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Yesterday I took Step 2 of my medical licensing exam, and I am soooo glad that’s over with. Step 1 was last year, where I took 4 entire weeks to study for an 8-hour test. That was ten times more stressful and sapped a big chunk of my lifetime allowance for study hours. This time around, I had only this past week for exclusive studying and the studying I did for my emergency medicine exam helped too. Again, this was an 8 hour test and so it’s more of an exercise in endurance than knowledge!! Well, you gotta know your stuff for this test too, but the topics are so broad, from dermatology to pediatric fluid resuscitation to treating congestive heart failure… Really, if anyone who’s a med student reads this, here is my advice: Pay attention on your clerkships. You’ll be fine. Review what you know, and drink lots of coffee during lunch. (p.s. I took it early since the Navy requires it by military match day in December, but I think anytime during 4th year works)

I just got in from running a 5K race here in town, the Captain Midnight’s Run for Cystic Fibrosis. It was a fun race, about half the runners were some fraternity and the other half were homegrown Ames citizens. I was supposed to run 7 miles yesterday, but instead I ran 4 today plus this 5K today. I think my time was 21:54. Something like that. Not bad for having done 4 miles, plus some hills on the race! I’m planning on running the Lake Country Half Marathon in Oconomowoc, WI this Sunday so I’m looking forward to that. I had hoped to be able to do a half closer to home, but with this being Labor Day weekend, most of the races are on Monday, the day I leave for San Diego!

Being back in my hometown is always funny. Last night at Best Buy, a bunch of Ames High football players walked in wearing their jerseys. That brought back soo many memories of the politics behind girlfriends wearing those jerseys, going to football games on Friday nights, marching band. Then today while out shopping, I saw two girls wearing Ames High Marching Band shirts. I was kinda jealous, I never got a shirt!! I wasn’t the band though, I was a flag twirler. We called ourselves the flaggots. It was awesome. The head-to-toe sequins were a bit much, but at least it wasn’t spandex.

The only downside is that Iowa State flashes from the bumper of every car, the chest of any college student, from inside store windows… I wore my Iowa Hawkeyes shirt on campus yesterday to my test, that was an experience. But the Hawks are gonna kick the Cyclones this year anyway, so who’ll be laughing then????

HAWKEYE SEASON OPENER TOMORROW! THEY’RE PLAYING AT SOLDIER FIELD!!

Apparently I dropped my photo ID in the hospital and it was picked up by security. Security was nice enough to email me they had it, and I could pick it up. However, I had just left town and couldn’t pick it up. I won’t be back until the Sunday of Labor Day and then am flying out on Labor Day. So I emailed him back asking it if he could please mail it to my on-campus mailbox.

He emails me back that it was turned over to the parking office. Now I have to pick it up from there. So today I call the parking office and ask if they can mail it to me. I explain I’m in Iowa. I explain I can’t pick it up Monday morning because I run the risk of missing my flight. I explain that most of my friends are on away rotations and this is a big favor to ask. I explain I’ll be gone for 2 months and I need the ID badge for my rotations. The parking office still won’t mail it to me.

But, they will let some random person walk in and claim it. Not to mention that my ID badge was turned over from a 24-hour security office to a 7:30-5 M-F parking office. The woman on the phone tries to tell me they used to charge $5 a day if this kind of thing wasn’t picked up (so…what are you implying?) But I get them to agree to turn it back over to security for a short time so I can pick it up Sunday at 5 from a certain desk. But no guarantees.

I ask if they can attach a Post-It with my phone number to my ID badge. The person on the phone refuses, saying they won’t call me. She’ll only attach a Post-It with my name to my ID badge. Which already has my name on it. Does this make sense to anyone?

I just have to laugh sometimes at the difference between those who have set hours and those of us who do not. Our concepts of convenience are as different as night and day.

Here at week 6 of my 18 week training schedule, I thought I’d post another recap. I just went through my compliance to the schedule, and I deviated a bit…

I could give all my excuses, which include having an injury the first week! plus my random ER schedule combined with the not-open gym hours, but really I gotta take responsibility for the 20 rest days I’ve given myself. I had hoped my spring training would help against injury, but apparently not. So far, I’ve been alloted 12, so that’s over a week of laziness. Plus, with the cross training I had to do, I wasn’t always equating the proper time that would have been spent in cardio. It’s my own fault!! I admit it!!

Today I ran the 9 mile intended for yesterday, it was a good run. Hot and humid of course, but I ran through town instead of around the Ada Hayden pond so there were less bugs. Plus I stopped in the Ames Public Library for a drink, stretched out a bit, enjoyed the A/C for a moment, then ran back home. I love that library… always have

All us kids called our abuelito “Tata,” I’m not sure where that name came from. Much like abuelita was “Mamiña” even though her name was Fresia. My grandfather’s full name was Humberto Antonio Silva-Lobos and he died on Friday morning from Parkinson’s with pneumonia.

