Day 12 Mission Accomplished

Mission accomplished!  I socialized a bit.  Drank a bit. Watched a little Katt.  Loved the fact that it continues that nearly 100% of people I've shown it too think its hilarious (Apparently my brother is too ADD for it).  An overall enjoyable evening.  Arrived home 3:30 am.  So, as you'll notice, no blog post last night, my bad.  I'm sure you'll get a few woozy posts, probably after Mini's.  June 8.  Day 29 I believe.  Expect it.  And, when I awoke at 9 am I realized again why I stopped drinking.  Luckily for me, it was nothing a good sweat couldn't resolve.  I went to Portsmouth today and purchased a $25 transformer for my XBOX360.  So, I got the system for free (thanks Beeno), but its cost $100 to have it shipped here, $75 to get it through customs for a total of $200 just to get the damn thing working here (thanks Dad).  Now, I have to wait patiently for Fifa to arrive in the mail.  Then its back to domination, in between lectures of course.  

Today, I'm just rambling off random thoughts...

I don't quite understand why when in a group, (maybe its just med students) but human beings feel the need to applaud after everything.  I understand applauding after a play, or comedy gig, even after a speech, but after the professor shows a clip from a Harvard video that is like 5 years old is unacceptable.  After a professor explains the answers to three questions that he grabbed out of a question bank is completely unacceptable.  It really makes me hate everyone in the room.  Then I realize I'm overreacting and try to cool off a bit.  

Link to the Harvard video...It actually is a pretty amazing video and if you haven't seen it I highly recommend it.  My reasoning behind the applause is that this movie has been shown in almost every cellular science class since AP biology.  

http://multimedia.mcb.harvard.edu/media.html

Its the Inner Life...you can choose a speed, I recommend the high speed.  The slow is awesome, but long and can seem to much.  You won't be disappointed, but you may realize just how much you don't know...even if you don't care you don't know.

What does Detroit and Dominica have in common?.?.?  I don't want to get in trouble so I'll stop, but if asked I'll gladly answer...

Which place is better, Detroit, Muskegon, or Dominica?.?.?.?  I don't want to get in trouble so I'll stop, but if asked I'll gladly answer...

Who is better, Kobe Bryant or Lebron James?.?.?  Duh, Kobe...if you want to know why, just ask....

Its been a bad two days for sports (minus the Tigers, atta boys, who said our pitching was bad (me until they started pitching well)), but, it was just a lil hiccup for the Lakers and Red Wings.  The Wings deserved it for scratching Abs tonight.  I'll give it to Lebron he made a shot, 1 shot, way to go.  

I really, really hope I do it the right way this time...

I bought a necklace for 15 EC ($6) and a bracelet for 10 EC ($4).

Apparently, I've either lost a few pounds since I've been here or I was extremely dehydrated this morning.  

Today's Lesson

No classes, Research Day

Tomorrow's Goals

Download stuff from Kory

Watch dissection videos

Go through anatomy note cards twice

Print off BIOCH, Physio, Cell Biology, and Anatomy notes

Read through them twice

Buy electricity units

Previous two day expenditure:  $41 (130 EC) (on anatomy flashcards), 90 EC food, 20 EC alcohol, 15 EC necklace,  5 EC tipping maid (she wouldn't accept more), 50 EC transformer  310 EC

 

Day 10 (1st PAcE quiz)

I'm not in a very creative mood right now, so this will be short.  Long day of classes.

Today's Lessons

BIOCH - Transcription

Physio - Action Potentials

Anatomy - Breasts and Pectorals

DPS - Some culture bullshit (mm hmm)

Cell Biology - ER, Golgi, and Membrane Trafficking II

Tomorrow's Goals

Work out in the AM (Cardio and upper body)

Organize notes

Buy Netter Flashcards

Have an enjoyable, relaxing drinking evening (No school Friday)

PAcE Quiz 1

The quiz went well.  I scored a 18/23 (which happened to be the exact score my group received even though we got a few different questions wrong).  My strengths were my strengths on the quiz (biochem/cell biology).  My weaknesses were my weaknesses on the quiz (anatomy).  My question reading cost me 2 points.  My inability to communicate what I knew cost my team 1 point.  I was able to explain around 10 of the answers to the group in a way that allowed them all to understand.  I could have come in a bit more prepared, but I made an effort not to look over anything before I took the quiz because I wanted my answers to come from straight knowledge and not what I could remember for that hour.  All and all, I am please with my performance.  I have loads of work to still do, but now I know I'm on the right track.  As one of my least favorite, favorite teacher would say...Time to kick butt, and take names...

