Day 3 - 5/1/10

Belizean fact of the day... down here, they write out their dats as day/month/year. Turns out just us "silly Americans" (as the resident Brits call us) write month/day/year.

Today marked the first day in the clinic and it was a slow one. I ran one EKG on a 91yo who looked incredible for her age and saw an infant with a little bit of an upset stomach, nothing too exciting. Afterwards, Nurse Betty offered to take another PA student (Adam) and myself out on a home visit up the road. I think this is the opportune moment to tell you that nobody has an address here, there are no street names, but somehow everyone manages to get around just fine and know where everyone lives. Here's how we got to this lady's hut... up the road, turn right, go down the dirt path and over the bridge, there will be a small dirt road so follow that to the right, go up the steep hill and there's her place. SO CRAZY but this is a very small village that we are in and everybody knows everybody. So... this home visit might have been the best part of the entire trip so far and to come, I was that amazed. I truly felt like I was out in the jungle trying to hike to this woman's hut. I'll put up pictures later when I can upload them but her hut was actually a decent size and extremely gorgeous from the outside. The inside is one large open room with multiple hammocks (those are their beds!! see, I would fit in PERFECTLY down here!). There is a large stove that had a delicious smell coming out of whatever was cooking on top of it and then random odds and ends. It is pretty bare with a few "tapestries" on the walls or their clothing. There were 2 of us students, one practicing PA, and Nurse Betty and we were a site to see. Anyone around that hut surrounded us to watch our every move. We tried to learn a little of their local language, Ketchi, but we gained a large laughter in response. Haha, can't hurt us for trying...

Here's a funny story for all you people who know how giddy I get about stupid little things... we're out walking the trail to this patient's house and we crossed a small little stream and I looked down only to notice a massive trail of ants and these floating green things on the path. Nurse Betty informed us that these are called "wi-wi's" (not sure of the spelling) and they are ants that go to a tree and devour all of the leaves and carry these pieces over to another area where they build their house. There were a few lone stragglers but man, these ants were dedicated! Who knew such little creatures existed in nature?!? Needless to say, I was amazed once again.

Okay.. quick heads up on what's going on around base here. There are 11 of us students total... Nicole & Sara (pharmacy students), Adam, Lindsey, Tracy, Emily (Marquette PA students), Val & myself (RFUMS), Ama, Natalie, and Cyndi who is my roommate (med students from London). Then, there is Dr. Peter DeWolf and his daughter Julie, Dave (a PA) and his son Andrew, Dan & Marie (the clinical coordinators), Ebbett (the coolest handyman ever), Alfia & Emilia (our interpreters and cleaning ladies), Andy (our crazy awesome driver), Nurse Betty (in-house nurse who is volunteering here for a year), and if I missed anyone else, I'll catch up with them later!

Every week there are two teams of us... one group travels out to the villages to see some 0f the locals and then the other group stays on clinic grounds and runs a full-functioning clinic for anyone who shows up Monday-Friday from 8am-12pm. In the afternoons we are trying to team up with the Peace Corps and do school physicals for every child in the surrounding districts (about 300-500 total). We also help Nurse Betty out on these home visits whenever a few of us have spare time. The weekends are ours to thorughly enjoy. So far, we've tossed around ideas of Guatemala, Sarshun (a small river tour on a river that borders Belize & Guatemala), adventure caving in San Ignacio or an island weekend getaway just off the coast of Punta Gorda. More information about those to come...

Other than that, it's crazy humid here.. nothing dries... there are ants everywhere. We've spotted a flying cockroach in one of the bedrooms last night and a lizard near the extra refrigerator today. Good thing I love bugs and critters huh? I'm in heaven out on the roads meeting locals... everyone waves at you, says hello (actually they prefer good morning, afternoon, or evening, or pleasure to meet you). It's just like being back in a small town and I just can't get over how friendly everyone is.

For my beer-lovers out there, Belize makes a dang good brew called Belikan! Find it, check it out, love it (otherwise I'll try to bring some home)... I definitely enjoyed a delicious stout while avoiding a serious downpour in PG (aka Punta Gorda) today AND I met another Brit!!!

Much love... belizean love of course!

Day 1 - January 3, 2010.

