Endocrine

I'm back at med school finally and it looks like I'm doing the endocrine system this term (I haven't had a confirmation email yet but it's the only one I can access and in my profile it is listed as one of my courses).

Endocrine is not exactly an area of expertise for paramedics (compared to my previous modules of cardiovascular, respiratory, and musculoskeletal) except for perhaps diabetes.  So this should be interesting.  At least I know where the thyroid gland is.....

So this week's case is hypothyroidism.

It also looks like I have my lectures at a humane time, albeit on a Sunday at 8am, and the three one-hour lectures are back-to-back which is really great.  I mean, it's difficult trying to sit still for three hours, but it's easier when trying to plan the other parts of my life around the lecture times and I'm less likely to forget them.  Morning is also the best time because at work most of our jobs seems to come in in the afternoon and evening.  Saturday nights can be a killer too, but I am happy with 8am after last term was 5am!

The weekly online quizzes are open for 22-hours on Thursdays, so that works out well for me too.  They are fine because I can find 10 minutes in a 22-hour window on any day of the week (usually).

So, yeh, I'm happy to be back studying again.  I'm a year and a half into the course now and I want to ramp up my performance a bit more.  Well, actually my grades have been good so far, but I want them to be excellent.

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Sunday was my sister's wedding.  I am officially free of MoH duties now.  It all went really well and it was a total credit to my sister who organised such a wonderful event.  She hand-made a number of decorations such a pin-wheels and mini-noodle boxes for the lolly-bar which put such a lovely personal touch to the whole thing.  It was simple and classy yet elegant.  Bravo to her.  My Mum knitted a wedding cake (just for show, not for eating!) that was super-cute and sat on the gift table.

The day before the wedding we picked up the flowers from the florist.  The flowers were my contribution to the wedding, a gift from me, and OMG I can't believe how far a fairly decent amount of money wont go when buying wedding flowers. Yikes!

It was probably the best wedding or event I've ever been to!


And now all it right in the universe once again......

Hens

Final MoH duties

MoH duties

Today was occupied by Maid of Honour duties. First, the bride-to-be got sized up for dress alterations, then a hair and makeup trial I also attended (a mere ~150km from my house. Picture.), then it was jewellery shopping for the bridal party, then dress shopping for the hen. Whew!

I came home to find my dog had escaped yet again. I'm now pushing the neighbours for a new fence as it is falling apart.

Just had a nana-nap, now I'm about to get ready and go out dancing!

I'm back

I'm back on board after being so so sick this week with mega tonsillitis.  It has been going around the town, and as an ambo who normally gets tonsillitis at the drop of a hat, it wasn't hard to predict this was going to happen.

I'm fairly resilient against flu and gastro, but tonsillitis is my Achilles heel.

So I couldn't even be bothered blogging, much less studying.  Today I decided to have a look at what Masters stuff is due, and OMG, something was due yesterday, another thing is due Monday, and then another is due on the 11th.  I don't really want to spend my holidays studying.  Id' much rather be sleeping, eating, exercising, and drinking, but seeing how much more difficult it was to work and study med only a few weeks ago, I know I can easily do this and still sleep, eat, exercise, and drink.  Oops, I almost forgot my other favourite holiday pass-time - shop.

Here's uan update on my life:

• Work - none!  I'm on holidays and loving it.
• Study - see above.  Can't wait to go back to studying med next term.  Kind of wish I had more spare time/energy/motivation to revise respiratory properly, but oh well.  Still gald I' doing the MIH as I keep thinking of my dream goal to work OS.
• Marathon - no run for a week due to illness.  Walked the dog slowly today and did yoga.  Thinking run on Monday.  Will reassess fitness and everything next week.  I didn't make the 5km x-country on the weekend.  I was so disaapointed about that, but what can you do.
• House - amazingly clean thanks to holidays. Garden needs help.
• Lovelife - still no comment.
• MoH - we're doing flowers now after sorting the wedding dress and bridesmaid dresses.

One good thing about getting sick though, is that I've kicked most of my caffeine and sugar addictions, and virtually all dairy.  Yay.  I wanted to anyway but when I got sick I couldn't stomach anything really, so I detoxed my guts a bit and am trying really,really hard to put only good "clean food" in my mouth.  Feeling much better for it.  My favourite is soda water with lemon juice, green tea, roast chicken (no skin, obviously), brown rice, and green salad with olive oil, lemon juice and black pepper.

Holi-da-y!

Woohoo!   I'm now on annual leave.  I just had my sister over and I tried on my bridesmaid dress which is quite acceptable.  My house looks so lovely and I can't wait to have it even more organised.

I'm just going for a rest now before studying MIH this afternoon.

I didn't have time for my run this morning and I'm so not motivated this afternoon.  So my trade-off is that I'll lay out my running gear today and go first thing in the morning.

