Onwards

Well I haven't written one of these for a while. Mainly because there hasn't been a whole lot of new things going on that I could write about. I am into cardiology now, we're working on the beginning of everything, heart physiology and all. Biggest news is that I am now certified to read and understand STEMIs and other mimics of MIs. We have our first test coming up this next monday, and supposedly cardiology is going to be the hardest class we do. Although right now it doesn't seem that hard so far, but I don't know. Final grades aren't up yet from Endocrine class, but it appears that I squeaked by with the hairs of my chinny chin chin. Hubble is about as fiesty as ever. Especially when I indulge him with the 2-handed attacks. He never can win but he likes to try I think. Kristen might not like it but I think it's rather fun because I get to leave. On a brighter note Utah won the football game 24-21. As usual we came out and pulled way ahead and then let them come back. They made a 4th and 22 with 20-30 secs left, the managed something like a 50-60 yard pass and then set up for a 50 yard field goal. They missed, the utah fans got penalized for rushing the field before the play was over. Next they had a 37 yard field goal, and that bounced off the uprights. Thou Shalt NOT PASS!!!! Said Gandolf. And so we won Last big thing that has happened recently is that we have a new computer finally. A nice 15" VAIO that is pretty thin. The only sad thing is that it's actually longer than I wanted it to be. I forgot that they added a number pad on the side. DISLIKE, other than that it's pretty nice. It has a HD screen and blue-ray disc. Kristen pushed for it to be ours-hers(her words not mine) but she's been busy at the pool this last week doing stuff. So I've been able to sneak away with it several times. Don't know how long that will last before she reasserts the fact that the computer is indeed hers, but until then it's nice to have. Having the nice screen helps with a lot of things. Well I'm in the middle of class right now and they are actually pretty good for once. He's actually doing a really well job in the clinical application for HTN. Anyways's I'm signing off for now since that's about it for now

OMS II

Back from Utah and Texas with all the craziness that they both entail. Just a heads up Hubble is huge. Guess that the dewormer is working because in the last 2 weeks, it seems that he has double in size it seems like. As well as getting super frisky. He no longer sleeps in my lap it seems after he goes and runs around everywhere. Sam finally got married, although if you are reading this, you probably went to it since ... yeah, if you read this and you aren't related to me with a double X chromosome let me know, I think that would be interesting. Andi's wedding was long but fun, he had a good time and didn't do too badly, although his wife can be a bit ... how should I say this: My way or the highway attitude. Reminds me of someone ;) Sam actually went to riodizio's with Seth last friday night and they didn't even invite me, and I was 15 miles away. So so so so stupid. I have degraded Sam's wedding present from something nice to titanium sporks. First day of class and so far I think I'm about caught up! I know first day and I'm rolling. Hopefully I'll be able to keep up until the end, with a test this monday, yes I know so soon, I don't want to get behind. Currently studying the endocrine system starting with the hypothalamus and pituitary areas. They've actually mixed things up a bit here, with a lot of pre-recorded lectures and independent study time. They are encouraging us to lynch, email, or call the professors for help as well as use the online boards. So anyway back in Utah, I went and visited Matt and his house for a bit. They got into MTG(Magic the Gathering). It reminded me of the fun that you get when you're single, have hobbies etc etc etc. I want to have hobbies too but we're super poor and anyway I don't have anyone to do hobbies with at the moment. Somehow I think that Kristen isn't the most interested in modeling or cards or anything like that. So I will wait and watch for my time till I get to the point that I unleash the full fury of my intelligence... I mean something else but oh well. Well class is over for the moment so I'll sign off now Zac

