one of our residents heard this song one day on her way in. we've been singing part of this song every surgery since then (to ward off too much bleeding, of course :)).
it goes:
You cut me open and I
Keep bleeding
Keep, keep bleeding love
I keep bleeding
I keep, keep bleeding love
Keep bleeding
Keep, keep bleeding love
You cut me open
---
btw, my favorite patient is doing just fine. we transferred her from the icu to the regular unit today.
play keep bleeding ringtone here
Friday, February 29, 2008
our class
i was googling a classmate's name and it brought me to these comments by one of our deans just before we began medical school. i just want to post it here so that i'll always remember. iusm will always have a special place in my heart.
WHITE COAT CEREMONY - AUGUST 'O5
Dr. Stephen Leapman's Closing Comments
Ladies and Gentlemen, you may have noted the music that accompanied our entrance into this beautiful auditorium. What you probably don't know is that the composer of this piece is sitting in the audience. He is Benjamin Lippincott and is one of very talented matriculants in the Class of 2009. Thank you Benjamin.
One of greatest joys and privileges I have as chair of the admissions committee is access to the stories that our students tell us regarding their reasons for choosing medicine and sharing their plans for the future. All medical school applicants are required to write personal statements and comments that will convince us why we should admit them to medical school. This past year there were 2,760 such stories shared with us, an increase of 25% over last year. Medical school applications are certainly on the rise.
The stories of the 280 students we matriculated are poignant, contemporary, and in many instances bring tears to my eyes. I see in them, the generous hearts and souls of the physicians of tomorrow, I see bright scientists and humanitarians, inspired by the past but armed with the technology of the future. I see a new physician emerging, one that will be a master over an ever expanding knowledge base but satisfied only if the humanistic approach to medicine is part and parcel of his or her practice.
With your permission I would like to share a few of these stories largely because I think they are representative of this Class of 2009. You have some remarkable people in your class, not just because of their scholastic aptitude but because they are just nice men and woman. Take Elizabeth Hay, a recent graduate from Northwestern University who is an ethicist, a physicist (and guys she understands auto mechanics better than most of us), and was a varsity member of the NW crew team, practicing on the Chicago river or in the basement of some dark forgotten gym before 5:30 every morning for 4 years. She relates the following story about the human touch of medicine:
The summer before my senior year of high school, my step father was diagnosed with a lung cancer. He had less than a year to live, even with the most aggressive treatments. My mother became his primary caregiver, and I gave what support I could. Mostly I just listened. She would often talk about how his doctors actually treated them like human beings with brains, or how some doctors just wanted to hustle them around like children while never explaining what was happening. I listened and I learned something quite unexpected. Above any other consideration that my parents held was that the doctors who gave them straight answers and compassion were the ones they most admired. It was more than ability; it was the ability to take the time and give my stepfather some control over his life and death. I came to understand that doctors are meant to do more than repair broken bodies, they are meant to comfort. My stepfather's death didn't cause me to make some grandiose plans about finding a cure for cancer. I'm not that naïve. What I took away from that hellish year was quieter and more personal. I took away a new resolve that I would be more than a good, competent doctor. I would be a doctor who listened and trusted with mutual respect. Elizabeth Hay will be at our Muncie campus.
Now let me tell you about Daniel Greene. Daniel is a non-traditional student; he's a graduate of Notre Dame University who served with our armed forces in Kuwait during the First Gulf war and later in Bosnia (and we thank you for your unselfish service to this country). He is a licensed EMT and found his way to medicine through the following poignant story. He writes:
I visited a mass grave near Srebrenica, Bosnia. The site was being excavated by the UN and guarded by US forces. The UN archeologist was an Australian professor, who warned us that what we were about to see was not for the faint of heart. Sgt. Alten, our driver, decided to wait in the Hummer. The forest gave way to a large clearing sectioned off with a white tape to make a grid over a large gray hole in the ground. The stench was horrible and stayed with me for weeks. The hole was filled with skeletons of women and children. They had been part of a mass execution during the conflict between the Muslims and the Serbs. In the days following that experience I realized I wanted to devote my life to healing, not destroying; not to tearing apart, but to making whole. Daniel will be at our Indianapolis Campus.