Daily Expenditure:  20 (dinner + mango)

Day 9 (First anatomy lab experience)

Now we are going.  Keep the comments coming.  So far I've been asked if I was high (which I was not), been called a pussy (which I am not), and lectured by my mother (one day, she will learn what I have learned)  Positive or negative, I don't care, just comment...and honestly, leaving one anonymously is pretty weak sauce.

Tomorrow's Goals

Work out in the AM

Kick ass on the PAcE quiz (We'll know how I'm doing)

Give 3 random compliments (I'm actually going to succeed this time)

Today's Lessons

BIOCH - Enzymes

Physiology - Membrane Potential

Anatomy - Scapular Region

Interesting Fact of the Day

Did you know that your right clavicle is bigger than your left clavicle?  (Collarbone)  It is also the most fractured bone in the body (yes, I have fractured it, stupid Max McGuffey and Corey Keift [I was beating Max's ass in 3rd grade until Corey pushed me off of him and against the log cabin I went] It was probably the terrible air quality that did it to me [Lincoln Park has the worst air quality in the COUNTRY])  The weak point of your clavicle is at the 1/3 lateral portion because here is where the cartilaginous bone and the membranous bone converge during development.  Wow, now you are almost a doctor...like me :).  

Anatomy Lab

I was exposed to almost every type of basic surgery during my time as a Surgical Orderly at Mercy General.  I can't say that I've seen it all, or even close to it all, but I've seen a lot.  I loved it.  Surgery is amazing.  I can still remember the way I felt going into work, wondering what amazing things I was going to see that day.  Wondering if I'd see anything new, anything out of the ordinary.  It was my way of looking into the future.  Looking into my future.  I was able to see the human body in ways that very few people are afforded.  I can still see my first breast reduction.  It turns out it was also an enlargement.  It wasn't done the cosmetic way.  The incision was made below the breast and up and around the nipple.  The entire breast was pulled back.  All you could see was the yellow adipose (fat) tissue.  It took me days before I could look at breasts the same way.  I could have been yesterday when I saw my first beating heart.  I watched as they stopped it, and also got to see them start it back up again.  I was so excited that day.  I witnessed a miracle.  Not through God, but through science.  

Today, I saw my first set of cadavers.  The life was drained out of them.  The red blood turned to gray.  The warmth of the body was non-existent.  The skin resembled leather.  The muscles resembled the meat in a chicken leg from a Detroit area KFC.  The smell, well, don't get me started there.  The formaldehyde burned my eyes.  It was so powerful one of my fellow colleagues had to run out of the lab and return her lunch...

I loved seeing what I saw while at Mercy.  Although not nearly as appealing, I loved seeing what I saw today.  While at Mercy, I was a nobody.  I stood in the corner and observed.  I didn't care though.  I was doing what I wanted to be doing.  Everything was new and exciting, but it didn't mean anything because I was a nobody.  Today, my excitement has nothing to do with that fact that I saw my first cadaver, although a new experience.  No, today, I saw my first patient.  Today, I was a somebody.  Today, I mattered.  How f-ing exciting is that?!

Daily expenditure: 84 (almost $30 US) on 24 cans of diet AW root beer (won't happen again, so I better really enjoy the root beer), 82 on groceries...166   

Day 8 (The Day After)

I woke up this morning and thought I was partially paralyzed.  Its times like these that I'm thankful this place is like every other civilized country (except the USA) and allows for sales of codeine over the counter (writer's note: I've learned my lesson with pain killers. I have no desire to go through that experience again, so no needs to worry).  My miserable day turned into a manageable day, which I suppose is the point, right? 

I'm back to writing this in current time.  It is Monday, May 18 2009 at 11pm.  

