I made it!!!

So I'm finally In Arizona!! Above are a couple of pics from the drive...I'll post more soon!!! We've been here since Tuesday evening actually, I just haven't had access to internet and have been crazy (in a good way) unpacking and getting settled. The drive was fine. My mom and I were in my X-terra while my uncle and aunt were in the moving truck. We made it here faster than expected, which is awesome...more time to hang out with the family in AZ! (not to mention being stuck in that car/truck and staying at hotels where I had to sneak Abbey in wasn't too fun) We've spent the past couple of days unpacking all my boxes and setting up my apartment. It's an awesome thing that both my aunt and my mom insist on helping me clean, set up, cook, and buy things for me...i'm super grateful to have them!! It is kind of funny though when they fight over how they disagree on how MY apartment should be set up and where I should put things. They are both over 50 but still fight like they're 5. I just sit back and laugh at them with my uncle! Even more awesome was when my mom bought some "beer" (smirnoff ice) for her and my aunt to relax... 5 minutes and 1 drink later they're drunk trying to organize my kitchen...all this while fighting with eachother on where my coffee pot should go!! I really love my apartment though...and so does Abbey! (this is very important because she pretty much rules it anyway haha) The best part so far...there are bike paths everywhere!!!! I'm itching to get out and really ride but I'm going to enjoy the family company and do whatever they want while they're here. Not to mention my board studying has been kind of sporadic the past few days. That's ok though, I purposely planned boards later for this reason. It's not very often that I get this time with them. Starting Monday though...it's on! Sprint Tri in Flagstaff on July 9th is getting close!!! Ahhhhhh!

This weekend we're heading up to Sedona to take a couple tours of the Red Rocks and The Grand Canyon, it should be awesome! I'll most definitely have pictures after the weekend and will keep you updated once I get my own internet.

p.s. high of 101 today = i'm in heaven!!! I love this heat!!!

-

ARIZONA HERE I COME!!!

So I'm ready to start the drive to AZ tomorrow! Everything is packed and all that is left to do is hop in the car and drive the 2.5 days to Tempe!! I'm very very excited to start over but I'm sad to leave some great people behind (for now anyway). Although I complain and moan about Kirksville a lot, it really has not been all that bad. I can now cross my "small town living" experience off my list. I've learned so much about myself, others, and life in general while in Kirksville so I won't say it was a bad 2 years. All in all it was great actually. Things I won't miss about Kirksville: the COLD, feeling like time is moving backwards in walmart when I'm stuck behind the slowest moving people on earth, driving 3 hours to the airport, driving 2 hours to a decent restaurant, the classroom, JC Penny being the best clothing store in town, having everyone know exactly where I am at all times cuz i'm one of the few who drives and X-terra, and just your plain old "oh kirksville" moments. I will miss great friends, being able to ride my bike anywhere, saving on gas, cheap rent, quiet nights, no traffic, my spin class, runs through the country.

The move is somewhat bittersweet but I coudln't be more excited to start fresh in Tempe. The rotations, people, new friends, training opportunities, bike and running trails, etc...i just can't wait. Now if i can only get there with my mom, aunt and uncle and dog in one piece! I'll try to post while on the trip but who knows if I'll be able to get internet. We're planning on staying at Air Force bases along the way (cuz its cheap!) and they usually have internet access. If not, I'll post pics once I get there. You know I'll have a lot!



p.s. check out my photo blog!

I HATE MOVING!!

Can I just say that i despise packing and moving. The past 2 times I've moved the AF has moved me...i'm spoiled now. I never realized how much crap i've accumulated in the past couple years!! It's bad. My apt is a maze of boxes and it doesn't even look like anything is off the walls or shelves...not a good thing. I'm supposed to drive out on Monday, its Thurs night and I'm nowhere near being packed. Also not good. I'm getting frustrated because there is so much to do in so little time. I haven't had time to pack because I've been in school aaaallll week until about 5 or 6. Hopefully tomorrow will be more productive with packing, or i'm screwed. Ok well I'm complaining now when I should be studying for my ACLS test in the morning!!! (yet another thing to study for...does it ever end?) Also frustrated that i've gotten 1 swim in this week!

This is how my mom "helps" me move....this move going to be awesome.

Re-learning the definition of a weekend...

