Major eye-opener.
Soo we started clinicals yesterday!  I'm at an assistive living facility called Springdale West and they have units for rehab, dementia, ventillation and dialysis, and long-term care.  Since it was our first day, we spent the day getting acclimated and did a scavenger hunt around the home.  Me and my friend Haley made a couple friends in the long-term care unit and had a great laugh.  They are entertaining to say the least.. Also, we spent a good 30 minutes watching their "roseary" in their dining room.  It was extremely interesting because I've only seen another church service in action maybe once.  The patients that were attending were mostly unresponsive and most were in pretty severe condition and crippled.  The catholic priest that was in charge led the prayer and it was a cool experience for me.  I love that our prayers are unrehearsed unlike so many other religions.  I know that it is a time to talk to our Heavenly Father and I know that our prayers are answered.  Not trying to bash on them but I'm just glad we pray to talk to Him and not recite a routine.  Anyways, that was cool for me and I'm so thankful I have the gospel in my life and know of the truth.

Today was a whole other story....  We were each paired up with a CNA to shadow and just help throughout the shift.  I was sent to the dementia unit and it was pure madness.  My CNA, Julie, was always on the go.  We'd take a resident back to the room, but on the way, find 3 others that are trying to get out of their wheelchair or need help with something.  My personal favorite was Miss Sylvia.  Ohhh my crap she was hilarious!  She'd somehow get around and manage to steal everyone's stuff and take off.  We caught her probably 5 times in the hallway with an armful of stuff on the run.  We had to explain to her where she was and that none of that stuff was hers.  She would get real angry and scream and hit as we took away all the stuff she stole.  I guess that's a never-ending obsession with her and they deal with it all day long.  I assisted with changing briefs, making beds, tranferring residents from wheelchair to beds, showers, and all that good stuff.  It was extremely different from what I had expected.  I do love that you're always on your feet and keep busy though.  It also made me sad to see some of the conditions of the patients and know that I may be the only person they get to interact with that day.  I know I'm going to fall in love with them and it'll be hard to see some of them pass as I've been told will probably happen at least once.  Even though some don't interact very much, I can feel of their sweet little spirits.  It's a pretty nasty job, not gonna lie, but it will be a great experience as it already has been.  And I'm sure there will be plenty of stories to come.