When I was in Chile last year the family asked me to take a look at his medicines and there was also a copy of his EKG. After seeing how far the Parkinson’s had progressed, knowing he was already fighting pneumonia, and reading the electronic representation of his heart conduction, I hugged him goodbye feeling as though I may not see him again. I tried to say something in spanish about how long it would be until I could return, but I think it was just too complicated a thing to say, even if it were in my native english.

The best memory I have of my grandfather was when the whole family was out shopping in Viña del Mar when I was about 12. We were at an outdoor artists’ market/flea market where I had been admiring some matchsticks carved into figurines. Though we were about to leave, I wanted to run back and get one. To my surprise, Tata said he’d walk with me and buy it for me. He haggled with the vendor a bit before pulling out his wallet, letting me choose an encased match carved into two figures dancing.

As my brother and I live in the United States, whereas the rest of my cousins live in Chile, Tata and Mamiña were able to see them grow up but only meet us on few occasions throughout the years. It’s sad though, that when I go down for Christmas this year, both my grandparents won’t be there. I’ll have to go to the coast, rent a boat, and ride out into the Pacific to visit their scattered ashes. My cousin Sebastian read at the funeral how Tata was like an oak tree, always strong with branches representing the entire family. But since my grandmother died, how his tree has been wilting and getting sicker. In a dream before Tata died, he said he saw my grandmother. I’m glad they’re together again.

I went for a nice early 3 mile run this morning when it was nice and cool, but humid too. Since Sunday, my quads have been a bit sore but today I picked up my pace so I was almost back to my normal stride. Wow, is my cardio not up to speed! In slowing down so as not to overwork my strained calf, I must have sacrificed some CV fitness. But it was definitely a good feeling to sprint the last block or two home!

It rained last night… again. The river by my running trail is supposed to flood today, and this morning I was dodging large puddles every time I crossed a road. The first lake I encountered I tried to take a running leap over it but didn’t quite make it, soaking my left foot in the process. Then I tried jumping over another big puddle, to have the same shortfall happen again! So I ran with a nice, dry, right foot and a wet, squishy left foot.

Today is my emergency medicine exam, I have my book open to “Hypertensive Emergencies” right now but am writing this blog instead And I just downloaded Paul van Dyk’s new album “In Between” so I’ll be listening to that while I study today. Later on today I’m driving back to Ames and dropping off my iguana Nuthetes in Iowa City, then running my 6 mile later tonight. But first I need some breakfast…

For making me read the trail map in a rush, causing me to run a full 13 miles today. I had planned to run only 10. Oops.

As I was stretching out before my run, the mosquitos began their attack, so I just skimped on the warm up, figured I’d watch the mile markers, and took off. Since this was my long run, I made absolutely sure to run slow. I kept my lips sealed through most of the run, breathing only through my nose thus limiting my speed and walking up any minor hill I encountered. Any stretching along the way was hastened when the mosquitos resumed rappelling up and down my legs, causing me to just take off again.

Time just got away from me and I was really enjoying the run, but at some point I wondered where the mile markers were. I felt good, so I figured if I ran an extra mile it wouldn’t be too bad. But I was very surprised when I saw a map indicating I was at mile 6.5. Oh. I guess I better turn back

I got caught in the rain again, but I was armed with a ziplock for my ipod this time. Plus there aren’t any real water stops by my run so by mile 9 I just sucked some rainwater off my hoodie. Is that gross? Well, when you need water and have 4 miles to go even a jacket looks tasty!

Back at home, I was doing that slow careful walk you get where your legs are both steel and jelly intermixed. And you’re afraid of losing your balance, as any fast muscle contractions might lead to disasterous results. Funny thing is, I babied my calf so much during the run, I developed all kinds of other transient aches and pains to worry about! But it all evened out in the end and I’m feeling ok. I inadvertently ran a half marathon today!!

This past Wednesday I ran 6 miles in the rain.  It began POURING only 200 yards into my run, but I was determined to finish so I pulled my hat down and tried to shield my ipod.  Lightning was firing overhead and the river running by the trail was starting to flood its banks.  By mile 2, one of my earbuds shorted out so I stashed my ipod into a port-a-potty and kept running.

It was an incredible run.   The sun occasionally came out enough to appreciate the green forest preserve I run through and the rain tasted sweet.  Though I normally run with a t-shirt on, I took it off just to feel the rain on my shoulders.  My shoes squished through puddles and my t-shirt turned into a 5 lb weight in my hands.  At the end of the run, I ran out of the trees into a prairie where the sky had turned pink and stars were beginning to shine.

The one downside was my calf began to act up around mile 3.  As a result, the second half of my run was spent in prayer, saying “please don’t take my running away!”  The last thing I want is to feel another pop that will sideline me for good.  That feeling of impending doom eased up a bit by mile 4, came back around mile 5, but had faded by the time I came into the home stretch.  But that waxing and waning was enough to scare me back into cross training since then.

I’ve already missed out on running an 11 mile and am supposed to run 12 today. Maybe I’ll try running and make sure I take it nice and slow.  It’s raining again today… hopefully this run will be more forgiving!

