I couldn't have made this story up if I tried

     I am about to tell a story I already know some people won't believe.  It's okay, if I wasn't there myself, I probably wouldn't have believed it either.  It was one of the most unexpected, serendipitous things that have ever happened to me in my life thus far, and I will never EVER forget it.

     It all happened so quickly.  I was walking to the hospital for a meeting, and in my path, about 50 feet from the hospital entrance, a man shouted for help.  He was supporting his wife, who was standing, obviously pregnant, and grabbing onto a nearby trashcan for support.  

I ran over, and asked, "What's going on?"

The man replied, "I can feel a head!" 

     At this point I'm thinking to myself "Oh $@*&..."  My first thought was that we had to get this lady to Labor and Delivery.  Bystanders are starting to walk up now, asking if I need help, and each time I say, "YES! Go inside and have the front desk CALL L&D! Tell them to get down here NOW!"  I must have sent about 4 different people in to do this.

So I asked her "Do you think you can sit down on this bench?"

"NO!"

"Okay, how many weeks are you, Ma'am?"

"THIRTY EIGHT!!!!!!" 

     So far, all of this has happened in a span of about 30 seconds.  I proceed to put my bag down and roll up the sleeves of my white sweatshirt.  Next, I crouch down near her legs (she is still standing) to see what is going on.  And as soon as I'm in the crouching position - PHOOMP!  The baby is out.  It just falls out!

     The dad and I both reached out and caught that slippery little sucker together.  He lets go, and here I am: holding this little baby with my bare ass hands, bodily fluids every where.  Baby was a bit blue, and wasn't really breathing yet, so I rubbed its belly to imitate the "vigorous stimulation" that I always see the L&D nurses do.  It started crying, and the next thing I thought was "WHY ISN'T ANYONE HERE YET?!"  More people were passing by, asking if we needed help, and I asked them if they had anything to wrap the baby in to keep it warm.  These wonderful passersby didn't hesitate a single second, ripped off their coats, and handed them over for us to swaddle the baby in.  

     Finally, some volunteers came out with a wheelchair.  This poor lady still had her placenta in, cord attached to baby, so we wheeled her in, getting her to the right people and setting to get the care she needed.

     I was only 15 minutes late to my meeting, but for the rest of the day, I couldn't stop worrying about this woman and her baby.  Had I done everything right?  What if mom or baby had a bad outcome?  What could I have done better?  I suppose I didn't really actually do anything except help her get to where she was trying to go.  

     The next day, I went to her room, just to check if everyone turned out OK.  

"I'm not sure if you remember me, but..."

"OH WE REMEMBER YOU.  Thank you so much for your help.  Would you like to hold the baby?"

     Everyone was fine.  They were laughing about the story they have to tell.  And I got to hold that sweet little baby.

* Patient details have been changed or omitted to protect patient privacy

And We're Off!

   Tomorrow is my very first interview for residency.  I was planning on driving straight there in the morning (2 hours WITHOUT traffic), but then I came to my senses, and decided to split a hotel room with J right down the street.  It's much less stressful this way.  

   Waiting for interview invitations has been an emotional roller-coaster.  One minute I'm staying positive, being patient.  Other times I'm on board the panic train, full steam ahead.  Let's just say that interview invitations have been trickling in - but excruciatingly slowly.  I met with my advisor, and even she was surprised about the places I haven't heard from yet.  I think this year is just really competitive, and it doesn't help that 9 people from my school are applying for OB/Gyn, so I'm automatically ranked against them.  Anyway, I think it will all work out in the end.  I keep hearing that invites will continue coming even through December, many of them last minute, so I still have hope.  

   I'm very excited (and really nervous) for my first interview tomorrow.  I hope they like me, and I hope I am able to give a good impression of myself.  As I was driving to the hotel tonight with my favorite girls - Lana Del Rey, Beyonce, Carrie Underwood - I couldn't help but smile.  This whole process is such an adventure, and there's nothing else like it!  I'm really trying to enjoy the whole journey.  I'm sure I'll look back on this one day and laugh.  It's something that we all have to go through to get to the next step in medicine!  Wish me luck!

