If this blog were a library book, I'd be concerned about my overdue fines...
This past month has been eventful, to say the least.
Firstly, I finished my physics II class. I made the mistake of calculating the minimum score required for my final to guarantee an A. Had I remained oblivious I would have studied harder... In any case, I was pleased with the outcome.
The weekend after I finished my final, I attended a wedding of Golden standards. (Yeah, that's the pun telling you my friend's last name is Golden.) It was tremendous fun supporting my friends, visiting with others I haven't seen in well over a year, and of course hitting the dance floor.
After a few tremendous days with my family it was back to work. Not even a week after my final I was in training to kick off the new school year. In full earnest, training is delightful the second year around due to its brevity. :)
The following weekend I found myself at another good friend's wedding that had Constant class and energy.(Hooray for continued last name puns!) With Erlenmeyer flask center pieces and a dance floor inhabited by friends, I had nearly forgotten that I'd be receiving my first batch of students at IMSA in less than12 hours.
This led to a blur of a first week back at work. Though I worked at least 90 hours (not all recorded), the week still flew by. I met my new sophomores (all of whom are quality young men), welcomed back all of the returning students, and tried to get a grasp of what this new year will be like.
Before I knew it I was back in the fabled state of Michigan to attend a wedding for the third weekend in a row. This wedding unfortunately did not lend itself so easily to last name puns... (Believe me, you'd boo if I typed the one I was thinking) In any case it was tremendous getting to spend time with many friends in celebration, especially after such a long work week. It was especially great catching up with my gracious hosts and two of my best friends Nicole and Justin Rieth.
After attending this fifth wedding of the summer, Monday the 22nd brought my first day of regular semester classes. This semester I have General Chemistry, Biology, and their respective labs before me. The first week transpired and I felt underwhelmed to say the least... I know the classes will pick up soon, but relearning significant figures for a full week feels like a joke after two full semesters of college physics taken over an 8 week period.
My initial impressions of the professors is good, though I will say that sitting in a class of nearly 200 people is much different from any of the Hope College lectures I was used to. I've already introduced myself to each of my professors to be sure that I'm known, and I sit in the front third of the classroom to make the lecture seem a bit more intimate. I will say the enlarged format isn't daunting, but it is distracting. If I had a nickel for every text that was sent in either of the lecture halls I frequent, I'd be a thousandaire in a disturbingly short period of time.
I'm looking forward to the busyness that draws near. Working full time and taking 8 credit hours will truly be a gift. That said, I will be sure to update sooner next time!
Monday, August 29, 2011
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
A HOT Weekend
This past weekend I was able to shadow my good friend Andrea at the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. This was a great opportunity because Andrea is a H.O.T. nurse, that is to say she works on the Hematology, Oncology, Transplant floor. In layman terms, her floor deals entirely with childhood cancers.
As I mentioned in my last post I was a bit nervous for this endeavor. I wasn't sure what to expect considering the great tribulation cancer has been for my family. But in hindsight, I'm unsure why I ever held such anxiety.
Shadowing Andrea for the whole of her 12 hour shift allowed me some great opportunities. First and foremost was my allowance to be in such a unique environment as the Wisconsin Children's Hospital. There is something so special about the atmosphere of a hospital that I can't quite describe in the extent that I'd like. In short I'll merely say that the ambiance is truly enlivening for me on a very distinct level. This floor proved no different with its cheery colored paint scheme and it's sense of busyness.
My day progressed by meeting the patients that Andrea would be caring for that day and following her through some of her daily routine. With respect to confidentiality I'll not go into detail about the kids, but I can tell you that this was the first time I'd first hand seen chemo therapy administered among a slew of other things. I washed my hands more times than I remember and best of all I put some smiles onto a few kids faces.
When I wasn't tagging along with Andrea I was either interacting with the doctors or patients on the floor. Though much of the medical jargon was lost on me, I was happy as a clam to make rounds with the docs. This time mostly entailed the two residents sharing updates on each patient to the fellow and attending doctors. With their rolling computer stations, they were quite a sight to see scribbling additional notes and nodding their heads from time to time. Later in the afternoon I was able to ask them a few questions about their path to pediatrics.
