Mini Vacation at Cannon Beach

The madness is about to begin. In an effort to gain some peace before everything hits the fan, Courtney and I drove to Cannon Beach on the Oregon coast to relax and do nothing. Initially, it looked like it would be a big waste since it was pouring when we arrived. Fortunately, the sky cleared up in the evening and we had a wonderful time. Well, most of us did anyway. Drac hated walking on the beach because he hates the water. Check out the pictures!

The famous haystack rock

Drac trying to get away.

The dog had to be carried, initially, until he realized the other dogs didn't have their masters carrying them.

Courtney, very happy!

The lighthouse at Cannon Beach

Drac, aka, Dora the Explorer

On the ride up to the viewpoint at Ecola State Park near Cannon Beach

The viewpoint at Ecola State Park

The viewpoint at Ecola State Park

Ecola State Park

Photos from White Coat Ceremony

Dean Kendall Speaking

On my way to my seat.

Getting the short white coat!

With my buddy, Jot

With my beautiful wife

Don't Stop Believin'

So it has been a couple of very busy, and eventful, days since my last post. There are some interesting events I think some of you might enjoy hearing about.

Pub Crawl
Well, since there are still a few more days left of orientation, a pub crawl was organized for Thursday night. If you are are an OHSU student, there is no need to worry, this is a blog that respects your privacy so all names and identities are protected at all times.

Well, I thought it would be fun to tag along on this event, even though it really isn't my speed per se, and also take the wife. How many opportunities in our lives will we have to hang out with a group of absolute strangers who are together at such at critical stage in their collective lives? We started in a basement bar, filled with second hand smoke. There were at least 20 of us and, amazingly, none of us were smoking. I guess I shouldn't be shocked, since we are all med students after all, but still, this had to be the largest group of non-smokers I was ever associated with.

The night continued on, and the PBRs continued to flow. At the end of the evening, we found ourselves at a great karaoke bar near chinatown. All the OHSU students joined together in a rendition of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" (quite appropriate at for the beginning of the med school "journey", although perhaps a bit cheesy :) ) that was enthusiastic (perhaps a little too enthusiastic?) My night with the group ended after a group sing of Bon Jovi's "Livin' On a Prayer" which is Courtney and my own personal theme song, as my cousin Jordan can attest from his historic reading of it at our wedding.

The Orientation Gets Heavy
Now they are getting us ready for the our first class, Gross Anatomy, Embryology and Imaging. Basically, this is what med school is famous for, the dissection of a human cadaver. Rather than go into all of the details, I thought I would just include this handout that was given to us. It is called "The Gift" and it is from JAMA 276:854, 1996. It was written by a donor in the Chicago area in the mid-nineties.

The Gift

I am lying here in front of you now because of those doctors that saved me the first two times. They gave me 15 years I would never have had. Fifteen years to make things right with Elsie. To care for her after her stroke as she cared for me and the children those years when I was running around. Fifteen years to witness the births of my grandchildren. Fifteen years to spend time with my kids as I never did while they were growing up. Some might call that lucky, but I call that a gift. A gift from God, sure. But also a gift from those doctors. My body is my gift back to them.

As you examine me here in Gross Anatomy, I would like you to do a few things. When you look at the scars on my hands, remember I was a butcher for 45 years. When you examine my liver, remember I was a drinker. When you hold my heart in your hands, remember how I ate and my quadruple bypass. But most of all, when you are with me, learn, so that you too may be able to keep giving the gift that I was given.

Michael A. Grassi
Chicago, Ill.

White Coat Ceremony
I will post photos of this as I get them from Courtney and others. It was engaging, moving and humbling. The organizers did a first class job.

