Officially a third year pharmacy student

Wow. The second year of pharmacy school was rough. As a class we unanimously agreed that this year was by far harder, more stressful, and more work than our first year. Boy am I glad to be done with the P2 workload. It was full of chemotherapy, pain management, psychiatric topics galore (depression, MS, schizophrenia, etc), and more that I can't for the life of me remember. I may be suffering from an incompetent brain for awhile- possibly all summer. I may have to recover by watching a lot of television and reading a lot of fun books. Hmmm, sounds like a pretty good prescription for recovery to me don't you think??

To wrap up my P2 year, the last final (can I get an amen?!) on Monday was a real beast. Ninety hours of lecture with 1,500 pages of notes, spanning four months, was wrapped up into one final 76 question exam. How do you study for an exam like that?! Don't ask me. I still don't have a good answer. But enough with that- I'm done, and I passed and I'm now a P3. Yahoo!!

After the exam my good friends Jenny, Kelly and I went to our traditional breakfast place, Annie's, and all ordered the delicious eggs benedict. We then did our (traditional) celebratory run up the beautiful neighborhood and parted ways for the summer. Next on the list, however, of celebratory festivities was going out to eat with my hubby! We love eating out. Who doesn't? And since we have been watching Hell's Kitchen lately, I was craving some scallops. So naturally we had two options: 1) Red Lobster and 2) Pappadeaux Seafood Restaurant. It was a toss up but Pappadeaux never fails. Sitting patio with my best friend and love was a great way to wrap up a memorable semester. Enjoying the journey as always!

No more *studying* cancer

I'm done!!!! With IOS 6 that is. And IOS 6 was the monstrous cancer course that had consumed my life. Ughhhhhh. Sighhhhh. Phewwwww. Cancer therapeutics and treatments is so complicated. I hope to never go into oncology. Knock on wood.

On Friday I finished the course with a 25 page, 120 question, 3 hour final.

This is how I felt after the final... and no sleep... and a semesters worth of studying cancer...

These are the notes that I lived and breathed for four months. It doesn't look like much, but that is the beguilement of the teachers on us. I'm pretty sure the teachers laugh and mock us with how much they expect us to know. 

This is the view I have from my desk- a cute, cuddly, sleepy, bored puppy gyirl. My life is good. 

But through it all I have to say that I did enjoy the journey and I was grateful to have been able to attend these classes, interact with my classmates, struggle and work hard. I have a great group of friends. Before the last exam, my friend and I would send each other texts every hour on the hour with happy thoughts and motivation as we were pulling all-nighters studying and needed encouragement. It was awesome. Living the life and enjoying the journey baby!

Four finals down, one to go. On Monday at noon I will be a free lady and also a P3!! (Third year pharmacy student).

Wowzers

This is the most gorgeous dress I have ever seen. And the beaut is Karolina Kurkova.

Image taken from: http://www.redcarpet-fashionawards.com/page/12/

We are aiding in our dog's neurologic problems

I just hid in the bathtub and scared Ella as she was coming out of the shower. Bwahahaha. I'm so mean.

PS- We keep Ella's water bowl in our shower because when she drinks, she takes up 1/2 of the water and sloshes 1/2 of the water onto the ground. We are problem solvers.

Relapsing/Remitting

I just got back from my first run post IT-band injury. Oh it felt so nice to run again. Remember that ten-mile run I ran a few weeks past? That's what did me in this time. Running 10 miles after three weeks of inactivity when I have a chronically weak IT band, was just plain stupid. But you know that feeling of having to do something and not being able to give it up? I just had to keep up with my Saturday long-run mileage. I just had to. And I paid the price. I have learned my lesson and now I'm recovering, taking it slow, and building the mileage back up.

Also, remember my fascination with ballroom dancing? It's all I can think and dream about. While I should only be thinking and studying about cancer, I'm constantly torn between 'should I dance around the house to a fun paso doble song...again, or should I keep studying?!'

Dance or study, dance or study?!?!?!

My daydream is of becoming a professional ballroom dancer. I just wish wish wish Eric would take dancing lessons with me. But at least I have him entertaining my wild dreams by spinning me around, dipping me and doing the samba roll. I feel bad for our sweet neigbors who live below us- especially when I get into tango or flamenco mode. It's a lot of stamping...

Oh, and I would kill to wear one of those dresses. Just saying.

(Images taken from: http://drpinna.com and http://explow.com respectively)

Paging Dr. Eric Stevens

This past week Eric had an intensive elective of mock military emergency medicine. It was a cut-suit program, where there were fake body parts underneath a "cut-suit." The surgeon or emergency doc student was actually able to cut into the suit, exposing the internal organs and perform whatever emergency medicine that was necessary. Eric had a blast even though it was hard work and long hours. It culminated in all the military students getting to ride in a Black Hawk. Eric thoroughly enjoyed that experience... as for me I would have been scared to death. For some reason helicopters scare me. It's the door open, instability aspect that I can't get past.

Eric as the lead surgeon- so hot!!  

Annie, Annie! Are you okay?!

This was the first year that I have come away from CPR training actually feeling confident in giving CPR. Since I'm in health care I have to be re-certified in CPR every 2 years. Its funny how long it has taken to get me to actually feel comfortable with it. Hopefully I'll never have to use it, but rest assured if I do, I will be on top of saying "Annie, Annie are you okay?! You, go get the AED! You, go call 911!"