Board Exam Results!

Last Thursday I got the phone call with the results of my written exam. I awaited by my phone patiently and was SO nervous! I was so jumpy that any sudden (and even not so sudden) noise would make me jump! Luckily I had a client (because I still had to work) and that actually calmed me down. I've been practicing leaving everything at the door when I go in with a client so that they don't take on which ever energy that I am feeling (that's not what they came for) so the true test was last Thursday. In the end, it worked out beautifully. Afterwards I met Jenny for lunch and I had a killer grilled cheese at the Naam. That's when my phone rang. I jumped, swallowed my half chewed piece of grilled cheese and answered my phone. When she told me I passed, I just about choked on my own saliva! I was awaiting a 'nice try but it wasn't quite good enough'. Within a couple of minutes the phone conversation was over and I had my OP time... 26 hours away from the phone call!
Thursday night Pam came over, we tried to study but I wasn't really into it. Friday I studied a little, here and there. Reviewing before I left home. By 3 I was sitting in the lobby of the hotel, waiting to start my OP. Here's how a massage therapy oral practical is laid out...
3:15 - Cheif examiner gets all 5 people to be examined from the lobby and brings us to a conference room where she tells us what our pathology is going to be. 'Anterior Compartment Syndrome' is all she said - and it's the condition our group had.
3:15-3:40 - individually we brainstorm about anterior compartment syndrome... my thought process went something like this 'ANTERIOR COMPARTMENT OF WHAT!!!' Luckily I calmed down and was able to think clearly.
3:40-4:55 - two straight faced examiners with clipboards examine your every move and word while an other examiner (the 'patient') examines things like touch and our hands. It's broken down as follows:
3:40-4:00 - four muscles are given, you are to palpate (fancy word for touch) it from origin to insertion, demonstrate to the examiners each of the muscles actions and then manual muscle test (activate the muscle and check it's strength) the muscle on both sides.
Then, four landmarks are given and you must identify them, palpate them and an examiner will check whether you're correct (the one you're feeling these landmarks on is also examining how precise you are).
4:00-4:10 - you have to perform an interview with the client to find out more about their condition, then you need to do two relevant special tests.
4:10-4:40 - You have 30 minutes to treat effectively and safely the condition you are given along with the information you found out during your interview.
4:40-4:55 - you have to give a remedial exercises in the following categories (one for each) hydrotherapy, strengthen, stretch, and two changes of activities of daily living (all to do with the case)
Then you're done, you're sweating like there's no tomorrow but your voice has finally stopped quivering. The times given are approximates because... time flies!
I walked to Burrard and 4th from Robson and something or other. Margaret and I went over our cases and talked about what we COULD have done (now that we were no longer nervous). By the time I sat on the bus, I was exhausted. All I wanted to do was go home and be with Mom and Dad. It was perfect. They were home, we had dinner, then I lay in my hammock while they sat on chairs on the deck and we talked until 10pm. Darla came home and we went for drinks. I'm lucky to be surrounded by those that I love.
I will get my results in 2 to 3 weeks from today... They come by mail so it may take a while. I hope I passed because even though it wasn't as bad as people say it was... it's still nerve wracking. And it's funny how part of your brain shuts off when you need to say things out loud.