Ketchup

Yes, it has been 6 months since I last blogged; and there are good reasons for that. But I'll just give you some highlights from the last 6 months -- other than the mundane everyday stuff:

*I did finally get my Christmas tree down before Easter.


*The Bataan Memorial Death march was AMAZING!! The outcome of that can be read here . Some pics of training and the event are below.








I was able to shake hands with some of the survivors, which was incredible. One 91 year old survivor marched the first 9 miles, as well as the 90 year old widow of another Bataan survivor. I have told people that even if they do not want to march, they should try to make it out to the event just to see these amazing veterans, whom are becoming fewer each year. 26.2 miles that day, I had never done anything like that before (I also did the Susan G. Komen Race For the Cure 5K the day after an 18 mile practice march, I just walked that one.) I'm excited for the next year's March on March 27 for which I plan to do an all-female heavy team. My battle buddy Marsha won the female individual heavy this year so I'm sure she will prepare me well.

* I had 22 days of field training in the Middle of Nowhere, New Mexico. I didn't really mind the majority of it. I didn't have AHLTA notes to do, I got more sleep, sunshine, and fresh air. Sure, it was over 100 degrees in the summer, and I was getting a little annoyed by the people who since the first day kept declaring, "It's hot!" Yeah, like whining about it is going to make it any cooler, quit contributing your hot air! Near the end I think I had enough of the drama and some organizational issues that I was looking forward to getting back to the real world.

* While I was in the field, I had my first mass casualty (the basic definition is when your medical resources are overwhelmed, which was pre-planned as having more than 4 patients). This happened to be on an otherwise quiet Sunday afternoon when all of my leadership (officers and non-comissioned officers) were gone and it was just basically myself and about 3 medics and an x-ray tech. There was a freak windstorm that pulled up our tent (the brigade aid station) from where it had been re-staked about an hour earlier. This tent, after knocking me over, flew over and knocked down the tent about 15 yards away that was serving as the patient hold area, and our company tent (serving as the medical support for the brigade) was knocked down as well. Everything was completely scattered as if a tornado had gone through, which was basically the case. Not even 2 minutes after this happened and I just barely picked myself off the ground, an ambulance pulls up and says, "You have two patients!" I verbalized my thoughts when I responded, "You gotta be kidding me!" We picked up a couple litter stands and proceeded to work on a guy with a concussion and a heat casualty. Another head injury patient is brought over and this guy was pretty bad. Word got out that there was a mass casualty and random people from the rest of the batallion came over. It was a blessing how everyone came together and that all of the people involved in the care were not hurt. I threw in people, including the chaplain and the social worker as well as other observers, to serve as human IV poles, hold stabilization, get ice packs, and other random jobs. 3 patients turned into 4, then a couple people who were injured or sick over the past few days were brought over. I admit that for a moment I was thinking, "C'mon, really? At all possible times, you decided NOW to get help?" In the end, all 6 patients turned out to be okay. The serious head injury who I wanted to get air evaced out had to go by ground, and he was in the ICU for a day, but recovered well and wanted to come back out. I sent back the other 2 head injuries as well and the other PA showed up in time to take care care of the last patient who had been sick for three days. Yay for mass casualties! I thought that we had filled our quota and would not have to do a mock mass casualty, but I was wrong. The last day and a half of training I was stationed at an ambulance exchange point with two of the medics. We had responded to a Humvee accident at 3 am that morning where 4 people fortunately had minor injuries but we did not get back until about 5:30 in the morning. At 7 am they decided to do a mock mass casualty with 40 infantry soldiers who had just completed a 25 mile overnight training exercise. Half of them did not know what their "injuries" were. Amongst them there were a few soldiers who really were dehydrated and a couple of them had some really messed up feet.

* Patients continue to keep things interesting for me. I have had some interesting ones. I had one week where I had to call patients up after 730 at night and tell them to go to the ER because one had a pulmonary embolism and the other an ectopic pregnancy. I'm sure the ER was wondering why I was still at work at 730 at night. One patient asked, "Can I eat dinner first?" I said no. He later came back and brought me and the other PAs a homemade macaroni and cheese dinner for his gratitude. This happened to be the same day that I had to be counseled because I got 2 patient dissatisfaction surveys over the last few months, which I actually fond to be kinda funny. I have had some moments where patients had tested my patience. I even yelled at and threw an E-7 (Sergeant First Class) out of sick call after I chewed him out for not holding himself accountable and disrespecting me. I'm still trying to build up my "mean" side. Army "customer service" is a lot different than civilian customer service.

*Oh, and to help me be a little more aggressive, I got promoted to the rank of Captain. Yes, I am now Captain Anderson. It's a rank I have to get a little comfy with because it will be a while beofre I will be a major. At least I won't be called "LT" anymore.

*I have been house/fish/cat-sitting for one of my co-workers since July. This involves taking care of four cats, three of them are females. You can bet there's a lot of drama that goes on.

*My last tidbit of news is that I am finally on "leave", a.k.a. vacation for 2 weeks. I'm spending it with my now three adorable nephews and sister and brother-in-law in Alabama. My newest nephew, Jacob Watkins, was born on July 20. He had some beautiful pictures taken already as seen here. More pictures to follow.

It's been one of those weeks...

These were my daily goals for Thursday:
1. Have my computer/electronic medical records system working. I was kicked off of the system at 8:30 the night before. I guess that was my sign to go home. Fortunately, it was working the next morning.
2. Talk to the clinical nurse psychiatrist about a patient whose needs exceeds that of a primary care provider. This was also my first "will not see again" patient. I've started THE LIST.
3. Not end the day with a mentally unstable patient, unlike the previous two days. Yeah, one of those weeks.

