Playa and Pina Coladas: Coming Soon

Our virology lecture this morning covered some viruses that are prevalent in the tropics, which led our professor to allow us to peer into his paranoid thought processes. While his wife is always nudging him to spend some time closer to the equator, he has only given in to a vacation in Hawaii in order to escape the pathogens that are waiting at the airport upon your arrival in more undeveloped countries ;)
Apparently he couldn't even enjoy hiking in Hawaii as he noticed all the potential reservoirs of disease in its wildlife and nature - even the pools lying at the steps of stunning waterfalls were just cesspools of disease. I don't know who I feel more sorry for - him, or his wife. I can't see a tropical getaway happening anytime in their future.
The lecture, combined with the gloomy, doom-y weather outside got me thinking about summer and the vacation that we have planned! We'll be traveling to Playa del Carmen, spending several sunny-filled days on the white beaches, frolicking (yes, I like to frolic) about in the turquoise waters of the Caribbean coast. And hopefully returning pathogen-free. Here's a look at the boutique hotel we've booked:

I can almost feel the breeze now... (if Aaron blows on my face softly)

Evacuation

Today was our OMM Midterm covering the hip and sacrum. Blah. I know it's horrible, but I will likely not use OMM (Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine) much in my practice besides the occasional HVLA (popping) and inhibitory pressure. So I get irritated having to spend several hours studying the diagnosis and treatment of a sacral torsion when I could be studying Cardio Phys or Neuro. Personal opinion aside, I was happy to be paired with the hubs for the practical portion of our exam. I palpated and diagnosed his L on R Sacral Torsion and R Upsheared Innominant like a pro. Done with OMM until finals: check!
Since the weather was so nice and we finished early for the day, we rewarded ourselves with a nice long walk along the river. We talked about moving downtown, plans for the summer, and how random it is to be pooped on by a bird (the latter topic arose after a wet bug slapped my face and a moment of disgusted panic ensued). I don't think I've soaked up that much sunshine since...hmmm...before fall semester began. It was glorious! We passed the city construction workers, who, coincidentally, were in the exact same relaxed positions as when we had strolled past in the opposite direction 30 minutes earlier, and headed back into the building. As soon as we stepped in, we were told by a security guard to promptly exit and noticed the fire alarms going off. School was evacuated (including those taking their OMM practical) and a firetruck pulled up front and everything. Sad consensus: it was the most exciting thing to happen to all of us since snowpocalypse. They need to schedule dancing firemen or feed us pixie sticks (crack cocaine for toddlers on Toddlers and Tiaras) or something to pull us out of the zombie-like state we've been stuck in for weeks because it's official: our minds have evacuated the building.

Case of the Mondays

There's nothing worse than beginning the week with an 8:00 am Physiology double-exam covering a good 17 chapters in the book. Well, maybe ending the previous week with a Physiology marathon. Password to unlock the exam: start (security is obviously extremely high on this professor's priority list). 80 questions and one hour later and a huge weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. Not only was I one Phys test down, TWO were now behind me. That is the only positive comment I have to say about the decision to combine those exams.
I skipped the two hours of Clinical Skills lecture and instead worked out and showered (washed that exam right out of my hair). Apparently I missed the horror-fest that was the powerpoint presentation. The majority of the feeds on my facebook were to the effect of "definitely crossed Dermatology off my list" or "Dermo = ewww." And after Clinical Skills Lab this afternoon where we watched the Dermatologist examine the growths and rashes of two very gracious elderly patients for 40 minutes, complete with closeups of said growths via videocamera, I can now officially join the bandwagon. Eww. Gross. Crossed Dermatology off my list. I definitely do not want to spend my days looking at "wisdom spots" (scaly moles!!) and checking out seventy-year-old (or fifty-year-old, or 30-year-old) butts for abnormalities. I thought about posting a mild illustration from this morning's presentation, but I remembered it made medical students gag. You're welcome.
There has been a highlight in this sleep-deprived, wisdom-spotted start to the week: babies! Yesterday one of my classmates brought his absolutely adorable baby girl Hadley to the school to pick up some books and I got to hold the little munchkin and kiss those chubby cheeks! Today, another classmate's wife and son Jai came up to have lunch with him and I got to chat with them for a few minutes. The only one I haven't seen is Mister Jai's girlfriend, Hadley (yes, there are 2 Hadley's! what are the odds?!). Aaron and I may have to wait much longer than we want to have kids of our own, but if I keep getting my baby fixes in then I think I can make it!