I really wanted to use that title, as I successfully ran a 5 mile with no pain! During the run I thought “ok, don’t hurt yourself, otherwise you can’t use that title.” I know, it’s the stupid things that get you through

I ran a 3 mile yesterday, it was probably the slowest 3 miler I’ve ever run. Since I didn’t feel any tightness or have any cramping last night, I decided to aim higher today. Today the weather was great and I was feeling pretty good. I still ran super slowly, I found that “Pump It” by Black Eyed Peas was more to my pace, and I could easily breathe with my mouth closed. Which makes me wonder if it was more of a fat burn workout than a cardio workout, but a 5 mile is still a 5 mile! In case anyone is interested, when I choose “Top 25 most played” on my iPod, it’s my running playlist, which is… (and I am mentioning because it’s gotten me through a lot of tough spots!)

RUN!! – Hypd up

1. The Sweet Escape- Gwen Stefani
2. Feel Good, Inc. – Gorillaz
3. Born Too Slow- The Crystal Method
4. Call On Me (Radio Edit) – Eric Prydz
5. Pump It- Black Eyed Peas
6. Hey Ya!- OutKast
7. Faster Kill Pussycat- Paul Oakenfold feat. Brittany Murphy
8. SOS- Rihanna
9. SexyBack- Justin Timberlake
10. No Compromise – Paul Oakenfold feat. Spitfire
11. Guerilla Radio- Rage Against The Machine
12. Don’t Want to Stay- Rock Kills Kid
13. Break It Off- Rihanna & Sean Paul
14. Hella Good- No Doubt
15. Impact (Remix)- Daddy Yankee feat. Fergie
16. Tarantula- Smashing Pumpkins
17. Stronger- Kanye West, Daft Punk

I have a longer playlist just called RUN!! that has other cool songs, this one is just my staple.

The second part of my successful day (well, week) is that I am now fully committed to Emergency Medicine! Yay! I know that’s probably no surprise to all of you, but I really needed to prove to myself that it was the right thing for me. My rotation so far has been AWESOME. I find myself smiling all the time, I look forward to seeing more patients and hoping they all have new and different complaints, the attendings are great, and even when I work 10-11 hour shifts straight, I still leave the department thinking “I love ER!” I haven’t felt this enthusiastic about medicine since the first week of my third year when it was all fresh and new. Today and tomorrow I’m doing training for Advanced Hazmat Life Support all day, plus tomorrow I’m helping to teach second years how to do an eye exam. Fun fun! (No, really!)

It’s been pretty humid here in Chicago, every time I leave the house I immediately feel like I need to shower again. Not that the weather matters, because I’m just passing through on my way to the emergency room, then back home to sleep. After 3 years of wondering if I’d like emergency medicine, I have to say that I do! I finished my 3rd day today and I can already see myself committing to it. I haven’t done any trauma or procedures yet, but I like how random it is. Sure, half are chest pain, but who knew I’d get an STD, suicidal ideation, gastritis, and crazy heart rhythms all in one day??

The exercise is nonexistant. Simply because my shift ends at the time the gym closes and for the past 2 days I have been a bit sleep deprived…there’s so much paperwork and meetings and application stuff to do!! (laundry at 2 AM didn’t help) The past few days I’ve felt like I have the beginning of a chest cold or some stickyness in my lungs. But really i know that it’s all because I’m living a sedentary few days! Once I am able to work out I know it’ll get rid of that non-active feeling… I feel like I’m not describing this right. Basically, I need to exercise! Get my heart rate up! Inhale deeply! Work my muscles! Bite the bullet and wake up early!!

My radio alarm clock this morning announced how Bonds beat Hank Aaron’s home run record.  In my morning stupor, I remember thinking how I should get a recording that announces “Touchdown Hawkeyes!” then plays the school fight song complete with stadium cheers.  That way I could jump of bed every day punching the air going “Yeah Hawkeyes!  Woo hoo!” before my morning brain realizes it was just a ploy to wake me up.

Though initially I thought one week would be enough to recover from my calf strain, I decided to push it to two weeks.  My rationale is along the lines of what Katie said in her post, that I figure it’s still so early in the training process and I would rather take the time to heal now than to make it worse and reinjure it closer to marathon day.  I was really good this past week, with doing a cardio workout for 30 minutes to an hour daily.  It’s easiest mentally for me to change up what I’m doing, like 30 minutes cycle, then switch to 30 minutes elliptical, then 20 of swimming.  So I’ve felt like I’ve gotten a well-rounded workout and have finally used that heart monitor grip thing!

Friday I decided to try a 3 mile run and I must say I was dissapointed.  The first mile was fantastic, no problem.  During mile 2, I could feel my calf tensing up.  Even after stopping to stretch it, in which I didn’t feel tight and felt zero pain, that feeling of impending snap remained.  Only after slowing down my pace considerably did my muscle feel ok.  I was able to finish the 3 miles injury-free, but am debating about how much more time I need to heal.  My new plan is to continue cross training for another week, run really slow next week, and then hope I’m back to normal!