Kitty

It's been almost a month, but I honestly don't feel bad since it's vacation basically and I've been doing nothing but taking care of Hubble. Well not exactly nothing since I've been the one cleaning and cooking now that I am home all day and Kristen suddenly decided that she needed to work 30-40 hours a week. Which actually is really good right now since we have 26.98 in the bank before we went to go see The Amazing Spider-Man tonight. So yeah we're actually even poorer. But no fear, she is putting in a paycheck tomorrow so hopefully we'll make it to the start of the school year where we'll get my next installment from my student loans. Anyway my life these days revolves around taking care of the kitten which as Sara can attest young care is a full time job. He's so needy he should be a she. I play D3 and LoL as well. That's about it. When Kristen is home she watches TV. She's been on an Olympic match spree as well as the usual sit coms etc etc etc. We've been trying to do social things like ward activities and going out to see movies and the occasional dinner with friends etc etc. We have gotten to go out with another medical student and his wife several times. It's funny that even though there are plenty of other medical students that are LDS the people we hang out with the most aren't particularly religious. Anyway we're all set to come down and see Sam during his wedding. Funny how less than a year ago it was Kristen and I and now I've done a year of medical school and have been married for over 6 months. This is Hubble in Kristen's hair after a bath. This is Hubble's first night here still so little trying to eat some soft(ish) food Hubble getting soft store bought cat food and obviously still trying to learn how to eat it correctly This last one is just him and I

1 Year Done

Finally drawing to a close, at least for now. It was a bad weekend/week as Kristen watched me slowly go crazy until they posted final grades out for this last test. But all is well in Lebanon for now. Still getting ready to get ready for OMM rehabilitation so to speak. We'll see how that goes. Other news from Oregon, we lost our last game of soccer so basically we went 0-8 I think. But we were close some of the times, if our guys could learn to play a little more coop and less FIFA2012. I'm glad to have gone to the keeper position so at least now I always get some action. My group at the medical school have all gone their separate ways and so it's pretty lonely over here. I go to the school occasionally because I can and what else do I do really? Yeah we'll see. I do get some sun every now and then. On the high note bought Diablo 3 yes I know bad games so inappropriate. But at least Kristen said I had to wait till after school was done. It is done so I have it now. I play with friends I have. And Jacob, I've seen him on once or twice. Anywho not much more going on I think. I'll let you guys get back to what ever you guys are doing.

Looking Back

One weekend away from completing the first year of medical school. Would I have done this if I had know beforehand the amount of time and how different, as well as what I would have to lose and change in my life. Probably but I wish that I had know this before I came here. The learning curve was steep indeed. I might even have gone on to do a masters in anesthesiology or maybe even a Ph.D before applying to medical school. Lived life for a few years before getting everything ripped away. On the other hand if I hadn't gotten married in December, probably never would have gotten married in school, because let's face it, I have no time. I might steal time from other things but there is never enough time to do everything. And let's face it there are no LDS girls up here either

Don't trip at the finish line

Well about 3 weeks after my last post I get back again. I know most of you reading this probably don't know too too much about my history, but once again these 3 weeks have taught me one thing. I will not be a psychiatrist. Sorry Dr. Thomas it's a no go. Unless I did really really horrible on my OSCE last week I should be fine in this class. I did under average(again) but well enough to not worry too badly. I hate behavior medicine stuff. Coming out of it, they said we had 17 questions by the crazy guy who cannot teach worth a dikins and asks questions that you cannot understand what he wants. Needless to say I studied his things for hours, as well as the drugs/pharmocology, but there were only 5 questions from Dr. Martin and the pharm was about the most horrible thing you can imagine. Think of studying all these drugs and knowing the drugs and then they go in saying the patient has a prescription(not naming it) and has a side effect. In a drug could you also give, what is the 2nd drugs side effect. Yeah you already have a hard time figuring out the first drug, harder remembering what the side effects are. Going from there, you're snowballing. Basically you see a bunch of different possible side effects and are like, well I recognize this one so I'm going with that. Love medical school, I just love it. I guess I could study another 15 hours a week(it's theoretically possible) but I just cannot see the use for that, although Kristen might disagree. For those of you out there looking for a new video game, even though none of you are since only Kristen, Sarah, and maybe Sara read this, I would suggest league of legend, look me up madphysics ;) Um 3 more weeks of school and a 3 day holiday coming up. Kristen has been hinting rather strongly about doing something outside this weekend for memorial day. Anyway you go girls!

He Lives!

