Merry Christmas, y'all

Here's a quick update on the Chang's Holiday Season:

1. Disney World is still the happiest place on earth.  I could not love it any more than I already do.  It was so fun going with my nieces this time and seeing their eyes light up whenever a character would walk by, especially Minnie Mouse or Donald Duck.  They stole the show.  Three days is just not enough though.  My heart still longs for all the magic!

2.  We found out Ed matched (!!!) into ENT at Tripler Army Medical Center.  That's right friends, we are moving to Hawaii, which means you essentially have a vacation home in Paradise.  Start planning your trip now.  We move after graduation in late May 2012.

3. Whoever said Las Vegas is like Disney World for adults was obviously on crack.  WDW is a million times better than LV.  And this whole "Las Vegas has become family friendly" line is a lie.  You are constantly bombarded by pictures of naked women.  I inhaled so much second-hand smoke during my week there that I may have shaved a year off my life.  Plus, let's be honest, all the hype about the buffets is not lived up to.  Disney World's food doesn't even compare, except for In-N-Out, that's pretty great.  :)

4.  Snowboarding in Utah was so much fun.  I had a little hissy fit and almost gave up before even making it to the lift, but Ed was nothing short of the perfect husband that day and encouraged me to keep trying.  I ended up loving it and will definitely do it again.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  

Aloha!

We made it to Hawaii safe and sound.  The 9 hour flight from Chicago to Honolulu was the longest of my life.  That's actually a false statement, I've been on tons of longer flights, but this one seemed to never end.  Ed and I got stuck in middle seating, and for some reason my bladder decided to act up on me.  I had to ask my neighbors to get up 4 separate times so I could pee.  I kept wishing I was pregnant so I could use that as an excuse.  But nope, I guess I just drank too much coffee and orange juice for breakfast.   AND, they didn't serve any food on the flight.  Not even peanuts.  What has the world come to?  We had to pay an arm and leg for a salad and wrap.  United Airlines, you just lost 2 customers.  Anyway, Ed played some game on his iPad for the entire flight, and he was happy as a clam.  My attention span was about as long as my 3 year old niece's (should have taken some Adderall...lesson learned).  I tried playing games on my iPhone, but it would only entertain me for about 10 minutes before I was ready to move on to something more exciting.  I eventually got so bored that I started thinking of all the things that could go wrong on the flight, and I almost convinced myself that I was going to get a DVT and die of a pulmonary embolus before the flight would ever end.  I think I've done too many Step 2 practice questions. (If the question involves a woman who just got off a long flight or a truck driver, the answer is something about a DVT.  Always.)

We've already had our first hiccup of the trip.  Victim: Ed Chang.  Perpetrator: Car Rental.  "Mr. Chang, may I see your license?" "Sure..........oh crap."  Ed had forgotten his driver's license.  How could this happen, you ask?  Ed always uses his military ID to check into flights.  So we got 5000 miles away from home before he realized the mistake.  Unfortunately, we don't know where his license is.  Since he never uses it except to rent cars, we are assuming it is in Seattle, WA, the location of his last car rental.  He had flown out there last week for an interview.  He has been on the phone for hours with the car rental place, but keeps getting the run around and no one will get back to him about the license.  Ed has contacted Arizona (the state that issued his license...long story, don't ask), and they said they are willing to send him a replacement license, but he has to send his license # to them.  Who actually knows their license #?  Not me.  Nor Ed.  So we are still counting on the Seattle car rental place to find it and overnight it to us.  Until then, I am in charge of the driving, which is uber weird.  I hate it.  I like to sight see and let my mind drift off to random stuff like DVTs, not worry about which exit to take and swerve in and out of crazy traffic.

Our condo is so nice.  We are located in Diamond Head Park, right south of Waikiki.  It's a 2 bedroom place right on the beach with a great view and full kitchen, living room, bathroom, cable TV, internet, etc.  Seriously, anyone is welcome to come visit us while we are here.  There is plenty of room.  I still can't believe Ed was able to find this place for under our daily housing stipend that the Army provides. That's right, we are staying here for FREE.  It's too good to be true.  I hope we don't have to work too hard while we are here so that we can actually enjoy our time in paradise.  We ate at a hole-in-the-wall Korean BBQ restaurant last night that was out of this world good.  Ed had told me that the Asian food was on a whole different level here, and he wasn't kidding.  It has not disappointed.

Here is a picture of our view from the condo.  I will try to update the blog a couple more times while we are here so everyone can know just how great our trip is.  :)

Residency Applications/Interviews

Ed and I are right thick in the middle of residency applications.  In fact, Ed has already done 2 official interviews and I just dropped him off at the airport for his third.  As most of you know, Ed is applying to military residencies because he is on scholarship for medical school (shout out to all you tax payers...thanks for our income!).  His first interview was at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) in Bethesda, Md.  He absolutely loved the residents and attendings, and the fact that his hospital is brand spanking new (opened this year) and it is right across the street from the NIH, Ed was salivating at the idea of moving to DC.  Ed started medical school as part of the MD/PhD program, but because his preceptor moved to Colorado this past summer, his research has been halted and he is going to take the Masters in Science and not get to finish the PhD at UK.  The WRNMMC program would allow Ed to work on his PhD project at NIH during residency, so his goal of getting the double doctorate is not quite dead!  Yay!

He also interviewed at Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) in San Antonio, Tx.  I accompanied him on this trip and did an unofficial interview at Christus Santa Rosa Family Medicine program.  We both had great interviews and can totally see ourselves ending up in San Antonio.  Obviously, I loved being back in Texas and seeing so many Aggies everywhere, and with my two best friends being Texas natives, it is definitely my second home.  BAMC has a lot of perks that WRNMMC didn't, namely that the case load is higher and he will get better facial trauma training.  One of the downsides is that the research isn't nearly as strong as DC, but there is some opportunity.

