Weekly Update June 12 - 18

The Week in Review 

Hard to believe that by this time tomorrow I will have already been at work for 10 hours and will still have about 20 hours left in the shift. How in the world am I going to get through that first day?? I have every intention to keep some notes (if I have a chance to breathe in  between the bouts of craziness) to write up something about my first ever day as a real doctor. I think that would be something that would be interesting to read at the end of this.

As part of our orientation to residency, we got the chance to watch the graduation of the finishing chiefs. It was strange to watch someone at the end when I'm still here at the beginning. It's easy to forget about the finish line when you're still trying to lace up your shoes at the start of the marathon.

There are a lot of miles ahead of me -- good ones and bad ones. I don't know what all those miles will hold or how things will be different this time next year or this time in seven years. But I'm excited for the race ahead.

The Week in Snapshots 

meal prep / last day of slow mornings / sunset on chief's dinner / the last time I look fancy for a bit / the ducks of summer

Reading
I realized that Carry On is the pseudo-sequel to Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl, and so I put Carry On aside for a second to read them in the right order. I'm kind of neurotic about reading books that are connected in ORDER

Listening 
So I came across this cute little podcast called Sawbones that every week talks about a medical history. It's really funny and not hyper-technical so they explain all the medical words. But I definitely think some of the history included in it about how we used to treat diseases is really cool!

3 Things

• I went to target like three times this week. I kept forgetting one or another thing I needed -- but now I have lots of snacks all stocked in my locker. 
• I have new supposedly long lasting foundation/eyeliner/etc. We'll see if it lasts through an all night call shift. 
• My new long white coats don't have inside pockets. That's unacceptable. I'm going to have to sow some pockets in there. 

Loving from Around the Internet 

MASON JAR SALADS -- I made a whole bunch of these to get me through the weeks lunches at work. Hopefully they're yummy because if they suck I have like 5 of them to eat.... 

Weekly Update May 15 - 21

The Week in Review

As part of this week, I had the opportunity to do a couple of poster presentations for research I had worked on as a third and fourth year medical student. I was able to see several of the surgeons that I had worked with over the last couple of years, all of whom very gleefully walked up and addressed me as "Doctor".

My father also happens to be a doctor -- a PhD doctor -- but still hearing the word Dr in front of my last name makes me turn around and look for him instead of assuming that someone is addressing me. How long in my life will it be before I'll stop looking for my dad when I hear that?

Strangely, this was also the last week I will spend at home for a very long time. I'm waiting in the airport right now to get on a plane to go to London with my brother (a trip we've been wanting to make for about 5 years or so...). But immediately on flying back from the UK, I'll be heading directly to ResidencyCity to start my life there. It was incredibly hard to say goodbye to all the people and places that I love in my Hometown.

The hardest part of it was saying goodbye to Sweetheart who will be staying behind to finish his last year in medical school. He'll be in ResidencyCity for part of the next year to visit, do an away rotation, etc -- but it's going to be very hard to be apart for a whole year.

In some ways, I think it won't be too much different than if we were living in the same place when I will be a surgery intern -- we may actually get to see each other more living in different cities than we would in the same city with me at work all the time. Haha. I'm glad to live in an era where Skype and airplanes exist and we'll be able to get through this year quickly.

The Week in Photos

I have photos for this week I just can't figure out how to get them into this post on mobile right now... Grr... I will continue to work on it.

EDIT: I got it

Bags packed / date night / brunch / everything I own in boxes / goodbye brunch with the girls / London packing
  Reading
In honor of us heading to London for the week, I quickly read Bill Bryson's Notes from a Small Island. For anyone who is a fan of books about travel, Bill Bryson's books are witty, quick, and make you feel like you've actually been along for the ride.

Listening
Bad Blood by Bastille has been my album of the week for it's lead singer's unique voice.

3 Things

• Having been a doctor for a whole week now, it still does not feel any more real than it did last week, I'm thinking somewhere around the middle of the week that first week of residency it might START to sink in. 

•  Had an interesting conversation with a surgeon I worked with as a third year about the importance of fear in making us good doctors. I'm mostly mentioning it here as a note to self to write more about this in some form at a later date. 

•  I should have some internet access while out of the country, so I'm hoping for Instagram pictures (@ladykay4477) and a weekly update next week, but forgive me if it's delayed a day or two until I'm back in the US.

Loving from Around the Internet

 I recently discovered that people have made playlists themed to each of the Harry Potter houses. I've listened to about a thousand of these while I was working on packing. Many of them really do capture the feeling of Hogwarts houses. It was excellent.