J looking up jokes in case they ask for one on the interview lol

Rosemary

   There are always patients on a service that the team will deem "crazy."  And this can have many meanings.  Sometimes it means that the patient is difficult to deal with.  Sometimes it means that the patient is a little odd.  And sometimes, it just means the person has a diagnosable mental illness.  For some reason, I tend to gravitate towards these "crazy" patients, and I find myself wanting to interact with them.

   When Rosemary*, an eccentric and talkative woman, was admitted to the Gyn Onc service, she was immediately given this title of "crazy."  When we would come in to round as a team, she would always say off-the-wall comments, all the while with a smirk on her face showing she just wanted to get a laugh out of us.  She even commented once that the cardiologist was no fun, as she had "tried to make him laugh and he didn't even crack a smile."

   She was very sick with interesting medical problems, so I took her on as one the patients I was following.  Every morning as I'd come in to pre-round on her, and we would chat for quite a while.  In fact, I learned to allot like 10-15 extra minutes to spend with her, since she was so chatty.  But I enjoyed it very much, as most of the time she was quite entertaining.  And she often had very insightful wisdom or advice.

   Since she was in the hospital so long with such a complicated course, she began to keep a written log of who she would meet and of the events that happened each day.  Early on in her stay she had me write down my name and title ("medical student", nothing exciting there).  A couple days later, she had one of the fellows write down her name.  So after she had written her name down, the fellow handed me the paper to show me something. It was the same paper I had written my name on a few days prior, and next to my name, Rosemary had penciled in "NICE GAL".

* As always, name and identifying information changed to protect privacy

Happy Medical Monday!

   Hey there! Happy Medical Monday!  If you haven't had a chance yet, make sure you head on over to Your Doctor's Wife for the monthly blog-hop!

   It still hasn't hit me yet.  I finished my Gyn Oncology Sub-I on Friday, and I still can't help but feeling like there is something I'm supposed to be doing.  Overall, it was an insanely busy month, but an awesome month nonetheless.  I actually ended up working way harder and for more hours than I did on SICU! My favorite part: the patients.  I had the privilege of helping take care of some of the most interesting, inspirational women I've met.  Hopefully I'll get a chance to blog in more detail about some of my favorite experiences now that I'm starting a super relaxed month-long elective, Emergency Medicine Ultrasound.  My requirements for this month are to work a total of 16 hours per week... which is what I was working in one day on Gyn Onc.  

   It hasn't quite hit me yet, but I'm officially done with all of my "hard" stuff for this year.  I finished my two hard Sub-I's, SICU and Gyn Onc.  I finished Step 2CK, Step 2CS.  I have asked all my letter of rec writers, and they've said yes.  I'm still working on my personal statement, but I already have a solid draft and a more clear direction about where I'm heading with it now.  So I'm basically just tying up all the loose ends on my residency application (and actually entering it in ERAS).  

   But the one major thing looming over my head that I've had to put on hold for a few months while things have been crazy, is my research project I'm working on for my senior project.  I'm way behind. :(

Also, I recently read an article saying that someone at UCSF was doing the exact same study, so that kinds sucks.  But at least I can have more information heading into my project, I suppose.  

   Well, it's nice to human again after putting everything in my life on hold for a few months.  And I mean everything.  I'm back, y'all!!! :)

Puppy was mad that we left him alone so long...

Back In OB/Gyn Land...

... And loving it!  I'm halfway through my Gyn Onc Sub-I (aka AI/Acting Internship), and I am so glad to be back with my people.  I realized it's been almost a year since I've done any OB/Gyn rotation, so I'm a little rusty on some stuff, but it's all coming back to me.  I never rotated through Gyn Onc as a third year, so a lot of the oncology material is new to me, but that's why I'm really glad I chose this particular Sub-I, because I'm learning a ton.

   I was a little surprised because this Sub-I is actually turning out to be harder than SICU was.  On SICU, the hours were long, but I really didn't have any meaningful responsibility.  And the team really didn't trust medical students, including 4th years, to do anything important.  On Gyn Onc, however, I am the intern's right-hand-woman.  And I absolutely LOVE it!  The team actually trusts me to do important things - I have much more responsibility, but it actually is really nice.  It's nice to actually feel like an integral part of the team, and nice to know that the work you're doing is actually meaningful and making a difference.  So, even though I'm working long hours and taking on a lot more responsibilities, I am really enjoying it.  I feel like these last two weeks have been a preview into intern year, and it's gonna be tough, but I'll get through it, especially if I'm close with the people I'll be working with.  And, just as I expected, I love the people I'm working with.  I'd absolutely love to stay here for residency.

