Quickies: Where, What, When, Who

1. Where Have You Been?
I apologize for the lengthy wait between posts. Lately, I have just felt more enjoyment from spending all day at the hospital learning and then going to Manhattan and exploring, versus sitting inside and reading or typing up a blog. When you have no idea what the next steps in your life will be, it somehow puts all the wonderful "here and now" moments into clearer focus and you try to embrace and enjoy every moment. In other words, when you have finally stopped thinking 5-10 years into the future, what's happening now - right now - finally can fill your brain. And quite frankly, it is amazing how much of our lives we miss when we are constantly filling up our heads with what we will do next. I imagine this is what happens to a person when they receive devastating news about their health. Granted, in my case the issue is nowhere near as serious or grave, but the benefits are tangible nonetheless.

2. Where Are You Going?
OK, I suppose answering this question is fair, at least for the very short-term. I return to Fresno on May 12, arriving at 945pm on American Airlines (of course!) I become somewhat of a recluse for 6-8 weeks, retaking my USMLE Step 2 exam sometime in late June. I emerge victorious, and finally claim the title of Doctor (MD) and go celebrate somewhere. Vegas? DisneyWorld? Rome? That can be decided later by the folks who will inevitably (hopefully?) join me in my celebration. You know who you are. And then, I either, 1) find a job doing research for a year and try to Match into a residency position again, or 2) find a job doing research for half a year and enter a residency position mid-year if anything opens up, or 3) I sleep in every day for a year, get a part time job with American Airlines and travel the world in my free time. Point is, I don't know what comes after passing the exam, so please don't ask. The Armenian phrase for I don't know is "chem keeder" - embrace the phrase "I don't know" because sometimes it is truly the best answer.

3. What Have You Been Doing?
NYC is an amazing place to explore. Here are some more great places I have seen (as much as I can remember, since it HAS been awhile since my last post!)

• Broadway: Been to Jersey Boys (which I felt basically took a $20 CD of music by the Four Seasons and recast it into a $60 minimum ticket "show" - in other words, didn't like it). Also been to La Cage aux Foilles (like the movie The Birdcage, this show is hilarious. It involves the audience - if you get a orchestra seat - and keeps you laughing the whole way. A must see!)
• Eats: NYC is up there with the gastronomic greats of the world. And I'm quite convinced it has no parallel when it comes to the diversity of eats available. We have had brunch at a restaurant run by Tom Collichio (the dude from Top Chef), Balthazar's for Brunch is also an amazing place that must be savored (and you should TRY to RSVP for weekend's otherwise you have at least a one hour wait). Some of my other favorites include Karam (a place NK's brother, AK, also loves) - the Lebanese owners of this place make Kebab and hummus and tabouleh as close to the way my family makes it as I have found. The irony is that I love treating myself to Tabouleh ($5) every now and again - but I joke that when I get home, the QUEEN of Tabouleh (my mom) will make it everyday and I will again grow tired of it :)
• Parks: What NYC lacks throughout the city (trees, greenery, open space), it makes up for in some pretty amazing parks. The most well-known and possibly largest of these is Central Park. Every time I go there I discover something new! But when the weather is nice, there is a big green lawn that many New Yorkers love to go lay out on, play some soccer or frisbee or football, and rid themselves of the NYC "tan" (that amazing whiteness that Hanes does well in t-shirts, but should not be the color of human skin!) Indeed, there was a day a couple weeks ago when the temperature hit 87 degrees. Yes, I had the unfortunate case of gastroenteritis that day and couldn't go to work. The only problem was, I didn't plan on my newly acquired tan giving me away the next day.
• Subways: A whole year's salary (when I finally earn one again) says that I will get into your car in California and within the first 5-10 minutes, make one of the new automated subway announcements that you hear on the trains here. "This is a Northeast Fresno bound 1 Express train. The next stop is, my house. Stand clear of the closing doors, please. Ding-dong." Embrace it, it is one of the quirks you all love about me. (And note, this is not a real bet - no I will not give anyone a whole year's salary. Ever.)
  
