Friday, November 27, 2009

Upside Down

My Fashionista friend brought over a very cute black and white kitten for me today. I took her straight to the bathroom for her "safety room" so she can get adjusted and get a vet visit in. Gryffin went from "hey what's going on" to "HEY! WHAT THE HELL.IS.GOING.ON". Needless to say, he went from a confused/curious to pissed. Very quickly. He bit me when I picked him up (he never does that-shows you the degree of angry he is currently occupying) which is usually his favorite thing ever. Right now he's on the other couch glaring at me. He's spent the majority of the day outside the bathroom staring down the door. When I'm in the bathroom playing/bonding with kitten (to be later named. I think she's a girl so suggestions welcome!) he sits outside and occasionally growls. It's actually really funny to me. What was even funnier was when my parents got home. the kitten heard my dad and started growling herself. Priceless!

So I'm doing the introductions slowly. I can't really put them in the same room until vet on Tuesday (kitten appears to have tapeworms. Don't want Gryffin getting it). So hopefully he'll get used to the idea/smells by then. Kitten seems to be doing just fine. She's a little skiddish, but took to the litter pan immediately (yay!) and to her food bowl. She doesn't like toys too much-she prefers fingers. And she's gotten close to meeting the squirt bottle as she likes to attack and bite legs.

So that's the newest and most exciting thing. Thanksgiving went well in a very crowded way. I got to talk to my cousin's brother in law for a while. We talked on healthcare and the justification of the FDA. It was good, I didn't get overstimulated with all the company. Now I'm just really enjoying my break before 3 straight weeks of house medicine. Not entirely looking forward to it. I'm apprehensive about my partner. I woudln't be surprised if I end up going in early monday morning because he won't want to use the "our break officially ends at 8 am" cop-out. Ugh.

I'll have to post pics as soon as I get them. I'm sure the cat drama will be occupying my time for the next few days. Poor Gryffin-I realize his world has been turned upside down. As well as my official declaration that yes, yes I am now the cat lady.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Weighing In

Just FYI: it's really hard to type on a computer when your cat refuses to get out of your lap.

So...finished up psych. It wasn't that bad really. I was scared at first, then got used to it. By the end I was tired of feelings, but for a while I could have seen myself doing it if I didn't already have a fancy toward path. I'll still have to think about it. I know that it's noncompetitive and there's a massive need. So two good things toward getting into a residency far, far away.

On to medicine next. I'm not completely pumped mainly because I remember how much a 3 month rotation sucks. Because after about 2 months nothing seems too exciting. Especially if you don't like it. The rotation is all split up due to the holidays so my long needed vacation should spread it out better than the 3 straight months of surgery I had to endure.

In recent news, we've been voted the fattest state. Again. It never ceases to amaze me how people act all surprised. And it's not because I believe we're all fat and lazy marrying our cousins and not wearing shoes. It's because honestly people-look around and see the facts.
1. We're one of the poorest states. High calorie density foods are the cheapest and most convenient. So it makes sense that a family on a budget is more likely to buy a bag of chips for $2 than a single sweet potato for $1.99 (estimated costs of course)
2. We're rural. Seriously think how long it takes to go to your house to the grocery store. In the car. 5-10 min? 10-20? Think if you had to walk that. We're not like a lot of the "healthier" states that rely on walking/biking as a major way of transportation.
3. Has anyone seen sidewalks? Yeah, me either. Even if one wanted to walk (I live about a 10 min walk from Kroger), I'd get killed in traffic. Lack of sidewalks+people who drive like a driver's license is a prize in the cracker jack box=no walking.
4. It's hot. Really hot. Walking out the door to your car elicits profuse sweating. Now try walking 30 min somewhere in about 200% humidity and 101 degree temps. Yeah, not so much.

So add all that together and what do you have? Obesity. Lots of it. Not to say that it's possible to stay healthy and maintain a level of appropriate activity. But for the most part a lot of people that live here can't/won't do that. Sometimes they just don't care because it's culture of frying food and eating too much "meat on your bones" and a general acceptance of big body image as a good thing. That's just all my opinion.

Anyway, instead of studying for my psych board I'm updating my much neglected blog. I guess a lot of it has to do with the fact that I haven't had much to say over the past month or so. I figured out how to avoid Borderline questions and can tell the difference between narcolepsy and schizophrenia prodrome (unlike an attending on 7W). And now I'm dreading Medicine and ACLS (did I mention the BLS review course today was crap and she could tell I was in a hurry even though the dummy was apparently DEAD?). I'm ready to get to 4th year and eventually get to do what I love every day. Already halfway through, I can make it, right?

Oh, and don't even talk to me about STEP 2. I'm sure I need to sign up for the test soon. BLAH.