   That said, it makes things a bit more stressful because I'm really trying to impress people.  I don't really think I've been at the top of my game at all times, only because I've been nervous.  Because I actually care what these people think of me, it makes me shy and more introverted than I normally would be.  But my goal for the remaining two weeks of the rotation is to be more confident on rounds and speak up a little more in general.

   As far as the subspecialty of Gyn Oncology, I loooove the patients.  A lot of them are these sweet, sweet old ladies that you just want to give a hug.  And some of them are characters, sassy in their older years, and you know I love characters.  And then there are the grumpy ones, but I even get a kick out of them too.  I mean, they have a right to be grumpy.  They've been through a lot of shit.

   So here goes.  I hope I rock the remaining two weeks of my most important Sub-I.  And two weeks from now, I'm gonna be on ED Ultrasound.  That rotation is super laid back, and you work very minimal hours with a very flexible schedule.  It's going to be AMAZING.  Though, I'll probably have to use that free time for many of the important things I've been putting off, like finishing my personal statement, getting caught up in my research project (I'm really far behind :/), residency applications, sorting out my letters of rec... Ugh it gives me heart burn to think about all of it.  I just haven't had time to work on that stuff. Literally.

Finally!

   I think I finally won over one of my OB/Gyn advisors.  If you recall, many months ago, I met him and had bit of a reality slap, finding out that I had much work to do to make myself a more competitive residency candidate.  Well, a couple of meetings and many months later, I pitched him my research proposal, and he loved it!  He was really impressed with my ideas, and is really excited about them.  I'm actually glad he pushed me to do my own research project, because I am really excited about it now.  I came up with an idea all on my own, and I'm going to see it through, start to finish.  And at the end of fourth year, I'll have created an entire research project on my own!  I'll probably blog more about the details of it later.

   In addition, I'm also working with one of the residents on a separate project, so now I'm working on not one - but TWO - research projects.  Who am I?! I would have never thought I'd be doing this, but I'm enjoying it so far, and I think it will feel really rewarding at the end, when I can say, "I did that!"

   Anyway, it seems like a small thing to get excited about, but I was feeling particularly happy about the fact that I ended up impressing someone who didn't seem to think much of me before.



   In other news, we have one week left of our third year.  One week.  I don't know how it went by so fast, maybe because I was buried in the hospital for a year, but I'm finally almost an MS4.  It's really sad, but I'm actually looking forward to studying for Step 2CK, because it means I can wake up when I want, set my own schedule, not have to worry about impressing anyone, and just do my thang.  This is so the opposite of how I felt after taking Step 1 haha.

I'm Going To Atlanta, Y'all!

   I recently applied to be able to attend this special MSFC Activist Leaders Institute conference.  It's held on a weekend in May, in Atlanta, and if picked to attend, all expenses are paid.  If you know me well, you know how much I love MSFC, and how involved I've been with our school's chapter.  This next year, my hopes are to become more involved on a broader, national level - and I think this conference is the first step in achieving that goal.  Not to mention, I always love learning more about reproductive rights issues, and there is always more to know about ways to advocate for women's health issues.

   Anyway, I was ecstatic to find out yesterday that I got picked!  I am so excited for this opportunity, and I absolutely can't wait!  It's the weekend after I take my Step 2 CK, so I'll be free and ready to mingle with other passionate and intelligent women's health leaders.  Eeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!

   Now enjoy some photos of genital baked goods that appeared at a "genital bake-off" that BF and I held a few months ago...

Uterus cupcake

Vagina cupcake

Uterus ganache made by my friend, E (complete with IUD in place)

Moments Of Gratitude

   I had already planned to write this post, and then I just happened to see Your Doctor's Wife's most recent post.  What a coincidence!  It must be a gratitude-type-of-day!  