The day started out with a bit of a scare though, for our little family. When I got up in the morning, I took Drac (the dog) for a walk to get a few bagels. Drac does not like to go on this particular walk, because he hates waiting outside the bagel shop. So, when we get halfway up the hill to the store, he starts sitting down and trying to turn back home. Anyway, he never wins this battle, so we ended up at the store. I was keeping my eye on him as I placed my order, then when I was paying the bill, a woman came in the door and said the dog ran away! I proceeded to chase after him (he was initially just out of my sight) and watched as he crossed SW Burtha and SW Vermont, in a effort to get back to the house. Somehow, he made it (he did at least cross at the corners) and I caught up to him just before the driveway to our complex. When I went back to the store to get the coffee I left behind, the woman told me that he chewed threw his leash in less than a minute and took off. Someone is a very bad dog.

After that initial scare, Courtney and I got ready and headed off to the ceremony. Courtney looked quite beautiful and classy. She was also very helpful, as she has been all week, making sure that all of the details that I don't seem able to remember anymore are handled. I would be lost without her help.

As I said before, the ceremony itself was great, but the details are a little fuzzy. There was an army of OHSU handlers there to make sure we all went the right places and didn't screw up. I'm not used to having such an extensive support system. It was all a bit surreal. Our speaker was from the east coast, actually used to be a Dean at Jefferson in Philly. The Philly connection has been strong the past few days. The night before we found a replica of the Liberty Bell downtown in Portland, and at karaoke I say the Dead Milkmen's "Punk Rock Girl" which makes references to Philly. Anyway, the speaker noted his amazement at the restraint the parents in Portland showed by refraining from clapping for the individuals students and saving their applause for the end. This would never happen back where we were from. It was appreciated though, and the applause at the end was raucous!

So, that is it for now. I'll get those photos up as soon as I can. On the horizon, I see my blogging slowing down as the real classes begin. There is really no homework during orientation, so I can write away freely now, but I know this will change.

I'm an ARS(e)

Fun times at orientation (i.e., transition) today. We played some fun social games, thanks to Anita Taylor, one of the hard working people behind our orientation. In the first game, we discovered that our class contained numerous people: who are fluent in foreign languages, who can play multiple instruments, and who were djs (myself included!). There were also a couple who majored in aerospace engineering, joined the peace corps and have a private plane license. There is even one person certified as a yoga instructor! Pretty cool (and impressive) stuff.

We also got to play a game where we worked to identify our general areas of interest. Mine are ARS, which stands for Artistic, Rugged, and Social. Apparently, this information can be valuable to us as we decide our specialties. It is kinda wild that we are all already talking about specialties before we have even had our first med school class!

Oh yeah, and people cannot agree as to whether we will be studying 20, 30, 40 or 50 hours a week. But, for some reason, everyone thinks we will only be sleeping for 7 hours a day and that we will have 17 free hours a week. I don't get it.

Anyway, it was a good and fun day all around. I have to do some reading tonight (my first homework) and I also need to fix my bike brakes if I plan on surviving another commute down the hill.

And on the second day, the Lord created Politics.

Well, the orientation continues, and there were some very interesting, and some not so interesting, aspects to it today. During the less interesting parts, I took an opportunity to skip out and get my id badge. As a result, you will be spared some of the details about how to use Outlook for email (1 hour long...I swear!)

The day started with a primer on Financial Aid. This was a talk that would have been helpful BEFORE we all signed the master promissory notes for our student loans. We all did have access to almost everything in this talk when we signed on the dotted line, but methinks the school discovered that not every incoming med student reads all the fine print on these loans. Alas, I guess it is a necessary evil (perchance I can still wish that I slept late instead of showing up for this 9am talk!) Oh damned fates!

Next was the talk on Outlook/ID getting time. When I skipped out, I went over to the library (the "BIC") and asked the barista there where the ID place is. The baristas have become my unofficial OHSU information people. They helped me find orientation yesterday, too. I have a feeling that they are going to be a valuable resource over my four years.

The next talk is a rarity in orientations. A session that was waaaaay too short. A research librarian came and gave a 1 hour presentation on using the library and conducting research online. Why this was given the same amount of time as the Outlook training is beyond me. I think all of my classmates agree that this could have gone on all day! I am actually considering stopping by on the weekend to see if one of these librarians can help me get oriented further. There were so many cool things that he showed us that can make our lives tremendously easier in med school...and because he had so little time to go in depth, we all have no clue how to really do them. Why do you tease us so, OHSU, why???