Tomorrow's Goals

Work out in the AM (stretch)

Download previous semester info 

Self-quiz using unlabelled anatomy pictures (bones, muscles, ligaments, nerves)

Today's Topics

BIOCH - DNA structure and replication

Physiology - Pores, channels, and pumps/transports; and regulation of cell volume

Introduction to Problem Based Learning (PBL)

Religion

"First of all, I'd like to thank God because without him none of this would be possible."  Oh really?!  Why is it that almost every athlete, actor, actress, politician and musician is so eager to thank God Almighty, our lord and saviour, father of Jesus Christ, our lord and saviour?  Why is it that when anything bad happens countless people pray to God for help?  We live in a world that is factually based.  Try to change the wiki page for Detroit, MI to "City of friendly people," and see how long it lasts.  How many times have we heard this statement, "Get your facts straight"?  Yet, how many people are willing to believe every single word their priest tells them, literally?  So, who has heard the story of Moses and the exodus from Egypt?  You know, Moses brought the seven plagues to Pharaoh's door until he finally let the Israelites go.  Then, Moses lead them to the Red Sea which he parted and escaped Pharaoh's army.  Well, that makes a good story.  It was a miracle sent down from God, right?  How many of you knew that Moses was an army general?  That he lead an army that protected Egypt from rivals to the north that comprised of ... ISRAELITES?  Hmmm.  I never heard that in Sunday School.  I've only seen pictures showing Moses to be old, carrying nothing but a staff.  He was a warrior?  Moses was actually a warrior that was banished from the army, which is why he spent "40 years" wondering the desert as a shepherd, but one day, a burning bush spoke to him (it was God) and told him what he must do.  (Lets see, dehydration, hunger, being surrounded by nothing but sand and sheep for "40" years...I'm sure he was in great mental shape, maybe he ate a mushroom?  Maybe he was straight tripping)  My whole religious upbringing was spent learning about a banished druggy ex-warrior, mm hmm.  But, doctor, he parted the Red Sea, that is a miracle.  Well, yes, that would be a miracle...OR he noted the changing of the tides in his "40 years" wondering the desert (keeping that card a secret knowing he might be able to use it at some point).  Well, what a perfect time to use it when you have an overpowering army chasing your battered army.  It must be God's work.  Or, Moses lead his people to the sea when it was low tide, walked across, and as Pharaoh closed in, the muddy sea floor caught his chariots, the tide rose and bam an entire army is destroyed.  The whole Book of Exodus was written about a military operation designed by a banished old military general.  God had as much to do with it as he had to do with Operation Iraqi Freedom.  This is part 1 of my many part series showing in very simple and easy to understand ways of how ordinary things that happen everyday can be turned into God's work with enough time, the right influences, and ignorant gullible people. 

Daily expenditure (in EC): 52 (dinner and bagels), 57 (phone minutes), 20 (pharmacy), 20 (lunch)...149      

 

Mount Diablotin (The video)

Laugh or Cry (The Mourne Diablotin Experience) (Day 7)

This is Mourne (Mount) Diablotin (of the Devil).  I'm sorry if this one is a bit short, but I am honestly close to being the most exhausted I have ever been in my life.  I have never put my body through that amount of strenuous exercise for that length of time ever before (maybe except ice climbing a glacier in Frans Josef, New Zealand).  This was the steepest, most muddy, most slippery, longest, most demanding hike I have ever been on.  But seeing how I am supposed to try staying positive, I'm trying to find a benefit in this most miserable day.  Well, it was rainy and cloudy, so the views at the peak were miserable.  About 6-7 muscles were either sprained or strained in the process.  I did, however, finally understand a simple concept that I believe will be critical to maintain throughout my medical experience.  I'm not ashamed to admit that I have cried quite a few times in the past decade.  I am an emotional person.  I have built up many defense mechanisms, but if powerful enough, my emotions will be painted on my sleeves.  So, while climbing this terrible mountain, a simple question came up time and time again...Laugh or Cry?  This example was plenty extreme to get passed my defense mechanisms and directly on the sleeve of my shirt along with the pounds of caked on mud.  I finally saw the importance of choosing laughter over tears.  Although miserable, just hearing laughter whether it was mine or my climbing partner's, Beth, made it a little more bearable.  Now, this only lasted for so long, and near the end it was back to bitching and crying.  Medical school is going to be the hardest thing I have ever done in my life.  I'm positive that sometimes I'll not believe how far I've gone, yet know how incredibly more far I'll have to go.  So many times I'll think I see the light at the end of the tunnel, only to be disappointed to see another bend and more slippery muddy steps in front of me, but with the help of Mount Diablotin, I'll remember how much easier it was when laughter was in the air.  No matter what it has to get done.  No one else is doing it for me.  Victor (our guide on the hiKe) is not carrying me down the hill.  At times, I'll be forced with the decision, and laughing is so much better than crying....