Almost a month later, sicknesses, tests, classes, it's been an uphill road. Passed Neuro I found out late last night, and am I glad. Neurology is supposed to be the hardest class. As of now, we still have 2 more classes plus plenty of minor details to wrap up in ECM and other classes etc, but the worst is behind me. I'm actually just sitting here in behavior medicine and psych listening about physical and psychological dependence, and it is boring as heck... if that is a correct way of saying something. So about these last few tests I've had. About half the class has failed each one, as usual they lied to us saying after the first test things get easier, 2nd test was harder than the first(which I passed the 2nd one that is), and then the last test we just had Monday. The 3rd test was supposed to be a piece of cake and I got in there and was like ???? WHAT? So maybe I'm just getting better with educated test guessing. It was so bad, let's just say we went to the equivalent of Denny's up here and about half our group order alcohol, and it wasn't even 12 yet. I went home got in the shower and curled up in the fetal position for about 30 minutes. It was a wonderful test taking time for me. Another note you guys all know Sam is getting married, go Sam. Wonder what Jinaquinn is thinking??? Is she that desperate? Love you Sam. Soccer is going with the new season, and we're still sucking it up hard core. But it's fun to get out and play every week, I think it's worth the $45 to play since it seem impossible for ppl to just go out and play for free. On another note just about 5-6 weeks of school are left in my first semester of medical school. How crazy is that. Thinking back on all the things I know now, and all the things I've forgotten it's crazy. 10 months of getting information beat into my head, and some of it has stuck, some of it hasn't. Still getting over the throat virus, I'm not even coughing that much anymore, but definitely have a sore throat, although it might just be from coughing so much, and having to heal. I am getting better. Kristen on the other hand is depressed that she is still sick. She feels like that she's been sick for the past month and is never going to get better. On top of that there is no sun right now. No bright lights, and it's kind of chilly. The worst part of this new class is that I have to go to an AA/NA meeting alone and endure and go along with everything. Apparently small communities don't really enjoy 100+ students suddenly invading their substance abuse programs, but oh well. I came, I studied, I went to AA/NA meetings. Well that is about the whole of my life. OH one more thing girls, since I doubt any guys read this. If you're still into fruit smoothie making, buy a cranberry drink concentrate and put 1/4 to 1/3 into the smoothie. It makes everything so much nicer I've found out. Zac's helpful hint #284.1b Peace

The Saga Continues

Well it's just over the half-way point in this class, about 3/5s actually and I just finished the 2nd Neuro exam and got a 74% on it. I know it's not as good as I want but the average was 74% and I've realized that I don't get out of the 1st standard deviation anymore. Not here, I'm not the cream of the crop anymore. But oh well, I passed and as long as I keep passing, things should turn out okay. Next week is the OMM practical final and written final. Now that is more troublesome. I hope that I do better there than last time. I really need to do well there. I'll be studying OMM most of the week, intermixed with Neuro at times when I need to get away.

On that note, Kristen came down with some flu or something this weekend. Actually when I woke up she had an eye glued shut with some mucopurulent pus. It was weird actually seeing something that I was just studying for Monday's test. I felt weird being like yeah, put a warm compress on that and keep it warm, like I actually knew something. Anyway she's still down and out, although she keeps telling me she's getting better.

I am missing the ready made food everywhere. And the cookies since she's been sick no cookies at all have been made. Not that she HAS to make them, but it's always nice to come home to a full cookie jar. Although so many cookies these last 3 months, I kind of liked the brownies that were made for Easter dinner with Dan, Kristie, and Dan's S.O.

Soccer is over for the season, next one starts I'm not sure, but I let Stotz know I would be interested in next season, we'll hear from here at some point. I was keeper last game we lost 6-4, but they were a good hispanic team... The problem was the guys in our team would be defending and try to dribble it around them just outside the box and of course they'd get it taken away... it was pretty close for a while but in the end with everyone tired, they let more through than I could handle.

Anyway class is over so peace... I'm out

I'm back

It's been basically a month since I wrote last, I know, not a good way to keep people informed about my life, but to my defense ... okay I don't have a defense. It's not good, I've been very busy with tests straight for a month followed by a spring break that wasn't very breaky (I only got to sleep in once) followed by being super sick, and still am it appears.

