Back by Popular Demand..

All my readers can thank the infamous Coco for this comeback tour. I didn't think I had it in me and unfortunately I knew one day my unequivocal musings would leave my passionate fans only wanting more. So as I sit here and eat my cold breakfast at lunchtime while letting the hum-drum of the dryer do my work as a parent, I give you a glimpse into my life over the past 2 months.
I feel for all the stay at home mothers (and fathers) out there. At least with an infant, this existence as a parent is a bit desolate and a misnomer. Rewind 6 weeks from yesterday. Aubrey delivered a 7 Ib 14 oz little infant baby girl Lydia Marie. By Midnight, we knew she was not going to be a quiet baby. When she "mad" cries, I'm almost certain our neighbors next door can hear it. I'm not sure If it was the combination of being away from friends and family while preparing for one of the most difficult weeks in PA school all the while having this new screaming child, but I venture to say that that first week was the hardest of my life thus far. I was pushed to the limit, but God prevails always. As he promised, he did not give us anything we couldn't handle. On a brighter note, she is as sweet as she can be and we already could not imagine our lives without her.
As far as school goes, I completed 2 of 3 didactic semesters almost a month ago now. It really was the fastest semester of school I've ever had. I followed that up with a week seeing patients (mostly shadowing..blah) in Cardiology and then a week with the inpatient pulmonary/critical care clinicians. I enjoyed it overall and got to put some of my new knowledge to good use. I will say that it is usually awkward as the student going to see a patient. They are tired of being questioned, poked, examined and we are untimely thorough with our exams because that is how we are taught. But it is a right of passage for anyone in healthcare.
Present day, I am wrapping up a 2 week "break" before I start back on Monday with another intense semester. Aubrey is currently finishing her last shift at the bank. I think my coaxing worked because she has agreed to get a friend to babysit this evening so we can have sort of a date night! Well I best finish doing the dishes before the dryer stops. Adios y vaya con Dios.

I'm Back

So I have been very bad at keeping my blog updated. I knew the day would come eventually. This will be a very quick update while I am thinking about it all the while studying for an orthopedics test tomorrow. I also have a pharmacology quiz, OSCE practical, SOAP note due and Clinical assessment test this week. Good times. Just returned from my rectal and vagina filled weekend in St. Louis (all class related). As expected, even for a semi-experienced medical professional like myself, It was a little awkward. But now I am legit and I can perform a pelvic exam, do a pap smear, rectovaginal exam, testicular exam, and palpate your prostate all before lunch.

On the personal front, Aubrey had her 37 wk check today and is dilated to about 1cm. Therefore making some progress. I expect our seedling to arrive really near the expected due date. I know Aub will be ready to express that little package of moving arms and legs. I knew this summer would go fast and so far it is surpassing my expectations. Just going to hold on for the ride! Back to the powerpoints.

Thunderstorms and Texas

Woke up this morning to the sound of rumbling and darkness outside my bedroom window. I don't mind sleeping during storms but when I checked the radar, there is a line of storms from Springfield to Texas. Oddly enough it is the same path to which we will set sail on(hopefully not literally) in a few short hours on our trek back home for the week.

So many things to do before I get going. The dogs smell and therefore will need a bath before I ride in the car with them for 8 hours. On a brighter note I found out that I will now have an enormous reading assignment hanging over my head until classes start back up. And when I say enormous I mean expansive to the tune of about 600 pages in 2 different books(1 of which I haven't even purchased yet). So then the question begs, will I ever get an actual break before December of 2011?

Well you can't stop my excitement for Texas at this point. Thunderstorms, 600 pages or reading, nah. We have family, friends and a pseudo-nephew to see!

So much has happened...

