Stratified Squamous Epithelium

Stratified Squamous Epithelium

structure - multiple layers of cells that are cubodial in the basal layer and progressively flattened toward the surface; the epithelium can be nonkeritanized (moist) or keratinized; in nonkeritanized stratified squamous epithelium, the surface cells retain a nucleus and cytoplasm, in keratinized stratified epithelium; the cytoplasm of cells at the surface is replaced by a protein called keratin, and the cells are dead

function - protection against abrasion, barrier against infection, reduction of water loss from the body

location - keratanized-skin; nonkeratinized(moist)-mouth, throat, larynx, esophagus, anus, vagina, inferior urethra, cornea

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And there you have one (ONE!) of my notecards. Caleb said that I should have bought the english version of Anatomy & Physiology. I agree.

oooooooooo-kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk

I really don't feel qualified. Have you ever been in a situation where everyone seems to know what they're doing except you? Well, that is how I have felt for the last 4 hours of my life.

Actually, the first hour and forty-five minutes weren't too bad. It was the part where we were sitting in lab trying to go over our "activities" is what got me. Where I come from activity means one of the following: banana boating, rock wall, giant swing, corn-hole or archery. Not describe all the different ways you can talk about the location of your hand in relation to your elbow or select a cheek sample and look at it underneath a microscope. All of this to say, I have alot to learn.

I read an interesting quote this morning that I've thought alot about today. It says, "Sometimes the only way we can find out what we are meant to be doing in life is to step out and try some things." So here I go, trying.

a new adventure

hello friends. it's the start of a new week! and with this new week comes a new adventure.

i've been absent the past couple of weeks due to a few reasons, the main being time to think. while I've wanted to write out my thoughts, i felt the need to be on "hiatus" for a little bit and figure out a few things for myself.

some of you may know how i feel about school. it was not my friend. i enjoyed being involved with things associated with school, but the thought of sitting through lectures, reading countless pages of texts, studying for hours and not really knowing what i am studying for - well, it didn't really appeal to me. my last year of school i took 37 hours over two semesters and when May came I was more than ready to graduate. i was so very glad not to have to think about school and the thought of another semester being just two months away. i was done.

D-O-N-E. done with college forever.

when i was in school and told people i would rather work than sit through classes, most of them laughed and made the face as to say, "just wait... you won't be saying that once you start working." well, i have proved them wrong. i can honestly say that i would much rather go to my job for 40 hours a week than sit through classes. call me crazy.

but here is where i am a little bit confused. the summer before my senior year of college, with 83 hours of core and mass communication classes under my belt, God put me in Mexico. God put me in Mexico with a group or aspiring medical/current medical students and we did clinics there.

whenever I was growing up and anyone asked me what i wanted to be, i always had an answer. a neonatal nurse. the fact that i was young and really had no clue what neonatal nurses did, was not a problem. that was what i wanted to do. my junior year of high school came and i changed my way of thought and decided i did not want to wear scrubs everyday... yes, sadly the scrubs factor was a part of my decision in not wanting to become a nurse. foolish. but i digress.

so there i was, in Mexico, with other students who actually knew how to take blood pressures and actually knew somewhat about clinics (or appeared to anyways). luckily, they were kind and did not hold my lack of knowledge against me and God used my skills in other ways. on that trip, I began to freak out. did i make the wrong decision? should i have gone to nursing school? looking back, i see that my path so far has been where God has wanted me. through the people I met in college and the people i now work with, i know God had me go a different route from nursing for a reason.

see I told you, they're smart.

this is what they did in their free time. who knew blood pressures could be so fun?

this was one of the little girls that came to our clinic with her sick mother.

she had the best laugh i've ever heard.

however, since that trip, i've had the desire to at least try it out. and tomorrow i begin to try it out. this past week, i registered at macon state for a nursing pre-req: anatomy & physiology I. the thought of the class freaks me out, but i don't want to live my whole life wondering if i should have done it. this re-entrance to school could last two days, a semester or if i like it, with another diploma. it all depends really. the most incredible part of it all is the peace that i have. yes i realize what a&p is and how ridiculously difficult it will be. but like i said, i'm not pressuring myself.

so as i begin this new trial period, i will keep you posted. it should be interesting. i've already looked at ratemyprofessor.com and unfortunately, the man i will spend time listening to for the next 5 hours a week has gotten less than exciting reviews. but maybe i will have good stories. who knows. God wants me in this class for a reason... like i said, whether it be two days or the whole semester. pray for me as i begin this new adventure. pray for wisdom, clarity and an open mind to what the Lord has for me.

so, time to get my pencils and notebook ready... i'm going back to school!

why yes, I'll be out of town... on business.

The last time I wrote, I was tired and weary of looking at the computer. To be honest, that's one reason I haven't really written in awhile. I have been spending more time looking and working on a computer at work so sitting and writing on a computer sounded a little less than exciting.

But I have good news to report! The big project is finished! WOO-HOO! It took about a week total and that was with lots of interruptions and of course doing all the other things that my job requires. I am proud of myself for taking ownership of a big project at work and doing it from start to finish. To continue learning more and to really maximize our new database, I am flying out to tomorrow for a Tuesday/Wednesday training! Luckily for me, it's in a place that I've never visited which means new adventures and a dear friend (who happens to be getting married 20 days from today!) currently lives there! So here I am, finding myself at another "grown up" moment... going on my first business trip and spending time with a friend who is about to start a new life in a new place. It's fun growing up, seeing and experiencing new things!

here are some pictures of me and that dear friend I will see soon...

I can't believe these pictures were taken 3 years ago!

at the staff party

at a Sunday orientation...

I'm suggesting she wear a red hat like this instead of a veil on her wedding day...

what do you think?