Looking forward

OK, let me start this post by first apologizing for the string of negative posts there. I've had a rough last several days and I just vented on here. Thankfully things are starting to look up this week (and by this I mean no major events have happened yet) so I'm hopeful we can all start to move past a lot of these things.

The next several weeks are going to be intense, followed by several weeks of board studying ending in the whirlwind of board exams I'll be taking. Here's what's going on in the near future...

Tomorrow: Leave at 6am for Jefferson City, MO (the state capitol) for D.O. day in Jeff city; this is kind of a precursor event to Washington D.C. in a month. We'll be talking to state representatives and such about the important issues in the Missouri house and senate tomorrow. When I get back around 5 or so, there's a meeting about 3rd year rotations that I'm going to.

Thursday--Sunday are filled with classes and studying for the last repro "quiz", the repro path practical, and the repro final which are all next week.

Monday morning: take Repro quiz #2, then more classes

Tuesday: More classes

Wednesday: OMT lab and the Repro Pathology practical

Thursday: Repro written final

Friday through Tuesday--home for a quick visit that will be filled with mostly studying for the OMT cumulative practical that is on Wednesday; it covers both years so I'm a little nervous!

Wednesday: LAST OMT PRACTICAL EVER!

Thursday: Board Stuff

Friday: Shelf exam covering the first two years

Saturday and beyond (until May 29th)--board review daily (at least 8hrs), integrative classes, Kaplan classes, and trying not to burn out.

Tuesday, May 29th--9am to 4pm--taking the COMLEX step 1

More studying for a week....

Tuesday June 5th--9am to 4pm--taking the USMLE step 1

Wednesday--most likely leave for Toledo to find an apartment for 3rd year

The next Monday--start summer classes....

Yikes...I have a lot to do! I should go get on some of that studying.

This is all to say if you don't hear from me a whole lot for the next few months, I'm sorry but I'm buried under books somewhere! Take care!

Freaking fantastic...

To top off a completely disgusting week....while I'm in board review at school today one of the lovely locals decides to repay all our school's done for the community by breaking into my car and stealing my ipod, stereo adapter, phone charger, various CDs, sunglasses and who knows what else....

What's next????!!!!?????

Sorting things out...

These past two days have been unreal. I've never in my life experienced so much sadness and tragedy happening in such a short span of time. It felt like it was unending and it got to the point where I was literally scared to answer my phone. I wasn't sure if there was anything else that I could handle.

I still have no grip on why all of this is happening. I really do believe that there is a reason things happen, but things still seem so irrational and senseless.

The hardest situation in all of this to deal with has been the loss of an old friend. Joyce was a sweet and beautiful 23-year old with her whole life ahead of her. She was even getting married this summer. Her death blew everything I thought about life and death out of the water.

Regardless of whether I had ever vocalized it or not, I had always just implicitly believed that people my age are just not supposed to die. If they do it's somehow expected...a long battle with cancer or some other disease, a long emotional struggle, etc. It's not supposed to happen to someone who is 23, preparing for their marriage in a few months, and just routinely on their way to a job interview. It's not supposed to come out of the blue like this....there's supposed to be time to say those difficult goodbyes.

It's made me think about a lot of my relationships in a new light. None of us are guaranteed the next day, let alone the next moment. We're not guaranteed that we'll be able to fulfill our plans for next week, next month, or next year. Yet, knowing this, I still live my life most days thinking that I am invincible. I'm young, healthy, and incredibly busy with many things...there's nothing that could hurt me or many of my friends. It's things like this in life that make each one of us realize that the cliche phrase that "each moment is precious" is true.

Have I let the people in my life that really matter know that I love them? Am I spending my time each day doing things that really count or just staying in the same place? Am I saying things that I would be proud of being the last words out of my mouth? These and a thousand other questions have been running through my mind in the last few days.

I have found out in the past few days who the real friends and real support system in my life are. I have gotten countless emails, messages, phone calls, hugs, and support in the last few days and it has shown me what a great support system I have. The friends who have seen me break down and just completely lose it over the past few days have been an amazing support. I have had so many people let me know that if I ever need to talk that they're there for me. The people who have understood me in the moments that I haven't been able to talk about any of it, and the friends that have been there to just give much needed hugs when all I could do was cry have meant the world to me in the past few days. I can't express how loved and supported I have felt.

There is still a lot of pain that is going on for every person involved in all of these situations. There's no sense to a lot of what happens. It's going to be a rough road ahead for so many people involved in all of these situations and so many people need all of your prayers. Thank you to all of you, though, who have already let me and so many other people know that you are supporting and praying for us. It means so much right now.

Your smile, laugh and caring heart will be missed so much Joyce. We love you. (Joyce Crandall 1983-2007)

Breaking Heart

I don't even know what to say at this point...I just found out that a friend of mine from college was killed yesterday morning in a car accident on her way to a job interview. She was only 23 years old and had her whole life ahead of her. She was supposed to get married this summer.... Please pray for her family, fiance, and many many hurting friends. None of this is making any sense.
Thanks for the support friends....
Much love, Melissa

Hurting Heart

Do you ever have those days where it feels like everything just hits you all at once? After the last 24 hours I feel like I've been run over by a dump truck and I'm pretty sure it's getting ready to back over me again....