Anyway life continues. Mass Effect 3 came out and I haven't played it yet =( good thing my XBOX is still in Texas, I managed not to bring it up like I wanted to. So Kristen is glad about that; although I don't know how much longer I can keep it down there. But needless to say it shall be there till the end of my first year at least.

Upcoming activities are sparce since I don't really know what is going on yet. I know that there is a test in 2 weeks in Neuroscience again. I know I also have an OSCE encounter coming up here soon, I don't know what I am being tested on only that it could be a heart, lung, face, or neuro problem with the patient. Oh and abdomine as well.

Just got back from spring break in texas it went pretty well. We spent the week mostly with Kristen's family's house. It was so hot it was crazy. We watched the hunger games. I don't see it as a thought provoking movie about rebellion. I just basically watched a chick go around kicking butt and not dying. I got sick the last night we were in Texas so I didn't get to go to soccer last Saturday. I was puking too much. I got some of mother's promethazine, but I'm running low now that it's almost gone sadly.

Other big things. I think the best of them was the fact that a week ago in our soccer game I scored 4 goals in one half in our game. The bad news is that we had to forfeit because we lacked one girl that we needed to play. but still making 4 goals in one half was a good feeling.

Other than that I got to meet Kristen's oldest brother who got back from his mission on my birthday. We went to a beach and overall I think it was a productive week. Even if I didn't get to wake up... and getting sick

Well other than that, I'll try to be better at writing here but as always no promises

Zac

Drudgery

Bad Zac, I know not writing like like 2 weeks. Anyways it's been a crazy couple of weeks with this last class, OMM, and ECM all rolled into one. Passed another class happily, and this one means I'm actually getting better at guessing because it wasn't because I knew what the heck they were asking about half the time. It's kind of like 3 or 4th questions. The we expect you to know the basics and the under the basics, but out of everything let's make you think and hope you get a 3rd order question. Anyway next test is a week away so it's time to get cracking for that.

I don't have much information for you guys this round I'm sorry. I did pass Blood and Lymph. I am doing service at the high school. Other than that life is pretty rough for Kristen since I'm gone all the time and don't ever seem to do much with her. But maybe she doesn't hate me too much by the end of the school year/end of medical school.

Zac

Winds of Change

I know that it's bad writing in class, but when the professor is just going over his slides I have a hard time concentrating. Although this guy is a clinician, so he isn't giving a whole lot of extra information, just repeating what we already know or should know, and need to know next Tuesday.
Theses new classes aren't as bad as straight memorizing but it isn't exactly what I thought it was either, but at least now we're learning what actually drugs/diseases/etc are all about. It's no longer memorize all 400 gazillion g-proteins in the body and know which point mutations are bad for each one etc etc. Now it's just know 50 different blood diseases, their symptoms and clinical features, as well as the treatment for each one. Which while boring is new information at least. I did not like the HIV part though. Mainly because it was all about the 2000 drugs.
Other than that, my small group that meets every other day or so and goes over the medical cases is made out of all mormon married men, so that's interesting.
Other than that, I've yet to get a perfect score on our case quizzes, I always miss one, and lately they have been because of stupid things in my head. I don't think about it the right way even after looking at it. I read something get the wrong impression and don't correct it until after the test. I hate it. These quizzes are supposed to be bringing up my test scores supposedly. I doubt that it will happen

End of an Era

Well, sorry about the wait, I know I was supposed to be doing this more often but this last week was panic stricken. I got sick this weekend, had to study for my IDIT final and hope to pass it so that I could pass the class. Sick and test don't mix well with fun down time.

Anyway, big things in the news. I started playing in an indoor soccer league, and we won our first match 3-2, but to be fair they were two easy balls that the keeper should have gotten. At the half we switched keepers and they started playing much better but luckily the keeper managed to save them all. There were a lot of people there for the first game, as they usually are. Probably will end up with about half the number by the end of the season. Since I was sick I wasn't up to my usual standard, but I don't think that I played poorly, just I did best on defense since I couldn't quite get the ball to go in. We also didn't pass very well that game so that could have been part of it too.

