Quick update of sorts

Another 6 weeks down. I finished learning about Vag and preggos (Ob-Gyn) and now moving on to the ankle biters (Pediatrics). I keep telling myself "It's almost over" but somehow, it never is. Another 6 weeks of peds rotation - at least it's not as intensive as the others.

My Ob-Gyn attending gave me a very good evaluation despite what I thought. And of course, lots of good pearls of wisdom:
1. Never stop reading - suck the marrow from the bones of knowledge
2. You're a professional - Do what you're supposed to do (or have a really good excuse for not doing so).
3. Learn to walk on your own - it makes you a competent doctor and a better person.
4. Question everything - just because somebody says so, doesn't mean they're right.
5. Guidelines are exactly what they are - guidelines...and may not apply to some people. So learn them well first before you deviate from the standard.

Lots of good stuff, but quite hard to follow. Especially if you're the type of person who loves to nap. But I'm quite thankful that I had this rotation with him and of course, I will do my best to follow his advice.

Other things on the burner:
1. Updating CV
2. Letters of Recommendations - I need at least 3.
3. 4th year elective rotations - I have 3 definite ones. 4 if you count my subinternship for surgery, but I'm seriously thinking about switching that one. I've settled on what I want to do, finally. Internal Medicine - GI.
4. Step 2 Board exam - I'm slowly studying for it. Slowly. D-day: Aug. 23rd.

Oh, I had a nightmare last night. It was about the Ex. I was in the Labor and Delivery suite, in the middle of assisting a delivery when I got a phone call from her. She told me the reason why she broke up with me was that she got pregnant and had to abort the fetus, but couldn't tell me the truth at the time. Then she put me on hold - "Eye of the Tiger" was the hold song. Then I woke up. Really creeped the hell out of me.

So, I will be starting Peds ER tomorrow. Wish me luck.

Song of the day: "Again And Again" - The Bird And The Bee

This music video is INSANE!!!

How sweet it is

Let's take a break from all the belly-aching and concentrate more on the good things, shall we?

Case in point: Momma Compton.
Who, you ask? Well, Momma Compton is Susan Compton, mother of my friend and fellow med student, Jon (check out his Etsy webpage here), and official winner of the 2010 Pillsbury Bake-off. Not only did Momma Compton get the honor of winning the competition with her amazing Mini Ice Cream Cookie Cups, she was also featured in the Oprah Winfrey Show and was awarded a 1 million dollar cash prize! You heard right. A cool mil for her sweet, hard work.
Just goes to show that good things do happen to good people.

Big congrats to you, Momma Compton. You deserve it!

Song of the day: "If I had a $1,000,000" - Barenaked Ladies

You knew it was coming!

A hint of truth?

I'm on nights now for Ob-Gyn. It's been very quiet. Lots of laboring moms, but sadly no babies to deliver yet. My attending tonight is a nice hipster doctor who has a very tongue-in-cheek personality with the wit to match.
So here she was tonight, looking mighty green in the face (she's blaming her husband for catching this stomach bug of hers, since he had it this past Friday and was also violently ill for 24 hours), and about a dash away from tossing her cookies. Amidst bouts of nausea, her husband calls to check up on her. Slightly miffed and in no mood to talk, she kindly dismisses him...understandable, coming from a person who's getting ready to yak. She says, "I love that man, but he sure does have shitty timing."
Then she turns to me and asks, "Are you married/ have a girlfriend?"
Of course, I give my polite and customary "No," to which she responds, "Good. Keep it that way."
So like a good medical student, I ask why, feeling that this is a set-up to a punchline.
As soon as I finished my question, a stream of curses fly out from one of the laboring mothers' rooms, to which my attending woefully answered: "Because women are insane." Then she got quiet for a second and said "But men are stupid, so in the end it's all perfect."

Fair enough.

Song of the day: "Me and Mrs. Jones" - Billy Paul

Musical theme

OK, I realized today that I have a crapload of articles to read (and I don't mean Maxim or GQ), but I had to post this one before it disappears from my mind forever.

So it seems that I've had this theme going on about songs that evoke unpleasant memories of late.  Well, today, on my way to work, I got WXPN blaring on the radio and Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings were being featured on the show.  For those of you who don't know SJ/DK and are fans of just good ol' stick-to-your-ribs kick ass music, she and her band are a must-check-out for all y'all. I made a link for those interested. Anyways, her new album is out and I heard lots of high praises about it, so this might very well be my next online purchase.  Tonight, as I head to the library for some more late night studying, SJ/DK were once again, the topic of conversation on another radio station.  So far so good.  Then they play one of the songs from her new album, and that just made my whole night completely.  Not only was it just a solid song with amazing vocals and the musical chops to match, but the message is just so blatantly clear and solid, it was like a good slap in the face that just brings you back to your senses.  After a few weeks of being in a funk and being reminded of the Ex by any little ol' ditty, I think Sharon's song helped snap me out of it all.

