Last Day at San Jose

Today was my last day of volunteering at San Jose. I spent the afternoon putting together the invitations for their annual Art with Heart fundraiser that will be on May 15th. I wish I could help out with the event again, but it is on the same day as graduation.

I've really enjoyed my time at San Jose Clinic and truly learned a lot from my experience there. Yes, I did not get to work with patients this semester since I volunteered in the afternoons, but I do realize that every little contribution toward the clinic helps them out tremendously. The power of volunteer work is exemplified especially in their Art with Heart fundraiser, which pretty much depends on countless hours put in by altruistic people.

I'm ready to close this chapter of my life and move on to the next exciting one - medical school at Baylor College of Medicine. I am incredibly excited about the future and feel I've done what I needed to do at UST. It's time for the next step toward my future.

As for what I'm doing this summer, I'll be moving into the condo I bought near the med center right after graduation. Then, I'll hopefully be spending 10 days in Europe in the beginning of June, going to New York for a week at the end of June, and traveling to Hawaii in the beginning of July. Also, I might go to Vegas for a few days, but I haven't fully decided on that yet. Basically, I'll be having fun this summer and not doing any thinking before starting med school! Oh, on a side note, I also chose the name Gatsby for my puppy!

I'm not really sure how to conclude a blog that I've kept for two semesters. I've really seen my time at San Jose develop and change as well as health care itself. This entire service learning project with Med Micro and Cell Bio has truly been one of the most unique and poignant assignments I've ever had. Honestly, more classes at UST should have a volunteering component to add a humanistic, real-world application to our course work. It is well worth the time and effort, and first-hand observation as well as getting involved always leave a more lasting impression on our memories than reading or hearing something one never fully sees in its complete, living existence.

Waiting...

I was excited yesterday to finally be able to get back to volunteering at San Jose since I haven't had a Friday afternoon free in weeks.

I arrive at the clinic, geared up and ready to help out. What do I end up doing?

Waiting.

And waiting.

Yes, that's right. I spent an hour and a half waiting for Sam and Jeff, the volunteer coordinators, to return from a meeting at George R. Brown. Hopefully, I'll get to actually volunteer next week, my final week at San Jose.

I haven't decided whether to do my pamphlet over diabetes or hypertension - the two most common diseases treated at San Jose Clinic. I suppose I actually have to get a group of volunteers from San Jose first before deciding on the pamphlet topic. Must get on that!

At least the wait time gave me an opportunity to reflect upon my week, my life, and all of the chaos going on in it.

Some highlights of the past week:

- Making cookie dough truffles for the first time - they turned out delicious!

- Giving my cell presentation

- Signing up for Chi Rho, the theology honor society

- Going to the Phi Sigma Tau (philosophy honor society) induction - (Tri-Beta's induction blows them out of the water =D)

- Spending time catching up/reconnecting with old friends

The biggest event of the past week though: I got a puppy!

His name is Buster, and he's a 3 month-old Yorkie. He's incredibly intelligent - getting potty trained in a new environment in one day, adjusting well to his crate the next, and then learning how to play fetch the day after that. I'm working on the "sit" command right now. He has the most adorable teddy bear face.

I'm not completely set on sticking with the name Buster though. I'm considering renaming him Sammy or Gatsby, but I'm also asking other people for suggestions. What name do you think fits him?

Symposium Weekend

It's symposium weekend, and I'm getting ready for my cell presentation. Therefore yet again, I wasn't able to volunteer at San Jose. However, good news, I'll be able to go twice next week to round out my hours.

I'll be honest. I've been going through something personal and emotional this week, so I'm not up for another musing on bioethics or health care reform. The world doesn't stop either, so I can't just lay in bed and cry all day. I just keep going the best I can.

I throw myself into my work when my personal life gets tough. I always have - after my dad died, when my mom went through chemo, after every breakup. I guess the bright side of this situation is it couldn't happen at a better time of the year - the final push at the end of the semester. At least I'm self-aware. It makes things easier to cope with and recover from.

In the mean time, I'm just trying to walk with confidence and keep my chin up. Every day it gets easier to smile and laugh again, and one day, I'll wake up and just be happy, through and through. I have no fear. I know I'll get through this. I always do.