Rotation at Children's

Today I went to an orientation at Children's Medical Center of Dallas. For the next three months, I will spend Tuesday mornings in the Pediatric Endocrinology Clinic. I'm not exactly sure what to expect, but I will probably see kids with diabetes, thyroid dysfunction, adrenal deficiencies, etc. I am super excited because I haven't had any pediatric rotations since pharmacy school. The VA hospital doesn't exactly have a large population of children! ;-) I am hoping that this rotation will be a good experience. I will be precepted by a physician, instead of a pharmacist. This should be a great learning opportunity for both of us. I am hoping that I can convince the medical staff how important a pharmacist can be in the clinic setting. Please pray that I will be well-accepted and learn a lot during my time there! One more thing...I will get to see my friends Ashley and Tracy more! (They are both clinical pharmacists there) Yay!

ADA Hispanic Health Fair

Today, I had the opportunity to volunteer at the ADA Hispanic Health Fair with other Texas Tech students and faculty. We were responsible for cholesterol screenings, and we had a ton of people show up at our booth! It was pretty hectic because each test took ~5 minutes, so the lines were long! We had 7 machines, but that didn't seem to be enough. The fair was a huge success! Inside the gym, there were blood glucose and blood pressure screenings, along with the cholesterol screenings and a height/weight/BMI group. Outside, there were tons of vendors, a stage with local performers, and an immunization booth. It was a lot of fun to help out in the community!

EHS Band Reunion 2008

On Friday, September 12th, I was able to attend the 2008 Enid High Band reunion. This was pretty special because the last reunion was in 1997 (when I was a junior in high school). I wasn't sure about going at first, but after the great experience, I'm sure glad I did.

When we first arrived, we were able to visit with old friends and meet the band members from other years. We were also able to tour the new EHS cafeteria addition which was super nice! We were all able to eat dinner together and visit. It was great to catch up with everyone! (below: Chantelle Farrell, Leslie Thomas, Amber (Pearson) Jones, and I)
Later, we met in the band room to check out instruments and practice...yikes!! This was pretty scary for a lot of people since they many hadn't played their instrument since high school, but luckily, I was able to play cymbals! These aren't too hard! :) Since I was in the pit in high school (the group that plays the marimba, xylophone, chimes, timpani, and other auxillary percussion) for the halftime show, I marched cymbals in pregame. It was great to see the bandroom again. See the sign below? Those two smaller pics are the t-shirts for two of the shows when I was in high school!
After practicing on our own for a little while, it was time to go out and practice with the current band. Unfortunately, it started POURING!!! We all were completely SOAKED!! That was not fun...especially with jeans. Our jeans remained wet for the rest of the evening!
Even though we were all wet, we tried to make the best of it! Oh.. and the smell of wet grass DEFINITELY reminded us of the "good 'ole days" of morning practices!
We were able to play in the stands during the game and cheer on the current band during the halftime show. Their show this year is titled "Jericho." They already looked great, and they still have over a month before the state contest!

After the game, several of us were able to gather at a yummy restaurant called "Costello's" for food and drinks. While we were there, a band member from the class of 1960 dropped by. It's really neat to be a part of this longstanding tradition. Hopefully they will decide to start organizing a reunion more often! I have so many great memories from high school, and it's nice to see the friends that were part of those memories. "We are a family...." :)

My Favorite Things

Recently, I've found a few things that "tickle my fancy." I like them so much, that I wanted to share my little treasures!

1) Girard's Champagne Salad Dressing - This "favorite" is a new one! Last Saturday night, Chad and Ali invited us over for dinner. Ali made a delicious meal including grilled salmon, rice pilaf, and a green salad with strawberries and walnuts. I'm not one to venture out and buy new items at the store, especially salad dressings, but Ali served the salad with this Champagne salad dressing. Let me tell you...it was absolutely wonderful!!! It kind of had a slight vinegrette taste, and it was fantastic. I liked it so much, that I bought a bottle of it the next day and I've already had salad twice this week. I totally recommend it! I found it at Kroger, but Ali said that you can get it at Wal-Mart.

