Things are lookin up

I've been improving my test scores one test to the next and I think my head is finally back on straight. It's a great feeling. I finally feel like I'm having fun again. We are dissecting the head and neck in lab now and seeing the face of our cadaver was the most powerful moment of anatomy so far. It was also the first time I felt like I might throw up, it made everything so much more personal and real.

Patient story:

A man came into the emergency room with swelling in his knee and ankle. He was running a 102 mile race around Mount Hood when he planted awkwardly on his knee on mile 24. So he did what any reasonable man would do...he ran ANOTHER 75 miles on it before collapsing on mile 99. He ran all through the night, hoping he wouldn't let his team down. By the time he got to us, both his knee and his ankle were wrecked. He had been favoring his knee and in turn put too much pressure on some of his ankle ligaments. We casted him and sent him on his way, he had to be back on a flight to the UK. Moral: People are crazy/incredible :)

John Mayer: Slow Dancing in a Burning Room

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hX-nuY9LJAs

Next exam is Monday. I'm committed to rocking it. Can hardly believe it's been nearly 8 weeks of medical school. I got off to a rocky start but I am trying hard to move on and get my head screwed on straight. I want to be myself again! But it takes time. I guess I have a lot to update but I am a serial procrastinator. It's late and I need sleep. I get sleepy and it's not even midnight, the undergrad Carson would be up until 3am doing whatever he wanted. Of course, he had class at noon everyday and played basketball until nearly midnight. Those were the days..!

Medical School, week 7

So the test is over and I'm halfway through another week. Today was long...8am-8pm. I am taking a medical spanish course that is an extra two hours on Wednesdays, which was already our longest day of the week. It'll be worth it though, at the end of the 8 week course, I'll take a test and try to get certified as a medical interpreter! I can't think of a more useful way to utilize all the Spanish I have taken over the years.

School has been busy but I've had some time for myself as well. I've seen some crazy things in the Emergency Department and learned how to do a Heart and an Abdominal Exam. I've made a lot of good friends and I am so happy to be surrounded by such talented, caring, friendly and fun people. I've made some good friends outside of medical school as well, and I'm truly grateful to retain a connection to the outside world. My parents have been as supportive as ever and my sister down in Salem has been a wonderful person to talk to when things aren't going my way. I am lucky in so many ways.

I'm also playing basketball again and I've missed it so much. I barely played this summer but we have an Intramural team assembled and we start playing in about week. It's great stress relief. That's it for now, more clinical stuff another day when I'm not so drained.

take care,

carson