Christmas Update!

Happy Holidays everybody!

I am so sorry that I haven't been able to take the time to add a new blog here lately. I have been feeling a bit overwhelmed with school from the Thanksgiving through the winter break. All is well though, here is the update.

We had our first exam in our new course right before Thanksgiving. It is called Cell Structure and Function and combines histology (looking at cells under the microscope) with biochemistry. It was brutal. The class average was a 75% (which is considered good for this class!) and, as has been my trend for medical school, I was right with the average. This was very disheartening for everybody in class. We felt like we had been hit by a Mac truck. On a more positive note, I got my grades back from my ongoing clinical medicine class and did really, really well. I am pretty ok with this since it is more likely that I will be dealing with patients in a clinical setting than looking at cells all day with a microscope. But anyway, the rough first exam set the stage for exam #2 which was on the 19th. I don't think I ever studied so hard for anything in my life.

However, it wasn't going to be that easy. Portland was hit with the worst snow it has seen in 30 years (basically your average, yearly bad snowstorm back east) and the city shutdown. The exam was on Friday and we started the week with Monday's classes cancelled (for 2 inches of snow!) Tuesday's classes went on, but the afternoon class on Wednesday was also cancelled. I actually skipped the am lecture that day (I rarely miss class) because I didn't want to risk getting stuck at school for a week! You see, my school is up on a hill overlooking the city. Windy roads lead up to the hill. Also, they are not allowed to use salt on the roads here (bad for the rivers) and they have to set the plows (which are about 30 years old) to two inches above the street in order to not damage the streets with their plowing. So, basically, all of their snow removal attempts are futile.

As the week went on, light snow continued to fall but the classes were not cancelled this time. The dean's office made contingency plans, which basically would have us taking this exam once we returned from winter break (our "vacation" would hardly be a vacation with this exam looming over our heads). Friday came around and we were able to take the exam! Relief all around. On top of that, the preliminary scores were posted and the average score jumped 10 points! Amazing. I was actually marginally above average, where I am quite happy thank you. There was much rejoicing that night! My friends and I (Courtney had work :( until late) went out to eat and ended up playing darts. Made me feel like I was back in Philly!

On Saturday, though, the real snow began to fall. Courtney had her winter dance recital out in Camas, WA that afternoon and I went with her to see it. The snow was really coming down hard and roads were being closed. By the time we got to Camas (a 25-minute drive from Portland that turned into an hour and a half drive) we had seen at least 4 trucks crashed into the side of the highway. People in trucks always seem to drive like fools in the snow, as if they are immune from accidents, while all of us in cars are afraid for our lives and drive cautiously. The result is predicable. The cars make it to their destination (or get stuck in the snow!) and the trucks wipe out.

When we got to her studio, we decided to drop off the costumes she worked on and turn right back around, which was really smart. The recital was cancelled an hour later and a foot of snow blanketed the region soon after. We were snowed in for days. Luckily, Courtney had made a grocery run so we were able to eat :) On Tuesday, there was a break in the weather and we needed to restock, as well as get dinner for xmas day and eve. Our car was still snowed into the carport and we knew the roads would be terrible, so we walked to the store. It was about 3/4 of a mile away. The walk was crazy. No one in Portland owns a shovel it seems, so there was no visible pavement to be seen. We were walking for most of the way on a snowpack that was 3 or 4 feet deep that had been plowed to the side of the road. Some people were getting around on cross country skis! Anyway, we made it to the grocery and it was a zoo. Everyone realized this was the time to get out, especially since the forecast was calling for more snow the next day. We bought everything in sight: meat, fish, vegetables, wine (you need something to do when stuck inside!) and then packed up our stuff in backpacks and cloth shopping bags to head home. We had spent over $200 and the groceries were heavy. Oh, and the walk was uphill. It was a nightmare. We stopped multiple times, Courtney had to use her inhaler, and I was sweating from the workout. We finally made it home and collapsed. Courtney had to take two muscle relaxers because her back was seizing up!

For xmas eve, we had a nice london broil and we exchanged our gifts. We both bought each other multiple sweaters...now we can actually be warm here! Today, on xmas morning it is snowing again and we miss all of our friends and family back east. Hope you are having a good holiday and we look forward to seeing you soon!!!