All right, well I've gotten settled in here in Nacogdoches, and even survived 2 weeks in Pediatrics. I know, believe it or not, me with children...it hasn't been as rough as I was expecting. Some of that probably has to do with my awesome preceptor and the great staff here. It's a little clinic with one doc, two nurses, an office manager, and a receptionist. They run quite the operation and we stay moving during the day, but the environment is super relaxed. My preceptor is fun and approachable, so that really eased a lot of my anxiety. But don't get me wrong, we do work around here and I've learned a lot! As for Nac and Lufkin...it's different here than what I'm used to, but that's not particularly a bad thing. The pace is slower, everything is on a smaller scale, and most of the people are really nice. The drives can be kinda pretty, too. The downsides here, I'm living in a hotel (i.e. not seeing my family/husband at all during the week) and driving the wheels off my poor little tank. I've got a few classmates in the area, so we hit the gym or have dinner together...anything to keep me sane! Can you imagine how lonely this would be for 6 weeks all by myself?! No thanks. I've also got some family here, a good friend from high school, and one of my best friends just up the road in Tyler. It's already flying by, and I can hardly believe this is my LAST rotation! And for those of you who have been asking, here is the rundown: rotations wrap up June 21, then I have one class in Galveston until graduation August 17. Yes, GRADUATION. There's a light at the end of the tunnel! Then I'll have a few wrap-up classes in Galveston through October 26. I'll probably take boards sometime in November, and start working...well...who knows when. We aren't there yet ;).
Ryan started a new job up in Keller! I am so happy for him! He started that the same day I started here in Nac, so we have both been adjusting. He really seems to be enjoying it. It's only 5 minutes away from the house, and the best part is that it's back in DFW. We had a goal of being back by the end of the year, and things are shaping up well so far :).
My little sister Aimee graduated Kindergarten! My goodness, she's growing up so fast. They had the cutest little graduation ceremony at school! She is doing so well and we are just so proud of her.
I'll try to get some pics up soon. Hope everyone had a fun, safe Memorial Day!!
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
BABIES!
Lol, no...it's probably not what you are thinking :).
First, I found a baby duck. I know, it was only a matter of time living this close to a pond with so many ducks and with said pond being on my jogging route (no coincidence there!). So I'm out for a usual afternoon jog and notice a group of people huddled around something. I thought they were harassing the ducks, and I was about to get mad. Turns out there was a tiny duckling in the grass. It had been abandoned (or someone dumped it). Poor thing could barely walk and was just shaking because he was so cold. I tried to put him with some other families, but they all ran away from him, and he couldn't follow :(. It was also odd that none of the other ducklings at the pond appeared to be his age. So of course, I took him home. I've had ducklings before, and knew he wouldn't survive the night as he was way too little, plus we had a storm/cold front moving in...there was no way he'd be ok. He was on the verge right then and there. So...as expected, he got fat, happy, and spoiled living here, just like the rest of the crazy family. We called him Goober because, well, it just fit. I made a place for him in the bathroom, and he was quite content. He hated to swim and loved to snuggle. He didn't even go to sleep without a towel to snuggle into. Heaven forbid I forgot his towel at night, he'd chirp and quack until I brought one in. As babies do, he just grew and grew, and outgrew our little habitat for him. It was also quite a task with 4 dogs and 2 cats that would have loved to take a closer look at him! I knew he'd gotten too big for us, plus, my mission was accomplished. He was well nourished and big enough to handle the weather. Now, it was time to find him a home where he could continue to grow. We took him to a wildlife refuge nearby, where they had lots of other ducklings. They said they would integrate him into a little group and let them grow up together. It was sad to see him go, but I know our bathroom isn't a proper duck habitat.
Second, my friend Layla's horse had her baby! The baby is a beautiful Friesian boy they named Otto. And he sure is a little spitfire! Absolutely stunning though. He is doing very well, and already getting into trouble and stealing big-kid food from mom! He will certainly be keeping the Barrington family on their toes. Plus, she has another mare due very soon! Yup, there will soon be 2 foals out there. I put foals on the same level as ducklings on the cuteness scale :).
And lastly, my OBGYN rotation is over. I really enjoyed this rotation all in all. The clinic was fantastic, as were my preceptors. In the end, I helped with delivering 15 babies, plus all the clinic business and procedures in between which kept me plenty of busy. I can definitely see doing this when I graduate. Now, on to pediatrics! Oh geez, wish me luck! But hey, it's my LAST rotation. Hard to believe it, but I graduate in August and take my boards in November. It's gone so quickly, but I can't wait to get back home to DFW!!!
