Nick Harker's Blog

Update

2010-08-14T11:18:00.003-06:00

I am not too good at posting on my blog anymore. Seems most of what goes on in my life is talked about on my other blog. I thought I would give an update though because I don't think I have mentioned anything about my experiences since beginning my rotations here in New Jersey. I am currently at St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center in Paterson. I started first in Psychiatry for 6 weeks. It was an easy going schedule which was good for me because Kuulei, Alette and I had just moved into the area and it was nice to have some extra time to get settled in running all the errands we had to get done. I don't know if I learned a whole lot of new things doing psychiatry but it was a good chance for me to review and really get familiar with the disorders and drugs used. Our attending physician was nice but if you got on her bad side look out! The past 5 weeks I have been in the family medicine clinic down the road from the hospital. I have learned how to give shots, suture, and all sorts of fun stuff. I got to watch a lipoma get cut out from behind a patient's ear just yesterday! Pretty cool stuff, I easily could have stitched him up after as well. It has been tough being asked questions by attending physicians and not knowing the answer half the time but it is good motivation to keep studying because there is never a point where you know everything there is to know. Up next is a 2 week vacation in Utah, then 3 months of internal medicine. I am excited for a change and hope that I learn a ton of stuff and get better at being a doctor. Well, that is all for now!

My NYC Subway Experience

2010-06-13T09:32:00.002-06:00

Yesterday Kuulei and I made a trip uptown on the subway. You may view a video that describes the experience perfectly here. It was not as bad as I thought. Once you know which train goes where and if you are going uptown or downtown it is pretty self explanatory from there. We met up with our friends the Weirs on later on with the Hatlers. We walked around a bit and I found that uptown isn't nearly as mad as downtown. It was actually pretty nice uptown. Anyway, certainly an experience. I am glad that I could have it.

Miss America

2010-04-10T14:22:00.003-06:00

Here she is..Miss America! Alette showed up a bit early and now we have her home. She is a pretty little thing with blonde hair and her daddy's nose. I got to watch her come into the world which was a special experience for me. I thought it would be gross but it was really interesting. I am so amazed at how a little clump of cells can develop into something so lovely and so complex. She is a pretty good girl most of the time unless you mess with her or she messes herself! I don't think I know what I am doing but I love her an awful lot so I think that will help me figure out how to be a good dad. Welcome here with us Alette, I love you!

A Special Day

2010-04-04T09:06:00.003-06:00

My family has a tradition. Twice a year our church holds a general conference which is broadcast across the whole world via satellite, radio, internet, and local television. On the first Saturday night of April and October my brothers, dad, and I all go out to dinner then attend the priesthood conference at 6 pm. I have been away in Grenada studying at school for the past 2 years so I had not been able to attend with my brothers and dad since October 2007. Needless to say, I have been looking forward to going this year. We went to Outback Steakhouse and I ordered the Victorian Filet with horseraddish crust. Yum. We talked about computers, my grandpa told us about the book he is writing on how to play bridge, we talked about guns...you know guy stuff. We then went to conference and received instruction and inspiration. I think we all left feeling like better men. It was worth waiting 2.5 years to enjoy this tradition again with my family. I will miss the next year and a half or so now, but at least I know there is something special waiting for me on the other side of that tunnel. I think that family is one of the most important things life has to offer.

Time is Up

2010-03-18T15:57:00.003-06:00

Well that was a fast 3 months! I take the USMLE step 1 next Thursday. I am somewhat nervous but at the same time I feel like everything will be alright. I certainly have done my very best to prepare. I did all that I could think of so that has to count for something. On a happier note, Alette is on her way. That clock has also ticked down pretty quickly and I am excited for her to come and have some fun with us. Being a dad and a doctor is a scary thing sometimes but I look back at it all since the first day I started in January of 2005 and I have not regretted a single thing. I am glad I am doing what I am doing even if it is scary and difficult. If everything in life was easy I probably wouldn't have learned all that I have. I look forward to the next challenge in life, probably figuring out how to move everything to New Jersey! hahaha.

Our Angel

2009-12-15T12:09:00.002-07:00

Here is Alette! We found out we are having a little girl yesterday and we are very excited. We did the thorough ultrasound making sure she had 4 limbs, a good heart, kidneys and all that fun stuff. Alette is growing perfectly and I was very impressed at just how perfectly things were developing. She had a nice straight spine without any of those crazy neural tube defects and long legs. She had all her fingers and toes that we could tell and all of her organs were formed where they should be. Her heart is the heart of an ox and I got to hear her heart beat. I had a big fat smile on my face the whole time. I looked at her profile in this picture and I think she kinda looks a bit like me, what do you think?

Finish Line

2009-12-13T08:01:00.003-07:00

As you can see my "Days Left in Grenada" countdown has reached zero! I am now a 3rd year medical student. I had a funny time getting out of Grenada. The website for American Airlines said you get two bags 50 lbs each and your carry-on is 40 lbs. Well when we get to the check-in counter a lady yells out by the way you only get 70 lbs. Everyone in line panics. Lucky for me I had the philosophy of packing light and staying light during my stay in Grenada. I was 8 lbs. over weight so I just took some books out of my duffle bag and put them in my carry-on. Other students weren't quite as lucky, a lot of them threw stuff away. Once I got out of Grenada though things were smooth sailing from there. I also got to sit first class on my flight from Dallas to Salt Lake City so I arrived in Utah in style. The chairs are much more comfortable up there and they fed me well even if it wasn't the best food ever. I got home and saw my lovely wife again. It felt good to give her a big hug and a kiss and feel all the anxiety of being apart melt away. I also got to feel our baby kick! It has been good to be home. I am now left to reflect back on my time in Grenada. I did really well in school this last term and overall I feel I have learned a lot and I am that much closer to being a great doctor. Living in Grenada was difficult, it is a developing country and they don't have a lot of the conveniences we enjoy here. I think that helped me remember how lucky I am to be in a great place. It humbled me. I met a lot of great friends there that were always so helpful to me and Kuulei. I will always be grateful to them. I got a ride to church and to the store which made a world of difference to me. I became good friends with a lot of my classmates and I will miss them now that we must spend the next two years apart. I will probably see them at graduation but other than that I will probably only hear from them every so often. It is hard to believe I don't have to go back now but it is very satisfying. I was a lazy student before I wanted to go to medical school and my grades and test scores weren't good enough to get into any medical school. Yet, miraculously a school did give me a chance and I have been doing better and better as time goes on. It is been a long, difficult road so far. I knew it would be, but I am really grateful that I have been doing so well and things have been working out. I have so much to look forward to. I am glad the first two years of medical school are done and I am now state-side, but I will always look back at them with fondness. I can't describe the enormous feeling of satisfaction and gratitude I have.

Last Day of Church

2009-12-06T15:27:00.003-07:00

Well, today was my very last day in the Grenada branch. I am a primary teacher so we began the first hour in opening exercises with only 1 child. Slowly, more and more children began to show up. I was 15 minutes late myself. We learned a little about Christmas and the children all got a sheet of paper with a star and a scripture message in it. We didn't have enough papers for all the kids so I drew some stars on some blank paper for them to use. It wasn't my best work of art but it was enough to entertain them and that is what mattered. We sang a Christmas song then had a break. When the break was over I was the one that was teaching for today. I have been teaching the 8-11 year olds and it has been pretty fun. I have been in primary for a year now so the kids are used to me and I am used to them. The kids were a bit energetic today and I had to keep reminding them to be reverent. Eventually, I said, "If we can't be reverent during the lesson we cannot play a game at the end". The kids seem to have loved it when I would play guessing games with them. I would draw a picture for them and they had to guess who it was. They also enjoy the game where you whisper something in a person's ear, then go around in a circle. The last person shouts out what they were told and it sometimes turns out to be a pretty funny phrase because the message can be distorted along the way. Anyway, my game bribe worked until we actually started playing the game. I had used my bargaining chip so the kids started to act up again but lucky for me time was running out anyway. Today was fast and testimony meeting. The funny thing about a small branch like Grenada with so many new members is sometimes people will say inappropriate things. That is no problem, every one is new so it takes some time to learn more about the gospel. However, today we had an interesting fellow. It reminded me of my time in England. Most of the time during testimony meeting at least one person every month would say the most outlandish things and never really mention anything about the gospel or why they beleive the gospel to be true. For example, one man who was obviously mentally ill shouted from the pulpit, "I am a vampire! I hate you all! I want blood! I am going to go home and get bloody drunk!" It was interesting when people like that would get up but kind of weird for a visitor that had never been to our church before. Today we had a man get up similar to the man that got up in England. He didn't really make any sense and started his testimony by saying "Hear ye, Hear ye, Hear ye, ye people of Joseph." I thought, oh here we go he is going to tell us how bad our church is. Luckily he didn't take long and sat down. I had to think about my psychiatry knowledge and try to think of what might be wrong with him. I wondered if drugs or schizophrenia might be why he always says strange things. Afterwards, my little primary friends Seline and Trevor came up to me and just sat with me for a moment. They knew that I was leaving and this was my last day at church with them. Trevor had his thumb in his mouth and was staring at the floor. I could see his lashes were wet. My heart broke to know that he was sad Kuulei and I were not coming back. I was able to perk him up again by playing games with a golf ball he had for a few minutes on the church patio. I spoke last week in church and mentioned to everyone that we had an interesting dynamic in our little branch here. We have Grenadians who are here long term, missionaries who are only here a few months, med/vet students who are here for 2-3 years, and every so often a visitor or two comes for a Sunday. It is easy for us all not to reach out and get to know one another because we don't want to get attached and saying goodbye is difficult. I told them that I was glad I could get to know some of them a little bit better. Even though I will miss them saying hello with a smile and shaking my hand, I feel that getting to know some of them a little better has blessed my life. I feel that though difficult as it was, and as happy as I am to return home, Grenada has made me a better person. Grenada will make me a better doctor someday.

