Study Tips

I just saw an old friend who had to take a leave of absence last year. I tried to pass on some "study" tips. I really struggle in studying. When PB was here he was asking why he never saw me open a book. Or if he did see me holding one I was fast asleep. It's very hard for me to focus. I have some sort of learning disability :).
But each day, I try to learn something new so I am hoping that I am building up my knowledge base slowly but surely.

So she said she failed the Neuro exam. I told her that I passed just by studying the old exam questions. Not the best way to study probably but I somehow passed. She said she really wants to understand every detail so she is overwhelmed. I've noticed this with some other friends as well. I think it is admirable to want to understand everything but at what point do you let go so you don't get overwhelmed? But I think for some people they just have this baseline anxiousness that they have learned to live with. Maybe it's what drives them to do their best. I told her that I just wanted to get through with the hopes that I will understand the details in the future. She is a very smart woman. She did much better than me in our Master's program. We used to study together and it seemed that I never knew anything. I told her that she just needs to remember that if I somehow made it through she should be able to as well. I wish her the best!

Library

I am here at the library partly by choice, but mostly by necessity :).
You see, it's starting to get cold out here in the American Midwest. We just had our first frost the other day. I still have no heat at the house plus my home computer is dead. So I came here tonight hoping that I can get some work done.
I like this library. It inspires me, challenges me and moves me! And since I just woke up from a 3-hour "nap", apparently, it also rocks me to sleep ;). The library is closing in a few minutes. I did have good intentions but I guess no studying is happening tonight. Until tomorrow then!

Changing Templates

It's about time that I change the color of my blog. Lots of changes happening. Changing hair colors.. changing plans.. changing dreams, just lots of changes. With each change certain things get lost in the wayside. I used to have this counter which tells me how many visitors stop by my blog. But now, it's gone. I guess I could put it back on. But maybe now I can write more freely into the unknown ;).

Meeting His Girlfriend

So a few nights ago, I dreamt that I would see him with his new girlfriend at the library last night. So I went but I didn't see them. Maybe I'll meet her some other time. In my dream, his girlfriend is tall, boyish cut brown hair, pretty, wearing scrubs.

Today I went to get an oil change. Typical me, I was oblivious to my surroundings. As I turned around after paying at the cashier, guess who said hello. Another classmate, a previous rotation partner! Apparently his girlfriend noticed that I was carrying around a review book. Funny that he was also carrying around a review book. Typical med students us hahah. We used to go to the operating room with me complaining that my scrubs are too long. He mentioned that his girlfriend is about my size and she orders her scrubs from a specific place. So I asked her to pass on the information to me. Hopefully, the days of ill-fitting scrubs would be over :).

The Empty Room

The room seems bigger. There's some sense of loss. There's also a bit of freedom regained. No more dinners to come home to. I will have to clean and take out the trash again on my own;). No more worrying when he'll get a job, though. Good luck to my brother as he goes out in the real world!

I finished another rotation. I got 4 social invites from classmates within the last 24 hours. The best time for most of us to get together is right after a rotation. We swap stories, catch up, renew old friendships and nurture new ones.

Losing Stuff

My computer died last night. So I got to thinking whether I own anything that I can't afford to lose. Really, nothing. I came to this country with 2 suitcases. I intend to leave with 2. Probably not with the suitcases I came in with although I still have them. I like change. I will get new suitcases.

A Day at the Museum

Hi Doc!

You probably miss me so I thought I'd stop for a second and share some of my thoughts today..

A man in a wheelchair said hello as the three of us in our white coats walked hurriedly past the hospital entrance. I smiled politely as my classmate said hi back. I thought he was one of his patients. Then he asked me if that was my patient. I looked back and saw the patient looking still as if we had an unfinished conversation. I still could not remember if he was my patient. I ran through our list of 23 patients in my head and then it hit me that he was my patient! As I was busy typing my notes this morning, my resident mentioned that we are discharging him. He was transferred to our service 2 days ago, so before 7 am each morning, I have been waking him up to examine him and ask him how he is doing. He said he didn't feel ready to go this morning so I wasn't expecting that he will be going. I meant to stop by his room and say goodbye but I was rushing to finish my 'history and physical' for a patient we admitted last night. I don't like it when I don't get to say goodbye. I wanted to walk back and wish him well and remind him yet again to quit smoking. But we were late for a lecture so I didn't get a chance to do so. It would have only taken a second to say goodbye this morning. It's taking me minutes now to write about it.. Tomorrow, I will make it a point to say goodbye.