Graduation!

There is nothing as gratifying as walking across the stage to get your diploma. One piece of paper that signifies not all of the sweat, tears, lost sleep, time away from loved ones, and money spent.... But a new chapter in my life. I am no longer a student, but instead a PA-C!

Saturday was a perfect day for graduation, although it was a little too hot for this Alaskan girl! Blue skies, hot sun, and 80 degree weather!

The ceremony went very well. I savored every moment.  We had an a capella group entertain us at the beginning...

A wonderful key note speaker, and a slide show,

A guest singer who truly touched the entire audience,

And a speech by yours truly...

I was also honored to receive an award from my class.

Then was the most important part... receiving my Master's degree and my Stanford diploma!

And the best part of the entire ceremony was at the end when we were announced the Stanford PCAP graduates of 2013.  Actually, I take that back.  The best part was immediately after that, when this happened:



A surprise dance! (Yes, that's me in the front row in the second group... I do a pretty awesome Chicken dance, don't I?)

I am so grateful all of my family, Jake's family, and the Griffins were able to be there to celebrate my special day.

I will forever miss my classmates, but I will never forget the wonderful memories.  Good times and not so good times... I feel so blessed to have had the past 2 years as a Stanford student.  I can't wait to start the next chapter in my life! 

Stanford PCAP Class of 2013!

Final FINALS!

I'd tell you the last weeks have been busy, but I think you can probably gather that since I haven't written since the 14th.  Being back with my classmates for the final time has been amazing.  Despite the stressful testing around us, there has been lots of laughs, a few tears, and fun times all around.  Of course, like any awesome class would do, we had a potluck brunch which revealed how perfect of role models we are as PA's to our future patients.

20 different boxes of donuts... what did you say? Diabetes? Hm....

Love this girl!

Mimosas anyone?

Last Tuesday we began our last finals of PA school.  I survived Tuesday's tests and actually did better than I anticipated.  Wednesday... was rough.  We had a five-hour cumulative final that covered everything since day ONE on June 19, 2011.  I left feeling defeated, exhausted and overwhelmed that I still have so much to learn before board exams.  I found out later that night that I passed (wahoo!) so the only thing standing between me and graduation is a practicum on Tuesday (live patient with proctor watching my every move and analyzing how I interact with the patient).  Almost. There.

I wish I could say that after Tuesday I will be done, but the reality is that I still have a lot of studying to do for my national board exam.  That doesn't mean that we won't be celebrating on Tuesday though!  Our entire class will be hitting up the streets of Downtown Palo Alto.  Look out, it could get crazy!  :)

My last long run was the 17 miler... I've been fighting low-back and hamstring issues since being back in class (sitting for 10 hours per day wasn't helping!).  But I'm back on track and just going to take it relatively easy until Boston.  Who knows how the race will go, but I'm going to give it a shot!  

That's all for now, folks.  Can't wait to share all of my random stories and updates when I've recovered from the longest 22 month-long journey in history.  

Here are some pictures of the gorgeous Stanford campus!

Life Slips Away...

"We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude." - Cynthia Ozick. 

Life is just not fair sometimes. My close friend's mom passed away yesterday from cancer. She had been doing well and was in remission, but metastasis were found and she quickly passed on. It's such a shock to hear that someone so special was taken away from this earth so early. She was the mom that would help you rearrange all the furniture to set up a fort in the living room, give you a huge goodnight hug at sleepovers, and bring us homemade Popsicles on a balmy (60 degree) Alaskan summer day. She was a great mom and wife and she will be forever missed. So take a moment and call your parents, family, and friends and tell them just how much they mean to you. No excuses. And if you can, say a prayer for my friend and her dad.

On a lighter note, yesterday was my favorite girl, Ashley's birthday. It was a nice little break from the never-ending affair with my textbooks to come home and drink a glass of wine while enjoying a delicious dinner. The Griffins are the relatives of Nick and Tina, our close Alaskan friends. We met at Nick and Tina's wedding in 2010 and at the time I was applying to Stanford. We hit it off right away and they told me to call if I got in and they'd show me around! Well... I got an interview and they were generous enough to let me stay here. It's been instant love ever since. Every day coming home brings a smile to my face and I'm greeted with a hug (and 9 times out of 10, a glass of wine.)  I can't even begin to describe how grateful I am for them.

Very intense birthday conversation :)

YUM.  

