Christmas and PA School Part Deux

A lot has happened since my last update 3 weeks ago. The Skinner trio had a successful and enjoyable trip to Texas. We thoroughly enjoyed spending some time with our family and friends. We chose to drive at night during Lydia's sleep time. This went off without a hitch on the trip down. Although Lydia slept well on the return trip, it felt like torture for mommy and daddy between the hours of 2 am and 415 am. I think the running around for 2 weeks finally caught up with us on Interstate 44. Thank the Lord, he must have drove us home because I think we slept.

Upon our return to Missouri, I began my first 6-week clinical rotation on Tuesday morning in family practice. I see most all the patients myself and then check out to the physician. Now, on Thursday, it has become enjoyable for me to see my own patients. I think it just took a couple of days to get comfortable with everything. The patients seem to find favor with me, even as a student. So that is comforting. So far I have frozen some warts off a guys foot and given someone a flu shot. I was going to do an excisional biopsy on a suspicious mole on a female patient, but she declined because it was very near her genitalia. Oh well, there is always next time. This experience has been a bit frustrating for me because I am a slight perfectionist and have always been good at answering on-the-spot questions. So far I feel like I have failed miserably at answering several easy "pimp" questions from my preceptor. Hopefully it is only temporary because I know the answers, but I haven't been able to regurgitate some of the info immediately. Maybe it is God's way of humbling me before myself and others. Point taken.

I am trying to balance life better now since I have a pretty consistent schedule. Trying to workout 3-4 times a week, do more things with the family, even cooking and watching movies. Not things that we were able to do much the past 6-12 months. God has blessed our family tremendously and I am still amazed at how he has made a way for all of this to happen so easily. I pray for boldness in Christ so that I may leave His mark on this Missouri community before I leave. Adios y vaya con Dios.