Point of View

Sometimes you stand in one place, but the perspective changes. When I looked through this 'viewfinder' I could see houses on the hills that I had thought were barren. Earlier this weekend, I was surprised to find the Catalina's as green as Ireland (but with different foliage).

Over the past few weeks I feel my perspective shifting in every way, microscopic to telescopic, climbing on a cliff or hiking down a ravine, insider and outsider, anatomy and psychology, histology and patient interviews.

When you look at the stars you feel small and time is large, while studying ants and butterflies just makes our lives seem impossibly long and our bodies enormous. Medicine is both of those views at once...and I am also the stars and the ant and the butterfly.

Catalina

I love the storm passing over the Santa Catalina Mountains...incidentally, this little range is named for St. Catherine of the 'Catherine Wheel" (torture device) fame. Before that unfortunate incident, however, she was known as a scholar. These mountains, named in 1697 seemed to know in advance a university would be nearby...Catherine would be proud.

Even though I don't officially believe in Saints and Angels, I choose to pretend that I do. Much like medieval scholars with their dual maps of the world - the 'True map' with spiritual meaning, and then the one you use to sail or travel by. My maps of the world include what I see and what I enjoy considering....Really, science and medicine is like this, so much of what we are learning are possible maps or belief systems superimposed over the body we know. The missing places or the mythological ones perhaps as important as they well-charted regions.

Humid, hot and cloudy, strange weather, but normal for Tucson.

Put your heart into it

Clearly, all those years of art are coming in handy in med school...

I love drawing, I love anatomy, this was perhaps the most fun study moment today.

I like remembering that our first good anatomists were artists - thank you for bothering to check out the real deal my friends Vesalius, Michelangelo and Da Vinci.

And, by the way, dear artists, thanks for reminding us that all that fabulous anatomy comes together in expressions and gestures.

Power Play

Feeling a little weak? Frightened of what the future (exams) may hold? Why not ride this beauty down the sidewalk, and watch pedestrians run in fear, car drivers slow down and stare in awe.

I took this picture in Boise, Idaho, my home town. Now that you have seen this, you will not be surprised to learn that we have the most women small-business owners per-capita of any state. (reasoning: the little girl that drives this will likely grow up and own her own businesss, she already 'owns her own bizness, $!%@#")

I wish she would pick me up Monday morning and take me to my exam in this vehicle, this would be a recipe for success. (Either that or study, sigh).

Guess it's a long drive on the open road for a small girl in a plastic vehicle to get here from Boise, so I'll go study now.

Poetry In (loco)motion

I like this image because the lights are blurred, as though they are moving...life is really more like this than a focused still shot.

The Sufi's known as 'whirling dervishes' believe that if you can plant one foot in one secure spot, then the rest of the world (and you) can spin and spin without losing your balance.

Med school is a film, not a still life painting. In fact, life just won't ever sit still (that condition is usually known as death)

Where do you plant your toe?...

Whirled Peas

Who knew that one of my classmates and his med school 'Big Bro' would find the solution for peace in the Middle East, possibly the world. Clearly illustrated above is the fact that an Israeli Jew and and Egyptian Muslim have only negligible differences once they both put on matching tiny pink tank tops, black boxers and low-ridin' jeans. Leaders of the world, take note.

In other fashion news, I went roller-blading this afternoon in the park. My housemate received this news with...silence....followed by shock and chagrin and promptly said "who rollerblades?...that is so 90's". Well, I rollerblade. Derby Queens, be kind to me, I am not ready for the hairspray or tattoos just yet, but I do look awesome in knee pads (yeah!).

The heart has ears

In no particular order, some facts:

My housemate is a great cook, see photo to the right for the proof of his fabulous tacos. The way to study is hearing these being made while reviewing some histology and pathology of major organ.

Our enthusiastic guide to the previously-living bodies preserved for our eager viewing told us several interesting facts. I like that the right and left atrium of the heart have ears (auricles). I picture the inner self walking into a glass-domed, plant-filled atrium. In this space, you can hear what only the heart hears, plants growing, the beat of other hearts (this is not just poetic language, put cells from two different hearts in their own test tubes - they keep their own beat, put them next to each other, they assume the same rhythm).

Another fact, my big bookcase is falling apart. The sun is setting orange and purple behind black tree outlines and slivers of rain chipped off of clouds by abundant thunder and lightning.

Annie likes to watch the computer screen.

and I still live Med school.

Even more dangle

This lovely item speaks for itself -worn by an equally lovely Zambian woman. One of the unexpected joys of medical school is meeting people from all over the world. I am inspired by the colors, decorations and stories. My little house will be glad I met these people, so I will bedazzle this space, poco-a-poco.

Speaking of Spanish, what a great little taco shop I discovered this weekend in South Tucson: Taqueria Pico de Gallo. The tacos are the thing to order, with handmade corn tortillas that are about 1/4 inch thick! MMm, you can smell them as you drive up! Not greasy, but baked or roasted, perfect for the desert any time of year.

I used to think I had a good imagination, but all of this proves me wrong. I never thought to have such interesting classmates, such delicious food, dramatic monsoons, (and so many fabulous earrings!)

White lights,old city

Dinner under the stars, courtesy of generous housemates. A cool breeze transforms a hot day to a warm evening.

How do we transform ourselves from awkward med students into the people you trust with your life? Somewhere in our lectures, and first patient histories and physical exams are the seeds.

What will we become if we are more worried about remembering OPQRSTADA*for a patient history then the pain they are presently in, the cancer they may be dying of?

Dinner with friends while the patients I saw today are likely still in the hospital..I hope they had some moments of joy, somehow, today.

*a mnemonic for remembering the type of questions to ask a patient about their illness.

I have a coat

About 4 years ago I tried to imagine my life 5 years in the future in pure images (no words). I pictured myself putting on white to go to work. I was not planning at that time to go to medical school any time soon. I kept puzzling over why I had pictured myself wearing white and tried to think of what job it was I had seen myself doing.

It seems obvious now. But there were plenty of twists and turns and a great deal of help and inspiration on the way to this white coat.

Sorted

A little pomp and circumstance goes a long way...whether it is carefully preparing a flaming drink for eager med students, or presenting the faculty mentors one by one, and have them stand in a line of white coats and achievements facing us.

We are told which mentor will be ours for the next four years. We have been sorted.

I think of times in England, the shorter academic robes we had to wear to dine in the hall, standing while the upperclassmen processed to the high table in their full gown.

These rituals set apart a time of life, a part of yourself. I think they are worth it, flaming blue shots and all.

And when all was said and done, and we were sorted into 'Societies', we saw our first patient. She had advice for us "Listen". And if we remember nothing else, I hope we remember her.

What's Up Doc?

First Official day of Med School...Orientation with all 120 of us, alot of hints from 2nd years...a whirlwind of information, which volunteer opportunities?, what research?, which textbooks (if any)?

The picture is the feeling I want to remember, shadowing Daddy-O in the ER -You can see what that is like.

You keep me searching for....

A heart of gold.

Restrung on a new gold chain.

My next door neighbor gave it to me when I was three years old, I think she was 4.

A worthy interruption from studying, there were (too) many today. Bicycling 2x to class, trying on the white coat, making food, giving an impromptu demonstration on stonecarving tools.

The power of orange adobe

On my ride to class this morning, these shadows on the orange adobe made me stop.

The colors of the sunset tonight look this orange as well.

In-between these two oranges was another day of learning - this time the library! (so many resources) and adrenal hormones (so many enzymes..) and team learning on liver disorders...whew!