Year end, year begins... reflections

[jcd1013]

The year of 2006 is now dead, settled into his grave, as the New Year now takes over reign. But, as is my nature, I could hardly let him go without a eulogy.


January
* I travel to Africa for 4 weeks of work in a hospital in Eldoret, Kenya
* I kiss a giraffe



*It's love at first sight



* I submit my matchlist for residency... it gets lost in San Fransisco
* Luckily, I am able to fax a copy to them just in time to meet the deadline
* Liz gets married
* I miss it
* I match in my number one program for Medicine/Neurology in Milwaukee

February
* I continue to work at the hospital in Eldoret



* Many, many patients die
* I spend my weekends on African safaris










* Melissa breaks off the engagement with Chris
* I am heartbroken.
* I fly down to South Africa and meet claidheamhmor and melancthe - we hit it off right away



* We drive up through picturesque South Africa where we meet up with the lovely, wonderful shirerain



* I spent the weekend and next several days with her, her family and her many adorable dogs



* We spend the weekend in Krueger National Park. I don't see one lion. Or cheetah. Or tiger.
* But I do see elephants and hyenas and giraffes instead










* Back in J'burg, Graeme and Michaela take pity on my lionless trip and take me to the lion park.
* I am nigh to consumed by a lion



* Oops. Wrong lion.



* Wrong one again.



* Luckily, I bite back



(More lion cuteness)





*I end my journeys visiting Amsterdam and avoiding all districts of fiery colors.
*I am bored the rest of February

March
* My classmate, Gael, is paralyzed from a snowboarding accident
* I finish my last hospital rotation ever for medical school
* It's a rather drab month, and I'm glad it's over.

April
* Chris and I spend every day together working on papers... It's just like second year!
* And just like second year, it's way too much time together and we start grating on each others nerves.
* But it doesn't last long
* I have surgery on my left shoulder
* It goes well.
* I get flowers for the first time



* My room is a suite



* I love my doctor

May
* I finish all of the papers and crap ever for medical school
* The wedding that wasn't passes.
* Melissa's now completely crazy
* We're all glad that the wedding ... wasn't
* I graduate from medical school

(Image is not cooperating. To see, go here: http://pics.livejournal.com/jcd1013/pic/000c32af)

* I'm a real doctor now and have the diploma to prove it
* Chris leaves for 3 months in Southeast Asia.
* I'm a blubbery mess.
* I finish up physical therapy and can raise my arm above my head (*yay*)

June
* I fly out to Milwaukee with my dad
* I buy a house



* Let's say this again. I buy a house. A very pretty house



* With raspberries



* And a rabbit



* I spend all of June packing up my mess
* I have a lot of stuff
* It's hard to say goodbye



* I move to Milwaukee, WI

July
* I become a real doctor
* And am responsible to real patients
* I start work at the VA hospital
* I love it
* Except when I have to draw blood
* My patients don't like me much then either
* Allison comes and visits
* I forget to take pictures

August
* I rotate in the Neuro ICU
* I think I've found my calling
* I hero worship my attending
* I finally start to hang out with people and get to know the neuro crowd





* Last part of the month, I do general neurology
* I'm not so fond of my resident
* I realize that I don't exactly like neurology
* Partially because I'm a even bigger ignoramus than usual
* And I hate neurology clinic
* It freaks me out
* Because I'm doing this for 5 more years
* And I never expected to doubt my decision about neurology

September
* I'm back in the Neuro ICU
* And I still love it
* Susan visits me
* Jelly Belly factories in Wisconsin are highly overrated



* But Jelly Flops are worth it!

* I see Vienna Teng in concert



* Sam gets married to Tim
* I am bridesmaid



* I am pretty



* I wish I was the bride



* Hanging out with Sam, Liz, Laura, and Brooke was awesome






October
* I start working in the ER
* I realize how glad I am that I didn't go into emergency medicine
* I go to Utah for vacation
* 8 days is far too short







* I paint my kitchen blue




November
* General medicine wards at Froedtert
* I'm awake all night on call
* I usually admit 5 patients and discharge 6 the next day
* I discover my medical student goes to my church
* And that he's cute
* And extremely humorous
* And laughs at my jokes
* I'm quite smitten
* I still am
* I'm unbelievably stressed out
* But I'm making friends







* And they're calling me Julio
* And I'm starting to feel at home
* I spend weekends peeling/stripping paint of walls





* I can't think that watching paint dry would be any more tedious or boring


December
* Back in neurology, stroke service
* My resident is my resident from August
* It's even worse than it was before
* I give up on the stripping the walls of paint
* I paint my office apricot/peach
* It looks pretty
* Chris comes to visit
* We have a wonderful time



* Chicago is a beautiful city



* We visit the aquarium
* I love sea urchins



* I realize afterwards that there were dolphins there too. Oh well, next time.
* Resident and I have big blow out
* But time with him is short
* Back to the NICU for the rest of the month
* I still love it
* In fact, I love it so much that I think that it might become the future career
* Even though it'll take another 2 years more of training
* And the lifestyle will be hard and long
* But I'm happy there
* Until my cointern returns from vacation
* I realize what an idiot she is
* And I have to pick up all of the slack
* I realize, for the first time, that I am not a student anymore
* I really am a DOCTOR
* I've learned a lot these past six months
* Still have much to learn
* But I'll get there
* And I only have 4 1/2 more years before I do


The New Year started much as the last one faded away... with going to working and being at the hospital. Cardiology wards--promises to be even more fun and stress.