There are other stories that moved me and inspired me; like all the students who are trilingual or bilingual. We have students that are fluent in over 25 languages including Spanish and French, Korean, Ertu, Chinese, Swahili, Hebrew, Russian, Farsi, and one student, Jamin Yoder, who speaks fluent Pennsylvania Dutch. And we have Vera Vavinskiy, who came to the United States only three years ago from Belarus, speaking fluent Russian but no English. In three years she learned English, majored in Computer Science with an almost perfect GPA from IUPUI, applied to and was accepted into the Indiana University School of Medicine. Who says this isn't the land of opportunity and we don't have incredible students.
Take Allison Mayer, perfect GPA from Purdue, a Howard Hughes Scholar who has been pursuing her interests in molecular biology while exploring the effects of different cytokines on the level of BATH, an AP-1 transcription factor in t-lymphocytes. Allison, what does all that mean??
And not every one of you always knew they wanted to be physician. Some of you found this calling but only after looking at many other professions and jobs. Take Samuel Oyer, a very bright young man who started his college career at Washington University in St. Louis but wasn't sure which direction he wanted to head. He took some time off after his freshman year, worked in a cabinet factory learning to relate to people that were not the same as he; then he switched jobs to become an assistant for some moguls in an investment banking and advising firm, people who were really different than he. Realizing he wanted a career requiring plenty of thought and problem solving, but one that resulted in benefit to others, he chose medicine. He speaks fluent computerize.
Our students are incredibly talented, like John Krol, a music major who felt his original calling was to be an operatic singer but soon learned he had different talents as a nursing assistant and chose a path that led him to medicine. We have ball room dancers, flute, trumpet, violin, organ and piano players. This is a widely diverse class; there are African American, Hispanics, Asian, Native Americans, and Caucasians. We have small people and tall people, even a former IU basketball star in the class. Our age range goes from 17 to 44 (in fact, we have 3 matriculants over 40 in the Class of 2009 and an additional 10 who are over 30 something). 56% of you are men and 44% are women. Of the 92 counties in Indiana, 53 are represented in the Class of 2009. Fifteen percent of the Class comes from 18 states across this great nation of ours.
You are incredibly bright with overall GPA's of 3.68 and an average cumulative MCAT of over 29. More importantly, you are all nice, caring, warm people. Stay that way. Medicine needs you.
Ladies and Gentlemen, if medicine is the profession of the heart and the soul of providing service, then this Class rightfully belongs in our profession.
Students: Please rise and face your relatives and friends.
Ladies and Gentlemen: I present to you the Indiana University School of Medicine Class of 2009.
Thank you for joining us today. Please remain seated while the class recesses and then join us for refreshments in the lobby.
WHITE COAT CEREMONY - AUGUST 'O5
Dr. Stephen Leapman's Closing Comments
Ladies and Gentlemen, you may have noted the music that accompanied our entrance into this beautiful auditorium. What you probably don't know is that the composer of this piece is sitting in the audience. He is Benjamin Lippincott and is one of very talented matriculants in the Class of 2009. Thank you Benjamin.
One of greatest joys and privileges I have as chair of the admissions committee is access to the stories that our students tell us regarding their reasons for choosing medicine and sharing their plans for the future. All medical school applicants are required to write personal statements and comments that will convince us why we should admit them to medical school. This past year there were 2,760 such stories shared with us, an increase of 25% over last year. Medical school applications are certainly on the rise.
The stories of the 280 students we matriculated are poignant, contemporary, and in many instances bring tears to my eyes. I see in them, the generous hearts and souls of the physicians of tomorrow, I see bright scientists and humanitarians, inspired by the past but armed with the technology of the future. I see a new physician emerging, one that will be a master over an ever expanding knowledge base but satisfied only if the humanistic approach to medicine is part and parcel of his or her practice.
