Well, Now I Want to be a Pediatrician!

Great. Just great! What am I going to do when the time comes for me to choose an area of medicine to practice? I'm not like some other students....who go into med school knowing EXACTLY what they want to become (know-it-alls!!!). I'm one of those students who likes EVERYTHING they try. In fact, ask either of my parents and they will tell you that once I start something I like, my undiagnosed OCD kicks in and I will keep doing it until the next activity comes along.

Case in point: Pediatrics. I LOVED IT! Despite the fact that I battled a bout of bronchitis, a raging sore throat, and croup for 3 out of the 4 weeks I was in peds, I STILL loved it. Working with kids was awesome! And cute. Even while they coughed in my face with runny green snot coming out their nose, they were cute.

So here is the battle playing out in my head...

I have loved both OB/Gyn AND Pediatrics. I thought I would love Psych.....but I psyched myself out of that one with my stint in Corpus Christi. Even though I'm not in this whole thing for the money, it DOES sort of play a role in the decision making process....just being honest. If you take two things you love, why not choose the one that sets you up better in the future? But then think of lifestyle.....and this is where the battle comes for me......because I think more about the LIFESTYLE than I have ever thought about the money I could make. Do you choose the mega salary that takes you away from your family? Or do you sacrifice a big chunk of that salary to have a family life too? It seems like an easy answer to me. I would choose my family every single time. (Hi Mom!!!!) But then why does everyone always say, "Don't do pediatrics!" I don't get it. The doctors I worked with only worked 4 out of 5 days....and they only had call time (from home) maybe 3 days a month. Sounds like a pretty good lifestyle to me.

Can anyone shed some light on this? Honest, I think I could make a pretty good pediatrician....

7 Year Old Sings The National Anthem

What amazing talent!!! And just like my Aunt Bobbie mentioned when she sent this video to me, someone needs to teach these basketball players some "Anthem Etiquette"...

Psychiatry Case Study

A 62 year old female is being treated in a psych ward. She has been there for the past 6 months. You get called on a consult to come visit with her.

DOCTOR: Hello, Miss ______. Tell me how you are feeling today.

PATIENT: I am feeling great. Just fine. No problems.

DOCTOR: What is going on in your head today?

PATIENT: Nothing at all. I am feeling great. Just fine. No problems.

DOCTOR: I hear you told the nurse you were going on a trip.

PATIENT: Oh, yes. We are going to Africa. On a safari. We are leaving soon.

DOCTOR: Oh, really?

PATIENT: Yes. To Africa. I have a flight soon.

DOCTOR: I see. I also hear you think you are pregnant.

PATIENT: Yes. (*Patient frowns) I'm afraid so. Dr. ____ told me I was.

DOCTOR: Well, how old are you? Do you think you are pregnant at that age?

PATIENT: I'm 62. My sister had her baby at 67.

DOCTOR: Really? Are you having any symptoms of being pregnant?

PATIENT: Oh yes. (*Sick face) I have been feeling sick in the morning. And I can feel the baby.

DOCTOR: Are you going to follow through with the pregnancy?

PATIENT: Oh yes. I have had 2 miscarriages. That is too sad.

DOCTOR: So let me get this straight. You are 62. You feel you are pregnant. And, you are going on a trip to Africa???

PATIENT: Yes.

DOCTOR: Okay. So, who is the father of the baby?

PATIENT: (*Starts rambling) I don't know who the father is. I was raped. I was raped by 17 men. They raped me. It was very sad. Very traumatic. But they were all killed. You see, I was in the Marines. And they didn't want those men to do that again. So, they killed them all. Shot every single one of them. It was bad. I am going on a trip to Africa. I leave soon. And I am pregnant.

DOCTOR: You were in the Marines?

PATIENT: Yes.

DOCTOR: When?

PATIENT: 4 months ago.

DOCTOR: I see. Well, lets plan to talk again tomorrow. Okay?

PATIENT: Sure. Bye doc!


What's your diagnosis????????





SCHIZOPHRENIA. This patient was displaying delusional thoughts, disorganized thinking and speech, and had a history of hallucinations. She was matter-of-fact about her answers...saying she had been in the Marines 4 months ago, had been raped by 17 men and was pregnant, and was planning a trip to Africa. It was reality to her. However, she had been in a locked facility the whole time. None of her stories had actually happened.

Interesting, huh???? Want to know a secret?????

This is one of my patients today!!! Yep. Very interesting!!! We'll see what happens tomorrow!

Can I get an AMEN???

My day thus far:

8:07am - Wake up. Shower in freezing water. Get ready.

9:20am - Leave nasty apartment. Go to Starbucks. Pay too much for iced tea. Attempt to read a psychiatry book.

10:20am - Leave Starbucks. Drive 25 miles to go to church.

10:45am - Arrive at church to find sign on door saying church is being held at location near apartment where you started.

10:46am - Drive to the other church being held at the location near the apartment where you started.

11:05am - Arrive at new church location. Find no cars in the parking lot and a closed sign on the door.

11:06am - Call home. Come up with funny jokes about not being able to attend church this morning. Laugh on the outside. Mutter profanities on the inside.

11:08am - Decide to go to boyfriend's church, located 3 miles from apartment.

11:10am - Show up at new church. Find the congregation leaving. Learn that their service was at 10:00am.

11:12am - Go explore. See huge sign for Old Navy but drive around for 27 minutes before locating it.

