High Winds!

Pretty windy today. The news says Saginaw will be getting winds at 60mph. I went out for a run and almost got swept off my feet. I had to stop running for a moment and steady myself to avoid falling over. It was an enjoyable run nevertheless. Autumn is here and all the leaves are racing one another. Turning golden and leaping into the whistling air. As I ran I stepped over fallen branches and piles of dried leaves on the ground. The sound of autumn was everywhere. I liked getting caught in the middle of a powerful gust of wind and having leaves dancing across my body as I push myself through the thin air. The sun was warm and shining brightly. I must say that this season might just be the most beautiful one in my mind.

Back home now studying like a mad person. Midterm on Friday and a few papers due in the following week. Things are starting to pick up pace and I quite like it. One more month in Saginaw.

ps. African cats are the best.

Let the game begin!

I know this may sound trivial to many, but...

I REGISTERED FOR USMLE STEP 1 TODAY!! It's finally feeling real and exciting, yet super intimidating. One exam, one chance to make it count. Gotta believe that I can do it!

Damn, it is starting to feel good already... Buckle up because the road is about to get a little bumpy!

CRxSP

Today was the start of another meaningful journey in my life. A friend in the same class and I signed up to volunteer at a free clinic/pharmacy to help the underserved American population. After waiting for over 2wk, we finally got a call asking us to go in Tuesday morning.

Woke up at 0630am, got dressed, and made myself some delicious breakfast. I decided that today had to be great. My friend picked me up at my place and we drove to the site singing in the car. Well, actually it was just me singing and my friend laughing at me... The sun pierced the clear glass and felt warm on my skin. Pleasant on a cold morning. We drove across the bridge connecting the flanks of the river and there it was - a plain cement office building sitting on a quiet street corner. Eagerly we got out of the car and went on in to find out what lay ahead.

The program was called Community Prescription Support Program (CRxSP) - it is a nonprofit organization that serves the medically uninsured population in Saginaw, Michigan. The staff were amazing. Very friendly and dedicated. CRxSP at our location had only one RN, one pharmacist, and a few social workers. Most are volunteers. The doctor would go in once a week to review charts and adjust medications as needed by the individual patients. You might not think very highly of a small place like that with such a small staff. But they get on average 60 patients a day! DO THE MATH! That is incredible! 60 patients a day makes 1800 patients a month! These 1800 patients would have been paying $2500 a year for prescription with the money they don't have!

This is a pioneer program involving us medical students. We are the first group to be experimented on - and I love it! Our doctor is amazing. He has already retired but volunteers his time to this free clinic/pharmacy every week, brings in medicine and supplies, and reviews patient files to ensure optimal patient care. Today was our first session and we did not get to see patients. But we were thoroughly introduced to the neat little expanding program and managed to go through 8 charts from various patients needing long term prescription. Our doctor made us think, asked us our opinions on the treatment plan, and treated us like colleagues. I felt good. Also felt that I need to study harder! ;)

Next Tuesday we will have our second session. This time it will be in the actual clinic and not the pharmacy. And we will be able to do physical exams on these patients to assess their progress. Tomorrow I have my OBGYN rotation in the hospital and will be doing a pelvic exam on a patient. I hope I will also be able to attend a delivery (although chances are slim).

One thing I know is that today was amazing and I will sleep well tonite! Keep on truckin'!

Back to back to back

Wow, I certainly didn't realize time has just flown by here! It's almost half way through our semester. Since last time I wrote here we have had a suture clinic, and THAT was fun! We practiced our suturing on pig skin (on their hooves, to be specific). They taught us the 3 main ways of suturing: simple suture, vertical mattress, and horizontal mattress. I got pretty good at it eventually. Perhaps that had something to do with me liking to sew.

Then we had an OB clinic in which we learned how to properly deliver a baby. It's not as simple as you think - there are certain ways you need to hold a baby or help it come out before it flies off or drops onto the floor. They can be slippery! Unfortunately we only did a simulation - so no real delivery just yet. But at least now I know how I am supposed to bring a little life to the world :)

Our ACLS course has started and today we actually have a full day of procedures. We will be learning how to put in a central venous line and how to do a lumbar puncture etc. All the way from 7:45am to 5:00pm... I hope the day turns out to be awesome!

I got a guitar for myself since I last wrote on here and it has turned my world around. There is something about music, especially when it's produced from strings. That resonance - it penetrates you and makes you vibrate along with it. I'm gonna keep at it to see how fast I can learn new songs. Keeping me busy for sure! Alright everyone, will update soon. Have a good day even if it's cloudy outside!

Searching

Finally got a friend to email me the photo taken of us during scrub training. It was a fun experience. The opening performance of a long journey. Bring it.

Wednesday I had my wound clinic where I got to be one-on-one with a doctor. It was amazing - I followed him into every exam room. Looked at different ulcers on 8 patients. Observed debridement and cauterization. I even had a few opportunities to assist the doctor in a few procedures. Checked out the HBO chambers and learned about the criteria patients have to meet in order to use those. What made me feel so happy that day was when I got to chat with a few of the patients and listened to them laugh wholeheartedly even throughout their painful debridement. It brought me back to the pre-med years when I was still working with the cancer patients back home. I felt true happiness.

Thursday I visited the geriatrics again and did physical exam on my lovely patient. This time things were a bit smoother. My partner and I work well together. We are at the same pace and neither of us dominates the conversation. It is great! At the end of the day we all got assigned a project/presentation. I will be working on it right after I finish updating.

Onto something a bit personal, recently I have been feeling a bit lonely in Michigan. It's a strange and interesting feeling. Kind of like what I felt near the end of 4th semester on the island. Don't get me wrong - my classmates are good people and I do have a few close friends here. But everyone is so scattered and has their own schedule. Since I first started talking and making my own friends, I have been spoiled with precious friendships and neverending heart-to-heart conversations. Well, these are not there any more. At least haven't been there for a long time. I don't know if it is the distance or my choice of career... I miss my friends. My real friends. Those who will laugh with you about stupid things you say and are not afraid to tell you when you make a mistake. Those who don't just smile and compliment because they might need you later as a stepping stone. Why don't some people realize that fake and genuine smiles are very easy to tell apart?

A good friend told me that I should go out and join some kind of club. Meet new people or something. Yes, I considered that. But with my schedule right now everything other than school-related things seems so impossible. Ok, I don't mean to sound depressing today... haha. Alright, here is something cheerful - I ran 8.5 miles yesterday all the way down to one of our hospitals and back! Totally thought that was 6 miles until I mapped it out (yes I map my running routes...). I surprised myself even though my joints were kind of shaky near the end.. sigh, the lack of training... Good night everyone!

PS. Check out my ID! I have a face now :)