Roatan - Day 1

So I didn’t think I’d blog while I was here because we don’t have internet in our apartment, but I found an easy way around it.  I’ll type whatever it is I want to say while at the end of each day and then post it to my blog the next day when I get to the clinic.  My only caveat is that I might be behind on the weekends since I only work M – F.  Also, these postings will be strictly words only.  If you want to see pictures you’ll have to check Instagram or Facebook.

What a day… where to start?  I guess at the beginning; that would be the most logical choice :)  So I’m here on the island of Roatán in the Caribbean, which is part of Honduras, given over from the British in the 1800s (for you history buffs out there).  You may know it as a popular cruise ship stop.  I’m here for my Community Medicine rotation and will be working at Clínica Esperanza, a local medical clinic.  We’ll be seeing everything from the underserved to tourists. 

My classmate (we’ll call her J) and I am came down together.  She’s a paraplegic from a recent snowboarding accident in the last few years.  She is seriously one of the strongest and most optimistic people I have met.  There’s perks to traveling with someone in a wheelchair – we got bumped up on both flights to Economy Plus, where I enjoyed a wide expanse of leg room.  So we took the midnight flight last night from Portland and landed in Houston, TX at 5:40 am, about a 4 hr. flight.  I asked J if she’d rather leave at midnight or at 6 am?  She said 6 am.  I still don’t know…. All I know is that I dislike red eyes, very much.  And not being able to catch even a wink in Houston for our 4.5 hr layover just made things worse.  Fortunately the flight to Roatán from there was only 2 more hours.

We were greeted by a blast of heat in our faces stepping off the plane, but with a pleasant cool wind to follow it up.  Dang, I should have taken my sweatshirt off BEFORE getting off the plane.  Brilliant.  With J in a wheelchair, I juggled 6 bags between the two of us.  We only had to wait a moment before Nurse Peggy showed up to take us to our new apartment with a brief stop at the supermarket along the way.  A few tire-screeching turns later (Peggy blames the road, NOT her driving) we arrived at the supermarket, not having a clue what to purchase.  So J and I stocked up on the essentials – the makings for PB & J, cheese crisps, chips & salsa, and salad.  Yep, that’s pretty much what I’ve lived off of the whole last year, aaaaaand turns out I don’t have to change my diet living in a third world country for the next 6 weeks.  That’s what I’m talking about.

With J’s situation, our housing options were limited.  She needed something with doors wide enough for her chair to fit through.  That automatically threw out the beach house next door to Miss Peggy’s (not to mention the full flight of stairs up the front door) and the usual apartments across the street from the clinic.  We had previously arranged a different beach house that was going to work out FABULOUSLY (come on, right on the beach?!  You know me and the beach…), but of course that fell through last minute as the current tenants were long term instead of short term (egg their house for April Fool’s tomorrow?  Ha, I kid).  So instead, we ended up at Ed’s Apartment.  As my mom intuitively asked, Ed doesn’t live there does he?  No, Mom, he does not.  But he owns the laundromat next door, which is quite convenient.  It looked innocent enough on the outside, but a nice stench greeted us in the kitchen upon opening the front door.  Nooooot the nicest, but hey, we’re in ghetto paradise so what can I say?  I’m happy to have A/C, a bed, and a door that locks.

This evening J and I went to Nurse Peggy’s for a potluck gathering of volunteers at the clinic.  I was expecting only a handful of people, but as the handfuls kept walking in, I just kept hoping I’d still have patients to see tomorrow.  There was probably 15-20 from all over the world there and I’m sorry if I sound British, but I spent a good chunk of time conversing with a British 19 year old medical student.  Loved her accent of course.  It was great to be in such pleasant company sitting on the balcony overlooking the ocean and enjoy the sunset.  Not my typical way of spending Easter, but it was fabulous.

I just admitted to J that earlier today I was already missing the U.S.  Maybe that had to do with me being awake for 30 plus hours, or maybe it was Ed’s stinkin’ apartment, or maybe I just miss my family.  Whatever it is, I know how shocked you are.  I didn’t even get home sick when I spend 9 months in Spain teaching English.  Don’t worry, once I get some sleep in me and start working at the clinic and exploring in my free time, I’ll be right back on track.  Very excited for what the next 6 weeks has in store!

And if I type THIS much EVERY day that I am here, the only reader I’ll have left at the end is myself…

Shortest Spring Break of My Life

I convinced my preceptor to let me finish one day early to go see my family in Utah, before heading out to Honduras on my next rotation.  My WHOLE family was in the same place at the same time!  That doesn't happen very often since we all live in 6 different states.  I was jealous because I didn't get in until early Thursday morning so I missed half a week with everyone, but was thankful to still have 4 days with everyone.  And boy did we have FUN.  Spent Thursday afternoon at the aquarium.  I could probably spend 1 hour there, tops.  But with 2 little kids running around it easily stretched into 3 hours and we still didn't see everything.  Had the best time with my nieces!  Sad that I'm not around as much to see them grow up!  I love being an aunt!



Friday we spent a good chunk of time at the BYU Bookstore (a family favorite - you HAVE to get chocolate at the candy counter!) with a visit to J'Dawgs.  I overwhelmed D I'm sure by introducing him to the whole family at once (over dinner at PF Changs), but he was a good sport about it.  I'm sad D and I didn't get any pictures together.  I surprised him Thursday night (since he thought I was coming Friday) by showing up on his doorstep with a Starbuck's delivery.  I love surprises!