Bees!

2009-11-10T17:59:00.002-07:00

This past summer I believe I blogged somewhere about the battle I had with the paper wasps. A tree behind my parent's house had developed quite a large and nasty wasp nest in it. We worried about little kids in our backyard playing being stung so I tried to take on the nest and destroy them all. I figured I have murdered plenty of ants down here why not murder wasps in the US? I bought some wasp killer and read the directions. It said that I should spray the nest late in the evening or early in the morning. I decided to wake up early because those wasps looked pretty active even when the sun had long gone down. I woke up at about 6 am the next day and discovered the bees were just as active as they were the night before! Long story short I was not able to reach them with my weak spray can so we called an exterminator and he blasted them away and we never heard from them again. Blasting them away brings me to my next story. This past week we had examinations in Pathophysiology, Pharmacology and Clinical Medicine. I blasted them away and I was very happy with my grades. Why do I tell a story about wasps? They are like Bees...and on all my exams I got B's!!! It is nice to see hard work paying off.

The Funny Thing About Grenada

2009-10-31T16:00:00.002-06:00

"What are you going to be for Halloween?" This is a common question which I hear a lot back home. These questions begin around mid-September and especially once October begins. Grenada is a bit of a funny country because it seems to me they really don't celebrate a whole lot of Holidays. There is Carnival, Independence day, Thankgiving, Christmas. I might be missing out one or two more but it seems in America there is a holiday almost every month. Grocery stores are always decorated a different flavor each month to reflect the major holiday for that month. We even have Columbus day! (Which I think they should bring back so we can get out of school and work.) I have been in Grenada so long now that I forget that holidays are upon us. I even don't get that Thanksgiving/Christmas feeling at this time of year because everything is still so hot and the trees still have leaves. I didn't even know it was Halloween until I saw Halloween yogurt at the store. I thought, "Oh yeah its Halloween today!" It will be fun to return home so I can get back into the holidays I grew up with.

My Apartment

2009-10-10T14:04:00.005-06:00

Today I had James (the apartment manager) come over with 3 students to look at my apartment today. I opened the door and James said, "coming down to the wire eh?". I still have about 8 weeks left in Grenada but I think today was the day I really realized that my time in Grenada actually is starting to wind down. With that comes relief, and disbelief. I can't believe it has almost been two years already. I remember my first Sunday dinner with the Weirs like it was yesterday. I was also filled with a sense of gratitude. I never bothered to decorate my apartment and make it more like home but it really has been a great place to live. It has central air and ceiling fans to give me refuge from the Caribbean heat. I had a nice gas range oven so I could bake an cook, big fridge, free internet (ok well towards the end it was free) and everything I ever could have needed. I remember when I first called about the apartment. I thought I would be on a waiting list for a year then I could move in for my last term. I was lucky and there was a spot open right away! I have been here since the start of 2nd term and I have never regretted it despite the price being more expensive than other places here. I don't know if I will really miss my apartment but it has been a good friend and I will always remember it with good memories.

Meet...

2009-10-05T19:30:00.004-06:00

I would like to introduce you to my son/daughter. Kuulei is about 12 weeks along. We want to name him Ezekiel or name her Alette. I am really excited to be a new dad. I don't know anything about babies other than I know how to make them smile at me. I suppose that is what matters most, the rest I will pick up as I go along. I have always wanted to be a dad and I am happy that finally I can be. Our little angel coming soon has made Kuulei really sick though. She has had to go back to Utah without me in order to have better medical care. It is ok though, Kuulei can always use that as a guilt trip when our kid becomes a teen. The world has a lot of scary things that I know my child will be exposed to. I worry about that and wonder what sort of things I could do to help. At the same time, I know a lot of good things will happen too. What sort of things will my child accomplish, what sort of person will he/she become? What will he/she look like!? I bet he/she will have Kuulei's eyes. I think Forrest Gump said it best, "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you are gonna get." With all the anxiety and wonder that I am starting to experience I think a good idea is to just enjoy the chocolate for what it is despite it's flavors. I am just looking forward to finding out if he/she will be a he or she so I won't have to say he/she anymore!

You Know its Hot When.....

2009-09-07T15:08:00.003-06:00

I have always been amazed at how hot it is down here in Grenada. I mean I know I am in the tropics and near the equator so I expected it to be hot, but lately it seems the sun has come just a little closer to earth. In spite of all this heat I have also been amazed at how well the Grenadians seem to tolerate it. I sit on the air conditioned, yet numerous wide open windowed bus drenched in sweat while the Grenadians on board seem dry as a bone. Back home if someone was sweating and raised their hand you could make fun of them for their underarm "tacos". Here, for the most part they seem used to the heat. Having said that, the other day my suspicions of it being extra hot here were confirmed. I saw an older man in a tank top with long dread locked hair walked passed me at the bus stop. I said, "afternoon" he politely replied, "alright mon" back. He took a few more steps and said out loud, "Wow...sun is blazin'!" If a Grenadian complains, you know it's hot!

Unknowns

2009-08-07T09:17:00.003-06:00

I am not sure if anyone knows that I also have another blog. It is Kuulei's and my family blog and can be found at kuuleiandnick.blogspot.com. On my own blog I usually write things that happen at med school and my own thoughts that pertain to that. On our family blog as you could guess we write about things that happen to the both of us. This blog about medical school will end when I graduate but our family blog will be written on time and time again hopefully until we die but I bet it will be more like when we get sick of it hahahahahah.

Long Haul

2009-06-26T18:23:00.003-06:00

For those of us who live in or who have traveled through the western United States, we have probably seen a long stretch of highway in the middle of the desert. It is so hot that you can see a mirage of a vast lake covering the road ahead. The closer we get however we realize that lake has disappeared only to reappear further up the road. When we reach that lake, again it disappears and reappears further up the road. On and on the cycle goes and we just never seem to get there. This past term has been similar to these mirages. I knew it would be a long hot drive through the desert of life but it seemed whenever I got to that nice cool lake, it disappeared only to reappear further down the road. 3rd term and 4th term are stacked together here. When I finished 3rd term finals on a Friday I was shocked to learn I was supposed to start a new term the next Monday. Just kidding I knew I had to start 4th term right away but you get my point. Just when midterms were over a new course started up. When we finished Microbiology for good they threw nutrition at us. When all of my friends got to go home for summer break, I had to stay another 6 weeks. On and on we went and we just never seemed to get there. But, just like driving down that hot highway we eventually reach our destination and the nice cool lake is no longer needed. I am very grateful for the experience of the dreaded 4th term. I learned a lot about medicine, myself, and just how much I really can endure and perform under pressure. I am grateful Kuulei is such a good wife and put up with me and my chronic absence in getting this thing done. I am glad I get a break now.