Sunday like I said to some of you, I got a calling in churhc. Kristen and I are primary co-teachers or whatever that is. I don't know what it means exactly but I sit with the kids and Kristen teaches. I don't know if this is the bishop trying to get up to have kids. but if it is, this is the wrong way to go about doing it.

I don't know if I mentioned it last time, but the 2nd midterm I basically bombed pretty hard core, which is sad because I thought that I knew the stuff pretty well. It's hard to go into a test feeling confident, and look at the first questions and go, "oh shoot". It didn't get better. So this week I study 7 days straight basically ignored my wife and studied hardcore. I thought I knew it down pat, and I went into the test today and was like holy cow. The easy guy, Dr. Mata, our pharm professor went all ape crazy and like on the test. Does anyone out there know all 14 Ceflasporins? No? Me neither, and he had them written out like we were supposed to know them. Luckily all that studied I scrapped by with another P in a class. I was getting pretty frustrated because my friend plays WoT all the time (yes I showed it to him) and he basically doesn't study, and always does well. But at least this time I beat him, on this test and the class overall. That's a relief, I hate going into tests thinking that I might not survive medical school if I don't pass this test.

It was my birthday today so that was an awesome birthday present to pass a class. I did end up playing SC2 for a bit today trying to unwind. I got a text/call from Dan saying we should go eat at Shari's tonight, kind of like a Denny's. Kristen finally came home after leaving her phone at the house so I didn't know where she was, and we had dinner paid for by the study group. That was my birthday, so it went well.

I have another game this weekend, Friday I believe, it should be fun, get some stress off and kick something. I'll try to have Kristen take pictures or something so I can get more color out to you guys. You guys as in Sarah, Sara, (Kristen lives here), and I don't know who else reads this if anyone does, so yeah!

Anyway tomorrow is starting Blood and Lymphatics so I'm off to bed

Goodies

Well this week Kristen and I did a budget for FHE! Yay for us to actually have a FHE and get through it. That's the good news, the bad news is we're dirty poor! Well we already knew that, but no goodies for Zac unless Kristen stays working/gets another job poor is the sad part. On average we get $50 a month for everything we need, besides the standard bills we have to pay. Curse you Mr. Credit Card. If someone out there want to receive about 3500 for about $2900 you just let me know =). It's sad that I'll be paying so much to the credit card company, but I guess the honeymoon was worth it. I might even get to pay off the credit card by the time I get out of medical school, maybe it seems like. Anyway, we're thinking about taking Kristen's car off of insurance and her just driving my car around to save money etc. So now we've entered into money saving mode all over the place. I guess it's about time I find out the hard way that money doesn't grow on trees. Curse you father for being there whenever I was in a bind... curse you. Otherwise things are going okay. I just need to pass this last test. Passing classes are what's important now, I don't try to do well in classes, it's too hard to do that. I've lost whatever self-respect I have, so I try to do my best and not fail. I'll wait till my kids are in college before I hit them with this type of talk. C's get degrees right?
We are doing a friends for scouting thing this Friday, our date night I guess. Since the church is so into scouting and say it's so important, we'll probably donate some money because it's something that the boys need, but we're definitely not in a position to do a whole lot for them. Callings were extended to us this last Sunday, and you all will find out about them this Sunday. Needless to say it's not exactly what I wanted but I think that might be why I got it. Either that or God is trying to nudge me in a direction in a not so subtle way. But the Bishop is a good guy, he is a convert and this is his first time as something like this. He just got called last semester actually, so his wife is still trying to adjust to everything.

I still want my cookies though Kristen. I can fast for a day or so we can get cookie materials. It's that important.

We did watch a movie last night, we rented Captain America from redbox. I decided since this weekend will be so hectic as another study weekend we might as well have a night to us now. Kristen is missing a couch something fierce. I guess you cannot really cuddle on the floor trying to watch a movie, but it's better than nothing

Anyways cookies ftw!

Life Update

I felt like I should write something again even though I don't really have a lot going on. There was this one thing with Kristen, but I'll get to that in a bit. Also as everyone here knows by now, we're be going down to Texas for Spring Break.

