Excitement!!

Okay, so I've been wanting a Garmin running watch with GPS functionality for a long time now. Last time I asked for one was right before PA school started (about 2 years ago) and then came the school-induced hiatus from running. Now that I'm back on track and I have a plan, I've decided to take the leap and make the investment.

I'm so excited! I just ordered my Garmin Forerunner 210. They have a bunch of really neat models, but after doing some research and reading some reviews (namely this one, http://www.dcrainmaker.com forerunner 210 review and this one http://www.dcrainmaker.com forerunner 405 review), I decided that the forerunner 210 more than meets my needs.

Check it out:

If you're at all interested in getting a sports watch for running, check out the links to the reviews I referenced above. They're really thorough and provide all the information you could possible need when deciding on what product to purchase.

You can get the Forerunner 210 with a heart rate monitor and foot pod - i didn't get either one (due to price), but I would really like the foot pod. It's for use when training indoors on a treadmill (yay for training in Midwest winters).

Anyway, I should get my lovely device tomorrow - which means I'll have it when I go to Miami next week. I'm really stoked about this because it means I can run to the marina near my parents' house, and wherever else, without having to map out my route ahead of time to ensure that I cover the correct mileage for my training plan. Sweet freedom!

Another piece of happiness: being back on a training plan means that I get to meet up with my old runner buddies at Lake of the Woods (LOW) this Saturday morning. It'll be like old times (except that Joanna won't be there). This also means that we will definitely be hitting up Panera for post-run sustenance. 

Next Friday I'll be taking exams for the end of my Surgery rotation. Weird, right? It's the end of my 7th rotation out of 9. I'm stressing a lot less because I've realized a few things: 

1) Test day will come. No use freaking out, because that won't postpone the inevitable.

2) I WILL pass my tests - there isn't really any other option for me.

3) I know more than I give myself credit for. Relax and breathe.

4) I will be home in Miami in 8 days. This is what those 4 days will look like for me:

My parents' amazing backyard

Tiki bar @ Islamorada

I hope everyone has a wonderful day and stays positive
-Damaris

Less than 6 months to go... and here's some music!

Can you believe I have less than 6 months until I graduate as a Physician Assistant! Nuts.

We'll be having our program's white coat ceremony and pinning on August 4th, but we recently found out that the school cancelled the August graduation ceremony. So, we'll have to walk in the May ceremony- which is terribly anticlimactic considering we'll still have to do our two month preceptorship before we're actually finished. Oh well. They were going to make us wait until December to walk. But it sucks because a fair few of my classmates have decided that they're not going to walk in the May graduation. :(

Anyway. I just finished my 6th rotation last week. It was internal medicine, which I was lucky enough to do with our local Hospitalist (who is amazing). It was a really great rotation and I feel like I learned a lot. I started rotation 7 this Monday, which is surgery. I've already gotten to see some really interesting procedures - like a loop ileostomy takedown (look it up on youtube). My attending is a firecracker and I really like her. She also listens to really great music in the OR.

Just so you know, I'm currently obsessed with Gotye and Kimbra - they're both musicians from the Australia/New Zealand area. Really great stuff. Here's a video or two... or four ;)

Someone that I used to Know - by Gotye featuring Kimbra

Save Me - by Gotye

Settle Down - by Kimbra (looooove this one!)

Two weeks by The Grizzly Bears/ Head over Heels by Tears for Fear - Mashup of the two by Kimbra

Enjoy!! And I hope everyone is staying warm this winter. I can't wait for warmer weather!!

It's been s while...

Hello friends!!

I've been slacking a bit, but it's not entirely my fault. I swear. My wonderful MacBook took a poop back in January, so I've been using my iPad for everything. Unfortunately, i haven't found a blogger app for the iPad that allows me to upload photos and do other fun stuff. So, I haven't blogged. Lame, but true.