   Since I've snapped out of my mental funk I was in a couple months ago, I've gotten back to being mindful and conscientiously appreciative for all of the things in my life.  It's so much easier to be happy when you just take a second and think about all the things you have to be grateful for, especially the simple ones.  I decided to even take it one step further and start a "journal of gratitude", in order to have a chance to really cement some of the things I'm thankful for - and I'll take any chance I can to get crafty/artsy!

   One thing I was reflecting on the other day, that made me smile while thinking of it, was a moment I experienced while on OB/Gyn.  I'm actually surprised I didn't mention it in one of my posts.  I was on a night shift, and I was heading down to the ED with two of the senior residents to see a consult.  I got along really well with both of them, and they really took me under their wing that night.  Anyway, we were walking down one of the various extremely long hallways of the hospital, just chit-chatting, and the chief resident grabs my arm and the other resident's arm.  Next thing you know, all three of us are skipping down the hallway, with our arms linked, giggling at how ridiculous we were being.  It was awesome.  It was just one of those simple, silly moments that just makes you feel warm and fuzzy. 

   Puppy training is going pretty well for the most part.  We have our good moments and our bad ones. Overall, its hard to stay mad at Melvie for too long because he is so damn cute.  Somehow, I seem to love him more and more everyday.  I was feeling all giddy tonight because he fell asleep on me as I was on my laptop on the couch.  It doesn't seem like a big deal, but I was really happy because that is exactly why I wanted to get a dog.  For moments like those.  (And then to make things even cuter, he was pawing my keyboard as I was typing this.  I think he knew I was blogging about him.)

   And on that note, I somehow managed to spill red wine all over my white macbook as I was writing this, lol.  Cheers, and goodnight!

Medical Mondays - Reality Slap

   Time to link up again!  Head over to Your Doctor's Wife if you are on the hunt for more fabulous medical related blogs to read.

   I'm still partially recovering from the reality slap of a meeting I had with my advisor for OBGyn the other day.  I met with him to discuss what kind of candidate I am for applying to OBGyn residency, what I should do to make myself more competitive (especially because I'll be couples-matching), etc.  Unfortunately, I have a lot of work to do.  He said my scores and such are good, however, I am seriously lacking in the extra-curricular/research section of my application.  Compared to my classmates (who over-commit and spread themselves wayyy too thin, in my opinion), I look like a slacker.  Womp womp.  I am just the type of person who is "all or nothing".  If I commit to something, I go full-force, gung-ho.  That's why I don't commit to just anything.
   So, as much as I thought I would never do research in med school, here I am looking for a project.  I have never done research before, so I have no idea where to even start with anything!  I think I've been so hesitant to do any research because I know I'm going to need a lot of hand-holding.  I definitely need to come up with something that really interests me, though.  If I have learned anything about myself, it's that I am capable of really hard work, but only when I'm extremely motivated.

   I also think my advisor is sorta pushing me beyond where I really need to be as a candidate, because I think he wants me to just get in wherever I decide I want to go, easily.  And that's okay.  I need to be pushed sometimes.  We all saw what happened when my advisor pushed me farther than I thought I could go when studying for boards...

I Wanna Go Back To Vagina-Land

   Last week I finished my OB/Gyn rotation, and it was f-ing awesome.  I am so sold.  I love everything about it: the patients, the issues, the treatments, the counseling, the personalities of the physicians, EVERYTHING!  I think I did okay on my exams, so I'm anxious to get my grade.  I worked really hard, and so far it has been paying off in my evaluations, but I hope it also pays off in my exam scores.  Even if I don't honor though, it's not the end of the world, and I'll still get into an OBGyn residency.  And I got a LOT out of this rotation, in terms of both learning and figuring out things for my future.  I'm really sad it's over, and now I've got to try and stay on track for the rest of the year as I make my way through things I don't really like.

   Speaking of which, I started pediatrics this week, and this is going to be a long 8 weeks ahead of me.  I mean, yeah the kids are cute, but I'm not ga-ga over them like a lot of my classmates, and their disease processes and treatments don't really interest me.  Also, I can tell I am going to have a hard time with the personalities in this field.  They are nice people (most of them, anyway), but we just don't... mesh well.  So far, there are a few passive-aggressive personalities, and working with them is going to be a test of my patience because these types of personalities are my pet peeve.  For instance, my attending (who by-the-way, I think already hates me) tried to make a passive aggressive remark on my presentation about my controversial source instead of being direct.  That pisses me off.  If you are an educator, you need to grow some balls/ovaries and tell me what you don't like about it/what I need to fix, or don't say anything at all.  So I totally called her out, and asked if there was something I said wrong - which I didn't - but she thought I did, because she wasn't even listening.  If she would have just corrected me, she would have found out that I actually DID say it right.  Whatever.