CSI

2009-06-17T14:36:00.002-06:00

Kuulei and I watch CSI from time to time. For me it is mostly because there is nothing else on but at the same time it is cool how they show stuff happening on the inside of a body. This week we had a forensic pathologist teach us a few lectures in class. I knew there would be some graphic images but boy were they graphic! It was disturbing to see the dark side of humanity. I just can't believe humans are capable of doing those sort of things to others. We were watching all of these pictures when in the back of the room we heard a large "THUD!". I looked over and there were some students standing peering over the aisle because someone had fainted. The professor stopped the lecture and helped get the student over to the clinic next door for help. Apparently the student was still unconcious when they brought him to the clinic. The professor said, "boy that is the first time that has happened here at SGU." I took that as there had been other schools where people have fainted! Anyway, it was a good experience because even if I had wanted to be a forensic pathologist I for sure don't want to be one now.

Boot Camp

2009-06-04T19:06:00.002-06:00

Yesterday some of my classmates and I went to our clinical skills lab to have our practical quiz. We practice our clinical skills on each other while a tutor who is an M.D. watches what we do and asks us questions. Most tutors have been really nice and have been good to teach us. They will hold us to it if we make a mistake but they do it in a respectful manner. The tutor we had the other day came in obviously agitated. He was huffing and puffing as if he had just been in a fight with his wife. He said to us while wiping his eyes, "I am really tired today, I don't want to be here so we will make this snappy." Then he asked us to write on a piece of paper our name and what system we were to examine. One of my classmates was writing hers in and he said, "hurry up you should be done by now." Each of us took our turns and he was rude to every one of us. He even said to one of my classmates the day before, "If you get this question wrong I am going to be pissed off!" I was dumbfounded. Needless to say it was a very awkward atmosphere and I was very nervous when it came my turn. I just tried to stay calm and do the best that I could. I actually was assigned something I knew very well so it wasn't a problem. When he hounded me with questions I was a step ahead of him yet nervousness overcame me and I misnamed one of the nervous plexus. He said, "Have you ever heard of brachial plexus? I replied, "Oh yeah it;s not cervical plexus it's brachial plexus." Hehe. I giggled inside just like that too. Anyway, long story short despite how mean the guy was I did really well and proved that I knew what I was talking about. I know that it is going to be rough in clinical rotations, internships, and residency. I will probably have doctors barking at me all day. I think that if you stay calm, don't take it personally, and do your best you can come out on top overall. It has been a long semester and I am ready to go home, but I am glad for all the lessons I have learned. I learn more about myself each day.

Wait a Minute...

2009-05-13T15:48:00.002-06:00

Today I had a test in clinical skills. It wasn't a test where you bubble in the best choice but what is called a "practical exam" where I am graded on what I do rather than what I mark down on a scantron. I had a patient and two physicians overlooking grading my every move. I was slightly nervous to say the least. I was asked to give the patient a full cardiovascular examination. I was so nervous I had a hard time piecing together the process I have gone over dozens of times at first. I washed my hands, introduced myself and got to work. I forgot a thing or two but came out on top and did well. I came home very happy and later realized, "Hey, wait a minute. I just had my first patient!" We have talked with pretend patients before but I have never examined them. It was a lot of fun and I have been learning a lot. Never once have I regretting changing careers and coming to med school. It is difficult yes, but it is very rewarding and I have found I am able to do things I never thought I was capable of. I look forward to meeting many other patients in the years to come.

Sheer Power

2009-04-23T16:15:00.005-06:00

Today after lab I was walking towards the bus stop when a thunderous roar filled the sky. An American F-18 fighter jet was taking off from the Airstrip right next to our school. My ears rang as I watched the flames stream out of it's engines. It flew really low at first, then quickly shot straight up like an arrow. It swooped backwards, then upside down, followed by a roll right-side up. Within seconds it was thousands of feet in the air and headed north. President Barrack Obama visited Trinidad and Tobago this past week for a conference. We have had about 4-5 fighter planes stationed right here in Grenada as part of security. Two or three times a day you could hear one roar overhead, followed soon after by his buddy. I believe today was their last day since they were headed north. They normally streak across the southern sky towards Trinidad. I just had to sit in awe at the impressive power these things had. My science nerdiness came out and I thought of all the physics involved. It really is cool to see a heavy hunk of metal zip through the sky so effortlessly. Now I know what it's like to live in Ogden, Utah near Hill Air Force Base! I need a Jet fighter to fly us home to Salt Lake in June. We would be home in a couple hours but we probably couldn't pack our luggage.

Cheaters Prosper?

2009-04-09T17:56:00.002-06:00

You are going to love this one. In my last entry I talked about how difficult our exams were. Turns out a quarter of the class failed the Microbiology exam. Normally only about 20 kids fail any given exam but this time a whopping 117 students failed! Thank goodness I was not among them! I do not know what our grades for Pathology were though. Apparently, some students felt that with all that we have to do this term along with the enormous workload they weren't going to pass the Pathology exam, who knows what they were thinking.

There are meetings after an exam where professors talk about each question and their answers and validate the question as to whether or not it should be kept in the exam or thrown out. There was a recording made in a previous term of this meeting and a number of students in my class got their hands on it. In the tape the head of the department specifically says do not record this session. This is a private sequestered exam. I don't know what was going through some of the students heads, perhaps desperation, hopelessness. Yet, anyone should know better that this sort of audio recording would be considered cheating.

Long story short, a few students in my class used this recording and got high marks on the exam as a large number of the questions discussed were put into our exam as well. A student came forward and let the department know of this recording and an investigation is ensuing. Problem is, the department is probably going to have to cancel the scores for this exam and re-examine us some how. I have no idea where they will find the time to do it, but one way or another it looks like us honest students are screwed.

I was very disappointed in my classmates, but I can't say that I was surprised. I think my school is a good school and I have learned a lot of great things here to help me be an excellent physician someday. I have been impressed by the number of sharp kids in our class who came from very reputable undergraduate schools. Having said that, I kind of feel like there are some students here that shouldn't be here. My school is great in that it gives kids like me a second chance as its entrance requirements are a little bit more lax but I think with that some students can come to medical school who shouldn't. Whether it is academically, or personality, or their motives observing the behavior of some of my colleagues has made me shutter. It is bad enough that the world is going to look down on us because we came from foreign schools but now to have cheaters ruin it for us is pretty sad. I must say though, US schools probably let a few kids in as well that shouldn't be there. Let us be honest, haven't we all seen cheaters in any school we have been in? I have been to a lot of different schools and I have seen cheating in every one of them. I know that it happens in US medical schools too. I am sure there are kids in US schools who are in this for themselves and not for others as well.

I think for the most part people get the grades they deserve and most of the students turn out to be great doctors who really care about people. I apologize for the negative tone of my blog. Normally I like to make them positive or give food for thought. I wear my heart on my sleeve and I am not afraid to express my feelings so I hope you can forgive me. I was just sad today to be reminded that there are those who cheat their way into a degree and worse don't care about anyone but themselves.

St. Georges Punch Out

2009-04-03T13:11:00.003-06:00

I wrote about Soda Popinski a few blogs ago. I mentioned that I could beat him up any time of the week. I failed to mention though, that I have never actually beaten Mike Tyson who is champion of the game. I have only gotten to Iron Mike a couple of times in my life. Granted I played the game when I was a boy, but still, Mike has eluded me. I would like to compare my pre-med years to my med years. Pre-med was a challenge no doubt, but it was something that you could conquer with enough practice. Medical school is a little different. The punches come faster, stronger, and with little warning. You have to be alert, nimble, and confident. With as alert and nimble as I have been I have had to count on a little bit of luck also to get through the harder times. This week we had exams in Pathology and Microbiology. I have learned so much this semester so far and have enjoyed it, yet I have learned there are still more things I need to be doing in order to be confident come exam time. I believe I have passed my exams and will live to fight another day, but these courses have proven to be a formidible opponent in black shorts with a missing tooth.

Castaway

2009-03-26T09:21:00.003-06:00

My brother Brook inspired me with this photo he sent. He said, "Nick in med school." I think this picture describes my experience perfectly. I have been here about 12 weeks and have another 10 or so to go. Time goes slow when you are constantly counting down. I don't carve numbers into any trees, but I can say I am almost just as dirty and sweaty as old Tom in the photo. Usually at this time in a semester I start to really miss home. I would kill for massaman curry at my favorite thai food joint. I would kill for a gross nasty cheeseburger from McDonald's. I miss the mall, I miss my family and friends. I miss my car. Oh wait it died, may she rest in peace. I miss my new car. I remember when I was a missionary in England that the hardest time wasn't when I first left and had two years in front of me but rather the middle point when I was 1 year away from home but still had 1 year to go. Perhaps this sort of thing is what causes mid life crisis? I am lucky though, I have made very good friends here in Grenada that I enjoy and I have Kuulei to take care of me now too. I think if Tom Hanks could do it on an island all alone with no KFC I certainly can with all the blessings I have.