Ed is currently on a flight to Seattle to interview at Madigan Army Medical Center at Fort Lewis (Tacoma, WA).  We don't know much about the program, but it seems to have a strong reputation.  Also, the Pacific Northwest is known for being the hot-spot for Family Medicine training.  Unlike where we live in the Southeast, Family Medicine is the "cool" thing to do out West.  There are 7 different Family Medicine residencies within an hour drive of Madigan, but the one I am most interested in is Tacoma Family Medicine, not only because it's the best location, but it has an awesome reputation.  Once again, we'd be happy to end up in Washington state - such a fun, vibrant area with skiing, hiking, and ocean activities all so close.  It may take a while for me to adjust to the clouds/rain though.

Ed and I leave for Hawaii this coming weekend.  Yes, I just said that - HAWAII.  Whoop!  We will be there for a whole month doing away rotations.  I will be working with the University of Hawaii FM Program and Ed will be with Tripler Army Medical Center at Fort Shafter.  We have rented a condo on the beach near Diamondhead.  It looks amazing.  Don't worry, I will be posting lots of pics.  Whenever we mention Hawaii as an option for residency to our friends, everyone thinks ranking them first is a no-brainer.  We agree that living in Hawaii for 5 years, all on Uncle Sam's dime, sounds fantastic, but we have to decide if we are willing to be that far away from home for so long.  Since we will be attempting to start a family during that time period, I feel like it may be hard to have Papa and Happy (my parent's nicknames, thanks to my niece Mary Beth) half way around the world.  So, needless to say, it is a very good thing that we are doing rotations there so we can get a feel for actually living there instead of just visiting for a one-day interview.

The interviews are starting to pour in for me.  That's one of the joys of choosing Family Medicine (or primary care in general).  It's not nearly as competitive as ENT.  I have interviews set up for VCU-Fairfax (in Fairfax, VA...duh), Georgetown (DC), Franklin Square (Baltimore), Meharry (Nashville), and Trident (Charleston, SC).  If you've been paying attention during this post, you should now be asking, "Why are you interviewing in Nashville and Charleston?"  That's a great question.  And here's the answer.  While we are quite confident that Ed will match into an Army spot, there is always the possibility that he could open up his Match Day letter on December 15 and it read "deferred," which means he is released to do a civilian residency.)  Ed has applied to about 20 civilian ENT programs in the Southeast, two of which are Vanderbilt and Medical University of South Carolina.  And since he had to apply to civilian ENT residencies, I had to apply to FM residencies near those spots as well.  Can you say headache?  So while our main focus is DC, San Antonio, Tacoma, and Hawaii, we have to be prepared for all options and keep other schools in the back of our heads.

OK, well I'm tired (and slightly stressed) from writing this, so I'm gonna go.  I will update y'all about Ed's Madigan trip and of course Hawaii in a few weeks.  Until then, check out my hunky hubby before one of his interviews.  Mmmm mmmm, gotta love a man in uniform. 

First Anniversary

Ed and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary a couple of weeks ago, and I have to say, this past year has been a blast.   Maybe it's because we're still newlyweds, but I really think this marriage thing is pretty great.  (BTW, when do we stop being "newlyweds?"  Because I still feel like we qualify.)  We laugh more than any couple I know.  We play the "I love you more" game every single day.  And we have more lovey-dovey nicknames for each other than any couple out there.  Sure, we had a few fights over the course of our first year, but there were no nights in the "dog house"/couch for either of us.  Victory!

I feel sorry for every other woman in the world because I somehow landed the best man in the world.  Ed is ridiculously great at being a husband.  And I'm not just saying he's great at doing the manly things around the house, like mowing, taking out the trash, paying the bills, or doing the dishes (all of which he does without complaining).  What I am really talking about is how great of an encourager, friend, and confidant he is.  The man was made to love me.  God must have knit an extra gene of patience in his being, for which I am very grateful. 

In honor of our 1 year anniversary, I made this photo montage.  It hits the highlights of our first year as husband and wife.  This is my first attempt at making anything like this, so don't be too critical.  For some reason the uploaded video has horrible quality, so I apologize.  :)

My Father's Daughter (kinda)

My father wears many hats - family man, surgeon, sports fanatic, and gardener to name a few.  While rotating through the ENT department as part of my surgery course this past spring, all of his residents kept commenting that my father is a workaholic.  I was completely shocked by this, since I feel like he was always around while growing up.  Now I will be the first to admit that my father is a VERY hard worker, but I have always admired how efficient he is with his work.  For him, it's quality, not quantity.  He was able to start up and effectively manage the ENT department at UK, all the while coaching my soccer and basketball teams (along with my brothers'), staying up to date with all the UK basketball news, and traveling with me every weekend to my soccer tournaments.  Furthermore, we always had the most beautiful yard in the neighborhood - unbelievable rose gardens, perfectly trimmed hedges, as well as a pretty substantial vegetable garden.  What can I say, I guess my dad is Superman.  And this now explains why I had such high expectations for my future mate.  Don't worry, Ed meets all of these.  He and my father are eerily similar.

While I unfortunately did not inherit my father's efficiency or intelligence, I did inherit his gardening affinity (and his steady surgical hand, according to some other attendings and residents, hehe).  I planted a few herbs and veggies in my back yard earlier this year and at the time thought little of it.  If they produced, then great, but I wasn't going to get into it like my dad.  I had more important things to do than spend hours in the yard every day.  But then before I knew it, I found myself going out to water the garden every day and marvel in how the plants grew.  They were my own little creations and I started to take ownership.  Then BAM, they started producing veggies, and my life has been turned upside down.  There is something so special about going out to your backyard to pick herbs or veggies and then serving them with dinner a few hours later.  Not only does it save you time and money, but it's as "organic" as you can get - nothing but fresh water and love have touched these.  The only problem I've had so far is my tomato plants are not cooperating with me.  They keep growing taller and stronger, but have no buds on them.  I think I planted them in a spot that doesn't get enough direct sunlight.  Boo.  Anyway, here are some pictures for you to enjoy. 

My garden now (left) compared to at the beginning of the summer (right).

 This is supposed to turn into a red bell pepper.  Mmm mmm.

Watermelon!!!!

Green onions, anyone?  Use these to make mapo tofu all the time.

Okra is in bloom.  Ed loves some fried okra.