On an up note, my goals for tomorrow include:
1. Road march 6 miles through Transmountain Road. More details later.
2. Finish about 9 patient notes that had to be put off due to other events this week.
3. Go grocery shopping at the commissary when it is actually open. Open!
4. Prepare my lesson for Sunday school on Sunday. Yep, I'm subbing. It's actually from Preach My Gosple, chapter 2.
5. Enjoy my Bluebelle Groom's Cake ice cream (chocolate ice cream with strawberry swirl, chocolate cake pieces, chocolate covered strawberries, something like that.) I have been thinking about this ice cream for well over a month! It's my reward for setting a new personal record on my physical fitness test -- which I completed when it was 35 ndegrees outside. I think I will remember to bring gloves when it's that cold next time. Maybe keep the long pants on for the run too.

Welcome Home

Here's some updates and randomness from the past couple weeks. I know, I've been slackin'.

* I made the 8.5 hour drive from San Antonio to El Paso on a pure sugar rush consisting of IHOP Nutella crepes for breakfast and a blue coconut creamfreeze from Sonic's when I reached my halfway point at Fort Stockton.

*When I got back, I wasn't sure if I was in El Paso because it was 74 degrees. I love coldfronts. Then I tried to re-program my radio stations, and sure enough, I was back in El Paso. One weird thing was that I found a Spanish station that occasionally plays some English alternative. Was that Pearl Jam that was just on?

*On a low note, when I got back I found out that my credentialing was not finished. I was told it would take another week before the next credentialing meeting. I was a bit disappointed. Then, 2 days before said credentialing meeting I found out that it would be another 3 weeks. I think I replied, if not shouted in my head, "You've got to be kidding me!!" "But you have a lot of stuff to do right?"said the lady in charge of my credentialing. Ummm, that's what I've been doing this past week. Why is it taking 3-4 months to get this done?? Needless to say, I was having feelings that were less than charitable to credentialing lady. Might I add, that I've never seen this lady in person? She's never there! Oh well, I guess I just have to continue to "flexecute."

*As part of my "flexecuting" I've started organizing the weekly medic training classes. My last one was on sore throat, and this week, by popular demand, it's sexually transmitted diseases. I have to alter my STI powerpoint presentation for a third version. Hopefully it will go over well.

*I have started doing sick call in the mornings. It stinks a little that I can't even write a prescription for something like Motrin. Tomorrow will be pretty busy since we get a lot of soldiers with post-weekend-itis. One of my partners likes to drug-test the repeat visitiors, especially those who come in on Monday mornings and it seems like the weekend had been a bit hard on them. Good idea. I'm still trying to learn the ways of chewing out soldiers who do dumb things. This may take some time. I did show less mercy on a private who was complainingg of coughing while exercising and at night after a cold two weeks ago. My prescription: Stop smoking!

*I do have my own office now! Complete with my name on the door. Oh, and I have my own stamp too. That one came at a cost. I think the lady in front of me was starting her own business and decided to order about 7 stamps and it took about 40 minutes.

*The first day I reported back, my commander said that he wanted to give the next Friday off to get some things done. I thought, okay, sure. After I found out that my credentialing will take a bit longer, I asked for an extra day off and changed the destination on my pass form. I got a plane ticket to California and flew in Thursday night. One of my first stops after I arrived was of course, to get an In n' Out animal style cheeseburger. Much of my weekend was spent attending the annual California Academy of Physician Assistants annual conference (couldn't believe this was my 6th time going) in Plam Springs. There were some good lectures, good advice ("Deep down, everyone wants a rectal exam."), brushed up on my suturing skills, cheered for USC as they won the College Bowl, and saw some good friends and former classmates that I had not seen in over a year. I was also very fortuante to spend most of my weekend in air conditioning, since it was over 100 wherever I went.

*I recognized the big difference between Texas drivers and California drivers: Speed. Californians like it. I had not driven that fast over the speed limit in a long time.

*After the conference I would drive back home and spend the rest of my waking hours visiting with friends. It was so good to see so many faces. I don't know how I know so many awesome people. The five hours of sleep every night was defiantely worth it. On my last day in California I stopped by the DeMaria quads. I can't believe they're walking!

Busy day tomorrow, and I have a mosquito with a death wish to take care of.

Ketchup

It's a bit hard to sum up the last few weeks, but I'll try. Still will have to wait until I get back to El Paso for some pictures.

*Here are some firsts: First pedicure (believe it or not, and after field training -- oh how needed it was!), first time feeding turtles, first Korean BBQ, chest tube insertion, and Wii experience (bowling, tennis, and boxing).

* I have to take back what I said about bees in my last post. There were a couple mornings where they were really, really bad when I was trying to eat breakfast. Stupid bees...

* The last week of field training seemed to go by quickly. I do miss the familiar call of the loudspeaker shouting, "Attention on the FOB!" "Time: Now," and "That is All." And the morning MJ/NKOB/Vanilla Ice music. We had some mass casualty drills and those were pretty fun. We couldn't use blanks that day so I had to verbally shout "Bang! bang!!" when I was on the guard tower and under attack. That's probably the reason why I got a fake knee injury and my partner was severely "wounded." I got to be the PA for aid station at the base and it was a good experience. The doc and I pushed 43 patients through in 1 hour! It was the first time I really had to do anything closely medically related in the past month. I love my job.

*I started coming up with a new song parody as I was cleaning my weapon to the tune of David Archuleta's "Crush" - which really was playing while I was cleaning it. "And you know this crud ain't going away-y-ay-y-ay-yaaaaaaaahh..." It was quite a long and tedious process.

* I had a wonderful time in Houston for a weekend visiting my friend Laura from PA school and her husband Cisco. We went indoor ice skating and to the Houston Arboretum. I'm going to miss the trees when I go back to El Paso, but I enjoyed the weekend while it lasted. If you're in the Houston area, apparently Lupe's Tortilla makes some really good fish tacos.