So to Sharon and the band, wherever you folks are, thank you.  God bless.

Song of the day: "Better Things" - Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings


That's right.  I see you bobbin' and bouncing to this song. G'head witcha bad self.

Post call

Remember when I was bitching about how I wanted to spite the Ex because I got to thinking about her just recently?
Well, it's still in the works...
It's just that more crap keeps coming up that specifically reminds me of her.
Case in point, this song by Irving Berlin...
This morning, my Attending was post call (been up 24+ hours) and was working @ the clinic with me.  Apparently he is given to acting goofy when he's been up for a whole day/all hopped up on coffee.  While he was working on a patient's chart, he started whistling this song.  Normally, I don't care if people whistled while they worked (my dad does it all the time), but why this song? Why this specific one???

So what makes this song so irritating to me, you ask? Apart from it's devilishly catchy melody, this was the song the Ex sang in a musical revue about Irving Berlin...where She met Him...where She lost Me...and the rest, as they say, is history...

Anyhoo, gritting my teeth, I excused myself from the office and wandered about in the lobby full of patients until I simmered down and had given more than ample time for my attending to finish his performance piece.  In the end, he did make me laugh tho by randomly singing this Dunkin' Donuts jingle, in a baritone voice and with oompa loompa choreography.

That's all I got for now.

Song of the day: "Hannah" - Freelance Whales

In spite of you

I found a new study nook. Jersey Java and Tea. I'd put the link up, but the site is not ready yet.

JJT has really good green tea, awesomely large windows, good ambient light, tasty almond biscotti, and comfy leather chairs and tables. Oh, and free Wi-Fi (a definite must). And the satellite radio it pipes in plays really choice tunage (an added bonus). Opens @ 6a, Closes @ 9p. Sweet.

So while busying myself with a few chapters on the luvly subject of gynecology, a song came up on the speakers by a singer/songwriter whom I really dig, Teitur.
Then I was reminded of the Ex, because it was Teitur's songs that I closely associated with her.
Then I got to thinking about how in a few days, she had dumped me exactly a year ago, which made me feel sorry for myself.
Then I got really pissed at myself for feeling sorry for myself.
Then I got really really pissed at the song...to the point where I almost walked over to the barista and asked for the song to be changed...but I hesitated, took a sip of tea, ate my biscotti, and listened. Slowly, it just became a song again.
Afterwards, I got to thinking about how it would be nice to spite her. Really Really Nice! To see her all fat and bloated, with her crap-ass boyfriend, cheating on her. To make her realize how good she had it with me, that she didn't know a good thing if it kicked her upside her head with a steel-toed shoe. Because nothing strikes a woman quite as painful as targeting her vanity...that, and a pair of steel-toed shoes for kicking her ass.
I was maniacally laughing, all mad geniusey-like in my head when my phone rudely interrupted me: an email from my lender, giving me an update on my school loans. Needless to say, the spiting of the Ex was immediately put on ice as my jaw dropped precipitously to the floor, shocked to see how much med school is costing me...
The past 2 years, the numbers were in the 5 digit range. But, sure enough, it has officially hit the 6-figure mark. Sticker shock? Abso-fucking-lutely.

So, exactly HOW am I going to spite her now? When? The mountain just gets bigger and bigger. And the summit is still nowhere in sight.

Song of the day: "Sentimental Heart" - She and Him

What I saw today...

1. Me, being a pig in the diner @ 10am, housing down 6 thick pieces of french toast, 2 eggs over medium, and 5 pieces of bacon. I had to celebrate my good fortune of being let out early from AM class ;-)

2. A gargantuan 18-wheeler making a freakin' wide-ass turn onto mid-day traffic, skirting the middle-line divider of a 2 way street, and barely missing my poor, diminutive Honda by a hair with its over-sized chromed fender. Everything was in slo-mo.

3. A heart-broken mother, weeping for her unborn child who is dying inside her, knowing that no medical intervention can save it.

4. A cloudless, sunny afternoon with bursting cherry blossoms waving in the cool breeze.

5. A school library, nearly empty for the holidays, and me getting first pick @ all the empty cubicles! (I'm easy to please)

6. A close friend, visiting, saying good-bye and borrowing a pair of scrubs he'll need for his "medical mission" to Jamaica.

7. A Mel Brooks movie marathon on AMC! SEDAGIVE???

8. A "first look" of a movie I might catch tomorrow after work.

9. Mangoes in the fridge!

10. My bed. (I missed you!)

Some happy, some sad, some scary, some funny, but all in all, a good day.

How was yours?

Song of the day: "Heavenly Day" - Patty Griffin