First, I found a baby duck. I know, it was only a matter of time living this close to a pond with so many ducks and with said pond being on my jogging route (no coincidence there!). So I'm out for a usual afternoon jog and notice a group of people huddled around something. I thought they were harassing the ducks, and I was about to get mad. Turns out there was a tiny duckling in the grass. It had been abandoned (or someone dumped it). Poor thing could barely walk and was just shaking because he was so cold. I tried to put him with some other families, but they all ran away from him, and he couldn't follow :(. It was also odd that none of the other ducklings at the pond appeared to be his age. So of course, I took him home. I've had ducklings before, and knew he wouldn't survive the night as he was way too little, plus we had a storm/cold front moving in...there was no way he'd be ok. He was on the verge right then and there. So...as expected, he got fat, happy, and spoiled living here, just like the rest of the crazy family. We called him Goober because, well, it just fit. I made a place for him in the bathroom, and he was quite content. He hated to swim and loved to snuggle. He didn't even go to sleep without a towel to snuggle into. Heaven forbid I forgot his towel at night, he'd chirp and quack until I brought one in. As babies do, he just grew and grew, and outgrew our little habitat for him. It was also quite a task with 4 dogs and 2 cats that would have loved to take a closer look at him! I knew he'd gotten too big for us, plus, my mission was accomplished. He was well nourished and big enough to handle the weather. Now, it was time to find him a home where he could continue to grow. We took him to a wildlife refuge nearby, where they had lots of other ducklings. They said they would integrate him into a little group and let them grow up together. It was sad to see him go, but I know our bathroom isn't a proper duck habitat.
Second, my friend Layla's horse had her baby! The baby is a beautiful Friesian boy they named Otto. And he sure is a little spitfire! Absolutely stunning though. He is doing very well, and already getting into trouble and stealing big-kid food from mom! He will certainly be keeping the Barrington family on their toes. Plus, she has another mare due very soon! Yup, there will soon be 2 foals out there. I put foals on the same level as ducklings on the cuteness scale :).
And lastly, my OBGYN rotation is over. I really enjoyed this rotation all in all. The clinic was fantastic, as were my preceptors. In the end, I helped with delivering 15 babies, plus all the clinic business and procedures in between which kept me plenty of busy. I can definitely see doing this when I graduate. Now, on to pediatrics! Oh geez, wish me luck! But hey, it's my LAST rotation. Hard to believe it, but I graduate in August and take my boards in November. It's gone so quickly, but I can't wait to get back home to DFW!!!
CURVEBALLS 2 AND 3
I assume you read my post a few weeks ago titled "Curveball" regarding the unexpected passing of my grandmother. I guess things good and bad tend to come in three's, so here's the rest of the trio. #2-An aunt of mine (my mother's sister Kathy) passed away of a ruptured aortic aneurysm. My mother's family has a history of high blood pressure, and her grandmother had an aneurysm which never ruptured. My aunt also smoked. Regardless of these factors, nobody (including my aunt) knew she had the aneurysm, so needless to say, her passing was quite unexpected. Please keep our family in your prayers as we cope with yet another loss. #3-Ryan was laid off. This one was really a blessing in disguise as he quickly got another job where hopefully his talents can be utilized more. It's essentially the same position, but he should be able to teach more and really work with the club members more instead of manning a counter for most of the day. And the BEST part...it's back in Fort Worth instead of Houston! That means we are officially working on moving back! I cannot express how happy this makes me. We are so very excited about this.
