I flew back to Spokane last Sunday, the 15th, less than 24-hours after finishing my pediatrics rotation. I could have left New York at 2:30 and got home at 7:000, but Farley's flight was at 11:20, so I decided to leave at 11:30. I am glad that I did because I flew out of Laguardia and there isn't too much at that airport. I had been reading "Gone With The Wind" for a few weeks and was excited about being able to read and sleep all day on the flights. I was about 330 pages into the book and it was so good that I ended up reading the whole flight to Minneapolis rather than sleeping. When I landed in Minneapolis, I discovered that I made the right decision about where to have a longer layover: Minneapolis has a mall inside the airport! I had fun wandering around looking in the stores and I grabbed a bite to eat. However, I couldn't pull myself away from my book. I ended up heading back to the terminal and reading like crazy. I thought that I could sleep on the second flight, but again, I was engrossed in the book. I ended up reading 500 pages of "Gone With The Wind! I've become a much faster reader since starting medical school, so I guess it shouldn't be a huge surprise. I landed in Spokane about 30 minutes early and Mom was there to meet me (Dad was still at work). When I got home, we had our Christmas Eve dinner, since we were not able to be together for Christmas and opened presents (we always open on Christmas Eve). It was so much fun to see Mom and Dad open the things I found for them in New York City. I bought some touristy things but I also bought some unique things, for example I bought Dad a print from The Met and I brought Mom a purse from an up and coming leather designer.
Sunday, I was up at 5:30. I was so excited to be home that I couldn't sleep, which was strange because I was so tired. We opened stockings (just as if it were really Christmas morning). Next we headed to the Davenport for breakfast and to see my Aunt and Uncle. We walked around downtown Spokane, but we couldn't stay long because I had two people come in from out of town to see me, which was very nice.
I have stayed busy this first week being home. I had to do all of my doctor's appointments for school, I saw lots of family and friends and I have had lots of fun. I only wish I had a month rather than two weeks. I was going to school from February 15, 2010 until January 14, 2011 without a break. I know that a lot of people work harder than I have to and they don't get vacations either, but I was tired and I really missed my family.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
Pediatrics and the Holidays
I can't believe how quickly my last rotation went. I started pediatrics on December 6th and ended on January 14th. I, like many students before me, was sick the entire six week rotation. Every child with a virus was kind enough to share it with me! Farley and I were very busy during this rotation because of the holidays. It was the first time that we had been away from our families for the holidays and it was difficult, but at least we had each other.
Right after Thanksgiving, Farley and I went down to Macy's to see the Christmas Windows. I know that the picture isn't the greatest, but here are a few of the "Miracle on 34th Street" windows at Macy's.
A couple weeks after going to Macy's to look at windows, we decided to go to 5th ave and look at the windows there. We got off the subway near Central Park West and took a picture of the park:
This is the famous Plaza Hotel on 5th Ave. I don't think the picture does the hotel justice. It was beautifully decorated for Christmas.
These are some windows from Bergdorf Goodman:
We looked at the windows at many of the other famous department stores on 5th Ave, but I couldn't get pictures of the windows because there were so many people in front of them. Also, some of the stores had lines to wait in to look at the windows, but the lines were at least a block long (most were longer) and we didn't want to wait that long.
This is the famous Plaza Hotel on 5th Ave. I don't think the picture does the hotel justice. It was beautifully decorated for Christmas.
These are some windows from Bergdorf Goodman:
We looked at the windows at many of the other famous department stores on 5th Ave, but I couldn't get pictures of the windows because there were so many people in front of them. Also, some of the stores had lines to wait in to look at the windows, but the lines were at least a block long (most were longer) and we didn't want to wait that long. The next pictures is a snow flake decoration on 5th Ave between the skyscrapers.
Some decorations on the storefronts!
Some decorations on the storefronts!
This is Cartier's and it is my favorite decorated store that we saw! I love the lighted bow.
I insisted that we go into St. Patrick's Cathedral so I could see the Christmas decorations.
Here is a close up of the alter and the Advent wreath.
This is the manger in St. Patrick's and because it was before Christmas, Jesus isn't there yet.
We were standing near 5th Ave looking toward Rockefeller Center.
We were closer to the ice skating rink at Rockefeller Center. It was so busy!
I think that the toy solders are very cute at Rockefeller Center:
Swarovski crystal make the tree topper at Rockefeller Center and they made two toppers: one on the tree and one that you can look at. It is so tall!
We walked all the way from 57th ave to 34th and over to Bryant Park. They had great shops in Bryant Park. Farley and I did some Christmas shopping there and here is a picture of the Christmas Tree at the Park, near the ice skating rink.
We decorated a little at our little apartment. I took this picture a few weeks before Christmas. By Christmas, we had more presents and cards that filled up our unconventional Christmas Decorations/Entertainment Center.