*I graduated from OBLC! I guess. It's weird thinking that I gradated when I still have a couple weeks of class left. The PA track also missed the ceremony because we were doing the Tactical Combat Medical Care (TCMC) course. TCMC was a great experience and it really made me appreciate what combat medics go through. My motto is: Learn/Train like your life depends on it, because it does.

*Fake blood is not easy to get out. Luckily I used my "field" pants, as they are now designated. Darn red food coloring...

*My California peaches let me down. Won't go into details, but I did call the grocery store to give them a heads up. Fortunately, it was only the girl next to me that noticed when I had a mild freakout and threw my peach back into my bag.

*There are some really ugly birds around here. I don't know what kind they are, but they look like diseased, strung-out, balding mini-crows.

* The San Antonio temple is very beautiful! It always feels like home, no matter where I am. I hope I can make it back again before I leave San Antonio.

*I've been enjoying a few other attractions of San Antonio. I was able to go to Sea World and Six Flags over Labor Day weekend. They're not quite like their California equivalents, but they were pretty fun.

*San Antonio finally got some rain!! It makes for a bit of mud around here, but it's been great.

So I finish this next week, drive back to El Paso and report back to duty next Friday. Back to the real world.

Week 2 of Field Training

I'm officially done with my second week of OBC! It seemed to go a bit faster than the first. Here are some things that happened:

*It didn't start out great. We had to report at 4:30 in the morning and knew that we had a long wait before we could get our weapons. That morning a new rule was instituted that we could not sit down unless we were eating. The week before we waited over 4 hours for the arms room to open up, so this made me a little cranky. Sometimes the time management is "menos eficaz" (less-effective).

* I found an evening of cooler, cloudy weather has a mildly intoxicating effect. Add some Erasure music playing over the loudspeaker and I became a bit giddy. Multiple this happiness with an instigated rule that we did not have to carry our lightening-rod weapons outside for the rest of the evening. Oh, the joy!! Some of the other music selections that were played over the loudspeaker included Vanilla Ice (my tent did get a premier of "Eyes, Eyes, Baby"), MC Hammer, LL Cool J, Michael Jackson, and New Kids On the Block. I waved my canteen to "Hangin' Tough" but found the whiny "I'll Be Loving You, Forever" to be a bit annoying.

* I survived the gas chamber! It's known as the "Mask Confidence" course and I do have great confidence in my gas mask. I was in a group of about 12 people and was led into a small room that pumped some sort of gas. The skin on our necks and hands burned as did some stretches and jumping jacks, and then we had to individually take off our mask and state our rank, full name, social security number, and where we were from. Some of the people in my group made it look so easy. When my turn came, I took a deep breath in, took off my mask, and proceeded to choke and cough my way through my words. It was almost like a drowning sensation while eating a jalapeno kind of feeling. Good time, good time.

*I had convoy operations training one day and started off in a simulator. I got to be the gunner in my group (stand through a hole in the "hummer" and shoot a really, really, large machine gun) and it was really awesome. During our field practice my job was to do security which entailed lots of kneeling on a very hot afternoon , and the radio person. While I was doing my radio job I missed out on the big "attack." On Thursday I did MOUT training which includes kicking doors, clearing rooms, and shooting enemies. That was pretty crazy yet fun too. This next week there is supposedly going to be some war games, woohoo!!

*I'm becoming more accustomed to bees and other stinging insects. There's always a lot of them during meal times and they just don't like to leave me alone. One of them suffered death by gravy. I do draw the line when they enter my tent. One victim suffered death by Blackhawk boot.

*The culinary highlight of field food this week was chicken. This was especially exciting after an encore of weird meatballs.

*I did make up for the MREs this week with some good food this weekend. Some friends and I went to a cool little dive in San Antonio called The Cove. It has its own car wash and has an indoor laundromat. It was nice enough to sit outside and we caught the last part of a local act in the var room. The food was amazing! It was all organic and we shared a vegetable appetizer that included falafel, naan, hummus, and sweet potatos. Most of the people had the bison burger and I tried the lamb burger with latin spices and sweet potato fries. Sooo good!! I tried some of the homemade ginger ale which was pretty good but really strong. My taste buds were on overload! Highly recommend this place!

* I ended this week with a wonderful visit with my friend Laura from PA school and her husband and met some of her sibs. It was a great afternoon and so fun to catch up. I may visit her in Houston in a couple weeks. Good times!

Stay tuned for more adventures next week! Last week of field training!

1st Week of Field Training

Here are some thoughts and experiences from my first week of field training. It has been a lot different from the previous 3 weeks of "death by Powerpoint."

* It's still been pretty hot. There have been a few heat injuries, especially amongst my platoon. This week we're suppose to start our physical training again. Oh, how I'm looking forward to that!

* I think the most beautiful sight I saw was the porta-potty maintenance truck pull up. It almost brought a tear to my eye...well, maybe not. It was still rather exciting. Those things can smell pretty bad. I also learned it's best to get in line early for meals, as the line backs all the way up to the latrines.

* I've been getting accustomed to the MREs (meals ready to eat). I had quite a hit of indigestion after the first two. I'm even starting to get use to the rehydration salts, which tasted pretty nasty in the beginning. It's been nicknamed "sweat water."

*I survived land navigation. I've developed a greater appreciation for safety eyewear, patrol cap, and uniform. The daytime course had me going through a lot of branches and night-time I plowed through quite a bit of cactus.

*With all the bruises I've managed to acquire, I'm starting to look like a human Dalmatian.

* Often in the morning and during the few rest breaks there's music played over the loudspeaker. This included a wide variety of classics including Tiffany's "I Think We're Alone Now." One of the first mornings we were awoken by some weird movie soundtrack with a little girl crying, "Daddy!! Don't leave me!"

* My battle buddy had her birthday while we in the field. I bought her some lunch from the "gut truck" to spare her an MRE.

