Buddy List!

The buddy list came out today - it was our first chance to actually get a complete class roster to look at, see where everyone was from, and find out who our M2 buddy was. It's one step closer to August 4th!

Of course, being the overachiever that I am, I already "aggravated" my buddy. Hopefully she's on a nice vacation somewhere, celebrating finishing M1 year, and won't be bothered by my trivial email for a couple weeks, ha. I just got so excited with the new info that I couldn't help myself from dropping an email.

Watching the Dancing with the Stars finale and hoping Shawn Johnson wins, although the sexy French guy is pretty amazing too. I miss my gymnastics days so much. Shawn is just so cute! Her artistry reminds me a lot of myself in gymnastics years ago (of course I wasn't that good... haha).

I finished my read-through of Lippincott's Biochem today. Yay! Probably didn't learn much, but it didn't hurt at all. I can't believe I've only got 7 days left of work. Ready or not, here it comes...

Life in the Arctic..

As I look to my final two weeks at WCU, I can't help but think of all the fun outfits I'll be able to wear and things I'll be able to do when the constant environmental temperature is above 65. Yesterday, we started out at 57.8 degrees and warmed up to slightly above 60. When I got home last night, after my 30 minute drive (in the 90 degree heat, with no air on, mind you) my internal temperature was 96.8. Almost two full degrees below normal. That's pitiful.

Today, I came prepared with an additional sweatshirt and my heating pad. We're sitting in the mid-sixties right now, so it's not as bad as yesterday... but I'm prepared!

I'm also looking forward to getting some extra sleep this summer- something I haven't done in a very long time and probably won't do again for even longer. The anxiety is settling in a little, but so is the excitement.

As far as work goes, awards week is going decent. Monday wasn't bad at all - and after tomorrow, I'm completely done with ceremonies. I actually have a morning AND night tomorrow. I'm feeling a little under the weather and hoping I'm not getting sick - but the office temperature makes me think a cold may be immenent.

And even though I'm not supposed to pre-study, I've made it almost all the way through Lippincott's Biochem and most of Moore's Clinically Oriented Anatomy. I by no means get it all, but I've understood more than I thought possible... at least it won't all be a foreign language on first day.

Tonight is the Grey's season finale... two hour special! It's pizza night at my house so that all the attention can be on the television. Will Izzie die (possibly)? Will George join the military (I think so)? Will Derek & Meredith (finally) tie the knot (I doubt it)? Will we be left hanging in the way we were when Private Practice reached the end of its season? Ah, the possibilities...

Incoming student luncheon

So, we're having this incoming student luncheon thing on April 28th. I'm really hoping I can make arrangements to go - seems like it will be fun (plus it's always good to meet people). This is the closest thing to a "second look" that we have, and although I don't need a "second look", I haven't been up in a while - might be nice :)

We'll see how that comes together. For now, it's back to the drudgery of work. Ordered Lipincott's so that I can start doing some reading for biochem as it will probably be my most hated subject.

Hope everyone had a blessed Easter weekend. I'm actually going to skip class tonight (first time of the trimester). Didn't get much sleep last night due to the bad weather, and we have four class presentations scheduled for tonight, which means it will last til ten. I just don't have a ten oclock evening in me!

Moore's Anatomy...

I've begun my journey of pre-studying into an unknown world. Let's face it, most of Moore's page by page seems to be Latin, German, or any other language I don't know at this point. It's sort of frightening. At the same time, I've been surprised at how much I've picked up in a short time and feel as though this whole med school thing might work out after all :).

As of now, my opinion is that Moore's BlueBoxes >>>> any other page of the book. Blue boxes are amazing!

I'll keep reading, and keep absorbing about 0.0001%. I figure that's one ten-thousandth more than I knew before. And maybe, just maybe, I'll recognize something I hear on the first day.

Spring Break!

It is officially Spring Break around here! Three blissful days of no work & sleeping in... definitely looking forward to that.

I started doing some pre-studying this week. I know, I know. Everyone says "don't do it". But I'm not everybody. On the upside, Moore's Clinically Oriented Anatomy is fascinating. Studying is completely different now... it's like every sentence I read actually applies to real life, as opposed to college where you could or could not be getting something out of the studying.

I pray my zest for learning is intensified as I go through my years of training and that I don't become numb to the miracle of this knowledge. May every breath I take and every decision I make be used to the glory of God, that He may be glorified.

139 days until orientation.
51 days left of work.

I'm reading a book called "A Balm for Gilead" by Dr. Daniel Sulmasy right now. I'd like to share the following prayer from this book:

"Thus my prayer for my brother and sister physicians is that, like the man born blind,

You would announce to everyone you see that you have been transformed by his power, even if you do not understand how;
That you would name him as the one who has healed you;
That you would go to him
And when he asks you, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" and you find yourself asking, "Who is he, that I may believe in him?"
That you might recognize the truth of his words when he says "You have seen him."

For you have seen him - in eyes yellowed with jaundice and wide as saucers.
You have heard him - in the cries of the crippled, wondering aloud how God ever allowed this to happen.
You have touched him - in the bloody wounds of the traumatized.
(You could have felt the nails if only your own fingers had been healed.)
You have known the wonder of his presence in the moments of healing that occur over and over again each day, moments in which you have been privileged to share in his healing works.

So, when he asks you, say, "Lord, I believe". And worship him. For he is what healing means. "


I just thought that was a fitting prayer, and worthy of sharing with you all. May we all continue to strive toward the prize.