IT'S DONE.

MY THESIS IS DONE AND SUBMITTED AND WHAT THE HELL!!??? Yay. I mean, the university may still have some edits they want me to do before they approve the publication, BUT, my supervisor said that isn't likely. SO FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES THE THING I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS IS NOW DONE.

All I have left to do before I have that pretty piece of diplomatic (wrong use of that word, but we'll go with it) paper in my hand is to finish my medical practicum here in Traverse. I'm kind of at a crossroads of thinking because I technically only have about twenty hours left of my practicum to do before I meet the qualifications for my degree...and I'll get those in like, a week... but I am here until mid-July. I am going to make the most of my time here and soak up all of the information that I can. It's a great learning environment and my supervisor is super knowledgeable--catch that pun ;)?--so I might as well learn as much as I possibly can!

Now, I guess my focus is on finding a job.. or rather, finding a place that I want to apply for a job. I'm still looking down South, but I'm finding there are a LOT of things I need to be considering. Currently, I am trying to figure out licensing in a state I may not be staying in when I am not already licensed. Also, I need to figure out if these job postings I'm seeing will take a CFY (Clinical Fellowship Year). I'm not technically nationally licensed until I finish my 9-month fellowship year. So, anywho. That's where I'm at.

No funny stories at the moment. I said goodbye to a few of my patient's today who have been in the hospital since I started. I was a bit attached seeing as they were my first round of patients, but I'm glad that they are getting to go home! Some more sad things have been happening too. One thing I am actually enjoying about the hospital is that being there really makes you appreciate what you have and who you are. It takes all kinds, my dears.

I will update again soon. I am once again in the coffee shop, having a beer. I think I deserve it after the thesis submission. A random guy walked by and winked a minute ago, but I'll take that over the musical stranger from last week.

FOR THE RECORD: he was rapping. He told me that he was in the process of composing a song that was half-folk/half-rap. He had finished the folk portion because, "that came naturally to [him]", but he was really struggling with the rapping. I left immediately after that. At least people are interesting. Again, it takes all kinds, and I enjoy almost all of them for different reasons. People are pretty damn cool. :)

Love, y'all!

Codes and coffee shops.

So, I have moved to Traverse City. Temporarily, but nonetheless, I am here. The area is beautiful; anyone from Michigan knows that. I am currently doing an internship at the hospital here and I have to say: I am really loving it. It's a challenge. It's fast-paced. I think it's going to fly by.

It has been an interesting few weeks. Some big stuff happened, and that's cool. That's the way life works, I think. You move to a new place where you know no one and just when you think you are really feeling a certain way, you start to feel that way even more. Too vague? Sorry. Basically, I am enjoying having some time to do things I enjoy. Currently, I am sitting in a coffee shop drinking wine. It's a grand ole time :).

Anyways, the hospital is great. It is often very sad, but more than often very rewarding. Making someone tear up with happiness because you are giving them the okay to eat a chicken pot pie (when all they have been able to eat is purreed food) is pretty outstanding. I guess I have a somewhat funny story I can share that will not give any patient identifiers:

I am in the office (I have my own office, kind of! Cool, eh?). Anyways, I'm in the office. I hear, "CODE PURPLE. CODE PURPLE." over the intercom. I know that's a pediatric code. I look at the back of my card to see what it is and it's a child abduction. The exchange with me (M) and my supervisor (S) goes like this:

M: WHAT DO WE DO?
S: Meh. We'll go stand by the door over by the North stairwell. It's probably a drill.
M: Um, okay!
(follows supervisor to stairwell)
M: So, we just wait?
S: Well, I'm going to go guard the exit door, you stand here and guard this door. If it's peds, this is the only stairwell. So we should probably watch all the doors in case it's not a drill. If they don't give a description soon it's probably a drill.
INTERCOM: CODE PURPLE. MALE. 5 YEARS. BLONDE HAIR. BROWN EYES. FLANNEL SHIRT. SUSPECT IN BLACK HOODIE. NORTH STAIRWELL.
M (internally): OH SHIT.
S: Alright, I'm gonna check the door.
M (to other SLP standing by me): What do we do? Do I need to be trained? What do I do?
S: I'm sure it's fine.
M: Which is the North stairwell?
S: This one. It's the only one that goes off the peds floor.
M:

SIDEBAR: I am so surprised by this I didn't even finish my last sentence. There is a man who just randomly sat across from me at the coffee shop. Like, at my table for two. While there are MULTIPLE tables open. He just looked at me. The exchange goes like this:

Him (H):  Can I sit here?
Me (M): Um, sure? I'm about to leave so...
He sits down.
......a few minutes go by....
H: If I start making weird faces, I'm sorry. I'm just trying to come up with lyrics.
M: Um... no worries. It's all good.
.....a few minutes go by...
H: I'm sorry if I'm looking at you. I just talk to myself sometimes when I'm doing this, so I figured I should start sitting across from people otherwise I get really weird looks.
M: It's all good, dude. I get it. You do your thing. I'll do my thing. Then I'll leave.
....I'm now chugging my wine. So I'll finish this story quickly and go.

M (internally): Oh, geeze LOUISE.
RUSHING FOOTSTEPS ARE HEARD ABOVE. I AM INTERNALLY FREAKING OUT.
On the outside I am the picture of calm and knowledge.
I see a face. It's a male nurse (MN).
MN: DID YOU SEE ANYONE?
M (sighing): No. Supervisor is at the bottom door looking out.
MN: K, I'll go look and see if I can see anyone on the roof or fire escapes.
M: Ha. Okay!
RUSHING FOOTSTEPS ARE HEARD ABOVE. It's a female nurse (FN).
FN: DID YOU SEE ANYONE?
M: Nope! MN is up above and Supervisor is at the bottom of the stairs.
FN: Okay!
At this point I am thinking I'm going to have to turn into Bruce Lee or something. I have no idea what to do. 
M (to other SLP): Like, do I tackle him?
Her: Mmm.. No. We report it.
M: Okay?
INTERCOM: CODE PURPLE ALL CLEAR.
......... long pregnant pause......
INTERCOM: THIS WAS A DRILL.

Good, heavens. We have had lots of different codes since I've been there, but this was the one I was most directly involved in (besides the Code Blue that happened in the room next to me, and a subsequent Code after that). I am glad it was a drill.

SIDEBAR: Guy across from me is stroking his chin and speaking out loud. And rapping. I think he's rapping. 

So all in all, I am loving it here. My roommate situation is a little different (I'll post on that later), but otherwise I'm feeling pretty good. Lonely sometimes, but that is to be expected in a new city. I think once summer really picks up and there are things to do it will be better :). Hopefully friends come visit! I feel very lucky to be in such a beautiful place for the summer. I have been traveling a lot on the weekends, but I think I may actually try and stay here and explore this upcoming one. Wish me luck. I'll try to keep you updated, but strict confidentiality keeps me from saying too much about work. Now if only I could find the motivation to apply for some jobs. C'est la vie.

Love y'all.