*I have to have my weapon - an M-16 - tied (literally) to me practically 24/7. Even when we use the latrines. I feel like it's my long lost conjoined twin. I named it Enrique. I don't know if Enrique and I will be reunited again for this next week. He will always be my "first"...

* I felt like I may have cheated on Enrique when I did my 9mm pistol training. I did do a lot better on the range with the pistol than with the M-16. I'm sorry Enrique...

* My shower Friday night was the first shower I had since Monday morning and it felt soooo good. Loved it.

* This weekend went way too fast. Part of it must have been the fact that I slept until noon on Saturday. Yep, I was that tired. One of the highlights was taking advantage of Sonic's happy hour. So many drink choices!! I was already thinking of my next drink before I finished my blue coconut cream slush. It hit the spot.

4 a.m. Monday morning comes way too early. There's sure to be more adventures this week.

Checking In, Beginning Week 3!

Time is sure going by! Looooong days but fast weeks. One of the highlights of last week was the M-16 training. I still have to practice getting it assembled and disassembled in under 4 minutes. Maybe I can tap my inner Forrest Gump. I did a computer simulated exercise and got the rank of marksman. I was pretty fun! I will officially qualify when I start my field training next week.

Another fun moment this last week was Saturday night when I went to a dueling piano bar called Howl At The Moon on the Riverwalk in San Antonio. The pianos were going non-stop and they occasionally added in some drums or a guitar too. The crowd sang along to all of the songs. I loved the contest of choosing the cheesiest song from the 1980's. It tied with "Rock Me Amadeus" and "Gloria". At one point they had all the prior and active service military come on stage and sing along to "I'm Proud To Be An American" and it was pretty awesome.

Today I was waiting to do some medical in-processing (get immunizations, put medical info into the system, and do a vision exam). I arrived at 7 with over 150 other people after a 5:45 formation before breakfast. It took over 3 hours to get the computer system back up again and when all was said and done, I got out 6 1/2 hours later. During this time, I played a few games of tic tac toe and the dot game with the captain next to me, checked my Facebook about a dozen times, chit-chatted with a few other people surrounding me, and attempted to write my first post via phone. Unfortunately, the online access wasn't that great so I'm just doing it now before I touch-up my powerpoint presentation on STDs for tomorrow. Ahhhh, STDs. Fortunately I don't have to give it before lunch. I made it out with a Tb test, a polio vaccine (weird military protocol...), my second Hep A, and the easiest and quickest vision test ever. I thought for sure I would have trouble with that one, but I could use my good eye. At least I don't have to wear ugly "Birth Control" glasses when I'm in the field.

More to come...

OBC: week 1

I'm almost finished with my first full week of Officer Basic Course (OBC) at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio. Here are just some random thoughts and evens of the past week:
* On Monday I had a paperwork fiasco with my unit and this resulted in me leaving pretty late (considering I thought I would have it all signed by 10 AM and could be making it on my merry way. I didn't hit the freeway until about 5 PM and drove through the night. I learned that Texas Highway Patrol are pretty strict about their speed limits and I tried to be careful with the speed limit for most of the trip. With a time change, the night-time speed limit dropping to 65 mph and getting a little lost in San Antonio, I made it to lodging around 5 in the morning. I ended up taking an hour nap in my car and then I was able to register.
* With the large number of people in my class as well as the other overlapping class, we were assigned to hotels off base, with our own rooms. I know my living arrangements will be drastically different in a couple weeks when I start field training (crowded tents, 105+ degree heat, no showers). I guess by then I'll be moved to on-base shared lodging for the weekends and probably for the rest of my time here.
* I did have a little elevator trouble the other night. I was going down to the first floor and when it stopped, the doors barely cracked open. Pulling them and pressing the open button didn't help. The elevator went back up, and then down and repeated the same thing. For the next couple minutes it continued to go randomly up and down while I called the help line. I was told that the elevator had been having problem (duh, why didn't they have a sign on all the floors?)and a mechanic was going to fix it. The elevator finally stopped and opened on the third floor where there was a man waiting to use it and I told him he shouldn't. Craziness.
* I still have a bit of catching up to do on sleep. My first 72 hours since Sunday night I totaled 9 nine hours of sleep. The last few mornings I had to get up at 3 and 3:30 in the morning. I guess it's better to do our outside stuff at 5 in the morning when it's 80 degrees rather than 5 in the afternoon when it's over 100 (and stays 100 even at 9 o'clock at night). It's been a little bit of a challenge to stay hydrated, although it's made a little easier with my "patriotic" blue Powerade. And bless the creator of flavor-enhanced water (except the lemon-lime flavor -- that one is nasty).
* It's nice that I'm not the only one new to the military. The class (over 300 people) is about evenly divided between newbies and prior service. There's also some reserve and National guard too, and three foreign military officers. The majority of the group is made of nurses -- 95% of the people I meet -- and I've met about a handful of PAs.
* I had a nice time last night on the Riverwalk and some good Italian food with some of the other students. Good times.
* It's taking me some time and patience to get used to this San Antonio freeway system. Circular freeways? There's so many different roads and one-way streets. Who's idea was that? Luckily there are some turnarounds, but really it should not be that complicated.
* I attended the military branch today on base that was held in the library. Attending church in the library is a first for me. In a couple weeks we might move to the child development center. There was a pretty good turnout of around 70 people and they said it was the largest group they have seen in a while. I was a bit distracted during Relief Society with the "Read" campaign posters of celebrities from the 80's. Does anyone remember those?

More adventures to follow. Stay tuned.

Almost July: another update.

