EUROPE! (and swine flu)

I have been home from Europe for 2.5 days now and am still in that depressed/where did the time go mood. Also, I am still dealing with monsieur swine flu....pretty sucky. I don't have the energy to put up anything entertaining at the moment (J, this post is all for you!) but it will be coming soon. This one photo was taken at the start of our seven hour, hotter-than-hell, sweat-out-all-my-body-weight hike in the Cinque Terre. This was also taken two days before evil swine flu virus struck me:(

Question for my doctor: does vodka count as a fluid? You said to drink as many clear fluids as possible..just wondering if I can follow those directions with a little vodka chaser after my cough medicine. Hmmm...

And here are three cheers to dad for being offered department chair. You would probably kill me if you knew I was putting this online, but dude, I am so proud of you that I can't keep it to myself!

Seven Days!

My grand tour of Europe starts in 7 days. What? I have been waiting for this for months and can't believe that the countdown is below the double digit mark. Damn!

Also, I am missing some of my BFFs: A and E already took off for Europe, B is at a wedding in Cape Cod, and J is about to leave for Africa (and I still owe you that glass of wine and housewarming gift!). Oh sadness, where does the time go?

Today also marks the two month mark for the start of med school. Watch out kids, only 60 days until my doctor-ness aka awesomeness is set loose! (Actually, I am terrified to start.)

A Bet

So about a year ago when I was going through the hell that is known as "med school applications", I made a bet with my parents. If a med school accepted me they had to take me out to dinner to the bestest place ever...Log Haven. Well I was accepted to two med schools so they had to shell out some extra dough..hehe! And since I am obsessed with food I of course have to give a description: I started out with a yummy sweet wine-rose cocktail, then we had grilled calamari (totally out of this world), and quinoa encrusted crab cakes. Britta and I shared a half bottle of champagne for the appetizer/salad course. My salad was heirloom lettuce, egg, truffle vinaigrette, and mushroom. We ordered my favorite wine, a Gruner, for our entrees. I had a bison ribeye with parmesan pomme fritte. Britta had grilled scallops atop creamy risotto with a carrot coulis. For dessert, coffee, creme brulee, and a triple chocolate cake thing that was blow-you-away fantastic.
Thanks so much to the folks for holding up their end of the bargain (and for the med schools accepting me so that I had another chance to eat at Log Haven!).

Dr. Kristen

Yes I am going to be vain and post about the coolest thing that has ever happened to me:
My dream came true!!! I am going to be a doctor! I was accepted to Chicago Medical School and am on the alternate list at the U, so one way or another, yours truly will someday be Dr. Kristen. Mind-blowing, humbling, incredible. Trying to soak the moment in.

Studying equations (sort of)

Studying + allergies= :(

Studying + allergies + wine= :/

Studying + allergies + wine + pizza= :|

Studying + allergies + wine + pizza + double chocolate gelato= :)

A tip for everyone:

Never let a hypochondriac take a medical microbiology class. It can lead to constant worry/sleepless nights worrying about scarlet fever and gas gangrene and c. difficile and scalded skin syndrome. Not fun...

Strangely enough, hypochondriacs can still shove gauze inches deep into a person's cheek and watch pap smears. Hmmm...

I received the nicest compliment today at the homeless clinic:

Me: (tired, grumpy, aching sinuses, half-hearted smile) Do you have high blood pressure? Are you allergic to any medications?

Homeless man: No and no. Hey do you see this weird arm that I have?

Me: (Slight nod.)

HM: I was electrocuted. Want to hear how?

He then goes on and on, but I listen as intently as I can at 9 am.

HM: You know, you are going to be a really great doctor some day. There are a lot of bad doctors out there, but you are going to be one of the few good ones.

I don't know if this was a real compliment or if he was simply thanking me for listening to his long story. Because I need a little inspiration at the moment, I am going with the former:)

And in other medically related news: Gentleman watch out. A man was in our hospital this week for penile injury during sexual intercourse. I guess that it can really happen. OUCH!