A boring but necessary talks on healthcare privacy followed. The speaker did the best he could with it, but the topic is a bit of a snoozer. This presentation is a necessary evil for any healthcare professional today. I think I have been given some version of it 5 times over the past two years. (On a side note, has anyone thought of designed a T-shirt with "Hungry, Hungry HIPAA"? What would the logo look like?)

Finally, before lunch, we all attended a political rally. The OMA (Oregon's state version of the AMA) and the local Portland Metropolitan version of this group came and basically worked to get us all fired up about advocating for our rights and doctor's rights. This event stood in stark contrast to the rest of orientation because of its political, and the call to arms. In particular, the one doctor was very worked up as she detailed the many political issues facing doctors locally and nationally. She was a very entertaining and passionate speaker, and quite fun to watch.

My big question, that is still unanswered, is what is it that doctors want? I feel that there needs to be a clear vision put forth by the profession regarding the healthcare crisis. Right now, all I hear are reactionary criticisms. Why doesn't the AMA hire some consultants to draft their own solution to the crisis and publicize it widely (like the oil companies like to do, for example). I feel that there is a lot of reaction, but little is proactive or preventive. If they did design an alternative, I have heard nothing about it anywhere. I know, I know, I am likely to inexperienced and too naive to really know what is going on, but this is my perception as a former civilian and newly minted medical student. Perceptions have power.

So, anyway, that was the big chunk of the day. The rest of the day was spent in a final lecture about our transformation ("It is not JUST about a transfer of knowledge, but also about our transition into physicians") and then broken into small groups discussing our hopes and "concerns" (read FEARS!!!) Strangely enough, our hopes sounded a lot like fears as well. Guessed we all are starting to realize what we have gotten ourselves into and are a bit freaked out. I guess fear is a good thing.

--CORRECTION--
The email orientation was only 30 minutes, but the library had a full hour. I can no longer remember if his time was cut short at all...but my point still stands that we could have used much more time with him.

The Great Day

So today was the first day of orientation. It was really good. Apparently, I am some sort of mild pre-med celebrity from my regular and frequent posts on the Student Doctor Network which was a bit weird, and unnerving at first.

Anyway, my day was great but really it had nothing to do with orientation. Today Courtney went out and got herself a gig teaching dance in Camas, WA. This was her second interview at this studio and, after watching her dance videos, they bumped up her offer significantly because she is THAT GOOD. I am so happy for her, because I know it has been a bit of a struggle for her at times. But I am especially happy (and relieved!) because, here she is, stuck with me out on the west coast and she went and got herself a gig that seems fantastic within two weeks! That has to be some sort of record. Anyways, she is a superstar and I am extremely happy for her.

My part of the day was good, as I alluded to earlier, but nothing surprising (aside from the unexpected notoriety.) We had talks from a couple of Deans, got some photos taken, and everyone was really, really nice and nobody felt fake. So far, Portland is looking very promising for the Shapley clan.

Orientation Tomorrow!

It is starting. Tomorrow morning, at 9:30 am, I will sit down with my future classmates and enjoy coffee and various pastries. This is the first, official event of my orientation into med school. We will be all pumped up with caffeine and sugar...how appropriate.

I have already had two, less official, events so far. On Saturday night, there was a very nice bbq hosted by three of my classmates who are sharing a house together. Everyone was really nice, and quite interesting to meet. Tonight, the wife and I went to a reception at a second year's house for married students and their SO's (and kids, if they have them...we don't, just the little dog!) This was really great, particularly because we both had a great time and met a few couples that I can see us spending time with over the next few years. It looks like we won't be alone after all!!!

So, as I sit here now, I can feel the anticipation mounting inside of me. I know I should go to bed, but I am getting a bit excited and know I'll have trouble quieting my racing mind. The good thing is that I know that the only thing I have to worry about tomorrow is my appearance. They are taking our id photos, and these photos follow you around for the next four years. I have to make sure I look sharp!

