More work

Back to work again today - it hardly seems like there was time off at all. We accomplished many tasks of various types, mostly involving lifting and moving stuff from place to place. This probably isn't good for the back, although it isn't too sore today. I'm finding my hips are actually more sore after I do the physio for some reason.

I also started some uni work today too, just some basic web design for a quiz. At the moment it pops up a picture of a sheep breed and you have to guess which breed it is. Not too exciting yet, but the coding is unlike anything I've ever done before so it's a bit of a challenge. Too bad I'm doing it in java. I may try to find something more useful at a later date. The real question is do I have enough time to learn a programming language as well as do a degree and work at the same time? My actual job working on the web design/computer-based learning doesn't begin until Freshers week and it will continue through the year on a case by case basis. Apparently there aren't too many techy vet students out there.

Party

It was the EUSA staff party last night at the Caves here in Edinburgh for all those people who had worked during the festival at the various venues. It had the potential to be a fairly entertaining night but didn't live up to it. There were too many people in a small space which is never good, combined with a bit of a wrestle to get to the bar and a lack of people I knew made for not too much fun. The final straw was when people tried to get me to dance. A quick distraction tactic later and I was on the way home. I must be getting old, I was in bed by 0130. Shocking!

The old enemy of the human female has reared its head again. I'm so bad at this kind of thing. The problem may stem from my unfortunate tendency to run away from people attempting to hug me, and so I think others may do the same. Probably shouldn't tar everyone with the same insane brush that got me, but who understands the evil ways of the female mind? Strange creatures.

Survived

Another festival down! Well, nearly down. There is still a little bit of work to be done tidying up and sorting things next week but there are no more customers and no more 6am starts.

Last night was quite fun, although it predictably ended in chaos. I arrived back in work at 2300 having not slept for some unknown stupid reason and started working straight away. It only took about 30 minutes to take the Grand Bar apart, although removing everything I'd just destroyed took a little longer. I was simply known to the night staff as "Man with drill".

We finished at about 0600 and the beer drinking started pretty much straight away with a bit of a party. This was followed by the Bank Hotel at 0900, then on to the Pear Tree at 1100. I gave up about 1230, came home and went straight to bed. I woke up again around 1900 with a hangover not surprisingly. I'm now trying to figure out my sleep patterns so I will be awake for the staff party tomorrow.

Caught

I was caught working today. Doing lifting work that I probably shouldn't have been doing, but needed to be done before I could eat. It was 1630ish and I was yet to have my break for lunch. Hadn't eaten all day due to being too busy.

I survived another shift and plan to work tomorrow. There is a crash-down shift from midnight tomorrow until 6am. It's usually fun and I get a load of work done but it is also a little tiring. I have my team sorted, I have my tools and I have my tasks. The work will be done as usual. We shall see what state I'm in Tuesday. It may not be pretty.

Back to work again

First day back at work post-exams etc. went fairly well. Doesn't really feel like I've been away long at all. Most people were glad to have me back. Others were constant in their reminders that I had time off and if I couldn't work then I shouldn't be there. My ability to work has not changed, just the type of work I can do has changed. I refuse to lift kegs and heavy kit. It isn't worth getting injured again.

Talking of that, I was fixing things on a roof and whilst coming down managed to damage my back slightly. It's fairly safe to say I fell off the roof. My back and legs were sore for a while after that one. Not quite agony, but enough to take notice. Maybe I'll stick to computer work, it is easier and possibly less painful.

Was debating a walk post work. It now appears there is a birthday party for a friend that I haven't been invited to. Debating turning up, debating just going to sleep with toast and a book. I think I'll stick with the book. Less humans that way.

2100...

...is a good time to relax and do not much

...is a great time to enjoy a beer with flatmate & friends

...is a bad time to discover you have no clean underwear for work tomorrow

The situation is currently being resolved with the aid of washing machine and the drying machine of doom.

Recheck

I actually went back to the vet school today to check the hard copy exam results to make sure I hadn't failed after all. Still don't completely believe it. I've been looking over the syllabus and it looks like fun, more clinical-based stuff that should be really interesting. Can't wait!

Passed!

Yay!! I passed all my resits, so I'm now officially a 3rd year. Very happy about it. Quite a few people didn't pass, and I was a borderline with the special circumstances form allowing me to pass. Not an ideal situation, and it shows I must do a load more work over the coming few years.

Other fun news, I have been invited to go for an MRI early next month. In less that two weeks in fact. This should be quite fun and hopefully we will get an idea if my head is planning to explode or not.

My leg also started hurting again last night. I may have overdone it yesterday in terms of long walks and sitting in odd positions at the gym. With the aid of painkillers and my determination to be as lazy as possible I shall do very little today and see how it goes. Back to work tomorrow where I plan to do very little again. Should be fun!

Walkies!

Not the fun puppy-based type of walkies, but just me doing some physio-type exercise. Todays' mileage is around 5 miles with only a wee bit of pain in my hips and foot. This is fairly good. It turns out it didn't take the doctor 7 days to write a letter about my bad leg/back. In fact it only took 1 day and the letter has been sitting there for 6 days. Bloody doctors. At least it is with the vets now and they should be discussing it as I type. Only 1 exam result to go...

