So I have been a slacker and have neglected this blog for most of a month; but here goes an attempt to bring the cyber world up to date with my life. The return from Alaska was bitter sweet. There were many thousands of miles of amazing hiking and exploration that were left untouched and unseen by myself, but it was also time to move on in my clinical year. (I think the ratio of play time to clinic/study time while in AK was very much one-sided: so leaving such an amazing playground might do well for my studies!! I do have to pass a board exam at sometime.) I know that I will return to Alaska at sometime in the future and will come back for more adventures, though this was a great introduction to the largest state in the nation, punctuated by meeting lots of really cool people.
I was met in Portland by some great friends who were gracious enough to store the old RV at their house while I was away and we re-connected over breakfast (after flying all night). Thanks Jordan and Cecily. Next stop was to reconnect with Summit up in north Portland and the amazing Missy who gave Summit lots of love and caring over the past 6 weeks. Summit had the “wiggly-bottom-syndrome” when he saw me and was so excited to play frisbee yet again.
This week was supposedly focused on a week of lectures bolstering our knowledge and bettering ourselves as a PA student back in Hillsboro, OR. By Monday afternoon I was wondering how I lasted a full year sitting in a chair for 8 hours of the day, 5 days a week. Much of the time, however, was spent catching up with classmates, sharing stories of being flung to the far reaches of the country, and crazy stories of seeing patients and getting pimped by your preceptors.
There were also a lot of extracurricular activities that filled the week. Monday night my friend Ryan organized a night ride at Tillamook Forrest which was an absolutely amazing ride and much overdue ride!! I was able to reconnect with my bike and give Summit a chance to really stretch his legs. A group of 7 or 8 of us headed out on the Brown’s Camp loop which is one of the greatest rides around the Portland area. Right about dusk, my Yeti mountain bike decided to punish me for neglecting it for the past 6 weeks and ejected me from the saddle after I didn’t see the rock covered by grass on the side of the trail. One quick flight through the air sent me rolling down the lush green hillsides of Tillamook Forest. Thanks for a great ride Ryan!!
Tuesday night I reconnected with some friends in Portland who were storing my car and my kegerator. I reaped the benefit of loaning a kegerator by sampling some excellent home brewed beer. On Wednesday night most of the class met up for the 2nd annual PA Bowl Off. It was a night filled with great costumes, a lot of trash talking, a little bowling, and some great live blue grass provided by 3 PA faculty members. It was great to intermingle with other PA classes and hear the trials and tribulations of the classes above and below us.
Thursday night Jessica and I met up with the victim from the dirt bike accident (see entry on 4/21/09) for dinner. Galen is doing remarkably well and was just released from his halo head stabilizer the week prior. For the extent of his injuries, it is amazing that he spent less than 2 months in the hospital and transitional care centers. He is doing well marked by his biggest concern of whether he will be given his driver’s license back next month or not. After going through such a horrific accident, it is great driving is his biggest concern! Best of luck to you on your driver’s test Galen.
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