A belated thanksgiving and warm wishes for my grandma!

Hi Friends and Family, today is single digits til the states, and that is music to my ears.

Saturday I spent the day relaxing. I woke up, opened my notes, my books, and my roommate convinced me to go to the beach. It was cloudy and cold, but wonderful. Then we spent the day (about 6 hours) preparing a 19lb bird for 20 of our friends here on the island. Everyone brought a dish, and for being stressed out medical students some of us can sure cook! I think everyone left in food shock, from delicious and full meal.

The highlight of my weekend came Saturday morning when my brother's girlfriend, Ali got on her computer, and via webchat I got to see Em, Mary, Dan, Ali, and Andy. When my mom came back from shopping, I got to see her too :) It was really hard not to be there, and yet soo good to see their faces. The six of them staring back at me are still frozen in my mind, and I cannot wait until I see them in person so soon.

I also got to talk to my dad today, who informed me that my grandma Schiraldi is in the hospital. On thanksgiving, she came down with a case of pneumonia and has been in the hospital since. I talked to her today, and she has high spirits and was mad that she missed a meatball and ribs party at her house last night! She is responding well to treatment, but her blood sugar is a little high. She should be home in the next few days. When I asked her if I could visit for Christmas, she said she'd make extra sauce. Grandmas are one of my favorite gifts from God.

I'm doing well. With one test this morning, I am down to 5 left on the island, with Thursdays 150 question exam on microbiology & immunology being up next. All my love in the states, I'll see you soon!

"Happy" Thanksgiving

I hope everyone had a great day with their family and friends. In Cayman, Thanksgiving worked a bit differently. I woke up at 6:30, went to 6 hours of class, had Pizza Hut leftovers for lunch, and Sushi for dinner. When I was crossing the street to get my Sushi, it started to pour. I thought, is thanksgiving over yet?

I was glad my mom got to have my siblings home with her. I hate the amount of time she spends alone, and I can't think of better visitors than those 3 and Ali. It was a hard day not to be there, but also to realize that there is a very good chance this is a preview of many more Thanksgivings to come. They weren't kidding when they said this journey was a sacrifice, and the fact that the small amount of time with my whole family is even smaller, is hard to stomach. I am becoming numb.

And still, I am lucky. I am lucky to have the best friends and family in the world. It makes missing days like yesterday possible, and makes me get through every hard day. The messages, emails and wall posts help, even if I'm not strong enough to admit it, I will be ok. I had a PD exam today, which went well and I'm glad to be done being quizzed on clinical exams for the semester. My block 3 exams went very well this week, and yes Emily Lottes, you'd hate me for these grades too. I am done with classes, and just having reviews until my next 6 tests sneak up. It is crazy to think everything I will learn in Basic Sciences has been taught. There is still nothing I'd rather be, except for home, on the carpet next to my family. There are too many minutes between them and I.

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. I miss you all.

good morning messages

I've come to find that checking my school emails are overrated. The following was my good morning message from my least favorite part of med school.

Nov 25th: LH 3 ( 3-5pm)- Lung Infection and other lung: discussion ( 40 minutes) and Test- 40 minutes.
Nov 26th: LH1 (class time): MGS- Discussion and QA
Friday: 27th: LH1 (class time): Remaining FGS
Friday 27th : 2.20-4pm LH 3: Test on MGS and FGS
Saturday: 11-1 pm- LH 1=CVS and GIT test/review
Sunday: 10-12 noon: LH 1=CNS/kidney test and review
Monday: Final Path II lab test (class time)
Monday (4-5): LH 3: Endocrine and MSK test
Tuesday: Compressive review during Class time (Last class).
Any questions or Concern?

I would write back, but my mom always taught me if you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all :)
Is it December yet?

25 and 9...

I'm starting to get down to the unhuman numbers that always pop up before I'm allowed to go home for a break. With only 25 days left on the island, we still have 10 exams to take. This doesn't count our new quizzes every Saturday that my professor is giving us at 10am.

I am surviving, and can't wait to be home, but have so much to do before that is possible! In my dreams, I am still home for Thanksgiving, napping on my Aunt Jadwiga's floor and Christmas tree shopping with my siblings, mom, and their significant others. In reality, I have tests until Tuesday, classes through Friday, an exam Friday, and a 4 hour review Saturday morning. Monday I have another exam, followed by four at the end of the first week of December. And, I'm surviving.

I'm still eating much better than I used to, and feeling better every day. I have gotten the chance to talk to a few great friends from home, and cannot underestimate the way a small message can make my day, or even week.

This past week, I took place in a presentation with 3 other girls from my class on the complications of diabetes. A group, or 2, from each class (semesters 1-5) were asked to talk on different aspects of diabetes, and we all presented to a full lecture hall-probably 200 people of professors, students, and doctors on the island. It was a great opportunity, and our group got second place! I will post pictures soon.

I hope everyone is doing well and getting ready for a wonderful holiday. If you're reading this, chances are I miss you. All my love.

One month!

I am moving quickly through block 3 material, and excited to only have one month to the US and Warsaw! Nothing is really new at school, classes, reviews, and an extra Saturday class in Path every week. I used to like the weekends, for catch up, but now we have to have extra classes? I'm still tutoring the same girl in Pathology I, and she did really well on her block 2 exam, so I must be doing something right! She always wants to repay me, and I am happy to except coffee and candy bars when she visits once a week.

I am a week late, but I wanted to wish a very happy 24th birthday to my friend, and old roommate Miss Emily Lottes. While it has been easy to fall out of touch while I've been over here with friends, Em is constantly calling and leaving voicemails, and missed calls, and somehow she keeps continues to call back. If that's not a true friend, I don't know what is :)

In other happy news, my best friend Ruthie is back, and safe in the United States. She returned Saturday night from her first tour in Qatar, where she was flying over the Qatar/Iraq border for four months. It was refreshing to here her voice this morning and always great to have the ones you love safe in the states.

I will write again soon, I have a busy week!
All my love.

Small town girl

Of all the things I've learned at med school, I think one of my favorite is about just how lucky I was to be brought up by who I was, and where I was. Life wasn't hard-I know that, but I also know that sacrifices were made.

It has been an especially hard reality for me lately that the people surrounding me, are very little, if anything like me. Growing up in a small town, you think everyone is just like you-and going back, sitting with Jess Stackhouse, Jackie Murphy, and my siblings-I can't help but feel at home. I remember going to undergrad heartbroken, and I found some of the most outstanding people and friends I have ever known.

Here, I'm counting my blessings at home, and hoping the next 5 weeks fly. They weren't kidding when they said growing up was overrated. Thanks to my mom, friends, and family for making me who I am today. Its scary to see how the rest of the world is, but heartwarming to know I was lucky.

I miss you all.