Hospital Day 2

Survived another day of rounds in the hospital! I was in internal medicine again this week, but on the service of another physician. She was extremely knowledgable and taught us a lot today. Saw my own patient and am learning first hand that what a patient tells you is not always the full or even entire truth! It becomes an exciting (and stressful?) adventure trying to use the lab values and your medical knowledge to find out what is going on with the patient. Next week I have my pediatrics rotation and am looking forward to that. Hoping they actually have some patients because the group with that rotation today had zero patients to see! Health care is a lot different here. Most people do not come in for care until their disease or illness has progressed. Nothing like in the states where people are getting constant checkups and seek care when they begin to feel ill. Sad to see how many of the people we cannot help due to the advanced stage of their illness. Still trucking over here in "paradise," paddling like hell to keep my head above water :) Love you guys!

Short and Sweet

This one is going to be short and sweet but it's better than nothing! Had to share the exciting news that we started doing our rounds in the hospital this morning!! This semester has proved to be even MORE intense than the last if you can believe that. We are officially at 40 class hours a week which is pretty unheard of for medical school. Pathology 2, Pharmacology, Intro to clinical medicine, Medical Ethics, and Epidemiology! Just when I thought a semester couldn't get more intense than the last... I am sleeping at average of about 6 hours a night, class from 8 am to 5:30 pm every day and then studying until I fall into bed at night. Not a whole of "me" time and it is definitely starting to wear on me. I think the combination of living on this island for 13 months now, missing out on so much back home, stress levels out the roof, and pure exhaustion have made me....stronger? (For sanities sake that is what I am going to tell myself) Don't get me wrong, I LOVE what I'm doing but a full night of sleep every once in a while wouldn't be too much to ask would it?? Rounds this morning were on an internal medicine unit. Got to take a full history and do an exam on a patient and then report our findings to our Attending physician. Putting the information we learn in class into practical use in a hospital setting is a rewarding experience to say the least. Humbling as well, when you realize how much you don't know and have yet to learn! Anyways, sorry this was quick but just wanted to post these pics and check in to let everyone know I'm still alive over here on this rock :) GO BADGERS, BREWERS, AND PACKERS! Great time to be a Wisconsin sports fan. You better believe I remind everyone here about it too! Love you guys, keep those prayers for me going as I make my final push on the island! Be back on December 15!