christmas gift projects

We've been very broke this fall.  It's been a constant struggle, month to month, and I owe lots of money to my Dad.  Loan check should be here in next week or so though, and with Saia likely starting public preschool, we should be able to exhale for at least a little bit.  Anyway, it's been the first holiday season that I had to have serious budget planning. In the past, I always thought it totally reasonable to do $40-50 per family member. I mean, what can you really get for less than that these days? crap is what.  Interestingly I read an article that suggested a lot of people just do not spend money on Christmas.  News to me.  But this year I wanted to try to spend $200 on everyone.  That's for eight family members on my side, eight on Jeff's side, and four friends.  Final total $314...

A lot of how I made it stay relatively cheap was making things.  I got ideas from random places I found through google and I got some of the best ideas from Martha Stewart's website (haha).


Handwarmers
from this website. All you do is make 4 inch bean bags with fabric then fill them with ceramic.  Specifically, the instructions were to use ceramic pie weights (something people use to make pies), but that would've made them like $8 a set! No thanks.  You know what else is made of ceramic?  Tiles.  $0.57 foot square tiles, that is.

I made 4 pairs, most for friends.  Pop them in the microwave for 90 seconds or so and you've got something that feels great against your face/hands/wherever when you are out in the cold or come in from it.  My dad and friend Alex have requested I make them some.

Charm bracelet

Momma's love their babies.  And my mom's got her own new collection this last few years.  She's a typical older woman, likes those goofy charm bracelets, "pandora" ones in particular.  But those lousy things are $30 a charm! I don't think so. You can't deny something custom though- with charms that really are unique to your own babies.  This was Martha Stewart's idea.  I couldn't find everything on the supply list though.  So I had to improvise.  And I chose against the sepia photo thing. But I like the bracelet...

Baby-girl-to-come, Isaiah, Me, Julia, Calvin, Jenn

Cardinal hats

This season they have been selling these cute Cardinal hats for kids in the authentic store.  I found them online for $23 but they are probably $30 at the Yum center. The idea looked simple to me I guess.  I originally thought it would be fun to make for Isaiah, but then realized I also needed gifts for Isaiah's cousins.  So I'm making three.  One down, still two to go.

the model from the store

I don't know why I can't get this right side up

I've never made a hat before.  To get an idea of how I'd do this I found a tutorial online on how to make a simple tobaggan kid hat online, which gave me some idea of how templates and sewing work... then I just had to wing it.  I used the picture above to sketch my own template.  I think the hats I made were a bit smaller, but they turned out well proportioned.  Pretty happy with it.


No knit Rosette scarf

My other idea taken from Martha Stewart.  She said to use a tool called a knit-wit, but it would've been $20 online and I couldn't find it in a store.  So this other website told me how to make my own tool.  This No-knit thing looks pretty lame in its traditional usage (70s trend stuff), but Martha recommended using a fancier type of yarn that makes a scarf look "decidedly modern," as she puts it.  Mohair yarn.  I'm liking it! I've got lots of yarn.  I'll probably make a scarf for myself as well.

[No pic right now, will update later.]

String Art name plates

In an old post on art club, I showed a string art project I did of an owl.  Since it was a project I shared with my art club, I had google imaged string art looking for ideas for other clubbers.  One thing I saw was an example of where someone had used string art for words.  I decided to use that idea for my last DIY Christmas gift idea.  It was an ungodly long endeavor for each of the three name plates... First I would come up with what I wanted on the plate using Word, print it out at the right size, affix it, then cut the wood to fit.  Then I sanded the edges and stained the wood. Then with the paper template taped on the wood, I hammered all of the nails down.  Then after removing the paper template, I'd tie on the string.  Vomit.  I won't be doing another one of these until I have a good reason.  I like them.  But probably not enough for the time I put into it.

This is the last one I did.  I knew that fleur de li would turn out good.

I messed up the staining on this one and the one above.  It's not dark enough to keep the text legible :(

Looking for the link to the string art words I linked above, I found some other new examples.  People use bright string.  I just worked with what I already had, which was mostly dull.

While I'm posting about DIY endeavors- Saia's bday party was yesterday and I made my own angry bird cake.  :)

my model

the facial features are all cookies.  Including the ears which are hanging on with toothpicks.

Reflective Writing Experience – Psychiatry, Fall 2011

I had to write a reflective piece on a patient encounter for psychiatry, and I had a great subject to work with.  So I enjoyed the patient, enjoyed writing the paper, and wanted to share.  I probably could've gone on and on about the patient story and my thoughts, but we had a 3 page limit.  And yeah I know the ending isn't good.  I've never been good at concluding summaries.

                My first week on inpatient psychiatry, I anxiously awaited my first intimidating experiences with the mentally ill.  One morning later in the week, I thought I’d finally get that perfect opportunity to practice keeping myself between the patient and the door.  My resident had taken assignment of AB, a 23-year old white male, with a past diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia.

                An MIW had been filed by his mother for bizarre behavior after he had neglected his medications for 9 months.  He had been making threats regarding his mother, sister and self. Specifically, he threatened to hang himself, his mother, or make bombs and blow up their house. In the EPS report at admission, it was noted that he had over “10 hospitalizations” in the past 2 years including at Central state. In addition, as a minor he had hospitalizations in OLOP, and a facility in Florida.