With your permission I would like to share a few of these stories largely because I think they are representative of this Class of 2009. You have some remarkable people in your class, not just because of their scholastic aptitude but because they are just nice men and woman. Take Elizabeth Hay, a recent graduate from Northwestern University who is an ethicist, a physicist (and guys she understands auto mechanics better than most of us), and was a varsity member of the NW crew team, practicing on the Chicago river or in the basement of some dark forgotten gym before 5:30 every morning for 4 years. She relates the following story about the human touch of medicine:
The summer before my senior year of high school, my step father was diagnosed with a lung cancer. He had less than a year to live, even with the most aggressive treatments. My mother became his primary caregiver, and I gave what support I could. Mostly I just listened. She would often talk about how his doctors actually treated them like human beings with brains, or how some doctors just wanted to hustle them around like children while never explaining what was happening. I listened and I learned something quite unexpected. Above any other consideration that my parents held was that the doctors who gave them straight answers and compassion were the ones they most admired. It was more than ability; it was the ability to take the time and give my stepfather some control over his life and death. I came to understand that doctors are meant to do more than repair broken bodies, they are meant to comfort. My stepfather's death didn't cause me to make some grandiose plans about finding a cure for cancer. I'm not that naïve. What I took away from that hellish year was quieter and more personal. I took away a new resolve that I would be more than a good, competent doctor. I would be a doctor who listened and trusted with mutual respect. Elizabeth Hay will be at our Muncie campus.
Now let me tell you about Daniel Greene. Daniel is a non-traditional student; he's a graduate of Notre Dame University who served with our armed forces in Kuwait during the First Gulf war and later in Bosnia (and we thank you for your unselfish service to this country). He is a licensed EMT and found his way to medicine through the following poignant story. He writes:
I visited a mass grave near Srebrenica, Bosnia. The site was being excavated by the UN and guarded by US forces. The UN archeologist was an Australian professor, who warned us that what we were about to see was not for the faint of heart. Sgt. Alten, our driver, decided to wait in the Hummer. The forest gave way to a large clearing sectioned off with a white tape to make a grid over a large gray hole in the ground. The stench was horrible and stayed with me for weeks. The hole was filled with skeletons of women and children. They had been part of a mass execution during the conflict between the Muslims and the Serbs. In the days following that experience I realized I wanted to devote my life to healing, not destroying; not to tearing apart, but to making whole. Daniel will be at our Indianapolis Campus.
There are other stories that moved me and inspired me; like all the students who are trilingual or bilingual. We have students that are fluent in over 25 languages including Spanish and French, Korean, Ertu, Chinese, Swahili, Hebrew, Russian, Farsi, and one student, Jamin Yoder, who speaks fluent Pennsylvania Dutch. And we have Vera Vavinskiy, who came to the United States only three years ago from Belarus, speaking fluent Russian but no English. In three years she learned English, majored in Computer Science with an almost perfect GPA from IUPUI, applied to and was accepted into the Indiana University School of Medicine. Who says this isn't the land of opportunity and we don't have incredible students.
Take Allison Mayer, perfect GPA from Purdue, a Howard Hughes Scholar who has been pursuing her interests in molecular biology while exploring the effects of different cytokines on the level of BATH, an AP-1 transcription factor in t-lymphocytes. Allison, what does all that mean??
And not every one of you always knew they wanted to be physician. Some of you found this calling but only after looking at many other professions and jobs. Take Samuel Oyer, a very bright young man who started his college career at Washington University in St. Louis but wasn't sure which direction he wanted to head. He took some time off after his freshman year, worked in a cabinet factory learning to relate to people that were not the same as he; then he switched jobs to become an assistant for some moguls in an investment banking and advising firm, people who were really different than he. Realizing he wanted a career requiring plenty of thought and problem solving, but one that resulted in benefit to others, he chose medicine. He speaks fluent computerize.
Our students are incredibly talented, like John Krol, a music major who felt his original calling was to be an operatic singer but soon learned he had different talents as a nursing assistant and chose a path that led him to medicine. We have ball room dancers, flute, trumpet, violin, organ and piano players. This is a widely diverse class; there are African American, Hispanics, Asian, Native Americans, and Caucasians. We have small people and tall people, even a former IU basketball star in the class. Our age range goes from 17 to 44 (in fact, we have 3 matriculants over 40 in the Class of 2009 and an additional 10 who are over 30 something). 56% of you are men and 44% are women. Of the 92 counties in Indiana, 53 are represented in the Class of 2009. Fifteen percent of the Class comes from 18 states across this great nation of ours.
You are incredibly bright with overall GPA's of 3.68 and an average cumulative MCAT of over 29. More importantly, you are all nice, caring, warm people. Stay that way. Medicine needs you.