Parsley, which I always pronounce as "parzley" and it drives my mother crazy.  :)

I have cucumbers growing out of my ears.  Let me know if you want any - they are crisp and delicious.  

Mint - what I use the most from my garden.  Nothing like mama's Sweet Mint Tea recipe for a hot summer day.

Sweet, succulent, to die for basil.  Gosh I love this stuff.

Thyme is delightful.

Oregano.  This is taking over my garden and I barely ever us it.  I need to cook more Italian food I suppose.

Needless to say, I'm hooked to gardening, and all thanks goes to my pops.  Love you, Dad.  You really are the best father in the world.  You're obviously doing something right if people at home think you're always home and people at work think you're always at work.  You need to teach me how to be in two places at once!  :)

An Ode to Brussels Sprouts

I've been on a real cooking spree lately.  The problem with that is that I am quickly tiring of my side dishes.  You can only eat so much broccoli, spinach, or side salad.  I got adventurous this week when I saw some fresh brussels sprouts at the grocery.  Ed said that his mom used to make them when he was growing up and they were one of his favorite veggies.  I was hesitant, mostly because I remember hating them as a child, but also because I've never made them from "scratch" before.  But I figured hey, I'll give it a shot.  Maybe my taste has matured since I last ate them, which was circa 2003, when I moved out of my parent's house.  My mom made us Jones kids suffer at the dinner table about twice a year when she'd serve them.  I hated walking into the kitchen and having that sulfurous smell smack me in the face, knowing it was going to be a long night before I finally got the courage to eat them and be dismissed.  To make matters worse, my mom would make us drink milk for dinner.  Milk + Brussels Sprouts.  Sick!  And then to top it off, the icing on the cake, my mom never made my dad eat his brussels sprouts.  She'd always put them on his plate, but he'd ignore them and she wouldn't say a word.  I couldn't wait til the day I was a grown up and got to choose what I ate!  Luckily, we had a crazy cat growing up that lived for brussels sprouts night.  When mom wasn't looking, we'd "accidentally" drop one on the ground and our cat would run over and go to town with it.  And once she'd gotten the taste of one, she spent the rest of the dinner trying to jump on the table to steal them off our plates.  It was awesome.

After about an hour of online recipe searching, I decided on what looked like the best way to make them.  Every recipe I read emphasized the importance of not over-cooking them because that is what caused the sulfurous smell to be released.  I was encouraged.  Maybe there was hope for this vegetable after all.  I boiled them in 1/2 inch water for 7 minutes (recipe called for 8 minutes), then threw them into some butter and garlic and let them sizzle for a few minutes.  They smelled heavenly.  Ed kept remarking how great the kitchen smelled.  I was genuinely excited.  This was about to be breakthrough.  I had sworn off brussels sprouts from my diet for the last 8 years. 

Alas, they were just as bad as I had remembered.  The outer layers that had gotten soaked in butter and garlic were pretty tasty, but those inner layers were as bitter and nasty as ever.  Ed, being the sweet heart that he is, acted like he was enjoying them for the first few.  He even threw in a "mmmmmm...delicious!" remark.  By the third one, I was almost gagging.  I told him it was ok, he didn't have to lie, and he slowly let his guard down and agreed that they were repulsive.  We then argued on who had to eat the rest of them since we don't like to waste food.  Luckily, Ed suggested putting some hot sauce on them to mask the flavor, and it worked!  They weren't half bad after that.  Thank goodness I served a delicious pot roast and fruit salad along with those brussels sprouts, or else it would have been my worst failure yet as a wife.

Needless to say, I am not going to make my poor husband or kids suffer through a meal with brussels sprouts.  It's inhumane - cat food, I tell you.  Unfortunately, this just leaves me right where I was before - in dire need of new vegetable side dishes.  Please, help a young wife out!  :)

Momentary Escape

It seems rare these days that I have time to sit and do nothing.  I'm not saying that my schedule is busier than the average person, it's just that if I have a few hours off, I usually entertain myself with movies, eating, or friends/family.   It seems about once or twice a year I find myself alone for an extended period of time, bored of watching TV, having already completed chores that need to be done, and I have time to reflect.

Ed is on psychiatry call at the hospital tonight, and I just spent the last 2 hours cleaning our room (yes, it was that messy).  So, what do I do when I finally sit down to relax?...get on Facebook of course.  Instead of reading the latest status updates, or stalking some friends, I decided to look through some of my old photo albums.  You wouldn't think that would be exciting, considering I have all those pictures saved on my computer, and I was the one that posted them in the first place.  But tonight there was no agenda, no hustle or bustle, so I let my mind take a stroll down memory lane.  Before I knew it, my heart started aching.  Literally, I felt an emotional squeezing sensation in my chest.  Then my stomach started getting hyperactive.  Before I knew it, I was tearing up.  Here I am, sitting on my couch in the dark, all alone, with a computer on my lap, crying.

Why, you ask?  I have no idea. Which is why I decided to blog about it.  Maybe putting something down on paper would clear it up.  So from where did the emotions arise?  Are they happy or sad tears?  I think both.

Happy tears because I look back at all the incredible times I had growing into the woman I am today.  All the fun-loving, energetic, smart, talented people that I have come in contact with throughout my adult life.  I got to travel all over the world with my AIA soccer girls.  I was in the best shape of my life, battling my heart out on the field every Friday night and Sunday afternoon.  I was so proud every time I put on my jersey with either Kentucky or Texas A&M on the front.  Joyfully, I remember how I protected my heart and my body, saving it for my husband.  Happy tears pouring out, each symbolizing a different way I have been blessed with my experiences and friendships.

Sad tears for all the regrets.  Heartache for lost opportunities to share my faith with people I was with every day, but was too afraid they would think I was a freak if I showed them who I really was.  So many of the pictures I look back at from my UK undergraduate days, I can see how much I longed to be accepted.  It brings back the memories of always thinking I wasn't as pretty as my friends or as cool as my teammates.  Also, grief for not keeping up with the friends, especially those at A&M.  People that I love just as much today as when I was with them daily 3+ years ago, but don't talk to nearly as much as I know I should.