The time I was able to spend with patients was awesome. I'll tell you, nothing beats watching Disney's animated Robin Hood while playing with superhero action figures as a means to change a routine IV. Granted, as a visitor I got to spend a bit more time with the patients than I would as a doctor, but the general concept of an improved and encouraging bedside manner still remains.
This concept of patient doctor relationship etiquette is one that I have been tossing around for a while. In fact, it is for this reason that I'm incredibly appreciative for both my time volunteering in the Same Day Surgery Unit at Delnor Hospital and having the opportunity to shadow a nurse rather than a doctor this past weekend. The more I am around my desired profession, the more I'm realizing that I'll really need to know my patients to genuinely care for them. Moreover I'll need to know the other staff (Nurses, PAs, CNAs etc) on my floor to fully appreciate and encourage the jobs they each fulfill. I've seen both sides of the spectrum for doctors' sociability, and let me tell you both patients and nurses respect the doctors who genuinely spend the time to establish humility.
Perhaps more on that theory in another post. For now I can announce with great distinction that I certainly feel that I could work in Pediatric Oncology. To be able to give care in such a muddled time for a family would be a distinct honor, and perhaps may even present opportunities for some enlightened fun along the way. In any case I'm ever more excited for what the future holds, and I can't wait to invest in my patients of all shapes, sizes, and walks of life.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Traveling at the Speed of Thought
Most days my mind runs at approximately 3.2 million miles an hour. Certainly there are moments when my psyche is that of a docile house cat, but lately the full fledged cheetah has been galloping across the subsaharan trenches of my mind.
Typically there will be a series of three or four main ideas that consume me on any given day, but today I present to you the one that has been happily haunting me ever since I made the decision to return to school: doctoral specialties. I use the contradiction of "happily haunting" because I both love and fear the power and repercussions of my thoughts.
It is only natural that the question "what kind of doctor do you want to be?!" seeps into conversation about my desire to become a physician. This question is more than fair, and I have spent many a moment thinking on it. Now before you hastily retort that there is ample time to decide these details over the course of premedical training and moreover during medical school itself, please acknowledge that I fully understand this fact. This is by no means an "end all be all" decision for my medicinal future. It's just so hard to avoid thinking about.
My gut reaction when this question arises points to the realm of pediatrics. It just seems to make sense when I add up the factors like annual participation in Hope College's Dance Marathon for the DeVos Children's Hospital, working with kids at Covenant Harbor Bible Camp and Retreat Center summer after summer, and volunteering for a multitude of child centered programs for as long as I can remember, not to mention that I currently work and live on a campus of over 600 high school students.
It'd be pleasant enough if this was as far as my mind took my quandaries. Pediatrics in and of itself is a rather distinct direction, but I can't help but delve into the realm of specialties in pediatrics. This is where the thought process breaks Mach 3 and the rest of me just hangs on for the ride. It is in these moments that the idea of pediatric oncology continues to make an appearance. This recurring thought really has had me going for some time now and I hope to unpack it a bit for you.
Without going into too much detail I'll inform you that since I've been born my family has been surrounded by cancer. I've lost several family members to varying types, and have seen firsthand how hardship and hope can coexist when it comes to such a devastating disease. Having already been such a large part of my life, it makes sense why I'd want to kick such a disease in the face, and why I feel that I'd be able to present a realistic, but hopeful perspective to each patient.
In the best possible way, this thought excites me and terrifies me at the exact same moment. The best biblical example that comes to mind is that of David and Goliath. David as we know from reading in Samuel, Kings, Chronicles, and especially the Psalms was a very emotionally complex man. As the saying goes, "he was a lover not a fighter, but don't get him wrong, he was a fighter too." Knowing this complexity it is impossible for me to think that he did not feel a rush of both fear and exhilaration at the same instant as he stood before the largest Philistine soldier in recorded history. I, like David, know that God will give me the strength and bravery to accomplish what He calls me to, but that does not mean that I can or even should be without trepidation. Without the disquiet we would not be urged into action knowing the difference between utter confidence and oblivious acceptance (a concept that I dipped into in an earlier post).