I'M HERE... safe and sound for all you worry warts out there! Let me give you a little run down of what has happened so far... (and it's only day one)

I knew that this was going to be the start of a great adventure when I was driving to my parents house near O'Hare at 2:00 this morning on no sleep after a phenomenal Dave Matthews cover band with friends that lasted a touch too long. A few last minute packing changes, a quick shower, and no power nap... off I went to O'Hare. If you can believe it, there was a line at 3:30am!! I sure couldn't believe it but I couldn't believe that I was still awake either. I breezed through O'Hare with no problems, found a Starbucks open very early and curled up in the international terminal to rest until takeoff. I was out cold from Chicago to Houston and then hopped onto a beautiful flight from Houston into Belize with a local Belizean on one side of me and a non-local who's family lived in Belize on the other side of me. You better believe I chatted it up with them! Best advice... do as much as you can crammed into as much time as you have.

We arrived in Belize City about 30 minutes delayed... which was only a problem since I had 20 minutes to catch a puddle jumper but low and behold, everything worked out fine! I flew through customs in a large open room... might I add that Belize is a very easy country to get into! :) I walked up to the counter of Tropic Air (Belize's local airline company) and was greeted by name (makes you feel very important)! I hurried out to the runway and walked right onto a plane that looked a lot like the plane I jumped out of last October.

So here's the puddle jumper & the inside of the plane!! Seriously, some of the BEST aerial views of Belize ever!

So although Mom told me not to talk to strangers down here, I just couldn't resist. I met a fellow businessman traveling to Punta Gorda to work on a forum about the orange trees that were destroyed in the hurricane. He taught me more about Belize than I could have read in a book... AND he didn't follow me out of the airport!! :)

Here's what I learned...
1. Belize City = "there's no need for you to ever be here... it's just not a good place" (note to self.)
2. Runways in Belize = "you either make it in the air or you get wet" (we made it in the air!!)
3. There are these crazy grids of water ponds... turns out they are shrimp farms.
4. There are areas with rows and rows of trees... turns out they grow bananas.
5. This is a rainforest... it will always be wet.

(See what good talking to a local does for you Mom?)

Anyway, we're here safe at the clinic and it's beautiful. I share a bedroom with a girl named Cynda from the UK whom I haven't met yet. There are about a half dozen people here. Chris, you would love it because there are random dogs roaming around all over the place. Janice lives next door in a pink house and has generously offered to cook all of our meals for us. Based on how sweet her house smelled, I think I may enjoy this feature very much! Nurse Betty lives on clinic grounds with us as well and she's a sweet little lady! She's given us tons of advice so far and I think she'll be a blessing in disguise for us.

Ok... time to kick back, relax and await the arrival of the rest of the crew. Tomorrow morning starts orientation, tours, market!

xoxoxo..
ps it's definitely at least 70 down here!!!

Let the good times roll!

HAPPY 2010 EVERYONE!!!

T minus just over 24 hours!! Can you believe that? I definitely cannot. The last couple of months have been crazy busy and filled with emergency medicine, internal medicine, and plenty of research. I have not had the prime opportunity to really sit back and realize that I'm about to travel internationally and experience something I cannot even imagine how indescribable it will be. And now I can say that this adventure is only a few days away... it is SUNDAY MORNING!! It feels a touch surreal to have this trip upon me and I still cannot believe it is actually happening.

2009 was a tough year for me with PA school and the hard times that come alongside that, but truth be told, 2009 was also one of the best years I have had overall. I've discovered a lot about myself and learned a few inspirational lessons. For some reason, I have high hopes for what 2010 will bring. The new year was celebrated surrounded by amazing friends, old and new, with smiles and pure joy. A few days into the new year, I continue to create memories by venturing out to Belize! And in 6 months, this student life will finally be complete and a new chapter opens up.

So here's to 2010! Thank you to each of you who have been in my life over the years... I am truly blessed to be where I am and be surrounded with an abundant amount of support and love.

and away we go!!

TICKETS ARE FINALLY PURCHASED!!

January 3, leave Chicago at the break of dawn... and arrive in Belize City around 11:30am! I'll either be awaiting my fellow classmate and her arrival around 3:30p or just jumping on a puddle jumper and heading to Punta Gorda!

For four weeks you can follow my adventure through this blog and Skype (sign up if you haven't already).

January 31, I leave Punta Gorda and head up to Belize City to catch a 1ish plane back to Chicago! I should be home safe by that evening!!!!