This weekend in St. Louis was probably the first time I was able to really relax (not feel guilty for not studying all weekend) in a loooooong time. Cardinals game was fun (not very eventful) but still a good time. It was also my first trip to St. Louis in which I didn't have to worry about running or be freaking out nervous about a race! I did recognize the hill of death around mile 15 of the marathon a couple weeks ago and I really had flashbacks. It was steep in my car...crazy that my legs managed to show that hill who's boss. Anyway, the weekend was crazy and I'm quite impressed that my group (9 crazy med students total) of friends managed to have such a great time and de-stress without getting in any bar fights or having to bail someone out of jail. We work hard, but play harder. Sometimes that can be dangerous.

In moving news, i have exactly 1 week to pack up my entire apartment while still attending class (worthless week of class to take time away from board studying). I have so much to pack, its overwhelming!! But I'm glad to do it and get out of Kirksville and head west. I have a feeling that my 70.3 training won't truly start until i get to Phoenix. I've been running and swimming a bit but with finals and now moving and stress, i can't settle into a set training schedule...which is frustrating me. But it will be fine, i'll jump right back in the saddle (literally) in no time. I'm hoping i can start working out with this triathlon club I found near me. I guess its a good way to find routes and meet people...and of course, stay on top of my game.

In other news...i've started 2 more blogs. One is with my cousin that I'm really excited for. It's mainly a photo blog that we're doing just to keep practicing our photography and sort of stay connected with eachother. Check out PLACE+PERSPECTIVE. The other blog is a med school blog that is through my school. Kind of a way for new students to read about what their peers are doing and learning out on rotations. So, i'll have a lot to blog about now that school is over (thank goodness).

Here are some pics from the weekend...

Finals week update!!

So I've made it through the worst of finals!! I still have one exam left on Friday morning and of course, its a big one. BUT...the good news is that I've made it through the week pretty unscathed...except for a disgraceful performance on one exam that I really thought I had in the bag. How is it possible that I'm teaching the material to my friends but they do well and I don't??? Leave it to me to make that happen. I was pretty upset for a while...but then i realized I have too many other things to worry about, you win some you lose some, its just a test anyway. I can't wait until the last test is over so I can go back to my normal diet and sleep schedule and most importantly my WORKOUTS!!

In other news....a tornado hit Kirksville this evening. It was kind of scary. I was napping before spin class and heard sirens going off (i didn't know what they were). I've never been in a tornado, just hurricanes (being from FL) and we really don't take those seriously unless they're category 5. So i just got in my car and drove to spin class...kind of scary weather! I didn't think it was too bad but apparently it hit some houses about 3 miles away from mine pretty bad, roof torn off and all. I could've been leading class, spinning away while my little apt was torn apart!! Crazy..i'm thankful that it missed us and nothing serious happened. Note to self: take tornados more seriously! This picture wasn't from today, but I thought it was cool...i'm too afraid of lightning to be out taking pictures of it...i wish i could though.

Lastly, Cardinals game on Saturday vs. Brewers in the new Busch Stadium...i'm stoked!! I don't necessarily have the money to take a trip...but I figured it was ok to treat myself for being done with school for the rest of my life!!! Also, i can cross off the cardinals game off of my list...you can't live in MO and not go to a Cards game. I'm not even a huge fan of them, i just like baseball games in general. Maybe I'll catch a foul ball!! Yea right, with my luck i won't be looking and i'll get knocked out like that awkward girl in the movies. That's totally me...

Finals week update....

AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!


almost fell asleep DURING a surgery exam today....and its only monday....awesome....but still smiling! (maybe its all the caffeine)

That is all for now....

Last finals week..... EVER!

