Good day.

Today was just an ordinary day.

But, it was an ordinarily good day.

1. I gave some more flu shots. And talked about marriage (specifically arranged ones) with Dr. Aguwa who is from Africa. It was a bunch of girls giving flu shots...naturally, the topic came up. We talked a lot about their very family oriented culture (cool stuff).

2. I studied and went to a histology review session on muscles. Let me just say, when it comes to muscles, there is much more than meets the eye. Specifically neuromuscular junctions. Check it out.

This is real. It's skeletal muscle and nerves innervating it. The little bulb-like ends are where chemicals are released to tell the muscle to contract. That's the neuromuscular junction. Cool, huh?

3. Spoke on a panel of of students for perspective students of MSUCOM. Then toured and answered tons of questions. SO FUN! Met a retired AF pilot, and his aspiring doctor son, a woman interested in medical missions, and a guy who was so excited about hopefully joining the AF in the HPSP program. 

4. Went shopping! Amanda had coupons to New York Company and I needed to purchase a gift for a very special birthday girl who lives far, far away : ) So, we had to go to the mall. Let me just say, I saved $120.69!! Now, if I were you I'd be thinking, "HOW MUCH DID SHE SPEND!?" So, let me tell you I got some great buys totaling $140. It included 1 pair of awesome jeans, 1 equally awesome pair of dress, tweed pants, 2 of the softest, most perfect sweaters with really cute buttons, a great tank top with lots of ruffles, and a white button up that fits so well! (looking like a professional is going to be fun...) And some earrings...
Now, do the math:
$140 divided by 7 items = $20 per item!!
Can't you tell I'm excited?! I even took a picture of the clothes nicely arranged on the couch so you can see.

5. Then I came home and opened a letter from Somerset Beach Campground. Inside was a calendar...which I think I'll be cutting up and framing as my next art project (there were some awesome pictures in it!) And in the letter was a verse. A verse I had to share.

"Be joyful always; pray continuously; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

6. It's Friday. 

7. We didn't have class today. 

Exercise (or lack thereof...)

I've been lazy. There's no doubt about it. This sort of confirms my all or nothing work ethic. One month I'm traing for a half marathon. The very next month I'm hitting up the cookie aisle and shoving my running shoes under the bed so I don't have to look at them taunting me.

Why in the world did I spend hundreds of dollars for a year long gym membership (that's right...$300+).

I emailed Dr. Miller a couple of weeks ago. In response to my comments about the increased pace of school he said:

Your comments about the “pace” were interesting and a reminder of my ever increasing age because I find that when I was younger, I had that fast pace that you’re now adjusting towards.  Hang in there.  You’ll be fine but remember that venting frustration is important.  Try to continue your running.

Ok, fine.

I'll take responsibility for my health and overall well-being.

I just wrote out a weekly workout plan for myself.

I figure, if I'm going to ask my patients someday to watch what they eat and exercise regularly, I had better be doing it myself.

So, here's to laying off the vanilla wafers and nutella, ramping up on the veggies, and getting myself back in gear. Because discipline in one area seems to correlate to discipline in others...discipline in school, in my walk with God, and in quality rest and relaxation.

Eye Opening Experiences

On an exciting note, I attended the Global Missions Health Conference this weekend. The events of which are impossible to sum up in words. I'm not even going to try. CliffNotes version: First, trust God, and second, God is calling me to pursue medical missions, it's no longer just a passion of mine or something I'd like to do with my life. A significant shift to say the least. Also, pretty scary. It's hard to describe, but, it's very exhilarating. Another highlight was meeting Beth White, the wife of an amazing surgeon, Dr. Russ White, at Tenwek Hospital in Kenya. They are friends of my parents and went to the church I grew up in before moving to pursue their work in missions. It was the cherry on top of a fantastic weekend.

On an incredible note, I got my doctor toys yesterday and have been playing doctor today now that the batteries are charged. (I felt like a kid on Christmas morning whose remote control car came without the batteries...) If I ever get short on money it's nice to know that I can sell all the equipment for a small fortune. Tonight Katie and I played with the ophthalmoscope and discovered that you actually have an optic disc!! And blood vessels!! in the back of your eye!...it's true! And it's awesome!

This is what your eyes really look like!

From left to right: a stethoscope, a practice eye for the ophthalmoscope,
blood pressure cuffs and a sphigmomanometer (please note the adorable child size cuff),
a tuning fork and a Babinski Neurological hammer  

Mistakes

Everyone makes them. Right? Well today I made one. Here's the story. It may or may not have involved a needle...

This cartoon is too perfect, and no, I did not intentionally try to give a sham injection
...just for the record

I was giving an injection to one of our senators at the Capitol Building today in Lansing. I was doing a great job talking to her, making her comfortable, A+ in the doctor patient relationship category. I cleaned the skin with an alcohol pad, let it dry, removed the protective cap on the needle, grabbed a cotton ball, and stuck the needle into the deltoid muscle. But, to my surprise, the pump was completely compressed and there was no flu vaccine in the syringe.

Crap.

I pulled the needle out and placed it in the sharps bin. Then, my mind going a mile a minute, explained that there had been no vaccine in the syringe when I'd gone to give the injection. Panic was evident in her eyes as she replied, "Well, that sounds really bad."

I did my best to my compose myself, assure her that it had been a clean, but unfortunately empty syringe, and that she did not receive any vaccine. I had to call our supervisor over...explain it again...listen to her calm the patient down...have her watch me (very closely) give the injection again...apologize to the patient...watch her leave....and then listen to a lecture from our supervisor on the need to be aware of everything we are doing. I'm thankful she didn't make me feel worse than I already felt but, still... here's what I learned and will never forget.

Always make sure the syringe has the vaccine or medicine in it before you stick the patient. 

...even if they are a Democrat : )

*Sorry, I couldn't help myself, I was giving flu shots at the Capitol, it had to get political!

Blast from the Past

Right now I am studying for a genetics exam in Kendall at Hillsdale College for an exam I have tomorrow morning at up at MSU. And this white board, covered in facts from the infamous Western Heritage class, sits before me. It appears that someone has attempted to identify a major piece of ancient literature with its author or contents (although I really can't be too sure). It's rather odd to be here, but at the same time, it feels like I never left. But, instead of heading to 32 Howder tonight, Kate and I will head back to East Lansing.

Happy Election Day

Question: Is there any public school that contains a classroom that recites the Pledge of Allegiance at the start of the school day anymore?  Maybe each and every American should be required to live in a non-democratic country for some extended period of time. Maybe it wouldn't even have to be an extended period of time. Isn't that how most of us got here in the first place? It's why our families came here years ago and why the colonists drafted a Declaration of Independence. Maybe then we'd appreciate what we have in America. Maybe then we'd appreciate our ancestors and even people today who still choose to come here to buy into the system that gives them the opportunity to get involved. Maybe. I know, it's a stretch. [Even as I write this, I'm tempted to say, "Why would anyone want to come here?" I am so quick to complain, but so slow to take action.] And then, when we as Americans fail to take an active role as citizens of this country, we wonder why it's failing. It's not failing because our leaders are failing. It's failing because we are. At least that's what I think.

Read this, even if you don't want to. Read. It.

...It is for us, the living, rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they have, thus far, so nobly carried on. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us - that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion - that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation shall have a new birth of freedom; and that this government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. 

[The Gettysburg Address. Abraham Lincoln]

It's impossible to have a government of the people and for the people if it's not by the people. So, vote. It's the least you can do. If you haven't today, there's always a next time. And if you don't next time...there may not me a next time.