Done done done!

I started my ER rotation this month.  I’m working with Ashley Amos in the Rocky Mount ED and it was a wonderful month.  This was a great final rotation, because it brings together everything I’ve learned and she gave me quite a bit of latitude.Beyond that I got to do a fair amount of procedures- abscess drainage, laceration exploration, and suturing. Woot woot. 

Some cool experiences.....

There was one patient, an older gentleman  who  fell and cut his forehead  which needed stitches. He was a retired preacher in Rocky Mount. He and his wife were so nice. We chatted for a while about religion and being mormon.  When I was cleaning up everything he was so nice and said that when I went back home I would find a nice mormon boy and get married.  I don’t know why it was so flattering, but it was. They also gave me hugs before they left. Haha.

Oh and some 40 yo  opiate and alcohol addict came in to be medically cleared to start rehab.  While I was examining him he looked at me and told me how beautiful I was. Too bad he was totally high, but even still…it was nice. :) thank you drunk, high man! 

And now I'm DONE! I can't believe it. I only have another month of school and then I'll be a full blown PA. Holla!

I'm definitely going to miss this BEAUTIFUL place! This is the view I get when I go on my runs in the morning.  Jealous???

 

 

Troubles with Max

So good ol’ Max had some rough times this month.  

        Starting about a year ago my starter occasionally stops working. It only has happened a handful of times since then, and because I’m a really poor student- I figure that I’ll push it till the VERY end.  During one of those instances- there were a couple of safe and knowledgable looking guys near my car so I asked them if they knew where my starter was located.  I definitely hit the jackpot because one of them knew exactly where it was- he tapped on it…and max started right up. He then showed me right where it was. Ever since then, whenever max won’t start, I know exactly where to tap in order to get him started again.

Well this week…he threw some tantrums -nothing out of the normal, it just so happened that it was at night- and the batteries in my flashlight were out. (I’ve since replaced them). The evening started something like this…I had just finished my 10 hour shift in the ED and was exhausted. My visiting teachee had called and said I could come over, which is a BIG deal (cause no one is ever home and no one EVER calls me back). So I visit taught her and when I came out my car, Max wouldn’t turn over. It was dark outside, but there happened to be a lamppost nearby, so I could see just fine.  Anyway, I tapped the starter and I went on my merry way.

Usually once it happens I’m good for a least the next month, so I was EXTREMELY surprised that when I stopped at the gas station on my way home and he didn't start AGAIN! It was about 9:30 at night and I have no idea why everyone decided to get gas then, but there were cars lined up everywhere to get gas. Of course, right! So I grumble to myself, pop the hood and it just so happens that the way I’m parked blocks all the overhead lighting. So I can’t see anything under the hood. UGH! I get my crowbar out and I start tapping/hitting things in the general vicinity of the starter hoping that out of shear luck I'll hit it. Since my hood doesn’t have one of those sticks to hold itself up and the suspension is out- I have to hold up the hood myself. That usually means that I use one hand to hold the crowbar, one hand for balance and I use my head to prop the hood up (which is pretty heavy-fyi). Anyway, so I put the hood back down and try to start the car- nada! So I do this several times and one of the cars in line (for another pump) is a girl and she leans her head out and asks if I need help. Thinking that I’m going to get it any second I tell her not to worry about it.

After another few times- I started to get frustrated. It has never taken me this long and the pressure is on, since there are all these cars not only watching this crazy girl randomly banging under her hood, but they’re waiting for me to move so they can get gas. Eventually some guy comes over and asks if I need help. I asked if he knew where a starter would be. He just gave me a blank stare- so I had him hold the hood. Finally the guy behind me got out of his car and said- ‘oh, will your car not start?’ SERIOUSLY! You’ve been watching me for the past 10 minutes repeatedly lifting my hood and I’m still parked here after I’ve finished gassing up…It’s a pretty safe bet that my car won’t start! Of course I keep my comments to myself and I smile and say –nope. I forgave him because he had a flashlight that I could use.

