Archive for August, 2008

Amazing People

{ August 26, 2008 @ 10:41 pm } · { Social }
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Tommy Neeson, husband to Elaine, father to Shelby and parent of a child
lost to cancer (Randi) has a passion for running and a passion for helping
others in need.

Four Million Steps, the Ronald McDonald House Run for Compassion will
start in Bangor, Maine and end over 2,300 miles later in Miami, Florida.
Along the way, Tommy will stop off at different Ronald McDonald Houses to
visit and support families affected by cancer and to coordinate runs with
corresponding local running clubs in an effort to increase local involvement
and support for The Ronald McDonald House.

http://www.runnerssociety.com/4millionsteps.html

AND, I just discovered an old classmate of mine who is the World Champion Water Skiing! Not that it surprises me. He ways always water skiing as soon as the ice melted on their pond, wearing a wet, suit of course.

ER

{ August 23, 2008 @ 5:59 pm } · { Uncategorized }
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Ahhhhhh (sigh). I just finished a 3 night stretch of the night shift (9pm-7am). I enjoyed it well enough and even found time to exercise and study some. What I didn’t realize was how TIRED I was. It was my first week on, so I was hyper-vigilant (sleeping only 6hrs, taking minimal breaks). After sleeping all day yesterday, I thought I’d be up all night, but I had no problem falling asleep at 1am and slept until 1pm today!!

As far as the actual rotation goes, I’m enjoying it. ER is the place where medicine a can do a lot of good in a short amount of time. There have been some patients that I would have done OMT on if given the chance (headache, whiplash, rib pain), but I haven’t been very aggressive about advocating for OMT. I’m here to learn standard ER practice and, of course, there is always my own doubt regarding my OMT skills. Maybe I’ll be a little more aggressive, but then again I’ll be there during the days now and it’ll be busy with lots to learn.

Kripalu

{ August 19, 2008 @ 9:44 am } · { Environmental, Social, musings }
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The weekend of “opening my heart” became more of a “drawing within” weekend. My absolute most favorite part was the option of eating my meals in complete silence. It is required for everyone in the big dinning hall to eat a silent breakfast and then during lunch and dinner you have the option to eat silently in a smaller room. I loved it! Most of the time I don’t like chit chatting with strangers and I usually feel like a freak when I sit by myself in large cafeterias where lots of people are talking and laughing and then feeling pressured to talk to any neighbors that happen to sit close by. Instead, I had the opportunity to just me. And it was comforting to see there were a few other people like me. It was nice to have their company, knowing that they have similar introverted tendencies. :)

What bothered me slightly was their apparent pride in saying the Kripalu yoga center is a nonsectarian institution established to help people become fully human/alive. Although this is a fabulous idea and has numerous attributes, Kripalu was originally founded as an ashram where spiritual discipline was a part of the life. I feel like that essence has been lost and without the spiritual discipline to follow and adhere to, people will remain self-indulgent. No matter how healthy the food, you can still indulge and the fact that we pay for these workshops, we feel entitled to only go as much as week like and they encourage us to “do what’s right for you”. So, Kripalu seem more like a very pleasant and mindful resort rather than a place of complete spiritual awakening. When I have the need to “get away” and self-indulge, I will probably go back, but I won’t expect any great spiritual experiences.

To the Berkshires!

{ August 14, 2008 @ 3:48 pm } · { Uncategorized }
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Another leg in my journey begins tomorrow when I travel to western Massachusetts for a Kirpalu Yoga retreat focusing on opening my heart. Sigh. It is really a bizarre place to be when you can’t trust your own heart. That’s partly why I’ve pursued so much schooling. I can trust my intellect and logical systems, but this emotional thing is just aggravating. Every time I had a crush, my feelings were never returned and yet I keep opening myself up to the possibility that just maybe someone will want to be with me. Problem is, every time it doesn’t work out, it burrow deeper and deeper into myself making myself less available than before and harder for those I’m interested in to see how much I care. I don’t want to play games.

After Kirpalu I head to the Berkshire Medical Center for my ER rotation. Eek! I’m nervous, but I just heard from someone today who is going to be sending me my schedule and details. I have some friends in the area I’m looking forward to hanging out with, including the baby…!!

Travel Thoughts

{ August 13, 2008 @ 3:41 pm } · { Uncategorized }
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I have spent way too much time driving around New England and way too much time thinking about life.

Why do people giggle and smile when they are happy as well as when they are nervous? My guess is giggling is a way to project energy. In one instance it is to spread the joy of laughter and the other it is to hide the insecurities. If we project, then no one can see inside.

How do we break our habitual cycles? Life is so much easier when we maintain our set pattern, but then again, easier doesn’t mean better/happier.

On the lighter side:
Get this! I don’t have to study for a test for at least 2 years!! How amazing is that? Of course, I’ll keep on studying. I think I’m addicted to studying, but at least I don’t have the pressure from exams upon me. Then again, if I failed my step 2’s, I’ll have to take them again… I was such a doofis for my computer exam. I thought I had scheduled it for Tuesday Aug 12, but I had, in fact, scheduled it for Monday Aug 11. I got a phone call on my cell phone (which was turned off) on Monday morning asking where I was and if I had rescheduled my exam elsewhere! Eek! I finally turned my phone on around noon and listened to my messages (I usually don’t have many). Luckily they were flexible at the testing center in Concord. I guess they stay open until 10pm on Mon and Tues, so I went in and was finished my exam by 7:30pm. Phew!!

Whirlwind

{ August 8, 2008 @ 5:36 pm } · { Uncategorized }
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Phew! Just finished a whirlwind tour of Martha’s Vineyard, New York City and my COMLEX PE exam in Conshohocken, PA. I drove to my dad’s house in Canterbury, NH after my exam. It should have taken me 7-8 hrs, but with night construction traffic and pouring rain, it took me nearly 10 hours!! That wouldn’t be so bad if I hadn’t taken a 7hour exam earlier in the day. Sigh…. I seem to attract/plan these tests of endurance: long exams, long driving hours. Maybe it is preparation for my internship and residency. Luckily I had today to recuperate. Now I’m on the road again to head up to Maine for a wedding and I might get some swing dancing in while I’m there!! :)