Ladies and Gentlemen, if medicine is the profession of the heart and the soul of providing service, then this Class rightfully belongs in our profession.
Students: Please rise and face your relatives and friends.
Ladies and Gentlemen: I present to you the Indiana University School of Medicine Class of 2009.
Thank you for joining us today. Please remain seated while the class recesses and then join us for refreshments in the lobby.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
gynormous
we were able to take out the most gynormous pair of ovaries that you can imagine. we also collected 20 liters of fluid from her belly. the badness was just everywhere. we also found possible colon cancer. the general surgeons had to be called in to resect that part. i had to leave for church so i don't know how the additional surgery went. but i hope that she is doing well. i'll be seeing her first thing in the morning. a month ago she was just blissfully going through life when she noticed her leg swelling up. she also complained of tightness in her abdomen. two weeks ago, she got a CT scan and bilateral ovarian masses were seen. she was referred to the clinic and i took her history just last monday. we ordered some labs and her surgery was scheduled soon after we received the results. ovarian cancer typically just sneaks up on you. her long journey of surviving the badness is just beginning.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
love handles
i was studying with a friend and she suddenly commented that i have no "love handles". by genetic luck, most of us filipinas have petite frames prior to bearing a child. americans come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. tomorrow, we are operating on a 300 lb patient. i had an "ally mcbeal moment" looking at her belly when i saw her in clinic the other day :). i thought that i can probably fit in her belly if i assume the fetal position. no, i'm not making fun of her, of course. it's quite sad actually, we're highly suspicious that she has ovarian cancer.
our dining tables at mount holyoke had these tentcards with various facts and figures raising awareness about eating disorders and the ridiculousness of the media's portrayal of a woman's body. naomi wolf's book, the beauty myth, concerning the negative effects of these unrealistic images of beauty on women, just came out the year prior.
i wonder if men care about other men's love handles. i guess i do notice other women's figures sometimes. i wonder how much a woman's self-esteem is related to her weight. for some, it seems that the past history of being overweight still affects their confidence even after they have lost the weight. i try to be vigilant with my girls in sunday school. i want them to love their bodies. one day, one of them was crying because someone called her fat. i had a long talk with her to reassure her that she is beautiful the way she is. i felt obliged though to tell her that pb has a big crush on her. that was probably a mistake on my part. we shouldn't really be defined by how a man sees us but rather how we see ourselves.
our dining tables at mount holyoke had these tentcards with various facts and figures raising awareness about eating disorders and the ridiculousness of the media's portrayal of a woman's body. naomi wolf's book, the beauty myth, concerning the negative effects of these unrealistic images of beauty on women, just came out the year prior.
i wonder if men care about other men's love handles. i guess i do notice other women's figures sometimes. i wonder how much a woman's self-esteem is related to her weight. for some, it seems that the past history of being overweight still affects their confidence even after they have lost the weight. i try to be vigilant with my girls in sunday school. i want them to love their bodies. one day, one of them was crying because someone called her fat. i had a long talk with her to reassure her that she is beautiful the way she is. i felt obliged though to tell her that pb has a big crush on her. that was probably a mistake on my part. we shouldn't really be defined by how a man sees us but rather how we see ourselves.
11 Planets!
What happened to the good old days of 9 planets? And I thought Pluto is no longer considered a planet? A friend was worried that the assignment of astrological "ruling planets" will be messed up if Pluto is no longer there :). And now there are 11 of them! Well, at least we still retain the moniker of being the "third rock".
Monday, February 25, 2008
kumusta ka na?
that tender attachment,
the fondness,
without the expectation of anything
but heartwarming, nonetheless.
the affection freely given with no thoughts of possessing,
but just the gratitude of knowing a beautiful person
knowing you my friends, makes me feel beautiful.
the fondness,
without the expectation of anything
but heartwarming, nonetheless.
the affection freely given with no thoughts of possessing,
but just the gratitude of knowing a beautiful person
knowing you my friends, makes me feel beautiful.
wrong door
coming home after my dentist appointment tonight, i was surprised that my previous parking spot was still empty. hmmm, what are the chances? my new dentist told me that i have an abscess on one of my molars :(. the same one that i just had a crown put on last year. he referred me to an endodontist. so i was thinking maybe i can request a half-day off sometime this week to get my tooth taken care of. so in my usual la-la-la mode, i went up the stairs. my key could not open our door. i tried and tried again. well, the door said "I", but the door seemed bare. i thought we had a ribbon on our door. then, i realized that i must have been in the wrong building! so i got out of there as fast as i could :).