Soda Pop Nickski

2009-03-22T06:58:00.004-06:00

Odds are anyone who grew up during the 80's will know who is in this picture. It is that love-able character "Soda Popinksi" from Nintendo's blockbuster hit "Mike Tyson's Punchout". I thought he was a wuss and I could beat him any day of the week, but he and I have something in common. We love to drink! Normally, I like to chug down a nice chilled soda but something different happened yesterday. Kuulei and I went to a little beach celebration with the Signigicant Others club here at St. Georges. They gave out a $50 EC voucher for the restaurant "Aquarium" if you paid your $15 EC dues. We figured that was a pretty good deal since we have always wanted to eat there. So we went and hung out on the beach for a bit, then ordered some food. We had such a large discount I ordered a banana crepe for dessert. It was pretty good, banana's soaked in a coconut like cream surrounding a crepe in the middle. I was maybe half way done when I noticed something different about this tasty snack. Whenever I bit into the crepe it gave my tongue a nice little tingle. I smelled the plate..no alcohol. I tasted the crepe yet again..no alcohol. We asked the waiter what sort of alcohol they put in the dessert. He smiled proudly, "it's brandy!" I said, "Oh wow it's really good thank you." When he left, Kuulei and I just kind of giggled. Normally, us mormons believe we should abstain from alcohol. I swear it was an innocent mistake. When I order specialty drinks I make sure they are non-alcoholic but who ever would guess desserts don't have alcohol? It was a reminder yet again that I am not in Utah anymore. Good news is I don't think Brandy tastes very good.

My Supermodel

2009-03-19T18:51:00.002-06:00

This will probably embarrass Ku'ulei. The other night some of the girls in the building wanted Ku'ulei to come over and model for them so they could take some photographs. I really want to get Ku'ulei a camera someday so she can take pictures too. Anyway, the photos I have seen so far have turned out great! I have put in a plug Sarah Weir photography and Casey McDaniel photography before so I wanted to add Lexi Shaeffer to the list. Check out her site and if you ever need any pictures while she is in town she does great work! The best part about Ku'ulei is as beautiful as she is she is even more beautiful on the inside. She is so funny, and so awesome, she is my best friend. I often ask myself, "What contest in heaven did I win?"

I'm 30!!

2009-03-05T13:15:00.002-07:00

I have turned a new leaf in life. I have now began my 4th decade of living. It makes me sound old when I put it that way. I still feel young though so I am not worried. I am reminded of Molly Shannon when she would say "I'm 50!!!" and strike a triumphant pose. I am not 50 yet but I am still proud I have made it this far in life. I spent my birthday sitting in hours upon hours of labs and lectures only to come home to study for even more hours. Yet, I still had a good birthday. The night before Kuulei surprised me with a little surprise party with some people in the branch here. I was surprised as ever and enjoyed having cake, ice cream, and homemade HOT FUDGE! I don't think it matters what you do for your birthday, it matters who you spend it with. I have grown to love my fellow students and their families and I can't say enough about how awesome Kuulei is. My friends at school all gave me a card and I have grown to love them too. Of course, I could not be with my family but I got to read emails and got a skype call so that is just as good. I was surrounded by people I love for my birthday. I think it doesn't get much better than that :)

I Didn't Even Have to Use My AK

2009-02-22T19:29:00.002-07:00

In the immortal words of Ice Cube, "I didn't even have to use my AK, I gotta say it was a good day." These words describe how my weekend went. Friday, I had my behavioral science final. I didn't do too well on the midterm when I thought I could have done better. This time, things were different. I was able to score well and pulled off a B in the class. I have always tried to get B's or better. Sometimes, I don't quite make it other times I do. Perhaps, taking time to concentrate and not rush through the exam helped. I really tried to settle down and prove answers wrong before choosing the answer I wanted to stick with. When I found out my grade I had a smile like the one shown in the picture. After the test, Kuulei and I went to the Grenada Grande Beach Hotel to meet some friends. We sipped smoothies poolside as we chomped on BBQ chicken wings and soaked up some rays. It was a good day. Saturday, we were able to get a ride with some friends who are always great to let us come with them grocery shopping. We got lots of yummy food and Kuulei let me get two cartons of chocolate milk. Later that day, we went to the beach with some members of the branch and soaked up some rays again. Kuulei and Casey went off to play some Volleyball while I watched Casey's little daughter. We stopped at the grocery store again and I schmoozed Kuulei into letting me get more chocolate milk. She is very kind to me. I gotta say it was a good day. Sunday we taught the primary kids a fun lesson and sang songs. It is amazing how I can remember a lot of the primary songs from when I was in primary. Some songs are new but most are still the ones I learned. I sang a long except when the notes get too high for my manly voice. We came home and lazed about until dinner time where we traditionally eat with friends. We had a lot of great pasta salads and some chicken and meatballs. We always enjoy the food and the company we have grown to love since being here. I gotta say it was a good day. Tomorrow, I start 4th term. It is very busy but now we will really start to do doctor things by learning clinical skills and pathology. I am excited and nervous. I will do my best so that I can always say, "I didn't even have to use my AK."

Additional Bloggage

2009-02-09T16:55:00.002-07:00

Hey everyone, as I wrote in previous blogs I was getting married. Now that it has happened Kuulei and I have made a blog! We can be found here. We try and keep it up to date and like to tell funny stories and exciting adventures we have here in Grenada so stop on by!

A Tommy Boy Moment

2009-02-03T17:18:00.000-07:00

I loved the movie Tommy Boy back in the day. When I was in high school my buddies and I liked to play hockey Friday nights then sleepover at someone's house and put in Tommy Boy or another such silly show. I have carried a bit of Tommy Boy wisdom over the years. In one scene, Tommy learns he has received a D+ on his last exam needed for graduation from University. His reply was, "Oh my gosh....I PASSED!!" and began to cartwheel out of the building exuberantly. I took a midterm this last weekend in behavioral science. I felt prepared and in conversations with colleagues I felt I had meaningful input and understanding. I did well on practice quizzes and in my performances in labs. I took the exam, felt like I at least got a B and enjoyed my weekend. I got my grade today and was sad to see I passed but didn't do as well as I had thought. I would like to pull from the wisdom of Tommy Boy and be happy I passed, and don't get me wrong I am, but I have taken exams quite a few times expecting to do well and finding out I didn't. I wish I could look at the exams we take so I can see if I am just making careless errors or if I am actually not studying enough or correctly. It is university policy that once you take an exam they are sequestered never to be seen again. I am frustrated about how I am doing on exams and having no way of finding out why, but the silver lining is I did very well on the basic science cumulative exam or BSCE 1 and placed pretty high in the class. It is an exam that tested us over the first year of medical school. Thank goodness for that. All I can do is keep trying and see if I can't overcome my test woes. You never fail until you quit trying.

This little piggy..

2009-01-25T13:22:00.003-07:00

When I was in Hawaii there was a lot that needed to be done in order to prepare for the wedding as well as the Luau after. It was a lot of fun, I am not afraid to get into the dirt and do some good old fashion manual labor. I and my new brother's cut down some bamboo, went spear fishing, chopped Kiawe and best of all shot and gutted a pig. We cooked the pig in the ground which is called "imu". I was given the honor of killing the pig. Last time my new family shot a pig they tried to shoot it between the eyes. Well the bullet from a .22 pistol was not enough to penetrate the pigs thick skull so it just got it mad. This time around we tried to shoot it behind the ear to see if it would have a cleaner shot into the brain for a quick kill. I shot the pig point blank range and it squeeled and stumbled over only to eventually get back up and stare at us. "Shoot it again", I was told. This time the pig was kind of hiding in the back of the pen but I was a skilled marksman and put another in behind its ear. The same thing happened, the pig fell, got back up, stared. A third time I did this with the same result. By this time I was feeling bad that we were putting this animal through such torture. Finally, the guy who sold us the pig shot it between the eyes and that was enough to put it down for good. I thought, "Wow we could have done that on the first shot afterall". Once we got the pig back home we cut its throat so it would bleed out, burned the hair and shoveled it off, then we gutted it. I was priviledged with cutting out the anal sphincter and putting my thumb up there so that the intestines would not be sucked up into the abdominal cavity. If that happened there was a chance piggy poop would get inside the guts and contaminate the whole thing. I pulled the sphincter out as my father-in-law tied off the intestines. Then I helped pull some fat out of the abdominal cavity in order to minimize the chances of the fat catching fire when it is put in the ground with red hot lava rock. It was a lot of fun to do so many new things. I enjoy having a broad range of experiences. I had never killed an animal before. I was grateful for the experience but I must say I found no joy in taking a life. I suppose that is good since I am training to be a doctor! I was glad for my experiences in Hawaii and for the things that life teaches me.

