Update

Well, there's no new news on Cyd or Hadi so far. But here is a link where you can get almost daily updates from their organization.

For a Friend

Yesterday morning in Kandahar, one of my former team mates from Afghanistan was abducted as she was driven to work, along with her Afghan driver, Mohammad Hadi.

Please remember Cyd Mizell and Mr. Hadi, who has five children, in your prayers. The Taliban has not yet taken credit or made any demands. Hopefully, they will release her as they have every other woman they've ever abducted. Cyd is the first American to be kidnapped in Afghanistan since the 2001 invasion. Also remember their families and their almost-family, the Kandahar ARLDF team.

Address

Here is my new address. Don't track me down and stalk me. (Unless, you are single, tall, dark, and handsome with innocent motives.)

225 NE 1st Street
Apt 205
OKC, OK 73104

Phone number remains the same.

A New Semester Begins

Wow... the break went by way too fast. But I don't think a Christmas break was ever more enjoyed by a human being before!!! It was really a blessing to be able to move so close to school for the next two semesters. This will definitely save a lot of time, gas, and frustration. I am so happy to be settled in.

We start out 2008 with Radiology, Pharmacotherapeutics and Pathophysiology. I'm only batting 1/3 right now since I don't even know what the last two classes are so its good that we have a whole semester to find out. We also have OBGYN, neurology and nephrology (kidney). I am already afraid. BUT- have also been greatly encouraged to know that, no matter what else happens in the next 50 years... we only have ten months of CLASS left. If I can make it through the next ten months still enrolled, then I will survive to hopefully have a little more free time during rotations.

I thought a lot over the break how there are so many things that I miss getting to do during school. See family and friends, read for fun, volunteer, spend time with little people, enjoy nature on walks with friends, etc... There is a really necessary relational element built into human nature that is impossible to be content without. But this morning at church I really just understood that I only have to forego many of those things until next October, when we go out on rotations. That is really not a long time at all, when you consider the span of an entire life. So I am trying to stem the tide of depression that comes when I think about another 10 months of solitary confinement with books, lectures, forced self-discipline and staring at a computer screen. It is not going to last forever. And, we get a spring break and a two week vacation in June. Nothing to complain about when a lot of people worked in the Gulag archipelago for decades.

Such a cheery note to end on. Here's to enjoying the New Year!

Home to a Whirlwind Move

I am coming home in just a few hours. This trip has been awesome!!! Soo much fun... just what the doctor ordered. REST. I am leaving early tomorrow morning.

When I get back to Oklahoma (which I am ecstatic to hear has warm weather!), I'll be dropped off, drive to my new apartments, sign the lease, and finish moving and packing. The movers will come Thursday afternoon and hopefully the move will be completely finished by Thursday night. I am moving to Deep Deuce in Bricktown, which is just 5 minutes away from school! Yayaaayyy!!

On a more somber note, I have a lot of studying to do because we have proficiency exams for physical diagnosis the first week of school. Be praying that the move will go smoothly and the semester will start out well. I will post pictures of the Utah trip on Facebook, for some reason my computer is no longer allowing me to post pictures to blogger. Not sure what the problem is, I think it has to do with the Mac. Anyway, I'm off through another short whirlwind of change. Hopefully things will settle down a LOT come Friday!

Barack Obama WON!!

I am elated tonight that Barack Obama won the Democratic caucus in Iowa with 38% of the vote- and Hillary Clinton came out in THIRD PLACE with only 29%. He won Iowa, he can win the nomination. OBAMA '08!

I'm in Utah!

Wow- there is a reason the Olympics were held here instead of Colorado. This place is BEAUTIFUL! I went with my friends to Snowbird on New Years Eve to watch a ski parade called Torchlight. All these skiers hold red lights and ski down the mountain. After attempting to ski yesterday, I cannot imagine skiing down the mountain at night holding torches. They did a great job! Afterwards they had fireworks and we got some great pictures I will try to put up on Facebook later.

Then for New Year's Day we went to another ski resort called Brighton. Keri had never skied before either, so a friend of hers who grew up skiing went with us to teach us. She did a great job! The day before it had only been 7 degrees up on the mountain but for us it was 22 and sunny- pretty much a perfect day to learn! I was a little nervous since before coming, I asked everyone in Oklahoma who had been skiing what their first day was like. And some people had really bad experiences. I think because Keri's friend was such a great teacher and we basically got private lessons, for us it was great and so fun! I was really pleased that running the last couple years paid off and I didn't ever get tired on the mountain or feel sore today.

We are going to go back to Brighton tomorrow all day. Yay!!

Since I Am a Slave of a Certain Institution of Higher Education 11 months Out of the Year...

I am making two trips over the break. I leave Tuesday, Dec. 18th for Iowa and will be there until Sunday, Dec. 23rd. I am also going to Utah to visit Keri and Cody Dougless from Monday, Dec. 31st to Wednesday, January 9th.

Oh, The Lovely Goodness!

There is just something GOOD about working hard and being DONE. As Nacho would say, "Really good." !!

I had a long list of all the things I needed to do over the break. And the crazy thing is that I got about 60% of them done just today!! It is AMAZING what a day off will do for your stress level!!!