Right after he gave me the flash light he followed me to the front of the car, where the other nice gentleman was holding the hood up. They both were looking pretty skeptical of me (holding a flashlight in one hand and a crowbar in the other hand and me in my nice work clothes and scarf). I can almost guarantee that they thought I was crazy, so it was especially vindicating that I spotted the starter right away and tapped it and vuala –Max started. They literally both just stared at me for a while and shook their heads in unison and one of them said-‘I didn’t know you could do that.’

I felt like the ultimate man, but woman! I just wanted to flex and do that manly growling thing-ya know? I didn’t of course, cause that would have been REALLY embarrassing.

Since then he’s been great and we haven’t had any problems. Max I still love you! I'm just so grateful to have a functional car!

The Fall....

July...

My July rotation was Psychiatry. It turned out to be a great month. I realized that my problems are so very small compared to all the trials that other people go through. It also made me EXTREMELY grateful that I have never gotten into drugs. Almost every one of the psych patients had a drug problem. I had a great team to work with. (Dr. Kavuru, Dr. Jen, Dr. Jon, Jacob B-PAS)

Just before I left to go out to Utah I threw a bridal shower for a girl in the ward. I thought I did an impressive job considering how much time I had to plan it and the limited budget that I had. I also thought I did a classy job considering she wanted the theme to be lingerie (which is awkward if you ask me). I decided on a 'bed and breakfast' theme. So we had breakfast- eggs, muffins, & fruit at the creamers house. They have a nice screened in patio. It was the perfect temperature and seemed just the right amount of elegant, but not too fancy. I was so proud of myself that I pulled it off. You know how sometimes you imagine things and they turn out NOTHING like how you envisioned it...I was afraid that would happen but it didn't. Woot!

August....

This rotation was in cardiology. It turned out to be trickier than I thought because I had to be in a different location every day and since I didn't have a car...it proved to be hassle, BUT it all worked out fine. I'm so glad I did a second rotation in cardiology- I feel like I understand things so much better now. And I think I got some good contacts as well...at least that's what I'm hoping.

 I planned to do this rotation in August because I had several family reunions that I wanted to be home for. This was probably one of the best reunions we've had in a while. By that I mean, all the other ones have been fun, but I just felt like this one ran the smoothest. I felt like no one felt over burdened and we just had a fun time being together. I only took a few pictures...so this is not an appropriate representation of the week, but I thought I'd share what I had. (Obviously we are swimming- at 7 peaks)

September....

This month was dermatology up in Logan, Utah with Don and Barb. Besides being a fantastic learning experience it was tons of fun. Probably the best part of the rotation was realizing how much I want to work in a small(er) city where I get to know the patients really well.

I had an absolute blast hanging out with Barb and Don. It was fun to jump into their world for a month and see how fabulous they really are. Aunt Barb was nice playing with me...She would go on walks with me, play duets with me, etc. We went to a play (west side story), we went to the Brigham City Temple open house, and we went out to dinner a ton. 

Mom, Dad and Becca came up for the BYU vs. Utah football game. We had a 'tailgate' BBQ in Barb and Don's bedroom-that's where the flat screen tv was. Too bad BYU offense was TERRIBLE! It ended up being a close game which was fun/only minorly painful to watch till the very end. Aunt Barb is also in to football, so on the weekends we would watch the BYU/USU games. I was shocked that she knew more about football than I did. They kept talking about BYU's quarterback-Riley Nelson, who happened to grow up just down the street from them. So the whole month they talked about how amazing he was, as a football player, but also as a person. By the end I was convinced that I could totally date him :)

We also went to get our nails done and hair cut. More than anything it was just fun to be around Mom and Dad and Barb and Don- they are a fun combination.  

 One more exciting part of the month-is that I learned how to drive a stick. Not that it was by choice, but it turned out better than I thought it would. I only stalled a handful of times, and I didn't ever hit anyone- success. Every day on my route home, there was this giant hill where they were doing construction. Inevitably they would have me stop on the hill, so I would have to rev the engine so that I wouldn't roll into the car behind me. I'm sure all the construction workers were thinking- is she trying to show off her car or what??? The only problem is- that the car I was driving is a total creeper truck...Anyway, so whenever I revved the engine, they'd all look and I would just wave thinking to myself  'don't hit the car behind me, don't hit the car behind me, don't hit the car behind me.' 

