Maxing out a Mini Vacation (Prologue)

The moment the Infectious Disease exam ended, I shifted gears into super-relaxation mode. I had lunch with classmates Ian and Brett and then raced home to make it to the pool for prime sun exposure. 50 pages of Jodi Picoult later, I found myself pretty toasty on one side (see above) and still stark white on the other. Oops. Good thing I have the next FOUR DAYS of guilt-free, study-free bliss to even things out. This afternoon will be spent doing laundry, cleaning, and re-stocking the empty fridge because (1) I've been living off nachos for two weeks, and (2) Chelsey comes tonight! I have a feeling the next post or two will be chock-a-block full of adventures.

Brains, Behavior, and Bacteria, oh my!

Neuro and Ethics down; Behavioral Science and Infectious Disease to go! I have the BS test tomorrow (pun intended!) and then ID, which literally makes me sick just thinking about it... and that's not the bacteria talking. Whoa, I have been studying way too much and have lost all ability to craft a clever turn of phrase and have reverted to clearly corny coined phrases and alliteration. To English professors past, please forgive me. Anyway, I'm plugging along. I stopped by Relay for Life last weekend and caught up with Marissa of the Rice Wellness Center (technically, a former boss). We donned 80s gear and walked around the Rice Stadium under shelter from intermittent downpours. I was on my church's team, and Marissa joined forces with Jones College, where she is an RA.This past week has been all study, all the time. When I haven't been studying, I've been wallowing in guilt because I SHOULD be studying. So it goes. In an attempt to change the scenery while studying, I've spent some time at the nearby Houston Public Library branch, by the pool (finally caught some rays!), at Borders, at Baylor, and at home. When I am at home, Wentworth likes to keep watch out the window to serve as a backup security system. How thoughtful. Actually, I like to think of it as his version of "being on patrol." He also has discovered a few new tricks including opening the grate to the AC vent. My roommate Arielle has a video of this new feat (see below). You think Susan Boyle's got talent? Wait until you see this furry fellow.

On My Mind

Get well soon Grandma!

Brunch and the Crunch

After Thursday's egg decorating soiree, Easter weekend was off to a good start. I spent most of the weekend studying but broke up the monotony with a few holiday happenings. I went to a midnight vigil on Good Friday and then had late-night pancakes with some other college-aged Lutherans at 59 Diner in the wee small hours of Saturday. It was nice to get to chat with some non-med students, a thrill I've been seeking lately... I'm increasingly a fan of broadening my social base. Unfortunately, the real push will have to wait for after exams.The Sunday morning Easter service was immediately followed by brunch at the Zodrows. I came with an empty stomach (but not empty-handed; see tulips above) and left with a bulging belly and a heart full of that warm-fuzzy feeling. Katherine's sister Laura won this year's round of Egg Wars, the egg-cracking competition that leaves only the hardest shell standing. Brunch was delicious (no surprise there!), and it was tough to admit that I had to leave and hit the books after the meal. This is the last week of classes, which means two weeks of exams await me- eeek. The only relief comes on April 29 with the arrival of Chelsey!

Decorating Eggstravaganza!

In lieu of a lengthy post with prose and pictures, I will let the video do the talking. Happy Easter!

Wholly Able in Holy Week

As the names of countless bacterial species colonize the gyri of my cerebral cortex, I'm feeling surprisingly well and healthy. Hearing about the vast array of infectious diseases has made me feel both thankful to be fit as a fiddle and retrospectively amazed that I didn't have more (or really any) GI problems in Thailand.

Speaking of retrospection, this weekend was Houston's second Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. Though I didn't participate this year, I was reminded of the amazing time I had last year and of all my fabulous supporters who donated to the great cause. I also was reminded of the horrendous blisters I had from walking the 39+ miles. But back to the present...

Class has been going well, though neurology clinical correlations often make me incredibly sad. I journeyed to Kingwood on Wednesday for my bi-weekly preceptor shadowing with pediatrician Dr. Penn. After Ethics small group on Friday, I stuck around Texas Children's Hospital to observe a PICC line and bone marrow biopsy for a little boy with newly diagnosed leukemia. I went to a joint injection workshop on Saturday morning, which was interesting. I'm still working out my Easter holiday plans, so stay tuned. Hopefully, I'll have some serious adventures before my next post (and maybe some pictures). In the meantime, happy Easter!