* I had a bit of a laundry room fiasco last Monday night. I went to put my clothes in the dryer and found the floor to be flooded. First time that happened to me and I have no idea why especially since the washer wasn't overloaded. It took me almost a half hour to get most of the water up. Que lastima!
* As I came back from the main lodging laundry room I scared off a coyote in the parking lot. I must admit it was pretty cool to listen to it howl a couple minutes later. Maybe the back door should be kept close...
* I had dinner with Marsha, Brandy, and another girl and they continue in their efforts to acclimate my taste buds to spicy food, but it was very delicious as usual. may have to get some Jamaican spice. We watched the movie "He's Just Not That Into You" and we shared a genuine chick moment.
* Yet another tie-up in paperwork and processing as I have to wait for my AKO account, which supposedly will take a few weeks.I did get to start shadowing the PA in the clinic and so it was nice to get back into the setting.
* I went to my first dance here in El Paso (for the last 40 minutes)and was actually quite impressed with the variety. I really did not know how to dance to ranchero music so I joined a group hitting a balloon and thinking of foods that start with the letter "m." I said marijuana counts, as it is an ingredient in certain baked items. Could I be corrupting these people already?
* After the dance I went to Village Inn with a large group and enjoyed some Nutella crepes with strawberries and bananas. Good good stuff.
* I learned that at the commissary they sell individual servings of Stephen's hot chocolate. There were only three flavors, but oh what joy!!
* I moved into my apartment. I won't have my stuff until Wednesday. I kinda miss my fridge. I have little to no cell phone reception and the phone company told me that I really, really needed to upgrade. I guess it is about time.
* As I was unloading my car the missionaries stopped me as they were looking for an apartment. They asked me if I had talked to guys like them before and I said many times. When they asked me where, I told them I was Mormon. I was glad that I could offer them some water in the triple-digit heat, and they just did a tough bike ride up the hill.
* Downside of El Paso: The drivers. I know that the speed limit is 60 miles an hour and I'm used to going 72, but when people drive 50 in the middle lane, that's just plain wrong!!
* Upside to El Paso: I love, love, love summer rain storms. It allows me to turn off my air conditioning for just a bit. The thunder was loud enough to set off a couple of car alarms and I got a text saying there was a funnel cloud over Biggs Air Field (out where I work). There aren't many things more peaceful than falling asleep to the sound of rain.

Almost two weeks later...

Just an update on the last couple weeks...
* I think I've been the personnel department's worst nightmare. Lots of issues and things to fix. Being reassessed in the system, hunting down other paperwork, waiting and waiting and waiting. It took me a little over a week to finally be in the system and on Friday I finally was able to get my ID card(makes leaving and getting around base much easier) and start my in-processing (basically paperwork and getting situated at the base). I should be done tomorrow. I thought today was going to be pretty easy and I would just pick up a paper before I headed to finance. That wasn't the story. Another hassle came up and I was sent to a couple other offices and found out that I didn't have a certain necessary account which I couldn't register because of another glitch, and so the cycle of frustration continued... Iwas finally able to get needed form at the end of the day and hopefully tomorrow will be a lot easier.
* I have a really cool PA in my unit that I will be working with named Marsha, who happens to be from Jamaica. She's been a big help and the past couple weekends we went to the bowling alley on base and had a couple of dinners at her house with her roommate who also is in the Army. Last night I was really spoiled with some amazing marinated grilled chicken, potatos, and homemade salsa.
*Last night I also discovered the joy of watching the Dodgers in HD. Amazing.
* I've done some apartment searching and I think I've settled on one which is actually a town home apartment. Stairs will be good for me. It's actually the farthest one away from base but it's only about 25 minutes on a highway that crosses the mountains. I actually liked being a little closer to the mountains and I guess giving myself a little space between home and work could be a good thing.
* On Saturdays I've treated myself to some Mexican food for lunch. I went to a burrito place (it starts with a C, can't quite remember) and had some good mole with wonderful homemade tortillas. I also tried Avila's which is one of the most popular places in El Paso, and I can see why. Wonderful food! I may be developing an addiction to horchata as well.
* I have a greater appreciation for clouds. Sometimes brings the heat down just a few degrees, and I especially love it when it rains - which hasn't been often. Today it dropped thirty degrees just within 30 minutes and it was heavenly. I even turned off my car's air conditioner. Unfortunatly it didn't stay cool very long. It's still in the 90's at night, uggg....
* I found 1.5 more English stations to program onto my radio. Still have a couple more buttons to fill. One of the stations - the best I've found - is a bit fuzzy but is clearer when I'm near Biggs Airfield (where I'll be working).

First Day

It'll take me a while to catch up with the events of the past couple weeks, so I'll just focus on today. It's been an interesting first day as I reported to my unit at Fort Bliss. Here's just a run-down of some of the events:
*Locked myself out of my motel room as I ran to get something from the car while I was on the phone.
* Had lots of salutes given to me. Failed to salute an officer because I was temporarily blinded by sun and blowing dirt while leaving a building and had to be reminded of this simple military courtesy by another officer. Sunglasses are a must here.
* Found out that I was still not in the system. Third time was not a charm, as I was previously told this at Camp Pendleton and Los Alamitos. My in-processing has been put on hold for a bit. Fortunately, I was able to get all of the paper work together and everything is now being put into the system. Then I can get my ID card. It was highly recommended that I do not leave the base until I get my ID card. This could take a few days since Friday may be off.
* While my breakfast sat like a rock in my stomach, I was reeeeally thirsty all day long. I finally re hydrated myself after a trip to the commissary in the late afternoon and I stocked up on gatorade and water.
* I was set up in one of the annexes for lodging. They are some pretty old buildings, but it's decent. The downside is that I have very low cell phone reception.
* I can see Mexico! However, I am prohibited from traveling to any part of Mexico.
* My orders for tomorrow: call the captain of my unit to let him know I am still alive (this is what he said) and search through apartment guides.
* I have not been able to find enough English stations to finish programming my car radio.

