Speed Reading for the Idiot?!

We got an email today from some random girl in the school about a speed reading class in the summer. Being distractable, I clicked on the link and starting watching the testimonial videos. I guess what really threw me for a loop was the fact that a speed reading class is putting their "students" in front of an EMPTY bookshelf.

Someone was apparently not with it when they did the set dressing.... I mean, we are talking reading here. That usually involves books, or at least magazines.... But an empty bookshelf ain't going to sell a reading program...


"Kind of ironic... don't you think"

A Good Day

I will never forget standing in front of my class last year and trying to convince them that I was in fact a dork. The reply from one of my students was, "You can't be a dork, you like sports." To which I replied, "You have no idea."

A little history of me and sports... I started following different teams at different times of my life when I was with different people. I started following the Tigers when I was a little one, mainly because my dad took me to a game; MSU Basketball and the Pistons were added when I was in middle/high school because those where the teams my dad followed; the Colts and U of M football jumped on in college (I went to school in IN, therefore everyone followed the Colts, and MSU doesn't have a football team worth following ever... I had to follow a Michigan team, and seeing as my best friend also went to U of M, it seemed to fit). Recently (read playoffs), my friend Scott has gotten me into the Red Wings.**

Now today... the Pistons, Tigers and Red Wings played! And I just want to show how amazing (if almost inconceivable) today was in the land of Detroit Sports:




DET 98 - PHI 81








DET 6 - NYY 4







DET 4 - COL 3




Yes, today was a good day for sports my friends.

** Sadly, I no longer have cable. So if I want to watch the game I have to go somewhere else, and with the study schedule that just ain't gonna happen anytime soon. Thus mlb.com and nhl.com have been my new friends... Live updates (and radio for when I need a study break) have been a God-send!

I'm excited.....

Why am I excited?
1.) I'm going to see some friends I haven't seen in forever.
2.) I might have some peds-onc research for the summer.

2 Years Later

Two years ago something happened that has changed my life as well as so many others. Two years ago I was sitting at the university library studying for an exam. It was around 9pm and all of a sudden voices started rising over the stacks. These were not normal chatting voices, but rather voices of concern. I heard a few phrases, but nothing too substantial; "accident", "some students", "no one knows". Thirty minutes later there was an announcement, "There will be an emergency prayer meeting in the chapel at 10:30 pm concerning an accident on I-69." That was it.

I stayed at the library while everyone else left, I had a test the next day and could not have known what was actually happening. Little did I know that what had happened would shape the next few months of my life.

That night we had a better idea of what was going on:

Taylor University Van, Tractor-Trailer Involved In Wreck

POSTED: 9:58 pm EDT April 26, 2006

UPDATED: 12:09 am EDT April 27, 2006

MARION, Ind. -- Five people believed to be associated with Taylor University were killed and five people were injured in a two-vehicle crash on Interstate 69 on Wednesday evening, officials said.Police said a northbound truck crashed through a median and struck a Taylor van in the southbound lanes near Marion at about 8:10 p.m. Five people in the van were killed, and four van occupants and the truck driver were injured, according to police.Taylor spokesman Jim Garringer said the van's nine occupants were part of a group that was helping set up for a banquet at the school's Fort Wayne campus. Information on whether any of the occupants were students wasn't available.No names were immediately released. Police said the injured were taken to hospitals in Fort Wayne and Marion, but information on their conditions was not available.The wreck prompted authorities to close I-69 in both directions near the crash site. By 11:15 p.m., at least one northbound lanes was open but the southbound lanes were still closed.Garringer said the van was headed to Taylor's main campus in Upland, about 10 miles southeast of the crash site. Copyright 2006 by TheIndyChannel.com.

