The pluses and minuses of ER (updated)

+ The opportunity to learn and do procedures
+ Getting (relatively) quick results on labs and tests
+ Lots and lots of variety, and lots of things I've never seen before
+ Connecting with a patient, and feeling like they like and trust me
+ Wearing scrubs...  happy to put aside my dress pants for a while
+ Days off...'nough said

- Long shifts
- Nights. For me, they were brutal.
- Draining abscesses is far less satisfying than I imagined it would be. Actually, it's really gross (I know, shocker). 
- Screaming, sick children still terrify me
- Lots and lots of sad situations
- Nobody is having a good day when they come in to the ER

There's all kinds of tough stuff coming through the doors. There's addicts, psychiatric illnesses, people who refuse to take care of their medical problems and end up so far gone. Sometimes there just isn't much we can offer.

Overall, now that I'm done, I have to say I really enjoyed it. Most days were pretty fun and exciting. Naive little me learned a lot about the great big world out there and the struggles people face. And I learned a lot about medicine. Do I want to get a job in an ER when I'm done? Quite possibly.

Happy fall!

Happy fall, from the Chesapeake Bay!

So far it looks a lot like the other seasons around here, but it is most definitely fall. 

How do I know? First of all, I've started running again...a clear sign of the coming of autumn.

Second of all, I'm working in Family Medicine right now and let me tell you, people attribute all kinds of things to the changing seasons. 

I like my rotation a lot and think family med wouldn't be bad at all. The one thing I really don't like? Dealing with "colds/coughs/sore throats/sinus infections/upper respiratory infections/bronchitis/whatever you wanna call it" all. the. time. Seriously. But otherwise it's going great!

Burke and I gave talks in church today and as we were introduced the bishop said we would be leaving soon. Between that and Burke's emotional-ness during the intermediate hymn of "Each Life That Touches Ours For Good," (Really? Who can we blame for picking that song?) now everybody has to say something to us about how sad they are that we're leaving or what not. It just feels kind of funny because we aren't actually moving for another month and a half. People are going to keep seeing us around and be like, "Wait. You're still not gone yet?" Let's be serious; nobody wants to say goodbye too many times. 

I hope you're enjoying September, wherever you are! I know it's got to be one of my favorite times of year.

Charlotte

No more working in shorts...it's back to the office with this guy!

Burke has accepted a job for TIAA-CREF in Charlotte, NC, and will begin October 1st (or thereabouts).

He'll be there and I'll be here for one long and lonely month. Then in early November we'll be moving to Charlotte, and I will finish up my rotations there and come back to Virginia to graduate next May as planned. We are super excited!!!

Last year a guy that Burke used to work with at Thrivent who now works at TIAA-CREF tried to recruit him. It wasn't the right timing, obviously, but it got us thinking about future opportunities. Burke already knows several people and has a great reputation at CREF. When Burke's dad got a job for the same company and started plans to move to Charlotte it was even more of a reason to pursue it--both sets of parents are in the same state now! I started working on arranging away rotations in Charlotte so that if the opportunity presented itself again, we could go ahead and move down there. The only bummer is that this job is lining up  a month too early. But that's that!

I feel so blessed and so proud of Burke. We don't know quite where his career will lead us, but he is doing a great job wherever and in whatever he does. I'm so grateful that he supported me in moving to Virginia even though it meant sacrificing a lot for him to work from home. It was a huge blessing that he was able to not only keep his job, but do so well in it, for those 21 months. We're excited for the opportunities that he will have in NC, and I'm thrilled to be moving back "home." We will live really close to Burke's parents and about an hour and 15 minutes from my parents, which is so exciting. North Carolina is wonderful and we can't be happier about our next big change!

Surgery update

Surgery is going surprisingly well! 

I am a lucky, lucky girl, because my surgery rotation is with a group that has me work M-F 8ish-5ish, no call. Some of my counterparts work those 60-80-something hour weeks when they're on surgery, but not me! The only complaint I can muster is that I sometimes don't get lunch, but that sounds pretty lame when I consider the schedule I could be working.

The docs are great overall and I'm learning a ton. The first couple of weeks I did more rounding and sometimes went to the office to follow the docs there, but last week I was in the OR all day every day. It's been almost surprising how much I have enjoyed my days, most of the time. I was so anxious about this rotation, but it's really not been a big deal. In the OR I recognize that it is easy for me to just be in the way, so I try really hard to just do as I'm told. This week I'm trying and ask to get a little more involved if I can. It's a great opportunity for me. 

Because I am enjoying the rotation, the patients, etc., I feel like I would certainly look into a job in surgery if it were available. PAs can fill all sorts of roles in a surgery practice, taking care of the patients in the hospital, doing consults, seeing patients in the office, or assisting in surgery. It's hard to imagine, though, that any doctor would want me for a first assist in surgery! With my meager 4 weeks of surgery rotation experience, I think that would be a tough sell. But it's exciting to consider what my options might be and refreshing to no longer feel that fear and aversion to the OR. 

I will never forget some of the things I've seen and experienced on this rotation. Getting to meet these patients, and then see the anatomy so up close and personal, really puts their pathology into perspective. It's a great way to learn. 

The commute

One thing I miss desperately about my time at BYU was being able to walk, all the time. If I got to drive/get dropped off at work it was lovely, but most of the time I walked everywhere. I miss that.

Especially because I am now in my 4th rotation, and all 4 of them have been in different cities, other than the one I live in. And because traffic in this region is hideous. Horrendous. Not near as bad as D.C. But still horrible.

Today I left work on the east side of Virginia Beach around 5. I had to run 2 small, short errands. I got home at 7:30. Now that is bad for the environment.

We live right next to the bridge-tunnel that leads to the peninsula (where Hampton and Newport News are) and the traffic backs up there like you wouldn't believe. It's bizarre, because the freeway is only 2 lanes for miles and miles leading up to the tunnel... it's not like it's merging traffic. And yet, every single day, traffic backs up like there's a friggin hurricane coming. I don't know if I will ever understand it. Today just happened to be particularly bad. 

So today I say, I can't wait until I can live really close to the places I have to be every single day. Maybe walking distance, even? I miss Provo.

Can you tell I've been home alone all week?

Weekend

We sure had a great weekend... it was a cryin' shame for it to end. One highlight--and dream come true--was when we saw 10-15 dolphins in the water just out from where we were swimming. It was awesome! But of course, no photos of that.

Thanks, you two, for coming to visit! Have a great semester at BYU!

July in photos

July just slipped right on by, and we were busy as ever.

Passing a lamborghini on I-85 in northern NC. It's safe to say it was a defining moment in Burke's life, hence the picture he made me take.

Spending a long weekend with Mom, Dad, and Dill, including an evening hike/swim at Stone Mountain

Celebrating Burke's 26th birthday with candles and his favorite Raisin Cake

Bowling... and Burke got two fantastic scores--an excellent birthday present!

Watching a glass-blowing demonstration and checking out the Chrysler Museum of Art (these are some of my favorite glass sculptures)

Taking our neighbor David to the temple for the first time