Saturday was an absolute blast.  Spent the morning shopping away at City Creek Center in downtown SLC, then Sonya once again planned a rockin' party, a little pre-Easter celebration.  There was delicious eats and candy galore with minute-to-win-it games, followed up by egg dyeing.  Shoot, we didn't even really get to our extra stash of snacks and a movie.  The minute-to-win-it games were hilarious!  The first one consisted of having a Kleenex box filled with 6 ping pong balls taped to your bum and you had to shake them all out.  Yes, I'm even laughing now thinking back to i!.  The next one was a couples competition to see how many M&M's you could move from one plate to the other using only a straw.  It came down to Mom and D - and Mom won!  Wowzers.  For the last one, you put some panty hose on your head that had a baseball in it, which you then had to use to knock over ten or so bottles of vitamins/spices.  Ha, hilarious.  We love our minute-to-win-its!



Super glad I got the chance to see my family before heading out for 12 weeks on my next 2 rotations - Roatan, Honduras & Hawaii.  Can't believe I get to be on the beach for so long...!!

Rotation #7 Ashland, OR

I just finished my 6 week rotation doing General Surgery in Ashland, southern Oregon just 10-15 miles from the border to California.  Ashland is about 10-15 south of Medford, located in the Rogue Valley which you can see pictured above.  Ashland is set in a beautiful area and population is about 20,000.  I loved being in a small town again.  On one side of the freeway was rolling hills of farm country and on the other, mountains covered in pine trees.  There was a good mix of sun, snow, and rain to keep me enjoying the weather.  Ashland is known for its Shakespeare Festival and has a cute downtown area with shops and delicious restaurants lining main street.

I ended up living with the best friends of one of my friend's parents, if you follow that.  They are in their 60's and also members of the church.  They had a nice house on the edge of town with the basement all to myself.  They would cook dinner and I would do the dishes.  I was really a nice setup, not to mention we got along fabulously.

Apart from San Diego, Ashland has been my favorite place to be thus far.  I went on quite a few hikes while I was in the area too.

As for my rotation, I worked with a fabulous surgeon.  Surgeons in general have a bad rap as being jerks, but I learned wonderful things from my preceptor.  He had great relationships with his patients and really had no concept of time (he was pretty much late for everything).  We would spend as much time as need be with each patient and he would even stay after work for upwards of an hour to teach me something.  I learned a great deal from him and definitely feel I will be a better clinician because of him.

Going in to school, surgery was my second interest after emergency medicine.  I sound realized, however, that I don't think I'm cut out for it.  To begin with, I didn't realize how many clinic hours it was.  I only did 5 surgeries in the first 3 weeks I was there (I definitely made up for it in the next 3 weeks though).  I dislike being on my feet all day every day.  And can I say swollen ankles?  Who knew standing would make your feet swell so much?  Also, surgery days were brutal.  You have to squeeze in bathroom breaks and a snack here and there.  It's one surgery right after another.  5 in one day?  Forget food altogether!

Unfortunately I had to bow out on a few surgeries due to getting light-headed.  They say it happens to every one, but those lights get so darn hot!  I also blame my mask - hard to get used to breathing through that sucker for 2 hours straight.  Fortunately that only happened a few times, but too many for my liking!  Embarrassing to say the least, although the whole surgical team was really great about it and told me not to worry.  Funny because it wasn't the blood that got to me, like some people.  It was those dang lights!

I got to do and see a ton!  I first assisted in all the surgeries I did with my preceptor which includes things like making the initial incision, retracting the incision, holding structures out of the way, assisting his suturing, suctioning, and suturing/stapling the wound back up.  I loved it!  If it weren't for the brutal schedule, I could do surgery all day every day.  Some of the surgeries I was in on included hernia repair, gallbladder removal, colectomy, anal fistula, rectopexy, appendectomy, toxic megacolon, intussusception, c-section, skin graft, rotator cuff repair, knee scope, and a few others.  Good stuff!  We ended up working in 3 different locations: the clinic, surgery center, and local hospital.  I had a great time with surgery, but I can honestly say I'm glad it's over.  That schedule is too brutal for me.

Hiking is the new Mtn. Biking

I don't know why, but this winter has seemed so loooong.  It's nice to finally experience sunny warm(ish) spring weather.  Unfortunately I didn't think the weather would be nice enough yet, so I elected not to bring my mtn. bike with here to Ashland.  I've since regretted that decision, however I have gone a few hikes instead.  I forgot how much I enjoy hiking.  Ever since getting my mtn. bike back in the year 2009 +/- 1, hikes have ceased to exist in my world.  Although not as thrilling as going downhill at high speeds on a bike, while at the same time avoiding rocks at all costs, hiking still has its perks - a great workout and time to appreciate the scenery.  I've tried to get out as much as I can while its been sunny and warm to try to get my personality back.  Yes, the doom and gloom of Tacoma took it out of me.

Upper Table Rock Trail - basically you hike to the top of some cliffs, yielding excellent views.

Lithia Park - found out a classmate was close by so we hiked this one together, not as many views, but fun to be surrounded by trees.

Lower Table Rock Trail - just like Upper Table Rock, but with even more breathtaking views.

I'm going to have to figure out a balance between hiking and mtn. biking, but hard to do with only one day off each week.  Another hike tomorrow or study for my upcoming 300 question 5 hour test??

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...