Perhaps it's this dichotomy that fuels every professional physician.
In any case, this weekend I'll have the privilege of shadowing my good friend who is a nurse at the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin up in Milwaukee. In short, I'm stoked! I'm not 100% sure what I'll see or who I'll meet, but I know that I'm excited to jump at the opportunity and hopefully tell some kids really bad jokes. I'll be sure to share my experiences, but for now it is time to let my mind wander at its usual velocity. (and speaking of velocity, Physics II starts in the morning! Huzzah!)
Typically there will be a series of three or four main ideas that consume me on any given day, but today I present to you the one that has been happily haunting me ever since I made the decision to return to school: doctoral specialties. I use the contradiction of "happily haunting" because I both love and fear the power and repercussions of my thoughts.
It is only natural that the question "what kind of doctor do you want to be?!" seeps into conversation about my desire to become a physician. This question is more than fair, and I have spent many a moment thinking on it. Now before you hastily retort that there is ample time to decide these details over the course of premedical training and moreover during medical school itself, please acknowledge that I fully understand this fact. This is by no means an "end all be all" decision for my medicinal future. It's just so hard to avoid thinking about.
My gut reaction when this question arises points to the realm of pediatrics. It just seems to make sense when I add up the factors like annual participation in Hope College's Dance Marathon for the DeVos Children's Hospital, working with kids at Covenant Harbor Bible Camp and Retreat Center summer after summer, and volunteering for a multitude of child centered programs for as long as I can remember, not to mention that I currently work and live on a campus of over 600 high school students.
It'd be pleasant enough if this was as far as my mind took my quandaries. Pediatrics in and of itself is a rather distinct direction, but I can't help but delve into the realm of specialties in pediatrics. This is where the thought process breaks Mach 3 and the rest of me just hangs on for the ride. It is in these moments that the idea of pediatric oncology continues to make an appearance. This recurring thought really has had me going for some time now and I hope to unpack it a bit for you.
Without going into too much detail I'll inform you that since I've been born my family has been surrounded by cancer. I've lost several family members to varying types, and have seen firsthand how hardship and hope can coexist when it comes to such a devastating disease. Having already been such a large part of my life, it makes sense why I'd want to kick such a disease in the face, and why I feel that I'd be able to present a realistic, but hopeful perspective to each patient.
In the best possible way, this thought excites me and terrifies me at the exact same moment. The best biblical example that comes to mind is that of David and Goliath. David as we know from reading in Samuel, Kings, Chronicles, and especially the Psalms was a very emotionally complex man. As the saying goes, "he was a lover not a fighter, but don't get him wrong, he was a fighter too." Knowing this complexity it is impossible for me to think that he did not feel a rush of both fear and exhilaration at the same instant as he stood before the largest Philistine soldier in recorded history. I, like David, know that God will give me the strength and bravery to accomplish what He calls me to, but that does not mean that I can or even should be without trepidation. Without the disquiet we would not be urged into action knowing the difference between utter confidence and oblivious acceptance (a concept that I dipped into in an earlier post).
Perhaps it's this dichotomy that fuels every professional physician.
In any case, this weekend I'll have the privilege of shadowing my good friend who is a nurse at the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin up in Milwaukee. In short, I'm stoked! I'm not 100% sure what I'll see or who I'll meet, but I know that I'm excited to jump at the opportunity and hopefully tell some kids really bad jokes. I'll be sure to share my experiences, but for now it is time to let my mind wander at its usual velocity. (and speaking of velocity, Physics II starts in the morning! Huzzah!)
Thursday, July 7, 2011
With Level One Vanquished, Our Protagonist Has Reached the Point of No Return
Today marked the end of my first class on track to medical school. I awoke early to do some final studying before downing some oatmeal and hitting the highway. With 10 minutes to spare I made my way into the frigid NIU lecture hall. Our final began. From 9am to just after noon I pounded away at the keys of my trusty TI 84 Plus and scribbled diagrams and formulas with my purple mechanical pencil (the likes of which I've grown irrationally attached to). As the test came to a close our professor started making rounds to the few of us who were left. When he came my way he asked me why I was still focusing so hard considering I'd already secured my "A" for the course... I casually replied, "thermodynamics has always been my nemesis."
