Somebody Call A DOCTOR!

I FINALLY graduated from medical school last weekend!!!! It's been a long hard road that has changed me and pushed me in ways that I never thought that I could be pushed. Luckily, I pushed back and survived!

Friday night, we had Honors Convocation for the College of Medicine only. We were hooded and took our Hippocratic Oath. I was so happy to have my family come and enjoy this event with me.



Saying the Hippocratic Oath

My amazing husband

My brother

My mom. I couldn't have accomplished this without her guidance and support.

My dad

 On Sunday afternoon, we had graduation with all of the health profession colleges. Beforehand, some family came over to the house to enjoy Mother's day lunch and graduation cake.

My oh so cute white coat cake

My brother and his family



My stepmom

I couldn't be more happy about what I have accomplished and what is in store for the future. I would be lying though if I said that I wasn't also nervous about what's to come in the upcoming months and years as a psychiatry resident. At this point, I'm just trying to enjoy being in the "eye of the storm." This glorious time between the stresses of med school and responsibilities of residency that I actually get to do whatever I want! Thus far I have sewed a new car seat cover to protect my NEW CAR!!! (a 2012 GMC Acadia) from my rowdy bulldogs. My husband and I have also put in new countertops in our kitchen. I'll post pics of that once it is all finished and after we get the backsplash up. Looking forward to our upcoming vacation in Turks and Caicos! I just had to have a nice vacation this year to celebrate being done with school.

Doggy Birthday Cake Recipe

This is the recipe I used for Lucy's birthday cake. It is definitely dog tested and approved. My two pooches LOVED it (but they aren't really too picky.)

 

What you are going to need:

• 1 cup of whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp of baking soda
• 1/4 cup of peanut butter
• 1/4 cup of vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1 cup of crushed milk bone dog treats
• 1/3 cup of thinly shredded carrots

How to make it:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together flour and baking soda.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients to the flour/baking soda mixture. Mixing well.                   

   

   It should look something like this. Looks yummy, huh?

    
4. Spray a non-stick cooking spray into the cake pan that you are using. Put cake batter in pan.
5. Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean.                         

   

6. Frost and decorate cake if desired. I made a frosting using cream cheese, honey, peanut butter, and a few drops of food coloring. (I didn't measure the exact amounts of each ingredient. Just add until it is the right consistency to spread over the cake.)

   

   Before frosting, I cut the cake in half and flipped the uneven top surface to the middle
   and frosted between the layers. This allowed for an even looking finished product.
    

7. Let your puppies enjoy their tasty treat. 

                                         

 

 

Happy 10th Birthday Lucy!

Our Lucy girl turned 10 years old on April 4th. I actually had no idea when her birthday was since we adopted her 6 months ago and wasn't given any papers. I asked the vet when her birthday was, but they didn't know at the time. They told me that they would call Lucy's last contact and ask. Well, I never heard from them...that is until April 4th when they sent an e-birthday card for my little girl. Before that came, I was just going to pick a date to celebrate her birthday (I was actually going to pick April 20 so I wasn't that far off). Before we get to her birthday, I'm going to share the story of how I got my sweet sweet Lucy girl.

Well it actually starts with the story of how I got my first puppy, Howzer. My husband and I were only engaged at the time. We were bored on a Saturday afternoon and had the bright idea to go to a pet store "just to look" of course. (Never do that unless you intend to come home with a pet!! Lesson learned.) I was over looking at the Snorkies (Schnauzer and Yorkie mix) when the hubs says "Look they have one!" while pointing a cage with a little wrinkly thing laying in the back. Apparently, my husband had always wanted an English bulldog, and he just so happened to find one. Well that puppy was just too expensive so we left the store empty handed...

We are almost back to our apartment when my hubby turns to me and jokingly says, "I can't believe you left our puppy at that store." Clearly, I didn't see the humor in this because I then proceeded to instruct him to turn the car around. He thought I was kidding but nope I wasn't. We went back and we got my Howzer. How did I end up paying for him when he was my husband's dream dog???? I still don't know. My husband should be a politician! He pitched an idea and I ended up paying for it...how does that happen?