Now, we also got some very good news from our vet regarding Mav. Late last year, I felt a mass along his ribcage. Being medical-minded, I decided to monitor the mass to see if it was growing, or if it just popped up and would stay the same size. Plus, I knew the first questions the vet would ask are: how long has it been there, is it growing, and is it painful to him. As it turns out, the mass was growing. It wasn't overnight, but I could tell a good difference each month when I measured it. We went to our primary vet here, who was not much help. His suggestion was: remove it or don't. Now, after having worked in oncology and having access to the medical technology I do, I know there are more options than that. I asked for a referral to a veterinary oncologist for a second opinion, and he flipped on me. I essentially bruised his ego, which rendered him useless now. So I attempted to get in with the best oncologist I could find, which proved to be about impossible. They wanted a referral, I couldn't get a referral out of my egotistical ex-vet and no other vet had seen the mass. Besides, I know more about the dog and his current condition than any vet we've ever seen does. And I don't mean that in a rude way, but we have moved around so much, that Mav hasn't seen the same vet more than twice. I have kept detailed records of his visits, can provide vaccination information, and have more info about this mass and its evolution than anyone cares to know. I worked through their referral requirement with my own means. Then, there was scheduling. They aren't open on weekends. They said they could get me in within the week, and couldn't. Any time I called for an appointment, she was either booked up or out of the office. They said they close at 5, but don't take new patients after 2...then it was no new patients after 1. Considering I'd have to leave work, drive 45 minutes home to get Mav, then drive 40 minutes to the vet...this begins to turn into an all day event. Plus, Ryan was reasonably apprehensive to take him in without me. So...we decided to pursue other options. I got a recommendation from my friend Stefanie on a good primary vet in the area. We went in on a Saturday. He examined Mav and even did a needle aspiration on-site with a cytological evaluation. All of this said and done, he was pretty comfortable that the mass was another lipoma (Mav has a few of these already), and we agreed on no further intervention at this time. I will monitor it and make sure Mav isn't inhibited or in pain, and we will just keep a close eye on it/him. That's probably the very best news we could have asked for. :)
Now, we also got some very good news from our vet regarding Mav. Late last year, I felt a mass along his ribcage. Being medical-minded, I decided to monitor the mass to see if it was growing, or if it just popped up and would stay the same size. Plus, I knew the first questions the vet would ask are: how long has it been there, is it growing, and is it painful to him. As it turns out, the mass was growing. It wasn't overnight, but I could tell a good difference each month when I measured it. We went to our primary vet here, who was not much help. His suggestion was: remove it or don't. Now, after having worked in oncology and having access to the medical technology I do, I know there are more options than that. I asked for a referral to a veterinary oncologist for a second opinion, and he flipped on me. I essentially bruised his ego, which rendered him useless now. So I attempted to get in with the best oncologist I could find, which proved to be about impossible. They wanted a referral, I couldn't get a referral out of my egotistical ex-vet and no other vet had seen the mass. Besides, I know more about the dog and his current condition than any vet we've ever seen does. And I don't mean that in a rude way, but we have moved around so much, that Mav hasn't seen the same vet more than twice. I have kept detailed records of his visits, can provide vaccination information, and have more info about this mass and its evolution than anyone cares to know. I worked through their referral requirement with my own means. Then, there was scheduling. They aren't open on weekends. They said they could get me in within the week, and couldn't. Any time I called for an appointment, she was either booked up or out of the office. They said they close at 5, but don't take new patients after 2...then it was no new patients after 1. Considering I'd have to leave work, drive 45 minutes home to get Mav, then drive 40 minutes to the vet...this begins to turn into an all day event. Plus, Ryan was reasonably apprehensive to take him in without me. So...we decided to pursue other options. I got a recommendation from my friend Stefanie on a good primary vet in the area. We went in on a Saturday. He examined Mav and even did a needle aspiration on-site with a cytological evaluation. All of this said and done, he was pretty comfortable that the mass was another lipoma (Mav has a few of these already), and we agreed on no further intervention at this time. I will monitor it and make sure Mav isn't inhibited or in pain, and we will just keep a close eye on it/him. That's probably the very best news we could have asked for. :)
Saturday, April 7, 2012
WEEK ONE: A CONFESSION
The past week felt soooo long. We came back to town last Friday from Grandma's ceremony. I spent Saturday and Sunday attempting to study for my test that the school was kind enough to let me take on Monday. Problem was that I was still stressed with everything else going on (end of rotation, emotion about Grandma, stress of travel, impending Ayachi exam, new rotation to start...you get the picture), so apparently I maintained the attention span of a goldfish. I studied a lot, but I'm not sure it did much good. Monday came, I took my exam, then headed up to my new rotation in OB/GYN. With some decent hours, physical activity (delivering babies can be hard work!), and all the new info, the first week just really did me in. Thank goodness I had good Friday off! I was uber productive on Friday, then spent Saturday attempting to relax. So here's the confession part...I kinda think I love this OB/GYN business...mainly helping deliver babies! It combines the continuity of care and occasional "calmness" of primary care and internal medicine, the occasional spontaneity of ER, and some surgery. The atmosphere is generally light and happy, but of course there are serious times and hard parts, too. I don't know, I just feel right in this specialty. I also love the group I'm working with! So in short, week one was quite demanding on many fronts, but I love my new rotation :)
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
PICTURES!
As promised, here are some of the pics from Jason's birthday party in February...
Aren't we all cute?! This was the mob at our house before we went out.
ROOMIES! <3 I'm not sure why we were laughing so hard...