 The first weekend I was there, Lindsey Crandall came up. I just love her! We chatted and watched the USU vs. Utah (which USU surprisingly won) and we went on a hike.It was fun to be with her and catch up, although it did make me sad that she is getting married and moving to Oklahoma (hopefully not forever though).

It was also my Mom's birthday at the end of the month. I was able to be home and hang out with her for the day. It was a blast being with my mom. She is such an excellent woman and friend- I'm grateful to have her in my life. I had SO much fun being home, it made me SUPER excited to be much much closer in just a couple of months.

Olympic Awesomeness

I can't believe the Olympics start this week. CRAZY AWESOME!!!!

Well...I feel like this is a very fitting quote for this week....

"In 1968 a marathon runner by the name of John Stephen Akhwari represented Tanzania in an international competition. 'A little over an hour after [the winner] had crossed the finish line, John StephenAkhwari . . . approached the stadium, the last man to complete the journey.[Though suffering from fatigue, leg cramps, dehydration, anddisorientation,] a voice called from within to go on, and so he wenton. Afterwards, it was written, "Today we have seen a young Africanrunner who symbolizes the finest in human spirit, a performance that gives meaning to the word courage." For some, the only reward is a personal one. [There are no medals, only] the knowledge that they finished what they set out to do' (The Last African Runner, Olympiad Series). When asked why he would complete a race he could never win, Akhwari replied, 'My country did not send me 5,000 miles to start the race; my country sent me to finish the race.' "He knew who he was--an athlete representing the country of Tanzania. He knew his purpose--to finish the race. He knew that he had to endure to the finish, so that he could honorably return home to Tanzania. Our mission in life is much the same. We were not sent by Father in Heaven just to be born. We were sent to endure and return to Him with honor." -Sheri Dew

My June Favs

So I think I'm going to start something new....I'm going to put up some of my favorite quotes or thoughts from the past week/month. Ready...set...go!

So this past month I challenged myself (and my RS) to not listen to any music other than church music. It turned out to not be as hard as I thought. At the end of the month- I can't say that something miraculous happened but I did notice that I no longer have a huge desire to listen to the radio. I remember growing up Dad would always call the radio/pop music 'noise' and I find that I actually agree with that assessment. Now I just need to do that with TV, facebook, books...:) Simple-yet profound....

"If you expect glory, intelligence, and endless lives, let the world go." 

Joseph F. Smith

 

I love quotes about who I really am and who I've always been. (Can you tell I just have been reading Sheri Dew's books)

 “Many years ago I heard the story of the son of King Louis XVI of France. King Louis had been taken from his throne and imprisoned. His young son, the prince, was taken by those who dethroned the king. They thought that inasmuch as the king’s son was heir to the throne, if they could destroy him morally, he would never realize the great and grand destiny that life had bestowed upon him.

“They took him to a community far away, and there they exposed the lad to every filthy and vile thing that life could offer. … For over six months he had this treatment—but not once did the young lad buckle under pressure. Finally, after intensive temptation, they questioned him. Why had he not submitted himself to these things—why had he not partaken? These things would provide pleasure, satisfy his lusts, and were desirable; they were all his. The boy said, ‘I cannot do what you ask for I was born to be a king’” (“The King’s Son,” New Era, Nov. 1975, 35).

Bishop Featherstone commented:

“Our Father is a king, and just as the king’s son was exposed to every vile and perverted thing in this life, so you will be exposed to much of the filth and degradation of our generation. But you … are also born to be kings and queens, priests and priestesses” (New Era, Nov. 1975, 35).

One of my roommates in College introduced me to this quote. I like to think of it as my motto in life...

"I won't look back, let up, slow down, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I'm finished and done with low living, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tainted visions, worldly talking, cheap living and dwarfed goals...I don't have to be right, first recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk with patience, am lifted by prayer and labor with power. My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven. My road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my guide is reliable, my mission is clear. I cannot by bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, divided or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won't give up, shut up or let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, and paid up for the cause of Christ. I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me. And when He returns for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me. My banner will be clear."
- quoted by Henry B. Eyring ( I don't know the actual author)