Most of all, I believe I cry because I know I can't recreate those times again.  As much as I want to go back to College Station and meet up with my best friends and create new memories, it won't be the same as when we were really in the moment.  I'll never be an Aggie soccer babe again.  I'll never have the hard rock abs and killer legs.  I'll never be single and free to do what I want, when I want.  I'll never get to have that first time "ah ha" moment when my faith became real.  I can't help but ponder, did I really take full advantage of that time in my life?

Where does that leave me now?  Tonight.  June 10, 2011.  I'm now very happily married, less than a year from becoming a doctor.  I have a wonderful home, a supporting family living in the same city, my health, and a future that is beautifully uncertain.  I'm filled with hope for how God will use me - as a wife, mother, physician, and friend.  Will I be moving half way around the world to Hawaii this time next year?  Or maybe I'll be going back to God's country, Texas?   Who knows?  But I do know that in a few years from now, I'll look back at my time during medical school and shed tears of joy and sorrow, much like tonight when I long for my undergraduate days.

My heart is full.  :)

Yet another one bites the dust.

My beautiful Maid of Honor from my wedding last summer, Alexandra, has officially tied the knot.  I had the privilege of being her Matron of Honor this past weekend in Houston.  Our friendship means the world to me.  We've only known each other for 6 years, and 3 of those have been spent 1000+ miles apart, but nothing can separate our souls.  I'm the jock, she's the sorority chick...and we just click.  Love you so much, Alex.  You were a stunning bride.

The wedding was AWESOME...great food, beautiful flowers, fantastic band.  A perfect evening.  Congrats again, Alex and Chris!  Hope you're having fun in St. Lucia!!!

"We got Kentucky back."

Cats beat UNC 76 - 69 tonight in the East Regional Final.  

I'm still way too excited to string together two thoughts, so all I'm gonna say is GO BIG BLUE!  It's such a thrill being a UK student while all this is going on.  Campus is going crazy.  Cops are everywhere.  I only wish I could go with my family to the Final Four next weekend, but I'll be cheering my behind off from here in Lexington.  Thanks, Jorts, for giving us the "Kentucky" back that we all know and love.   And it feels oh so sweet to do this by beating Ohio State and UNC.

Final Four bound, baby!  Houston, watch out! 


LOVE this team.

Happy Things

Home-cooked meals.

UK basketball wins.

Weddings.

Picking fresh veggies and flowers from the garden.

Adorable nieces.

Approaching College Station, TX on Highway 6, blaring the Aggie war hymn with the windows down, warm air in your face.

Smell of freshly cut grass.

Quiet evenings in with the hubby.

Post work-out highs.

Thinking about how cute my mixed kids are going to be.

Freckles.

Sunsets.

And of course, Disney World - The Happiest Place on Earth.




These are a few of my favorite things.

Thanks, but no thanks

I'm on my Emergency Medicine rotation right now and my lack of experience and confidence is biting me in the tail.  Unlike our other rotations during third year, we are not assigned to a particular resident or attending physician who is to mentor, teach, and tell us what to do.  I am completely on my own when I show up to the ER.  I can do whatever I want whenever I want it.  Freedom.  Some thrive off of this (ie my husband).  Others struggle (me).  We have a list of things we have to get done during this short rotation, such as starting IVs, placing a foley and NG tube, doing a stint and laceration repair, etc.  But there is no one there to make sure I get it done.  It's up to me, which means I have to steal it away from one of the residents.  I am not nearly aggressive enough to get in on the good stuff.

Confession: I am a third year medical student who has never put in an IV.  We spend so much time book learning and do not get nearly enough hands on education.

Yesterday I decided I needed to "man" up and just do it.  I went up to one of the EMS guys and asked him to show me how to place an IV on the next patient that comes in and then let me do it from then on.  He was very accepting and was excited about teaching me, so after showing me on the first patient, he grabbed me to take me to the next room where it was my turn to try.  I walked into a room with him to find a neurotic 45 year old man that had interesting views on life, and we were his audience for the moment.  He explained to me how he doesn't trust MDs, only DOs.  Army nurses are the only nurses that know how to place an IV because they are taught in stressful situations.  He then told me how he never lets attractive doctors near him because they only got where they are because of their looks, not their brains.  He then looks straight at me and says, "Yeah, so that means you better not touch me."  Ummm, thanks for the complement, kind of.

I botched my next opportunity on a guy that was screaming bloody murder as I tried to stick him.  Luckily the nurse messed up twice after me (well, luckily for my ego, not for the patient) and another nurse had to come in and give it a try.  My confidence was down to zero at this point, but the EMS guys came to the rescue.  They let me practice on them.  Yes, that's right, they sacrificed their own bodies for a scared little med student who had no idea what she was doing.  I am forever grateful.

Today I was assigned to Fire Station #1 in Lexington for an EMS ride-a-long.  Once again, the paramedics were awesome and let me do whatever I wanted.  I didn't get to stick the first patient we picked up because she was having seizures and was mentally handicapped plus had CP, so not the easiest thing in the world.  But the second patient was perfect.  A young, mostly healthy woman who was having abdominal pain.  Easy stick opportunity.  That is, until mama hopped in the back of the ambulance with us.  When the medic explained to the patient that I was a medical student and would love to try to start the IV, she was cool about it.  As I moved into position to start, the mom whispered to the Major on board, "She's suffering enough, I don't think we should make her suffer any more."  "Huh?" he responds.  "I'd really rather the medical student not touch my daughter."  That wasn't awkward at all.

And then to end the day, the Chief of the station came up to me and started chit chatting.  After about 5 minutes, he asks what program I am with.  I tell him I'm a 3rd year medical student on my ER rotation, and he looks at me funny and says, "What?  A medical student?!  How old are you?"  "26, sir.  Why, how old did you think I am?"  "19, tops."  In some ways I guess that's a complement, but at the same time, I wish I looked a little more mature.  No wonder people don't want me sticking them.  I wouldn't want a 19 year old poking me with a needle either.

