>

We are almost through with our exam block. We took our Psychiatry final today and have a study day tomorrow for our Physiology mid-term on Friday. I have been pretty hard core with the books for the last ten days, and it feels good to have a chance to come up for air. Angie and I are going out to lunch at a favorite place Friday when I get through. My girls have a soccer tournament Saturday and I’m hoping our current beautiful weather will hold through the weekend so I can bask in the sun while watching the games. Today was an awesome short sleeve day with brilliant blue skies and temps near 70.

I am also gearing up for our final quarter of first year. We start neuroanatomy on Monday. I went through the mixed emotion experience of buying the books for the course today. I love getting new books, but I hate the steep prices. I dropped a Ben Franklin for the main textbook, an atlas, and a lab guide. Though I should be studying for Friday’s test, my slightly OCD side made me browse through the new material. I think it will be a real tough course, but I’m interested in the subject so hopefully I’ll stay motivated. Manning’s neurological problems are what pushed me toward med school in the first place, so here is my first real chance to learn exactly what is wrong with my little man.
Monday morning we have to be at school at 8:00 AM for a CPR training course. After that, though we don’t start on Mondays until 10:00 for the rest of the year! It will be nice to have that extra lounging time around the house to start the week. Also, we are finished at 11:00 on Fridays the rest of the year! It promises to be a pretty enjoyable spring. We pick up a second Psychiatry course Monday also. I think it is more geared toward disorders than the course we just finished was. We will also be getting our first patient contact in this class, as we interview patients at the VA hospital. It will be the first chance we have had to wear our white coats. Along with psych and neuro, we will also continue with physiology until the end of first year on May 25th.

In other developments, we contacted the surgeon who did Manning’s gastrostomy and fundiplication back in 1999 to get his take on Manning’s current reflux problems. Dr Georgeson, who practices in Birmingham, Alabama, about three hours from here, wanted to see Manning. I could not get away with exams going on, so Angie’s mother took off from work to go with Angie and Manning. Of course 9 month old McKenzie was in tow, so it was great for Angie to have the help. Dr. Georgeson believes Manning’s reflux is stemming from neurological causes rather than gastro ones. He gave us some good ideas to consider and I am trying to meet with Manning’s local neurologist to discuss the findings.