Weekly Update May 8 - 14

The Week in Review 

MD. None of it's real to me yet.

Have any of you had the experience of running on a treadmill very fast for a very long distance? When you step off, standing still seems strange, as though the world is still moving underneath your feet.

The last four years have been a very long treadmill run, moving my feet as fast as I can to keep from falling off. Suddenly, the constant stream of days has stopped and I'm taking a step forward on solid ground. It feels... strange.

The last four years would not have happened if not for a great many wonderful people in my life: my parents, my brother, my amazing fiance, my friends, the list goes on. Someone told me very early on in my medical career that it takes a village to make a doctor. It was certainly true for this doctor. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for my village.

The next few weeks are going to move very quickly. By the time I write to you next week, I'll be about to leave the country to travel with my brother for a quick last hoorah before I actually use those two letters that are just hanging out behind my name now.

I just have one question: when does it start feeling real? Does it ever?

The Week in Photos

graduation / friend's cake / officially MD snaps / all the graduation pictures / amazing cheesecake / date night

Listening
In the process of moving you find a great many things, including the fact that I had scribbled the name of Gregory Alan Isakov on a piece of paper and shoved in into a desk drawer years ago. Rediscovering his name lead to quite the binge session over the last few days.

Reading 
Moving is an incredibly labor intensive process (can you believe you have to individually wrap all your fragile things? - aye). So I'm still reading Mount Misery. And by still reading, I think that means I've read all of 10 pages since last week.

3 Things

• Nothing will make you want to throw away everything you own and start over like trying to pack everything you own into boxes. 
• We're down to quite the skeleton crew in the kitchen, leading to a lot of simple trader joe's meals. 
• Did I mention someone made me a doctor on Friday? 

Loving from Around the Internet 

I've read this article before. It's been sent to me a dozen times by different friends or family members outside the medical profession, usually with the email subject line "is it really like this?". Well, I guess I'll be answering that question really soon. 

Weekly Update May 1 - 7

The Week in Review 

Blah, blah, blah -- packing. Blah, blah, blah -- errands. Blah, blah, blah -- never ending to do lists. I won't bore you by telling you about any of that. Instead I'll tell you about the incredible things. This is the last weekly update I will be writing as ALMOST MD. That's right, by the time I come to you next week I will be writing this as ACTUALLY MD. It's been an incredibly long four years, but it was over in the blink of an eye.

But getting to MD is only one of the most important things that happened to me in the last four years. In those four years, I also made some of the best friends a girl could ask for and found the most amazing man I ever could have dreamed of. I had some incredible proof of how amazing my girlfriends and Sweetheart are this week. After realizing that there was no way I was ever going to have a bridal shower right before our actual wedding (being a surgery intern and all), Sweetheart and my best friend planned a whole surprise, scavenger hunt bridal party for me. It involved all my favorite things from a whole tea themed brunch to a winery dinner and dozens of adventures in between. Still, a day later, I'm in shock that people would spend so much time and thought on me. I wish I could give them all a thousand hugs to repay them for such incredible generosity. It will never be enough. Love is the most powerful force in the entire world. I hope to keep spreading it around.

The Week in Photos

the galaxy in the bathtub / the edge of a perfect fried egg / wine on rustic tables / pedicure party / date night makeup / taco tuesday

Listening
All music from now until my trip to London is going to be from British bands -- thus the Vaccines

Reading 
My friend just informed me of the magic that is Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality (an incredibly long HP fanfic). Then I stayed up reading it on my phone until it was much too late!

3 Things

• I'm running out of things I can pack and not have for the next two weeks. 
• I finally got my new bike to take with me to new residency city -- and riding a bike really does come back to you after a long time away from it. 
• As I write this, there are 4 days and 13 hours until I am actually a doctor. 

Loving from Around the Internet 

This amazing copper vitamix, I may or may not have put it on our wedding registry -- not that anyone will buy it for us because it is RIDICULOUSLY expensive. But I want it so bad... so pretty... so pretty....

We learned this week that no one should ever let me register for a wedding at Williams Sonoma because I want all the really expensive stuff... 