senior photo
we received proofs of our senior photo today. i'll make sure that all of you, my fans, will receive an autographed copy ;). just make sure i have your current mailing addresses.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
london bridge is falling down..
falling down, falling down
london bridge is falling down,
my fair lady.
we got our tickets to london! we decided that we'll skip germany this time and just focus on england and france. i started watching movies set in france. i just saw paris, je t'aime, next are chocolat and before sunset.
now back to my paper on the ethics of artificial insemination for lesbians and the physician's right to conscientious refusal.. and for the record, i sincerely don't have a problem with my lesbian friends availing of artificial insemination. for a long time, i even thought that i, as a single woman would consider it. but i do realize that fathers are essential to daughters. so, i think i will get pregnant, the old-fashioned way ;).
london bridge is falling down,
my fair lady.
we got our tickets to london! we decided that we'll skip germany this time and just focus on england and france. i started watching movies set in france. i just saw paris, je t'aime, next are chocolat and before sunset.
now back to my paper on the ethics of artificial insemination for lesbians and the physician's right to conscientious refusal.. and for the record, i sincerely don't have a problem with my lesbian friends availing of artificial insemination. for a long time, i even thought that i, as a single woman would consider it. but i do realize that fathers are essential to daughters. so, i think i will get pregnant, the old-fashioned way ;).
speed traps
it was soooo ironic.. there i was, in front of the entrance to the indianapolis motor speedway, flashing lights behind me, an officer getting ready to write me a ticket.
i was actually early for church this morning. my car was second to arrive. but soon after, i realized that i had left my choir robe. so after the choir practice, i had to go back to my apartment to get it. on the way back to church, i was clocked going 60 on a 35 mph zone.
that's one thing about moving to a new place. your driving routine gets altered and you have no clue where the cops like to hang out. now, i know :). oh well, as we always say in our family, "charge to experience..". ;)
i was actually early for church this morning. my car was second to arrive. but soon after, i realized that i had left my choir robe. so after the choir practice, i had to go back to my apartment to get it. on the way back to church, i was clocked going 60 on a 35 mph zone.
that's one thing about moving to a new place. your driving routine gets altered and you have no clue where the cops like to hang out. now, i know :). oh well, as we always say in our family, "charge to experience..". ;)
Friday, February 22, 2008
feels like college
a couple of advantages of living across campus: 1) freezing rain, sleet.. no worries about driving. 2) i can come home in the middle of the day, take a 3-hour nap, be back fresh for my overnight call tonight.
so, what's the price of convenience? ummm, just hundreds of dollars that i have not earned ;).
so, what's the price of convenience? ummm, just hundreds of dollars that i have not earned ;).
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
total eclipse of the moon
primetime view from my window as it unfolds! my fave celestial event though seen from my window was the 2001 Leonid meteor shower. i wanted to make a wish for each shooting star but i was so mesmerized that i forgot :).
a room with a view
one goodbye hug for the road and i was off..
i got here to my new place about an hour ago. i wish i can share with you my bedroom view of the indianapolis skyline at night. it is simply gorgeous! my camera doesn't capture night images very well. but i'll point you to this link so you have some idea. yes, indiana have some tall buildings. we're just not about cornfields, you know :).
so, tomorrow i won't have to drive to school. i'll just cross a street and i'm there. i really like these moving experiences. i get to live in different places. i get to know different people. and this time, my roommate has a tibetan dog named pabu. so i'll even have a pet for a month. i already told her that i'll be interested in walking pabu. quite the bonus, huh? :)
i got here to my new place about an hour ago. i wish i can share with you my bedroom view of the indianapolis skyline at night. it is simply gorgeous! my camera doesn't capture night images very well. but i'll point you to this link so you have some idea. yes, indiana have some tall buildings. we're just not about cornfields, you know :).