Anyway the big Kristen this of the week. I put a folder that has all my little games in it, and apparently wanted to be a little funny. I put layers of files in files all saying don't look or trust me don't go further etc. I even put a file in there that runs a unlimited loop of files. But anyway, the first one on the desktop says Kristen don't look. She found out about it and instead of trusting me she got super curious. I talked to her about it and said not to worry. She would just feel bad if she stole into it and looked. I asked her to just trust me. Needless to say that night she was restless as we tried to go to sleep. The next morning after I showered and went downstairs she was in our recliner and there she was crestfallen. First words out of her mouth were "...I looked" , and "I'm sorry" One more thing she'll never live down in the next 20 years! Where is the trust?!?(sarcastic remark)

Sarah's blender really does blend very well. We used it Sunday night actually. I've been trying to not study so much on Sunday and we had a pretty nice lazy Sunday. In the end we made milkshakes, not smoothies, since fruit is expensive. No wooden splinters no nothing, actually it was pretty amazing. 3 blades in a blender work wonders. Whowza!
We also started using the crock pot as well, twice in one week. It was pretty good too, we had a nice Sunday lunch/dinner. Cookies have stopped being made at our house, I think I ate too many too fast and she couldn't keep up so just gave up, I'm a monster... a cookie monster.
This weekend I also started on an indoor soccer team. We are all from the medical school basically, and I just started it seems to be a fun time. I scored a goal and did some good passing/setting some people up. That might have been because I came on after half-time, and they were all tired and I was fresh, but I would hope that it is because of my mad baller skillz

And a last note I'll look in my pictures and see if there is anything worth putting up. The first is Kristen's first attempt at bread, and the next one is the cookie jar... empty unfortunately

Our Home

Now I know some of you were looking forward to seeing pictures of where we are living and how everything looks so I was bored this class and decided to upload them so here they are, hope you enjoy them.

Zac

First Hurdle

Well baring all the scores changing and me doing worse than I have in the past I pasted the first hurdle of this semester of medical school. I got exactly average apparently 88 out of 108 questions. Somehow I have given up trying to excel in the classes. But I hope that I at least get average more or less. Ever since I've been married, it seems a whole lot more intense and bearing. I feel like I have to get better scores and do more since now it's not just myself I am going to school for, but rather Kristen is depending more on me. That sucks.
Got a call from Sarah today, or rather I called her twice and she finally picked up so I am stockpiling Sobe Adrenalins for my dad for father's day apparently.
Maybe I should start looking at cruise liner costs now that the liner crashed this last weekend. A horrible tragedy, but if it makes cruises more affordable maybe something good comes out of bad things.
I am at a lost of what to do today... I have all this time but none of the video games I currently have aren't too appealing, what to do, what to do. It would help if we have something at our house, but we don't, we have basically a bare house. I guess I'll put pictures up when I find a website to post pictures. I've gotten tired putting everything on facebook. Until then don't worry, I have the pictures of the house on my computer saved so just need time. I might do that when I get home in a few minutes.
Well it's a relief that the test is over, hope everything is good out there
ZAC

Back to School

For the few of you who so avidly looked forward to my infrequent writings, I must apologize since the new wife, cruise, and driving back up to Oregon has sapped away my time to do really anything.
Yesterday I was driving in the heart of northern California forests and trying not to fall asleep or hit a deer. The next day I am back in school wishing I had more time to sleep. I didn't sleep enough this vacation, dang schedule lol. I was waking up on the cruise at around 7-730 every day,which is totally unacceptable in my opinion. So I wish I had all the time in the world to write something nice to say,and explain everything to you all, or you 2-3. But I don't, I am actually writing in the middle of class so I can listen and not fall asleep in class(since they are here in Lebanon today). But I wish I could not pay so much attention and give you guys all the juice details about the last 3 weeks of my life, but you'll just have to actually get in touch with me in real life to hear about anything cool.
What else could I say to wet your whistle? I have no clue, although the cruise was amazing. If any one wants to go on a cruise with us, just let us know.
Till next time