Flowers and Dishes and Cupcakes, Oh My!

Last night Aaron and I spent some much needed time with my parents. We both really look up to them and consider them two of our best friends. I think one of the things we've been most grateful for since we started medical school is that they seem to understand more than anyone what we're going through and do anything and everything they can to help us out. For our fellow students, you know that this is PRICELESS. We met them after our Perspectives in Rural Health class ended (that's another blog post in itself) at Macaroni Grill. Yum. Venting, a fresh perspective on things, and some good laughs ensued. Since they had celebrated V-Day with my sister in Fayetteville, we celebrated together last night. Here's a recap of the amazing goodies I unwrapped:

 Flowers from my sweet daddy mixed in with the roses I got from Aaron. I remember every occasion my father has given me flowers, seemingly insignificant and momentous. There's just something about flowers from your daddy that makes a girl feel so special. I revert back to when I was 6 years old and wanted to marry him :)

 Cupcakes from Kupcakes, which I have yet to visit. After last night, it is on my priority to-do-list.

 Too pretty to eat...almost. Is anything ever truly too pretty to eat? And yes, that is glitter (!!!).

 I believe this is the exact expression I make when I am about to devour sugary goodness. Possessed.

 Just as I suspected: delicious!

 I LOVE picture frames! Isn't this just gorgeous? The thickness of the frame is fabulous.

Salad plates and soup bowls of the dinnerware I've been collecting from Dillard's. My set is now complete! Let the dinner parties begin (well, after finals)!

Words of Wisdom: Aaron on Solomon

This week has been rather eventful, but nothing has been particularly exciting except for Valentine's Day. Since Micah described this in detail, I think I will just talk about a few things that have been on my mind.

In preparation for Valentine's Day, I was researching Bible verses about love and marriage. In doing so, I came across one that I have liked for a while: Proverbs 5:18-19

18 Let your fountain be blessed,

And rejoice in the wife of your youth.

19  As a loving hind and a graceful doe,

Let her breasts satisfy you at all times;

Be exhilarated always with her love.

This passage reiterates how a husband should view his wife. She should be exhilarating to you. She should be someone you are excited to spend every day of your life with. I am extremely lucky to have found someone like this. I also like that Solomon described the wife as a doe. Men what do you do with a deer? You hunt it. To more accurately relate this to a woman, you could replace "hunt" with "pursue." Women need to be continually pursued by their mate, and I am ecstatic that I have figured this out. Just doing the little things you used to do while dating make a world of difference in showing your wife that you love her. Finally, I think the most important aspect of this passage is that it  affirms that Solomon was wise-he was a boob man.

4 + 2 = 2 Many Hours of Lecture in 1 Day

The snow may have melted and the roads may be clear so that it may seem as if snowpocalypse had never occurred. We at OSU Medical School, however, have daily reminders in the form of makeup lectures, combined exams, and a completely new schedule. For example, Thursdays and Fridays are usually a brief reprieve in the week. We don't have lecture until 9 AM and our afternoons are not as busy. However, we had a makeup Clinical Epidemiology lecture at 8 AM this morning, followed by our usual three hours of lecture. I protested by pretending to be non-responsive to both the alarm clock and Aaron's nudging me to get up, followed by a series of grunts to any questions until we were in the car. I know it's not Aaron's fault, but since I can't grunt at the evaporated snow, and definitely not at our professor, someone had to be the substitute. In fact, you can say I am even doing Aaron a favor when I behave like this in the mornings; I'm simply preparing him for the future task of getting our teenagers out of bed and ready for school. You're welcome, Aaron, you're welcome.
As an added bonus, we have two additional Virology lectures back-to-back this afternoon (grand total: 3 Virology lectures for the day) in place of our usual Microbiology lab, which I skip because it's not testable (do they really expect me to attend if it's not testable?!). I would get bored after 3 hours of lecture on ANY material. Party-planning, high heels, heck - even three hours of BABY PICTURES would probably do me in. And those of you who know me know how much I adore baby pictures. So while it may be sunny and 70 outside (I wouldn't know since my behind is planted in Dunlap all day), I am still feeling the chill of old man winter. Grunt.