12:47pm - Get back to nasty apartment. Mingle with roommates until they leave to study. Don't study. Watch TV instead.

2:27pm - Get bored watching "America's Next Top Model". Write this blog.

2:28pm - Hope that people laugh.

I'm Here!

Well, I made it to Corpus Christi and I'm not quite sure what I think of it so far.

After a 3 day trip, including a stop in Wichita to see my boyfriend, Brandon, a HORRIBLE route through Dallas/Ft. Worth traffic during rush hour, and a stay at a Days Inn that reminded me of a Hitchcock movie, I finally made it to Corpus Christi today at 11:45am. I had looked up the free student apartment on the internet before getting here....and I learned a very valuable lesson today. Don't believe what you see on the internet!

When I got in, I had been instructed to go to the hospital (across the street) to pick up the apartment key from security. They had no record of me staying in the apartment...and wouldn't give me the key. Finally I talked the security guard into calling the "after hours" number to get information. I had contacted the medical education office 3 times before arriving...making sure I was on the list for the free housing. I was told that I had a spot at the apartment, no problem. He finally gave me the key...but I sort of wish that they would have had to put me up in a hotel instead!!! I walked into an apartment which can only be best described as the sort of apartment you might find a college football player living in...smelly and dirty with old Goodwill mismatched furniture. The 2 students (who are sharing the free apartment with me) were very nice...but they have their dirty dishes all over and I'm not planning on cleaning up after them. Boys. We'll see how it goes!

I don't begin until 7:30am on Tuesday...and I have been told by many people that this is a great rotation and everyone is very excited to teach. So, hopefully I will learn a lot. The only problem is finding things to do until then!!!

Can you believe there is NO PANERA and NO QUIK TRIPS here??? Not only that, but the other coffee shops around (IE Starbucks) don't even offer free internet. The only way I finally figured out for connecting to the internet was to use the phone line and use a dial up connection. Slow, but working okay so far.

I did find a Jamba Juice. In fact, that is what I enjoyed as my lunch today. That might be the best part of my experience so far. Oh, I was also just invited to a BBQ that another student is hosting. Apparently there are about 20 Texas students here...and only 1 of me. I'm not a big fan of uncomfortable situations....and I sort of feel like I have been thrown into the middle of one. Again, we'll see how it goes!!!

I will keep you all updated!!!
Wish me luck!!!

What is a D.O.?

Here is a quick little video that describes the difference between an M.D. and a D.O. It is kind of cheesy....but it gets the point across well. Enjoy!!!

OB Update

I got pee'd on by a newborn baby boy today. I delivered the little rascal, cute as can be, and when I was clamping the cord for the dad to cut, the little guy sent a stream right at me! It was a "Rite of Passage" so to say...and we sure had a good laugh at it afterwards. (He pee'd on his mom too...right after he had gotten all cleaned up!!! HAHA!)

I also delivered another baby girl today. She was a cutie too. The new, proud parents were so overwhelmed with happiness...it was just so fun to play an important role in the event!

I have been so pleased with this rotation.....and it definitely puts OB at the top of my "list" at this point. I only have one more week....but am so glad to know that I will be back in November doing another OB rotation.

Next week, I head to Corpus Christi, TX for my psych rotation. I will keep everyone posted!

Hurricane Waves

Well, I heard from my family this morning and afternoon and they are all safe and doing well. The storm started hitting in the middle of the night....with heavy winds and rain. I am just glad that the eye of the hurricane was about 100 miles south of Grand Cayman. I can't imagine what it would have been like, or how I would have felt being back home, if they had been in the way of a direct hit.

When they woke up this morning, there were some trees down around the property. They were not able to get away from the condos...as the curfew had not been lifted yet. They noticed the waves were getting really big....and coming all the way up to the retaining wall that surrounds the condos.

This afternoon, they said the waves were even bigger....crashing up and over the 4 foot retaining wall. For Grand Cayman, and particularly 7 Mile Beach where they are staying, these waves are HUGE!

Here is a video I found on YouTube that shows some of the waves in Grand Cayman today, flooding up and onto the street.



Thank you all for the thoughts and prayers!

And, check out KCCI News Channel 8 for the story on my family!

Hurricane Update

Well, now it looks like the eye of the hurricane is going to pass just south of the Cayman Islands. It has been wobbling back and forth between north and south....so I guess I'm not quite convinced that my family is out of the woods yet.

My whole entire family has been scuba diving in the Cayman Islands for the past couple of weeks. Grandfather, aunts, uncles, cousins, parents, and sisters. Not me. =(

Anyways, when Hurricane Dean took shape and they knew they were in the path of the storm, everyone started trying to find earlier flights off the island. Everyone except my immediate family was able to get off the island safely. My parents and two sisters are now stuck on the island until Friday. They were supposed to come home tomorrow.

The hurricane is going to be around Cayman sometime in the middle of the night tonight. They have gotten some good "hurricane advice" from a family friend, who also happens to be a retired colonel from the Navy Seals, and they are prepared for the worst. They have stocked up on fresh water, have cooked the food they have, and have supplies like candles and flashlights ready. They have all of their bags packed in case of a quick evacuation. My family knows that the weather may get pretty scary tonight...but I am praying for their safety.

I will probably lose contact with my family for the next couple of days. We aren't quite sure yet when the power will be shut down on the island....

Please keep my family in your prayers!!!

And, watch KCCI News Channel 8 tonight at 10:00pm!!! They interviewed my family by phone today!

Hurricane Dean