Crazy Updates...

So much has happened since my last post... I'll try to think through everything- but no guarantees.

First and the most obvious, I got into medical school. I am officially a first year medical student at Texas Tech University Health Science Center. It's the beginning of week three... I have a test in two weeks... and I'm still loving it. Everyone else is freaking out- which makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong- but I can't help but be overwhelmingly overjoyed that I'm at this place in life.

I had this life lesson of sorts come to me this weekend. I want to hang on to this feeling for as long as possible. If anyone sees me forgetting this, please remind me.
Moving to Lubbock has been such an exhilarating experience. I went from having a professional career with the best friends anyone could have, family so close, basically a pattern of living that created what was in essence my life. I loved my job, my boss, my experiences. I was happy. Finding out I got into medical school was one of the most exciting and traumatic (for Traci and Lani, at least) events thus far. When I got the call from Linda Prado in admissions, I immediately started crying (which made my work people think someone was dying). It has been both the start and end of two of the best lives I could possible live.
So now, almost two months from that call, I've changed cities, started a professional degree, moved away from the people I love, become so busy that if I don't have 12+ hour days I feel I'm doing something wrong... I've literally turned my life upside down. I had three weeks to change everything I've had for 3 years... and it's been such a great transition.

It's amazing to know that you can make a complete change like that- you can turn your world upside down - and still be happy, supported, successful. I've taken a path - a good path- that my life could easily have gone down and shredded it in exchange for an equally as wonderful life. I just want to remember throughout the duration of my life that I'm never stuck somewhere... never backed into a corner- you can always change, and you'll be strong and happy. It's just liberating to know that is always an option. You don't have to fall into a rut, live unhappy or apathetic. Have the audacity to change everything and you can make life so wonderful.
Just one of those rambling thoughts.

So lubbock's not bad actually- good thai food, no traffic - and I mean like NO traffic. There's even an area of town that reminds me of Austin. I miss Rugger and the cats are bored without the dogs to pester. I'm a coffee shop frequenter right now (still need to buy my wireless router) so I'm loving coffee and dehydrated.

School is intensive. Class starts at 8 am every morning. We have alternating days of AM and PM labs so sometimes school is 8-12, sometimes 8-930, then 1-4... but I'm pretty much studying the rest of the day now anyways. Anatomy. Cadaver lab. We watched this video where people who had donated their body to the school of medicine gave interviews about why they chose to do it... it definitely grounds you in the idea that this is not just another lab, that you're learning about the human body on a person with family and personality and a life... really brings it home. My person died from a cardiopulmonary attack... I am in charge of the heart dissection and I just can't help but think about how I'll have the very organ that killed this person in my hands- and how for me it's a perfect metaphor for what being a doctor means to me... how people will be bringing their fears, vulnerabilities, and questions to us and it will be up to us... it will be in our hands... to know how to help people. It's a lot of responsibility that I take very seriously. I hope I never lose that.

I've started a Sunday night dinner party- I've made a few good friends here and I'm loving this dinner thing... everyone comes over and brings the side stuff... so far I've made spinach chicken parmesan, chicken and vegetable curry, and last night was turkey and spinach lasagna (which went over so well, people were coming up to me today asking me where their invite to dinner is... crap!). So i think I might be in over my head! We'll see what happens. I'm loving my group of friends- right now there's Sunny, the comedian; Kelechi, best dressed (by far) who tries to keep us on track but... eh; Raheel, the goofball kid who will eventually grow up... I think; Ashley, the sweetheart who brings up THE most random news stories; and Stephen, the witty, kind guy. I think I'll keep them all. Hopefully I'll add to them as well :) Shamini never comes to dinner but she's still wonderful (but if she came -hint, hint- she'd have sooooo much fun!).

Our first test is coming up so I'm definitely stepping up my studying... which leads to more updating of blogs because- you have to have a distraction, right?? So, back to it for now.