The Most Imperfect, Perfect Valentine's Day

Ah. V-Day. I absolutely abhored it when I was single, and when I was in relationships before meeting the hubs. Now I am one of those girls, who oohs and aahs over flowers, candy, cards, and any previously vomit-inducing declaration of love. I am unapologetic about this 180 degree turn, as should be every woman who has found the man who will treat her like the princess she is and dole out her version of romance not just on February 14th, but often enough to always make her feel like his most prized possession.
[Steps down from soapbox]
That being said, I single-handedly nearly ruined not only Aaron and I's V-Day, but that of my parents and sister as well. And I made it look easy. The first situation was not my fault; I did not schedule an Immunology exam this past Monday. Therefore, it was not my fault that I was extremely anxious and flabbergasted that morning and nearly made us late for the exam - Aaron HATES being late. But my patient man not only gave me flowers while I was rushing around the house, he gave me TWO sets of flowers: beautiful red tulips and a half dozen white roses. And when I yanked open the car door as we flew out the door, I had 2 beautiful gift bags sitting in my seat with the most adorable cross-body purse, a heart-shaped cookie cutter (I love to bake) and my favorite candies (Reese's hearts and raspberry-filled chocolate, anyone?).
With the exam over and both of us having done well, we could finally enjoy the day stress-free....hahahaha. Wouldn't that have been nice? I went home after the exam because we had finished early and the next lecture had been cancelled. I stopped by Merritt's Bakery, got Aaron a cannoli and a chocolate-covered strawberry, and headed home to finish his card and a project I was working on for him. I wrote a list of 25 of the infinite reasons I love him so dearly. I then packed my bag to get ready for our dinner date after Clinical Skills Lab and pranced out the door, feeling accomplished and smug since I was going to pick up burgers from his favorite place for lunch. I slammed the door behind me...and realized I had remembered everything but my keys. That particular door locks automatically when it is shut (that should be illegal!!!). I then had to call my poor hungry husband and explain that we had nowhere to sleep that night because the spare keys were also locked in the house. Long story short, my amazing mother dropped everything and drove an hour each way just to drop off the spare key she had so that we wouldn't be homeless on Valentine's Day. And as soon as she got home, she and my father had to speed to Fayetteville, where they had dinner reservations with my sister. Crisis avoided, narrowly, but I keep everyone on their toes, don't I?
I was so impressed with Aaron because he didn't get upset or sound disappointed throughout my flubs of the day. And when we arrived back at school and went to our carrels, I found one of the sweetest notes he's ever written to me lying on my desk. It was a tear-jerker. We ended up having a lovely dinner with friends, and I received several more presents (I LOVE presents!), but his attitude, actions, and that note just solidified that I picked my perfect forever valentine. Here's hoping I don't set the house on fire next year...