• School: Even though this blog post makes it seem like I am gallivanting around the city all the time, the truth is that the majority of my time is spent in the hospital. Actually, this should be past tense. I just finished my Neurology rotation in Staten Island - it was up there as one of the rotations I enjoyed quite a bit because the Attendings were totally focused on education and helping us learn the nuances of Neurology. Now I have two weeks of Dermatology at Brooklyn Hospital. I finish on May 7 with rotations. In other words, the only hurdle left between me and my MD is passing Step 2. And that will happen very soon.

I'm sure there are things I have forgotten, but this post should keep you all happy for a little bit. And by you all, I imagine the 4 of you who check everyday, multiple times a day - thank you :)

See you all on May 12.

What's Next? I Don't Know

In medical school we are often told that it is OK, as a medical student, to say "I don't know". Follow it up with a little "I will find out" and a sprinkle of smile and you are all good. This practice works well when a patient asks you about how the moon's position around earth could affect her health and well-being. However, you can't say "I don't know" during the big bad exam and expect to be given a pass. As such, as most of you know, I missed passing Step 2, again, by about 3-4 points (I've blocked it out of my mind and can't remember whether it was 3 or 4).

While failing is a disappointment, this time, it was almost freeing. I did the best I could, the absolute best. I studied, did practice questions, and worked on trying to finish the test on time since I am a fairly slow reader. When I opened that score sheet, however, I still managed to miss passing by a hair. But, I discovered peace from it.

For the first time in my recent memory, I have no plans. Well, sort of. I DO plan on taking the test over again in June, but it is too late to make the "Match" for a residency starting this summer. In other words, I won't be starting the next phase of my "Doctor" training in lock-step with my previous "plans". I will have, essentially, nothing to do! And weirdly, rather than be terrified, I'm quite excited about it!

When I finished 8th grade, I already knew where I was going for high school. When I finished high school, I had a couple months but then it was straight to College. When I finished there, I literally had a week or two to pack up and move to NYC for the summer and from there to Baltimore. When I finished teaching, I shipped my stuff home, packed up, and moved right again to the Caribbean. Got home from there and these last two years I have been a vagabond, living in basements, other people's bedrooms (thank you Yal's), hotels, and even friends' living room pull out sofas (thank you NK). I have explored Queens, Staten Island, Fresno, Los Angeles, Grand Rapids and now back in Brooklyn.

My entire life, when people have asked me what I'm doing, I have had an answer for them. And now I won't and I feel so liberated!

I know God has a plan for me and somehow all these trials and tribulations fit into that plan. I am being made into the person He needs me to be for whatever He needs me to do to make this world, or my sphere of influence within it, a better place. And I do know that at some point, I will pass this test and the test that comes after it and I will do a residency somewhere that teaches me superbly and I will make an excellent Physician and help my patients holistically.

But in the meantime, if you want to know what's next, the answer is I don't know. I don't know! But whatever it is, I'm gonna keep enjoying this crazy and wild ride.

Grand Rapids Fun

I have been working hard here in Grand Rapids. I spend close to 11-12 hours at the hospital everyday, do a 30-36 hour call every 5-6 days and see more viral bronchiolitis than you can count on two hands. But, there has been some time to explore this very fun city with a great and vibrant downtown. Here are some things I would recommend if you are planning a trip!

1. Where to Stay: Courtyard Marriott
There is a strip of Marriott properties downtown - the Courtyard, the JW Marriott, and the Amway Grand Plaza. The latter two are super expensive and other than more plushing in their mattress, won't offer you more than the Courtyard. In fact, they offer less because internet is included here at the Courtyard. Perhaps because they are all owned by the same group, the staff here at the Courtyard is better than any 5-star property I have ever seen. The front desk staff is always exceeding my expectations and doing great things for me - like the birthday surprise they put together for me (see previous blog post). Stay here - you won't regret it.

2. Where to Eat:
There are lots of great local eateries here that use only local ingredients that are fresh and delicious. One of my favorites is called Cygnus 27, a restaurant on the 27th floor of the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel. The food is not cheap, but not ridiculously expensive, either. And if you go just before sunset you can get a gorgeous 360 degree view of downtown and the Chicago River as the sun's light evolves the colors over the city. And ultimately, when the sun is set, you can enjoy the manmade lights around downtown. And the food is amazing. I had one of the most moist and delicious salmon dishes I have ever enjoyed. Ever! That said, explore all the local eateries - they each have a niche market and great service.

