7 down, 5 to go

Today marks the completion of our 5th semester!
Only one more semester of rotations and testing to go!

Just when I think my brain is about as packed full with information, I manage to cram a few more things in.

Things I learned this month on Peds:

1) The art of unselfishly giving.

I had the privilege of living with Josh's grandmother for the past four weeks.

 She is easily one of the sweetest, happiest people in the world, and she has spoiled me rotten.

 She taught me so much about giving unselfishly, and I have truly been blessed by getting to spend time with her.

. . . and she packed my lunch for me every day (and cooked me dinner AND breakfast!) and made homemade cookies a LOT.

2) The phrase "getting chewed"

Getting pimped is a common term among med students and residents referring to your attending physician quizing you. 

The residents on this rotation use a different term, "getting chewed" in response to the attending here. 

We repeatedly got chewed up, swallowed, regurgitated, and spit out. 

I'll leave it at that.

3) I thought I was good before, but now I can say I have officially mastered the art of dealing with difficult people.

After a while it kinda gets fun.
 How can it truly be that hard to just be nice? 

I feel like it takes a lot more effort to be mean than nice.
A smile here and there can never hurt . . .
(Even though my doc told me I smile too much . . . in a pediatric clinic! really?)

4) One of the residents summarized this month perfectly by stating:
"You cant have slaughter without laughter"

As tortuous as it was, I truly learned a lot.

One of my favorite med students told me that studies show if you answer a question incorrectly out loud, then the odds prove you are more likely to get it right next time.
The odds are definitely in my favor.

5) Culture sensitivity is important.
Not everyone was raised in the south (where it is normal to incorporate please and thank you into nearly every sentence.) 

I take offense much too easily when people leave out these minor words that come so naturally to most of us. 

6) I am not capable of giving shots to cute kids. 

Babies who can't talk and mean little kids screaming at the top of their lungs are easy peasy, but I had to kindly ask the nurses to inflict pain on the cute sweet ones who were so sweet to me.
 I just really didn't want the sweet girl (who loves toaster strudels for breakfast as much as I do) to hate me.

Now it's time for two weeks of freeeeeeeeeedom!!
. . . and family and Jesus's bday and snow skiing and Charlie and Josh!

(I'm not sure why I included this picture, It came out really good and I really like it and it makes me feel very wintery)

Seeeeeee ya!