I also realized that means it really doesn't take that long to do all those little things that bug you and make you feel more stressed out than you really are. So, hopefully they won't contribute so much stress in the future.

The only things left I really need to do over the break are, in no particular order:

1.) Spay my cat
2.) Visit family in Iowa
3.) Write a bestseller
4.) Visit Keri and snowboard in Utah
5.) Watch the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy 3 or 4 times
6.) Memorize the complete physical exam

Yay!! Number three is in case there's a lot of spare time. Number 5 is not.

Riddle

What do the movie, "Mutiny on the Bounty" and Tara's blog, drawingontheceiling.blogspot.com, have in common?

The winner of this riddle will get a can of hominy, as soon as Summer pays up what she owes.

Updates from the Grave

I am dead to the world for the next 12 days- until school gets out on the 14th of December. But, here are some updates from the OU health science center graveyard. I mean library.

1.) I have a new kitten!!! Her name is Sehar and she is a super cute little orange tiger.

2.) I am moving to Oklahoma City!! Woo HOO! This is one I am incredibly excited about because it will mean I will save an hour of driving back and forth to Edmond every day. Since we don't go on rotations until ten months after school starts in January, this move will save me over 200 hours of driving! I will be moving into Deep Deuce on January 10th, right after I get back from Utah and before school starts.

3.) I have a new boyfriend!! Hahahaha. Just kidding.

4.) My 25th birthday is the DAY AFTER school gets out! This is going to be the best Christmas break EVER.

5.) I have to study a lot until our last final is over so please be praying for a good end to the semester! See you SOON!

Alternative Source of Reading

Things have been hectic here and, despite wildly optimistic imaginings, I don't think the last month of school is going to let up any. So instead of actually posting new information, I'm putting my old blog address up here for those who might not have known about it. It has pictures from my first trip to Afghanistan, as well as the stories of how the Afghan ESL class started in Fort Worth, life in Texas, and- of course- some really crazy dreams.

placidstreamlet.blogspot.com

Cast it into the fire!

Do you remember the scene, at the end of the third Lord of the Rings, right after Gollum has bitten the ring off Frodo's finger, fallen into the Crack of Doom, and finally destroyed the Ring? After Frodo and Sam make haste to escape from the mountain before it explodes into the fiery river of ash and lava? Do you remember what Frodo says to Sam when they reach the tiny rock that harbors them until the eagles come?

"ITS GONE. ITS DONE!"

Sitting on that rock; panting, exhausted, near collapsing, and- so darn relieved- Frodo is finally FINISHED with his impossible monstrosity of a task.

And right now, I feel just like him in that moment. Ahhh... the relief is inexpressible. But, for me it was just passing a cardiology test; I was not so fortunate as to have rid the Earth of Evil Forever today. Although apart from the Dark Lord, the Ring, and the end of the world, it was pretty much the same. Though, no one tried to bite off my fingers to take my pencil. Maybe the PA program could add that in... fifty tests, and only twenty-five pencils. Who will pass this clinical medicine test, and who will go home with just nine fingers?? Find out in Spring 2008!

I am deliriously tired and going to bed.

Zalia

Last week, we had a big physiology test on Friday. On Thursday morning, they told us that class was cancelled that afternoon, but that our class had to provide 3 volunteers to read books to children at a health fair. Since I thought we were going to have class, and had already studied a lot, I volunteered to go.

We showed up at the City Rescue Mission around 3pm. There were many unique characters loitering outside who all felt it was imperative to talk to us on the way in. I made a mental note to dress in a gigantic purple sweater with a cartoon charater on the front, cross my eyes, and look as crazy as a bat the next time I go there.

We walked inside and were escorted to our table. The PA charity coordinator for the 2nd year students had applied for, and received, a grant for 600 medical children's books. There were such classics as (Macs can't italize on blogger) Clifford Goes to the Hospital and The Magic Schoolbus. Our plan was to read the books to the children to encourage literacy and then let them take them home.

Unfortunately, there were not very many children at the Health Fair. We had around 10 come by to receive books. Only one, however, wanted to be read to. Her name was Zalia.

She picked out the Magic Schoolbus and we started to read. She was 6, and learning to read in school. I soon realized that The Magic Schoolbus was a bit over her level. Leukocytes, chyme, and villi were things I didn't learn about until college, so it didn't seem necessary to go into all the details or to read the book word for word to her. Let's just say we ended up skipping a lot and its surprising the book made sense in the end after all the alterations.

Well, one thing she did learn. At the end of the book, there's a diagram of the human body with most of the organs labeled. We didn't go into all of it, but I did end up explaining the lungs to her, and why we breathe in air. Although it was a fairly long explanation, she was very smart and really got it.

As we finished, she unexpectedly piped up, "You know my friend Charlise smokes cigarettes and she is only 4."

This was an unexpected statement, but oddly enough, we'd just gone through the mechanics of the respiratory system. So, regardless of whether she was telling the truth or not, it was the perfect opportunity to really explain to her what cigarettes do and why we don't smoke. How the nice pink lung tissue turns black and doesn't work anymore, and eventually can kill people. I think at the end, she really got it. "So that's why my dad is always coughing and going to the hospital, huh?" she ruminated.

