Med Life Crisis

Medals4Mettle.Org

2008-09-29T10:00:00.000-07:00

Medals4mettle.org

I read an interesting article from the October issue of Runner's Magazine about a non-profit which collects race medals and donates them to people battling illnesses. See the article here:
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-243-297--12842-0,00.html

As a fruggie, I appreciate the process of giving away things that others can use...and I appreciate the non-profits that amp-up the idea to a greater significance. For a long time now, I've been growing my hair in order to donate it to a good cause such as Locks of Love, Wigs For Kids, or Pantene Beautiful Lengths. This is the longest my hair has ever been; I've taken very good care of my locks and my long hair has become a part of my identity. To donate it to someone to help them gain back a small part of themselves has become very meaningful to me.

In the same manner, Medals4Mettle allows people to share material symbols of significance. I earned my first and only (for now) marathon medal earlier this year after months of training, frustration, doubt, and determination. That medal represents a challenge that I undertook and overcame, and giving it to someone else who is battling something of far greater significance makes me feel happy that I can, in some small way, root for them.

I challenge everyone to get out and run a race for themselves, earn that medal, and then show support for someone else's battle. FYI, "kids especially enjoy the Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck medals from the Walt Disney World Marathon and Half-Marathon." =)

The Poor Health of the Health-Oriented

2008-09-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

TOPIC: THE POOR HEALTH OF THE HEALTH-ORIENTED

One of the silliest things I've noticed about myself and many of my peers in the (pre) health pathway is our willingness to let our own health slip in our long pursuit to one day care for the health of our patients.

Much of my time in college was spent studying, eating poorly, getting little sleep, being overstressed, etc. Studying, while exercising the brain like crazy, does little for the body--for one thing you're sedentary for long periods, and bad posture can gradually cause neck and lower back problems, you can strain your eyes from all that reading, and if you're like me, you may snack on unhealthy foods. I suppose someone out there is now picturing me as a cross-eyed, obese hunchback. Luckily it's not that bad...my hunch is barely noticeable and my eyes give me 'character.' Really, though, sometimes we get so immersed in school that we even forego basic hygiene...I remember reading a med student's experience of cramming late at the library for an exam with his friends and wondering whether or not to 'reward' himself by going home to shower and brush his teeth. Yeah, I can kind of relate.

But something that happened to me this week prompted me to write this article, about how stupid and stubborn I can be about my health (though hopefully someone out there can relate)...First of all, my part-time job does not provide health insurance. I am one of the statistical 20-somethings who gambles on my health by not purchasing health insurance--though I doubt I could afford it.

So, the other day I went to volunteer at the homeless shelter. I did not eat breakfast (stupid, stupid). I walked about a mile on that sunny, warm morning the to get to public transportation, carrying a heavy bag. After my stop, I walked another mile to get to the soup kitchen. There, I had coffee (which I rarely drink) and nibbles of a donut (I had no appetite but I didn't eat breakfast). Did lots of standing and walking during worktime, noticing lower back and left ankle were really aching. Gradually I was getting more tired. Relieved a server in scooping rice onto plates, and soon felt lightheaded. I called for a reliever, and headed toward the volunteer lounge. Upon walking, I started feeling really weak and developed tunnel vision; my vision was blackening and blurring and I was stumbling to get to the lounge where I took a seat and put my head down on the table. If I didn't sit down soon, I probably would have fainted. Once I sat down, I felt nauseous and dizzy, but thankfully that soon passed. I was still very weak. Someone offered me juice. The volunteer coordinator had a nurse and practitioner from the clinic come examine me--right there at the lounge. Many curious stares from other volunteers but I was too weak to care. They checked my glucose, blood pressure, oxygen level, etc. Everything was within normal range. The healthcare practitioner suspected it was a combination of things (I told her I think I may be getting sick, as I had a sore throat yesterday and muscle aches) but mainly because I didn't eat breakfast. I think it was a combination of low blood sugar and dehydration. She asked about health insurance and recommended that I visit their free clinic since I didn't have health insurance.

This is what got me thinking about how stubborn I can be about my vitality and the warped idea that I'm invincible. I would love to volunteer at a free clinic (in fact, a few weeks before I called to see if there were positions available there) and yet I feel strange about going there as a patient. I think I'm conflicted by my pride and humility--I feel healthy, and I wouldn't want them to waste their services on me when it can be better spent on the needy. The needy? Am I one of the needy? I don't feel needy.