Frozen Pipes and Fluorescent Light

I woke up to the alarm two days ago and headed straight for the bathroom as usual - my bladder is tiny so it's a miracle if I make it to morning without a few trips. In my groggy haze I attempted to turn on the faucet to wash my hands and... nothing happened. I immediately called (shouted) for Aaron, who quickly realized we had forgotten to leave the faucets on a slight drip overnight. Needless to say the negative temperatures combined with the fact that our 1929 house has no insulation ensued in frozen pipes. We called the landlord, who luckily had had the same lapse (and thus couldn't be mad) who advised us to open up the cabinets and leave the water on in hopes that they would thaw during the day. Thankfully, they were running when we came home from school (our water bill is going to be sickeningly high this month).
The situation got me thinking. We were only without running water for less than a day, and it had a huge impact on my morning. The monotonous daily routine filled with activities in which I just go through the motions - showers, brushing my teeth, washing my hands, getting a glass of water - is something that I take for granted. These are all little luxuries (yes, luxuries) with which I'm blessed. Add heat, a roof over my head and a warm bed and I really have it made. Aaron and I are often dreaming of what the future will hold, but events such as this remind me that we're already rich, especially by global standards. It changed my outlook, although inevitably I know the impact won't be as long-lasting as I hope. However, as I sit in my little study carrel under a fluorescent light with a mound of Immunology glaring at me from behind my laptop, I won't throw myself a pity party for being inside on the first sunny, mild day in nearly 2 weeks, studying hours on end while others are enjoying the weekend. I am content and grateful that I have the opportunity to receive such an amazing level of education and that I will be going home to a warm house with a stocked refrigerator and indoor plumbing. There are plenty of warm sunny days left in the year...

(Don't) Let It Snow

We were out of school yet again today because of another round of snow. It would be different if we were in NW Arkansas with plenty of hills for sledding, or in Tahlequah with family to be pulled around behind a truck in a pasture (that's right, it's redneck, but it's one of the most fun things you'll ever experience!). Instead all I do is glance out the window sporadically - wishing it would be miraculously gone, maybe. I am so looking forward to the fifty-degree sunny skies next week promised by the weathermen!
In between Micro lectures I worked on my fantasy career, event planning. I'm hoping to throw my sister a Harry Potter-themed birthday party since the final movie comes out the week of her 23rd - you read right; 23 and Harry Potter. Don't judge if you've never read the books - or if you have. I perused Etsy for inspiration and found some of the cutest ideas for invitations! This was one of my favorites - an invitation delivered via "Owl Post."  Working on projects like these breaks up the monotony of school and gives me something to look forward to. I'm thinking I can get pretty creative with the details on this one...

 

First exam down!

Huge sigh of relief: our first Neuroanatomy exam is over! I was intimidated to begin with, because it's notoriously the most difficult course of medical school (at OSU anyway). Then the snowpocalypse - apparently that is what it has been officially named - upped the ante. Every day I would stress over whether or not we would be having school the next day, and thus whether or not the rescheduled exam would take place. That means I had an entire week to build up anxiety; it turns out I didn't have that much to be anxious over. The exam was fair, and I actually ended up doing a bit better than my goal. There's something about having the first exam of the semester, and the scariest class, out of the way.
After the exam, Aaron and I braved a Walmart trip to stock up in case we have a repeat of last week. And then...I took a 4 hour nap. To some, that may seem daunting; however, I consider napping, and sleeping in general, to be one of my greatest talents. Can I consider it a hobby? I probably would've slept until dinner if Aaron hadn't woken me up for Neuro lab, where we ended up coloring and doing a craft project of sorts. I can't remember the last time I was so excited to see markers - it meant I didn't have to think, which was a saving grace since I'm a zombie after exams anyway. So color I did. It might just make it up on the fridge...after a few additions of some glitter :)

On my playlist right now

I. Love. Music. Classical, Christian, Classic Rock, Indie - there's very few styles I don't like, and my playlists reflect my mood for the day, or for the moment (because it can change in the blink of an eye). I often tell Aaron that someday I'm going to put together a soundtrack to my life. Ben Folds for a bit of nostalgia and high school days, Dave Matthews Band and Coldplay for trips back and forth between Fayetteville and Tahlequah in college, and a select number of songs that had me pressing 'repeat' on iTunes until I either fell asleep or had to part from my headphones for a bit. Almost every song on this master list will probably share a few select characteristics: amazing strings or piano (or a guaranteed spot on the list: strings AND piano), lyrics that make me feel as though it was written just for me, and a melody that so consumes me that I completely lose myself in the song. I just found a new addition to the list: "Manifesto" by The City Harmonic. Check it out and enjoy :)