What I really wanted to say however was something along the lines of "I want to be as prepared for the MCAT as possible, and I will feel more secure in my preparation if I answer each of the questions on this test to the best of my abilities." *Insert nerdy mannerism here (ie. the classic Steve Urkel glasses fix, etc.)
That said, I'm questioning if this class has truly prepared me in the best way possible for the MCAT. I know that my classmates struggled quite a bit in this course, but my ease has actually put me in a state of unease. I'll be taking some MCAT physics prep this weekend to test the waters, and hopefully I'll be reassured.
In any case, it has been tremendous getting back into the classroom again! It really feels like home, and that in and of itself reaffirms my doctoring pursuit. With one class down, I'm already excited for Physics 2 to start on Monday (though I will thoroughly appreciate my homework free weekend).
I'm officially that much closer to becoming a physician. I think some ice cream is in order :)
What I really wanted to say however was something along the lines of "I want to be as prepared for the MCAT as possible, and I will feel more secure in my preparation if I answer each of the questions on this test to the best of my abilities." *Insert nerdy mannerism here (ie. the classic Steve Urkel glasses fix, etc.)
That said, I'm questioning if this class has truly prepared me in the best way possible for the MCAT. I know that my classmates struggled quite a bit in this course, but my ease has actually put me in a state of unease. I'll be taking some MCAT physics prep this weekend to test the waters, and hopefully I'll be reassured.
In any case, it has been tremendous getting back into the classroom again! It really feels like home, and that in and of itself reaffirms my doctoring pursuit. With one class down, I'm already excited for Physics 2 to start on Monday (though I will thoroughly appreciate my homework free weekend).
I'm officially that much closer to becoming a physician. I think some ice cream is in order :)
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
An Issue of Perspective
Quizzes make up 30% of the grade in my physics class. Until today I'd been nothing short of immaculate on them. In fact, I'd even gained the rarefied bonus points that were available.
But today revealed a chink in the armor of my physics knowledge: components of torque and angular momentum. I missed lunch to be sure my lab report made some coherent sense of the data collected from the day before, so my mindset was a bit distracted. Sitting down to the quiz I scribbled down vectors and typed away at my trusty TI 84, and I was unstoppable! ...for about three questions. Out of 11 questions, there were three that threw me for a loop (centripetal pun intended). This equated to upwards of 3 questions wrong! It was as though the world was screaming, "call the media, the juggernaut of NIU's summer physics is down..."
...let that soak in for a second.
Yep. That paragraph explains how I thought the world was coming to an end after a 72% on one quiz. A 72%. By all accounts and purposes, that is a passing grade. Not only that, but we get to drop one quiz score from the semester for our average...
As I look at it now, I don't think the score was really what frustrated me about the quiz. In fact, I went in knowing that this was probably the quiz that I'd drop for the semester. I think what really got to me was the fact that there was a concept that I let slip through my fingers. I dropped the ball (yes the rolling jokes continue) on angular momentum and torque.
So here's what I truly gather from what transpired earlier today:
Firstly, it is miserable that I would let a 72% on one quiz get me down. I don't think I've been this finicky about a grade since sophomore year of high school. There will be stumbling points along the way, that is what experimental science is all about! Trial and error. If something doesn't work the first time you dust it off and try it again. I will be sure to keep my grades in perspective from here on out.
Secondly, I like the fact that I can be harsh on myself about not knowing a concept. Looking ahead, I know that my success (or failure...) as a doctor will depend on my knowing and understanding of the concepts that are placed in front of me. Not having the determination to cope with and remedy my weaknesses could negatively impact someone's health in the future. That's why malpractice suits were invented. ;)
And on that note, it's time to keep on keeping on. Time to rework some torques and study the next chapter. <--- Yeah, that's a link with a clever way to tell you what the next chapter's on. I think I'll start including these more often. Easter Eggs yo, Easter Eggs.