Even that night, no one knew who was involved... but there were rumors. By the time I woke up the next morning at 5 am to watch the news I remember praying to God that the names I had heard were not true... As I watch the news my heart sank, "Betsy Smith, Brad Larson, Laurel Erb, Whitney Cerak, and Monica Felver"... the names and pictures were there, but I could not comprehend what was going on. However, I felt like God had thrown us a bone... Laura VanRyn was in the hospital, albeit in severe condition, but still alive.

In the midst of the grieving, my friends and I were praising God that our teammate had made it out alive... and we were doing everything to keep our energy focused on that:

Thursday, April 27, 2006 (from my blog at the time)
please pray for laura van ryn... she is the student still in the icu. she has undergone two surgeries and slipped into a coma around 10.30 today. i went with some other lacrosse girls to the hospital today. the family is holding in, but please continue to pray for them. also pray for her boyfriend as he has also come down to be with her. pray that she comes out of the coma as soon as possible and that there is no brain damage (they haven't yet been able to assess this).

laura, your friends are praying for you. the lacrosse team is grieving and praying so much for you, you always lit up the field.

The school continued to grieve, and we joined in the process. I hadn't know anyone else involved in the crash except for Laura and Betsy. Betsy was AMAZING! She was the type of girl who everyone knew and loved to be around... she was an inspiration and a role model, highly involved in community service and on campus. She had amazing dreams and an amazing smile. She was also close friends with the guys living next door and a friend of my roommate at the time.

I don't remember a lot that happened during the months of April and May... but I do remember sitting in the memorial service, driving past the trench the trunk made and feeling sick to my stomach, a sense of heaviness on campus, the song sung by the Chorale, and graduation.

At graduation there were 3 black chairs with white ribbons representing the posthumous degrees being awarded, and Laura's sister accepted her degree. Although it was a somber time, it also marked the end to the grieving. It was a time to step past the events and start living again.

After graduation I stayed at school to complete research. Towards the end of the month we got an email saying there was a mandatory meeting, although it wasn't really mandatory for me I decided to go with my co-researcher and our PI. On the way we postulated what the meeting could be about. Dr. J mentioned that the Cerak's were filing a lawsuit against the driver, it was probably trying to get everyone on the same page.

As we sat down and got ready for what we thought was going to be a rather monotonous meeting we were shocked. Dr. H got up and started, "Over the past few weeks it has come to the university's attention that there might have been an identification mistake. The inquiries into the matter have been looked into and this morning confirmed. Based on dental records it appears that Whitney Cerak was the sole student survivor of the accident on April 26th."

At this moment I started convulsing and trying to hide the tears.

Dr. H continued, "Laura VanRyn was actually a victim of the accident."

I don't remember anything else he said, but sat there wondering what was going on while trying not to cry. Eventually I had to leave; I sat in the hall until the closing prayer.

Wednesday, May 31, 2006 (from my blog at the time)
God... why? I don't understand how this could happen. How could it not be Laura? How did they not find out until 5 weeks later?

To even begin to explain how one deals with this is hard, and in all honesty I do not know how those closer to Laura, her family and roommates, did deal with this. It is a storm that one can only turn to God for help to get through. All I know is that I cannot think of it with out crying... and it's two years later.

But it is two years later, and healing has taken place. The Cerak's and the VanRyn's just published a book about the ordeal.

And this month the memorial chapel is being dedicated... more specifically on the 2 year anniversary of the accident. I intend to be there.

That all being said, although I'm not happy that I, or anyone, went through this storm... it has changed us all. And the students who were lost will never be forgotten.

"Let's go TU Lax! Come on girls, hustle!"

Good times

"I went to OPQRSTAA* to just AA in 3 years."

Picked up my Lampoons DVD today... so many funny people, so many funny things.
The highlights are definitely M1s and M4s. I've already put up the first year skit that will actually be online... so, below I've added the fourth years 3 skits (which were all really well done).

*OPQRSTAA is how you take an history of presenting illness (HPI): O-onset, P-palliative/provocative, Q - quality of pain, R- region/radiation, S - severity of pain, T - temporal, A - associated symptoms, A - attribution.... an no, I did not have to look that up... it's been pounded into my head for the last 8 months.

