Goodbye 2015

The clinic is very quiet this week with half of the staff and students out for the holiday, which doesn't give us much to do in radiology.

It's a new year this weekend. I can say that I am not the same person I was when this year started. This past year has been an emotional one but I am grateful for all the opportunities and lessons.  Looking back, I made very close friendships, rekindled a few, as well as lost a few, fell in love with and left paradise but learned that paradise is all in your mindset, moved to Baton Rouge to start my clinical and last year of vet school, had a few externship experiences in New York and Chicago, took the NAVLE (hopefully passed it as well), traveled to a new country - Dominican Republic, and started on the job search.

This is the time when everyone starts thinking of resolutions for the new year, bad habits they want to break, new routines for better health and living. However what most don't realize is that the new year means nothing if you're still in love with your comfort zone. Stop living the same day 365 times and calling it a life. Do not be afraid of vulnerability or satisfied with simple; have a completely passionate, adventurous, weird life. The idea is to live your life in a way that makes you feel lit up, full fledged, beautiful, sparkling, alive. Find what excites and nourishes your soul, then build your world from that alone.  Everything else isn't part of your revolution. I encourage you to remember what it's like to feel alive.

I have a lot of exciting things going on this new year including a zoo externship, a milestone birthday, my sister's wedding, my graduation, a big move, and a new job. I finally have accepted the frame of mind that if it doesn't nourish my soul, I'm getting rid of it, yes including people. I burned some sage and incense in order to release the negative energy and anxiety that has been surrounding me in this old year.  I cannot wait to embrace all the positive energy heading my way. The best time for new beginnings is now. I don't have any resolutions other than fulfilling my 30 before 30 bucket list and the typical resolution of getting healthier.  So farewell 2015, here's to 2016! This is going to be a fantastic new year!

Home For The Holidays

For The Women Who Are Meant For More

"Normal won't cut it - extraordinary is what we're here for....Our wings won't slide through small doors. We are meant for so much more"

The holiday schedule for our rotations worked where we either had a week off for Christmas or a week off for New Years, so we had to split ourselves up in order for half to go one week and half to go the other. This past Friday, I surprised mom for her birthday and I will be able to celebrate Christmas in Charlotte, Chicago, and WI like usual!

Virginia Tech won the Independence bowl game against Tulsa!  Thanks for the memories Beamer! VT football just won't be the same without you.

My original flight back to Baton Rouge at 6am on Sunday morning was canceled due to the weather in Dallas, so I was "forced" to stay in Chicago for 12 additional hours until my 6:30pm flight back to Baton Rouge.  We will see what's in store for the 3 more week of my radiology rotation.

NOLA

I went to New Orleans for a nice little out of town break this past weekend

There hasn't been anything too eventful on my radiology rotation so far although I am getting better and more comfortable reading radiographs.
17 Terrifying Animal X-rays

In honor of the Star Wars premiere: All I Need To Know In Vet Med I Learned From Yoda

Radiology Rotation

I wasn't allowed to say where else I was traveling to this break because I went to a surprise party in Chicago for Jenna's 30th birthday! I'm so glad I was able to make it!

 

So my complete wanderlust vacation (for now) looked like this:

I traveled back to Baton Rouge for my next rotation which is radiology.  We have rounds in the morning and then spend the day taking radiographs of the animals from different services. This will be my longest rotation (6 weeks) because of the holidays. I will have plenty of time to catch up on little projects and of course, Christmas shopping!
Outrageous Animal X-rays Gallery

Dominican Republic

Another check off the passport, map, country list, and my 30 before 30 list! See how productive it is to travel! Traveling is like flirting with life. It's saying 'I would stay and love you, but I have to go; this is my station." I can't think of anything that excites greater childlike wonder than to be in a country where you are ignorant of almost everything. Suddenly you are five years old again. You can't read anything, you have only the most rudimentary sense of how things work, you can't reliably cross a street without endangering your life. Your whole existence becomes a series of interesting guesses.  So let's not travel to tick things off lists or collect half hearted semi treasures to be placed in dusty drawers in empty rooms. Rather, we'll travel to find grounds and rooftops and tiny hidden parks where we'll sit and dismiss the passing time, spun in the city's web 'til we've surrendered, content to be spent and consumed. I need to feel a place when I'm in it. I think I just need to skip to the part in my life where I travel the world.