Weekly Update April 24 - 30th

The Week in Review

I spent most of the week avoiding studying for ACLS. But the good news is that I am officially ACLS certified. I am not convinced that I will ever be comfortable running a code by myself. I guess that's why residency is 5 years, right? I'm trying to get a thousand little projects done before I have to leave, everything from making decorations and save the dates for our wedding to to packing up boxes of stuff for the new apartment. Some of you have probably figured out that we're not getting married till May of NEXT year. So why am I doing all this work so early?? Two words: SURGICAL RESIDENCY. There is no way I will have time to cut wine bottles down to vases and individually make dozens and dozens of save the dates after June.

Sweetheart's had quite a cold for the last couple of days -- but being his normal self he's been completely unwilling to take time off or relax or sleep -- you know the things that will help you get over a cold. I love him, even for all his stubbornness. But send some well wishes that he'll feel better in spite of himself.

The Week in Snapshots

Working on Save the Dates / Cut wine bottles for some vases for our wedding table decorations / healthy oatmeal breakfasts to get through these long days / Cute boxes to propose to my bridesmaids!


Reading
This sequel to House of God has been sitting on my shelf for months. Now that I'm several pages into it, I can't believe I waited this long to pick it up!

Listening 
Hamilton. Just all the Hamilton all the time.

3 Things

• I know that all these little DIY touches to our wedding will turn out AMAZING but I'm definitely getting lost in all the little details of it. 
• Our dishwasher exploded, literally. We're hoping the new one gets delivered tomorrow. I'm tired of hand washing all our forks and coffee mugs. I'm realizing now how many mugs I use a day. 
• I certainly feel like I don't own that much stuff... but packing it up has been a proof of just HOW MUCH STUFF I OWN! 

Loving from Around the Internet 

I just picked up this amazing bath bomb from Lush and promptly used it the same day I bought it. I cannot recommend it enough. I felt like a freaking Midsummer Night's Dream fairy floating around in all the rose petals and pink. 

Weekly Update April 17 - 23

The Week in Review 

Welcome to a weekly update one day late. I hope to forgive my tardiness on this update but hopefully when you read this you'll understand the delay. I spent the whole first part of the week in the city I will be moving to for residency looking for an apartment. I have excellent news: I HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE NEXT YEAR! :)

After returning from that trip, I was home for all of 12 hours before we turned around and left on another trip, this time a road trip to see Sweetheart's sister, brother-in-law, and nephew. It was such a great trip, but after all that driving I am quite a bit exhausted and ready to not get in a car ever again.

After all that traveling I am glad that I think I should be able to be around home for the next three weeks before I will have to travel again. I'm all travelled out after the last six months!! I have one more big trip left and then NO MORE TRAVELING for all of residency (except maybe for our honeymoon... haha).

I love going places, I like being there, but the getting there part is exhausting.

This week is going to equally busy and full of appointments and craziness.

The Week in Photos 

Cute baby adores the baby blanket I made! / Studying for ACLS / Running in Places / AMAZING record store in new residency city / Zoo in residency city!

Reading 

This week I finished The Tiger's Wife, which was entirely unexpected and quite unique!

Listening 

We rediscovered Flogging Molly on this road trip and I am completely in love with this cute duet.

3 Things

• I am incredibly excited to eat at home all week. Most people love eating out, but I love nothing more than being able to make a meal in my own kitchen 
• I have to start looking at movers. I wish I could just get rid of everything I own and buy all new stuff. That would be easier. 
• I may become a bike commuter. I never thought I would be in a place where I could bike to work. 

Loving from Around the Internet 
I've been loving this great pinterest board for adorable boxes to ask your special ladies to be your bridesmaids!

Weekly Update April 10 - 16

The Week in Review 

Another week behind us and I'm not sure where it went. I'm deep down the rabbit hole of wedding planning at the moment. Even though we won't get married for over a year, I'm trying to get as much done now before I have to leave for residency -- it seems like we only come up with MORE decisions to make. I absolutely am suffering from decision fatigue already.

How do people do this wedding thing?? I can't imagine how all the pieces will come together.

I spent about 2 hours today watching samples of wedding videos online trying to decide IF we need a videographer... and IF so then how much does that cost... and who do we hire... and what do I tell them?

When I'm not exhausting my decision making powers with wedding things I stared at 800 apartments and houses and condos online trying to find a place to live. I'll let you in on a secret, they all look the same. All of them.


The Week in Photos 

Wedding DIY / Climb on / Completed baby blanket! / Tiny park / Bacon quiche for women in Surgery Potluck

Reading

I'm currently reading ALL THE TRAVEL GUIDES since I'll be headed to London in less than a month. Have we talked about this yet?