I went for a wander to Bruntsfield to investigate prices of bits of computer. I may be upgrading my current PC as it has recently developed a bad habit of dying and eating CDs. It just doesn't give them back unless threatened with a paper-clip. Naughty PC. It's also useful to have a rough guide for when I'm fixing things at home.

There was also a walk last night with a fellow student. She didn't have any resits and passed everything first time. We were discussing the various results we know about and how many people we may be losing. I will be very happy if I get in to 3rd year, but also sad to be missing some great friends.

Yay!

I seem to be having a good couple of days at the moment. Quite a few things seem to have fallen in to place or got sorted that I've been meaning to sort out for a while.

So firstly and most importantly I have received a couple of my exam results and I've passed the resits in Introductory Pathology and Infectious Disease as well as Animal Husbandry. Not great passes, but I reserve the right to be really pleased anyway. Only one more exam result to go - the one with neuro, repro and large animal anatomy. I think that exam went ok, but you can never be too sure. That one is out Friday I think.

I also got the mostly all clear from physio so I am able to return to work as well as start running in a few days. There are a load of exercises to do to maintain the back, and I'm not allowed to lift heavy things or go climbing just yet, but the pain is definitely less. I haven't even taken any painkillers today. More walkies are required to keep things stretched. I've been working up my exercise level over the past few days. Nothing too vigorous so far, but I may head to the other side of the meadows tomorrow. Getting back will be the fun part...

Back Online

The internet has arrived and it is finally all working. The evil sky people who supplied us with a wireless router were rather cunning in hiding the password for the damn thing. I like to play around with settings, allow various programs access to the net and generally mess around to make it harder to break in to. I think we may have succeeded. My enforced rest will not be quite as dull any longer. There are also plans to go swimming. I haven't been swimming for years!

All done

Exams are all over, but instead of being out and about enjoying it, I'm mainly stuck inside due to a bit of back, leg, neck and everything else pain. I'm not allowed to run or climb. And there is no internet. At least there be films to keep me entertained.

Managed to scare my eye doctor today. He looked at my blood work and was slightly worried. Only problem is the bloods were from 11/06. I don't remember having a blood test last year. All is well. Dr. Human is chasing up the MRI now and should give me a call.

Very little else exciting going on. Off to hunt down some food and then go home.

Only 1 to go

Another exam down. Leg sore. Off home.

Broken Again

It's been a strange night, as well as really really painful. The pain started at about 2100 and was located on the inside of my thigh, but only on the left hand side. It was a strange pain, it would build up then release, radiating down my leg. It was bloody sore. The first lot only took about 30 mins to go away so I just assumed I'd been sitting wrong. No such luck.

The pain was back later on in short bursts, but the worst has to be at about midnight when I was woken with it - a very sore area that just built up until I felt like screaming. And repeat every 7 seconds. No sleep is not what I need before an exam. At 0200 there were no signs of relief and so with the advice of someone I called NHS24. And then it stopped. Bloody typical.

Then it started again. I phoned NHS24 again, they told me to take painkillers and go see the doctor in the morning. I think I eventually got 3 hours sleep last night if I was lucky. Went to see my doctor. He thinks I've trapped something and so I need to rest and take many many drugs. Many. Oh and if it happens in an exam I'm to hop around a bit in pain and leave if I need to. And then take drugs.

So here I am at uni trying to hunt down my DoS to inform her of this incident which may affect my exam performance. But she isn't here. So I'm going home to revise.

It Begins

Exams have started again. Just escaped form one, and whilst I think it went OK, I guess I have to wait until the results are released in a few weeks. For now I'm heading home for tea and revision.

Revising

I won't say revision is going well, but it isn't going that badly. It is going which is better than the last time it was meant to happen. Thus I'm inside again. Today it is the turn of sheep husbandry which should be fairly simple given that I've done quite a bit of sheep work over the years.

Yesterday I went for a great run up the seat only to be greeted by hundred of flying ants! Not what you expect to find up there, but it was warm and there was no wind. I can think of worse places to be a flying ant. Only took me 4 minutes to get to the bottom with the flying threat. I may have to pretend they are after me more often.

Today's exercise is walkies with the excellent blogdog who, although not allowed to play stick, enjoys looking at swans and generally being a happy puppy. For now however, it's back to the sheep for me.

Inside

Still no internet at home, so I'm in the uni computer lab at Summerhall. It's a really lovely day outside, the kind that makes me want to go for a run and climb up the seat, instead I'm looking at the husbandry of the domestic bovine. Woo.

I've also heard rumours that the next batch of victims students are here for the GEP course, but I haven't seen them around yet. There is a high probability they will be around Summerhall at least once over the next week.

Quick Post

I'm at work using the internet waiting for people to phone me back, so I have time for a quick post.

First thing, I'm quitting my job for the next couple of weeks. I've found that 11 hour shifts aren't any good for revision and my career is more important. I feel like I'm letting people down, but sometimes you just have to do what you need to.

Second there is still no internet at home thus the lack of posting. Not sure when this will be fixed, but more posts likely in the coming days when I'm in a computer lab revising. Must...do...work....

Third, I'm tired. I've lost count of my tons of stock moved so far. It was around 30 tons by midday on the 2nd day and there's been a lot of moving since. I'm not really that sore, but too tired to go climbing.

Oh and I'm plagued. Stupid cold.