Stereotypes

Since entering the medical profession I have learned there is a lot of competition and, dare I say, contempt amongst physicians.  I had no idea until I started clinicals this year and have had the opportunity to see physicians bash each other time and time again.  Here are a few examples of what I've learned.  Note: these are NOT my stereotypes, but ones that definitely exist.  I do not agree with many of them, and there obviously are exceptions to the rule, but they are pretty amusing.

1. Pediatricians hate surgeons.  In their minds, surgeons exist only to torture their little, precious patients and are the real enemy, not the disease.

2. Cardiologists think they are God's gift to mankind.

3. Surgeons think OB/Gyn physicians are butchers.  They get so little surgical training compared to a surgery residency, there is no way they could do a good job.

4. Everybody hates Dermatologists because they work ~30 hours a week, have no call, work no weekends, and make 4x as much as the average physician.

5. Neurologists are obnoxious. 

6. If you like people and have an ounce of personality, then you don't go into Anesthesiology, Radiology, Pathology, or Emergency Medicine.  Basically, you don't do the "shift work" fields of medicine.

7. It's Emergency Medicine versus the world.  I have to say this is the strongest rivalry in medicine.  I have had at least 5 different physicians in different fields ask me what I am going into, and then respond, "Oh thank God, not Emergency Medicine."

8. Family physicians are the stupid people who can't get into any other field.

9. Psychiatrists are lazy.

10.  Internal medicine doctors think surgeons don't know how to think.  They are nothing but a good pair of hands who have mastered a skill, and their brains bring nothing to the intellectual table.  Surgeons think internal medicine doctors never do anything, they just sit there all day wasting people's time and resources by taking days to diagnose pneumonia, only after ordering a battery of tests to rule out the most crazy diseases in the world.

Well, I'm back...

...but this time as Mrs. Chang.

Marriage is a trip.  Tons of fun.  I really recommend it.  I don't understand why people say it's a hard adjustment.  Hasn't been for us.  Hello, I'm roomies with my best friend.  And he pays the bills.  All I have to do is a make him coffee in the morning, pack him a lunch, cook him dinner, do the laundry, clip his nails, and tell him he's amazing every day, all the while pulling 12 hour days at the hospital.  Oh wait, maybe that isn't such a fair trade-off?  Just kidding.  He also mows the lawn, takes out the trash, cleans the dishes, mops/vacuums the floors, and puts up with me.  He is well on his way to earning Husband of the Year award.

Ed and I have so much fun hanging out at home that we have become somewhat anti-social.  You really have to do some hard convincing to get us out.  We didn't go to one UK football or basketball game this year, but we watched every single one of them on our wonderful couch in front of our awesome TV.  You can't beat the luxury of home: clean bathroom with no wait, stocked refrigerator, and temperature control.  We aren't bad fans.  We just really, really like our house.  And Netflix has only added to this problem.

I love cooking.  It came out of nowhere.  I have become so domestic since moving into our home.  While I still have a long way to go before I consider myself a chef, my hubby is a gem and always compliments me on my cooking.  Every night when I tell him dinner is ready and he comes to the dining room, he looks at the food and says emphatically "This is my favorite!"  You think I'd get annoyed by this since he has said it at least 100 times, but it melts my heart every time because he seems so sincere.  I got myself a good one.

Med school is flying by.  Third year really is so much better than the first two years.  No more classroom and library time.   While the hours can be tough, I'm not going to complain.  Impacting patient's lives rock.  Definitely glad I'm going into medicine.  I'm currently deciding what to do with the rest of my life.  Ed is pursuing ENT.  I know I want to do primary care (although my dad is doing everything in his power to get me do a sub-specialty).  Family Medicine is in the lead right now.  Love the variety.  Love knowing something about everything.  Love outpatient medicine.  Love relationships with patients.  Peds and Internal Medicine are also in the running, but I don't think I'm willing to give up a population (children or adults) if I go into either of those.  Combined Med/Peds was in the running for a while, but none of the programs I am applying to have that as an option.  Plus, I lose the OB/Gyn training if I do that. 

Oh, so I'm guessing you want to know where we are going after medical school?  Well as I'm sure most of you know, Ed is on an Army Scholarship for medical school, so he will be doing a military residency.  There are only 4 bases in the country that have ENT programs: Hawaii, Tacoma/Seattle, San Antonio, and Washington DC.  We are heavily pursuing the first two, but could end up at any of them since residency placement is a "Match" program where you interview multiple places and send in a rank list of your top places, and the programs submit a rank list of their top applicants, and a computer spits out the best match.  Slightly stressful, but fun at the same time.

More updates to come soon.  It feels good to be back.  Give me some input - what field of medicine do you think I should go into?

100 Days

The next 100 days are going to be intense.

I'm finishing up my second year of medical school, which is crazy to me because I feel like it just started. I have 7 more tests until I am half way to my degree. Exciting, except for the fact that I have to get at least a 90% on most of them if I want to get an A in the class. But I'm not here to complain. When I look back at my life this time last year, I was stressed about passing! I actually have the opportunity to pull out a 4.0 for this year if I can pull those A's out on these last few tests. It's going to be tough. I got my work cut out for me! But oh, what a difference a year can make.
...28 days


The day after I finish finals, I am a bridesmaid in one of my best friend's weddings. I am so blessed to call Ashley a friend, and I am incredibly pumped about Tommy and her tying the knot on May 8. They started dating about 2 months before Ed and I, and here they are getting married 2 months before we are. It's been so fun going through the highs and lows of being single, then dating, and now both being engaged to the men of our dreams together.
...29 days


That next Tuesday starts the most important 5 weeks of my academic career thus far - USMLE Step 1 studying. While most people have no idea what that means (and I envy you), those who do know how intimidating this process is. One test determines my career as a doctor. This 3 number score will be permanently tagged next to my name on all residency applications. It is more important than my GPA, research, extracurricular activities, or "who you know." If I do well, I can enter whatever medical field I desire. If I do average (which most people do, haha), I can go ahead and cross off all the competitive specialties. If I don't pass, I have to repeat second year. I'm not too optimistic about it, considering my track record with standardized exams is pretty bleak. But hopefully with 10+ hours of studying a day for 5 weeks, I'll be able to pull it out. DDay = June 16th.
...68 days