Playing Catch Up

2009-01-10T21:41:00.001-07:00

Wow I did not realize I have not blogged since Thanksgiving! I have been very busy with finals and getting married so I have not blogged in ages. I have a lot to update you on. First, I would just like to update you on how finals went and then in later blogs I can update you on the rest. It is 1 am here in Trinidad Airport so I am feeling a bit lazy. Finals were rough. I failed the physiology exam but lucky for me I did awesome on the mid term so things worked out. I did poorly on immunology but again mid term awesomeness saved me. I did great on neuroscience though so I was pleased with that. I did really well on the BSCE 1 exam. The average was 60% and I was able to manage a 67% so I was pretty happy I was at least above average. BSCE 1 exam was over the past year of medical school so it had a lot of biochem and anatomy stuff in it. I retained a lot of it but also want to go back and study more. I think with enough hard work I can do well on my board exams. Anyway, that is all for now.

A Day of Thanks

2008-11-28T16:38:00.002-07:00

Thanksgiving was a little different this year than what I am used to. Normally, I sleep in without having to go to school or work. My family is lucky if I get into the shower before sitting down to eat and I eat pumpkin pie while watching football till the sun goes down. This year I woke up early in order to make it to class in time. I sat through lectures in neuroscience and physiology and spent the afternoon studying about ACTH and GnRH and Huntington's Disease. No football, but at least I showered early. One thing that I enjoy about Thanksgiving was retained however. I always enjoyed sitting down and eating food with people I care about. My Grenada friends and I all pitched in and had a wonderful potluck feast. We had Turkey, two kinds of mashed potatoes, all sorts of fruit salads, delectible desserts, veggies, gourmet salads, and you name it we had it. We even had authentic Tres Leches! My stomach hurt so bad, and my heart was so full. I am very grateful to be in Grenada and in medical school with great friends to have a wonderful thanksgiving with. I am also grateful that I can go home soon to be with my fiance Kuulei and our families. Now it is time to get ready for Christmas!

The Milk's Gone Bad! Ah Ah Ah

2008-11-14T19:14:00.002-07:00

Today I went to the local market to get some groceries. It is always a special treat for me to buy two pints of Shenandoah's Pride Chocolate Milk. They are based in Virginia, but I could not find a site for them. Anyway, I got home and opened up my first pint and throughly enjoyed it. I was skyping with Kuulei as I was opening the second pint and gloating at how good it was and that I get to have another one. I took a large mouthful and...YUCK!!! It tasted like yeast water! I immediately ran to the sink and spit out the nastiness. I checked the expiration date, check. I checked for any holes or tears in the carton, check. I did notice that it was awfully easy to open but I dropped it in the store and it didn't spill anywhere. Somehow my favorite chocolate milk was tainted. Don't worry Shenandoah I have not lost faith in you! We all make mistakes. The lessons I tried to take from this experience was, cry over spilled milk and expiration dates are not fool proof!

"C" is for "Crappy"

2008-11-11T19:50:00.006-07:00

Thank goodness this time I am not describing my grades! Actually, I am describing the way my cookies have been turning out lately. I used to make pretty good cookies with my little neat recipe but lately I have only really turned out one semi-decent batch. I don't know if its because I don't have a good mixer (or a mixer at all for that matter), I don't know if the oven works different than at home, I don't know if I just don't have a good way to accurately measure things (my measuring cup starts at 1 cup and has nothing below that line!), I have no clue. What I do know is they just haven't been the same and it makes me very sad. Oh well, I really just like to cook here because it is therapeutic and helps me get my mind off school for a bit. All I do is go to class and then come home and study. I get pretty bored so cooking is fun! Don't get me wrong I still think medicine is the coolest thing on the planet besides Kuulei but too much can kill a man. At least my lasagna and bread have turned out well this week. Watch out Food Network!

Wuv is What Bwings Us Togeva

2008-10-30T10:08:00.007-06:00

Kuulei made it down to Grenada while I had a few days off from school. It was great to see her again as I have missed her dearly. We did not do too many things that were all that exotic but we did have a ton of fun and that is what counts. We went to the beach, went on a walk along the oceanside, went out to eat, shopped, went to church, watched movies and animal planet, and got our engagement photos done courtesy of my friends Sara Weir of Sara Weir Photography and Casey McDaniel of Casey McDaniel Photography. I am so far very impressed by their work on our photos and I am excited to see the rest of the photos taken. If you are engaged and thinking about getting pictures taken I suggest these ladies to do the job well for you! Kuulei and I are excited and cannot wait to see each other again.

The B's Have It!

2008-10-18T19:47:00.005-06:00

I finished my midterm exams and as the results came in I was swarmed with not bees but B's! I know I am lame and use goofy puns a lot. For example, Summer Summery? Come on Nick. Anyway, I got a B on each of my exams for Physiology, Immunology, and Neuroscience. I was a little intimidated by the Neurology exam because it was so difficult and they tested us a lot on details. I stuck to my guns and answered the questions the way I thought they should be answered and I did well. I have been trying to score A's and B's in medical school and for the most part I am doing that so I am very happy. I just want to be a competent and caring doctor when my time comes. I am sure with effort I will reach my goals. This whole experience of not just doing well in medical school but actually trying to get in has taught me that with grit and hard work just about anything can be accomplished. I will continue trying to improve my grades as I learn more and more about how our amazing bodies work.

Ants!

2008-10-02T20:13:00.003-06:00

Yesterday I discovered I had a few visitors to my apartment. They were tiny little orange-brown looking critters. I guess they smelled the cookie crumbs on my counter and wanted to come check out what was going on. I wouldn't mind so much because I normally really like ants, but there started to be more and more of them and they started to wear out their welcome. They were starting to come through the wall in swarms and crawling into my cupboards where my sugar was! I decided something had to be done so today I bought some poison. I felt bad for killing off my little friends but it had to be done. The whole ordeal reminded me of a song my brothers and I made up when we were shorter than 6 feet tall. "We are aaaaaaants....we live in your refridgeratooooorrrrrr...anything you can eat we can eat too!" I will try to keep my counter a little more clean.

Cops and Outages

2008-09-21T18:35:00.005-06:00

So today was an interesting day. I hitched a ride to church with the Wiers and when we came to the roundabout by the texaco each exit in the roundabout was manned by a police officer and blocked off with orange cones. We waited in line for a few minutes and when our turn came the officer began to explain they were doing a disaster drill. Why they decided to shut down the main road into town for miles and miles I will never know. It brings me great comfort to know that in the event of a disaster they will know how to shut down a road though. We busted through a "do not enter" sign to get to church as well. Now that is devotion! Once we got to church though we discovered that the electricity was out. The weather in Grenada is relentlessly humid and usually quite hot as well. Our little church does not have any air conditioning so the only relief from the heat is any breeze through the window or from the ceiling fans from above. For some reason neither do the job. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be until we got to priesthood lessons. The room we meet in is in the back corner away from the breeze. The air was very stagnant. It is times like these that you appreciate small things like having working roads, and a car for that matter. Electricity has also revolutionized our way of life. I am grateful to have these things and grateful that I was able to come home to a place that did have electricity so I could cool off a bit! I am moving to Antarctica.