  It's already very clear to me that I am not a pediatrician.

Feeling Territorial Over OBGyn

   Wow, I haven't posted for a while!  I've been busy with the gynecology and outpatient clinic part of my OBGyn rotation, but I've been loving every minute of it.  I'm still super jazzed about pursuing OBGyn as my specialty.  I have been working my butt off, and for the first time in a very long time I actually feel like I'm doing a good job.  I've been getting good feedback from people I've been working with, and I just love what I'm doing again.

   One thing that has been irritating the hell out of me is how several people in my class all of a sudden are "interested in OBGyn".  There are a few people that, like me, have been super interested from the start - and I don't mind them at all.  In fact, we often work together and help each other out in our pursuits.  What bothers me is classmates who tell the attendings and residents they are considering OBGyn, but when talking to fellow classmates, admit they have no interest.  Come on people!  Telling people you want to go into a field that you actually don't is not going to help you at all.  And it just makes the residents and attendings not take anyone seriously.  It's extremely frustrating for people like me to witness these interactions, and I've lost respect for a few people because of it.  If people truly are all of a sudden interested in OBGyn, then that's great.  But it's really hard for me to listen to people say they are interested, when their actions and attitudes clearly indicate that they are not.  Also, I realize I am being a brat.  And I think I'm okay with that...

   Funny enough, I was describing my feelings about this matter to BF, and he goes, "Well, that's very OBGyn of you to feel territorial like that."  And then I just laughed.

   Also, here are my latest nails.  And yes, they are a tiny bit unprofessional.



 

 

All My Crafting Is Paying Off

   I've realized surgery (and medical procedures in general) are very much like arts and crafts.  You have to have a lot of concentration, and not get bored with being meticulous with your movements.  I observed a sacrocolpopexy the other day, and I was strangely reminded of some kind of basket weaving or needle work.

   I've also realized that OB/Gyn is all of the good things I liked about surgery (the OR, doing procedures, quick-to-the-point rounds, "fixing" your patient)... but without all of the things I hated about surgery (not liking or not caring about patients' well-being, competitive patriarchal culture, etc).

   This week, I was scrubbed in on a gyn surgery, and the team let me close the skin.  I am always rusty and awkward when I start suturing, but as I move along the incision and relax more, I get smoother and faster.  When I finally finished sewing up this lady's abdomen, the attending came over to check my handy work, and she goes, "Wow! What do you wanna go into? Plastic surgery or something?!"

Me: "No, I wanna go into OB/Gyn!"

Her: "Oh good! You're hired! Your C-section patients will love you!  Just skip 4th year of med school.  You don't learn anything then anyway.  Just start residency now."

   If only they could see my smile and bright red face underneath my mask...

When You Know, You Know!

   Just finished my third night in a row of overnight call for OBgyn, and I'm somehow feeling more refreshed than ever! In the last three nights, I've delivered one baby boy, one baby girl, and a few placentas. One of the new dads had the nurse put a onesie on his newborn that said, "mommy, will you marry daddy?" Another patient came in at term and gave birth within a few hours of arriving, with absolutely no prenatal care and meth positive. I've observed several other births, held a woman's leg while she pushed, and scrubbed in on a salphingostomy for an ectopic pregnancy. I've been working with attendings, residents and nurses who may be tired, but they all love their jobs and are extremely passionate about caring for patients. The residents aren't touchy-feely-bubbly, but they actually acknowledge me, include me and let me do stuff, and teach me when they have time. I've even had two chief residents tell me I'm doing a good job, one of which told me she "has a good feeling about me going into OBgyn." I'm tired, but it's been incredible.
   I don't know how any other specialty is going to live up to this!

