"...."

"La' Nyia you looked SO tired yesterday.  I remember first year, it's like a fire hydrant [every time you try to come up for air, they just keep pouring it on]."  Perry, MSII

"Small groups ugh, we gotta figure out how to make the next two hours useful." 2nd yr Dental Student

"You're med students. Your high maintenance, in case you haven't noticed.  DNA is under torsional stress. Just like you all."  Neil Osheroff, Ph.D Vanderbilt University School of Medicine

"I got 99 problems, med school's my main one!" me + 50 cent

For all of you Finding Nemo fans out there (3/21/78- all you!), I think that you'll really appreciate this.  I often think that Dory's advice to Marlin after he loses Nemo is befitting for this semester:

Dory: "Hey Mr. Grumpy Gills... When life gets you down do you wanna know what you gotta do?"

Marlin: "I don't wanna know what you gotta do."

Dory: "Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming. What do we do? We swim, swim."

Most days I try not to overwhelm myself with everything that I need to complete, but somehow I dig deep and just keep swimming.  They say it gets better next semester.  Only time will tell.  For now I just feel the torsional stress and day dream about all the missed game nights, trips, and fun past times.  Sooner or later it will pay off. And I will make it!

Enjoy the weekend. I'll be buried beneath my books. :)

" I'm Right Where I Belong

...and there's nowhere else where I'd rather be..."- Andy Grammer

Another round of block exams are complete and I'm still standing.  No matter how many times my mom tells me that it's going to be ok, I never really believe her until it's all said and done. But I assure you, mom's know best!

I wanted to drop a quick note because after my exams yesterday, it was my groups turn for the afternoon off. I'd planned to workout, clean up, make some phone calls, catch up on Grey's Anatomy, etc, when my secret life calling [Life Coach] took effect.  I watched both Grey's episodes, did my hair, went out for a Great Indian dinner (reminiscent of Edison) and spoke to several former classmates at length after they received their less than stellar MCAT scores.  Needless to say, I've been in that situation 3 times before and was careful to express my empathy.  The mild sobbing and thoughts of defeat touched my heart and reminded me of how grateful I am to have accomplished so much at this point in my life.
I was reminded yet again today when a classmate had a seizure during lecture.  Medical school has a tendency to rip your insides out, turn them upside down, run them over, and leave them for decomposition. Ok...maybe it's not that dramatic but during Block it sure seems like it!  The brief medical emergency coupled with the tears of others that I wiped away, all pointed to one thing: Life is too short.  Make the most of it.  The trivial and mundane things that we deal with can take a toll on your physical and emotional health.  I'll share with you what Moe, the manager of the Indian restaurant, told me yesterday at dinner.  "Listen to your heart.  It's on the left, but always right." :)

Live. And Live Well. I know I am!