An update!

Alright, the last two weeks have been a wonderful time to recharge and get ready for the 5 plus months ahead. Then first year will be over! It's been going by so terribly fast. I feel like so much information has been squeezed in one ear and a good amount has unfortunately fallen out the other. After two weeks, it seems like its about time to get back into the grind. Ask me in a few weeks if this sentiment changes!

At the beginning of break, I made a little list and I'm glad to say the vast majority has been accomplished. Simple errands, tasks and the like seem to get thrown to the wayside once school picks up. It's a bad habit but I'm working on it.

Let's see, over the break I volunteered at SouthWest Clinic, a low-cost primary care clinic for the uninsured. I really like working with that patient population, they are so happy to receive care and it really feels like the limited little things I can do to help mean a lot. Very rewarding stuff. I also signed up to become a Being There volunteer. More on that when it starts but I'm looking forward to it being a tremendous and powerful learning experience dealing with patients near the end of their lives.

I'm hoping to get in better shape so that I can do a Sprint level triathlon in a few months! I'm pretty beginner... but I'm starting off by running every other day. working out the other days and working out on the exercise bike a bit. I should have a bike to ride soon...

Hm let me see what else. My new preceptorship is with a Pediatrician. I love seeing the children, they always make me smile. I'm not as comfortable working with them as I like though. There's a weird dynamic, trying to listen to the lungs of a sometimes crying and squirming child while their presumably worried parents watch on. The thing about pediatrics is you have to not only deal with children, who sometimes have difficulty explaining what it that's ailing them, but also their parents who sometimes have way too many concerns. Those cases seem to be the rarity, however, as most parents and patients are a load of fun. I will say that in the two weeks I've been there, I've seen many of the same cases and concerns. Flu, Ear problems (children are v. susceptible to ear infections and the like because of fluid collecting in the inner ear during growth.), and coughing. Even so, the kids are so much fun that I've been enjoying my time immensely.

Maybe I'll think of more later but for whoever happens reads this literary travesty, take care until next time!

Two weeks or so until Christmas break. Lots of updating to do! Maybe some other night.

Happy Holidays

Anatomy is over!!!1!111!!!

I survived my first class in medical school! I made it out fine, slightly worse for the wear but in good spirits. Next week we have our Principles of Clinical Medicine exam which consists of a two hour written test and a GOSCE (Group something something clinical exam). Basically me and my gosce group of 4 other people will be utilizing our patient history and all the different clinical exam skills we've learned on fake patients aka paid actors. Good times! I can't wait until Thanksgiving because I have 4 different exams in the next two weeks.

We've started our next course, Cell, Structure, Function which is notoriously tough. The course coordinator basically told us it was going to rock our worlds. So I have that to look forward to. It's a combination of cell biology, histology, biochemistry, genetics, that sort of thing.

Life's been good. We had an intramural basketball game on Tuesday which went into overtime. I had a wide open shot in regulation with 25 seconds left that would have won it...but it rattled in and out. Then I missed a few more times in OT, also open. They were my shots to MAKE. So it was a bit painful. I feel like I let my teammates down and I hate letting people down in general.

I'd like to exercise more but I need to figure out how. Tennis, biking, running basketball...Also, I can't wait for ski season to start!!!

Oh yeah, for lunch today I had Brie cheese with an artisan baugette. I was so happy.

Thank You and Rest in Peace.

Today was the last day of anatomy lab. It has been a memorable 11 weeks and a lot has changed since we first walked into the lab wet behind the ears and in complete awe. I had a moment today when we said goodbye to our cadaver, our patient. We learned so much from her, and it was what she wanted. I felt like she could rest now, that her life had finally reached the closure she deserved.

I have a test on Monday and I have no idea what is going on. It's on the head and neck and there are so many little things crammed in that small space that all look the same. I'm worried and I need more motivation.

Some random thoughts:

Good people make my day.

My classmates are wonderful.

I wish I saw my family more.

I hope I am on my way to where I ultimately want to be in life.

Test coming up on Monday. The end of anatomy is something to look forward to but the next course, CSF is not. Supposedly, its the hardest one in all of medical school. Rough seas ahead! Lots to study, write, prep but Things is good. It was a beautiful fall day and the privilege of being in my position hits me every so often and just enough to remind me that I am blessed to have this opportunity and my whole life ahead of me.

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..!