                On our first visit to him, he was non-threatening but somewhat agitated, denying cooperating with the interview, and criticizing his mandatory hold in the unit.  He was often sarcastic and scrutinizing.  On questioning of his homicidal threats, he denied, calling himself a “prince of peace.”

                His toxicology screen was negative, but he claimed that he had used cocaine, marijuana, and hallucinogens in the past.  He stated that he had “tried it all.”  He claimed to use marijuana and alcohol both “once in a blue moon,” with last uses within the past month.  He claimed that he had tried unheard-of hallucinogenic drugs around the time of his first hospitalizations.

                On further questioning of how he got his schizophrenia diagnosis, he denied memory of the events which led up to it, other than the drug use.  He also claimed to have little memory of the sequence and timing of his past hospitalizations.  AB denied he had schizophrenia.  He denied experiencing auditory or visual hallucinations, suicidal ideations, homicidal ideations, and past suicide attempts.  We did not have any documentation from previous hospitalizations to support his diagnosis.

                He had held a job as a waiter for 7 months, which he lost a month before because he decided to “no call no show” and stop going after getting involved romantically with a girlfriend.  He lived at home.  He claimed to have an active social life, involving music, dancing, and bar scenes.  When not living at home, he stayed with friends for days at a time.  On questioning about his relationship with his mother, he said they do not get along because she “pushes her beliefs on me.”  His family is Jehovah’s Witness.

                He frequently referred to his distrust of doctors, including us, calling them “representatives of the pharmaceutical industry.”  On questioning of his orientation to location, he stated he was “in a restricted area.”  He cooperated with a urine tox screen taken in EPS but refused further labs.  When asked about his mood, he stated it was “like Thomas Jefferson,” with a blunted affect.

                During his admission, AB appeared slightly disorganized.  He was unkempt with long hair, and his body odor was noticeable on occasion.  He refused to take a shower because he only used organic soaps.  His excuse was the same whenever he denied food and medicine.  He did eat vegetarian diet foods when offered.  He never took his scheduled Seroquel in his 5 days inpatient.  During the day, he would often stand in hallways, looking around at the other patients, occasionally laughing at the bizarre behaviors of other patients.  On one occasion, AB was given an intramuscular dose of Geodon because he would not remove himself from an area where another patient was displaying aggressive behavior.  

                 AB often stood facing the nursing station, staring off but doing rhythmic movements, especially hand gestures.  When asked about his movements, he responded about his interest in magnetic healing powers, and also that they were movements he enjoyed for raving and glow stick dancing.  He would say that he was “magnetizing the air.”

                Even with his slight disorganization, bizarre and magical beliefs, he was able to give a clear, concise, goal-directed, and daresay convincing argument about his current situation at his mental inquest hearing.  His mother attended the hearing, but was unable to provide testimony due to English language struggles without an interpreter.  Regardless, the judge determined that a de novo would be needed to begin forced medications.  This could only be done at Central state hospital, leading to his transfer out of the unit on day 5.

                In the 6 weeks on psychiatry, it did become very clear to me how common it is for schizophrenics to deny their diagnosis.  I noticed this early on, but even in the end I still wish I understood more about why this is the case.  Most of the patients who exhibited this seemed to be aware that they were not being honest.  I also got the impression that those that denied their diagnosis were more at threat for future suicide, which worries me about patients like AB.

                I had a lot of doubts about AB and his diagnosis while he was in the hospital.  Compared to the other schizophrenics I had the chance to observe, he seemed so calm and aware of reality.  He was never caught talking to himself or responding to other internal stimuli.  Most of his out-of-the-ordinary beliefs were not unheard of.  He agreed in one conversation that he was definitely anti-establishment.  He seemed immature for his age, and not well educated… but I would argue that if he was schizophrenic, he was in a residual state.  I know that as a student, I am inexperienced and probably naïve in regards to psych, but as an attending I will hope to maintain an open mind with every patient.

                If I hadn’t felt as limited by my role as a student, I would have wanted to interview him more to gain more insight about his thought processes, and to look for clear signs of positive or negative symptoms.  I did get the opportunity to have a last conversation with him on his last day.  I knew I wasn’t going to see him again.  I wanted to tell him that I thought he seemed fine, but of course I couldn’t.  Instead, I warned him that if he wanted to stay out of the hospital, he needed to avoid arguments with his family.  And that when does argue, he could never threaten, or he would be back.

2011 fam Xmas card

There was a "vistaprint" daily deal recently that I took advantage of- $15 for 30 cardstock personalized Christmas cards.  Goody!  I've always wanted to make some. I've thought of 25 households to send them to, and still trying to decide what to do with the last few.

 
The cards look good- but I'll go ahead and warn you that vistaprint itself sucked.  Probably one of the cheapest options out there.... but a huge hassle going through the designing and purchasing process.

Enjoying the season!!!!!! I am.  Can't wait to share all the Christmas projects I've been working on.  I have to wait til after Christmas day (hint to anyone out there expecting a gift).