I'm not gonna lie...I'm stressed about what's going on with my dad. For one, this is my dad...I'm a proud daddy's girl and as silly as it sounds he's always been invincible in my eyes. Even with his heart attack before, he recovered quickly. But knowing there's the possibility that he might not be able to walk freaks me out. I know that he'll most likely end up being fine ,but he's my dad....I'm just praying for this whole situation.

On top of this, there's a friend of mine who's going through a very difficult situation and is not making the best of decisions right now. I hurt for her because I know she's in so much pain...I feel completely helpless to do anything and that makes it hurt even more.

Lastly, I got the phone call today that I've been dreading for a while now. My professor from undergrad who's been missing since January was found today; they found his body in northern Michigan in what looks like an apparent suicide. I hurt for his family, I hurt for everyone who knew him, and regardless of what issues I may have ever had with him, I hurt too because this is a big loss. Regardless of who anyone is, what's gone on, what history is there, this is just not the way you want things to end for anyone.

Today was a grey, rainy day and it felt like it fit pretty well...I have this knawing feeling that there's more around the corner, but I don't even want to think about that right now.

If you think of it, I and everyone involved in each of these situations could use your prayers right about now....Thanks friends.

Prayers for my Dad

Please pray for my dad if you get a chance. For a while now he's been having back pain that was always just diagnosed as sciatica. It has recently gotten much worse however; I was talking to him on the phone today and he was saying that he can't even walk through a store for more than 10 minutes with my mom before he has to go back to the car to sit down because of the pain. My dad is a very active guy who's always working on something at the house or someone's car and it kills him to not be able to move around all that much. He only just turned 52 so he's not even that old!

He (smartly) decided it was time to go to the doctor. He had some X-rays done and was sent to a neurologist. After an MRI and then (today) a CT scan the neurologist told him that he has a condition known as spondylolisthesis. What this is is that either some of the joints in his lumbar vertebrae (in his case L4-L5) or even a part of the vertebrae is damaged or fractured. This causes the vertebrae to become unstable and the top vertbrae slips forward on top of the lower vertebrae. This can cause arthritic changes but also can compress spinal nerves (and the spinal cord itself) as it's doing in my dad. The doctor told my dad that they're not sure the severity of it yet (they will have more of an idea when they get the CT results back) but if he were to leave this alone, he wouldn't be able to walk in two years. Please pray that the doctors are able to make the right call on what's going on for my dad. If it's either grade I or II (not as severe; only slipped 25-50% out of place) then they'll probably try bracing it or physical therapy first. If it's slipped greater than 50% (Grades III and IV) then he'll have to have surgery (most likely) to fuse those vertebrae to keep them from slipping even farther.

I'd appreciate any prayers you could say for my dad as we're all really concerned about this. As much as we don't want him to have to go through back surgery and all that entails, this has to be fixed and soon! Thanks friends...

Love you all!

Washington D.C.!

I found out this morning that I am DEFINITELY going to Washington D.C. in April. Over April 25th to 27th I'll be in our country's capitol talking to various representatives about issues in healthcare and participating in "D.O. Day on the Hill" white coat and all! :) The best part about all of this is due to school funding, the only thing I have to pay for for the trip is transportation to and from the airport in D.C.!!! This is an amazing opportunity and I'm so excited!

Ok, I have yet another test tomorrow, so I should get back to studying, but I just thought I'd share this exciting news!

Some Follies Pictures

Happy Days

There are some amazing things going on in my life right now and I just wanted to share a few of them with you guys. I figured it was time for a non-negative post! :)



1) Again, Follies is tomorrow night and I get to wear this-->

If it looks even half like that on me, I'll be feeling good! Oh yeah, the back's REALLY fun too (being that there's really not one) :)
Sometimes I love being a girly girl!






2) I may have the chance in just a few months to head out to Washington DC for "D.O. Day on the Hill." The school will probably be covering a lot of the costs and I get to go and speak to all of our representatives and senators about things that are really important in medicine right now. I'm excited at the prospect of heading out to our nation's capital! Should be a good time



3) My brother comes home tomorrow...I've really missed him while he's been gone. I just don't laugh nearly enough when he's gone...mostly because I'm by myself at home and it would be weird to just laugh out loud all of a sudden. :)



4) Did I mention Follies....I get to play dress-up! Yay!! I love being five-years old in my head.



5) Two weeks from now I'll be in a happy place.... :) So very excited.



6) I was able to see again today why I'm putting myself through all of this in the first place...I love those moments where I can forget how tired/stressed/burnt out/etc I am and just focus on the goal in all of this....It's what keeps me in this!

There are more exciting things happening right now and in the near future, but for now, this is a
good enough list!

Well, I'm off to finish a few more things that need to be done before Jamie comes home...Bentley's been washed, the house vacuumed, the dishes done, the trash out.... :) Whew...it takes a lot to get the house back to how he left it. Adios...Keep smiling friends! :)