It's Official

On Friday I was commissioned as a First Lieutenant Officer and officially sworn in by Major Britson. I can't believe I leave for El Paso a week from tomorrow!

El Paso I Will Go

Yesterday I came to a final decision and it wasn't an easy one. I received a much anticipated phone call, but I still felt like I was deciding at almost the last moment because I did not have a really definite answer of where I wanted to go. It was down to two choices: El Paso, TX and North Carolina. I went over my choices with Captain Jones (he's going to be the White House PA starting next month) and he confirmed that both were two great choices and he helped me make my final decision based on what would be best for me professionally. Not that I wouldn't mind jumping out of airplanes (part of the airborne certification that I would have to go through at North Carolina) or the fact that North Carolina was a lot greener and not bone-dry like Texas. If I felt like I wanted to spend the rest of my career in family medicine, North Carolina would hands down be my first choice. It is the Army's medical center of excellence for family medicine and many doctors do their family residency training there. I figured I would have more exposure to emergency medicine and trauma at Fort Bliss, and since their major trauma center serves up to 25% of civilian emergencies, I may even get to keep up my Spanish a little.
When I hung up the phone one of my first thoughts was, "the desert...the brownness...the heat...why??" A funny thing was the fact that I was giving the family home evening lesson that night and it was on decisions. It was almost a sort of "decision-decompression-therapy" for me. I was reminded how all decisions, when made with good intentions, thinking and prayer, can be used to benefit our welfare and learning. There are also times when the answers to the decisions that we make are not so clear. Brigham Young said the following: "If I ask Him (God) to give me wisdom concerning any requirements in life, or in regard to my own course...and get no answer from Him, and then do the very best that my judgement will teach me, He is is bound to own and honor that transaction, and He will do so to all intents and purposes." And so it is with me. It will be interesting to see what experiences I will have there. I will be reporting to El Paso June 10 to start my processing and orientation and will start Officer Basic Course in San Antonio in July. I'm excited -- desert and all -- bring it on!!

Roadtrip Recap

These are just some random thoughts/experiences from last week.

* I went to my mission reunion since I had not been to one in about four years. Usually when one goes to a reunion, they "reunite" with someone. I actually didn't know anyone else there. My mission president had to go out of town and here only a handful of people who served around the same time I did. I still had a really good time.

* On Sunday I met up with some friends who came up from California to go to general conference (a large meeting where leaders of the LDS church speak to people around the world twice a year). It was great and the messages were very uplifting. Between sessions we had a little "tailgate" party. I suggested doing some face paint with the mustard or mayo, but that idea didn't quite catch on.

* I love how the food is cheaper in Utah, I miss that!

*It's a good thing to occasionally listen to the radio in a different state. There were quite a few songs that I have not heard yet, and some that I have not heard in years.

* I was at a gas station and I noticed the car behind me had some dogs who were happy to stretch their legs. "Are those Norwegian Elkhounds?" I asked. "Yes, they are!" She replied. I told her they were beautiful. She said, "I'm surprised you even knew what kind they were!" I am a nerd.

* At my usual Fillmore, UT rest stop I took a moment to help the worker find a few more edge pieces of the puzzle she was working on. My efforts proved futile.

*I had a lovely lunch with one of my mission companions at Hires in Salt Lake, I had not seen her for years and it was great to see her. Hires has delicious hamburgers and fry sauce (it's a Utah thing) too.

*Speaking of food, I went up to Logan to stop by Gossner's Cheese factory to pick up some squeaky cheese (regular and fresh smoked cheddar cheese curds) and some ice cream - even though it was cold and rainy out. Slightly disappointed that the Huckleberry cheesecake was too frozen too serve up (I don't come across huckleberry anything much in Cali) but the Oatmeal cookie was still delicious. I also stocked up on a few canisters of flavored hot chocolate mix.

* I had a wonderful time in Idaho at a friend's wedding. It was almost like a family reunion because I grew close to her and her family while we were roommates. The weather was beautiful! I had a moment to enjoy the sunshine and take a little walk near the falls.
*I did get to spend a little time with my brother. I don't really see him that often since we've lived in different states for quite a number of years. I was amazed that he woke up before 7 A.M on his day off to treat me to breakfast before I headed back to California.
*My camping and hiking plans were rained/snowed out. My original plan was to spend a couple days in Yellowstone while I was up in Idaho, but they were expecting snow storms (and only one road open) for the rest of the week. Plan B was to go to Zion's National Park on the way home, but there were some expected thunderstorms that night and rain the next day - which would make for some very slippery sandstone at Angel's Landing and possible flash floods in the Narrows. Plus it was a holiday weekend. Dang. Plan C was to go on a short 2 mile hike around Cedar Break National Monument. After I traveled the 20 minutes through the canyons I got to the road about 7 miles from the trailhead and it was closed due to about 4 feet of snow. I wish I had some snowshoes... Oh well... I did get to see this lovely view and you may be able to see Zion's National Park in the distance on the left.
*On my way up to Utah I was disappointed to see that the world's tallest thermometer in Baker, CA was not turned on. Was this the end of a landmark that I always looked forward to since my childhood? I was relieved to see it turned back on and boasting a nice 71 degrees on my way home. I figured maybe they forgot to turn it back on after Earth Hour.
*One confession: I smuggled 3 Sunkist tangelos into California. I really did forget about them. It's not very often that I'm stopped at the checkpoint. The officer asked me if I had any fresh fruit. I said no. He looked at me, and said, "Where's that beautiful smile?" I gave him a cheesy grin and he let me through. Phew...
* I drove through/enjoyed a thunder and lightning storm from Baker to Barstow. There's something really beautiful and captivating about a desert storm.

That concludes my latest adventure. I got home safe and sound with no speeding tickets. I love cruise control. I'm definitly sure this won't be last road trip this year.

