Baby Menzel

So, we promised we'd get back to blogging..."maybe when we have kids as cute as yours." Well, our kid looks a little like a Teddy Graham...or a sock monkey...take your pick. Either way, we're thrilled! Due February 5, 2012. I'm finally not feeling nauseous as much and baby kicked Matt earlier this week for the first time. We're excited to find out if this little kiddo is a boy or girl...next week! All the old wives' tales and the Chinese calendar say that it's a girl. Either way, we'll be thrilled!

Best Christmas Present Ever

i had planned to post a Merry Christmas blog, but my life got a little crazy on Christmas Eve morning. i hope you'll accept my late wish that each of you had a wonderful (and much more boring than my own!) Christmas!

here's the story of the best christmas present ever:

on Christmas Eve, i woke up early to drive to minneapolis for a few hours so my mom wouldn't be alone for Christmas (we planned to officially celebrate with her on the 26th). on my way there the roads were dry and traffic was sparse...or so I thought. just as i rounded the exit from highway 52 onto highway 55, i hit a patch of "black ice" and my car started sliding. i must have overcorrected and my car started spinning out of control...so many thoughts racing through my head: "oh dear, God, i'm going to die! this is what it's like to die. this is it!" then CRUNCH! WHOOSH! CRACK! my car slammed into a concrete barrier at 70mph, my airbags deployed and i watched my windsheild shatter. "wait, i'm still alive!" but I was still spinning...i think back in the other direction...by now the airbags had deflated and i could see where i was headed...just in time to see the drop-off in front of me. you see, all this was happening on an overpass and my car went nose-first down the embankment, coming to a stop in the snow just before heading into oncoming traffic. i knew i had to get out of the car...it smelled hot...and i needed help. i frantically found my phone and jumped out into almost-knee-deep snow. i pressed speed dial 1 for matt...then 'clear'...my mom was geographically closer...speed dial 4 for her...then 'send'..."wait! 'END'! 9-1-1, beth, 9-1-1!" "hello, 911, what is your emergency?" "ummm...i just got into an accident...on highway 55...i don't know how far...umm...not far from highway 52..." "ma'am, are you hurt?" "ummmmm...no...I don't think so...no..." and THAT was the BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT EVER! i survived this terrifying crash with only a mildly sore neck for a couple days.

my car, Urby, wasn't so lucky. i'm mourning the loss of my very first car of my own, one that i bought myself...it was big step into the world of independence when i bought that car...i think that's why it's so tough for me to lose him...he gave his life for mine. i loved that little car. he'd been so good to me...and he was SO good to me when it really counted! he held me in his lap, with his seatbelt wrapped around me, and cushioned my fall with his airbag...thanks, little Urby, for saving my life!

i think losing my dear little car, and the fear i now have on the road are the worst aspects of this whole experience...but let me tell you some of the great things about this whole ordeal...

as i dialed 911, i looked up and saw that a semi truck driver who'd been behind me had stopped to help. he guided me to safety (i had been wandering rather aimlessly in the shock of it all) and then into the driver's seat of his truck to stay warm until the state trooper got there. he made the whole experience so much better for me...told me about his kids...33, 24 and 22...i think he was trying to be a dad to me on Christmas Eve...missing his own kids and all...and it was just what i needed! i even managed to stay calm...can you believe it?

the trooper was great. she was very professional, but also very kind. she was glad and surprised i wasn't hurt. so was the tow truck driver who came to get my car before the trooper took me to a gas station, where i met even more nice people. they offered me a place to sit and coffee on the house!

meanwhile, i called my incredible insurance company...wait...did i just say "incredible insurance company"!?!?! yes, yes i did! i made my first call to the 1-800-number and the man on the other end was so kind, asking me several times how i was doing...i understand they need to know if i'm hurt, but beyond that, he just wanted to know how i was doing in general...was i holding it together? was i in a safe, warm place? he was great. a local claims rep was supposed to call within 2 hours - it only took 20 minutes. he also wanted to know how i was holding up and was so very understanding, kind and gentle. he explained everything clearly and basically said "you don't worry about anything other than yourself...we'll take care of it" and he wasn't lying! i was later transfered to a third rep (because my car was to be towed to rochester) and he was just as great! they coordinated the towing, the estimate (which turned out to be "we quit counting when we got over $14,000 in damages...and that didn't count the damage to the frame") and, folks, within 3 1/2 days of my accident, i have a check in hand for my totaled car...and don't forget i crashed on Christmas Eve morning! if you don't have Progressive car insurance...i highly recommend switching...they've been fantastic. the folks at Rochester Ford Toyota have also been great...and i don't know anybody that works for either of those companies...promise!

