Week Six

Hello everyone!

I have to start off by acknowledging that I'm still in the bind that I was previously in last week. We've reached out to Dr. Maurer, but I don't think THAOS will be able to review our manuscript in this month's meeting. This just means that they'll review it at next month's meeting. Despite this obstacle that has been placed in our path, I'm still very confident that I can find something truly extraordinary with my project. Dr. Steidley and I are trying to figure out if I can continue to work more after the end of the SRP, so that way we can compile the data that we'll get from Pfizer and hopefully prove our hypotheses.

That's what's going on with my project as of now. The past two days at the Mayo Clinic were in a one word... stressful. 

On Thursday, I observed more of Dr. Steidley's clinical patients and this one elderly couple stood out to me. Everything was going fine when all of a sudden, Dr. Steidley noticed a condition the lady had that was linked to one of her cardiovascular problems. I wish I could tell you more about exactly what she had, but HIPAA forbids me from doing so. I'll be honest, what she had actually freaked me out. I thought I had seen everything there was to see so far at the Mayo Clinic, but I was oh so wrong. Dr. Steidley had to bring in a urologist and a specialist for a second opinion, and they thought it would be best for her to be sent to the emergency room to be immediately treated.

Yesterday, I accompanied Dr. Steidley as he made his rounds in the ICU. Remember the patient I told you about several weeks ago that was my age? I'm happy to say that he's doing ok! Or at least better than what he was doing back then. Seeing his condition and how he's trying so hard to fight for his life, made me grateful for what I had now. I say this because of all of the college decisions that I've received so far and have yet to receive. I've been doubting myself and letting these decisions affect my sense of worth. I'm ashamed that I was thinking so much about myself when I was in a setting where patients' lives were on the line. Yet, when I saw the man that was my age I had a moment of clarity. At that moment my problems were completely insignificant, as I realized that I've lived a privileged life. I realized I should be thankful for what I have and what I've gained in these past few weeks and I wanted to mention that man as he was the one that gave me my epiphany.

I'll keep you all updated if I have any new information about the status of my project, so until then take care!