Piriformis Syndrome

2008-09-09T19:08:00.002-06:00

Sometime in June I started to experience pain in my heels and a tingling sensation in my feet and buttox. Armed with the knowledge of my first term Anatomy course I knew it had something to do with the sciatic nerve. A large nerve that, along with nerves branching off of it, basically supplies everything in your legs. I thought perhaps it is a herniated disc, but thought no way I have not had any sort of problems with my lower back. Playing hockey all these years has helped me develop a strong lower back. I then thought perhaps it is sciatica which is directly involving the sciatic nerve but the symptoms didn't match up. Still, I was convinced my sciatic nerve was involved. After some research I came across a syndrome called piriformis syndrome. The piriformis is a small muscle deep inside your muscles making up your bottom. It helps rotate your leg outwards and you use it a lot when walking or running. The sciatic nerve passes right passed this muscle. If there is any tightening, irritation, or any other problems with the piriformis then the sciatic nerve is vulnerable to being effected too. So I made my diagnosis as piriformis syndrome. It makes sense because I sit for long periods of time with my legs outwardly rotated so perhaps there has been some shortening of the piriformis muscle causing some tightness. Also I run around Grenada dodging crabs, big rocks, and pot holes all the time. Uneven ground is not only bad for your knees but also your bum come to find out! So I have been paying attention to how I sit. Today I had my legs more inwardly rotated. I also took some ibuprofen. I have been doing stretches. I have seen a big improvement already so hopefully things keep working and I can get rid of this issue soon. Moral of the story is...don't sit on your bum!! I love medicine, it sure is fun! Hopefully, my diagnosis is correct.

I Love My Nana

2008-08-30T09:19:00.002-06:00

My grandmother passed away last night. We called her Nana as her nickname. My grandpa is called Papa. Nana has been suffering with Alzheimer's disease for about the last 10-15 years or so. We went to visit them in Pennsylvania in 1995 and she seemed pretty well then but shortly after that she started to deteriorate. They moved to Utah in 2000 and even then she was much worse off just 5 years later. She was confused a lot of the time and couldn't get around much but she always remembered me. Maybe it is because I did not have a wife and kids thrown in the mix to confuse her. I loved the way her face would light up when she was offered a Hershey's candy bar. She would say in a hopeful voice, "Hersheys!?" She was always so kind to me and always complimented me on how handsome I was. I realize that she is now at peace and is back to the way she was..smart, strong, and stubborn! I also know that families are forever and that I will get to see her again. I feel a great loss still and will miss her. Farewell Nana, I hope they have plenty of Hershey's in heaven for you. I love you.

An Engaging Blog Article

2008-08-21T22:21:00.003-06:00

I have been dating this really awesome girl named Ku'ulei. I met her at FHE one day and we played horse shoes and then bowled together. The rest is history. She is everything I could ever want and she is very, very, kind to me. She is basically a supermodel but has brains and wit to match. I love her hair, her smile, her personality. She is very outgoing and friendly which I like as well. She is tall too so she understands what its like to get a question like "Do you play basketball?". We got to talking and we decided we should do the right thing and marry each other. On January 3, 2009 we plan on getting married in the Kona, Hawaii Temple. Ku'ulei and I will then pack our bags to live in the Caribbean for a year while I finish my science courses at medical school. I couldn't be more pleased and I am very excited. Yet another adventure for me to enjoy but this time I get enjoy it with someone else.

Hurdles

2008-08-12T16:25:00.002-06:00

I thought that with the 2008 Olympics in Beijing it would be appropriate to write an article about hurdles. Today I cleared a few out of the way. I was able to get my tuition paid despite not being cleared for a loan yet. The loan issue should be solved soon but the important thing was I was able to get registered and will be able to get my books tomorrow. That way I can start studying which is pretty important at medical school! I was just reflecting a little bit today about all of the hurdles I have had to clear in life. I have found that if you stay positive and work hard you can accomplish just about anything despite the opposition you run into. I look forward to clearing many more hurdles!

Term 2!

2008-08-11T18:22:00.004-06:00

Summer sure went fast! I did lots of neat things and had a ton of fun. Now it is time to get back to business. I start Term 2 tomorrow and even though I hate waking up early I think it will be great to go to class from 8-12 am instead of 1-5 pm. Somehow it just seems like I have more time on my hands when I get things out of the way as soon as possible. I call it "The Church Effect"! Morning church was great because it made Sundays more enjoyable rather than having church right in the middle of a hockey game. Only messsing, don't worry I am more spiritual than that but still *wink. I am excited to learn more about neurology, physiology, immunology, parasitology and more fun flavors! I am also excited that Kuulei is coming to visit sometime around midterms as I should have a few days off. It is always difficult to leave those I love but I am doing this for them so that our future can be more enjoyable together. I always try to zoom out and see the big picture of things and try to see the good that can come from even the most difficult of circumstances. I will keep you all updated on how things go!

Canada Trip

2008-07-15T16:32:00.002-06:00

Dad, Kelly, Dan, Linus and I all made the trek northward to Canada. We had plenty of adventures right away. Our first night Dan was attacked by a Marlin Falcon. It was just a baby and couldn't fly but that thing still had some huge talons! We called "Birds of Prey" which apparently catches hurt birds and helps them get back on their talons and sends them back to the wild. We had to catch it in a box though so Dad distracted the bird while I snuck up from behind with a cardboard box. We then put rocks on the box so he couldn't get out nor could the cats get in overnight. Then the birds of prey came out the next morning and took the little fella away. We then went to Waterton which is in the Glacier National Park. While stopping in Cardston we witnessed the Blood Indian Reserve Police chasing a red Jeep Cherokee. Funny enough the Jeep did make a complete stop at the stop sign with the cop right on his tail. I guess he didn't want any further infractions added to his possession of narcotics charge! Once we got to Waterton we met up with a large family of mountain goats. The only thing missing to make the day more adventurous was a bear snatching up one of the goats. I am terrible I know, but admit it would be kind of cool to see. Other than that we played frolf, shopped, bought lots of candy bars, ate at a Chinese place, visited family and had a great time. Glennwood has the best ice cream in the world! We also got to visit my grandparent' grave. Their plot is in the middle of nowhere and was very peaceful. The weather was also beautiful in the mid 70's. I was glad I could visit. I always love the beautiful farm landscape, cool weather, and peaceful feelings that Canada brings. It is well worth the drive.

Lemonade 25 Cents

2008-07-04T19:51:00.005-06:00

Today I was driving home and noticed two young ladies that had a lemonade stand set up. One of them saw me coming and enthusiastically waved her "Lemonade 25 Cents" sign in the hot summer air. My initial thought was, "I'd like to buy some from them to help out, but I am in a hurry to get home. Someone else will buy from them." I thought further that it would only take a moment and I had plenty of cash on hand to help these girls out. I turned around and pulled up to the curb. I said, "Hello may I have some lemonade?" The girls were happy to oblige. I gave them $2 and told the young entrepreneurs to keep the change. I drove off feeling good about myself. Sure enough I saw in my rear view mirror that another car had stopped but I was happy I did my part. I have thought over the past year that the time for me to think, "Oh someone else will do it" has passed. It is time for me to take more initiative even if it is something as trivial as lemonade. Hopefully, we can all stop at the lemonade stands in our lives!

Happy Canada Day!

2008-07-02T09:58:00.004-06:00

Yesterday was a celebration for those of us from the northern lands. July 1st marks Canada Day. It is not necessarily Canada's Independence Day, according to wikipedia, but rather a holiday marking the the joining of the British colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and the Province of Canada into a federation of four provinces on July 1, 1867. (The province of Canada was divided into Ontario and Quebec.) The celebration included Canadians who now live in Saratoga springs and their families. I found it funny that I was related to a third of the people there. We had a BBQ which consisted of delicious hot dogs, chips, veggies and dip and custom made donuts with red and white "Canadian" sprinkles. Following the BBQ we all participated in a parade through the streets of Saratoga Springs which you may watch here. The parade included a 1950's style police cruiser compliments of the Utah Highway Patrol as well as a canadian red fire truck from Saratoga Springs Fire Department. Candy was thrown to the kids and their parents who lined the streets to join us in our celebration with the sounds of the national anthem, "O Canada" in the background providing a patriotic feeling. I had a great time and will look forward to next year!

