Wednesday, June 30, 2004

 

Can't believe it's over...


So I'm done with Des Moines. My two years of in-classroom medical school is done. In 8 weeks, I begin my clinical rotations... Well, provided I passed the Boards [crossing fingers and praying]. During rotations, we learn different specialties in hospitals, clinics, doctors' offices, etc. I'll be an MSIII... Crazy. I don't think it's hit me yet how big a change this is going to be. Gone is my schedule of 8AM-noon classes, my teaching assistant income, my usual consort of classmates surrounding me, with my pretzels and Pop Tart sitting in front of me on my desk. They kept us students really busy the last three weeks of school, so I never really had time to think about everything that was about to end. I've become so close to some of my classmates... they were there for me during some really ugly times. I can't even imagine what it'll be like not to have Timmy sitting next to me tomorrow morning, reaching into my bag of pretzels or checking what other snacks are in my backpack. Or have Liz on the other side, correcting a typo in the notes. And some of these folks I won't see until graduation. Some will have kids.. or more kids. Some will have different last names.

After our last class today, a big bunch of us just lingered around, taking pictures, hugging. Our last lecturer, who had been one of our main professors throughout this last year, announced that she had enlisted in the US Air Force and would no longer be teaching... I swear, she almost got farklempt talking about how she honestly, truly enjoyed teaching us, and how we were her favorite class. And I know she meant it, too, because there was this tone in her voice that I had never heard before. She stuck around to take a few pictures and give a few hugs. We were all there for a long time. Gradually, people drifted out of the room, and I finally left.

It was strange leaving the building for the last time... well, the last time in a long time. The next time I'll be there will be for my graduation in 2006. It's crazy how close that feels to me... 2 years may seem long to some of you, but for me, the last two have flown by so quickly, it's scary. Dr. B, my OMM professor, had made a powerpoint slide of all our names followed by "D.O" - i.e Dr. ___, D.O. It was both exciting and terrifying.

While I was packing up my apartment, the song "Closing Time" by Semisonic came on the radio. I know the lyrics, but this time, one line jumped out at me.

"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end"

I haven't heard the song in a while, and when I heard those words, it was like a lightbulb went off in my head. I fear change. But life goes on, and I have to deal with change. I was focusing on how the comfy routine of the last two years was going to end. But it'll be a new beginning. I'll be in doctor's offices, in hospitals, treating patients with diseases/injuries/conditions I had only read about (or seen on the Learning Channel) up until now. And there's no better learning than doing. And as terrified as I am, I'll be doing what I've always wanted to do. And that sounds pretty cool.

Claud 8:23 PM 

Friday, June 11, 2004

 

Home...


Ah, home. Not for long, but at least for a few days. Just sleeping, shopping, and eating. Then back to school. For those that don't get a chance to see me (which will likely be most of you, since I'm all about being a homebody this weekend... I'm EXHAUSTED.), I'll be back at the end of the month. Two months at home, then back to IA I go.

Okeydokey, off to have some lunch.

Claud 12:28 PM 

Monday, June 07, 2004

 

T- minus 10 hours and counting...


By 8AM tomorrow, I'll be sitting in Lecture Hall 2 at the Academic Center. Yay.

Cross your fingers and wish me luck.

By this time Thursday, I'll be home with my animals, watching a big-screen TV, and most importantly, NOT THINKING FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MONTHS.

The new Stanley Cup Champs...


I was rooting for the Calgary Flames, but the Tampa Bay Lightning won. It was a good series... 7 games, all hard-fought, full of action, just a fabulous 7 games of hockey. And this is Tampa Bay's first Cup. So congratulations to them. And congratulations to their captain, Dave Andreychuk, who has been in the NHL for 22 years and has just won his first Cup. So it didn't end the way I wanted it to. Oh well. At least it wasn't the Red Wings, right?

Claud 7:49 PM 

Saturday, June 05, 2004

 

Top 10 on Tuesday... the Saturday Edition...


My Top 10 favorite drinks... in no particular order...

1. root beer
2. cranberry and vodka... especially Stoli Razberi
3. EverTang
4. Sprite/7-Up/Sierra Mist
5. Boba Shakes - especially the Canteloupe flavor at Village Creamery
6. Sunny D
7. Snapple Strawberry Kiwi
8. Orange Juice
9. Apple Juice
10. Caramel Macchiato at Starbucks

Claud 7:13 PM 

 

Rest in peace, President Reagan...


Go figure, with all the Boards studying, I actually managed to find out what's going on in the world around me.

This afternoon, former President Ronald Reagan passed away. He died from pneumonia, but had been living with Alzheimer's Disease for over 10 years. I was a kid during his presidency, and I've never been a political pundit, but you know, I did like the guy. I'm sure he made mistakes, and I'm sure I wouldn't agree with some of the decisions he made, but he was a good man. He wanted to make America a better place. And he and Nancy... I read that book that she published of a few of their letters to each other... and then thinking about how she has been taking care of him as his memory and his mind slipped away... a love like theirs is rare.

I won't wax poetic on it... no time to... but I just wanted to say good-bye, President Reagan...

Claud 6:41 PM