so, tomorrow i won't have to drive to school. i'll just cross a street and i'm there. i really like these moving experiences. i get to live in different places. i get to know different people. and this time, my roommate has a tibetan dog named pabu. so i'll even have a pet for a month. i already told her that i'll be interested in walking pabu. quite the bonus, huh? :)
Monday, February 18, 2008
messing with me
i'm sitting here in the library seriously listening to our required modules as i google away. i've been kinda thinking of what i'll be doing for dinner tonight. i have some leftover food from a dinner hosted by one of my classmates the other night. i thought i should be ok just heating that up later. then there's this guy who i have met briefly before who stops by and tells me that someone wanted me to have the food that he is carrying. huh? i tried to look where he was pointing. then he tells me that he's just messing with me. now, i'm hungry :).
inside of you
peering inside the human body is both a revelatory and mystifying experience. you marvel as you look at the symphony of the various parts that composes all of us. the actual surgery though is not a spiritual experience for me. it seems that in a period of time, you may forget the sum of all the parts. you focus on the incision, the stitch, the sterile environment. no part of the body becomes sacred anymore. we prod, we poke, we sponge, we cauterize, with the hopes that when we sew the patient up, all may be well.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
favorite smells
the smell of affection that lingers,
the smell of breakfast cooking,
raspberry-scented soaps,
th scent of sampaguita, and lavender, too!
the smell of the earth after a rainstorm,
the clean smell after a shower,
freshly cut grass,
clothes just out of the dryer..
scented candles,
new books,
my grapefruit, jasmine and mango body spray
smell of the ocean,
apples and freshly-baked goodies,
baby's skin..
just some of my favorite smells..
the smell of breakfast cooking,
raspberry-scented soaps,
th scent of sampaguita, and lavender, too!
the smell of the earth after a rainstorm,
the clean smell after a shower,
freshly cut grass,
clothes just out of the dryer..
scented candles,
new books,
my grapefruit, jasmine and mango body spray
smell of the ocean,
apples and freshly-baked goodies,
baby's skin..
just some of my favorite smells..
Thursday, February 14, 2008
heartbeat
for the last three thursday afternoons, i've been working with dr. m. in her women prisoner's clinic. dr. m. is one of my favorite ob/gyns. she's a mother of 4, happily married to another ob/gyn doc. she's very kind and warm-hearted. she is a popular invited speaker on campus. she's always energetic and gives excellent talks on balancing career and family and women's health in general.
so i went and saw our last patient for the day. she's due in the next couple of weeks. today was the third time i was seeing her. i asked the normal stuff we ask, any vaginal bleeding, contractions, leakage of fluid, baby moving ok, etc. then i tried to listen to the baby's heartbeat. i could not hear it. i assured the mom that i'm still learning so it's taking me awhile. dr. m finally walked into the room. she gives it a try and could not find it either. she asked me to get the portable ultrasound. i started to worry a little. but finally, she heard the baby's heartbeat. the baby just had an unusual lie or position.
the prisoner liaison asked me if i am going into OB/Gyn. my honest response was that i do believe that i will eventually get there. i just don't know when exactly :) while walking in between the clinic and the library, i tried to picture myself as an OB/Gyn doc. surprisingly, i do like that picture of me.
so i went and saw our last patient for the day. she's due in the next couple of weeks. today was the third time i was seeing her. i asked the normal stuff we ask, any vaginal bleeding, contractions, leakage of fluid, baby moving ok, etc. then i tried to listen to the baby's heartbeat. i could not hear it. i assured the mom that i'm still learning so it's taking me awhile. dr. m finally walked into the room. she gives it a try and could not find it either. she asked me to get the portable ultrasound. i started to worry a little. but finally, she heard the baby's heartbeat. the baby just had an unusual lie or position.
the prisoner liaison asked me if i am going into OB/Gyn. my honest response was that i do believe that i will eventually get there. i just don't know when exactly :) while walking in between the clinic and the library, i tried to picture myself as an OB/Gyn doc. surprisingly, i do like that picture of me.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
for its own sake
truth...moral...goodness...happiness...health...beauty.
my preceptor had an exhibition of his art pieces the other day. he took up glass-blowing upon his wife's encouragement. in one difficult week at work almost a decade ago, he lost three babies. he needed cheering up.
here's a press picture of a couple of his beautiful creations:
my preceptor had an exhibition of his art pieces the other day. he took up glass-blowing upon his wife's encouragement. in one difficult week at work almost a decade ago, he lost three babies. he needed cheering up.