By the way, this isn't the first time that the above experience happened to me. The same thing happened when I was shadowing a surgeon and observed my first surgery...I came early for morning rounds with nothing but some coffee and crackers in my stomach. Later that morning, maybe 3 hours into standing in place watching surgery, I started to get light-headed and my vision became dark. Some staff guided me to the doctor's lounge to rest.

The worst thing about these experiences for me is the feeling of being a burden to others. I hated that I couldn't finish my volunteering shift and that someone else had to work in my place. I hated that people had to check up on me to make sure I was okay. I hated that this happened because I didn't eat breakfast, TWICE. What it comes down to is that I really need to be more mindful of my health and develop better habits like getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, and eating a good breakfast. Hopefully I've learned my lesson by now. I need to become the doctor who practices what she preaches.

Frugal Essential: My Best Investment Ever

2008-08-25T12:15:00.000-07:00

Water is the only drink for a wise man. --Henry David Thoreau

The Latte Factor
If you've ever read anything about personal finance, you should already know about "The Latte Factor." Basically, the latte factor points out that a few dollars spent everyday--on lattes, coffee, magazines, cigarettes, and other little purchases--add up, and that putting aside this money instead of spending it can mean saving big bucks in the long run.

My Switch to Water
Well I try to avoid coffee myself, so I drink A LOT of water. This is one of my better habits, and I encourage you to drink plenty of water, too. For me, it all started in college. I spent hours studying every night, and when I study, I snack (one of my worst habits, I suppose). I've always been a big tea-drinker, and I drank tea to compliment my various salty or sweet snacks. I'd made good use of my ten dollar percolator from Walgreens, getting up every so often to fill it with water. Then I'd wait for the water to heat, pour it into my mug, and dunk in the teabag. I would do this so frequently, re-using the same teabag that there was nothing left to steep and I was just drinking hot water. So I cut out the tea and ever since then, I've been a hot-water drinker. This pertains to my story because...

Water, Water Everywhere...
...water is everywhere and it is FREE! I can buy a bottle of water, or soda, or juice, or I can carry my own reusable container. I have a 32oz Nalgene bottle which I bought for about $16.00 a few years ago. This, my friends, is the greatest investment I have ever made. I carry this bottle with me nearly everywhere I go, and it has saved me time and time again from having to buy a drink (and for those juice- and soda-drinkers, you can fill your bottle with that, too...of course you'll have to buy the juice or soda first). There are the obvious times when I've been thirsty that I grab my water bottle...but then there are those other times where my throat was dry and I just needed a sip of something. If I didn't have my bottle, I'd spend a dollar for water or a can of soda that I know I probably won't finish. There are times where I find myself at a fast food joint or convenience store (yep, I like to eat, and I don't always eat healthy) and I save a buck here and there because I have my trusty water bottle with me. If you couldn't already tell, I am passionate about water and my water bottle.

In fact, I've made such a routine out of drinking hot water every morning that I find it perks me up for the day like other caffeinated beverages typically would--without the jitters. And on yet another tangent, I'm in the habit of avoiding caffeine (especially coffee) because I plan to become a surgeon, and I wouldn't want to rely on a cup-o-joe for that early AM surgery and end up having shaky hands.

Lastly, reusable water bottles are environmentally friendly. How many of us buy 35-packs of crystal geyser and later find half-full water bottles sitting all through the house or in the car? With a reusable water bottle, you can help youself and the environment.

Enjoy your water! Don't worry about drinking too much unless you're exercising (don't forget you need plenty of electrolytes, not just water!) or you're in a water-drinking contest...but come one, really?

Reusable Water Bottle Comparison:

SIGG: Swiss-made, aluminum water bottles. There are a variety of styles to choose from to customize your water-drinking experience. Tested as taste and scent inert and resistant to any leaching.

