Island Med Student

Just got home from my first “real” day of endocrinology. I worked at the endocrinology clinic at my hospital, did one consult, and rounded on all the patients. I just got home around 8:30 p.m. No, I really should not be complaining because I didn’t have to go in until 1:00 p.m., but I think I’m just spoiled from certain electives with “cake” hours. I actually learned a lot, too.

Since I moved 2 weeks ago to be closer to my residency hospital, I am now not within walking distance of the hospital at which I am doing my last rotation. This means that I actually have to DRIVE to the hospital. Drive? What’s that?!

This experience has confirmed for me what I already knew: I am not a driver. In fact, I’m not a commuter, at all. I need to walk to my place of work. Not only is it a perfect way to de-stress, but it’s great exercise. Not only that, but I’ve realized that I take all of my best photos and videos during my walks! Who has time to take photos or videos when you’re zooming (or even not zooming) by all the wonderful things on your path?

Because of this, my daily photos have suffered, and so has my “2010 Video a Day” Project. I will either have to scrap the idea all together, or come up with some sort of creative solution.

Only 8 more days of actual work at the hospital, and then I am “qualified” to be a doctor. Life is very sweet.

Note: Photos are all “trashy” pics taken in Brooklyn a while back. As soon as I’m back to my daily walking again, I will post some trashy photos from my new ‘hood.

“Trash Talkin” Photo Series

Life has been a bit of a blur for me this week. Combine moving to a new apartment with long hours of pediatrics at the hospital, and you get a somewhat overwhelmed Kendra.

According to the Life Stress Scale, moving to a new home gets me 15 points. Actually, if you add up all the other points for me on the scale, you get a not so good number.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy as can be about my new apartment. But moving never comes without stress. And in fact, I’ve had a few stressors thrown my way.

Note: If you don’t want to read my stupid rants about seemingly insignificant stuff, skip the next paragraph, and read on.

So, I’ve had an issue with our new toilet. It kept getting clogged and overflowing and my cheap little toilet plunger just wasn’t doing the job (even with my partner Micah roasting it on the stove). Long story short, I have finally fixed it (bought a SUPER plunger from a hardware store), but it wasn’t without a great deal of pain, (including, shhhhh using my bathtub for unintended purposes for two days). Then there’s the story of my air mattress. Another long story short, we don’t yet have our real bed, so we’ve been sleeping on an air mattress. All was well in bedland until my doggies decided to rip a hole in the side of my air mattress. Last night, I woke up to find myself laying on the cold, hardwood floor, in a deflated pile of plastic. I re-inflated the mattress, and then woke up 2 hours later to do it again. And so the night went, every 2 hours. I have used the mattress patch, and duct tape, and everything else I could think of. I think the original hole has been fixed, but the mattress is still leaking from somewhere. If I can’t figure out from where, it will mean sleeping on a cold, hardwood floor for the next week. I do hope the air mattress fairies come and save me.

I hate to rant, but sometimes it’s the best way to de-stress. I’ve had a bunch of other assorted issues (including trying unsuccessfully to overcome my made in 1924 plaster walls), but I’m sure everything will eventually work out.

Thanks for allowing me to rant. I do feel better now.

Note: First photo is the testing kit for our hospital’s new heplock system (I forgot the name). I had a lot of fun the other night sticking needles into the rubber vein. The second photo is my first “trashy” pic from my new neighborhood. Blew out a flip flop!

“Trash Talkin” Photo Series

Today is Monday. It’s rained almost non-stop for the past 4 days. The streets are flooded and I have zero pairs of dry jeans left. Rain, rain, go away!

I really shouldn’t complain so much, though. At least I’ve been lucky to have the past few days off. I don’t have to go back in to the pediatric ER until tomorrow night.

More importantly, today is MATCH DAY!! I’ve already heard from a few of my friends who have matched (and none so far who haven’t matched). CONGRATS to everyone, whether or not you matched! Either way, you’ve earned the right to be proud of where you are!

I hope you enjoy the photos with this post. I took them all yesterday during a very wet doggy walk. They are also a part of my new photo series, “Trash Talkin: Giving a Voice to the Discarded.” My “Yo Brooklyn, Fuhgeddaboudit” photo series was becoming a little inundated with trash, so I have now gone through and edited that collection a bit. My “Trash Talkin” series will now include only photos of trash, taken anywhere and everywhere, and my “Yo Brooklyn, Fuhgeddaboudit” series will be dedicated to all other Brooklyn related photos. Enjoy!

“Trash Talkin” Photo Series