   Unfortunately, the one bummer is that I lent my stethoscope to one of the residents, who left it on the table in the work room to give it back to me, and someone took it :(. I mean, I didn't really have a choice - when a resident or attending asks you to borrow your stethoscope, it would be really rude to say no. But it just sucks because it was an expensive one and the resident was super nonchalant about it. I can't really do anything about it because they are evaluating me. Oh well, I have a cheaper back-up one at home. And maybe this is the price I must pay for getting so much action on my call nights.

Placentas Are Like Jellyfish

   Yesterday was my first time assisting in a delivery, but I didn't really do much, so I'm not gonna count that was my first one.  Today I got to deliver my first placenta.  IT WAS AWESOME.  Lol... I don't know who gets excited about delivering a placenta, but I do.  Anyway, I'm still loving OB/Gyn.  I'm working on learning as much as I can so I will be a rockstar intern, working on my confidence in taking H&Ps and treating patients, and trying my hardest to balance being proactive with not getting in the way too much.  All the interns and residents just seem to know what they are doing, and I can't wait until I get to that point.  I think people are beginning to warm up to me :).  It's just hard because when I get intimidated, I get very quiet and shy, so sometimes I come off stand-offish.

   Something I realized about OB/Gyns that makes me giggle is how superstitious they are.  They are always knocking on wood and saying, "Don't jinx me!!!"  I think it's funny.

Is It Normal To Feel High During A NSVD?

   First week of L&D is complete, and I absolutely love it.  The team is pretty nice, but I'm still waiting for a few of them to warm up to me - all in good time.  I absolutely love the patients.  I just being the "go-to girl" for all their "intimate issues".
   Yesterday, I was observing another NSVD (normal spontaneous vaginal delivery), and AGAIN had to keep myself under control to stop myself from crying tears of joy.  I just can't help it!  Everyone in the room is just so different after a birth.  The awaiting family is standing by with their cameras at the ready and ginormous grins on their faces.  The new mom can't take her eyes off her precious new baby, whispering, "I love you so much already" into baby's ear. All the physicians and nurses (even the ones who are usually cold and intense in all other situations), are giddy with excitement and congratulating the new mom on her wonderful job well done.  And last but not least, my very favorite part of all: the new dad is wiping tears of joy from his eyes, kissing mom on the forehead, with a look on his face that screams this is the happiest moment of his life.  This might not sound normal, but I swear, the feeling I get while all of this is going on feels like I'm high on happy drugs.  How could I not love doing this every day?!
   I know, every birth is different.  Each family experiences the important event differently.  And every once in a while, the event is somber or tense.  But if I could just participate in a birth as miraculous as yesterday every once in a while, it would make it all worth it.  I think - I hope - I've found my calling.

Insert HUGE Sigh Of Relief Here

   Had my first day of L&D today.  Was a CRAAAAAAZY day.  And I loved every minute of it!  Again, teared up with joy while watching a vag delivery.  I am breathing a HUGE sigh of relief because I'm feeling those butterflies I haven't felt in so long, and I'm reminded why I went into medicine.  I LOVE OB/GYN!

    More later.  Have to sleep now.

My Surgery Rotation Was Like Menopause

   We had our orientation for OB/Gyn today, and I'm already super excited!  I just love learning about all these things, so it makes it easier to study.  A few friends and I decided that our surgery rotation was just like menopause.  It caused us to have insomnia, irritability, and the pimping gave us sweating and hotflashes.

    Last night, I had some really weird nightmares.  BF thinks it's my delayed processing of being done with my surgery rotation.  First I dreamed that I was in a car accident, and that 30% of my body got burned.  In the dream, I had circumferential burns on my left leg, so I was all scared because I knew I needed an escharotomy STAT (nerd alert!).  Then that dream ended, and my second dream was a lot more disturbing.  I dreamed that I was in high school again, and that someone was trying to push me into a big boiling vat of chemicals to burn me alive (yeah, I don't know what's up with the burn theme...) and I was freaking out because I knew how bad chemical burns were.  Somehow, I escaped, but then the villain shot up the whole school and I had to hide.  Eventually, I survived, and my dream ended with people evacuating the school, several of them in stretchers from being shot.  It was pretty freaky.