So, tonight, the dreaded sunday night before a tough Monday exam (2 tough monday exams in this case) is the LAST time I'll ever have to experience this!!!! This week is my last week of finals EVER!! I don't think it has hit me still that in one short week I will forever be finished with going to class, but i'm trying to make it real. Maybe I won't be able to really understand and accept it until I actually have some free time. Right now just seems like just another day in medical school paradise....studying all hours of the day, only to take the test and start it aaaalllllll over again. BUT...come this friday at 9am....the studying for class will end!! What will I do??? I still have boards to take, so my time won't be totally free (not this is ever going to possible in real life anyway). My days will just be devoted to board studying, rather than class AND board studying. Hey if i have to be studying, i'd MUCH rather be studying for boards, at my own pace, with just ONE test, and no class...than be attending forgettable lectures and time consuming labs. My time will actually be mine again!!!! But this week is going to be a big one that's for sure. 2 exams tomorrow, 1 on tuesday, 2 on wednesday, full day of studying on thursday, and last final on friday....yea...goodbye sleep and working out. And after that's done...its time to pack up my apartment and move to AZ! It never stops, always busy busy busy. But that's ok, I usually can't take about more than a couple days off anyway. I'm just weird like that. But for now, just have to get through the week alive (or at least passing) so can officially say goodbye to school and call myself a 3rd year medical student!! Ahhhh!!!!

Fate:1 Sasha: 0

So today was the first night that I felt well enough to want to work out...yay right? I was going to go for a run yesterday but it started raining and my terrible headache kind of made me wait too long, and I missed my chance at good weather. So when I woke up today at 6 am (my normal time)... not 2am with fever, then 3am sweating to death, then 4am just angry, it was great! I didn't feel 100% but good enough to plan on swimming, I was excited...even though most would advise against it considering my recent lung condtions haha. Anyway, i get to the pool, get ready to go, cap on, goggles on, workout on the board, and LITERALLY as I'm about to get in, the girl yells to me they need to close the INDOOR POOL because of thunder. NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! I was angry. Again, i blame Kirksville. It's an indoor pool!!! Of course, Kirksville, where you don't get to enjoy the feel of swimming in an outdoor lap pool but you still have to deal with the disadvantages of the weather, awesome. I'm just frustrated cuz I've spent the past 2 weeks really gearing up to start workouts again, today was gonna be good. BUT of course, as fate or whatever would have it...no dice. Maybe its a sign? Maybe I need to lay off just a little while longer and let myself really recover for once. Well, it wasn't in the cards today, i get it, one more day of rest. But it better not be thunderstorming tomorrow! I mean really, is it an outdoor or an indoor pool?!?

In other news, my chest xray was unremarkable, just how I like my chest xrays. I still get the weird shortness of breath throughout the day but its not too bad anymore. I tried the albuterol inhaler today and i think i experienced a failure due to operator error the first time. I accidentally caught all the stuff on my tongue, which made my tongue feel really strange, but did nothing for the lungs (oops). Second time was better as far as delivery goes. I didn't really feel a change in my breathing...all I felt was really shaky from the albuterol. I'm not sure if i'll use it again, maybe i'll give it a second trial day.

Tomorrow is my last day of class....EVER!!!! That's really strange for me to accept. I've never known a life without class or exams. But its a great thing. I'm finally moving on to the real stuff, the stuff that actually matters. I'm going to really try to make the most of the rest of the time I have here and not take it for granted. But i'm sooo excited to get out of here, be done with class, and move on to what I've been working my whole life for! T minus 17 days until I see Kirksville from my rearview mirror!!!

Interesting Kirksville encounter of the day....

So I was in the elevator today on the way to get my chest x-ray for my "probable pneumonia" and I had an encounter with a woman that is just the epitome of Kirksville, MO. I was in the elevator to begin with because 20 mins earlier i climbed 4 flights of stairs up to the docs office and thought i was going to die, I was so out of breath. I actually felt more out of breath after that little climb than what I felt after running 26.2 miles just a couple weeks ago! Not good. Anyway, back tot he encounter. I was waiting for the doors to close when I heard this sort of muffled moan that may have been trying to get me to hold the elevator for them, i wasn't sure. It sounded like somebody was in pain to be honest, so i was worried, and i opened the elevator doors and checked who it was.

It was an extremely obese lady, in red scrubs (a hospital employee), who seemed barely able to walk at a normal pace due to the massive edema in her lower extremities...it was bad. She looked like she was using every ounce of energy to make it to this open elevator and I was sort of worried I'd have to use my CPR skills right then and there! So i helped her in the elevator and we had a quant little ride up to the 4th floor. All the while she's breathing heavy with her eyes closed, sweating, red face and hands, and I can't help but to stare at how distressed she seemed. So we get to her floor and i ask her if she's ok and she says "oh yea, this is my daily workout". I'm thinking "yikes!".