I've Hit A Funk

Yay... today was weird. Up until now everything has been wonderful, but today was off. Don't know why and don't know what to do about it. Hmm.

Daily Inspiration

This is an art exhibition that went up at of the Museum of Contemporary Art* earlier this year. What is so interesting is it is on the outside of the building. That means that I get to drive past it multiple times a week.

There are a few reasons that I LOVE this exhibit; First is the fact that it is a daily reassurance to me, that no matter how crappy life (or medical school) gets, it's going to be alright. Secondly, it screams DETROIT to me... Here we are in a city that is beyond economically depressed and yet this sign stands up and says to all, "Don't worry. It may seem bad right now, but it can only get better. And in the end, it will all be okay." The third reason kind of goes along with that, I love the fact that it is on the outside of a building, which although marked as the Museum of Contemporary Art, looks like almost every other building... graffiti-ed up, derelict, and on the verge of abandonment. And yet, this building is standing up and saying, "I will not be forgotten."

To me, this one piece is an amazing source of hope and inspiration not only for individuals but also to the city... It is one of the things that continues to inspire me on a daily basis.

*Not MoMA in NY... but rather the local chapter here in the D, which I have yet to actually go in (or in to the DIA for that matter)... For those of you who know me, this seems like a sin. I still dream of the days that will be spent in the Met and at the MoMA in my future. Hopefully these sins will be remedied as soon as school gets out.

P.S. For those of you interested in the details of the photo: The photo was taken on my Canon Powershot A610 (not the best, but gets the job done) a few nights ago. I then adjusted levels and antiqued it in iPhoto.

Definition of the Day

I've decide to define a new word because it's been used enough but with no clear definition. Since I'm the one defining it, I'm expanding the definition from the generally accepted vernacular use to a broader, more inclusive use.

post examening [pohst ig-zey-muhn-ing]

-verb Informal
1. activities that take place after an exam (especially med school exams), that generally includes partying, napping, catching up on real life (i.e. laundry, dishes, cleaning, grocery shopping, etc.)
2. the state of mind one is left in after finishing med school (or professional/graduate school) exams; usually consists of the inability to comprehend what is going on around you due to lack of sleep and normal social interactions; may involve incoherent conversations/ comments, blank stares, mindless wanderings, and looking like death (general zombification)

[Origin: unknown]

Just to make this a little more tangible:
Definition 1: Yesterday we finished our testing week*, after the exam a few of us went to Salvation Army to get outfits for out 80s after party. We then got ready and went to the party and had fun dancing and singing along to all the 80s (and 90s) music. **

Definition 2: This morning we had the CMA leadership conference at 9 am in a city and hour away***. The craziness started when my post-examening mind thought that I was supposed to take a highway not actually in the directions. This led to us getting quite lost on the way to the meeting. Once at the meeting our post-examening minds led to the inability to actually communicate properly or really even make any progress. After this adventure I went to meet my parents for dinner, I had some time to kill so I wandered the mall; however, by this point my mind was getting worse****. I'm pretty sure I walked around the mall for almost 20 minutes just trying to find the store I wanted to go to, once arriving at the store the sales person approached me saying that I looked very confused and wondered if I needed any help*****. I looked at her and pulled the med student card and said "Yes please."

*FREE FOR ANOTHER FEW WEEKS!!!
**This meant 2 nights in a row with not nearly enough sleeping
***Please note: we were NOT hung over (none of really drank at the party), just merely tired from not getting enough sleep
****That's right a post-examening mind can get worse over time if not dealt with in a timely manner.
*****Yes, post-examening can be diagnosis even with the untrained eye; however, although the untrained eye can see the signs they may not be able to come up with the correct differential diagnosis and treatment.