I purchased one of these mainly because everyone was telling me about the plastics scare involving BPA (a chemical found in certain plastics and can liners). Also, these things look pretty good and I wanted to give them a shot. Well, after a week of using mine (which I bought from Whole Foods), I went back to my Nalgene. Why? Because I like to fill it with hot water, and, um, handling a hot metal container is not doable unless you have oven mitts on. By the way, everytime I opened my SIGG to fill it, the thing reminded me of a helium gas tank...I guess you have to see it to believe it). Secondly, the bottle was too small for my drinking needs. I'm used to 32 ounces, and this held 25. But it's not just a matter of size, it's also the bottle shape and dimensions. I'm used to carrying my Nalgene by my fingers at the hook of its lid, and with SIGG I had to grip it with my hand or put it away. And, a full 32 oz. Nalgene felt a lot easier to carry and hold to me than my measily 25 oz. SIGG. Also, I am used to the wide-mouth opening of the Nalgene, which makes it easier to chug water and clean the bottle. While all of these factors made me return to my lovely Nalgene, I am aware of how extremely particular I am and I doubt anyone else is more picky than me. With that said, I think SIGG bottles are awesome looking, made well, and do a great job of, well, containing water. I hate to neg SIGG so much because I chose to buy their bottles, which means I think they're swell compared to other stuff out there.

Kleen Kanteen: Lightweight, stainless steel water bottles. Similar to SIGG its variety, with plenty of accessories. Browsing the site, I see that they have 40oz bottles available with (relatively) large mouths. I have never tried Kleen Kanteen but I imagine they're similar to SIGG.

Your everyday stainless steel travel mug.
Handy for the car, easy-grip handles, insulating for warm beverages, looks sleek. Perfect for the office (somehow seems more appropriate for corporate) or more sedentary environments. The only reason I don't use this at work is because I haven't found a large enough size to prevent me from re-filling my cup every 5 minutes.

-->Nalgene: My favorite container for the reasons I mentioned above (see SIGG). To recapitulate: holds a lot, holds warm drinks well, wide mouth top, easy to clean, durable, feels lighter. Also, I like that I can see the liquid. I'm weird. Apparently, Nalgene has transitioned to BPA-free bottles (which I still have yet to purchase) so in that respect, Nalgene bottles are safe to use.

Welcome to my med-life crisis

2008-08-18T16:38:00.000-07:00

I decided to create an archived account of my thoughts on life because I would like to have a central place for my musings and a means of catharsis. But more importantly, I hope to guide and inspire others who relate to my endeavors in any way. Hopefully you can learn from my mistakes, teach me a couple of things about life, or find some entertainment in my journey.

Let me begin by introducing myself. My name is Cris and I consider myself a non-traditional pre-med. "Non-traditional" in the pre-med realm typically means that you have taken an indirect path toward medicine instead of going directly from high school to college to medical school. Many non-traditional pre-meds are individuals who have decided to change careers, take some time off before applying, or enroll in (formal or informal) post-baccalaureate programs before applying to medical school. I had a non-science major in college and took my time fulfilling prerequisite courses for medical school. I decided to take my MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) after graduating, and then take some time to work and earn money for the application process, which is fairly expensive. I applied last year (2007, for 2008 matriculation) and was waitlisted unsuccessfully. So here I am, a re-applicant, planning to apply again next year after enhancing my application. Though time, energy, and money are factors, I welcome this extra year that I have been given to spend more time with loved ones, as I know the real challenges are further down the road.

Not only am I a "non-traditional" pre-med in that sense, I have also always considered myself 'non-traditional' compared to other pre-meds. Well, we all like to think of ourselves as unique, don't we? I imagined the typical pre-med to be a competitive, driven perfectionist with a type A personality and fervor for traditional sucess, i.e. money, power, respect, prestige. Whether or not this is true, I don't identify with this kind of character. Even when I discovered my passion for medicine, I was apprehensive about telling people I was "pre-med" because of the negative connotations I associated with the term. Let me just add that while there are people who fit the description (they're affectionately labeled 'gunners'), I have met plenty of warm, helpful, friendly pre-meds (my kind of people). And yes, I wholeheartedly believe that you can be competitive without being a b!tch or an a$shole about it. Anyway, enough of the rant. What I want to say was that I'm okay with not being perfect and not burning myself out taking hurried and calculated steps, so long as in the end I become the most skilled and knowledgeable physician I can be.

I enjoy reading personal finance, frugality, relationship and life hack blogs and I plan to draw from all these topics and many more as they relate to my life. I aim for balance in order to live my best life.

Thank you for visiting my site, and welcome to my med-life crisis.