Counting Down

Wohoo....one more block test closer to getting through this. Only four more blocks and two finals (shh.....the other b word doesn't exist right now) till I am through the big hurtles of med school. Of course I should be studying for the other b word instead of writing this but we just won't go there. We had our biggest block exam ever this past week and so my brain is still on recovery mode. Surviving that monster gave me hope that I might actually make it to the end without having to give them a kidney or my first, second, and third born children to get them to let me out of this place. It's crazy to have things start wrapping up. They took our pictures last week for the commencement composite before we go out on rotations. We just had our first practice board test due. People are starting to make housing arrangements for June. I have my last house call tomorrow with a family I have now been seeing for a whole year. It's all coming to a close.....just three more months of classes.

Aside from classes, there have been lots of extras that have added to the chaos. We put on Hunger Banquet to raise awareness of the millions that go without food every day and collected a whole bunch of food for our local food bank. A group of us are also working on a mentoring project for a local school. For those that have never been to Kirksville, the area is very low income. There is a huge meth problem, high school dropout rate is incredibly high, teen pregnancy is at shocking levels, and many people don't leave the towns they were raised in. The school system in the city of Kirksville is actually pretty good but there is a huge drop off leaving the city limits. So we opted to focus on a school that is often forgotten. There is a huge problem with bullying and self-esteem and we are hoping to make a dent in a positive way. Next Monday we have our first workshop with 50 sixth graders. The principal is insanely supportive and excited that we had interest in her kids. Hopefully we don't get up there and make total idiots of ourselves.

I just have to say thank you to everyone who has stood by and not given up on me. Sorry to so many of you that I didn't get to see while I was home. I promise I haven't forgotten about you. And I am insanely bad at remembering to call or message people on a regular basis. In fact I just remembered that it has been over a week since I have called my mom. So believe me when I tell you it is not you, it is me and my scatter brained head. Maybe I should make this my New Year's Resolution since I have yet to make one this year.