3. Where to Visit:
Downtown is full of fun places to spend a couple hours.

• Art Museum: It is small and cozy with a pretty small collection. But, the architecture of the building is really cool and they do have some beautiful paintings. The $8 admission is pretty hard to justify, in my opinion, so I won't return - but it is cool for a one time visit.
• Symphony: Hands down a beautiful concert hall and a beautiful sounding orchestra. I enjoyed tremendously their interpretation of Concerto in D Major for Violin and Orchestra, Opus 61, by Ludwig van Beethoven. And the Grand Rapids crowd is amazing - we gave an almost 10 minute standing ovation at the end of the performance, with several curtain calls. It was well-deserved and a wonderful display of appreciation for a great orchestra. If they are playing when you are in town, YOU MUST ATTEND!
• Gerald Ford Presidential Museum: I haven't been yet, but plan on going.
• Grand Rapids Museum: Haven't been, but plan on going.

Overall, this is a truly vibrant city and I have been having a wonderful time enjoying what it has to offer. If you are ever in Chicago or Detroit, which are 3 hours away, it would totally be worth a weekend trip, or even an overnight trip, especially if the Symphony is playing.

Unforgettable

People often comment that I have the coolest birthday day since I was born today, on Valentine's Day. True, while nobody forgets my birthday day, it is difficult to get them to come out and celebrate on the actual day. Many forget that getting into a restaurant on this day is near impossible (unless you tell the Hostess that you had, in fact, made reservations for a party of 8...not that I ever did, I mean would). It is also difficult to gather your many married/relationship-tied friends to come out because they want a special evening for themselves.

The difficulties aside, however, there are many wonderful things about having a birthday on Valentine's Day. For starters, I get to share my day of birth with a Saint who made it his life's mission to bring people together in love and celebration of each other's beauties. Some call this a "Hallmark Holiday" but nothing could be further from the truth - in the ancient custom, today was a day to actually write hand-written notes of passion and love to somebody you were smitten with or just somebody you thought needed a little encouraging. The only reason Hallmark makes a pretty penny off of this holiday now is because we have lost a bit of our passionate and personal side in today's society.

On a more personal note, my mom never forgets my birthday - since 2000, I have been somewhere else on my birthday every year. For four years at Whittier College, my mom sent a cake each year (which usually got shared with my swim team friends because my birthday fell about a week before our final meet; and at our final dinner, they would always get something for me, too!) Then, for two years in Baltimore, somehow my mom, who has trouble turning on a computer and still doesn't carry a cell phone regularly on her person, would find some company to send me a cake at work. In St. Maarten, she wasn't able to find a cake delivery, but I always got a card - and don't worry mom, NK, SA, MR, GC and others made sure we went to a delicious place for dinner.

And that brings us to today - year 28 of my life is kicking off. This is the year of my life when I will pass my board exams, when I will walk into a patient's room as "Doctor" and hopefully leave as trusted friend, when I will drink a little more lemonade and not stay up so late, cry a little less and laugh [a lot] more - why wait until 30! (For those of you who didn't get this allusion, please speak with anyone who knows country music). And again, somehow my mom worked her magic this year. And with the help of a truly awesome hotel because of an awesome STAFF - they put together what you see in the picture up top. The restaurant treated me to some delicious desserts, the front staff put together a yummy goodie bag with various and sundry edibles, and they somehow found balloons from somewhere I will never know because I haven't seen any balloon shops nearby! A shout out MUST go out to somebody named Barry - an amazing, kind, make-you-feel-at-home type of person who works the front desk; he got me the good deal to stay at this hotel for a month as well as putting me in a great room and always giving me great recommendations for places to visit; indeed, if ever in Grand Rapids, do not stay anywhere else; come to the Courtyard Marriott. The service here is truly 5-star and better than you will find at places way more expensive.