(((( SO EXCITED! ))))

ps. Right now I'm at ER at the ever-famous Mt. Sinai Hospital and although we've had many slow days and nights to count so far, I think it ties with surgery for a possible career choice!

a world down under

Women's health... never thought it was really a field for me (for no specific reason) and still, don't think it's my cup of tea! But regardless, I'm having fun and it's a different world for sure.. The south side of Chicago will open your eyes to things you didn't think you'd encounter and will make you much more aware of your surroundings! I keep crossing my fingers that I'll continue to be on the RIGHT corner at the RIGHT time :)

BUT!!!

I delivered my first beautiful healthy baby girl! The labor wasn't too intense and I even caught the slippery little munchkin. I had no idea what I was doing but I think I understood the basic concept and with the helpful advice from the doctor standing at my side ready to jump in, I got her out in one piece without dropping her and helped deliver the rest of the goods that go along with pregnancy! It honestly wasn't as bad as I thought it would be... but I also wasn't the one lying on the table trying to push a massive object out either! Other than that, women's health is basically a lot of "dirty va-j-j's" as I termed it but it's a lot of fun. I can relate with my patients being a woman, I can help comfort them in a situation that probably isn't very thrilling to them, and I get to provide joy with fetal heart sounds and exciting baby news. It's not what I want to do... but it's an experience! I miss surgery a lot but I do get to be in the OR a few days of the week with surgical cases of a different type so it's ok!

Five more weeks... then cardiology/internal medicine.
Six weeks after that... then emergency medicine.
Five weeks after that... then the holidays :)
THEN BELIZE!!!!!! (still counting down...)

Another day in the life of a PA student!

ages of updates!

ROTATION #2 (surgery) DONE AND DONE!! I think I may have found my nitch in surgery. Some people question why I love blood and guts, but my only answer is that surgery isn't just about that! Yes, for the 4-10 hours a day that I'm in the operating room, your perspective is a bit biased towards blood, arteries and veins, body parts, and tools. The majority of the rest of the time is spent in clinic meeting patients and diagnosing them and trying to cure them of their ailments OR spent inpatient following up with post-operative patients, checking surgical wounds, or managing medical problems. It's a great mix! It only gets better when your surgeons are amazing and your PA group is badass and makes coming to work bearable!!

So... surgery? Yea, I think I could do it for the rest of my life but still have six more rotations to go, one being out of the country, and many interviews to ace and pick up a career. And don't forget about the treacherous boards in June!!!

It's on to bigger and better (well maybe not better, but new!) things right now!
Rotation #3: women's health aka babies and girls
I'll be on the south side of chicago for six weeks in a much different population than my last rotation with a much different subject matter, but needless of that, I am excited! I think just the idea that I've never personally caught a slippery ball of life before, and I have spent a lot of time focused on women's health is a challenge and something I'm looking forward to.

As for the rest of my life... wait, there's more to life than just being a student?!? :) TBA.....

ciao!
PS... FOUR MONTHS AND A HANDFUL OF DAYS UNTIL BELIZE!!!!!!!

dia uno y dos.

First year - check. Week long break that needed to be one more week - check. ROTATIONS!!

Let me tell you about this new chapter in my life. Austin Sinai clinic is a free clinic available to Chicago. Doors open bright smackin' early at 9am and we start to see patients at 1000am. We take care of 4 patient rooms in the front of the clinic. The back of the clinic is taken up by little munchkins not excited to be poked and prodded to put it nicely (it's only day two and I've already learned how to zone out the crying!). Sharif, our preceptor, is also an alum of RFUMS so he's dropped us off the deep end and then thrown a rope after us to help us back up. His teaching skills are exceptional while challenging us to be autonomous and learn as we go. The staff is laidback, fun in their own ways, and quite fiesty by the end of the day, which makes each day something to look forward to. I'm in this round with another classmate of mine, so a friendly face appears in the doorway every morning! Did I mention this is my family med rotation? No? Well, there you go then. Hypertension, diabetes, asthma, school physicals, women's health screens, bacterial and viral infections only scratch the surface of what we have the potential of encountering. Austin Sinai is also involved in a weight loss program and opiate addiction rehabilitation so we see just a touch of everything.

Two days down, six weeks to go!!!
And in the meantime... somebody please fill my noggin with anatomy and suture notes?!?!

More to come as we go folks! Drop a line, say hi, and update me on your life!
luuv.

the itch

I've officially caught the itch to travel! Two of my friends are currently exploring Germany with hopes of adventuring through other parts of Europe if possible. Might I add that they're both on personal travel!!! The countdown's still on for Belize and I'm getting more and more stoked since this will be the start to my tales of international adventures (240 days!!!). Still need to get immunizations galore, prophylaxis and the most important... a passport! No updates yet on flights but I'm debating a straight shot to Punta Gorda or a flight + bus choice.

