GOOD FOOD, GREAT COMPANY

Wow, it's hard to believe that it is already that time of year again. This year has just flown by! And what a crazy year it has been! I am looking forward to sharing the holidays with family this year, and hoping the holidays will be a little easier on us all. Last year about this time is when my Mom's mom (Grandma Hill) passed away from progressing breast cancer. We will always remember her this time of year especially. It's comforting to know she is always with us still, but I'm looking forward to sharing the great memories of her this year instead of the pain we were all going through this time last year.

Thanksgiving was a little more traditional this year than it was last. Last year, I was WAY bogged down with school, so Ryan and I boycotted cooking and went to dinner hosted Moody Gardens. I know...thanksgiving just the two of us and no cooking. See, a bit untraditional! This year, my parents came down with Aimee since I was working again, and we all cooked a nice, big meal here at our house with our roommates. It was perfect! We had awesome food (mainly cooked by Heather...before she broke the disposal. But it's ok, Dad fixed it), the best company anyone could ask for, and the Packers played the Lions that day and won! It was really nice to have a more traditional Thanksgiving with people we love so much. We even squeaked in a little Hibachi on Wednesday :) We all spent Friday recovering and ate leftovers for about a week.

So ER is finally finished. Nights were as difficult as I expected, especially with the rest of our goings-on with Cheeto. This has been the first rotation where I was really looking forward to the end, which I hate to say because every rotation is supposed to have it's good and not-so-good sides, but this one was rough. Note to self: ER full time is not a good option for Lauren.

On a happier note, I am absolutely LOVING orthopedic oncology and surgery. This rotation has been my favorite so far. There is some continuity of care, which we all know I like, but the patients aren't generally needy. They may require more attention because of the unique circumstances at hand, but their attitudes are just so different than in any other field. I get some clinic time, lots of surgery time, and even a little admin time built in. Every patient I see has a unique condition requiring precise, personalized care. All in all, it's a little primary care (continuity of care), a little general surgery (getting to close wounds, excising masses for biopsy), a little oncology, and a little carpentry (essentially building new bones and joints for patients when theirs fail). It's a bit of a boy's sport, as orthopedics generally is, but I've never had a problem with that environment. I actually tend to work better because there are fewer girls, which means it's usually less dramatic and involved. We work hard and work efficiently...no fluff. But they also don't have a problem having a little fun every now and again. This is definitely a field I'll be strongly considering when I graduate.

Also, I was discussing this with one of the working PAs there-she was reminding me that finding a good doctor to work with is a lot like dating. You have to get along-on good days and on bad days. You have to be able to communicate well. You have to work well as a team and be able to back each other up. You just have to mesh well. A bad boss, or one you just don't see eye-to-eye with, can ruin your morale, even if you are doing work you love. Something to consider as I get closer to graduation and start interviewing for jobs. Yup, that's just around the corner, too! :)