Oregon Photos

Mountainous, desert region of Oregon.

Some industrial operation in the mountainous, desert region.

Cows at the rest stop.

A sampling of bugs from across the country.

Intimidating scenery.

Wildfire!

Wow. (Columbia River Gorge)

Columbia River Gorge

Columbia River Gorge

Columbia River Gorge

Mt. Hood. Visible on a clear day from Portland.

Photos from the drive Across Country

Utah is sadly under-represented, because the camera died as we entered the state (and the Rockies!). Oregon will get its own post.


Rest Stop in Iowa

The World's largest Truck Stop

The cabin in Nebraska

A cropduster in NE (they were everywhere!)

Sunset in NE

Dramatic scenery in Wyoming

Wyoming

A tree growing out of rock in WY

Mountain area in WY

Seems like a postcard (WY)

Falling Rocks, anyone? (in WY)

Drac, we're not in Pennsylvania anymore! (in WY)

The rocks are crazy here (Wy or UT)

Wyoming/Utah

Wyoming/Utah

Utah (rocky mountain area)

Fire hydrant at the "pet rest area" in Idaho

We've been adopted!

So, last night we had our first dinner guests. Ed and Robin are in their mid-sixties and some of the sweetest people we have ever met. I met Ed because I was following signs for a garage sale in a residential neighborhood about 1 mile away from where we live. The actual sale was a bust, but Ed came out of his garage and waved me in to show me some stuff he was trying to get rid of. He ended up selling me a solid wood kitchen table with 4 chairs, a solid wood 5-shelf bookcase, and a 27" TV for $125!

We ended up talking for a long time and the next day, Courtney and I came back to his place to pick up the stuff in a U-Haul. We all hit it off and exchanged numbers and when we talked again Courtney and I decided to invite him and his wife over to be our first guests. We thought it would be a great way to light a fire under us and make sure the house was in order before the madness of medical school started.

So, last night was the night. Of course, I am cooking this big meal for us and the temperature outside is soaring into the triple digits! And, of course, we have no air conditioner and only a little 7" fan from Fred Myers. It was at least 15 degrees hotter in our apartment than outside, to boot. So, Ed and Robin come over and we quickly decide to take all of the food to their place and enjoy it in the central air conditioning. They have a wonderful place, it reminded Courtney and I of our old place in Philly. We had a great time, even though my fish and chicken left something to be desired, and we didn't get home until 5 1/2 hours later! At the end of the night, they both told us as we left that they told their whole family about us and that there are some relatives closer to our age they would like us to meet. They also added that there is plenty of room in their family for us! It was really sweet of them. It is a good feeling to know that there are nice people out here willing to give help you out when you need it.

Last Day of Freedom

Well, it is Friday. This is the last day of my life before my medical school commitments, be they official or unofficial, begin. It is a bit surreal.

I figured I should start this blog now to keep track of my various thoughts, feelings, and experiences during the grueling journey that is ahead. I also am hoping that it will allow me to better keep in contact with many of you we have left (and miss terribly!) on the east coast. I have always been terrible with emails, and I strongly dislike the phone, so hopefully this blog will let you all know that I haven't forgotten about you. Remember, there is a second bedroom available for those who come out and visit!

Well, I figure I should try to briefly sum up the past three weeks for those who haven't heard. So...here it goes.

The Drive
Well, first of all, the dog was fine. He was quiet and well-behaved sitting in his carrier in the car. He only cried when we went too slow...or when Courtney was driving! He was not too happy with our hotel choices. No one liked the room we picked on the first night. Basically, never stay in a Super 8 Motel unless you are drunk or high out of your mind. We stopped in one in Indiana and it ruined the state for us. We never want to go back to that state, or Super 8, ever again.

We took I-80 out, and the first day and a half were uneventful and a bit boring. The only pretty place we saw was Wheeling, WV. We were unimpressed with the PA Turnpike (perhaps we were both a bit de-sensitized to it) and Ohio was equally uninteresting on this route. Indiana was just more of the same.