P.S. The "med student card" is almost as good as the "God card". The "med student card" is the one that can be used only very selectively and hard to explain the correct usage, but when used rightly you know. Like today when looking like a zombie walking around Sephora, it was clear that I was not right, so the "med student card" was used to clarify why I looked the way I did. "I'm sorry, I'm a med student and just got through exam week... so my mental capabilities are a little low right now. I would love your help!" You know the card has been played well because instead of people looking at you like an idiot, they look at you with sympathy and are extra kind (very helpful to the post-examening mind).

P.P.S. For those of you unfamiliar with the "God card", it is typically only pulled in order to end a relationship and usually goes something like this, "Dear John, I really feel that God does not want me to be in a relationship right now. This has nothing to do with you, but rather its between God and me." Or similarly, "Bob, I think you're awesome and although I would love to pursue a relationship with you, I really don't feel that's were God is leading me." No one, girl or guy, likes the "God card" to be pulled on them but its one you cannot argue with (and you never really know if there's truth to the statement, or whether its just a cop out).

I'm crying Uncle!

In a few hours I will be sitting down to take the neuro exam (which will hopefully go better than the "easy" nutrition exam that I mostly likely biffed up by being stupid). That being said, I studied yesterday from about 8am-3am (with a few breaks here and there).

I woke up at 7:30 am (an hour later than I wanted), and now have to cram until 1 pm... and retain it all until 4 pm. Lately, the whole retaining through the exam has been a problem for me... so we're praying that today is better, and that coffee will work its wonders... In all honesty, I just want to scream uncle.

Two-faced child born in India!

(click the photo to read the rest of the article)
Holy Crap.. WOW!
I had no idea that could ever happen....
And just to prove how much studying has been taking place, I'm sitting here reviewing how all the sensory and motor pathways are working.
(Trigeminal to Spinal Nucleus of V, descends to 2nd Cervical level, ascends as the VTTT to the VPM, and onto area 3,1,2... if that's wrong don't tell me, I'll figure it out after my nutrition test tomorrow morning)

Between this and the 8-legged girl earlier this year, I really want to do an away rotation in India... I know that sounds sick and wrong, but there is so much else (crazy birth defect aside) that you would never see in the states.

I hate ass-holes

Sorry about the language... but I don't know how else to put it at this point.. Sometimes I think I have some weird capability to attract them... and it pisses me off have to deal with people like this.

Below is the email I've sent to management about the passive-aggressive jerk that parks next to me... see pictures below.

My assigned parking spot is located on the bottom floor of the parking structure in between one of the support columns and a white car. I have tried to do my best to park in a way that allows the white car some room to get in and out, but over the past few months I have noticed that he consistently parks very close to the line. This makes it difficult for me to park my car and allow me to get in and out of the car... when I have other people in my car I have to let them out before I can park.

Although I have put up with this until now, it has been a constant frustration. So the other day I left a note on his window asking him to kindly try and park more centered in his spot, as his parking almost on the line has been making it hard for me to park and get out of my car.

For the past two days it seemed like he had not tried to honor my request. Today I found a note on my car which stated, "Don't put stuff on my car. Drive yours. [illegible word]." Tonight when I got home it became very evident that he was trying to anger me, as both his tires were on the line (see attached photos).

I do not know what else to do about this situation, but honestly, I do not want to be parking to such a person (as I fear he will continue to be very rude and passive aggressive).

Do you have any suggestions on how we can remedy this situation?

Thank you for your time and help.

Becoming a hermit

Well, we're back at test week.... and with that means that I become a hermit (maybe, depending on my ability to focus... the weather and my focus have an inverse relationship however... so we'll see).

The picture above (from my cell phone) is my home base for the next week... which is the MD labs. All I need to survive: my awesome new highlighters (with fun new colors), my new colored pens, my stacks of review sheets, my notes, my BRS neuro book, my computer, and lots and lots of coffee. Oh, and my motivation to study.... hmm, the only variable in the equation is the most important.

