Home from home

Home.

I'm finally back in Kirksville after an all-too-short visit to Tallahassee. It was a wonderful break, made better by two facts:

1.) I had successfully completed a very difficult quarter of medical school

2.) The knowledge of receiving the OTM fellowship.

The OTM fellowship is significant, because it postitively effects my semi-immediate future. I don't have to worry about the rotation site match. There is no uncertainty of where I will be moving in the fall. I'm moving to where I want to live, and where I want to study medicine: Grand Rapis, MI; Metropolitan Hospital. Grand Rapids is a very progressive city, and Metro is an amazing hospital- it is Michigan State's flagship hospital, it is truly osteopathic, offers excellent medical and OMM training (especially in obstetrics and surgery), and it is an environmentally responsible organization (it's new hospital is being built to green, sustainable standards, and is one of the first in the nation).

So with this great deal of satisfaction and relief, I was able to very much enjoy my time in Tallahassee. I got to actually relax and enjoy my time. I spent days with my loved ones, hours and hours with the new baby, ate too much food, stayed up all night talking in front of the fire with James (there was a fire every night thanks to Pat), played video games with Pat, used an incredible ammount of OMM, and tested my clinical knowledge when it really mattered-when a loved one was in the hospital. All of this was exhausting and rejuvinating at the same time, and I wouldn't trade an instant of lost sleep for the fun I had. This was easily one of the best weeks of my life. Heck, I had two Thanksgivings while I was there, and they were two of the best I've had. There is a lot of love in Tallahassee, and I really need that. I'm very fortunate.

The drive home seemed almost short, because I knew I will be coming back in three short weeks. It also helps that I bought a power inverter and can now talk non-stop during my drive. I did drive through some amazing weather (read-scary) on the way back, but I made it in time for class, and was actually able to sleep for about three hours.

The dog is home, and that is VERY weird, I think for both of us. But I feel really normal now that he is here, and I can't believe he was gone for over four months. I have a very busy few weeks here, but I think they are going to just fly by. This first one is the worst, but I plan on getting all of my work out of the way immediately, and crusing through the last two weeks. Then it's back home.