Happiness hits you like a bullet in the back :)

It's been a while! Over a month, times flies when you're busy/having fun/stressed/crazy :)

When I posted last I was still in San Antonio, TX and loving the ED and the idea of possibly winding up there for residency.  I came back and jumped right into non-emergency medicine grind, the civilian residency application process, and the stress that comes with all of that. Yikes! So, September was a somewhat high stress month for me. Things that happened in September:
1. ERAS and other med student stress
2. Took care of mama after surgery
3. Got back to climbing and running (signed up for marathon)
4. Once again proved that test-taking is NOT my strongest suit
5. Once again proved that I'm not going to give up on emergency medicine
6.  and many other little things...

It doesn't seem like much when I list it, but it was somewhat of an emotional month where I struggled with myself and had to prove my passion for pursuing my future goals regardless of how difficult it is :) More specifically, battling people who discourage others from pursuing dreams because the road is unknown and challenging. I don't work that way, as you know. I've proved lots of people wrong to get here, so it's nothing new to be told I can't do something...I just don't like hearing it. Eventually however, it serves as more motivation. So, now I'm sort of in a waiting period until December as far as residencies. Until then, I'm enjoying life and not letting a damn thing discourage me. I'll take life one day at a time and work it regardless of what happens!

Anyway, in other news,  I'm going to Bogota, Colombia in February to work in a Peds ED at a hospital called Fundacion Santa Fe de Bogota!!!! It has been a LONG process to make this happen, but it will be well worth it in the end to do some international medicine, one of my biggest dreams! (especially with kids) Again, I've met resistance as to why I'm doing this, its so much work to set up. I've just resorted to telling people that I don't do things the easy way haha. It's sort of true. ANyway, I'm excited to experience how Colombia does medicine and work with local kids. Hopefully I'll make it up to the mountains and do the "doctor rounds" in the little town where my mom was born. A doc hikes up once every couple of weeks and makes home visits to the people that live up there, off the grid, living off the land. It's awesome, I'm excited! My last international medical trip was the most humbling experience of my life and put everything in perspective for me. I'm ready for that again.

So the past month has been packed with a lot of things! (like that's anything new lol) Although it has been up and down, I can honestly say that I'm extremely grateful everyday for being exactly where I am and where I'm going, although I'm not really sure of where that is. Just having faith that great things are coming!

More updates soon...