here's a press picture of a couple of his beautiful creations:
Friday, February 08, 2008
where i live
this is the first of what i presume to be of many places i would live in this year. it's nice to come home to a warm and cozy house. i don't have to wonder whether i can take a hot shower in the morning :). You probably can't read the magnet in the refrigerator. "Kiss the cook.. he's Norwegian!" I thought that was funny since I actually studied Norwegian in college.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
switching
i requested to have our teacher class be this saturday instead of tonight. we are having a bible study anyway at one of the brethren's house then. i'm glad i went home sooner rather than later. i got an email from our ob/gyn intern that we are to prepare a little presentation for our rounds tomorrow morning. (by the way, i just learned today that she switched from family medicine into ob/gyn.) our topic du jour is abnormal uterine bleeding. i'm just glad that i have no problems whatsoever with the monthly flow, otherwise that would be bloody awful :).
the european trip this may is slowly getting planned. i will be spending a few days in london/oxford, a few days in paris and a few days in hamburg. i'm excited to catch up with a couple of cousins, an ex-roommate and church friends.
auf wiedersehen for now!
the european trip this may is slowly getting planned. i will be spending a few days in london/oxford, a few days in paris and a few days in hamburg. i'm excited to catch up with a couple of cousins, an ex-roommate and church friends.
auf wiedersehen for now!
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
indecision
i don't like being indecisive. there was a time that my most disliked phrase was "i don't know". how could you not know? but maybe sometimes we just really don't know.
maritess e-mailed me today. she ended up going into geriatrics. she is now practicing in amarillo, tx. she is strongly discouraging me from going into ob/gyn. she had co-residents in new york who switched from ob/gyn to internal medicine after being sued during their intern year.
on the way home, i picked up some books from a friend who is going into ob/gyn. she seems really passionate about it. that's my only reservation about radiology. i can't really say that i am passionate about it. i guess, i'll just apply. for all i know, i may not even match to a radiology program.
maritess e-mailed me today. she ended up going into geriatrics. she is now practicing in amarillo, tx. she is strongly discouraging me from going into ob/gyn. she had co-residents in new york who switched from ob/gyn to internal medicine after being sued during their intern year.
on the way home, i picked up some books from a friend who is going into ob/gyn. she seems really passionate about it. that's my only reservation about radiology. i can't really say that i am passionate about it. i guess, i'll just apply. for all i know, i may not even match to a radiology program.
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Fat Tuesday
In honor of Fat Tuesday, I have cancelled my gym membership. It only took me 2 years to admit that I'm not just the type who works out ;).
Monday, February 04, 2008
home early
what was an expected 29-hour work day turned to just a 23-hour day. the hours went by pretty quickly with me participating in 3 exhilarating deliveries and performing countless pelvic exams. i was then supposed to be in the OR this morning. but we don't have a surgical gyn case till 10:30 a.m. so my attending just let me go home. sweet! i have gained 6 hours of my life! :)
a bit of news about my housing situation. i have decided not to go back to my house just quite yet. i did find a new roommate. as much as it is absolutely tempting to stay in my current place, i think it would be best if i move on when my month is up. my new roommate who i also found on craigslist is a 4th year medical student. she lives just right across our campus so i can just walk over to the hospitals. she's actually going into OB/Gyn; i am hoping that she can sway me into the field :). the other day, i was talking to my current roommate who is an Internal Medicine intern about career choices. he said that he almost went into OB/Gyn. i told him that I think i'm passionate about women's healthcare. he did make a point that passions can fade. and when the passion is not there anymore, would I really want to be stuck with the long hours?
a bit of news about my housing situation. i have decided not to go back to my house just quite yet. i did find a new roommate. as much as it is absolutely tempting to stay in my current place, i think it would be best if i move on when my month is up. my new roommate who i also found on craigslist is a 4th year medical student. she lives just right across our campus so i can just walk over to the hospitals. she's actually going into OB/Gyn; i am hoping that she can sway me into the field :). the other day, i was talking to my current roommate who is an Internal Medicine intern about career choices. he said that he almost went into OB/Gyn. i told him that I think i'm passionate about women's healthcare. he did make a point that passions can fade. and when the passion is not there anymore, would I really want to be stuck with the long hours?
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