But today revealed a chink in the armor of my physics knowledge: components of torque and angular momentum. I missed lunch to be sure my lab report made some coherent sense of the data collected from the day before, so my mindset was a bit distracted. Sitting down to the quiz I scribbled down vectors and typed away at my trusty TI 84, and I was unstoppable! ...for about three questions. Out of 11 questions, there were three that threw me for a loop (centripetal pun intended). This equated to upwards of 3 questions wrong! It was as though the world was screaming, "call the media, the juggernaut of NIU's summer physics is down..."
...let that soak in for a second.
Yep. That paragraph explains how I thought the world was coming to an end after a 72% on one quiz. A 72%. By all accounts and purposes, that is a passing grade. Not only that, but we get to drop one quiz score from the semester for our average...
As I look at it now, I don't think the score was really what frustrated me about the quiz. In fact, I went in knowing that this was probably the quiz that I'd drop for the semester. I think what really got to me was the fact that there was a concept that I let slip through my fingers. I dropped the ball (yes the rolling jokes continue) on angular momentum and torque.
So here's what I truly gather from what transpired earlier today:
Firstly, it is miserable that I would let a 72% on one quiz get me down. I don't think I've been this finicky about a grade since sophomore year of high school. There will be stumbling points along the way, that is what experimental science is all about! Trial and error. If something doesn't work the first time you dust it off and try it again. I will be sure to keep my grades in perspective from here on out.
Secondly, I like the fact that I can be harsh on myself about not knowing a concept. Looking ahead, I know that my success (or failure...) as a doctor will depend on my knowing and understanding of the concepts that are placed in front of me. Not having the determination to cope with and remedy my weaknesses could negatively impact someone's health in the future. That's why malpractice suits were invented. ;)
And on that note, it's time to keep on keeping on. Time to rework some torques and study the next chapter. <--- Yeah, that's a link with a clever way to tell you what the next chapter's on. I think I'll start including these more often. Easter Eggs yo, Easter Eggs.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Happy Birthday!
Today was my birthday, and one of the best ones in recent memory. Though it has included more than 7 hours worth of college physics, I have had a tremendous and blessed day.
I woke up. I spent some time reading my Bible, then I took a shower and spoiled myself with a hot breakfast. I decided to bring brownies for my lab classmates (a good decision by all means), but packaging them landed me in class 10 minutes late. Oops... On the commute to class I received a birthday phone call from my dad. A pleasant early morning surprise. "23 huh? Let's see, on my 23rd birthday I was chasing you around our apartment!" :)
In any case, it was a standard lecture. Three hours of momentum, impulse, and energy featuring my Lebanese professor blitzing through slides and occasionally cracking the terrible, yet seemingly obligatory, physics joke.
Post lecture I met up with a friend and a couple other folks for lunch before lab. A delightful combo of company and cucumber sauce. :)
My gyro was followed by more physics. Today's lab reminded me that physics is "PHun" as I found myself playing with a spring loaded catapult and surrounded by the euphoric brownie induced sugar rush of my classmates. We then took a quiz...
I aced that quiz. I mean, I really knocked it out of the park. Without a doubt in my mind, I walked out of the room knowing that I had answered every question right. That's a feeling that I haven't had in a LOOOOONNNNGGGG time. (I checked the grade online a few hours later just to be sure)
I made my half hour commute back from DeKalb singing at the top of my lungs in my car. Less than an hour later I picked up my dad from the Aurora Metra station and we met up my mom for dinner at "The Turf Room." Let me just say goat cheese cheesecake is a culinary wonder. My sugar deprived palate was very pleased, not to mention it was great to spend time with my parents.
My day wrapped up with some light physics homework, a conference call with a couple of my cousins, and a friend dropping by to simply say "happy birthday."
It's truly been a great day. And now I crash.