The real good stuff started when we crossed the Mississippi River. In Iowa, we encountered the most beautiful rest stops (what do you want, this wasn't a tourist excursion!) They also had the "World's Largest Truck Stop", which we stopped at. It was like a huge gift shop and a giant truck store rolled into one. You could buy as much chrome as your heart desired.

Nebraska was next. Most of Iowa and Nebraska felt the same. Lots of corn fields. We stayed over in Nebraska and it was our best night. We had a small, private cabin by a manmade lake. This was some sort of wild west resort town and I think you could do cowboy training here if you are a "city slicker." Drac found a frog on our morning walk and didn't know what to do with it. The room itself was really nice (flat screen tv, private refrigerator, all new everything) but the people in the neighboring cabins looked very odd. Courtney was afraid they were going to break into the cabin in the middle of the night and kill us. Well, I guess you can't have everything perfect.

Now, two-thirds into Nebraska, things got interesting. Here is where it really started to look like the wild west and I believe we encountered our first, small mountains. The cross winds also started to pick up, which made driving with our rooftop box (with a speed limit of 75 mph!) quite a challenge. This part of Nebraska transitioned nicely into Wyoming, which is the real wild west.

Wyoming is the least populated state in the country. There are more cattle than people, by far. The ground is dry. There are huge ranches, tumbleweed, mountains, cowboys (they drive pick-up trucks now, apparently) and wind farms. We had to make our only repair in Wyoming. The rooftop box started to come open a bit, so I had to duct tape the seam and also tie the top down to make sure it didn't fly open and send our belongings all over the Interstate. You will be glad to know that this was a success and we did not send toilet paper and hangers all over I-80.

Utah was next, and the prettiest. We were only there for about an hour. Of course, the digital camera ran out of charge here, so we only have a few photos of the rockies as we passed through. They were just gorgeous! Courtney has now decided that Utah is at the top of the list for potential residency spots. I guess we should be learning how to ski. We also stopped to grab a bite to eat here, and the people were unbelievably nice! We got some chicken sandwiches at a Carls' Jr. and the staff held the door open for me. This would never happen at a McDonald's on the east coast. It is amazing how nice people are out here.

At the end of the day was Idaho. This was a major downer after Utah. We actually couldn't get a hotel room until Boise, because the places 45 minutes outside Boise were all full. It was dark, we were tired, and the roads, really sucked. In the morning we got some breakfast in Boise and the people seemed very odd to us. We were happy to leave.

Finally, on the fourth morning, we made it to Oregon! Surprisingly, Oregon is not all evergreen trees. Our trip actually started with some low lying mountains in a desert! Not at all what we expected, but very beautiful. Also, Oregon outlawed billboards in many locations. As a result, the drive was extra beautiful because there were no ads in the way. After the desert, we went to the top of a mountain covered in evergreens and then proceeded down into a valley where we saw our first wildfire. It was really interesting to see. We then proceeded through the Columbia gorge, which is like a mini-grand canyon. Courtney took a million photos. Occasionally, we would catch a glimpse of Mt. Hood, the dormant volcano about an hour from Portland. What a change of scenery from Philadelphia! Yes, Mt. Hood is a bit more impressive than the liberty bell.

Finally we made it to our home. 12 of the boxes we shipped out were waiting for us at our new apartment and it was already time to get settled in.

Next Two Weeks (Summary)
The next two weeks, which we are at an end at, were somewhat mundane. We spent the time getting used to the area (the food is just amazing!) and getting settled into the apartment (old apartment was much nicer, but this neighborhood is like living on the main line, we do have a deck though.) We eventually got our licenses (Courtney got a much higher score on the driver's test than me :) ) Courtney actually got offered a job today and a really great studio just outside of Portland. She is really excited about it and I am excited for her. We bought a ton of furniture from the Goodwill, Yard Sales and Craigslist.

Well, that is really all I have for now. I'll add more as the school events start. We miss you all and hope you are well!