About one month after I finish boards, I get to marry my superman. While there is much to do between now and then in regards to wedding planning, I am so excited for July 18th! It is definitely the thing keeping my spirits high during this stressful time. I can't wait to be Mrs./Dr. Chang! I must admit that there are 2 drawbacks for the name change: (1) I will never get to be called "Dr. Jones, Dr. Jones!!" like in Indiana Jones, and (2) I fear my future patients will show up to my office expecting to see a smart, Asian doctor, and then find some dumb, white chick instead. Also, I am looking forward to moving into Ed's adorable home. I have had enough of these loud, ghetto, undergrad-filled apartments. I can't wait to have a roommate again! :) But even before enjoying that home together, I am slightly looking forward to the honeymoon. Tahiti here we come.
...100 days

The Proposal

Sorry for the delay on the proposal story. It's been a hectic month with both wedding planning and school, but I came to realization today that my life is going to stay that way until I get done with boards in June, so I might as well write the blog now. Keep in mind that I have a test tomorrow that I need to be studying for, so you aren't going to get all the nitty-gritty, dirty details, but it will suffice. Drum roll please....

The Set Up:

It was our first week back to classes after Christmas break, and I was already in high stress mode. Not only was I freaking out about all the tests coming up that I needed to do really well on, but I was also having mini panic attacks whenever the looming Step 1 board exam came to mind. I decided I needed to start doing some stress relieving exercises so that I didn't implode before this summer ever arrived. After much research online, I came up with my plan: eat healthier, exercise regularly, pray more, and get massages. It was going to be the cure to my stress, I was sure of it. So I called and set up a massage for that Friday afternoon, and the only time available was 4pm. I took it, marked it on the calendar, and went on with my week.

Ed was extremely busy that week. He was going into his lab more than usual to get extra research done and he was spending more time interviewing and seeing patients than usual, but he was happy as a clam. I was a little frustrated that he was gone so much, but it was hard to get too upset because he was doing things that were important to his education. Little did I know that the time spent in the lab on Monday was him meeting with my dad to ask permission for my hand. And then the time spent with patients on Tuesday afternoon was really him driving to and from Cincinnati to go purchase my ring. Tricky little guy.

On Thursday afternoon, Andrew informed me that he was leaving the next day to go back to Wheaton College in Chicago, instead of Sunday like he had originally planned. He asked if I wanted to meet him for lunch on Friday, but I thought we should have a more formal going away party for him. I called up Mom and told her we should go out to eat that night as a family. She was so confused and kept arguing with me that Andrew wasn't leaving until Sunday, so we could do it later that weekend. She didn't believe me so she called Andrew and asked what was going on. He explained to her that this fake goodbye party was needed for Ed's proposal story, so she needed to play along. Mama called me back and said I was right, he was leaving, so we made plans to meet at Ramsey's for dinner that night. We had a great dinner, then Ed and I said our goodbyes to Andrew and went back to our studying.

The Scene:

Friday afternoon finally arrived. I dropped Ed off at his lab like usual at 1 pm so he could get some research done, and I went back to my apartment to study and get some other errands done before my massage at 4pm. The plan was for me to pick him up when I was done with my massage. I went into the massage feeling like crap (for lack of a better word); I was so incredibly stressed out. I had all the classic symptoms of anxiety - muscle tension, light headed, indigestion, fatigue, etc. An hour later, I came out feeling like a new woman. I was excited to see Ed and let him know how great I felt and how ready I was tackle the studying that needed to be done. I got to my car and found my phone - 2 missed calls and a missed text message from Andrew (my brother). "Call me ASAP," it read.

I called him to find out his car had broken down on his drive back to college. He hadn't made it very far, so he was wondering if I could pick him up. He couldn't get a hold of mom or dad, and he was desperate for a ride. He claimed his car had already been towed, and a nice lady had picked him up on the side of the road and given him a ride to her work (the Castle in Versailles, KY, about 30 minutes from where I live). He had been waiting there for a while now, unable to get a hold of anyone in the family, and was obviously frustrated. I didn't really want to go out there alone, so I called Ed to see if I could pick him up before I started heading out to get Andrew. He didn't answer my calls or texts. It was absolutely freezing outside, and snow was covering the ground, so it was slightly scary to drive, but Andrew had caught me in a good mood after the massage, so I started driving out to rescue my baby bro.

About 15 minutes later, Ed finally calls back and apologizes for not answering earlier. He had his phone on silent in his pocket, so he didn't know I had called. He was frustrated because he would have definitely driven out there with me, and he knew we wouldn't see each other for another hour or two now. We stayed on the line talking until I got to the castle, and I told him I needed to call Andrew to figure out exactly where to go. Andrew gave me directions to where he was, and asked me to park and come inside to see the place since we had driven by it a million times but never stopped there before.

I walked in the huge front doors expecting to see Andrew waiting right inside, but instead I was greeted by a concierge lady. "Are you Elisabeth?," she asked. "Your brother is right around the corner." It was at that moment that I realized what was going on. Everything clicked as I turned the corner to see Ed standing there in his nicest suit, holding a dozen roses and a little blue ring box. I screamed "I KNEW IT!", even though I had only known for 0.5 seconds. He hugged me, then immediately got down on his knee. He had a whole spiel that was incredibly sweet and romantic, then he asked me to be his wife. I was shaking so much from both shock and excitement that I could barely get out the answer. I managed to whisper "yes," and he put the ring on my finger and jumped up to hug and kiss me.

At this point I was still in shock, and I didn't even know how to react, except to say that I felt so stupid being in my grungy clothes and pig tails. It was the perfect set-up for him to explain that he had prepared for that and gotten a hotel room upstairs for me to shower and change into a dress that he had brought for me. We went upstairs to find chocolate covered strawberries and 2 glasses of champagne waiting for us. We celebrated up there in private, then I got ready and joined him downstairs for our 5 course dinner. We had a private room and chef for the evening. After the awesome meal, we packed up our stuff and headed over to my parent's house to share the good news with them.