It's Something Unpredictable, But In The End It's Right.

I've made a decision. It hasn't been the easiest decision, and it took quite a bit of time and struggling to reach it. Now that I have decided to become more public with it, I haven't quite found the easiest way of sharing the news. I have told some friends individually, but I'm a little hesitant on blasting it on my Facebook status. It is easiest when I simply tell people straightforward. I come across the response of "Why?" quite often and it's hard to express all of my reasons.
How did I come about to this decision? It was an answer to prayers, fasting, hours spent in the temple, studying, weighing options, realizing that I wasn't where I want to be and I wasn't going where I wanted to be going. A result of frustrations over job opportunities, employers, physicians, and the hardships and utilization of physician assistant colleagues. There's been some tears, especially knowing that there was a strong possibilty of leaving family and friends. I had also been praying that my eyes could look at my situation in a new perspective.
Then there was the awakening of an idea that has laid dormant in my mind for years, aroused over a simple question from a friend during a lunchtime study session at B&N: "I know you talked about it before, but have you considered the military?"
My eyes began to open and I decided that this was the new pespective I had been searching for. I asked queations, I read, looked at the differences between the Army and Air Force -- decided on the Army for a few reasons, and prayed.
Last week I took another step. I went to San Antonio, Texas to get some questions answered, get a physical and a vision waiver (I wasn't sure if my vision would disqualify me, that's one of the reasons I've been quiet about my decision), and most importantly, get a confirmation that I was doing the right thing. And I got it. In the words of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, "I'm motivated by the lack of doubt." I really don't have any doubt and for the first time in 5 months I feel confident in what I am doing. There are other reasons and feelings for why I'm going into the military, but they are a bit more personal and harder to express.

For those who have some questions (and I'll be happy to answer any more)
1. How long do I have to do it? It's a three year commitment. If I decide to do any kind of advanced training or pursue a doctorate, they require more service in return of at least another 3 years. I'm not sure if I'll go beyond the three years, it depends on what happens in the next three years (ie. family, etc...)
2. Could I be deployed? Yes, and I am willing to do it if I need to. I won't be involved in combat due to my gender, and most of it will be spent in a heavily secured hospital. The PAs that I spoke with that have been deployed said that it is more of an issue of inconvenience of being away from family that was a concern for them, rather than the issue of safety.
3. What will I be doing? Most of the time it will primary care for soldiers and their families for the first three years. I'm looking to be stationed at a large military hospital so that I can get some good experience. There's also some training of combat medics that I will be involved with as well. It averages about 45 hours of work a week, so there is hope for a life outside of the military. Deployment usually has longer hours and work 6 days out of the week, still lots of primary care as well as trauma care experience.
4. Do I have to go to boot camp? I will be going in as an officer, which is a bit of a different world than the enlisted soldier. I will spend 9 weeks in San Antonio going through the Officer Basic Course and I will learn some of the basic things about how to be an officer, some physical training (but not as intense as boot camp, and there really isn't any yelling at officers - they do keep it at a very professional level), and more training related to the medical field like combat trauma, etc... This will most likely start in June and when I am done I have about 2-3 weeks to get ready and move to my first post -- which I should find out in April, feel free to do the poll on the side.

So that's a bit of an update. These next couple of months will be interesting to say the least. Stay tuned.

Still Waiting...

I had made the goal that by the end of this week I would know where my life would be going. All of my decisions will have been made. I would know whether I would stay in California or Washington or maybe some other random place. I would know if I would be doing family medicine, urgent care, or pediatrics. But that hasn't happen. My state of unemployment limbo continues... I am waiting to hear back from 3 clinics for possible interviews -- and I have called them, but it's more like 'Don't call us, we'll call you'. There's the fourth job that I did interview at and still have uncertain feelings over. I feel like the single girl (wait, that's me!) who's waiting for the call back after a first date.
::Begin rant:: "Why won't he call??" Are they "just not that into me?" (inside joke, that's for another post). I deserve a phone call, darn it, because I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it, people like me! ::end rant::

I try not to wait too much sitting around and waiting and use my time constructively. This week I played charades, caroled at a rehab center (not the drug kind), frosted a couple cookies, tried to keep warm without turning on the heat, paid a few bills, sent off a Christmas package, tried swing dancing for the first time at a college hangout, and checked out a couple of books at the library. But still no calls, other than the occasional one from my mom trying to get an update. I'm not sure with the holidays that I will be finding out much either, although I know some of the places will still be open. I remember being originally scheduled to have the 24th off because I told the office manager I would rather have my birthday off and keep up with tradition than taking the day after Thanksgiving off. I guess I could enjoy my "extended" Christmas vacation.

Stay tuned.

Do I really want to go back to my "roots"?

I don't think so. As much as I loved going to Scandinavia this summer and exploring the lands of my ancestry, I don't think some of the other locations significant to personal and family history would have the same appeal as potential work locations. Today I noticed there was a job opening in El Centro, CA (where I was born) and there were quite a few openings in Rapid City, South Dakota (where my maternal grandparents were from). I figure there was a reason why they moved to Los Angeles and never moved back. I was emailed another job opportunity at an ortho clinic one hour from Sioux Falls. It's weird to think of Sioux Falls, SD as "the city."

Job search update: Still waiting to hear back from a couple clinics here in CA. Still not sure what to think of the one I interviewed at in Santa Ana. She said she would get back to me in the next week or two. Just found one in the Riverside area this past weekend and I emailed my resume yesterday. Not quite sure if I'll check Washington out this week due to the weather. I have to make a decision very, very soon.

Stay tuned!

I Do Need A Little Christmas...