That being said, I'll be around but not really responding to anything until Friday. We have our nutrition exam (which is scaring the crap out of me since I have no idea what to expect) on Wednesday and our neuroanatomy exam (which is scaring the crap out of me due to the crazy amount of information contained on in) on Friday.

So, if you're of the praying persuasion... send a few up for me (and the rest of my classmates).

God bless and see you all later.

Complete Randomness

FIRST
What's with the super long fb statuses?!? (i include myself in this)SECOND
My life has just been enriched by 1 musician... Ingrid Michaelson. Please note that I just bought the CD tonight (check out play count) and two of the tracks a few days ago.

THIRD
I've been reminded of this video since starting the unit... but I finally found it yesterday.. (if only it was that easy, sadly, it is not and it is overtaking my life).


That lead to watching the following three.... which are hilarious.



Got to LOVE the educational cartoons. :)

Autism Awareness!

Today is Autism Awareness Day...

(for those of you who forgot or didn't know to wear white today). That being said, I'm spreading the awareness (EVERYTHING BELOW EXCEPT THE ARTICLES IS STRAIGHT FROM WWW.WEBMD.COM)

Recent Articles on Autism (click on the image to open the article):

Autism Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, and More (main points in red)

• Autism is a pervasive developmentaldisorder (PDD), a group of illnesses that involve delays in the development of many basic skills, most notably the ability to socialize or form relationships with others as well as the ability to communicate and to use imagination (including fantasy play). Children with autism and related disorders often are confused in their thinking and generally have problems understanding the world around them.
• In addition to problems with social interaction, imagination, and communication, children with autism also have a limited range of interests. Many children with autism (nearly 75%) also have mental retardation. In many cases, children with autism are unable to emotionally bond with their parents or other family members.

• What Are the Symptoms of Autism?

• Symptoms typically appear before a child is 3 years old and last throughout life. Children with autism can display a wide range of symptoms, which can vary in severity from mild to disabling. General symptoms that may be present to some degree in a child with autism include:
• Difficulty with verbal communication, including problems using and understanding language.
• Inability to participate in a conversation, even when the child has the ability to speak.
• Difficulty with non-verbal communication, such as gestures and facial expressions.
• Difficulty with social interaction, including relating to people and to his or her surroundings.
• Inability to make friends and preferring to play alone.
• Unusual ways of playing with toys and other objects, such as only lining them up a certain way.
• Lack of imagination.
• Difficulty adjusting to changes in routine or familiar surroundings, or an unreasonable insistence on following routines in detail.
• Repetitive body movements, or patterns of behavior, such as hand flapping, spinning and head banging.
• Preoccupation with unusual objects or parts of objects.
• People with a form of autism, called savantism, have exceptional skills in specific areas such as music, art, and numbers. People with savantism are able to perform these skills without lessons or practice.

• What Are the Warning Signs That a Child May Have Autism?

• Babies develop at their own pace, some more quickly than others. However, you should consider an evaluation for autism if any of the following apply:
• Your child does not babble or coo by 12 months of age.
• Your child does not gesture, such as point or wave, by 12 months of age.
• Your child does not say single words by 16 months.
• Your child does not say two-word phrases on his or her own (rather than just repeating what someone else says) by 24 months.
• Your child has lost any language or social skills (at any age).

• What Causes Autism?

• The exact cause of autism is not known, but research has pointed to several possible factors, including genetics (heredity), certain types of infections, and problems occurring at birth.
• Recent studies strongly suggest that some people have a genetic predisposition to autism, meaning that a susceptibility to develop the condition may be passed on from parents to children. Researchers are looking for clues about which genes contribute to this increased vulnerability. In some children, environmental factors may also play a role. Studies of people with autism have found abnormalities in several regions of the brain, which suggest that autism results from a disruption of early brain development while still in utero.
• Other theories suggest:
• The body's immune system may inappropriately produce antibodies that attack the brains of children causing autism.
• Abnormalities in brain structures cause autistic behavior.
• Children with autism have abnormal timing of the growth of their brains. Early in childhood, the brains of autistic children grow faster and larger than those of normal children. Later, when normal children's brains get bigger and better organized, autistic kids' brains grow more slowly.