2) Black Amethyst fragrance at Bath and Body Works - Normally I tend to "over-collect" things like body sprays and body lotions. I will generally use them for a while, and then one day I will open my cabinet and find 10 half-used bottles! Well, recently, I received a coupon for a free travel size bottle of Black Amethyst shower gel. It is the newest B&BW fragrance. Most of the time, when they come out with a new scent, I decide that it smells nice, but don't actually purchase anything. Sometimes I think that they just slightly adjust one scent and rename it something else. I mean, how many different "Cherry Blossom" scents do they have now!? Anyway, this scent totally caught my attention. I don't think it smells like anything else they have. It's not fruity, flowery, or fresh...it's more like a "darker and more seductive" scent. (I'm sure you know EXACTLY what I'm talking about, huh.) It will be a great Fall/Winter scent. The next time you're in the store, you should sniff it out! (haha)
3) Books by author, Jodi Picoult - I haven't really had much time to read lately...like in the last 10 years! School has kept me sooo busy, and I always felt that if I had time to read, I should read school-related stuff. Well, last Fall, a girl in my bible study said that Irving Bible Church was going to do a little "book club." She asked if anyone was interested in going, and I thought it would be fun to get together with a group of girls. The first book on the list was "My Sister's Keeper" by Jodi Picoult. I read the entire book cover-to-cover, and actually had a hard time putting it down! It was definitely a page-turner. Needless to say, I never actually attended the book club, but I became a loyal fan of this author. One day, I was talking to Amber, and I mentioned that I had read a really good book recently. She said "me too!" We both got a kick out of the fact that we had just read books by the same author! The next time we saw each other, she loaned me another book called "Plain Truth." It is just as good as the first book. I can't wait to get another one after this. Oh...here's a random fact...I believe that there will be a "My Sister's Keeper" movie coming out with Cameron Diaz. I don't think it's out yet, is it? I'm really bad at keeping up with the latest movie releases.
4) Merrell dress shoes - All of my pharmacist friends will appreciate this one! As a pharmacist, we spend a lot of time on our feet! My residency isn't as bad as retail, but at CVS, that's ALL I do. I never get a chance to sit down. By the end of the day, my feet would be killing me if I didn't have a good pair of shoes. I tried these shoes out about 2 years ago. I always thought that Merrell shoes were comfortable (they generally make hiking or athletic shoes), so I thought I would try their dress shoes. I love them! They are soooo comfy and I wear them all of the time! I loved them so much that I just ordered another pair exactly like my old ones. The old ones were getting a little "too worn in." I figured that one new pair of comfy black dress shoes every 2 years isn't too bad. You can check them out at: www.merrell.com.
4) Smartfood White Cheddar Popcorn - This tasty treat was introduced to me by my sister-in-law, Heather. She recommended it one day when we were at Sam's. I decided to try it, so I purchased a bag. I was hooked instantly! It's not too cheesy and it's a nice, light snack. I must warn you...it can be addicting! Try it sometime if you see it at the store.
6) Del Sol color changing nail polish - I purchased this product at a store in San Antonio called "Del Sol." Jason and I were walking around near the Riverwalk and decided to go into a store to cool off. This store was so neat! Everything in the store changed colors when it was out in the sun. They had shirts, hats, sunglasses, watches, hair accessories, water bottles, nail polish, and more! (The shirts actually reminded me of Hypercolor shirts...remember those???) Well, I thought that everything was kinda overpriced, but I wanted to get something small. I thought that the nail polish was really neat because they had bottles that would change completely different colors out in the sun. For example, they had silver glitter nail polish that would turn to dark red in the sunlight! I decided that I would splurge and buy a "fun" beauty product...like I did when I was in high school. I did learn that OPI made the nail polish, so that's how I justified my $9.99 bottle. Anyway, the bottle I picked starts out as a very pale pinkish-white pearl and changes to a darker, pinkish-red color. It's a lot of fun on a sunny day!

That's pretty much it for now!! On my next entry, I'll have to post my LEAST favorite things...which, right now happens to be Microsoft Powerpoint and my presentations that I've been focused on for the last month! (arggg!) Anyway, if you're out and about, and see any of these items, give 'em a try and let me know what you think! (even if you disagree)

Meet the Residents!

Last week we had the opportunity to take our residency pics for the VA website. Our individual pics are generally pretty cheesy, but the group pics were pretty nice. In the pic below, all of the residents are pictured except Monique Lopes-Serrao (one of the 1st year residents who was sick that day) and Abimbola Farinde (the Psychiatry Specialty resident who is on rotation at Parkland until November). Pictured below from L to R: Me, Gary Jean, Katura Thomas (back row); LaTonya Menefee, Katie Hazlewood (a fellow OU grad), Anesia Zeller, Alison O'Brien, and Young Ran Lee (front row).

Here is my cheesy individual pic. I am "counseling" a "patient" (aka: Katie) on hyperglycemia.