Reset and recover

I spent the rest of the week since my big exam getting flogged at work.   Then I finally had a free day yesterday which combined all my favourite things - sleep-in as long as I wanted, run with dog, bath, clean house again (finally), pedicure with my bestie, then out for tea, cocktails and dancing.  Yep, it was a great day.

I have today off but am feeling totally shagged and I have a big day tomorrow at work at the music festival "Golden Plains" at Meredith, so I'm just chilling out today, although I do admit I was reading through some almostadoctor.com respiratory notes in the bath.  I really miss not having study to do, even though I'd be too tired today anyway.  Weird.  I guess it's a habitual thing.  I have the Masters stuff to study anyway so I might gently look through that tonight on the couch.  Too bad it's so darn dry.  I like learning the epidemiology stuff but much prefer clinical.

We've nearly honed in on the bridesmaid dresses and they aren't too painful.  I'll be trying mine on in about a week. Oooh - that reminds me!  How exciting - my workmate reminded me yesterday I only have one more week at work until four weeks annual leave!  Thank the Lord!!!

Same ol'...

.. same ol'.

Went for a 4.5km run for the first time with the dog today.  He ran like a champ and kept me going on the back stretch.  I'm running really, REALLY slow so I'll have to work on speed some time before the proper 5km event next month otherwise I'll be finishing behind the people doing the 10km event....

I have yet again somehow managed to muck up my school timetable and am yet again in panic mode..  Seriously, wont this term just end already?

MoH duties continue and don't seem to be slowing down any time soon.

I did an practice test with USMLE World Q Bank tonight - just the respiratory ones, and I got 55%.  I know that sounds horrible, but at 75% I would be extremely happy and believe I can achieve that before my exam as it is slightly easier, but has more curve-balls, than the USMLE prep exams seem to.  By curve-balls I mean that, for example, last term it was cardiovascular, and then up popped questions on epidemiology/statistics eg what the difference between cohort and control studies - wtf?

Met my mentor at the hospital down in the ED for the first time today.  It was excellent and what I really needed to focus on why I'm sacrificing so much time, money, and grey-hairs to my studies right now.  Although I felt like a total waste-of-space, it was a nice start.  Plus (almost) everyone in the ED already knows me from ambulance work and are really friendly.  couldn't ask for anything more, really.

10/10

Yes!  I finally got a 10/10 on my weekly quiz.  It was the easiest so far because it was clinically and physiologically focused, which are my strong suits, and the questions themselves seemed more straight forward.  It's good to get one 10.

Six hours later.....I just did my pimping session, which went for 6 hours, with one 5 min break, which I was unprepared for!  I thought it was on Friday.  Ooops.  Luckily my question was on PE which I luckily know something about through paramedic practice.  Then straight after that I did my presentation (picture shows notes/new scrap paper).  It went ok.  Sooo glad that's out of the way.  I'm just getting used to the pimp sessions now and the term is nearly over.  Oh well, I think there will be more of it to come in my medical career....

Life update;

Res exam - starting to think maybe I know more than I think and I was just comparing myself to last term, expecting to be more advanced.  I hope res is not considered an "easy" module, or I'm screwed.

Med - looking forward to the next term off to revise everything so far and get myself back to the level I want to be at.

Masters - still think I'll try and do it on my break.  I still want it and I don't want to have to wait until I'm 55 to be able to do the sort of work I want to do overseas.  Need to double-up and make up for lost time.  Got my welcome email a few days ago.  Need to quickly have a look at that and get some folders ready to hit the ground running after the exam.

Marathon - stupidly put my run off to the afternoon yesterday and it never happened.  Going to have a nap now (only had 4 hours sleep) and have a run before I go an meet my mentor tonight.  Have to do it today.  Plan this week is to maintain my 2.5km with 3 runs and beat my time on Sunday if I'm not on a call-out with work, or Monday morning.  4.5km starts next week.

Travel - Still only have my September trip planned and to look forward to.  Maybe some hiking during March break for a few days only.  As for next year, I'm considering doing a cruise with my friends that goes to Christmas Island and Indonesia!  Looks great.

Love life - Not going to mention it on this blog.  Sorry.  Private.

Social life - Maintaining it.  Just.  Thankfully I have a few friends that don't take it personally when I ignore them for periods of time.  Have a girls dinner tonight.  Trying to socialise once a week.

MoH (Maid of Honour) - I'm also getting used to the organza, satin, and sequins and have another wedding dress try-on with my sister next week.  This time one store is a place where I would even consider myself if I was shopping for big white dresses.  The dresses there are vintage-inspired and made of gorgeous silks and Chantilly lace.

Work - Going good.  Can't believe how many res patients I'm having this term.  If I do repro next term I will be sure to deliver a baby.....