Summer SUMMERy

2008-06-21T17:07:00.003-06:00

Get it? SUMMERy? Summary? Quite lame I know. Due to high demand I have decided to post another entry on my blog. Ok it really was just my friend Lala who has been hounding me but she speaks the truth. I should be updating my blog more often. I have throughly enjoyed being home so far. I have been home a month and have been to all sorts of movies and restaurants. I have shot many a firearm and I am going to my second rodeo of the summer this evening. I have enjoyed being with my family and my friends and have been recharging my batteries since med school sucked them dry this spring. I have been studying for the board exams as well as I wanted a head start on things. I am not the best test taker around. I have also enjoyed working at orangesoda.com again. I have missed my workmates. Through all the excitement I have reflected back on my first term of medical school. I have gained much confidence in knowing that I was able to do well in my courses despite difficult circumstances. I have learned what a beautiful place I live in and have come to appreciate it more. I am further convinced of how great and supportive my family is and how much I have depended on them for my success. Even just one semester of medical school under my belt has taught me more about not just science and the human body but about myself and my capabilities. I look forward to the rest of my summer and to my next term of med school. I have only one way to go....UP!

Grenada Vacation

2008-05-20T20:53:00.004-06:00

My parents came last Friday to Grenada. It was great to see them again and they looked just as great as they did when I left. We didn't do much our first night since they were so tired from the flight. We did, however, eat dinner at their Hotel the Blue Horizons Beach Resort. I was expecting a great meal since it was nicely decorated. Dad got the swordfish, I got stuffed chicken, mom got pulled pork. Dad said the swordfish was good. My chicken was raw. Somehow I have the knack of always getting the raw chicken. Mother did not like her "pulled pork" it tasted more like spicy hamburger meat than anything else. So two nays and one yay for the restaurant called "Le Belle Breole" that is part of the hotel. Saturday we walked all over the place. We got a donut at Nick's Donuts (not to be affiliated with me.) We got some groceries, I gave mom and dad a tour of the University then we had burgers at the Owl. The Owl is a good place for burgers so I thoroughly enjoyed my meal. Sunday is Sunday. We went to church and mom and dad got a celebrity welcome with their names in the program and all! Then we went to the Weir's for dinner. The Weir's have been so good to take care of me this semester and have always made me feel welcome. They invite me each Sunday to their home for a gourmet meal and they always take me to church. Monday was an island tour day. The Wood's who are the senior missionary couple on this island took us around. I paid handsomely to watch a guy do a wussy cliff jump from about 40 feet. He said it was 50 but I wasn't buying it. You didn't have to pay for it but he was good to go on and on how if we don't pay anything to his box he doesn't make a living. Then we saw a cool little cocoa bean plantation and took a tour. I was actually really interested in the whole thing and best of all I got a free sample of chocolate and spiced hot chocolate! We then went to "leapers hill" where supposedly the Carib indians who are native to Grenada were run off a hill by the French back in the 1700's. Legend has it they swam to the Grenadines which are the islands north by at least 15 miles. We weren't too sold on that idea either and wondered if anything we saw was authentic. Tuesday was our day at the beach. I stepped on a sea urchin and it stung for a few seconds but wasn't too bad. Mom and dad came with me to catch my bus home and we said our goodbyes ending yet another vacation. Looks like I need to come home so I can enjoy another vacation? Now that is something I am sold on!

Term 1 Recap

2008-05-14T07:59:00.003-06:00

Finals are upon me and I am left to reflect upon the last 4 months of my life and the first 4 months of my medical career. Montgomery Burns' monkey said it best, "It was the best of times it was the blurst of times!' From the very second I got here I was met with challenges. I learned that as we are faced with challenges no matter how difficult they are we can work through them. The keyword here is work. I can't tell you how many hours I have spent studying biochemistry or the cranial nerves and their autonomics. The first few days I was here I spent many bus trips and many hours walking in the hot caribbean sun in order to get my living standards up to snuff. I had to find my church without any real phonebooks or addresses. I had zero friends and had to work at getting new ones quickly for the sake of my social health. While learning more about the importance of work I also came to better appreciate the importance of not working. "A man cannot run faster than he has strength". I found that taking a break here and there and going out with friends as least once a week was very helpful in keeping me sane. Sometimes when I was inside all day studying, a jog was just the cure for cabin fever. It helped me deal with stress and kept me relaxed when it came crunch time. I do not have official grades yet but I think I will manage and can take my lessons to next term to be even more successful. It has been a very interesting 4 months!

The Restaurateur

2008-04-25T13:36:00.004-06:00

One of my dream jobs besides playing right field in the major leagues is to be a professional restaurant critic. I think it would be so cool to just eat at all these different restaurants and then write about them in a magazine or newspaper to let everyone know what I think. I wanted to rate a bar/grill here on St. Georges University campus as I just ate some lunch there. It is called Glover's and can be found in the student center directly above the RBTT bank. Normally, I love their sub sandwiches! They make them with what tastes like slow roasted chicken from the crock pot. The BBQ sauce in the BBQ chicken sub is delicious and unique. Very good! I was a little disappointed today though. They ran out of ingredients to make my favorite subs so I thought I would settle on what they did have, chicken fingers and fries. I love chicken fingers with honey on them so I figured it would be a suitable substitute. I was given two very large plates with foil over them so initially I was very excited at the portion size! When I unwrapped my meal the excitement was analogous to christmas morning. Finding my prize was also analogous to finding a lump of coal in my stocking. I looked down at my little dog in a white tux and horn rimmed glasses and said "we are not in Kentucky anymore Colnel Sanders". That's my dog's name. Colnel Sanders. The chicken fingers were burned to a crisp and were very dry. They tasted much like this cardboard box shown in the photo. The fries were soggy just how the British love them. Grenada does have somewhat of an English influence so maybe their style of "chips" stuck. They were out of coke as well, so I had to settle for Pepsi. If you are in Grenada come visit Glover's for a great tasting sub. If they say "Sorry no chicken" it is in the opinion of this reporter to run for the hills!

Haircut Round 2

2008-04-12T21:16:00.009-06:00

Word on the street is the New Kids on the Block (a.k.a. NKOTB) are getting back together. If I made an error in publishing that acronym correctly then I am relieved I am not as nerdy as I thought. I thought the rebirth funny, but you know how we can all get a little nostalgic sometimes. I wonder if MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice will make a comeback? Oh yeah they already tried. Nevertheless, I wanted to do my part in making Vanilla Ice popular again by getting the hairstyle seen in this picture back on the scene. Let's face it Grenada and metrosexuals do not mix. As I mentioned before in a previous post Grenadians don't know how to cut a feaux hawk much less know what one is. However, I did not want to become Spock or that lovable Lloyd Christmas again so I ventured out to the barber today. I suppose it will have to do for now but I feel like the hair is a bit short on the sides and a bit too long on the top. Really, all I am missing is the step lines shaved in the sides and it could be me holding those awards! I already have the jacket to match, which brings up another question. Vanilla Ice won awards? I can see it now, in order to pay next month's rent Vanilla's Ebay page will read as: Too gramee awards four sell. Love, Nilla Ice! Everyone makes mistakes, let's hope our friends of NKOTB aren't making one.

X-Rays and Skeletons

2008-04-11T09:37:00.003-06:00

I really enjoy looking at X-rays. When you look close you can see a beautiful pattern much like those geometric curves a lot of kids drew when they were bored in 4th grade. I am constantly amazed at how our bodies work. I particularly enjoy x-rays of little kids. I don't enjoy the fact that they have experienced a trauma that warrants an x-ray but they have the cutest skeletons! So I love X-rays and skeletons, but I don't like being a walking x-ray. I managed to get my hands on a weigh scale at a friend's place. I knew I had lost weight here but when I weighed myself I was shocked. I came here at 240 lbs. now I am about 226 lbs. When I first came here I did not eat a whole lot. I don't know why, maybe to save money? (A carton of orange juice is $10, yes that's right I said 10 DOLLARS!) Most people would be thrilled to lose 15 lbs but the problem is it was not fat I lost. When you starve yourself your body will turn on itself for energy. That's why Michael Jordan says to "eat your wheaties". Ok maybe it was more because he made millions on that phrase alone but still. I believe I have fixed the problem but the damage has been done. I guess the good news is I can look forward to gaining it all back. That means lots and lots of food! I love food a lot, almost as much as I love x-rays and skeletons.