Ranger's Game #2

On Friday, we were able to go to our second Ranger's game of the summer! This time, Jason and I went with some of my co-residents and a spouse. The Ranger's played the Boston Red Sox, so it was a big game! There were lots of people in the stands, but I'm pretty sure that about 50% of them were Red Sox fans. The amount of cheering was about equal when either team would make a good play.
As you can probably tell from the scoreboard, the Ranger's didn't win...but they sure gave it a good try! It was probably just a bad night :) We still had a great time!
Everyone was able to enjoy some yummy ballpark food...such as hot dogs, fries, and NACHOS!!
It was the first time for everyone to be at the Ballpark in Arlington (well...except for Jason and I), so it will be a memorable experience, I'm sure!
We still have one more Ranger's game that we're planning on attending this summer. On September 21st, my cousin and his wife will be in town, and we're heading back for more baseball fun!

Scary September!

Okay...I have just realized that I may not survive through the month of September. Those of you who know me well, know that I always manage to stay pretty busy. This month, however, is crazy! The biggest obstacles that are facing me include a huge presentation on September 19th and a lecture I have to give to 2nd year pharmacy students on September 26th. Aside from those major undertakings, I have to lead a topic discussion, go to Oklahoma twice (once to Enid for a high school reunion and once to OKC for a residency showcase), go to a pharmacy dinner meeting, start going to bible study, attend a Ranger's game with the other residents, spend a weekend with my cousin and his wife when they come to Dallas to visit, work at CVS 3 times, and attend the ADA Hispanic Health Fair to help out. This is all in the next 3 weeks! Yikes!! I know that I will make it, but I have a feeling that I'll be pretty stressed through the process. I am really looking forward to all of the "fun" things on my agenda, but really dreading the presentations. On the bright side, once this month is over, things will slow down quite a bit. Please pray that I'll come through this in one piece!

Update on Jason's Grandma

Thanks to everyone for all of the prayers and well-wishes for Jason's grandma. The surgery was a success and the biopsy showed that the doctors removed all of the cancerous tissue. They also checked the local lymph nodes and didn't find any evidence that the cancer spread. She is still in the hospital and will probably be there through this weekend. It will be a long recovery, but she is still planning to go on a cruise with her three daughters (Jason's mom and two aunts) in October. She's such a fighter! Way to go, G-money!

Aqua Fit Class? A winner!

Well, lately I have been on a swimming kick (must be all of the hoopla with Michael Phelps), so I thought I would try the "Aqua Fit" class at my gym. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I always pictured that the group would have more of a "senior" feel. :) Today when I went, there were all kinds of people...younger and older than me, and both men and women. It was so much fun! (probably because it was my first time to go) We used these underwater dumbbells for toning, water noodles for all kinds of exercises, and even did quite a bit of cardio. The hour went by so fast! I think I'm gonna have to make this class a regular!

Prayer Request

Please pray for Jason's Grandma Jean. She was hospitalized for anemia on Tuesday and they subsequently found out that she has a colon mass. She is going into surgery tomorrow for a colon resection, and then she'll likely need chemotherapy. She is in good spirits about the procedure and trusts that God will take care of her.

San Antonio Trip: Episode 7 - The Last Day!

What's the best way to start a day of traveling? Eat a great breakfast! Phil, my good friend and co-resident from last year, always knows the best places to go. On our last day, we went to the Guenther House at the Pioneer Flour Mill for an excellent breakfast. You may know them from some of their mixes. The house held a dining area, a museum, and even a gift shop. It was beautiful, both inside and out.
The breakfast was yummy as well. Jason wanted to try their famous biscuits and gravy...
...and I wanted to try their fresh blueberry Belgium waffle with "sweet cream." They were both absolutely delish!
After our tummies were full, we were ready for the car ride back to Dallas! It was so great to see Phil one more time before we left. Hopefully we'll be back soon!
Of course, we couldn't get all the way back to Dallas without stopping at the outlet malls! :)

San Antonio Trip: Episode 6 - La Fogata

On the last night of our trip, we decided to go out for a "nice" dinner. Our destination? La Fogata Mexican Cuisine. It is a yummy Mexican restaurant in San Antonio (yes, I know there are lots!) with a great atmosphere. When you enter the "grounds" they have a neat courtyard area with a beautiful fountain. We had to wait a little bit so we ordered some margaritas. They were excellent and even had a little flower for garnish!
For dinner, we started off with the tableside guacamole (very good). I can't actually remember what we had for meals, but I know they were great. For dessert, we had guava empanadas! I know...they sound interesting, but they were absolutely fantastic! Even Jason liked them and he rarely ventures out into the "unique" food world. I highly recommend them if you're ever there!

We sat outside, although you can't tell from the picture. All of the waitstaff was very friendly, and there was even a mariachi band that provided music. In the picture below, our waitress is dancing with the trumpet player!
It was a great way to spend our last night of vacation. We will definitely go back to La Fogata the next time we're in San Antonio.

