Week 12 begins!!

Hello Everyone!!


          So it is week 12...OMG how the time has flown by. I have a few updates to tell you all about that I have forgotten. So this semester I was part of the PEDS club and we had two PEDS fair's where we did basic physical exams on the children and the other weekend was the second fair. In the first one I was in charge of games but this time I did the eye screening for the kids. So we had them stand 20 feet away from the chart and see how many lines they could read correctly. It was funny because the kids instead of saying the letter Z said Zed! We also checked their ocular motor muscle function and told them their basic vision. Most kids had great vision some even were 20/15!! It was also interesting because the little kids didn't always know their letters yet but wanted to try like the big kids so they would say that every letter was T or F or A! Super cute. So I also started keeping a very detailed iCalendar, showing what I do every day from 8am- about 10 or 11! It is shocking to see how busy my weeks are and it helps that they are FLYING by. Within the next three weeks I have 5 exams and then it will be time for me to come home for the holiday's! Very exciting and again I will try to keep you all posted on my life. Hope everyone enjoys the first days of winter weather!

Universal Eye Exam Chart
How far can you see?? 

So here is part of my schedule but it doesn't show 8am or after 8pm
Orange= In class
Purple= study time
Blue = Mandatory school events
Green = lunch/work
Blank = dinner/walking/random breaks

Till next time..... 

Ughhh

So all I have to say is what does 1 mosquito + 1 bedroom + 1 stephanie + 1 night  = ..... it equals 10+ mosquito bites that are HUGE and one fat lip! Needless to say I feel like a giant bug bite today and wanted to share some words of wisdom with everyone.....DO NOT GO TO SLEEP UNTIL YOU KILL THE LONE MOSQUITO FLYING AROUND YOUR ROOM, HE WILL NOT DIE BEFORE HE EATS YOU to pieces! Ok thats it! Miss everyone like crazy good thing there are no mosquitos in CT in the winter time!

Until next time....

I can fix you!

The big picture! My synthetic skin
the suture needle and the hemostat

So yesterday was an interesting day, I had a heart sounds lab in which we got to listen to all of the different heart sounds on the sim man and we tried to differentiate between which heart valves were opening and closing at which times. So I might be using all of you as practice patients when I get home because I need to freshen up on my heart sounds! Also I went to a suture clinic that was being put on. We were given synthetic skin and it had 2 large slices through the dermis and into the epidermis and then we were taught how to suture! I learned a discontinuous suture and a running suture. We used prolene suture material which was a little tough because it ripped some of the synthetic skin if you pulled too tight but by the end of the session it was much easier to put in the sutures. So, how exciting but suturing is something I will need to practice and practice and practice because we all know that..."perfect practice makes perfect!"

It looks real but its not...
Up close view of my suture job

Only in Dominica

So I was walking home from the barn tonight and the security guard at my complex says, "watch out for the snake" and I was like what snake just to look down and see a four foot boa constrictor laying straight across the path from the gate to the court yard (which I have to pass in order to get to my apartment). So like the little girl that I am I jumped over it and ran to my door. I know they aren't poisonous but in my defense boas' constrict people to death and that includes the small ones. So only in Dominica do you run into a boa constrictor at your apartment!

Much Smaller Boa than at my complex
the one here was like 2x the size of this lil guy!

Till next time....

Great Cause

So I was reading an email today by my dear friend from NYC Miss Ali Cunneen, and was so touched by something that she has decided to do. Ali has signed up to run a marathon in Vancouver in honor and to support the fight again blood cancer. This is a disease that affects people of all ages and from all walks of life on a daily basis specifically children and young adults under the age of 20; and finding a cure would change the lives of many. I give Ali so much credit for taking on this feat and know that she will do amazing in her marathon! YOU GO GIRL! So in hopes of helping her reach her goal towards the fight against blood cancer I have attached the link to her teamintraining page. Take a look see if it is a cause you would like to support and hopefully we can help support her journey! Way to go Ali, train hard and kick butt!

Ali's teamintraining page

Matt and Leisa

Leisa and Matt 

So here is a pic of my beautiful best friend and her brother Matt (my fake brother) at his wedding to Jenn!

Week 9 ends and week 10 begins

Hey everyone! 

      It has been a little while since my last real update post and so I have a lot to tell you all. So a couple of weeks ago we had the Peds fair in Portsmouth and I volunteered to help out. At the fair the local children were able to get basic physicals and have a doctor look at them if there were any serious problems. Being a first semester I was unable to actually do any of the physical exams so my friend Denise and I were in charge of games. I thought that games would include some red light green light or simon says but in Dominica simon says means, "simon says, jump up and down and run in a circle" needless to say that i had a great day running with the kids of Dominica. It was a very eye opening experience and many of the kids were hungry and starving for attention. It makes me want to go visit the children every week. 

Kyle and his broken umbrella
Thank you Hurricane Tomas

     So last week was the week of my 3rd exam which was mini 2 and that went pretty well, nothing to complain about. So before that I just studied non-stop until the exam on monday. Jay was supposed to be here on saturday but because of hurricane Tomas he was not able to get in until sunday night and they lost his bag but they found it so by sunday late night he was all set. On Monday Jay started his scuba certification. He did all of his class room hours on monday and then he did his open water and confined dives on tuesday and thursday. The instructor said he was a natural and he went to about 65 feet the deepest. 

Jay and I before dinner Post Mini 2 

       So monday night we went to champ of course for dinner and post mini halloween party. I had them make a cake for Jay for his birthday and we all enjoyed a great night out with friends. On tuesday it was back to school but luckily on Wednesday it was Dominica's national holiday and so the school including the library was closed and so Jay and I kayaked to secret beach! Which is a beautiful little beach with turquoise water and white sand. It was a wonderful day and then on Thursday morning I went with Jay for his last open water dive, we went to Tucaori caves which were very cool and I found the fish I would be if I were a fish! It was very cute and I'm trying to find what it was but I can't find it so stay tuned. Jay truly is a natural in the water and he is officially an open water certified scuba diver. After that it was back to the books ever since and this weekend was a huge study weekend. Jay was supposed to leave on Friday but again Tomas didn't want him traveling because it hit Puerto Rico and so he stayed until today!

Jay's birthday cake thanks to Champs

        Sadly I missed Matt and Jenn's wedding yesterday but my parents sent me pictures of the happy couple and they looked amazing. I am so happy for them and can't wait to see all the pictures when I get home. What a wonderful wedding...Congrats Matt and Jenn you are going to have a wonderful life together! And of course I got a picture of my best friend Leisa who was bridesmaid and looked absolutely stunning at the weeding, I would expect nothing less. I am excited for all of the stories of the wedding and everything else that I have missed. 

Jay brought me Fall to Dominica

      This Monday starts my 10th week of medical school and I have 6 weeks until I fly back to CT for the holidays. I will try to keep you all posted on my life as much a possible and remember that I miss you all very much and can't wait to see you in December! 

Dinner at Tomato with the new dress mom bought me!
Thanks mom it is adorable! 

Till next time......