Surgery?

I signed up for a surgery selective today! It's only one credit, pass/fail, but it runs for about six weeks and I should be able to see some interesting surgeries at Grenada's General Hospital. I'll be shadowing surgeons and Internal Medicine doctors twice a week, taking histories from patients, and most important of all, experiencing real medicine!

Hope to have some good stories to share soon...stay tuned!

The Fall of a Lion

A senator has died and it seems to be on everyone's minds. From the breaking news alerts that interrupted our favorite shows, to NYTimes op-ed pieces, even to facebook messages, people around the country are feeling a slight emotional tug at the mention of the long-standing senator from Massachusetts--even comparing him to some our nation's greatest heroes.

Although I disagreed with Mr. Kennedy on many issues (being a conservative-voting Vermonter will do that...and yes--I may be the ONLY Vermonter voting Republican -- and yes--I may have just told that to the generation of voters who secured the presidency for Mr. Obama) I did admire him for his committment to the advancement of healthcare in our country.

Healthcare reform for Senator Kennedy was "the cause of his life." He made it possible for workers to keep their coverage if they were injured on the job or had a pre-existing condition. He helped insure millions of children and senior citizens, many who health insurance companies refused to cover. And over the past several months as the latest healthcare battle was played out in Washington, his absence was significant. It is safe to say that he was the only person who could rally enough support behind one cause, his cause, healthcare for everyone in America.

And whether that would have been from the legislation that was being circulated before the August recess or a totally new bill, we might never know.



I wonder what may have happened if the Lion roared for a while longer.

Home

Finals are over and I'm now home in Vermont. I'm sitting on my back porch watching my puppy, Newman play with a stick -- more like a tree limb -- in my backyard and thinking how quickly time flies by. It seems like just yesterday my Dad was driving me to the airport at 4am in the blistering cold, on my way to an island I had never been to, where I was pinning all my hopes on a dream that may or may not come true. And now, five months later, I'm back home. I can officially call myself a medical student!

Now that I'm home, the summer feels like it's already flying by. I'll be working at the hospital in Burlington, but I like my job and it keeps me busy. Most of my friends are spread out across the country and I've already planned roadtrips to visit them all.

This may be crazy, but I miss Grenada. Maybe it's the great weather (it's been raining and 60-something degrees ever since I've been home), the new friends I made while I was there, or the spectacular views of the ocean. I am proud to say that I saw a great deal of the island during my first term, much more than some of my fellow SGUers. While I still have a lot to explore, I think I'm off to a good start. With all that the "Spice Island" has to offer, I'll be happy to return to my Grenada home in August.