When everyone said it couldn't be done... ducks fly together!

Well it's been quite a week since the last update. The beginning of the week was lots of neuro class and lab filled with overall freak-out/gunner mode to try to get a grasp on some of the material... still not sure how that worked out, but I've definitely decided I don't study well on my own.

Let's see, the PIG roast was Thursday night and went very well. Our turnout was double last year. I think we hit the nail on the head with Sal & Mookie's. The officers from this year and next year worked together pretty well (I think) and I am looking forward to a great year in PIG with my team!!

Friday was an interesting/stressful day. Friday morning we had our first patient "history/interview taking". And yes, it was a psych patient. An inpatient from the psych unit. Made for a.. difficult history taking to learn on. One would think that we could our first history on a mock patient, each other, or a regular internal medicine patient. Instead, we sifted through both history taking and psychiatrics at once. Thankfully, the six years of psych undergrad/grad school helped me be more comfortable around the population, but it was still quite a shocker introduction to "clinical medicine".

After the psychiatric interviews, M & I went to the nursing home to see "our patient" who was in somewhat depressive/psychiatric crisis of her own. It was heartbreaking to see her hurting. Definitely a tough day on the "clinical" side of M1. And I say "clinical" with a grain of salt, because we really don't get any clinical experience of note this year.

Friday night was study and relax time and the rest of the weekend was hard core preparation for the hell that was today: In essence, five tests in one. Psychiatry, Histology (Written & Practical), and Neuro (Written & Practical). It was our first tests in psych and neuro so of course those were stressful. And neuro wasn't a piece of cake. However, like all bad (or good, I suppose) test days, things turned around quickly with the right food, right movies (Mighty Ducks & D2), and best friends a girl could ask for.

Thanks God, for making this Easter one to remember. Amidst my complaining, whining, and utter confusion, you managed to show grace beyond measure, as always. Thank you for reminding me of the best gift of all - your Son. Thank you for giving me the call to do Your work in this world, keep me under Your wings, and be with us as we finish the last 5 weeks and 4 days of M1 year!!

Who is that? Who is that that said they were going to beat my Saints?

Let's see... another week of fun has passed. The weekend was epic. Slumber partying was tooo much fun. We definitely acted like 6th graders, listening to 90's music and giggling and doing all the normal 6th grade-ish activities. We did manage to fit a little (ok, a good bit) of Histology in there... and get to bed at a (somewhat) decent hour of about 2.

Sunday morning, RA and I went for our first run together preparing for the upcoming 5K this weekend. I slowed her down a little bit, but she wouldn't admit it. Looking forward to the run. It was REALLY cold Sunday morning, but considering the forecast for Saturday, I'm kind of glad we "practiced" in that. Did 2 miles at M's house on 4 hours of sleep. Good times. Then we went to church, came home, studied some more... and Superbowled!

My Saints won the Superbowl, and there's been over a foot of snow in DC. Hell has frozen over. The game was AMAZING. The weekend was AMAZING. The test was.... but the weekend was worth it. And it wouldn't have helped at all to study any more. Somebody in a certain dept just hates us. So, oh well. P=MD. And I'm thinking I POSSSIBLY passed it. But I really don't care. Sometimes a mental vacation (and mini real vacation) is totally worth it.

The rest of the week has been fine - Monday night I went to bed at 8 to make up for the total of 8 hours of sleep I got this weekend. And since then it's been pretty low key. Hanging in there, pushing forward, and really, really excited about my first race on Saturday!

Another week in the life of an M1... Pretty routine early in the week. Class, PBLs, CORs, all the usual. I'm really not a fan of nephrology. Had a frustrating start to the renal unit (too many biochem memories), but as usual, M fixed it and helped me pull it all together in the end :)

Thursday was the renal test (which went much much better than expected), followed by Histo lecture (that no one attended - also known as nap time at home to me personally), followed by a trip in the monsoon to our first patient visit. The whole "white coat = dr here to talk to you about life, not medical problems" was slightly confusing to even our very sane patient. This was good, because we were slightly confused too. Anyway, she was really, really sweet - and it was cool to have a little interaction with somebody on the premise of learning.... (whatever they seem to think we're learning). Sadly for us, our wonderful little patient may be leaving the home soon as her rehab is going well and her family's ready for her to come home. Great for her, sad for us. Means we'll have to get another one... But M and I can handle it. We always do. :)

Yesterday... Histo lab (joy, my favorite part of life */endsarcasm), followed by two hours of phys lecture (with Dr. L - hormones, this is gonna be a treat), then home to get ready for Dear John girls' night out! We did dinner at O'Charley's, then went to see the movie... Without giving away any details since most of the world hasn't seen it yet, I'd say 6 stars for eye candy but straying from the book - that always irritates me. Bop's afterwards. I love these girls. Med school = so much better now that we've got a core group, and lots of friends outside that group as well. I remember HemOncDoc telling me a long time ago as I prepared to start med school that it wouldn't be long and these people would be my best friends. It's happening, and it's lovely.