It was a magical evening. I still can't believe he was able to pull it off so flawlessly. From the beautiful ring he picked out, to the surprise factor, to having my family involved, I couldn't have asked for anything more perfect. I can't wait to marry the man I love and spend the rest of my life with him. I am the luckiest girl in the world!!

I'm ENGAGED!!!

More to come later, just wanted to update the blogosphere. Here's a pic to hold you over until the details come!

:)))))))))))))

Tear my heart open

Last night's loss to Tennessee ripped me to pieces. I have not been that frustrated about a UK loss since the basketball team fell to Marquette (and Dwayne Wade) in the Elite 8 of the 2003 NCAA Tournament. The common denominator in those games: I thought we were going to win. No, I was convinced we were going to win. Even though our football team was on a 24 year losing streak to those white trash hicks from Knoxville, I believed this was the year it was finally going to end. We were playing for everything in this game - a 2nd place finish in the SEC East, a senior day win against our bitter rivals, and a chance to play in a New Years Day (ie respectable) bowl game. We were coming off a huge win at Georgia last week. It seemed as if all the stars were lining up for us. And then what do we do? Our "Head coach in waiting" calls an absolutely atrocious call on 3rd and 9 with 35 seconds left in regulation, putting the game in the hands of a true freshman quarterback who was playing the worst half of football of his life. We have one of the best athletes in the country on our team with Cobb, and we don't even include him on the play. What a JOKE. As soon as we settled for that field goal to tie it up, I knew the game was over. UK football won't go anywhere if Barnhart really does leave this team to Joker Phillips.

I don't know why I let myself get so emotionally involved in UK football, because it always leaves me in disappointment. I need to stick to expecting the worst and being pleasantly surprised if we happen to win. That approach is much better on my health, both mental and physical. I am already wrapped up emotionally in UK basketball, I can't handle much more. And neither can my poor boyfriend, who has to take the brunt of my frustration.



PS - I find it ironic that both of my schools (UK and A&M) play their rivals on Thanksgiving weekend every year, both opponents are "UT", and both wear a disgusting shade of orange (burnt orange for the t-sips and construction worker orange for the Vols). It does not leave me a happy girl when both teams lose to these orange clad freaks, which unfortunately is usually the case. :(

Weekend in Paradise: My Dream Home

The day the super hero pooped on my front porch.

Halloween has always been one of those holidays that just didn't do anything for me. It's not that I don't like holidays, because I do, I absolutely love Thanksgiving and Christmas. But it seems like everyone these days lives for Halloween. It has become the most popular holiday of my generation. I am not here to discuss the spiritual aspects of Halloween, because that is not the reason for my distaste. I personally do not think it is heathen to let your kids dress up and go trick-or-treating, or for adults to put on a costume and go have a good time at a party. I've been known to do that myself a time or two. But there is one pervading theme at the end of all my Halloween experiences - it's just not that fun. Maybe it's because I've never had the perfect costume, or maybe because I hate going out only to find some of my friends dressed up like sluts for the sake of a "costume". Who knows, all this bitterness could be due to the fact that my favorite childhood pet, Chadwick, was killed by my rambunctious teenage neighbors at their Halloween party simply because they saw a black cat walking down the street and they decided it'd be funny to throw him to his death in the neighborhood pool. Whatever the case, I am just not too keen about Halloween.

This Halloween provided yet another reason for me to find the holiday annoying. On Friday, October 30, I had taken my cumulative final examination for my Immunity and Infectious Disease class. Having never studied for anything so hard in my life, I was absolutely exhausted and beat by the time the weekend of freedom arrived. While most college students were gearing up to go out for all the Halloween festivities, I was winding down and getting ready to catch some much needed Z's.

Ed and I had watched a semi-scary movie on TV earlier that evening, and while I was somewhat scared from it, I convinced myself that it was just a stupid movie and that I'd be fine. Ed tucked me into bed and then left my apartment to go back to his place. A little before 3 am I woke up suddenly. Not knowing what caused me to do this, I figured I must have been having a dream. As I rolled over to try to fall back asleep I heard a noise. Now let me first say that I live in an apartment complex full of undergrad students, so it is always loud. I think normally I would have shrugged off the noise, but due to being on edge because of the scary movie I'd watched, I immediately picked up my phone and called Ed. I was afraid I would wake him up, but of course my night owl was still wide awake. I explained to him I heard something and he told me to not worry, he'd come over to check it out. FYI, he lives about 5 minutes from my apartment.

I hung up with him and once again rolled over to try to fall asleep, but then I heard the noise again, and this time it was louder. I turned on my bedroom lights, thinking that if someone was really out there and they saw that someone was inside, they'd panic and leave. Well the noises only started getting louder, and then I heard yelling. I opened up my bedroom door and looked down the hall and realized that the noise was coming from my front door. Someone was messing with the door knob. I immediately went to my bedroom, opened up my back window in case I needed an escape, grabbed a wood plank for protection, and called Ed again to let him know that someone was trying to get inside. He at first told me to calm down and that no one was really there, but then I walked up to the door and looked in the peep hole and sure enough saw a guy standing there messing with the door handle. I then screamed to Ed on the phone, "No, I am not making this up, I am staring at a guy right now!!!" Well that blew my cover with the intruder, and he started to yell at me. "Let me in! I hear you! LET ME IN!" Not knowing what to do, I figured I couldn't just ignore him since he knew I was in there, so I answered in a deep voice (trying to sound like a man, which was an absolute failure), "GO AWAY! GET THE HELL AWAY FROM MY DOOR!" I felt bad for throwing the H word in there, but I needed to sound intimidating. I started beating the door and telling him to stop messing with me or else I'd call the cops. He laughed at me, which only made me more mad, and kept screaming to let him in.