SO, as she's walking out, she turns around and thanks me for helping her, (i'm not really sure what I did other than stare at her) I notice her hospital badge....right there, under her name and picture...in bright red letters are the words..."NUTRITION SPECIALIST"

AAAAhhhh...this scares me. BUT, this is Kirksville, why am I surprised????????

p.s. still waiting on the chest x ray call from the doc, they wouldn't let me see my own xrays, which is kind of stupid. In the meantime, he gave me an inhaler I can use before exercising and at night. I'm just pumped he didn't say those awful words..."don't exercise for ____amount of time" I hate those words so much!

On the upside, it did get me out of having to look in the noses of crying babies for the afternoon, sweet!

I'll keep you posted!

Successfully picked the worst time to be sick...

I HATE HATE HATE being sick! It's so annoying, hard core pool workouts were going to start this week!! I'm really bad at going to the actual doctor but I'm for sure going on Wednesday. I don't think I have the normal flu (i know you're thinking ahhh she has swine flu!!!!!). Although, if i did have swine flu, i'd be the first person in Missouri to get it, which would be kind of a cool accomplishment, sick but cool. Anyway, I had atypical pneumonia about 8 months ago and this feels very much like the beginnings of that, crap! BUT, unlike last time, i'm not going to continue to swim and run through my symptoms and actually go to get a chest xray before I wake in the middle of the night unable to breathe lol. (that was a not fun night AT ALL)

The worst part is that we have finals next week and still have classes and a test yet this week...blehhh. I'm pretty much over studying and ready to move on to AZ, and being sick DOES NOT HELP this "checked out" syndrome. Plus, i haven't worked out in almost 2 weeks!! I did a stair master the other day, woo-pee, i need to run or swim!! Maybe that's why i got sick...i NEEEED to workout!

Oh well, i'm gonna keep pushing the fluids, do everything i can to rid mysel fof this fever, and hope that I don't have pneumonia. We'll find out on wednesday!! You can do it lungs!

Spring has finally arrived in Kirksville!!

Spring is here! I spent about an hour walking around taking pictures of the dandelions...they are everywhere! We didn't get those in FL (or i never saw any) so I'm sort of in love with them.

Today was the first day in several months I was able to wear a tank top outside at NIGHT and not freeze to death!!! This extended weekend has been great all around. I finally got Betty and my "new" bike, yet to receive a name, tuned up today. This "new" bike is not actually new. It's probably a few years old and has been sitting outside of my apartment for about a year now. It was left there by somebody and they never came to get it...so it's mine now! It endured the winter outside because I thought somebody would actually claim it (i would never treat a bike that way!)...but they never came. SO...i took her to get overhauled today and man she needs some work. Aside from being totally rusted, she needs a new rear wheel, brake cable, new seat, and new tires. But I'm glad I adopted this bike as my own...now I have 3 bikes! I'm almost catching up to my dad, he'd be so proud. (he has 7 i think) Can't let a good bike go to waste. And it'll be perfect for AZ, you can never have too many bikes.

Other than bike tune ups and 8 hours of studying....i treated myself to sushi!! Sounds insane, but my friends and I drove the 1.5 hours to Columbia just to eat sushi...and we drove right home after...the things you do when you live in a small town, just crazy. I would've taken a pictures of it, but i was so hungry that it was all gone before I realized my camera wasn't out! It was glorious, i'm currently fighting the food coma, or maybe its the fact that its midnight...way past my bed time!

Anyway, no workout today as i planned. I know i need to get in the pool, but I'm really trying not to lose sight of the fact that boards are in less than 2 months and that's the next thing (the most important thing!) on my plate right now...not triathlons. I'm still going to train and get in that pool, but I'm really focusing on prepping for boards the way I train for a race...discipline. If i could focus myself on studying the way i focus and push for races, I'd be set. I'm trying it out by pretending boards are my next race...my mental marathon, the test is like 8 hours long! So i've sort of been slacking in the training area (slacking being not training everyday) and revving up the studying. Classes and board studying and triathlon training all at the same time is quite time consuming, something has to give. And right now, that something is going to have to be training, just for 3 more weeks until classes are over!

Hopefully the 2 exams this week go well and I can buy some much needed time in the pool. Just me, and my high elbow catch!