Me and the hubs
Part of the mob out on the town...can you say TROUBLE?!
Me and Heather
And remember how I told you we put Jason's birthday present in a pinata? Here's the proof and him in action attempting to open it :) Yes, we did this all indoors!
CURVEBALL
We got some unexpected, sad news this past Sunday. We found out that my Grandma Baileys passed away. Yes, she was suffering from dementia, but otherwise was in pretty good condition, especially for 87 years old. The nursing home said that she experienced respiratory distress/failure. A death in the family isn't easy though, whether it's expected or not. This also stirred up emotions since my Grandma Hill passed away just over a year ago. It got really difficult when I had to call the vet on Monday to cancel Mav's appointment with an oncologist because we will be out of town for Grandma's funeral. When Grandma Hill passed away, we were all sad, but also grateful that she wasn't suffering from the cancer any longer. I'm trying to see that side of my Grandma Baileys' passing, too, but it's proving to be more difficult. Please pray for me and for my family during this difficult time.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
A MONTH, REALLY?
Ok, I realize it has been almost a month since I updated this...apparently time kinda got away from me. So here's the short version of what has happened in the last month, in no particular order:
1. I'm back in Houston! My Dallas rotation finished up at the end of February, and Goose, Tig, and I made it back home safely to Houston. We sure miss everyone, but are really happy to be back home. It makes me realize how much Ryan and I both want to move back when I finish school. But with Ryan having a really good job here, it just makes the decision difficult. Please pray that God will make the decision clear for us.
2. Ryan and I celebrated 8 years together! We stayed at the San Luis on Galveston island, got massages, walked on the beach, swam in the hotel's awesome pool, and even made a shopping trip to Murdoch's. It was low key, relaxing, and perfect.
3. I started a new rotation in Internal Medicine with a doc who is into alternative medicine. She has introduced me to medicines and techniques that I haven't been exposed to before, and I must say it can be quite interesting! She is wicked smart and works really hard; I enjoy her passion for what she does and for treating unique cases.
4. I snuck out and had fun...don't tell anyone! lol Ryan, Heather, Jason, and I went out to the rodeo one weekend and saw Luke Bryan in concert. He put on a fantastic show! I do love going to the rodeo :) Believe it or not, this was my and Ryan's first concert together.
5. I'm finally not sick anymore! 7 weeks later, it's about time! I had pharyngitis, and got a week of antibiotics. That didn't work, so they tried "supportive care" with cough suppressants, steroids, and numbing agents for my throat for about a week, and was still sick. Then I had bronchitis and got another 2 weeks of antibiotics. That seemed to work, but 2 days after finishing my antibiotics, I started having coughing fits again. That time, it was my asthma and allergies. So after about 2 weeks of keeping a tight grip on my asthma, I'm about back up to par. It feels good to breathe!
6. We have a busy week coming up. It's the end of my rotation, which is always packed full. I have a test with Dr Ayachi, and you never know what to expect with that guy. I also have a mentor meeting with the class of 2013 since they're about to leave on rotations. Then, Mav has an important vet visit on Thursday. Also, the Shell Houston Open is in town at the end of the week, so Ryan and I will be going to that at least once.
7. New rotation starts Monday and it's OB/GYN with the chief of staff at a big hospital around here. I'm a little anxious (per the usual), but really excited about this one! The idea of delivering babies makes me happy :) I know that sounds odd since I don't like kids. I'm considering working in OB/GYN when I graduate, so I hope this one goes well.
8. I got chased by a dog while out biking one day, and almost used my pepper spray on him. He tried to bite at my feet, so I kicked him. I guess he learned his lesson because he didn't come back. If he had, I was ready to go with my pepper spray! Don't mess with me! The cherry on top was that I (mind you, being color blind) was out looking for my little red tail light in the green grass :/ That fun event was followed up with some patient logging, as you know, my favorite activity (insert sarcasm). That day was a bit rough...
9. In case you hadn't noticed, spring is HERE! Sunny weather (perfect for running and biking), bluebonnets blooming, and more baby ducks at the pond! Daylight savings time is not my favorite event (losing an hour of sleep does NOT sit well with me), but I do enjoy that it's still sunny when I get off work. Bad news is that the mosquitoes are coming...ugh. I plan on enjoying the pretty weather and being outdoors while I can!
Well, I think that about does it! Hopefully it won't be another month before I get back here. I would love to post pics, but Heather still has custody of all the pics from Jason's bday part back in FEBRUARY and she has the pics from the rodeo/concert...so if you want pics posted, go annoy her :) LOVE YOU ROOMIE!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)