• Can Childhood Vaccines Cause Autism?

• To date there is no convincing evidence that any vaccine can cause autism or any kind of behavioral disorder. A suspected link between the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine and autism has been suggested by some parents of children with autism. Typically, symptoms of autism are first noted by parents as their child begins to have difficulty with delays in speaking after age one. The MMR vaccine is first given to children at 12 to 15 months of age. Therefore, autism cases with an apparent onset within a few weeks after the MMR vaccination may simply be an unrelated chance occurrence.

• How Common Is Autism?

• Autism affects an estimated 10 to 20 of every 10,000 people. It is about 4 times more common in boys as in girls.

• How Is Autism Diagnosed?

• If symptoms are present, the doctor will begin an evaluation by performing a complete medical history and physical examination. Although there are no laboratory tests for autism, the doctor may use various tests -- such as X-rays and blood tests -- to determine if there is a physical disorder causing the symptoms.
• If no physical disorder is found, the child may be referred to a specialist in childhood development disorders, such as a child and adolescent psychiatrist or psychologist, pediatric neurologist, developmental pediatrician, or another health professional who is specially trained to diagnose and treat autism. The doctor bases his or her diagnosis on the child's level of development, and the doctor's observation of the child's speech and behavior, including his or her play and ability to socialize with others. The doctor often seeks input from the child's parents, teachers, and other adults who are familiar with the child's symptoms.

• Subtypes of autism include:

• Autistic disorder
• Asperger's syndrome
• Rett syndrome
• Childhood disintegrative disorder
• Pervasive developmental disorder

  How Is Autism Treated?

  There currently is no cure for autism, but treatment may allow for relatively normal development in the child and reduce undesirable behaviors. Children with autism generally benefit most from a highly structured environment and the use of routines. Treatment for autism may include a combination of the following:

• Special education: Education is structured to meet the child's unique educational needs.
• Behavior modification: This includes strategies for supporting positive behavior and decreasing problem behavior by the child.
• Speech, physical, or occupational therapy: These therapies are designed to increase the child's functional abilities.
• Medication: There are no medications currently approved to treat autism, but medications may be used to treat specific symptoms, such as anxiety (nervousness), hyperactivity, and behavior that may result in injury. A recent study found that a drug often used to treat schizophrenia in adults, called Risperdal, might benefit children with autism.
• In 2001, a major study showed that a promising new therapy, called secretin (a digestive hormone), does not treat autism.

• What Is the Outlook for People With Autism?

• The outlook varies depending on the severity of symptoms, the age at which treatment is started, and the availability of supportive resources for the child. Symptoms in many children improve with intervention or as the children age. Some people with autism are able to lead normal or near-normal lives. However, many children with autism do not develop enough functional and communication skills to live independently as adults. The outlook is better for children with higher levels of intelligence who are able to communicate with language.

• What Austism Research Is Being Done?

• The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), part of the National Institutes of Health, is studying brain abnormalities that may cause autism and is looking for genes that may increase the risk of autism. Researchers also are investigating possible biologic markers present at birth that can identify infants at risk for developing autism. Other studies are examining how different brain regions develop and function in relation to each other, and how alterations in these relationships may result in the signs and symptoms of autism. Researchers hope these studies will provide new clues about how autism develops and how brain abnormalities affect behavior.

• Can Autism Be Prevented?

• Autism cannot be prevented or cured. However, early diagnosis and intervention is critical and may help to maximize a child with autism's ability to speak, learn and function. It is very important that all children see a pediatrician regularly so that any signs of autism can be detected early. The earlier treatment is started, the more effective it can be.