First Day of 3rd Year

Well to say it's been awhile since my last post is an understatement. But to my defense, I had to move countries, study for the biggest test of my life, pass the biggest test of my life, then relax for the rest of the summer. And to be honest, the last thing I wanted to do at then end of studying for so long was to write a blog about studying so much. So that leaves us here, on my first day of clinical rotations.

I am starting with Internal Medicine at Caritas Health System in Queens, NY. It is a 12 week core rotation. Today was the first day and was mostly orientation with health clearance and ID badges. Tomorrow is when the fun starts. Tomorrow I get to wear my white coat. Yes, it is a short white coat but nevertheless, it is still a white coat. What makes it even more exciting is that Allison and I get to do it together. It only makes sense that since we started med school together that we rotate together. The only thing is that she is only doing Internal Medicine and Surgery with me in Queens then she is moving to Chicago to finish her rotations there. At least we have each other to get comfortable with the intricate workings of the hospital.

I am nervous and excited at the same time. Nervous that I won't be able to integrate my book knowledge into a clinical setting. Nervous that I will get "pimped" during rounds. Excited to see diseases and symptoms come to life. Excited to be closer to graduating.

I will try to be a better blogger and let everyone that is interested know how my first week goes. Oh and by the way we LOVE the city..so nice to be back in the USA!

Goodbye St. Maarten, Hello Manhattan

This is for my reader Patti:

Today is the last day in St. Maarten. We have zillions of bags, not to mention the 30lb dog crate that holds our 90lb Rottweiler. Talk about the Griswalds move to the City! I wish I could say that I'm sad right now, but honestly I am just so excited to be in a new place, back with my husband, moving forward through these final 2 years of medical school. Can't believe that this part is over. No more lecture halls. No more sitting on my ass all day. No more waiting in the bank line for 2 hours. No more walks on the beach with my dog. No more shelf milk!

I will miss my friends for sure. The good thing is that most of us will be in New York so our goodbye's are only for a few months. It's strange though. I hate saying goodbye. Even to those people that you don't know well, but spent the last 20 grueling months with. You see them everyday because we all live the same life down here. I decided not to say goodbye to a lot of people..instead I left them by saying, "see you at graduation".

I took the simulated USMLE full 8 hour, 350 question exam yesterday. I passed thank God. I have a lot of work to do still until I take the real thing in May, but at least that is all I have to focus on now with some occasional walks in Central Park and of course the shopping...oh the shopping I can't wait!

Thank you for being patient with my posts..or lack thereof. My free time is scarce and honestly since Ry has been away I didn't want to write for fear of sounding so sad and lonely, which I was. But now we are back together, my little family. We thank everyone that visited and everyone that prayed for us while we have been down here on this little speck in the ocean. We thank God for blessing our life in so many different ways including finding a seller for our jeep in the most perfect timing (today!). We love you all and will talk to you when we arrive in NY.

Now we close this chapter, and open the next. Goodbye St. Maarten.

All I Want For Christmas Is To Sleep

So here I am. I know some of you were wondering being that I haven't spoken to many people, including my husband, in the last 3 weeks. It was strange. 4th semester started off so briskly with a few tests here and there but nothing too crazy. Then we went to New York and upon returning was swept into a tornado of craziness. I seriously have been studying until at least 11pm each night since my last post. But now..its over. I made it out alive once again. And now I only have 1 more semester on the island. It sounds too good to be true right now. Not sure it will set in until we are unloading all our stuff and our dog into a New York apt come next April. We can't wait.

Since I last wrote we celebrated Thanksgiving. Not on Thanksgiving of course (b/c there is no such holiday here and I had a test) but the following Saturday. It was wonderful. We shipped a Honey Baked Ham and Turkey and enjoyed every last bite. We had a few friends over who each brought something. I'll attach pics of that night. Besides that, all I've done is study and all Ryan has done is watch me study and count down until our cruise. Oh yes..our cruise. It is finally here. We booked it back in 2006 and now it has arrived with more anticipation then we expected. Very much needed I might add. We leave this Saturday and come back on Dec 23rd. We are stopping in St. Maarten where we have arranged a bus to drive all 20 of us around. It will definitely be a sight. Especially since we will probably be wearing Stam Clan hawaiian shirts (right Allan!). Then we are in Scottsdale until Dec 30 then off to Vegas for New Years. We will be back on the rock Jan 2. This trip is going to be the best...I am so excited about it.

Meanwhile Bentley will be tending to the house and making sure the plants are watered and the lizards are caught! She wanted me to wish everyone a good time this Christmas and let you all know that she expects more people to visit when we live in New York!

New York For Good!

So last weekend we re-visited New York to look around and decide if we wanted to live there next year. Well we have officially decided to do my clinical rotations (46 weeks) in New York! We are so excited and can't wait till next April when we will move. We aren't sure where exactly we will be, but we love the upper west side. We stayed at Brad's apt again and Allison and her bf Aaron came with us. The four of us had the best time. The temperature was quite different, but a nice change. We even got to go ice skating in Central Park! It was only the 2nd time I've ever gone and I thought it was great! I think Bentley will like it there to. She will fit in better with the Manhattan dogs more than the island strays. We are hoping she will make some friends!