I woke up. I spent some time reading my Bible, then I took a shower and spoiled myself with a hot breakfast. I decided to bring brownies for my lab classmates (a good decision by all means), but packaging them landed me in class 10 minutes late. Oops... On the commute to class I received a birthday phone call from my dad. A pleasant early morning surprise. "23 huh? Let's see, on my 23rd birthday I was chasing you around our apartment!" :)
In any case, it was a standard lecture. Three hours of momentum, impulse, and energy featuring my Lebanese professor blitzing through slides and occasionally cracking the terrible, yet seemingly obligatory, physics joke.
Post lecture I met up with a friend and a couple other folks for lunch before lab. A delightful combo of company and cucumber sauce. :)
My gyro was followed by more physics. Today's lab reminded me that physics is "PHun" as I found myself playing with a spring loaded catapult and surrounded by the euphoric brownie induced sugar rush of my classmates. We then took a quiz...
I aced that quiz. I mean, I really knocked it out of the park. Without a doubt in my mind, I walked out of the room knowing that I had answered every question right. That's a feeling that I haven't had in a LOOOOONNNNGGGG time. (I checked the grade online a few hours later just to be sure)
I made my half hour commute back from DeKalb singing at the top of my lungs in my car. Less than an hour later I picked up my dad from the Aurora Metra station and we met up my mom for dinner at "The Turf Room." Let me just say goat cheese cheesecake is a culinary wonder. My sugar deprived palate was very pleased, not to mention it was great to spend time with my parents.
My day wrapped up with some light physics homework, a conference call with a couple of my cousins, and a friend dropping by to simply say "happy birthday."
It's truly been a great day. And now I crash.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Plug and Chug
I love to hate this phrase. "Plug and Chug..." I hope whoever came up with this nonsense is rather pleased with himself. I write "himself" because every time I think of this phrase I imagine a very smug grin on the likeness of comedian Brian Regan, not to demean Brian, but rather because he easily personifies the mania of my mind.
In any case, I've been "plugging and chugging" away at equations for a little over a week now. In merely five days of class we've covered 5 weeks of material, and I'm loving it! Unfortunately my physics knowledge is flooding back to the forefront of my brain more quickly than I thought it would. I currently maintain a very high score in the class. Overconfidence has followed...
I don't want to proceed into the classroom feeling like a know-it-all, but it's happening... Sure it feels great to be the "smart kid" in class again amongst my summer school compatriots, but there was this thing called "humility" I caught somewhere between junior year of high school and the end of my Hope College career.
Humility is one of the greatest lessons Christ taught us. If my calling as a Christian is to truly live and love like Him, I must be able to rid any sign of self-centered and boastful natures. Knowing this humility reminds me that I am truly seeking who He is, and likewise that He is living in me.
So in short: Physics is going well, but I want some Humble Pie. Scratch that, I need some.
In any case, I've been "plugging and chugging" away at equations for a little over a week now. In merely five days of class we've covered 5 weeks of material, and I'm loving it! Unfortunately my physics knowledge is flooding back to the forefront of my brain more quickly than I thought it would. I currently maintain a very high score in the class. Overconfidence has followed...
I don't want to proceed into the classroom feeling like a know-it-all, but it's happening... Sure it feels great to be the "smart kid" in class again amongst my summer school compatriots, but there was this thing called "humility" I caught somewhere between junior year of high school and the end of my Hope College career.
Humility is one of the greatest lessons Christ taught us. If my calling as a Christian is to truly live and love like Him, I must be able to rid any sign of self-centered and boastful natures. Knowing this humility reminds me that I am truly seeking who He is, and likewise that He is living in me.
So in short: Physics is going well, but I want some Humble Pie. Scratch that, I need some.
Monday, June 13, 2011
And he's off!!!
Day one of summer physics mania: check.
My professor is from Lebanon, the lab TA makes random references to Jurassic Park, and I'm pretty well the oldest in the class. AKA Physics 1 is going to be an excellent four weeks. 14 more class days. One chapter per day. I think "warp speed" is the technical term.
It's gorgeous outside, but alas it is time to hit the books. If you have any good music recommendations to improve physics understanding, please let me know.