The day that we got Howzer. He was 7 weeks old here.

Oh well, Howzer has been my little baby ever since. So what does this have to do with Lucy? I'm getting there. Howzer has been the most unhealthy dog since we got him. We expected some issues because of his breed but for heaven's sake...can we get a break from seeing the vet? He has had eye surgery, allergy testing and ongoing allergy shots, ear infections, and occasional arthritis issues. Poor thing. We were making one of our routine visits to the vet, for yet another ear infection, when the tech asked "Would you like another one?" What? Really?? Just 2 days before this visit, a lady dropped off sweet Lula Belle (Lucy) to find a new home. Her owner of 9.5 years had a terminal illness and could no longer keep her. The vet let me go back and look at her, and I instantly loved her.

Lucy at the vet.

My hubby wasn't there so I couldn't commit to take her home until I talked to him so I left and told them that I would call back shortly. My husband was on the fence about the whole thing, but he knew there was no point fighting it. She was mine. I had a previous engagement the next morning so I called as soon as I was done so that I could take Howzer to meet Lucy and bring her home. When I called though, they told me that she had already been given to a good home. I was devastated!

I called my husband on my way home and told him this. He said he was sorry but that she probably went to a good home. (He was loving this because he had a little something up his sleeves.) I got home and walked in the door and cuddled my Howzer to try to soothe the disappointment from not getting Lucy. While I was petting him....something comes walking around the kitchen cabinet. It was my sweet Lucy with a red ribbon around her neck!

That first day didn't go too well though. I can't lie...I thought she was deaf and dumb. She wouldn't come when we called her name. She wouldn't even sit in the same room with us. All she did was walk through the house several times and then finally fall asleep on the kitchen floor. But after several days, she finally warmed up to us. She follows me all over the house now. I can't go to another room without her right there with me. Her and Howzer's relationship is coming around a little more slowly though. They merely tolerate each other at this point but it has gotten slightly better.

Lucy's first day at the house. She ignored us and passed out on the kitchen floor
(with her tongue out, of course).

Anyways, I got that e-birthday card from the vet on April 4th which meant it was time to plan a party that weekend! I love my dogs entirely too much! I just can't help myself.

Presents and homemade doggy cake.

 

Lucy seemed to enjoy her cake.

She even shared with her bubba.

All her toys.
 

All in all, Lucy had a great 10th birthday. We are so blessed to have gotten her and to be able to share this part of her life with her.

Will post later the recipe I used for the doggy friendly cake.

The End is Just the Beginning

Today was my last day of medical school!!! Finally! There is just no way to put into words what this means to me. I definitely had my ups and downs and times that I wasn't even sure I wanted to keep going but look what perseverance and determination can do.

Although I have come a long way in my medical journey, there is still so much more to come (4 years of residency training....yikes!). Now I have the responsibility of actually taking care of and being responsible for patients. No more seeing patients and saying, "I don't know about that but I'll ask the resident and get back with you." I will be the resident! Patients will be calling me doctor! I just know it is going to feel so strange the first time a patient calls me doctor.

I hope I have learned enough. I guess it's time to find out. Here goes nothing...

Match Week Part 2: Match Day!

So this post is a little late since last weekend was full of celebrating! I found out on Friday, March 15, that I got my 1st choice of residency which was in Psychiatry! I just couldn't be happier about it! So here's a run down of how the week went.

After finding out on Monday that I had matched, I began to wonder where I matced. I became more and more anxious about this as the week went on. Since I applied to both Psychiatry and Family Medicine, I had no idea what was going to happen. The anxiety built all week until on Thursday night I nearly reached an anxiety breaking point. I was wishing at about that time that I had some Psych drugs to calm me down!! :) Well I didn't have any so the next best thing was to just go to bed and hope to get some sleep for the big day ahead.