..Since my last post. Today is May 11th and that means that I finished my 1st semester of PA school yesterday! Wow, what a blur. It was a little bittersweet on the ending considering I felt like I was cheated out of a proper head and neck anatomy section. My prof, in order to curve some of the less capable students' grades, allowed us to make up our own questions for our final anatomy test. Well thats all fine and good when you just want a good grade, but this is grad school and my future ability depends on how much I actually learn. Yeah it goes against every feeling one has during undergrad, but it is so much different when you are if a professional program. Oh well, enough of that, I will learn it eventually on my own. I should be elated that I am actually finished with the "hardest" semester of the year. Although I studied more than ever before, the content just wasn't that difficult overall. The lack of time is definitely the biggest challenge.

Aubrey and I are also excited to meet the newest DuToit this weekend when we go back to Texas. A bit of a shocker that he is already here, but we are glad we get to meet him before we spend the summer back in Missouri. And maybe I can perfect some of my skills before my own child comes into this world. Who is moving and thrusting almost all the time. Last night I looked over at Aub's belly and I could see it moving underneath a blanket. Pretty amazing and exciting to know we are getting closer to holding our little nina in our arms. Well it is a beautiful day for the moment and I want to enjoy it because it thunderstormed yesterday and is supposed to for the rest of the week. Hasta luego.

Oh rainy day Saturday

Something about a gloomy, rainy Saturday where the majority of my time is spent sitting and studying is just miserable to me. Oddly enough I would much rather study when it is beautiful outside. At least the beautiful day gives me a cheery attitude. I sometimes wonder what our Saturday nights have become. I am reviewing power point slides while Aubrey is sleeping next to me on the couch. Instead of getting the motivation to get up and make some dinner I decided to write in this blog. As I sit here and listen to the melodic borborygmi(look it up), Maggie is having a dream in which she is licking my pants repeatedly. Makes me wonder If I will have a wet spot when I get up.

Oh how I am looking forward to May 10th. That is the day that Semester 1 is officially over! Then it is a few days off spent catching up on things around Springfield and off to Texas on May 14th. We are excited to visit again with all our peeps and familia. In exactly 1 month from now I will begin Semester 2(the fast paced, action packed, rectal exam filled summer semester). And maybe their will be a new DuToit in Texas(shout out).

Okay, enough of this banter, I must get up to prepare something for my baby momma to feed on which in turn will nourish my baby girl Lydia. Peace out girl scouts!

9 Tests in 18 days

The title is the story of my life until May 10th. But can you believe it, only 18 days of class left until the end of the 1st semester. That is exciting for me. It doesn't matter if I have a test every other day until I finish, I know that it is only a matter of time now. We are working on the legs on our cadaver now and are saving the head for last. Joy. The realization that my class has several whiners in it is becoming more and more apparent the further along we get. Some people will complain about anything and everything. Oh well, I'll just continue to do my own thing and enjoy the mature friends that I have in the class.

Obstetrician manana for Aubrey. It will be the 29 week checkup and we are excited to be getting another ultrasound. Hopefully we can get some good pictures of little infant baby Lydia. We are secretly hoping she doesn't take after Maggie.

We look forward to heading back to Texas in May for some good catch up time with friends and family. Maybe we can enjoy some good Texas home cookin as well. Well I should get back to studying and will try to keep all my readers updated more frequently.

Back in the Saddle..

It has been a while since my last entry. That is mostly because I was enjoying some time away from my computer over the course of spring break. Aubrey and I had a good time with family and friends. It really felt like we hadn't been gone at all. We enjoyed some nice Texas weather. Can't say it's pleasant in Springfield at the moment. It has been in the 40's and rainy since we got back on Sunday evening. Bring on the Spring/Summer weather. Sunshine does wonders for my overall mood.

I have already had a test and a quiz since returning to school on Monday. Anatomy dissection was amazing on Monday though. We finally dove in to the abdomen and it is truly awesome. In all my previous medical/shadowing experience, I never once got to see an abdominal surgery so this first hand look at the stomach, gallbladder, colon, small intestines is awe-inspiring for me.

Aubrey's belly seems like it is getting bigger every day now and It is strange to think we have a little more than 3 months left at being a twosome. Oh how my life is going to change. I can't wait though and I am excited to see what our little lady will look like.