After my verbal exchange with the intruder and physical exchange with the door (which probably lasted all of 10 seconds but felt like an eternity), I called 911. I explained the dilemna and the dispatcher told me that cops were on their way. She then asked me for details of what the guy looked like. "6 foot white male, about 20 years old" I answered. "What's he wearing?," she asked. I looked out the peep hole again to see. "A green sweatshirt, red cape, and no pants." Trying to hold back her laughter, the dispatcher told me she'd stay on the line with me as long as I needed or until the cops got there. I figured that it would be a good idea in case the guy got in, but then came the awkward silence. What do you talk to a 911 dispatcher about when you are waiting for a guy to break into your house? So I made some small talk. "If this guy gets into my apartment, am I allowed to hit him with my bat? Can I bash his head in?" She did not know how to respond to that, so after fumbling around for words, she said that I was allowed to protect myself if he did in fact get into my apartment. That made me feel better. I then let the lady know that my boyfriend was also on his way over to my apartment, so that the cops wouldn't beat him up if they happened to see him first.

Finally, I heard Ed run around the corner. My first thought was "Thank you Lord", but before that thought came to completion, a new thought emerged - what if Ed entered his "protective boyfriend that has way too many years of Army Special Forces training and can kill someone with one swift movement" mode? Fortunately, the stench of the gentleman intruder stopped Ed dead in his tracks. Ed would not get within 6 feet of him. The guy had pooped his pants, wadded them up and thrown them against my door, and was standing there in his underwear (not boxers, but undies) with poop all over his body. Ed told him to get away, and the guy kept saying that he wasn't going any where, this was his friend's apartment. Once Ed realized that this guy wasn't trying to break in or rape me, and that he was just completely wasted and high and had no idea where he was, he calmed down a bit. Ed tried to reason with the guy that he was in the wrong place, but the superhero was not going to budge.

The cops showed up shortly after, running to my front door from both angles so that the guy couldn't escape if he tried. But then all 3 of them did the same thing Ed did....sprinted all heroically around the corner then STOPPED within 6 feet. "What is that smell?!?," one of the cops yelled. Apparently it was atrocious; I never got a whiff of it. No one wanted to touch the guy, but the cops realized that he needed to be handcuffed and taken in. After finding a pair of gloves, one of the cops cuffed him. The guy mouthed off to the cop, so he tightened the cuffs another notch and threw the guy against the wall. It was beautiful. For the first time in my life, I liked the Po-Po.

I never got to thank the cops. I guess they didn't want to go through the trouble of filing a report, so they didn't even come talk to me. They did their job and left, which I was perfectly fine with. I had been all strong and put together during the whole ordeal, but when I finally got to see Ed afterwards, I fell into his arms and lost it, bawling my eyes out. I am such a girl.

I don't think there will be any long term consequences of this encounter with the pooping superhero intruder, but you never know. I do have a bruised fist from pounding the door, and I am still a little jittery at nights, but I expect a full recovery.

Until next Halloween....

Just call me Tim.

I wrote a blog not too long ago about how my competitiveness has dwindled since starting medical school. I sincerely believed this to be true when I put it down for the world to see, but I now must recant that statement. I am just as crazy competitive as I used to be, it's just that academia did not provide the proper platform to display it. Apparently all I need is a sports field...

Intramural flag football started up this month, and I signed up to play for the Microtubulies, the co-ed team comprised of my fellow 2nd year classmates. This was the same team I played with last year that lost in the Class A finals. We were winning with 2 minutes left and then choked and lost by 2 points. Not that I am bitter or anything. I also unwillingly signed up out for our class's all girl's team, the Snarfs, because they were desperate for more numbers. When enough people guilt-tripped me about dashing their dreams of getting to play if I didn't play, I gave in and reluctantly showed up to the first game. Sure enough, the Snarfs have been my favorite team to play with this season. Playing with girls really is more fun because everyone is so excited when we do anything right. Constant cheering and high-fiving is great for morale.

All was fine and dandy until we showed up to play the 3rd year medical student's team. The 2nd years had an exam the next day so we all knew we should skip the game to study, but how could we miss the chance to play our friends and supposedly the "best" team in the league? Eight girls showed up (exactly how many you need to field a team), but unfortunately everyone (including me) was completely exhausted and distracted. We played poorly the first half which was mostly our fault (read: I threw 3 interceptions), but more-so, the refs were out to get us the entire game. I won't go into it, but it was the most pathetic display of refereeing I had ever seen. They had to be getting something under the table. It got the point where half of our team was laughing at every call, and the other half cursing (plus, mix a few tears in as well to get the whole picture). I went up to the refs multiple times and yelled in their faces, dissing not only their play-calling abilities, but their personal lives. It was not one of my high points. I am somewhat surprised I didn't get thrown out. On top of that, the girls we played, who typically are our friends and peers off the field (some of which come to my bible study), were as obnoxious as could be. They played dirty, cheated whenever possible, and tried to hurt us when the refs weren't watching (which was most of the time.) I still can't look some of them in the face.

We ended up winning on a crazy last second touchdown, but I was still so frustrated with the refs and the opponent that I couldn't enjoy the victory. I ingenuously applauded the other team's effort as I disdainfully shook their hands, and then stormed off the field. Upon returning home, I showered and attempted to calm down so I could focus on my studies again, but my efforts proved unsuccessful, so I gave up and went to bed. I laid in bed until 3 am that night, replaying the game in my head and the mistakes I made. I kept trying to remind myself that we won, but it didn't help. I had not been that upset about anything since losing to t.u. in the last game of my college soccer career.

Luckily this week's opponent was not nearly as talented, and we coasted to an easy victory. My team was not nearly as emotionally involved this time, but the sorority chicks we played were not too happy with our domination, particularly when it came to me. "Someone do a chromosome test on #14, because there is no way she's a girl!," I heard after scoring my first touchdown. After the 2nd TD, one girl blurted out, "I didn't realize we had to play Tim Tebow tonight!," which of course got a huge reaction from the crowd (20 people), so the rest of the game their coaches kept screaming "watch Tebow.....get Tebow!!" I've never been a huge fan of Tebow because of all the media hype he gets, but I now have a new-found affinity and appreciation for Florida's QB.

Playoffs start next week. Hopefully I bring home two IM championships, or else things could get ugly. My competitiveness has been locked up for too long, and now that it has been released, there's no turning back. It's go time baby.