A Happy New Year to all of my friends. I am so eternally grateful that you have decided to share your lives with me. With your friendship, your love and support, I am enriched and blessed.

*hugs*

ETA: Don't ask me why some of the pictures are different sizes. I didn't do it! And if you're reading this and are one of the featured, and don't want to be, let me know. I'm sure I can dig up lots of monkeys and baboons to use instead. (j/k).

Comments

[donnazita.livejournal.com]

1. You look absolutely LOVELY in that bridesmaid gown.
2. That lion cub is THE pic of the year.
3. I am highly impressed you had stuff from each month.

[jcd1013.livejournal.com]

March and July got overlooked in pictures (March was boring, July I was way too busy adjusting).

And thank you!

[claidheamhmor]

Lovely! I really enjoyed seeing your year in pictures!

How is Gael doing, BTW?

[jcd1013.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I hope you didn't mind joining the rest in the memorial. :)

Gael is doing well. He graduated from medical school in October and started residency this month. He plans to go into physical medicine and rehab, so to inspire other people who have had paralysing injuries.

[satismagic.livejournal.com]

So you *do* look like your icon after all! *squeee* What a lovely, lovely run-down of the year, and how pretty you are and how much STUFF you got done this year!!!

Also, there were FREE HUGS in Chicago? That's too awesome. And baby lion! SOOOOO *SQUEEE*.

[jcd1013.livejournal.com]

Thanks! My hair isn't quite red enough for me to be entirely satisfied with my Anne appearance. :)

There were! I thought about you when I saw them! Chris didn't get why I literally *squeed* when I saw them, and ran off to hug strangers, but, when I explained the idea, we went ack for more hugs. It was wonderful.

[kimarama.livejournal.com]

Wow...you've been a very busy woman! Your year was really full of life - both the good and the bad. Seems to me it was heavy on the good side! The pictures were amazing. Thanks for sharing!

[jcd1013.livejournal.com]

I think I tend to filter out most of the bad stuff. If I hadn't recorded it in LJ, I'd probably not have recalled it at all. There's something to be said about too much optimism, eh?

I'm glad you enjoyed!

[bjorks-defender.livejournal.com]

Aww, I'm so glad you did this! It was fun to read/look through all of it. A few comments:

Paul wants to know who the brunette with glasses is in the 1st picture under August. He said she's cute. Don't worry. I smacked him. Hard. ;)

You look so pretty in that bridesmaid dress, and I love your haircut in October. (Though I still want to see you without bangs...)

Chris is a cutie.

What's the med student's name? Do tell! Is he in any of these pictures? I doubt it, but one never knows. ;)

Can I come visit sometime?

I've missed you this past year.

-HUGS-

[jcd1013.livejournal.com]

The brunette with glasses is Kara. She's one of my fellow interns and a real sweetheart. If I didn't know that she had a thing for older men (as in grey hair), I'd try to set something up with her and Chris, because I like her sooo much better than his current girlfriend.

I liked my October haircut--that was the day after, and I still had funky bangs (that were so much more funky when he first cut them).

I'm not sure I'm ready to reveal Med Stud's (*giggle*) name. And no, he's not any of these people. But I was looking through my pics and found one of him... from about two months before I met him, officially. We had this deja vu feeling when we met on wards... discovered that he was in my ward, and what's more, I probably met him three years ago when he was interviewing for medical school.

And yes, come visit. Then you can be in next year's post!

Missed you too.

*hugs*

Gotta run.

[angel-grace.livejournal.com]

What a great post! And you're bringing back memories of my Marquette days with all your talk of Milwaukee. One of my roommates worked at Froedtert, although for the life of me I can't remember her exact major. I think it was nursing.

Anyway.

Chicago is a beautiful city, and I love the Bean--I went to see it for the first time this summer.

BTW, I'm still recording Everwood every day, and slowly transferring them to DVD. You were the one who asked for copies, yes? No promises as to exactly when I'll have them for you, but I will have them. Eventually.

[jcd1013.livejournal.com]

We so need to get together for a visit--we're so close to each other!

Yes! I still want them! I'm in no hurry (just extremely glad that you are doing this), so whenever you're done, let me know and I'll give you my address. Oh, and if you want me to send you DVDs to burn, I can do that as well. Thank you! A thousand times!

[behrbemine.livejournal.com]

What a beautiful year. You've been through a lot -- you have lived much more of a life than many of us. You're very strong to see the positives and the negatives and keep going all the same. I look up to you, and always will.

Happy New Year.

[jcd1013.livejournal.com]

Elisey!!!

*MAJOR GIGANTIC HUGS*

Lise, I love you, darling. I know I haven't had as much time to comment about your life, but you have been frequently in my thoughts. I am so sorry to hear that you are still struggling, with trying to make friends, and with your mom and your beautiful baby, but I hope knowing that somebody in Milwaukee truly loves you, no matter what, helps a little.

*hugs again*

[behrbemine.livejournal.com]

Ahhh! *huggles, huggles!*

Lise, I love you, darling.

I love you, too. <3

I know I haven't had as much time to comment about your life, but you have been frequently in my thoughts.

Oh, hey, do not worry about such things. I haven't had the time to comment on your life enough, either. Life takes up much more space than our internet time. This I understand.

...but I hope knowing that somebody in Milwaukee truly loves you, no matter what, helps a little.

More like a lot. Mwah!

xoxo