Listening

I've been listening to this song by Skinny Lister all week thinking about how great it woudl be if we could pay only forty pounds for our wedding. I'd be perfectly happy with the bunch of wildflowers for a bouquet and shawl for a veil that this song talks about.

P.S. We have every intention of playing this song at the wedding at SOME POINT

3 Things

• For those of you on #knittingwatch2016 I finally finished the baby blanket I was kitting!! It only took me a month and a half and by the end of it I was so sick of it that I probably won't do a knitting project again for a while. 
• Our dishwasher died yesterday. Woohoo. There's nothing to make you want to go out to eat as much as having to wash EVERY dish by hand. 
• I packed up all my scrubs in a box this week. It was strange realizing that I won't be wearing them again until I'm a doctor. 

Loving from Around the Internet 

This absolutely delicious looking recipe from Smitten Kitchen for sheet pan Chicken Tikka -- we haven't tried it yet and I'm out of town this coming week, but believe you me it's going to be on the meal plan for the following week! 

The Week in Review

On Friday I opened an amazing envelope.

That envelope told me that not only was I going to be a doctor with a job next year -- I was going to get to be a doctor with a job at my #1 pick. I matched at my top choice for residency!!

The unfinished sentence I told you about on Friday has suddenly come to a period and now a thousand new sentences have started up. I have a million things to do. I have a new apartment to find, I have paperwork to do, I have a whole new life to start in only a few weeks. It's really hard to believe. I am really excited to be sharing this journey with you all as we go along.

The Week in Snapshots

I matched / chocolate bailey's cupcakes / I tried on my wedding dress!! / surgery studying

Reading 

Favorite Song

3 Things

• I'm trying for the first time to knit a blanket. I bought a TON of yarn on Amazon and have started the process. Send me good wishes. We'll see how this goes. I am by no means a champion knitter. 
• We cleaned our whole house in an hour this morning. It was such a nice thing to do on a Sunday morning (after pancakes of course!). Maybe we'll keep doing it?
• I already have a to-do list a mile long for this week, but I'm hoping to swing a recipe and maybe even a vlog somewhere in there. 

Loving from Around the Internet 
This adorable ModCloth dress!!! Why does it have to be $100 more than I have right now??

Weekly Update March 13 (belatedly written on March 14)

The Week in Review
Last week I delayed on writing my weekly update post because I was sick and just wasn't feeling up to it. This week, however, I delayed writing until today because I wanted to have some real news to give you all.

Now I have that news.

I MATCHED!!! Today I found out that I had successfully matched. I will have a job next year. I don't know where that job will be quite yet (I'll find out on Friday), but I do know that after four years of acquiring this non-transferable skill set I will have a job as a surgeon next year.

It still feels surreal to me. Like there's no way that in a few short months I will go from being Lady Kay Almost MD to Lady Kay Actually MD. That people will actually have to call me doctor. It hasn't sunk in yet. I don't think it's going to sink in even on Friday morning when I open the envelope.

In other, less exciting news this week, Sweetheart has been quite sick the last couple days (today worse than previously). We think he may have picked up croup or walking pneumonia from working in clinic. Poor guy. :( The only upside was he was too sick to go into work today and got to be home when I opened the MATCH email. I keep trying to bully him into going in and getting seen at urgent care or student health (no luck so far, but I'm going to keep bullying). The key is to be more stubborn than your spouse to be.


The Week in Snapshots

Matched / Hiking adventures / Pi day quiche / Spring has sprung / More hiking adventures


Reading

I honestly haven't started a new book after finishing When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi-- I haven't been able to commit myself to anything after the world changing last few pages of that book. Give me a few days to recover.


Favorite Song of the Week

One of my good friends pointed out that this was the perfect song while waiting for Match results -- I haven't stopped listening to it since then.

To-Dos and Goals for the Week
- MATCH successfully -- check
- Figure out where I matched -- waiting till Friday

That's pretty much the only goals this whole week.

3 Things 
- I matched -- did I mention, I matched?!
- After growing up in the Southwest, I am firmly of the opinion that the consumption of huge amounts of spicy food is the cure for all URIs, so I made quite the spicy green chile bacon quiche for dinner tonight in hopes of making Sweetheart feel better.
- I bought a special bottle of wine when I was a first year medical student. I opened it tonight as celebration for getting a job for the next 5-7 years. It's as delicious as I thought. Four years of waiting tastes good.

Loving from Around the Internet 
These gorgeous (and fairly affordable) wedding dresses from BHLDN. Any other brides to be out there completely in love with these styles?