Listen to Women...Update

As a postscript to the first Listen to Women, my new "Somalian Sister" is healing well after her mastectomy. She has had 2 rounds of chemotherapy and in good spirits. The children and I took gifts for her two children and donations that were sent over the holidays to her apartment last month. She was shocked and so appreciative of the money. This woman who has breast cancer, a port in her chest for the chemotherapy was gracious enough to cook my children and I an authentic African dinner. I have never been more proud of my children as I was watching them eat goat meat, greens, rice with amazing spices and vegetable etc.....I was horrified at what might come our of my daughters mouth when she was told that is "goat meat" in the greens!! To hear Ella Kate ask "can I have more goat meat" almost made me choke! Those are 6 words I never expected my 11 year old to say. On the ride home, she and Jackson decided that when their family comes to visit us, we have to cook an American dinner of spaghetti and meatballs for them! If she thinks spaghetti is American, so be it....she had just eaten goat meat and collard greens with a family from Africa and I was thrilled!

As great as my rotation was last semester, this family practice year is equally as amazing on a totally different level. It much harder academically than I had imagined. I have the most amazing MD for a preceptor and his practice is booming and extremely diverse. Newborn exams to my oldest patient thus far has been an extremely young 86 year old woman. I had no idea how broad family practice is....I never know what to expect once I get into the room with the patient. Talk about feeling inadequate!! I will be starting week 4 on Monday and just beginning to have some idea of what to expect. I was thrilled to have discovered a very very soft 1/6 systolic murmur on a 1 year old this week, as well as rhonchi over the lower lobes of a 12 year old with a bad cough. Hearing Dr. Bullock tell me "good job today on clinical skills Dani" was just what I needed to hear to continue onward. Now if I could simply commit to memory all of the medications we prescribe for hypertension, diabetes, skin disorder etc....I present every patient to Dr. Bullock in front of the patient after I have taken the history, done the exam and made a list of possible diagnosis and a plan...talk about nerve wrecking! I was doing an exam on a man Wednesday and out of my mouth flew the words "Gosh you have a huge uvula"....well crap, I was horrified as he started laughing. Dr. Bullock and I decided that that is definately on the list of "Things you probably should never say to a patient" As well as "Wow, you are so open in here" while doing a pap smear......nevermind how I know about that one!!

My first born turned 13 last Sunday. He was 10 when we moved here all alone to start over not having any idea what I had gotten myself into. He has transitioned from a little boy to a 6 ft 2in size 14 shoe half man/half boy who has helped raise his sister while his mom was overwhelmed, over worked, stressed out, on the verge of tears and way to short tempered while attempting to pay the bills, clean the house, cook the food and keep us clothed. My little man mowed yards one Saturday last summer to buy the expensive shoes he wanted, he made 60.00 one Saturday so he could have new shoes on Monday....talk about a proud mom...and sick at the same time that he had to go out at age 12 and hustle up business to help buy his own shoes because his mom was unemployeed and back in graduate school.

I received my Certified Nurse Midwife certification certificate in the mail yesterday!! What a feeling to see it in writing! Proof that I really have been working hard the past 3 -4 years....

Peace,

Dani