It is so strange that Christmas is almost here. Ryan put up the lights today and it makes us both so happy because it means we are going on a cruise soon and coming home. Even though Thursday is Thanksgiving, I have a test on Friday so we are doing Thanksgiving on Saturday. We orded a turkey and ham from Honey Baked Ham. They swear it is to arrive on Wed. We are praying it does..otherwise it looks like ribs and plantains for turkey day! JK..we are having 13 or so people total over to our house again so we are excited about that. Wish my mom and sisters could come like last year, but no such luck this year. We only have 3 1/2 weeks of school left. I almost can't believe it. I have 3 tests this week and 1 every week until finals. Its gonna go fast though because I'll be so busy. I even get some free time on the island until we leave for Miami because I finish on Dec 12 and we don't leave till Dec 15th. That will be nice.

I officially gave over my reign as AMSA President this week. We had elections and interviewed 5 different candidates. I'm actually quite relieved to be done. I will free up some time for me. Alright we are off to dinner.

Foster

Brittany, Bentley, and I were taking a leisurely walk last night when all of a sudden Bentley became enraged with a nearby bush. Normally, this means one of two things. One: another dog has peed in Bentley’s bush or two: the bush has done a very very bad thing and Bentley must conquer it. Needless to say I wasn’t paying much attention and I started pulling her away to defend the innocent bush. The bush was fine but I started noticing a very strange noise coming from it (The Bush). I came to realize that the bush was actually growling at Bentley. So, the bush wasn’t so innocent after all. I tried to investigate but Bentley was not having any of it so Brit went in to take a look. Lo and behold, out pops a pup. She was very sweet and loved giving Brit kisses. She even started giving Bentley some licks after a couple of hours. I ran to the store to buy puppy chow and to start figuring out how to get rid of it while Brit started in on the pup’s spa treatment. You see no dog can come into Bentley’s house without smelling nice.

I took Foster (The Pup) to the vet and she seems to have a clean bill of health. The vet mentioned that they had no pups in their adoption center and she would probably go within a week. Its funny how you can do a good thing and still actually feel like crap. That’s how I felt as I walked to my car without the newfound pup Foster.

On the brighter side, Bentley also got to go to the vet and she has lost 10 pounds. That’s right, 10 pounds. Thanks, in no small part to Brit’s Boot Camp. Now who thinks Bentley’s the fat kid in class? Not me, no sir. Also, Bentley realized something coming home from the vet; that being an only canine is a very good thing. You don’t have to compete for attention, share the bed with another dog, or get bit in the behind every time you go for a walk. When I got home from work and my restless night with Foster barking, Bentley ran up to make sure nothing little was following me. Yup, she knows she’s got the good life.

My Heart Broke Today

So for awhile now God has put the need on my heart to call Phyllis. For those of you who don't know, Phyllis is my hospice patient that I spent every Sunday with for 1 1/2 years. She was the inspiration for my medical school essay and also the women who taught me how to cook. She is suffering from COPD along with diabetes. I called her today and could barely hear her as she answered the phone. I knew something was wrong right away. She said she fell last week in the bathroom and spent 1 week in the inpatient ward of the hospice. Basically they don't take you there until you are within 7 days of your death. I know that because I volunteered there and watched those who died be replaced by new ones every week. Fortunately she is back home now. Unfortunately she is alone, on a Sunday, the day that we spent together. My heart literally dropped as she said, "I think I'm dying. I feel like its going to be that time soon." What should I say? Aren't I going to be a Dr.?? Why didn't I have anything to say except that Bentley and I missed her and wished we were there? She said, " Would you make me some bread if you were here?" I told her of course I would..I always did. At that point I had to get off the phone before I became the weak one. Before I let her know that I was worried. I told her I would call at then end of the week to check on her. She said I made her day, and that she thinks of me often. I got off the phone.

I feel so hopeless..I am the one who was there to take care of her every Sunday. Today no one was there for her. No family, no friends, no one. My heart feels heavy at the thought of losing her.

Electricity

Have you ever felt abused by the electricity company? This month we felt a gash in our sides (and our wallets) when we received our bill. Let me preface this story with the fact that we only run 1 AC, which is in our bedroom, from approx. 5pm-6:30am. We are good about keeping lights off, and we run our fans throughout the house always (if we didn't we would be nothing more than piles of sticky sweat on the tile floor). Well our bill was $400 this month. I can barely type the total I am so flabbergasted. How can this be possible you ask? I wish I knew. It's unbelievable how one month it is $150 then it doubles and now this. I can't wait until "winter". So the next time you receive an expensive bill..remember us. We are surely paying more than you and are not half as cool as you in your central AC home! Ok I'm done ranting. As my dad would say "it is what it is".

Our friends Gina and Max came in on a Royal Caribbean cruise yesterday. We picked them up and took them to lunch, to see my school, and then back to our house. It was so fun seeing them and hearing about cruise life. We get so excited when new people come to the island. It makes us appreciate the paradise we live in. Despite how expensive it can be!

This weekend I am studying for pathology. Our test isn't for 2 more weeks, but its 8 weeks worth of information! I figured I'd get started. Oh and we have started a Friday tradition at Mullet Beach. Ryan plays on a v-ball team and Allison and I play paddleball. We have so much fun. Bentley usually comes and plays in the water. She is becoming quite the swimmer! Alright well I better stop writing..Ry says not to get too over zealous about my comeback to the blog. I shouldn't get everybody's hopes up that I will write every week. Which is true...but I'm trying!