Saturday, May 26, 2007

Fibromyalgia




I have been working very hard to workout at least 5 days/week. Unfortunately, I am having a severe Fibro flare this week and it is knocking me on my a$$. I have to tell you, it is a REALLY bad feeling when the bottoms of your feet hurt to the touch. Not good. That is what Fibromyalgia is. (I am aware that I just ended that sentence with a preposition...so sue me.) If you aren't familiar with FM, check out this segment. I have been really struggling this week to continue my workout schedule. It is nothing big, but I need to keep going. Unfortunately, during times like these, getting out of bed is a huge accomplishment. I usually don't let it ruin me. If I can afford to have the day go to waste...well, then perhaps I will give in. But, I usually feel completely guilty afterward. Either way, typing this is driving me nuts...my hands are hot and swollen. My knuckles are tight. I can't get comfortable. That is probably the thing that makes me the craziest. Good day or bad, I can never get comfortable. There is either too much pressure here or too much pressure there. Really annoying. I try to be super careful when I know I have an exam coming up or something that will require super mind performance and especially when it is timed. I can get so distracted by the discomfort on the best day. I have a high tolerance for pain and am no longer on medication. I am glad of that - most days. I just make quiet accommodations. I don't sit in the middle of a row. I give myself as much moving room as possible. I sit in the front of the class when we are in desks and toward the back on the end of a row when I am in a lecture hall. I am very careful about what I wear to class. Being uncomfortable whether it be my shoes or a belt will ruin my day.

I could go on about this for quite awhile...perhaps convince you to pursue a career in Rheumatology, but my hands are so tight that it is radiating up my arms. I gotta jet. Have a good one!!

TTFN.

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Surgery's not for me

I had the opportunity to shadow a Cardiothoracic Surgeon yesterday and today. I really enjoyed clinic, but got pretty queasy during surgery. I am sure the next time I get to see it I will be much better, but I don't think I am interested in surgery as a specialty. Before this morning, I thought it was definitely and interest of mine. The faces in that room were not exactly pleasant. They didn't look happy. They didn't even appear to be enjoying being there. Hum. There is something wrong with that. The doc I was shadowing was the only one that seemed to be enjoying herself, and she was not exactly happy elsewhere. I liked her. I enjoyed my time shadowing her. She hated clinic. I liked it.

Getting nauseated during the surgery was a bummer. I had wanted to like surgery. I didn't. Unfortunately, I didn't even find it all that interesting. Granted, I left before I could really see anything. I was watching from the observation room as a precaution. I was afraid that I may become ill and I didn't want to embarrass myself. Frankly, the nerves were the worst part. I had never witnessed anything like that before. I am glad that I took the pansy's way out by watching from in there. I got to leave when I became really uncomfortable. Anyway, I am glad that I found out now that surgery was not for me. I was really bummed though...that I wasn't enthralled with it. I thought I would be completely wide-eyed. But I wasn't. Hum. Sad.

Office-based practice here I come! :) This may upset many people. Not me. I learned something about myself. I also learned that just because you are the only female and only D.O. surgeon in the cardiothoracic division of surgery - you don't have to be a b**** to be effective or be taken seriously. She's got my respect and apparently a lot of other people's.

Thursday, May 17, 2007

A short update



I am convinced that no one is reading this anymore, but that is ok. Apparently, it doesn't bother me seeing as though I continue to write. I know my entry the other day wasn't very verbose...hey, I think the 96% on an ANATOMY FINAL speaks volumes by itself! ;) Anyway, I have been a total slug the last day and a half. Yesterday was devoted to sleeping and Facebook. It was so fun! I located a bunch of people that I grew up with and have known for a hundred years...and my cousin who is attending my alma mater. How strange it is to know that the guy whose mother you helped stand after sitting on a curb while she was pregnant with HIM is now in medical school. So cool, yet so weird. His sister, who I have also known forever is divorced (I went to her wedding)...and the youngest of the 3 is 20. Nothing like that to make me feel old. Oh yes..there is...MY cousin is 21. I held her while she was still in the hospital. OMG.

I am feeling old...and scared...and unsure. That's the worst part. Am I SURE about this? I keep trying to talk myself out of it, but I can't. Is that a good sign or a bad one?

I will be shadowing a Cardiothoracic Surgeon (a D.O.!!!) next week. I am excited, but somewhat nervous.

Let's see, grades...I finished the semester with a 3.5. I may have already said that. Oh well, now you know twice. Geez, I just finished last week and I only have one more week of vacation before I return for summer classes. I am going to an open house at another medical school that I am interested in. It is an osteopathic school. I really prefer that philosophy. Would I turn down an allopathic acceptance? Absolutely not. (Seriously, am I crazy???) Obviously, my first choice is to stay right here in town where I can come home to hubby at night and perhaps maintain some semblance of normalcy. But, it is going to take a lot.

What a disjointed post. Ugh.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

96% on my Anatomy final....see ya!!

Wednesday, May 09, 2007

Spring Semester Over.

The semester is over! My Anatomy final was yesterday and I am anxiously awaiting the grade. I need a B to make a B in the class. I felt like I took care of it on the test, but I never can say for sure until the score is posted. The best thing for me to do would be to forget about until Monday and check then, but I am too anxiety-ridden. Other than not knowing about Anatomy, I got 3 A's and 1 B this semester. Overall, I am pleased. Obviously, I would prefer that the B were an A, but I feel like I put forth a great effort and well...

Tuesday, May 01, 2007

Wheeeeee.


I am about an hour from attending my last class of the semester. Thank God. I am really ready for it to be over. Now..it is time for finals. I am gaining weight and I really can't figure out why. I am doing more exercise than I typically do and my body usually does strange things when that happens, but this is really ticking me off. Aside from what the scale says, I feel huge. That is probably worse than the number.

Despite the whole weight thing, I am in a really good mood this morning. I wrote my paper for my Biomedical Research class and registered for a class for the summer. I am dressed and ready for class a full 30 minutes before I need to leave. Wow. That never happens. the sun is shining and I am driving the convertible today. I just have good feelings about today. Don't ask me why...I just do.

I still need to make my train reservations for the OPM (www.oldpremeds.org) conference in June. Last year was so much fun and there are even more of my SDN buddies going this year. I am so excited.

I think I have consumed way too much caffeine lately...I am so jittery. I hope she lets us out of class early today. I have no idea what we have left to cover, but my chem prof used every last minute of our final class yesterday so I am not putting it past the Anatomy one to do the same.

I am gonna jet. The day awaits.