Dominican Republic Souvenirs: Faceless doll, Mamajuana rum, cigar, and Larimar stone earrings 

I had a relaxing rest of my week, complete with little errands and projects that I haven't had the time to do yet since I was studying.  I will be traveling this weekend and then back to Baton Rouge to start my next rotation of radiology.  I'm not ready for my vacation to end yet :(

Thanks Frank

Virginia Tech to see Coach Beamer's last home game and a beautiful meeting with my girls! What a beautifully emotional weekend! The excitement of seeing friends That I have not seen in far too long and Who Have always been there with a supporting hand. The intensity of the fight of the game That Went into overtime with 1 minute left in the 4th quarter; ,,,, Although we did not win. The sadness of Coach Frank Beamer's last home game and the memorials That Were put together creatively displayed on the jumbo-tron. The heartache and grief for the victims of April 16th while paying our respects at the memorial. The relaxed feeling in this place That I Realize how much my mind is filled With Peace and my heart is full of love; everything is well within my soul. I feel grounded, centered, and balanced. I can feel that i am Right Where I need to be. When You Realize how perfect everything is, you will tilt your head back and laugh into the sky.

Check out this introduction That was displayed at the start of the game this past weekend:

And of course, we ended up making it in the Roanoke Times:

For Thanksgiving, my family will be heading to the Dominican Republic! Another check off the passport, country list, and before 30 list! The beach (my third home this break) you have-been calling my name for far too long.

NAVLE

Premium Pet Food Is Really Expensive And Not Actually Better

This week I headed home to Charlotte to start my vacation.  It took me 12 hours of travel time on Monday to get to Charlotte however.  My first flight to Dallas went fine, but my second flight got delayed due to weather.  We get on the plane and there is engine damage so they give us the option of getting off because they don't know if they can take that plane.  I get off the plane and up to the attendant in order to see if there is a later flight that I can get on, just as they announce that there is a another plane as well as a gate change.  We get to the next gate and there is about an hour before we board (I would have been home by now).  We get onto the plane and there is no water, so we wait 45 mintues for the mechanic to get there.  Finally we take off and I luckily make it back with no other issues.

  I took the NAVLE on Thursday and finally now I can relax for a while until I find out the results in a few months!

My mom got me an awesome gift for finishing the NAVLE now that I will actually have free time to read it!  Thanks mom!

Second stop on my vacation and another home: Blacksburg VA for Beamer's last home game and a reunion with my girls!

One Week To Go

The Value Of Your Veterinary Dollar

LSU Mike The Tiger Meat Logos
LSU lost their undefeated record this weekend to their biggest rival Alabama.  However, the Panthers are still going strong 8-0!

I was a hermit this past week in order to study for the NAVLE in one week!  I took a practice exam and I was able to get to 80% on VetPrep, which is the study tool used by most students for the NAVLE.  If you can at least get to 80%, the company will give you the program for free if you don't end up passing the first time.  Wish me lots of luck that I won't have to use VetPrep ever again!

On shelter medicine this week, I did 5 surgeries (4 neuters and a spay) as well more physical exams and vaccines on the shelter animals.  I did find a little orange and white kitten that I really love!  I might have to check and see if he's still available when I get back from vacation!

My vacation officially starts this weekend! Chrissy and Matt are coming into town for the LSU vs  Arkansas game.  I am even more excited that I will be in four different locations on my three week vacation.  First stop, Charlotte, one of my homes that I will be visiting!  Here's to adventure!

Shelter Medicine Rotation

Halloween....Risky Business style this year!

Frank Beamer has announced his retirement from coaching VT football.  I'm so excited to be going to Blacksburg for the weekend of his last home game!  Check out this tribute video to the legend.

This week I started my Shelter Medicine rotation.  On this rotation, we travel to different shelters and perform physical exams on the new animals, give them any vaccines and/or medications they need.

Remember those fun undergrad moments, such as the fire alarm going off in the dorm at 2am on a Tuesday morning?  Well I got to relive that this past Tuesday when one of my neighbors was apparently smoking inside the building and set off the fire alarm for the entire complex.....

The Most Unhealthy Jobs In America 2015
#4 what do you know....