I then couldn't resist. "So what do you NEVER do?"

"Smoke cigarettes!" she said enthusiastically and we high-fived. With the possibility that she had seen people doing drugs on my mind, I had just one more question for her.

"And what else do you never do, Zalia?"

"Say cuss words or give people the middle finger." I had to smile. Okay, that too.

Summary of My Life.

PTL Pulmonology is Over.

Approximately 10-14 days before, I can feel it. The pressure starts to build. Without beginning serious study on that day, all hope it lost. How do I know this? Here is a short two test history for you:

GI: Serious isolationism begun 2 weeks before the test. Total approximate hours outside of class studied: 60. Score: 88.

Pulm: Serious isolationism begun 1.5 weeks before the test. TAHOOCS: 45. Score: You don't even want to know. Hopefully she will give us at least two points back and I can get a low B.

And you should know that we don't get the information until a little over 2 weeks from the test. Sometimes less.

There is something about this that just drives anal people like me crazy. Something about giving up almost all social contact and not even making a B on the test!!! Something about... NOT BEING ABLE TO MAKE AN A! aHHHH!! I can't really isolate myself any more. So it looks like I will be a B student and that is a hard pill to take.

Do you want to know what the saddest part of it all is. We have three more tests in the next ten days.

But the good part is that when those are over, it won't be as stressful for awhile. Hmm. I think I have been saying that to myself every time. Hmm.

So now you know why you don't hear from me ever. December! December, my friend, will be a great month. A fantastic month. A month full of wonder and happiness and beauty. Yes, it will be a month to outdo all other months. I will spend all of December in warm, sugary joy with all of you!

A Beautiful Thing

So last night I went to an orchestra concert for the first time in years. It was totally surreal. I am so thankful, looking back, for the opportunity my parents gave me way back when to learn an instrument and be involved in such an amazing thing. I also thought about a few other things...

My parents were amazing. They really dealt out a lot of cash for me to take private lessons, play in contests, quartets, three different orchestras at the same time, uniforms, music, strings, upkeep, etc. What I got in return is priceless and I am so thankful they realized the value of their investment back when I was just eleven years old.

My parents also almost never missed concerts. Considering we had them all the time for twelve or thirteen years that is pretty amazing. I remember them always sitting as close as possible and videotaping every single one I ever played in. They were amazingly supportive.

You can't go back. I realized last night, watching them play, that the orchestras I remember will never exist again. All my friends, old conductors, even my ability to play those things are all either gone or have diminished. Its a little sad because I love playing in a full orchestra almost more than doing anything else on earth. There's no way to describe the feeling of playing a symphony in perfect unison with sixty other people. One that I think of in particular is Jupiter from Holst's The Planets. Some rare, indescribably joyful and beautiful feeling rises up within you during the main theme that makes you want to cry and kiss and scream and never stop playing it all at the same time.

I am really looking forward to getting out of grad school because I am definitely going to try and find another orchestra to play in. You can't go back, but you can go ahead.

Medical Nightmare Victims Awareness Association

We hear all kinds of crazy stories, pretty much daily now, of medical nightmares. Things you would not want to happen to your dog. Things that should definitely never happen to living human beings. I don't know if an association like the one above exists or not, but if one does, I think I should get to be an honorary member.

Everyone knows I have crazy dreams almost every night. Now, I cannot believe I didn't see this coming. I have started experiencing some medical nightmares of my own during the noctural hours. They are insane! I've started dreaming of procedures we learned about in class that day...being done on ME! But they have these horrible twists, like instead of medical instruments the PAs or nurses will be using broken pieces of glass... or they refuse to intubate me when I am suffocating and I wake up gasping for air. And these dreams are SO REAL.

I had one, early on in anatomy, the day we dissected the heart. In class, I had to wash the blood out of the heart and it took a long time so I think the visual of that human heart in my hands got lodged in my unconscious. That night I dreamed I had elective open heart surgery... to dissect my own heart while I was conscious.

OH. This cannot go on. The people these things happen to in real life get a blank check from the hospital. I'm getting nothing. My only compensation is the flood of relief that comes when I realize all my vital organs are still in working order. Where, oh where, is the MNVAA??

My Niece

Hey everyone, my niece Kiersten was hit by a car last Friday and snapped her femur in half. She was extremely lucky because that's all that happened. They did surgery Friday night and put a metal plate in it. She'll be in the hospital until Monday (the dates on my blog are messed up- today isn't Monday.) Please be praying for her and her family. We are so relieved that she will be fine.

Hasta la Vista, GI

We just finished our section on gastroenterology. I am so relieved!! The weekend after our clinical medicine tests are like a little piece of heaven. We start pulmonology on Monday.

Everything is going pretty good. We have a month off for Christmas break and I just booked a trip to Salt Lake City to visit a good friend who is living out there. I can't wait!

Right now I am just enjoying being in school and still spend my study breaks reading the news as is apparent on the next post. I probably need to find something else to do.