We had one heck of a tree!
Our lovely stockings!
On Christmas Eve, Farley and I decided to go into Manhattan and walk around. We also rented movies and I made lasagna. It was yummy! We had a great time watching movies and we watched Midnight Mass from the Vatican. Mom and I always watch Midnight Mass, so it was nice that Farley watched with him even though he isn't Catholic. My family always opens presents late on Christmas Eve (we usually finish right before Midnight Mass). so it was strange to me to open presents on Christmas Day. We had a nice brunch after opening presents and talking to our families. Then we watched another movie and we had steak for dinner (because prime rib was just too expensive and the cuts of meat were too big for just the two of us). The Blizzard hit NYC on the 26th. There was about two feet of snow and much of the city was shut down for days. I managed to get to the hospital for my pediatric ER shifts because the two trains I needed were running with delays. Others, however, were not so lucky. It was a mess. They didn't pick up garbage for almost two weeks (I think they pick up 5 days a week at our complex). There were stacks of garbage about 3-4 feet high, but at least it was cold out and it wasn't stinky. They managed to clean up Times Square for New Years Eve and Farley and I decided to go down for an hour just to have seen it. I am glad we went, but it was cold. You are corralled so that the police can search everyone and keep control. You can't leave your spot once you get it or you loose it and you may have to go through security again. We couldn't even see the ball, which is all I wanted to see, but it is okay. Here are some pictures:
We walked up to 57th near Central Park to catch the train. I took a few picture of the buildings near Central Park (the first is a picture of the CNN building, but I moved and it is blurry), the second is of the park.
I insisted that we go into St. Patrick's Cathedral so I could see the Christmas decorations.
Here is a close up of the alter and the Advent wreath.
This is the manger in St. Patrick's and because it was before Christmas, Jesus isn't there yet.
We were standing near 5th Ave looking toward Rockefeller Center.
We were closer to the ice skating rink at Rockefeller Center. It was so busy!
I think that the toy solders are very cute at Rockefeller Center:
Swarovski crystal make the tree topper at Rockefeller Center and they made two toppers: one on the tree and one that you can look at. It is so tall!
We walked all the way from 57th ave to 34th and over to Bryant Park. They had great shops in Bryant Park. Farley and I did some Christmas shopping there and here is a picture of the Christmas Tree at the Park, near the ice skating rink.
We decorated a little at our little apartment. I took this picture a few weeks before Christmas. By Christmas, we had more presents and cards that filled up our unconventional Christmas Decorations/Entertainment Center.
We had one heck of a tree!
Our lovely stockings!
On Christmas Eve, Farley and I decided to go into Manhattan and walk around. We also rented movies and I made lasagna. It was yummy! We had a great time watching movies and we watched Midnight Mass from the Vatican. Mom and I always watch Midnight Mass, so it was nice that Farley watched with him even though he isn't Catholic. My family always opens presents late on Christmas Eve (we usually finish right before Midnight Mass). so it was strange to me to open presents on Christmas Day. We had a nice brunch after opening presents and talking to our families. Then we watched another movie and we had steak for dinner (because prime rib was just too expensive and the cuts of meat were too big for just the two of us). The Blizzard hit NYC on the 26th. There was about two feet of snow and much of the city was shut down for days. I managed to get to the hospital for my pediatric ER shifts because the two trains I needed were running with delays. Others, however, were not so lucky. It was a mess. They didn't pick up garbage for almost two weeks (I think they pick up 5 days a week at our complex). There were stacks of garbage about 3-4 feet high, but at least it was cold out and it wasn't stinky. They managed to clean up Times Square for New Years Eve and Farley and I decided to go down for an hour just to have seen it. I am glad we went, but it was cold. You are corralled so that the police can search everyone and keep control. You can't leave your spot once you get it or you loose it and you may have to go through security again. We couldn't even see the ball, which is all I wanted to see, but it is okay. Here are some pictures:
We walked up to 57th near Central Park to catch the train. I took a few picture of the buildings near Central Park (the first is a picture of the CNN building, but I moved and it is blurry), the second is of the park.
We went back to Times Square on January 1st. Here are pictures of the 2011 sign: one is a close up and the second is a picture of the whole building.
I was sad not to be at home with my family for Christmas, but Farley and I had a great time. I am glad that we had each other. I was disappointed with pediatrics rotation, but I still think I want to become a pediatrician. There were so many students at the hospital where I did my pediatrics core rotation and I think that the doctors didn't have enough time to teach us as much as I was hoping for. Also, the hospital did not have a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), so any really sick child had to be transferred to another hospital. I don't want to sound cold, because I don't like seeing any sick children, but I want to learn and being exposed to really sick children is one way that medical professionals learn about pediatrics. I am doing a pediatric infectious disease rotation in February and I am looking forward to working with more children and being in a PICU.
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