizzes, 2 papers, group presentation, shadow a doctor, and more. Not only that but I had someone from the stake presidency of my church calling me to get me to talk in stake conference. Also, with Kimmy starting to crawl we had to baby proof the house and make sure that my wonderful wife was happy.

I broke. I came home one day and couldn't do it. I called my my dad who also did graduate school in Idaho (super cold). They didn't have money, little food, two kids, and somehow they made it! He gave me great advise that calmed me down. I then called up my good friend JD Chilton who is a counselor in the Elder's quorum. He gave me a blessing which really calmed me down. THANK YOU!

It's been hard on my wife though to see me go through this. I really want to make it up to her so if you have any suggestions, please let me know so that I can help her know that she is still number one in my life :)