Vaginoplasty: The Difference Between Plastic Surgeons And OB/Gyns

   Just came across this article about how ACOG is concerned about the medical validity of vaginal and vulvar reconstructive procedures.  I think they are concerned for good reason!  Since when does someone's vulva have to fit a cookie cutter mold?!  One of the coolest parts of being a woman is how unique our girly parts are, or at least that's what I think.  Also, women are undergoing these procedures to "boost their self-esteem" or improve their sex life, however, one of the potential side effects of these reconstructive surgeries is loss of sensation, which seems a bit counterproductive.

   I think this issue demonstrates the difference between the way plastic surgeons and OB/Gyns think.  OB/Gyns are all about taking care of women, concerned about their well-being, and they accept the wonderful uniqueness to each and every person.  Plastic surgeons just see the potential to "fix" yet another non-existent "flaw", and make everyone look the same.  I know plastic surgeons do a lot of good work too, but there is a lot that they do that makes my nostrils flare.  If you wanna pull people's faces back so they look like snakes, and make women's breasts look like oranges sitting on their chest, that's one thing, but keep your hands off of women's va-jay jays, okay?

I Wonder What An IUD Looks Like On MRI

   One of the surprise perks of being a leader for my school's chapter of MSFC was getting a free one-year membership to the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals.  And what's so great about being a member of ARHP is that you get to read the medical journal Contraception online FO FREE!  Let me just get one thing straight really quickly - I hate reading medical journals.  They are super dry, overly-detailed, and they just pile up and take up space in my room (*cough* JAMA *cough*).  But I love reading Contraception.  Maybe this is a hint that I am meant to go into OB/Gyn, the fact that I actually enjoy reading about it over and over.
   Anyway, I just got a letter asking if I want to renew my membership.  It costs $50 for students, but if I pay that, I think I actually get a PRINT copy of the journal... Tempting.  Very tempting.  I'm honestly considering renewing for $50.  Especially considering I will be saving a lot of money pretty soon... (more to come on that)
 

Hey, look - it's MY brain! (Also, notice how lumpy my skull is...)

    I saw this article, about the MRI safety of intrauterine devices.  Just a few weeks ago, I got an MRI as a control subject for some psychiatry study on campus.  I didn't get paid or anything, but I got to look at my brain FO FREE, so I said, "hey why not?!"  (Btw are you beginning to see a theme here about me loving things 'FO FREE'?)  So yeah, I got a kick out of it because it was completely relevant to me and my beloved Mirena, but just one week too late!


   I probably will end up coughing up 50 bucks... if only to amuse myself like this again.

Should Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot, And Never Brought To Mind

    Another year gone by, another year of my youth spent buried in books, but another year closer to my lifelong goal of becoming a doctor.  Okay okay, so I don't spend all of my time studying.  I try to keep a good balance, and I think I do a pretty good job.  And I still love what I'm doing.  Sometimes I just like to be dramatic.

   2011, overall, was a year of growth and discovery in my personal life, a year of cyclic burn out and energization in my professional life, and a year of prolonging the delay of my future "gratification".  Now that 2011 has come to a close, here is a recap of some of the highlights (and lowlights?):

The year I shadowed OB/Gyn's in jail and in L&D several times, falling even more in love with women's health

The year I went to Vegas with my med school buddies...

... Then went again with my sorority friends...  

... Then went again-again with my sorority friends

And apparently, I just keep wearing the same dress

The year I rode Amtrak all the way from San Diego to Sacramento all by myself

The year I took up a new hobby and ran my first half marathon (the farthest I have run to date)

The year I became a student leader for reproductive rights through Medical Students For Choice

The year I traveled to Baltimore, MD for the MSFC Annual Meeting 

The year my "UCLA relationship" ended (which subsequently allowed me to discover the triple threat of comfort food: egg rolls, shapes mac & cheese, and wine)

The year I tried online dating, and dated a ninja turtle

The year I went on a fantastic Eurotrip with my family

The year I went to Hana's beautiful wedding in Hawaii

The year my grandma scared the crap out of us all when she had her TIA

The year my sister unexpectedly had to have her ICD replaced

The year I helped write and direct a nerdy med school video

The year I rediscovered how much I love to sing

   Well, that sort of sums up a lot of 2011 for me.  I'm excited for 2012: I think it's gonna be a good one.