I am a HOMELESS person

It's true.  I don't deny it.  At least I haven't stooped so low as to live out of my car....yet.  I THRIVE on change and love exploring new places and meeting new people, so this moving around every 6 weeks for rotations really had its advantages.  However, it's starting to wear on me.  All of my stuff is in storage and I have no place to call home.  Want to send me mail?  Good luck, my parents don't even know where to send it!  My church records are still in my ward in Portland and I haven't had a calling since last June.  I've stayed in so many different places since last summer and some how it's all worked out.  Take Kearny, AZ for example, where I stayed with a sweet 85 year old lady and her 3 cats during the week, and a friend's house in Phoenix on the weekends.  Or when I was writing my paper and I was in Portland for 2 weeks, then my sister's for a week, then my sister's friend's place for another 2 weeks.  Or right now, where I'm staying with my study abroad friend's (who I haven't seen in about 6-7 years) parents' best friends in Ashland, Oregon.  BUT this weekend I'm staying with her parents because the best friends are out of town.  Yeah, try and figure that one out.  What an adventure!  Yet, I'm so ready to just settle in somewhere... It will be interesting to see where I end up after graduation...

Rotation #6 Tacoma, WA

Hmmm, where to even start....

I absolutely loved this rotation, although it didn't turn out the way I expected it.  This was my Emergency Medicine rotation that I have been waiting all year for.  Going into school I had a real interest for working in the ER upon graduation.  Well, let's just say I won't have the experience I need to do that.  

I was assigned to work at Madigan Army Medical Center located on the Joint Base Lewis McChord (army & air force) just south of Tacoma, WA.  The Emergency Department there (like many others) is splint into two: the main ER (the emergent side) and the Fast Track (the non-emergent side).  Because there are so many residents (medical students) working in the ER, I was only able to work in the main ER once a week, for a total of 4 times (sick one week, adjusting one week).  The PA's mostly man the Fast Track, thus that is where I ended up spending the majority of my time.  Don't get me wrong, I still loved it, just didn't get the ER experience I needed to get a job in Emergency Medicine upon graduation.  Despite all the viral upper respiratory infections (the common cold) and back pains, I enjoyed suturing lacerations, draining abscesses, cutting out toenails, and putting in IV's.  I was able to do quite a few procedures and loved the hands on experience.  Another reason I feel cheated is because the "Fast Track" was changed to the "Urgent Care Clinic" halfway through.  Urgent Care is not the Emergency Room!

I never got the chance to admit anyone to the hospital, but came close with a pericardial effusion in a 14 year old girl after crashing on her dirt bike.  But because it had happened 2 days previous and was not likely to convert to tamponade, we could manage her outpatient.  I got experience working up a myocardial infarction (heart attack), stroke, and appendicitis....although none of the patients actually had those things (thank goodness).  But at least I was able learn what questions to ask, what tests to perform, and what tests to order.  So it was still a valuable experience.  Not to mention, I worked with a PA in the main ER who pimped the heck out of me.  In PA school, "pimping" means getting asked question after question which you most likely do not know the answer to.  It's a great way to feel like an idiot, but is big motivation to study more.  So I learned a ton from him.

The other PA's on the Urgent Care side were amazing PA's.  They really knew what they were doing and I learned a great deal of valuable pearls from them.  So yes, I am disappointed with my ER experience, but on the flip side my education was invaluable and I now feel like a more knowledgeable and confident provider.  My favorite part was that I got to wear scrubs all day every day :)

Housing turned out to be a nightmare.  I surprisingly have had no problems until now.  My 2 options were 1) stay with some classmates (boys & girls) in another PA student's house or 2) stay with an older lady close to the waterfront.  Obviously option 2 wasn't ideal so I went with the older lady.  Turns out I only lasted 3 days there due to the cold temp of the house, not being able to fully stand up in the bathroom (my living quarters were on the third floor loft), and flies buzzing around everywhere.  Not to mention, she was a little eccentric and controlling. She spent 2 hours talking non-stop about the house and my expectations when I first got there.  She went so far as to explain how to work the microwave and light switches (?!).  I'm in PA school for heaven's sake!  She was a nice lady, but 6 weeks was way to long to spend with her... So I ended up going with option 1 which I should have done in the first place.  Us girls had our little own corner of the house and it turned out great. 