I jut finished another unit of PA school!! It was our endocrine and OB/GYN unit. Lots of baby stuff and thyroid stuff. Very interesting, but I'll tell you honestly. I've never seen anything more disturbing than live, vaginal childbirth. Ugh. One the other hand, I don't think anything has made me smile quite like an ultrasound of a 20 week fetus. Absolutely heartwarming. She had the hiccups and you could see her wiggle with each hiccup. It was absolutely thrilling. Almost makes my biological clock start ticking a little louder. And then I remember the video of childbirth and i gag a little bit!

Anyway. It was another long unit and I'm glad it's over. Just one more unit to complete before the year of rotations begins. Right now we're doing seminar week where we get to learn all kinds of cool hands-on stuff. On Friday we learned knot tying, suturing (on pigs feet!), how to start an IV, IM/SubQ injections, NG/OG tubes, and catheters. There's a ton more we'll be learning throughout this week. :)

Next Sunday I'll be boarding a plane to Miami to hang out with my family. I can't wait to see them. I plan to just hang out with them and spend lots of time in my parents' backyard soaking up some sunshine. Can't freaking wait.

I hope everyone is good. :) Till next time!

Can you tell??

Can you tell that I'm lying when I say things like "I love neurology"?

If you can't, then your radar needs to be calibrated. Badly.

We are officially halfway through the first year of PA school. This should be exciting, but for me its just scary. I wonder if I'll ever feel like I have enough knowledge. Its really intimidating to know that I could potentially hurt someone due to lack of knowledge. Eesh. All I can do is continue to prepare.

I'm home this weekend for a quick visit. Its always nice to cuddle with my boys. The three of us napped for a bit before Justin went to work tonight, so now I'm up working on school stuff. Lots to do, as usual. This Thursday night at midnight I'll be watching the newest Harry Potter film with a bunch of my friends from school - we're very excited about this. And soon after that, I'll be home for Thanksgiving. I'm happy that we have a few days off to spend with our families.

Oh - just remembered that I haven't told you the good news. I'll be home in Mattoon for clinical rotations in May!!! I'll be home with my boys again and life will be FANTASTIC!

For your viewing pleasure...

I hope everyone is having a fantastic fall season and getting ready for all of the holidays. Be good!

You might be a PA student IF...

You might be a PA student IF...

1. When drinking, you and your friends think that the increase in your AST/ALT tomorrow is going to be hilarious!
2. You still attempt to explain to your family what's going on in PA school.
3. When you go out with non-medical students, you're abnormally quiet, because you don't know what to talk about besides PA school.
4. You refer to the semesters you took organic chemistry as "The Good Old Days."
5. You've ever heard the phrase "You must be smart, you're in med school!" and wanted to vehemently disagree.
6. You consistently tell people that they just don't understand how bad it really is. (Yes, yes, and yes.)
7. You know that, in theory, you have a family and friends, but you can't place the last time you saw them.
8. You constantly find yourself saying things like "I just have to get to spring break" or "I just have to get through Unit 1."
9. You know countless dirty mnemonics for parts of the body, but couldn't tell anyone what the front-page headline today is.
10. You notice your friends ask you how schools going, then realize they immediately regret it when you actually answer.
11. People assume you know something when you tell them you're in PA school, but you know that you haven't learned anything.
12. You can name 3 specialties you're interested in, then immediately rule two of them out because they don't pay well enough to pay off your debt.
13. You assess beverages for amount of caffeine before buying only those with more caffeine than coffee.
14. You've done physical exams on your roommate, boyfriend, girlfriend, and any close friends.
15. You think "AWESOME!" if someone keels over in front of you.
16. You've thought something like "what's another $10,000 in loans?"

17. You buy shower crayons to draw flow charts and countless medical terminology and lab values in the shower because you feel guilty for taking a 15 minute shower break.
18. You have a new hatred for people who actually go on vacations, or just have a life in general.
19. Going to Wal-Mart is your only social contact of the week (besides others who are in PA school).
20. You are sitting on the toilet calculating your glomerular filtration rate.
21. Staring aimlessly at walls is your idea of an exciting study break.
22. Your tear ducts have become attached to every emotion (laughing, anger, sadness, happiness, etc).
23. You bring up annual rectal exams to all of your family over the age of 50 during family dinners.

One of my classmates posted this on facebook tonight - it's soooooooo true!