This was my thought as I was listening to the Christmas music at Food 4 Less last week. It's kind of weird how much I haven't thought about Christmas this year. It's very unusual for myself, especially since I'm a Christmas Eve baby and "Feliz Navidad" being piped into the nursery at El Centro Community Hospital was probably one of the first sounds I heard. Alas, this year is different. I have failed in my delegated duty of organizing the family gift-giving. I've listend to the 24 hour Christmas station only a few times on Sundays. My mother is still awaiting my list of Christmas/birthday wants and needs. Is "smog check" an appropriate Christmas gift? My car is due for one so I can renew the registration. The idea of shopping has been dreadful, and not just because of the crowds. I have watched "It's a Wonderful Life" only once this year, ::gasp!!:: I have been a bit distracted. The rollercoaster of job searching and interviews. The bills. A computer virus to add to my frustrations. The decisions that I have to make by the end of the month. It's all been a bit emotionally and mentally draining.
To remedy this festive anemia, I decided to go to the annual nativity and music festival in Upland last week. It was fabulous as usual, and great to see familiar faces. Some faces were less familiar as some of the kids I remembered being 4 years old were now teenagers. It was nice to focus on the true meaning of Christmas. The celebration of the Savior, making his humble entrance into the world that He would save.
On another good note, this year does seem better than then years past for the fact that I don't have to worry about finishing my research paper on Christmas. I don't have to worry about final exams or CASPA deadlines or PA interviews. I can enjoy the fact that I'm not currently surrounded by sick people who would later cause me to spend the majority of my holiday shopping budget on antibiotics and co-pays.
So, maybe I could put more Christmas in my life. I am open to service opportunities and suggestions, let me know! If you need some cranberry sauce for your Christmas dinner, I would be thrilled to make you some. My offer on an "It's a Wonderful Life" movie night still stands as well. And for now, I can admire the little Christmas tree in the local public library just as I am doing right now or the large tree of lights at CBU visible from my bedroom window. Good thing I have blinds.

For those who were wondering...

Here's an update on my current job status...

Pediatrics job in Santa Ana: Group just posted their ad yesterday, I sent in my CV, job interview on Monday!! Downside: lots of driving...

Loma Linda: I was turned down for an interview for not having enough experience, which I was expecting anyways. I figured when they said "preferred" that would still give me a green light and I didn't have anything to lose.

Montclair: Family practice and derm, just found out from Mom today. Haven't heard back yet. Doctor is looking for a long-term partner I believe, especially one wanting more of the business responsibility, so....not quite sure how to feel on that one...

Washington (rural) pediatrics clinic: Still in the back of my mind. I figure if I don't have a successful interview next week, I may take a roadtrip later this month for an interview. Benefits do look nice, and it's pediatrics in a high-spanish area, we'll see...

There may be some other random job issues coming up in the next couple weeks. Stay tuned,

I'm on the hunt. Release the hounds!!

I've been asked quite a few times today how my job hunting was going. I have sent my resume out to a few places. The lack of local jobs that I could apply for (especially since I don't have a lot of experience yet) has been a bit discouraging. I'm still looking...

After I tried to apply for a local position, I found out that I had uploaded my resume on a health career national database. Needless to say I have been receiving emails and calls from place like Bullhead City, Arizona and other places across the country.

Here was a conversation I had yesterday (yes, Saturday) morning.
Me: Hello?
Caller (very thick accent): Hello Janet (my name is pronounced this way quite frequently), my name is So-n'so from ::something incomprehensible, I thought I heard the name 'Pomona':: and Dr. So-n'so saw your resume and was wondering if you can come in for an interview next week.
::cue small earthquake - this really did happen and I was distracted for a moment::
Me: Sure, I'm pretty open. How about Tuesday at 2:00?
Caller: Okay, that's fine. Our clinic location is 380 Fremont. Will you be coming by car or bus?
Me: By car. What city is your clinic located again? (thinking it might be closer to Alhambra)
Caller: Da' Bronx. So you will be coming from the west?
Me: The east. I'm sorry, what city was that again?
Caller: Da' Bronx... ::moment of silence::...Oooooooohhhh, I'm sorry, I thought you were in Riverside, New York! Soooo... you probably won't be able to make it this Tuesday?
Me: I don't think that will happen.
Caller: Have you ever thought about working on the east coast?
Me: Um, how about you send me some information on the clinic and position and I'll get back to you.
Caller: Information? What do you mean?
Me: (Thinking, is she really asking me this?) Oh, things like, specialty, expectations, hours, benefits...
Caller: Oh, okay thank you!

Not all of the jobs I have seen have been weird. I did come across a good job at a rural pediatrics clinic in another state. There is even a lower cost of living and I would get paid extra just for being able to speak Spanish. To me, especially if it was a year or two ago, this seems like I would be living the dream! Before I started PA school and through most of my time in it I had thought about going into rural medicine in a high spanish-speaking population. Adding the factor that it's a pediatrics clinic sweetens the deal as I have considered that is the area I want to stay in for my career. But I am not sure if now is the right time to live that dream. Since the time I graduated, I have learned that timing is an essential factor in my career development. I recognized it first when I interviewed for a sub specialty position for my first job. While I had envisioned that type of job as an ultimate goal, it does not mean that it was the right job for me right now. I was even relieved when I was not offered the job after my interview. I am not sure if this current job offer has that similar lesson for me. I just know that right now I reeeeally want to stay in Southern California. This is where I have my roots. This is where I have grown up and lived with such a great support system. While I am a pretty independent person and can enjoy some solitude and I don't have a problem living alone, I still have a need for frequent social contact outside of work. Would a job in a rural area impede such peer interaction? There are so many things to consider right now and I must admit that I am getting a little less patient by the day and more stressed about financial obligations and the uncertainty of the whole situation. I am comforted by the fact that any decision I make will be used toward my good. I just have to keep relying on that fact. If I do have to cut my losses and find a better in situation in another city or state, then, as the Beatles would say, "let it be." We'll see what happens. Stay tuned.