Today, I like to think people are celebrating my birthday (and Valentine's day, as an aside :) Therefore, while I see great things happening in my life this year, it is my birthday wish that awesome things happen in the lives of everyone else, also. As my friend CP shared on her blog, from author Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy, let yourself be truly seen so you can be truly loved. I would add that I hope we all put out in the universe that which we hope to achieve, through hard work, faith in God, knowing that He wants great things for us, and a focus on improving ourselves in order to improve the world around us for everyone. I think that would make St. Valentine a very happy Saint, indeed.

Happy Valentine's Day.

Veni, Vidi, Vici

In the coming weeks, there are lots of decisions to be made about my future. Many of those decisions are tied intimately with me actually passing USMLE Step 2, which I took last Thursday (1/21/10). I spent nine hours at the testing center answering 352 multiple choice questions in about a minute and twelve seconds each; and the whole time, I kept hoping my mom was continuing to recover and hoping that I could pull this off - that I could pass and bring joy and RELIEF to her and to many family and friends who have been rooting for me through this whole struggle.

The last few months have been particularly challenging, even within the scope of the last almost four years of struggle through medical school. I wouldn't want to go through all this again, but now as the light at the end of the tunnel is growing stronger and I feel more like a "Doctor" each day, I feel a renewed sense of vigor and excitement that there are so many possibilities that await in the near future. I have been humbled and have experienced failure - and yet, here I am, still standing on the other side. And I freely admit that I stand because there have been many along the way who have helped pick me up when I have fallen and felt like giving up.

Granted, I am not out of the woods yet. But I take solace in two Bible passages that I feel are worth sharing today:

"Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." -Romans 12:12
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Phillippians 4:13

I am not always constant in prayer, but I continue to work on it. And I continue to hope that we will be victorious. It does take a village to raise a kid and to support him through life's trials. I truly believe we weren't meant to go through this life alone, trying to overcome challenges by ourselves. At the very least, the Lord will always be there to carry us and make us strong enough to handle the situation at hand. We should all be there for each other, also. Together, we can and will conquer all obstacles.

How's the Hotel: Comfort Suites Downtown - Buffalo, NY

I recently was in Buffalo on business and had the opportunity to stay at the Comfort Suites Downtown. To sum up the experience in one word: phenomenal.

Check-In: B-
Room Functionality: A+
Bed: A+
Bathroom: A
Fitness/Pool: A for Fitness; No pool.
Location: A+
Overall: A
Recommended: YES!!

If I tried to book a room in New York City like the one at Comfort Suites in Buffalo, it would have cost me hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. This was a top-notch suite! The hotel apparently just finished renovations and they did a smashing job - I was beyond impressed. The suite was a true one-bedroom suite with a living room/work area and separate bedroom. The living room/work space was large and also included a nook with fridge, microwave, and coffee/tea maker. All the counters were marble and the room had nice earthy tones that made it feel very relaxing. There was tons of functional work space as well as relaxation space on comfortable chairs/sofas.

The bedroom was superb. It was connected to the living room via small french doors. The bed was very comfortable with a nice comforter. There was also a little sitting area that connected you to the bathroom. You could also access the bathroom from the living room via separate door.

Both rooms had TVs, which I was pretty surprised were OLD SCHOOL when I walked in. They worked, but they didn't fit with the rest of the ultra modern and chic decor. I asked about this and it turns out US Customs has held up the shipment of flat screens. Some rooms have flat screens, but the remainder were held up for lack of paperwork. That stinks because those TVs are the final link to a complete and very VERY well-done renovation that had me wishing I could stay at a Comfort Suites like the one in Buffalo everywhere I travel!

And the BEST part was that this hotel was inexpensive. It was the cheapest I found in downtown that still offered free airport shuttle and even breakfast (a delicious buffet with eggs, ham, cereal, waffles, juice).

My only recommendation for improvement is the airport shuttle. It was OK, but my main gripe is that they were not on time. They picked me up almost 20 minutes late and on the day I returned to the airport, left almost 15 minutes after the stated departure time. This is not OK; it is way too cold to be waiting outside for a shuttle at the airport for that long. And on the way back to the airport, I had left plenty of time, but if I was cutting it close, those 15 minutes make a big difference. I would recommend the hotel work on this - the shuttle should really run like clockwork.

Would I stay here again - most definitely yes!