Day 2204: Autopsies, keys and paperwork

Hello everyone.

Monday morning I was called at 7:10am to view an autopsy at the Milwaukee Medical Examiner's office. Of course, of course, I was a complete wreck that morning. I didn't have my school things packed. I didn't have a lunch prepared. I had no idea what I was going to wear (what? A girl has to plan for the cold!). I finally get out the door at 7:52am (I have to be there at 8:15am) only to have to run back in to the apartment for something. Well, in all of my hustle and bustle, I forgot my respirator! Luckily they only sort-of berated me and let me stay to watch the autopsy.

Well, the autopsy was fantastic. There were four cases (a slow Monday). One possible homicide and three "regular" deaths. The one ("regular" death) we watched was of a fellow who died in his bath tub. The autopsy was crazy! It took me an entire semester to chop up (pardon the crassness) a cadaver. These docs did it in 45 minutes or less. And the precision with which they do everything, impressive. What this autopsy showed me was that people have no idea what is going on in their bodies. My bath tub guy had diabetes so his kidneys had shrunk to about half their normal size. He also had a brain tumor! And clear signs of fat/plaques in his arteries! As a classmate of mine put it, how are these people still alive?

Additionally, the doctor/pathologist/medical examiner was high-larious. This is for all my friends/readers in the know. When describing the tools medical examiners use...

...these are the best tools to have. Since we're at the far end of the surgical universe, it feels a little bit like "Firefly" and we have to make do.

How great is that? :)

Here's the kicker to my insane week thus far. In my tizzy of running back and forth from my apartment on Monday, I misplaced my house key! Thank goodness the snow storm hit yesterday (oh, did I forget to tell you there was a snow storm? It's about...10? inches. I'm not sure.) and she went home early instead of socializing with her best friend. I could have been stuck at school until midnight! Luckily I found my key this morning, rather happenstancely. It was in the scrubs I wore to the autopsy. I checked them just in case and my key fell out of the pocket on to my hardwood floor. Clank!

Anyway, my clinical exam and reasoning (CER) class has really been pulling it's punches. Lots of required attendance and prep work and fake/standardized interviews and paperwork! We never have paperwork! I had to make a differential diagnosis sheet and write up the case. I'm not complaining because it was difficult. I'm complaining because I could be studying for next Wednesday's microbiology exam.

Sigh. Such is my life. Stress study stress study. Rinse. Repeat.

Until next time!

Day 2163: Lots of cool stuff.

I had such a great week, let me tell you about it!

Monday: I worked in the pediatric emergency department, where I do research, and actually, finally, enrolled a patient without something wonky happening. For whatever reason, I have the strangest luck when I go in to do research and a patient will have to be un-enrolled in our Spanish Interpretive Services study. Not only did I enroll one, but I also got to speak Spanish! He was very sweet and said I didn't need the interpreter and I told him that I like having him/her there to make sure I don't mess anything up. Also, one of the doctors on the study was working that night so we got to catch up and shoot the sh!t and all that fun stuff. It's cool to be friendly with the ED staff. Hopefully I can get a few days in there on my pediatrics rotation next year and impress them with all my actually (wannabe) doctor-ing!

Tuesday: The male exam. An examination of the penis, testicles, feeling for the vas deferens and checking for hernias. Probably one of the most awkward moments in medical school for many students. Not for me! I loved it! It went too quickly! Maybe it's because I like awkward things or maybe it's because I don't care, but I am really digging urology. After my path exam on Monday (which, for all intents and purposes, I plan on pwning (aka kicking butt on), I am going to contact a urology resident and get some more information on it. It's competitive as all get out so I am starting to get insanely stressed about boards. (What's new there though?)

Wednesday: My jeans that I bought (aka split with Danny) off eBay arrived and they are gorgeous!