Slept in this morning (always great), now it's time to study for histology since we have a test on Monday and I've got fun plans for the rest of the weekend. Slumber party tonight (oh yes, complete middle school style with 4 giggling girls, Rock Band, and endless hours of girl talk), followed by church, group studying, and SUPER BOWL tomorrow. And somebody in the histo dept had the nerve to tell us not to party too hard. HA. My Saints are in the Super Bowl. It's on. Histo - I'd like to beat you up, but if it's a punt and my Saints win, it's still worth it.

I've put off studying long enough. Have a fabulous weekend everyone!

Prayer Requests:
Baby Kate - beginning her BMT workup (prayforkate.com)
NICU babies
CB kiddos
**Unspokens**

Goodbye, Christmas...

Vacation is gone as quickly as it arrived. Back to school yesterday, started with a lovely histology lecture. I continue to wonder if that's a "real class" or not... If it's made up, can it please return to make believe land? It's taking too much of my time (especially when it's at 8 AM).

Other than histo, physiology is the only major component of my life that is obsessed with medical school right now. We're right in the middle of cardiac phys and learning how to read EKG's. Pretty cool stuff. Actual doctoring material, as opposed to the day to day facts we normally learn just to regurgitate for a test. Although I suppose we'll use those someday as well.

Today we had intro to physiology lab. Apparently, we're going to work on an anesthetized and intubated pig in the upcoming lab. A 50-60 pound pig. We'll be doing cut downs, manipulating his cardiac physiological states, then cracking his chest and resuscitating him until we're bored (prof's words exactly). Then we will "dispose of them" in the freezer. This is the part that made me slightly queasy. First he tells us, "be careful, this isn't a cadaver", but then at the end, we're going to "dispose of it" which means at some point between point A and point Z, said pig is going to succumb to his demise at the hands of my lab partners. I'm really, REALLY glad I've got a couple weeks to prepare for this.

And we just thought gross lab was eye-opening and shock-worthy. Welcome to med school, year 1 act 2.

The final countdown...

Thursday and Friday were interesting... All of the tests so far have been, for lack of better terminology, hell. They went alright, but nothing like I was hoping for. Phys especially was just super tricky. I've heard it's our current teacher. We'll see next semester I guess. That one was kind of a punt anyway, since we've got months of that class to go. Studied my butt off for Histo, and then it was pretty awful as well... ugh.

Praying that luck changes for Monday's Gross & Development (FINAL block!!). I've got a lot more studying to do before Monday, but I'm getting there. It's amazing how little you can know a week before and cram into your brain.. Of course, this leads to massive dumping of information after the tests, but it's survival skills at this point...

National Boards for Gross & Developmental are Wednesday. Don't wanna talk about that, yet. Must get through Monday first.

On that note, I should get back to studying. Needed a sanity break.. but the cranial nerves are calling.

I heard it said a few days ago that this was the worst week and a half of medical school. I believe it.

Just another week in the life of an M1

Things are plugging along here in M1 world. One week and one day until the last regular biochem test. Then "just" a comprehensive final and boards to go. BTW, any of my M2-M4 buddies have any boards tips? (I need all the help I can get on that one).

Yesterday we had a very easy day lecture-wise, and I returned to the NICU for rounds with Dr. K and her residents. I have to tell you guys, she's just the most compassionate, caring attending... definitely giving me a possible false impression of the rest of them... ha! She asked me a few questions, but didn't pimp anyone. I'm glad I did my research so I didn't look like an idiot in front of the residents, but it wasn't intimidating at all. Best of everything, we got to tell a Mom her baby can finally go home! Those are the stories that make the specialty so worth it.