Friday (Match Day) finally arrived. I woke up that morning so so so excited and so so so anxious. I was incredibly grateful that my hubby and family came to support me. Both my parents and my brother's family were able to join me. The celebration began with brunch and much needed mimosas. As 11:00 am approached and the dean of students approaches the podium with a briefcase containing envelopes for each student, the anxiety continues to build. The letters in those envelopes contained all of our fates for the next 3-5 years. The dean made a few announcements and then it was time to call out names to come up and receive our envelopes and our fates. I didn't have to wait long to hear my name called. "Whooooooo!!" My husband yelled out after my name was called. I get up and walk to the side of the stage to get my envelope along with several other of my classmates. At this point, I am literally shaking. I push through the shaking and nerves and open my envelope on the side of the stage....There is just no way I could do it at the podium in front of all my classmates and their families with the shakes as bad as I had. I looked down at the paper inside that said where I matched and all that was running through my mind is "Thank God. Thank God. Thank God." I then walked up the steps to the podium, placed my dollar in the jar (a tradition at my school. Each student places a dollar in a jar as they annouce where they matched and the last person to be called gets all the money.), and announced where I matched. Of course, my anxiety level is still at an all time high so the pictures don't do justice to how excited I really was.

 

As I left the stage, I smiled at my husband as a waved my paper in the air. What an amazing feeling!!

My family and I then went to lunch, where my sweet hubby presented me with my "draft day" shirt. My sister-in-law asked how he knew where I had matched so that he could have a shirt made. Well...he didn't. He actually had 3 shirts made just in case. Haha. Such a sweetie.

Match Week

It's Match Week for all 4th year medical students around the nation. This is probably the most exciting and anxiety-provoking week of medical school. Not because there is a big test or final but because this is the week that we find out where we will be going for residency. Today, I received this email...

I matched!!! Which means that I will have a J.O.B. starting in July! I won't find out where until Friday, but I am so excited to know that I matched and look forward to finding out where. I will either be a psychiatrist or family medicine doc. I enjoyed both specialties and applied to both. We will see on Friday what the future holds.

Closet Makeover to HOBBY NOOK

I am so so so happy to present my completed hobby nook. It has been in the works for about 9 months. Clearly, it takes me entirely too long to finish tasks that I start, but at least I can finally say that it is done.

How did I become so lucky as to get my own hobby nook? Well...

My sweet husband bought me a sewing machine for Christmas last year. After several projects that completely destroyed the living room, I decided that I just had to have my own special work space for my sewing, crafts, etc. Men get "man caves" so why can't I have a hobby nook? Well, the hubs heard my cries and made it happen.

Over my birthday last year, I was away from home for an entire month taking a class for school.
:(   Little did I know that my husband was at home slaving away cleaning out one of our closets to house my new hobby desk. He found a perfect desk at a local antique shop and sanded it....

and primed it...

and painted it TURQUOISE!

He then called me early on my birthday and told me to get my laptop and open up my email. Waiting there for me was a document containing photos of the progress of the desk and the finished product. He also reminded me of how great of a man I have, and he was right. Here is the picture of the finished product.

As you can see from the first picture, the space has been added to since this first addition. I had lots of decorating ideas for the space and couldn't wait to get home and start on them. Unfortunately, I didn't take pictures of the projects that I did as they were in progress but here are pics of the finished products.

The first thing I did was buy a peg board from Home Depot. Yep, the same kind that you can find in most garages. However, I spruced it up a bit.

I spray painted the entire thing pink. After it dried, I placed lace on top of it and then sprayed a coat of white paint. This is how I got the floral design on the board. I also got some molding (the kind that goes around door frames) at Home Depot and painted it white. My hubby was kind enough to make the frame around the peg board. Now I had a great place to hang all of my most used craft tools. I got these white buckets at The Container Store.

I made the CREATE letters from cheap wooden letters at Hobby Lobby. Then painted them the same turquoise as the desk and mod podged on scrapbook paper that coordinated with both the turquoise and pink.

My final project was painting this old cabinet that I got from my mother-in-law. It was a dirty off-white color and was a left behind treasure that she acquired after buying a new house. It's a great place to house my ribbon.

This past Christmas, my husband spoiled me even more by buying me a Serger machine and the super cute pink tractor seat stool to complete my nook.

 

Happy Crafting.