Paige Porcelain Leaf Skinnies

Only I would love such an outgoing print. And wear it with pride no less. I plan to hem these bad boys on Monday after my exam. Or maybe before since I am so bored of studying blood disorders and leukemias and lymphomas. Have I told you all that I am a sewing machine? (Thanks to Danny for that pun!) I have blind hemmed a bunch of slacks, finally hemmed a bunch of my jeans to my teeny tiny leg length and twerked some bootcut jeans into skinny jeans! However, I screwed up one of the legs of my skinny jeans (the fade between the front and back of the jeans is awkward) and feel uncomfortable in them so I plan on converting those babies in to shorts.

School-wise on Wednesday, I had a boards study group where we reviewed stuff for our exam on Monday and that was helpful. Showed that I knew stuff, but still need to get it locked down. Motivating stuff.

Today/Thursday: Hung out at home. Became obsessed with clothes again (have I told you? I am attempting to save money and/or buy investment pieces (like this silk blouse for rotations next year/interview season the year after that). I am also planning a major closet clean out over spring break.) Purchased my question bank for boards today. Fell asleep for no good reason from 4-6pm. Listened to Pathoma for 2 hours because I was sick of actual reading/writing/learning studying so listening seemed more exciting.

Okay. This little study break/update for you has been fun but it's time to go back to our regularly scheduled pathology studying. Snooze fest. Catch y'all later!

PS! Did you know this is my 400th post?! Crazy!

Day 2125: The strangest day.

Okay. Before I finally get in to my clinical exam and reasoning (CER) studying, I must tell you about my day.

9am: Exam. Ooph. I did okay, which is to be expected. I kind of let pathology go to the wind this block mainly because I am scared sh!tless for my cumulative pharm final on Thursday (so soon).

11am: I go to Sephora to pick something up for my sister and the item they said they had in stock was not actually in stock. Lame. It's fine. I did this to my nails while I was there. (This = painted them different shades of blue. Then I came home and painted the bases gold. Eureka.)

12:30pm: My friend CM decided to make fudge on a whim. It was delicious and she was kind enough to send me some so that a) we could be little fudgester-pudgesters together and b) she was sending me a sweet little exam-week gift. Well. This is what I received in the mail.

Instead of fudge, I got a paperback 2012 Annotated Brothers Grimm. I sent CM a text (being confused about the package and sending her a picture of the book) asking her if I was missing something, and you better believe that girl was pissed. Where is the fudge? See those green stickers? Someone opened my box, took my plastic containers filled with fudge, put this book in, and sealed it with stickers. What? What?? WHAT??? She is Type A (like me!) so she called USPS Customer Service and let them know what happened. The USPS Customer Service woman said she had never heard something like that happening. WHAT???? Where. Is. My. FUDGE?!

12:40pm: I open an unknown package to discover this!

Danny bought me these coral pillow covers that I have been lusting because I desperately need some more colorful pillows to make my boring mauve-gray couch more exciting. I LOVE THEM. (I have been making strange grunting sounds of joy whenever I see them haha)

4:30pm: Where has the day gone? I think I studied. It's hard to say.

5:00pm: I dropped my phone (what's new?) and the speakers freaked out. All the sound coming out of it was garbled, like it was underwater. Then, after a few shake-shake-shakes, it was fixed! I kissed my phone so hard to thank it for believing in me and staying alive!

Until Now: I finally got focused and unafraid to tackle the large, large amounts of pharmacology I have to learn/relearn/refamiliarize myself with by Thursday.

Now: it's time to actually learn my stupid CER bull-malarkey.

Day 2116: The countdown begins

I feel like this post title will be recycled. I will have lots of countdowns in the next six months, this being the first one -- the countdown to finals/winter break. In the next 13 days, I will have completed my first semester of my second year. I have a pathology exam, CER (Clinical Exam and Reasoning) exam and the dreaded cumulative pharmacology final. At this point, I am taking a much needed study break to blog. Exciting. I know. I am amidst learning the last 100-or-so drugs for Block 4 and then I have about 10 days to review the previous 400 drugs. No big deal. (INTERNAL FREAK OUT IMMINENT.)

PS, my eye has been twitching non-stop for two hours since this post. I need to de-stress/calm down.