I am officially a "Mainer"

It has been FAR too long since I have updated the world on my whereabouts. To get everyone up to speed I am now residing in Portland, Maine and have began my fifth semester of medical school. My Christmas holiday was a whirlwind of my three favorite things; family, friends, and food! I spent a lot of time with my family and close girlfriends and said my prayers that I was done living on the island. Med 4 really wore me out and I was in serious need of home cooking and TLC. We all know mom was more than happy to oblige on both those accounts. This Christmas break I added two more new milestones to my life. I bought my first vehicle, thanks to the tireless search of my dad who was able to find the perfect car for me. I also sustained my first serious injury. Having hurt my knee in St Kitts in the last flag football game of the season I had convinced myself that it was nothing serious. It was sore, but I could walk on it. How serious could it be right? Wrong! After seeing my family practice doc expressing my concern that, 3 weeks later, my knee still didn't feel right she suggested an MRI. Knowing full well that I wanted to be active once I got out to Maine I agreed. It didn't take more than one glance at the MRI and mom could see I had torn my ACL. So now, on top of everything else in my chaotic life I must find the time to schedule in surgery. Looks like I'll be back home for a few months in the summer to get that done and rehab my knee. I am adjusting to life out east very nicely. Luckily I had Tom as my copilot for the 23 hour drive out here. We hit some nasty weather somewhere in Ohio that delayed our progress but $200 of gas, $56 in tolls, 10 cups of coffee, and 1 lost debit card later we made it. The weather is similar to Wisconsin and the people here have been very kind and welcoming. We are seeing patients every week to get practice taking history and proper physical exams. The docs here critique the hell out of us but it is great practice. Three days a week we are in lecture and a clinical lab where we learn how to start IVs, give injections, intubate, etc. This week I start working with my preceptor. He is an emergency medicine physician in a town 40 miles north of here. I am excited to spend time in the ED and see if it is an area I may have genuine interest in. Other than that I am grinding away and doing my best to keep my eye on the prize. I am mere months away from the biggest exam of my LIFE (no exaggeration) and that is a terrifying and exhilarating thought. Keep me in your thoughts and prayers, you are all in mine! Love, Ash