Apart from the housing mishap, Tacoma was a little lonely with no friends or family around... just these chickens to keep me company on my days off :)  I actually only had 4 days off the whole 6 weeks with 2 weekends I spent with D.  I'm not a big fan of Tacoma itself, but maybe that's because my uncle in Seattle doesn't like it (not enough theater or fine dining for his taste).  Never got a chance to go check out the waterfront either.... At least there was plenty of fog to keep me happy!  I love driving in it!

Birthday Weekend in Utah

I am now 29... yikes!  My last year in my twenties!  They have been some good years too, and this one will be no exception.  I have some exciting things to look forward to - Honduras, Hawaii, graduation, and getting a new job.  Excited for what the future holds.  This last weekend I flew to UT to spend time with family, friends, and last but not least, D.  I was really upset with myself for sitting on the wrong side of the plane on the way there.  I was hoping to get a glimpse of Mt. Rainier and thought for sure I would have to be on the right side of the plane.  Was sure surprised when I saw it out of my window on the left!

I had a fabulous birthday on Friday w/ my first go-kart racing experience, what a great surprise!  Lots of crazy turns at high speeds just so D wouldn't try passing me.  He knew I loved the Autopia at Disneyland, but this... this was 100x more fun! Celebrated on Saturday with family eating my favorite J'Dawg.  And sushi that night?!  Things get better all the time.  And to top them off, cake batter waffles on day three?!  Multiple days of celebrating is a birthday MUST.

I have been craving sugar like no other...

So I'm a pretty healthy eater and I never buy anything sugary at the store, but tonight I find myself writing this post at home with a bag of Peanut Butter M&M's on my right and a bag of Skittles on my left.  And we're talking the large size, not the puny vending machine size.  I've had a lot more sugar in the last week or two too.  Hmmm..... maybe it's the 60 hr. work week I just finished a few hours ago?  Maybe it's the depressing weather?  Maybe it's not having any family or friends around?  Whatever it is, it must stop.  I've been to the gym literally once in the last month.  I blame it on my sprained ankle back in December.  No, I blame it on the influenza I contracted the beginning of January.  No, I blame it on not having a gym to go to.  There's no way I'm going running in the rain.  So alas, here I sit w/ my two bags of giant sized candy.  I must say, it can't get any better than this.  Time to start my infamous no sugar diet??  I have an 11 week record to break...

48 hrs. in Portland

I had a visitor this last weekend so we toured the area.  It all began Friday night with an introduction to the Portland food scene.  We ate at Pine State Biscuits, gourmet breakfast biscuits.  I've been wanting to eat here forever and it didn't disappoint.  I could go on forever about food in Portland...

Saturday was spent at the coast.  Took a brief tour through the Tillamook Cheese Factory and walked away with a bag of squeaky cheese.  Could have settled for a giant sized ice cream cone too, but had to make room for fish & chips!  Cannon Beach has a fantastic cute little seafood joint, Mo's, but turns out they are remodeling and don't reopen until February.  Unbelievable!  Don't worry, we found another equally fantastic place with delicious fish & chips, just wish it was on the beach.  You may be familiar with Haystack Rock from your favorite movie, The Goonies.  Turns out the weather was 10x better on the coast than in Portland. Who knew it'd be sunny??

Then we drove up to Astoria to drive over the giant bridge, admire the house where The Goonies was filmed, and listen to the sea lions bark away.

Ended the night with dinner on the hipster street, 23rd Ave., in downtown Portland since the food carts hadn't opened yet.  Booooo.  And don't confuse hipster with hippie.  Two different things my friends!

Sunday morning included a quick drive to check out Multnomah Falls.  Normally your can hike all the way to the top, but not in these icy conditions!