San Antonio Trip: Episode 5 - Sea World

On Saturday, it was time for Sea World!! Jason had never been, and he was sooo excited to go! (I thought it was cute) He REALLY wanted to see Shamu, but also wanted to see some of the other animals.
Jason spent about 30 minutes leaning over the edge of the dolphin pool, hoping for an opportunity to touch one. Unfortunately, there were so many people around, he didn't get to pet one. :( Oh well, maybe next time.
The first time we went to see the Shamu show (yes...I said first), we arrived kind of late and had to stand at the very top. It was hard to see, so Jason wanted to come back for another show so we could get some good seats. Although we didn't get to sit in the "Splash Zone," we still had a great view at the second show. All three of the Shamus were so beautiful and talented! :) I wonder where the real Shamu is?
Of course we also had to all of the rides. We rode one of those hanging roller coasters, the rapids, and the "Journey to Atlantis" (below).
While were were there, Budweiser had some of their Clydesdales on display. They also had a hospitality house with free beer! Although I'm not really a beer drinker, Jason was excited for the free way to "cool off." We also signed up to do a free tasting. This was pretty neat because we were able to go into this really nice room, get a free plate of cheese, grapes, chocolate, crackers, etc., and sample 4 different kinds of beer. At first, I wasn't planning on going since I don't drink beer very often, but I thought it would be fun just to go with Jason. When I looked at the list, some of the beers/malt beverages actually looked pretty tasty! I tried a blueberry beer called "Wild Blue" (good), a fruit-infused Michaelob Ultra (not very good), Bud Light with Lime (actually pretty good), and a Raspberry Mojito (very good, but very sweet). Overall, I was glad that I went!

San Antonio Trip: Episode 4

During our time in San Antonio, we stayed at a bed and breakfast called the Victorian Lady Inn. It was a beautiful house. Our room was on the first floor, and we even had our own fireplace (we didn't use it obviously since it was 100 degrees out).



My co-resident from last year, Phillip, is doing his second year residency in San Antonio. This was perfect because we were able to meet up with him while we were there! He lived in San Antonio during pharmacy school as well, so he knew his way around. On Friday night, we went to dinner together. Our first stop was a drive-thru margarita stand. It was by our bed and breakfast and Phil was excited to show us. Basically, you drive through this little barn and these girls come over to your car to take your order. We all ordered different flavors of frozen margaritas. When they bring them to you, they are ready-to-drink (i.e. in the cups with lids), but they're sealed in plastic bags. You wait until your at your destination to open them. This is how they get away with having a drive-thru place!
The night we were there, August 1st, was perfect because we were able to attend "First Friday." This is a festival in the arts district, complete with food and art stands. First we ate dinner at a restaurant in the area called La Tuna. Here, we were able to meet several of Phil's friends from pharmacy school. We had a great time! Then, we walked down to the festival. It was pretty neat because there were so many people. Phil was excited to eat "street food" (i.e. fried junk food). Although I was full from dinner, everything sure smelled good! After walking a ton, we decided to settle down at a restaurant/bar called Casbeers that was in an old church. It still looked like a church too...very strange! We spent the rest of the evening there visiting.
It was so great to see Phil while we were in San Antonio! I love the new residents, but I really miss my co-residents from last year too. We have sooooo many great memories! Hopefully we'll make it to San Antonio again sometime!

San Antonio Trip: Episode 3 - Riverwalk

Next, we were off to San Antonio. Our first stop was downtown to visit the Alamo and the Riverwalk. Jason had never been to the Alamo, so he really enjoyed it...being a history buff and all! After the Alamo, we headed down to the Riverwalk.
We entered the Riverwalk area through one of the hotels. They had some pretty fountains, so I had to snap a few pics (see above).
The San Antonio Riverwalk is so neat! There are tons of restaurants and shops all along the river. I know that OKC has tried to imitate the Riverwalk with the Bricktown Canal, but it just isn't quite the same.
Of course, I had to visit the Riverwalk CVS. We went in to get drinks so we could cool off, and I was able to use my employee discount! :)
We also took a ride on one of the riverboats. Our tour guide was knowledgeable...and funny! We were able to learn a lot about the history of San Antonio and some of the buildings and sculptures around the downtown area. After our boat ride, we went to Boudro's for lunch. It was pretty tasty! Our favorite thing was the tableside guacomole. I just drank water, but the prickly pear margarita looked pretty yummy too! Don't worry...I'll have a margarita before the end of this trip! 8-P