I'm hanging on for dear life in our first week back at Stanford. I will NEVER EVER miss these 4-5 hour sleep nights, being in class for 8 hours just to go study for 5 more, and having finals/stress-induced palpitations all day long.  All day I feel like a sponge submerged in an overflowing tub & trying to absorb just one more drop of water. How much more info can the brain really hold? :) My favorite quote abut PA school is, "PA school is like trying to sip water from a fire hydrant." Oh well... just 13 more days until I'm free.  Lucky thirteen!

Gotta love the Stanford Campus.  Beautiful!

6th Quarter!

I've been slacking lately.  I'm sorry.  I wish I had a good excuse other than: I'm in PA school, I'm simultaneously getting my Masters in Medical Science, it was finals week, and I just started my inpatient rotation in pediatric liver and small bowel transplantation.  Pretty lame excuses, I know.

My home away from home.  Stanford, even if you and I don't always get along, you are beautiful. 

The week after my amazing Ragnar Race, I had finals.  Let me tell you a little about finals.  They're no fun!  Early morning studying, class all day, followed by studying until the wee hours of the night.  I'm happy to report that I PASSED all of them and I'm officially in my 6th quarter of PA school!  In case you were counting, that leaves just 2 more quarters (including this one!) to go!  I cannot wait to be done.  You literally have no idea.

Studying with the BEST coffee in the entire world. EVER.

Although finals aren't my cup of tea, the weeks we come back to Stanford are like family reunions.  37 of your closest friends coming together to laugh, eat, drink, and learn about Public Health.  Always a good time :)

Blurry, but post-finals celebratory lunch with friends!

As I said above, I started my inpatient rotation last week.  I am working at the Pediatric Hospital at Stanford with liver and small bowel transplant patients.  It is one of the most intense and overwhelming things I've ever done.

Lucille Packard Children's Hospital

Home for the next 4 weeks.

If you asked me last week I would have told you that I love the rotation and I couldn't imagine a better experience.  Today... the mascara smudges on my face and dried tears will tell you otherwise.  I won't go into too much detail because today was FAR from awesome.  All I have to say is that some people should learn to live by the following rules:

True story.

Mainly the second part of that statement.  I think if people would live according the that rule, it would be a much happier place.  And far fewer tears would be shed by PA Brittany.  Let's hope tomorrow is better and I can give you a positive play-by-play in the world of liver transplants!  Hope you're all doing well!

California Dreaming!

This past week I spent in sunny California! As some of you know, I am starting PA school at Stanford in just 2 months. We had orientation this past week, so I has to take a small (ha!) side-trip to California. I felt like a kindergartner on her first day of school: so many unknowns and 50 new smiling faces to meet! Luckily all of my worries subsided the second I met my classmates. They are amazing! We are going to have a great, albeit extremely intense, two years together! It is truly hard to believe that I am going to attend Stanford. While walking on the gorgeous campus, it felt so surreal! If you have never seen the campus, you need to put it on your bucket list. It is absolutely stunning. After two exhausting days of orientation, I spent some time looking around the Palo Alto area for housing. Whew- not as easy as it sounds!! Average rooms rent for $900+/mo + utilities (and that's sharing a house with 4+ other roommates!) I am pretty sure I found one, so cross your fingers it works out!

The quick trip came to a close and before I knew it, I was sitting on a plane headed back to Peru. For the first time since leaving Alaska, today I felt ready to hop on the first plane back home. Why do they call it "homesick?" I feel like "homeache" would be a more appropriate term. I am definitely aching for home. Let's just say today was rough and not my finest: My number one apartment choice fell through, had a horrible experience with a fire hydrant that we won't talk about, and upon arrival into Lima, I found out my luggage is nowhere to be found. That was definitely the icing on the cake. Whew.

Lessons learned today:
1.) Breathe in, breathe out.
2.) Things could always be worse and will always get better.
3.) Nothing replaces a good hug. Any takers?
4.) Most importantly, I am so grateful for the generosity and kindness from my CA family, The Griffins. I love them so very much!

On a positive note, I am very excited to start volunteering on Monday! (That is, if they find my luggage. Haha! Right now I just have one pair of jeans, flip-flops, and a sweatshirt. No scrubs or shoes to wear... But that's easy to replace I suppose!) I'll be working at a hospital in the labor and delivery and neonatology units! It should be a humbling and eye-opening experience! While at orientation this week, a Stanford med student told me his one piece of advice for working in L&D: Never drop the baby. A very wise man. :) If that's all I have to remember while delivering babies, I think I'm set! I hope you all are doing well and know that I'm thinking of you always!!