Friday, July 2, 2010

Cramming Two Months Into One Post

Hmmm. Well that was some blog hiatus, like 2 months. I tried to write several times, but no words would flow from my soul to my fingers. I think that happens sometimes. I won't allow myself to beat myself up over it. I don't have the energy.

Things have dramatically changed in here the hot land of bees and havalinas. First, I finished all my classes, took my end of year exam and began the wonderful world of clinical rotations. More on that later. I then took my week break, went to a wedding in Mass, hiked and biked in Vermont, Connecticut, and Maine, ate a ton of seafood, see kayaked to islands in Acadia National Park and tried to relax before flying home to the panic that comes with setting foot in an actual medical clinic and having to pretend to be confident and knowledgeable.

Pathetically, I have no camera right now that works worth a damn. I bought a waterproof digital disposable camera but unfortunately, it was a complete waste of money and my computer engineering background isn't sufficient to figure out how to make the damn thing work on my computer.

Back to my present, I am currently working in an OBGYN women's health clinic. It is a pretty stellar opening rotation in my opinion. I get a good mixture of clinical hours talking to tons of pregnant ladies and doing yearly women's health exams, mixed with a lot of deliveries and c-section surgical procedures. I have now had my hands in a lot of interesting places. Last week, I hand dissected out the placenta from a uterus, sewed up my first alive human body, and saw my first surgical "oh shit" moment (it was not from me). I pretty much love being in surgery.

In other news, it is hot out. Like really hot. But I have been staying cool by many trips to the lake where I am trying to master the art of wake boarding. I have been biking a lot, although I am a giant heat weeny and seem to melt apart when it hits 95. I have been doing some canyoneering and water fall jumping, which only required one extreme canyon rescue when my friend ripped her knee about in the middle of a deep canyon and we had to literally find a bailout route up a canyon wall and carry her out. It was not pleasant, but luckily 4 PAs were on hand for medical opinions and to be generally useless. This coming July 4th weekend, we are going backingpacking to Aravaipa, which is crystal clear slot canyon in SE AZ requiring a permit to enter. Pretty pumped about it.

I have two more weeks at the women's health clinic before heading for a 6 week rotation doing heart surgery. Hopefully I will post more frequently. Have I mentioned I love my life right now?

Some pics from the last 2 months:

SPRINGTIME IN THE VALLEY

Hiking Flat Iron in Superstition Mountains


Backpacking Trip to Superstition Mts

Can you beat this view? I think not.

Here I ponder life, or something like that.

Don't ask, I have no idea.


Wakeboarding at Saguaro Lake

View of Four Peaks from the Lake. Remember this epic?

See the lil mountain goat watching us? We also saw a bald eagle.

Thats all for now folks.