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)

 

I'm a survivor!!!

       I Survived SURGERY!!!!! It turned out to be not nearly as bad as I was thinking it would be. I worked mostly 12s, but I only had to do on call 3 times and I got post call off. The hardest part about the month was the hours. I had to be there by 5am, which meant that I had to wake up at 4. UGH! That also meant that I had to go to bed by 8, which is super hard.  I think I learned a few things while on my rotation as well J.

First and foremost- I learned I do NOT want to do surgery as a career. It’s just not for me. The people aren’t the nicest nor are they the cleanest people in language or morally. AND I just really like having relationships with the patients I work with-which you don’t get in the OR.

                Some fun things I got to see…laproscopic and open appendectomies, tons of cholecystectomies, cataract surgery, thyroidectomy, several exploratory laperotomies, splenectomy, colonoscopies, Upper endoscopy, gastrectomy, gastric bypass. During my on-call nights I saw some stabbings and motorcycle accidents.

Probably the most interesting case was a teenage boy who came in after he dove into a creek that was too shallow. He ended up hitting his head and demolishing his C5 vertebrea. He presented with complete paralysis and it took me a few minutes to realize that it wasn’t just going to be a temporary thing for him. He would forever be paralyzed all because he got drunk (and probably was doing some other good stuff) and made a stupid decision. How quickly life can change! It’s a little crazy and scary to realize that life is so fragile.

Fun stuff-well I didn’t do much this month because I was working 6/7 days and I had to wake up super early, but I did go swimming and on a few walks with dustin and Jessilyn.

I’ve been so blessed. So a while ago my car was leaking oil- and it hasn’t since then. And my computer wasn’t working- the screen would constantly flicker- and now it doesn’t. It’s stuff like that, that I completely forget to be greatful for, but I’m so glad that they aren’t broken.  The Lord is so good to me!  I’m grateful for his presence in my life. I honestly would be so discouraged and lost without him.

Bentonville!!!!

Over Memorial Day weekend I had a surprise week off (my schedule just worked out that way-woot woot) and I decided rather than sit around Roanoke I would go visit Joe and Naomi. I was super hesistant because it's a 16 hour drive (by myself) and besides the time investment, that's a ton of money (that I don't have). Anyway after a ton of debating back and forth- I decided that I would go and I was SOOO glad I went. It was just what I needed for tons of reasons.

Highlights of the trip:

           -Boating: I got up on the wake board.

-Layton: saying his name ‘Layton Jofith Wright’; I would ask him what his favorite color was and he would say…I just love all of them (while doing and Vana White hand action). SO adorable; Probably my favorite moments with him were when we played catch outside in the backyard and he was just chattin with me.

-Singing and dancing in the car and at home to One Directions ‘What makes you beautiful’; it was also great that by the end of the week Layton knew some of the words and would randomly start singing them.

-Joe put on new rotators- or whatever they are called in my car. And my car works so much better now! It's funny how something so small can make such a difference

-Went to the Sam Walton museum and the new American Art Museum (which had amazing . landscaping)

-bonding with Logan; what an adorable little kid. He is mostly happy, unless you don’t feed him soon enough…then he gets pretty upset. I would totally want a baby if I knew he would be as cute as this little guy-and that's saying a lot for me.  (I put the picture above on my desktop and every time I open my computer I smile.) How can you not love that kid???

-I got to read books to Layton and Izzy during quiet time. She even fell asleep on me which was kind of fun.

So that was my trip. It was definitely worth the money and 2 days of driving. Now I’m back and I start my rotation tomorrow in surgery. UGH! I’m hoping it won’t be as bad as everyone is making it out to be. I’ve heard that a lot of my schedule depends on the resident that I get, so I’m crossing my fingers that I get someone that is nice and doesn’t expect me to stay forever and ever if I’m just going to be standing there doing nothing.

As for May, I’ve been doing Orthopedics. It’s been fun- pretty chill and just kind of nice. I got to work with some awesome doctors that let me do tons of knee and shoulder injections. I worked with Dr. Kells who was just a fantastic teacher and so that was pretty awesome. I worked with one Doctor (Mierish) who said- I would hire you in an instant. You just understand things, you want to learn and you are excellent patients. So that was nice to hear.

Highlights

Here are the highlights from my month:

•  Disaster day: My school put on this disaster day so that we could practice our Emergency medicine skills. I was supposed to be a disaster victim, but when I got there bright and early, they said they needed me as a PA-grrr. So I took pictures while I waited an extra hour (that I could have been sleeping). I should have gotten in the picture, but I wasn't dressed up all cool. 

• Conference Weekend: I went down to North Carolina to visit Nate and Kelly. I was reminded of several things- first, I love love love my family. second- I love love love the church. More than anything it was a good reminder of why I'm doing what I'm doing with my life and why I should keep going. All in all- great weekend.

 Above: you can definitely tell I'm their favorite aunt! They look so excited to be with me. As Ruby is trying to get away and lyla looks like I'm pinching her. :) Don't worry though- I really am their favorite aunt.

 Above: I loved this picture of Kelly and Lyla listening to conference.
Right: This is Nate 'pondering' on what the apostles were saying. :) He must have learned it from dad...haha.

 Then one of my friends -caroline dropped off some flowers at my house. It was completely random and it totally made my day.

 So Dustin is like my new BFF (not really but sorta). He goes on walks with me- if you didn't know this about me, walks are one of my favorite things to do. BUT I hate going on walks by myself...so he humors me and we walk and talk and it's just a blast. We decided to go to a concert in the park- in down town roanoke. Brace yourselves...it was pretty intense. :)

Below: yup...all of 4 people listening to this band. Haha. Oh how I love roanoke. And the band...was interesting. I don't know if you can see the lady in the middle- she is wearing a totoo :) and playing a washboard. Not really my style of music, but it was fun to experience something different.

 

 Lastly- I found out that Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital (where I worked this past month) was ranked in the top 25 most beautiful hospitals in the US. I don't really know what they were judging...the outside or inside but I guess that is there one claim to fame. The background is gorgeous and the hospital entrance leads right into a greenbelt walkway around the river. It truly is gorgeous which is why I jog there when I get the chance. Way to go Carilion.