Memorial Day Weekend

Before I kicked off the extended weekend I officially ended my Third Year of Medical School!! Time flies. Basically I completed all my "core rotations" and just have electives and a whole bunch of rural medicine left to rotate in for the next 11 months. Setting these up have been time consuming, but I've put a lot of thought into where I want to go and presenting myself to the top Residency programs.

To celebrate Billy took me out to dinner then drinks with friends....lots of drinks according to Billy's tab! The following day we spruced up the garden and filled it with flowers for the new season. Sunday was a day of rest and sleeping in and more celebrating with friends- by the way Billy's good friend is related to the guy who invited the pap smear- so now I have a new friend! Again during "girl talk" I was shocked that grown women have no idea when they are fertile...just remember day 14 +/- 2 days if you're regular. Anyways, then Monday was filled with shopping and movies. Billy spoiled me with his time which I soak up happily.

So now I'm officially on my "summer" vacation before I start my 4th year. I've only been off 2 days and I'm bored...the house is clean, my errands are done, Billy is out of town and I'm lonely. I'm not used to having so much time on my hands. Tomorrow I'm heading to Greenville for a few days then my special trip to Mexico next week with Billy. Yep, he finally gave in and picked a romantic place for our summer vacation...I'm happy, very happy.

Hysterectomy anyone?

This morning I fought off the other student (did I mention there was a "mix up" and i'm having to share my rotation with a PA student?? its awful...i don't have time for his stupid remarks- i don't think my attending cares for him...i've done almost 15 deliveries and the other guy 1- i'm a gunner).. so this am I got to assist on the TAH BS&O on a 31 y/o female with "severe" endometriosis.....it was shocking...in the next few years i'll be that age and i've got endometriosis...and yes its bothersome, but a hysterectomy at our age?? I felt so old because i'm hitting that age in which its an option and women take it. i remind myself that she is 31- older than me, she's had 4 kids, a single parent, on bipolar meds and now under my scalpel- ok i just cut sutures but its a very important job!! I guess it is an option for her, just not for me.... its still a million dollar question if i'm gonna ever bear my own children, so far i've avoided any psyche drug, and i am happily single...well technically not single but i love billy and his support and he's stuck with me so far...the patient and i are basically opposites but we're both diseased. her pain was "so bad a 10 on a scale 1-10" that i expected a mess of a belly but nope...practically clean of disease...i did see a few speckles here and there...they teach us the amount of disease does not correlate with pain....anyways, i'm thankful that i privately have something in common with these patients and remind myself just because its not right for me, doesn't mean its not right for them. i will probably struggle that my patients aren't badasses and won't "suck it up" but remember they are my patients and i'm their doctor- i have to offer them everything..so far i've been sympathetic but i'm so afraid of losing that patience.....

Am I Pregnant?

In real life the answer is no, but in my dreams yes. For the past two weeks I have been on my obgyn rotation and EVERYNIGHT i dream about pregnancy. Its getting ridiculous actually. I dream that I'm in a doctors waiting room with a bulging belly, or I dream about running and being pregnant, just all sorts of stuff. Yes, all day long I'm around pregnant women. In fact, i feel OLD around these pregnant women...technically speaking I could be a grandma down here in LaGrange. All these girls are so young and they ALL ask if i've had any kids..ugh no, my ovary and uterus are jacked up, i've got another year of medical school and then residency, i'm not married (which means nothing down here), and yes i'm way old enough.

As far as memories of this rotation so far; last night my attending walked in and I was gowned up holding the placenta and the baby was already under the warmer- yep, doc you were late, but i was there! Technically I should be proctored but the baby was coming NOW! I delivered a baby on both the mom and dads birthday...so now all three of them have the same birthday. I'm still a little uncertain when I'm sewing up an episostomy- it all looks like stretched out vagina to me, what exactly am I lining up??? for sure don't leave me alone for that. In just 2 weeks I've done over 10 vaginal deliveries myself and assisted on c-sections as well as gyno surgery. I love my attending, I work my butt off for him, but he treats me good in exchange. For example, I rounded on all 12 patients before him this early Saturday morning so basically all he had to do was sign my charts....so next delivery is all mine!!

Boards, Step 2

Today is Cinco de Mayo and I could definitely use a drink. My day started off taking Step 2 of my medical licensing boards. 400 long questions and my brain is strained. I planned on treating myself to a shopping spree afterwards but I was too exhausted. basically i mustered up enough energy to do a load of laundry and hit the gym for an hour. Overall I've been keeping up with my work out regimen with studying but its time to hit the weights full force again, summer is around the corner.

As far as boards go, they are so frustrating. There is a plethora of information to study. The questions can be so vague, "pt presents with abdominal pain, what is wrong with her" i need labs, i need imaging, i would get that in the real world. Another essential part of boards is the food packing. You are basically committed to a computer room with an occassional break and you need some grub close by. My routine is; baked cheetos, sandwich, oranges, sweet tea, water, twik. Its a random assortment but those are my board food cravings and you just have to give into them.

I feel relieved having boards behind me, of course i'm not stress free until i get my score...please god let me have passed...at times i worry about this...i'll get a question or two in a row and have no idea what the heck they are asking so i guess, i guess a lot and you just never know. additionally it helped i knew a lot of obgyn b/c 30% of the test was gyno related. anyways, i'm test free for a LONG time (2 years!!) and am in desperate need of a vacation....still trying to come up with something.