Blackboard has finally decided to work, so I suppose I'll learn a little about the eye (blech) before I go up to the histo lab. However, it's 39 degrees this morning and all I'm thinking about is Christmas break.... (hence the new background).

Praises: My friend Lacey is home from MN and doing great! Her surgery went beautiful and her recovery continues to be a blessing.
Continued Prayers: As always, the NICU babies (I left my heart with them), friends, family, and unspokens. And an uneventful end to biochem!

Update... and 50 days til christmas!

Lacey is doing wonderfully. Continue your prayers that her pain would lessen so that her therapy can proceed quickly and she will only strengthen from here on out. Glory to God!

I got my H1N1 shot this morning. Yay, shots. Ha. I just don't have time for the swine flu in the midst of first-year craziness.

In mention of M1 craziness, we have two tests tomorrow (Biochem, Histo) and three on Monday (Gross Practical & Written, Developmental Anat) followed by Physio next friday. Continue to pray for our class as we are just so absolutely exhausted at this point. FIFTY DAYS TO GO!!!! This is gonna be the hap-hap-happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby danced with Danny effin Kay!

Next friday afternoon I start shadowing in the NICU. So very excited :)

The sun is shining....

... and Blacktober, Round 1 is OVER!!!
The histology team is wonderful. Frequent rest stops, lots of candy... That was one of the least painful tests since we started med school. About time, too. We're all exhausted, dazed, and confused. Walking around like zombies.
Unfortunately that "awesome" histology team has scheduled a lecture and lab for this afternoon, so no sleep for the weary yet. But oh - it is coming. And it is going to be SO sweet.

Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you. For you, O Lord, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living. (Psalm 116:7-9)

I see the light...

I've almost made it through. Monday marks the final 2 of the test block. I never thought it would come. I've pulled decent grades out, wasn't as happy with this biochem as I could've been, but after the exhaustive state under which I took the test, I felt pretty good with the outcome.

In other news, we had a very emotionally intense lab today, in which we trisected our cadaver. I'm still trying to figure that one out. Personally, I thought she was fine in one piece. Definitely the most disturbing lab ever... just in time for halloween, the 7th floor is full of legs... ahh.

I'm trying my best not to get overly ill, but the exhaustion has settled into my lungs as an asthma flareup. I wore an awesome mickey-mouse mask (thanks, peds clinic!) during lab today to keep the bone fragments out and my cough in - even though I'm pretty sure I'm not contagious at all, with all the flu stuff, people are wary. For me, it's a combination: lots of germs around (never sat in a classroom with 120+ people during cold/flu season), not enough sleep, and change of weather... which, although it has made me ill, is absolutely AMAZING. I LOVE the cold.

Time to finish the white chicken chili I've got cooking and start preparing for Monday's massacre by histo...

Two asides: It's been exactly a year since I got accepted. How much has changed in a year... Congratulations to the first members of the UMC Class of 2014!!! Enjoy this time!!

Second: VOTE FOR BATSON if you haven't done so yet. Voting ends in an hour!! xbox.childrensmiraclenetwork.org

I PASSED!

I passed my biochem test and owned the histology one :) Yay for first tests being out of the way!

PIG tomorrow. Couldn't be more excited.

Met my cadaver yesterday. She's skinny. Very, very skinny. We also received a box of bones, which I promptly had my lab partner take home. Human bones in my house are just a little creepy at this time.

With all that was going on yesterday, preparing for the tests, I didn't have time to do the reading for Gross... and Gross (this block at least) is going to be an adventure, considering that our lecturer has one of the thickest accents ever. Yay for hours of wasted time sitting there listening, then more hours of coming home and memorizing.

Anyway, I had to share my celebration. Back to the grind! :)

Med school 101

The first week is going pretty well. It's a lot of material, but I'm hanging in there... I've gotten a schedule down pretty well and I'm keeping my head above water. Just keep swimming right? One day at a time...

I got CPR trained yesterday. My trainer commented that my infant technique was the best she'd seen in a long time. Hmm... wonder why.... With the adults, on the other hand, I had to get on a stool (so I'll be the doc riding through the hall , hovering over the patient's chest to do compressions on them...). Nonetheless, i'm all clear so if you happen to cardiac arrest with me there, I'm ready, willing, and (practically) able.

So far, biochem is the suck and histo is not nearly as bad as I thought it would be.

That's my med-school-in-three-minutes overview. I'll try to post again this weekend. First test: a week from today!