My professor is from Lebanon, the lab TA makes random references to Jurassic Park, and I'm pretty well the oldest in the class. AKA Physics 1 is going to be an excellent four weeks. 14 more class days. One chapter per day. I think "warp speed" is the technical term.
It's gorgeous outside, but alas it is time to hit the books. If you have any good music recommendations to improve physics understanding, please let me know.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
General Health: Consensus is Good
As I sit and wait for my Physics book to arrive for a class that starts in two days (AIEEEE!), I find myself pondering my personal health journey and how that impacts the kind of doctor I will someday be.
I can honestly say that when it comes to health and fitness, I've always been a constructive yet hypocritical mess of factoids and avidity. It's clear that since high school I've slimmed down quite a bit and taken personal health into my own hands, but I've still witnessed the moments where I've thrown caution to the wind and readopted poor eating and exercising habits. So where has that left me?
Well... On a current scale of 1 to "in shape" I'd place myself at the intersection "Way To Go!" boulevard and "Getting There" Lane. The brief interpretation is though I have always remained active, anytime I've endorsed a new diet and fitness plan my diet is always the first point that is left by the wayside. Knowing that about myself, I decided that the only way to avoid cheating my diet (and moreover myself) was to go big or go home. Five weeks ago I opted to follow one of the simplest yet most challenging diets I'd ever taken on, and I only eliminated one element: processed sugar.
When you think about it, processed sugar is one of the hardest things to avoid in our current society. We put it in everything! It's easy enough to acknowledge its presence in ice cream, soda pop, and even breakfast cereal, but sugar's existence is less realized in everyday foods like ketchup and salad dressing, lunch meat, and even bread.
So my trips to the grocery store now involve more reading than some people do in a week. I peruse the aisles scanning each item for impish buzzwords like "high fructose corn syrup, fructose, sucrose, and the really big one SUGAR." More often than not, some form of sugar is listed as one of the first three ingredients. That said, shopping is no longer a mindless task, but rather an odyssey of mathematical and rhetorical prowess.
By no means have I gone Atkins and entirely eliminated carbs or sugar from my diet. That would really be foolish and quite frankly unhealthy (there's good reason Dr. Atkins died from his own diet). I merely select smarter carbohydrates and natural sugars. In fact most days I kick off my day with a big bowl of plain oatmeal laden with cinnamon, almonds and a fresh fruit of my choice. Not only is it filling, but I couldn't have asked for a better scent to flood my apartment on a daily basis! By making these healthier choices I hope to truly influence the physician I want to become.
I know that I would have a difficult time going to a dentist who had terrible teeth. The hypocrisy is too great. What is to define a doctor with poor health any differently? I want to be able to lead by example giving patients the same advice I myself would keep. Smart nutrition and an active lifestyle are just the start. In full honesty, it is the best kind of preventative medicine, something I'm very passionate about, but that is a topic for another post.
In short:
Disciplined healthy lifestyle = good. Hypocrisy = bad.
For those who are curious: when I started this fateful pilgrimage of nourishment I weighed 218 lbs. Yesterday I weighed in at 202.5. Not bad for only eliminating processed sugar and drinking more water.
I can honestly say that when it comes to health and fitness, I've always been a constructive yet hypocritical mess of factoids and avidity. It's clear that since high school I've slimmed down quite a bit and taken personal health into my own hands, but I've still witnessed the moments where I've thrown caution to the wind and readopted poor eating and exercising habits. So where has that left me?
Well... On a current scale of 1 to "in shape" I'd place myself at the intersection "Way To Go!" boulevard and "Getting There" Lane. The brief interpretation is though I have always remained active, anytime I've endorsed a new diet and fitness plan my diet is always the first point that is left by the wayside. Knowing that about myself, I decided that the only way to avoid cheating my diet (and moreover myself) was to go big or go home. Five weeks ago I opted to follow one of the simplest yet most challenging diets I'd ever taken on, and I only eliminated one element: processed sugar.
When you think about it, processed sugar is one of the hardest things to avoid in our current society. We put it in everything! It's easy enough to acknowledge its presence in ice cream, soda pop, and even breakfast cereal, but sugar's existence is less realized in everyday foods like ketchup and salad dressing, lunch meat, and even bread.