On an even better note.. the times of sitting in a windowless classroom, studying until information flows out my ears, and trying to sort out a year of eevrything I'm supposed to know is ALMOST OVER! One and a half weeks left which includes a ceremony to get a white coat, pre-boards exam, and MOVING (the latter being probably the best part)! Then one week of testing and I'm on out of town to visit an old friend and explore the east side of the US! Gotta love it..

In lieu of Boondock Saints (my motivation for the week)... The question is not how far. The question is, do you possess the constitution, the depth of faith, to go as far is as needed?

ciao.

life lessons

35 days until family med rotation starts...
25 days until my last final exam of 1st year...
15 days until I relocate to Chicago...
(Not that I'm counting or anything)

Tonight's life lesson from Kate's perspective..
I've learned in the past two weeks that despite life, despite stress, despite whatever rolls you over... you can get by if you ask for a rope, stand back up, and walk with a little stronger stride in your day. They say tough times only make you stronger and I think whoever said that might be right. One year is almost over and I look back at what's happened so far and I'm shocked and amazed. What a rollercoaster, but that's the most accurate description of life right?! Every day I think I discover something more about myself whether it be some new hobby I desire to try or something that I don't really care to have in my life anymore. The biggest thing I've learned in this year of PA school is how to be me and be okay with just that. Although Chicago is considered my actual "home", North Chicago is very distant from that. It's not much of a town excluding the fireplace at Starbucks where I've lived for the last year! I've had moments of thinking I'm going to completely fail out of PA school, sleepless nights of wondering how I'm going to make it through, and moments of complete giddiness realizing that I'm almost done and I can do this! It's a bit of a relief knowing that I am where I need to be right now, that I've found a nitch in something that I can do for the rest of my life, and one piece of my life puzzle that finally fits into place. The rest of the stuff.... well, it'll fall into place sooner rather than later hopefully. Funny how Mom's are always right though, because I'm pretty sure mine's been telling me that since I was a little munchkin and it's taken me almost 25 years to finally listen to her and take it to heart.

Back to studying burns, toxicity, and obstetics for the night (of course, not all related)... philosophical lesson over.

one month later...

So it's been one month since my last blog (SORRY!). RFUMS is getting crazy but the light at the end of the tunnel is shining bright. I'm not sure many of you know but I'm a philanthropy co-chair for our program. This week we're actually hosting a huge event I've been working on for weeks: salsa benefit for Multiple Sclerosis!! Today we've put together a shoe sale with discounted Brian Atwood (Italian designer) shoes and Thursday is the salsa concert. So needless to say, it's been crazy! Lots of last minute, pulling strings, getting everything together... but come Thursday at 9pm - phew!

I've had the adventure urge lately, which isn't helping me study and get through classes but that's spring fever for you! Urban adventure races, backpacking trips, road trips to Miami to visit Chris (who comes home in ONE WEEK!), anything and everything has crossed my mind. AND BELIZE!! I'm actually starting to get excited.. One of the second year students just returned to the US from Hillside with a handful of words of wisdom for us! There are plenty of excursions to take on the weekend - I'm looking most forward to the kayaking. I've had the itch but unfortunately I don't own a kayak around here nor do I live close to a lake quite yet. Someday...

So, needless to say, Belize planning is on the go right now! I have to stop and thank the people who have been such a huge blessing already to me. I never expected anyone to donate and those who have were such a surprise! Thank you to Kim & Jet, Sally, Kate & Ken, Kristen & Jeff, Carol & Galen, and Tony & Helene!! Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Still to come is plane tickets, immunizations, prophylactic medicine (mostly for malaria), and a passport. Currently, tickets are running $680 for a direct flight down there - thanks to the airline economy - but I'm crossing my fingers that those will go down soon! I'll keep you posted as plans develop!

HIGHLIGHTS:
One more month of class until finals..
May 15th - moving to Chicago to the edge of Logan Square and West Bucktown with two great friends of mine in a beautiful 4BR condo with a fireplace!!
http://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/apa/1120563505.html
End of April-beginning of May - BIG BRO COMES HOME!!!! :)
June 1st- family medicine rotation starts - it all becomes real finally!

Ciao, and much love...