Perspective

2008-04-03T16:15:00.004-06:00

I have been looking for a reason to blog using this picture because I thought it was brilliant! In speaking with a friend I got to talking about food and I thought I could create an analogy to explain my thoughts of this picture. As morbid as that is, I have a terrible case of the munchies and the nearest Panda Express is a few hundred miles over shark infested waters. I love their orange chicken but not that much. Anyway, I have been wanting to eat at places such as Panda, Papa John's, Chicago Stuffed Papa Murphy's Pizza, Tucanos, Bangkok Grill, Outback Steakhouse...just to name a few! My friend said that it is true I am craving the things for home but when I am home I will actually start craving the things that are available here in Grenada. I do enjoy a few places to eat here so I can see that happening. I know that for the past 10 years I have been craving a chicken donner kebab at the little kebab shop on Manchester Rd. in Stretford, England. I thought I had died and gone to heaven when I ate there. I wonder if it still exists. Let this picture be a lesson to us all. Enjoy what we have to eat where we are now because when we are gone we will miss it.

Waves!

2008-03-22T14:24:00.005-06:00

The sea was angry that day my friends. March 19, 2008 there was an alert put out for the eastern Caribbean islands. A low pressure system over the Atlantic Ocean had prompted an alert for large sea swells in our area. The waves were forecast to be 12-16 feet high! Now obviously the photo above is fake even though it was a good effort in photoshop. However, the damage caused by these swells were very real. There was a little cement wall I liked to sit on to watch the ocean at sunset. Since these waves were coming in higher than normal the sand around its base was washed away. Since there was no longer a base for the cement to sit on it fell! I sang that primary song, "the wise man built his house upon the rock, the foolish man built his house upon the sand" in my mind on the way home. Crazy stuff, but really interesting to watch the sea change so dramatically. It is normally quite calm in our little bay. So I learned my lesson, do not build a house on the beach. There goes my retirement to Fiji idea.

The BBC

2008-03-17T19:52:00.004-06:00

I love the BBC. I remember watching such shows as "Mr. Bean", "The Black Adder", and of course "Red Dwarf". I enjoyed British humor then and appreciated it that much more when I served a mission in England. Funny how one of my favorite broadcasting stations also matches my grades for midterms! I got a B in both Histology and Anatomy. Technically, I actually failed my Biochemistry test by just 1%. I know huh!? Lucky for me there are also online quizzes and group session attendance points that have helped me have a C overall. I plan on doing much better on the final so we can make sure to pass my classes. If not I might just have to get a job swabbing the deck aboard the Red Dwarf!

My "D" Boards

2008-03-09T14:15:00.004-06:00

I thought an image of a fence sitter would be appropriate to represent the midpoint of my first semester here at St. George's University. I am not sure what side is greener. Is it the innocence of the first half where grades did not come into play and I could get away with saying, "I don't know", when asked a question. Or could it be the maturity of having my first set of exams under my belt but running the risk of not getting straight A's? To help put my mind at ease I was reminded of an old neighbor of mine. He had built fences along his property and was very protective of them. My brothers and I all loved baseball as kids and would often hit the fence from a foul ball or errant pitch. If our neighbor heard anything hit the fence he would angrily yell, "quit knocking on my d@#% boards!" I guess it worked because the fence is still standing to this day. I think the lesson I can learn from that and apply here at med school is just stay away from the fence all together and enjoy! Who knew such wisdom could come from a couple of wooden slats with multiple baseball sized dents in them?

Haircut Round 1

2008-02-29T20:53:00.009-07:00

We all know and love Spock from Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek. Does even knowing who produced that show make me a nerd? Anyway, I digress. Even though we all enjoyed Spock's know it all attitude and occasional Vulcan martial artistry I doubt anyone has ever seen him in an issue of GQ as a way to advertise the latest trends in hairstyles. That being said I have to ask the question. Why on earth am I sporting the same hair-do!? I think I have hit the wall and have decided to try and find a place to cut my hair. When I transposed my face onto Kenny G's head in an earlier post, I envisioned fame and fortune. I thought the women would instinctively flock like the salmon of Capistrano in complete adoration of my curly locks. That hasn't happened though so I am left wondering. One of my favorite episodes of Seinfeld is when Jerry is forced to wear cowboy boots because Kramer gave all of his regular shoes away. Jerry says, "Oh I can't wear these they look ridiculous!" I have always found wisdom from that show so I think I will adopt the same attitude about my current hairstyle. Ridiculous!

Bring Out Your Dead

2008-02-26T09:19:00.004-07:00

I lost someone close to me the other day. My Sonicare Essence 5500 lost all power. Here in Grenada they use 220 volt power outlets. In the U.S. we use 110 volt. I brought what I thought was a converter but it was more like a plug adapter. It didn't actually downgrade 220 volts to 110 volts. The result was I fried my charger! I have been using my Sonicare for almost 6 weeks now with plenty of juice so I thought the charger came out of the whole ordeal alright. Turns out I did damage it and I will have to get a replacement. I will have to use a manual toothbrush for the next 2 months. Not excited. So long my dear friend, not only will my teeth miss your effortless cleaning power but I will miss you as well.

Fish Friday

2008-02-23T10:37:00.006-07:00

I really hate seafood but I wanted to go check out what is called "Fish Friday". Every Friday there is a little street BBQ. The local fishermen bring their catch and there is a huge crowded food fest! I bought some lobster and took a few bites. Not too tasty so I gave the rest to my friends. I did manage to find some BBQ tuna. I like tuna at least so I got tuna kebabs and they were pretty good. We walked around a bit and we found a guy that lives nearby with a huge refridgerator on his front porch full of coconuts. He was chopping up coconuts for people to drink as shown in my photo. The event was quite a ways away, I would say 10 miles or so. Normally, it doesn't take 45 minutes to go 10 miles but the roads here are rough and wind around a lot so it takes more time. It was fun to venture out and see more of the island. I feel like I am in a little bubble a lot of the time. I am glad I expanded "my world" as the late Bob Ross would say.

Unified Quiz

2008-02-21T08:36:00.006-07:00

Wow, I can breathe a sigh of relief. (At least for the moment.) We had our Unified Quiz on Monday the 22nd of February. It is a quiz that tests us in three of our four classes here at St. George's University. There were 25 questions each for Anatomy, Histology, and Biochemistry. I scored 84% in Anatomy and Histology and totally bombed on BioChem with a 64%. I thought I did better than that! Well looks like I need to be a little bit more attentive to details in BioChem but I am not too worried just yet. The reason I say I can only breath a sigh of relief for the moment is because mid terms are already in 2 1/2 weeks! I am trying to make adjustments to help me do better with the subjects so hopefully I will do alright. I really just want to survive this first semester and learn my lessons for the next term. After our test I went with some of my new friends (which can never replace the old :) ) to Grand Anse beach. It is the main tourist beach here in Grenada. We had some fun in the warm water and I attempted to catch some rays on my albino-like skin. Too bad my eyes are not pink as well. We then walked about a mile and a half along the beach to a neat little restaurant called the Coconut Beach. I had the Caribbean Chicken which is basically chicken served Creole style. It was a very tasty and it was a very great day!

Nicky G's New Album

2008-02-17T13:25:00.001-07:00

So, it is not looking too good on the hair cut front here in Grenada. I can go to a few barber shops but I am pretty sure they are not going to be able to cut a feaux hawk let alone know what one is. I also notice that no one in my class has a feaux hawk so I figure that can't be a good sign either. So what I have decided to do is just grow it all out mop top style. When I come home for the summer I will wear my 70's Jofa helmet and my wings will come out of the sides. I will wear it with pride. So make sure you keep an eye out at your favorite CD store. Since taking clarinet in 7th grade and my new long hair that is coming in I should be able to take over for Kenny G. To all you ladies, don't worry I will cut it soon after I am home so I can be handsome again. *wink!

The First Day of Medical School

2008-02-16T16:57:00.000-07:00

(Please note, Jan 21, 2008 was the actual first day of Medical School. I am a bit of a late starter. Oops!)
Well, I made it! I flew from Salt Lake City to JFK, spent the night on the floor, then flew to Barbados in the morning. I thought I was going to fly straight to Grenada but I guess Air Jamaica likes to keep their passengers on their toes. Just about everything went wrong that could have coming here. Late flights, troubles getting past customs, getting used to a foreign country, but I got settled eventually.
Our First day of Medical was only the White Coat Ceremony. I thought, "Hey this is easy!" We all put on our white coats that are a symbol of our profession as physicians and felt pretty cool doing so. The keynote speaker was Dr. Leigh B. Grossman who gave a great speech. She spoke about not only caring for patients physical ills but to get to know them personally and develop a good patient doctor relationship. She also spoke of our families being the top priority in our lives. If you want to read more click here. It was an exciting evening with free food afterward! I always enjoy a free bite.