So my trips to the grocery store now involve more reading than some people do in a week. I peruse the aisles scanning each item for impish buzzwords like "high fructose corn syrup, fructose, sucrose, and the really big one SUGAR." More often than not, some form of sugar is listed as one of the first three ingredients. That said, shopping is no longer a mindless task, but rather an odyssey of mathematical and rhetorical prowess.
By no means have I gone Atkins and entirely eliminated carbs or sugar from my diet. That would really be foolish and quite frankly unhealthy (there's good reason Dr. Atkins died from his own diet). I merely select smarter carbohydrates and natural sugars. In fact most days I kick off my day with a big bowl of plain oatmeal laden with cinnamon, almonds and a fresh fruit of my choice. Not only is it filling, but I couldn't have asked for a better scent to flood my apartment on a daily basis! By making these healthier choices I hope to truly influence the physician I want to become.
I know that I would have a difficult time going to a dentist who had terrible teeth. The hypocrisy is too great. What is to define a doctor with poor health any differently? I want to be able to lead by example giving patients the same advice I myself would keep. Smart nutrition and an active lifestyle are just the start. In full honesty, it is the best kind of preventative medicine, something I'm very passionate about, but that is a topic for another post.
In short:
Disciplined healthy lifestyle = good. Hypocrisy = bad.
For those who are curious: when I started this fateful pilgrimage of nourishment I weighed 218 lbs. Yesterday I weighed in at 202.5. Not bad for only eliminating processed sugar and drinking more water.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Butterflies Are Illusive Creatures
This coming Monday I begin the first of my classes en route to medical school. Physics 1 & 2 at a blistering pace over two months should be a great barometer for whether or not I belong in med school.
They're not the bad sort of butterflies though. No, no. Rather, they're the phenomenal type that turn distress into eustress, and lemons into lemonade. The butterflies that surge to your insides when you ask a girl to the prom or better still when ascending to the apex of a roller coaster. Click, click, click, click, click... click... click... click... click... My ascent has been ongoing for several months, but it isn't until now, a week before my classes begin, that I've really been able to appreciate the joy of this anxiety. Click... click... click...
The apex is nearly here!!! Fully strapped in, I can feel the breeze on my cheeks and the sun beating down on me. The chubby kid in the car behind me is clinging to his mothers arm, but I'm trying keep my cool. Click... click... click... It won't be long until I can release the pure pent up volume from my lungs. Not long until I can liberate the brewing cavalcade of butterflies. Click... click......... click...........
The butterflies tell me I'm nearly prepared, and now that I'm thinking about it, a couple other things too. In fact, this old adage holds much more meaning than we give it credit. I mean seriously, can you imagine an evil or harmful butterfly? Whoever was behind deciding what creature would fester within our anxious bowels was a true genius. Though they make us uncomfortable, our lepidopteron disquietude prepares us for the true journey and encourages us to act swiftly and elegantly.
Alas, it is what I shall do. Answer the call, with my Texas Instruments Ti-84 plus silver edition in hand and a smile on my face. I'm ready. First plunge here I come.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
You've gotta start somewhere
By no means is it an original idea to document the activities and thoughts of one's journey to the medical field, but I can honestly admit that I've stolen the inspiration for this blog from my good friend Justin Reith. His prolific words can be found in his blog here.
For my smattering of electronic words I'll be calling a "blog," the hope is to fully entertain and inform my audience of family, friends, and unbeknownst strangers in the goings on of my health related adventures. With some luck, these ramblings will bring a smidgen of joy to each reader's life. With even more luck, this blog will cure cancer, stop genocide, and win a Pulitzer, but I'd just as easily take two out of three. Ideally I'll keep the tone light hearted, but it's too soon to tell if the comedy can persist.
So here I am. A post bac, pre-med student ready for action. Blogging like others have blogged before, spending late nights studying kidneys, and hoping someone will find his reveries at best mildly amusing.
Thank Justin for his idea - check. Provide witty anecdote - check. Begin blog - check.
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