in addition to all those fabulous people, i also want to say that the support of my amazing husband has meant the world to me. my family (in-laws included) have been incredible, as well. i'm just so glad that i was alive and able to celebrate Christmas this year as we had planned. i came so close to either celebrating it in the hospital or not at all...just imagine if there had been more traffic...or if that semi had been any closer behind as i spun and bounced back and forth between lanes...the Big Guy must have sent a guardian angel to watch out for me...maybe his name was Urby.

here's my Urby:
front end that slammed into the concrete barrier

rear end damage that must have happened when i spun back around (i had no idea this happened)


this picture says a lot to me...it shows the seatbelt and airbag that saved my life while i watched that windshield shatter from the car's frame buckling.

R.I.P. Urby!

Tongue update

it's good news this time! granted, my tongue is still numb, but the burning and terrible electric shock sensations i had developed improved enough for me to thoroughly enjoy two thanksgiving meals - back to back - at least until my stomach felt like it would explode! we were able to go home and surprise matt's parents for thanksgiving - i think his dad was absolutely shocked! they thought i was going to stop by sometime on thanksgiving, but had no idea matt had luckily been given a couple days off and could come, too! it was so fun to surprise them with the whole family being together for the holiday! we also spent time at my mom's old neighbors' house. tom and sue were like second parents to me, and susie's thanksgiving meal is my all time favorite meal so it was wonderful to be at the thanksigiving table with them! i was happy and plump that day!

since then, the burning remains improved, although not gone. i saw my surgeon today and with all the poking around he did we found a couple tiny spots where i could actually feel the poke!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the areas that are working suggest that the nerve injury happened when they injected the numbing medicine. it seems like there are just a few random fibers that are working, but it's such a wonderfully good sign! the burning and electrical shocks that i have felt are good signs, too! i am feeling very optimistic that this will heal. it's certainly going to take a very long time, but i am feeling much better about the whole situation!

yay!

oh...and another note, check out cassi, nick and adam's blog (link at the right) for some super exciting news!

Amazing Research Breakthrough!

Not my own...but my dear friend, Mitch, (who has been dating my sister since he swept her of her feet at our wedding - see picture) has been involved in an amazing research breakthrough! He had warned us something big was coming from their lab...he wasn't kidding. It's so big, it's hit top story on CNN, ABC, Yahoo! News, NYTimes, etc.!

Basically, their lab at Wisconsin and another lab in Japan have figured out a way to make human skin cells into what appears to be embryonic stem cells - without the embryo! Although there will surely continue to be ethical debates about various uses of stem cells, this breakthrough is HUGE folks! It takes a huge part of the ethical dilemma out of stem cell research. So now, hopefully we can move forward to use the technology for helpful things and not have to worry about the whole issue of "when does life begin" - no matter what side of the issue you're on!

Check out the story:
NY Times
CNN (AP Article)

The actual research article from the Wisconsin lab will be available online at www.sciencemag.org on Thursday. Mitch will be listed as a contributor to this article for all of his hard work. That means he's a notable contributor to a scientific breakthrough that is being likened to the Wright Brothers' first plane!! Way to go, Mitch!

from doctor to researcher to disgruntled patient

so i'm posting again. can you believe it?!? i will start with the latest goings on in my life. mostly, I’ve been on my research block with tons of time to myself, and life has been going pretty well. that is…until I had my wisdom teeth out last friday. the nine days since have been a total rollercoaster for me.

i had been extremely nervous about having the procedure done because i have had painful jaw issues since high school. i was afraid of the jaw pain afterward...little did i know that was the least of my worries! when i got there, i addresed my fears with the surgeon - he didn't seem to care at all. when he went through the risks of the procedure, his mind seemed to be elsewhere...and he forgot to talk about several important things...including what i was about to experience.

i got into the little procedure room and they put the little happy-gas thing on my nose and my body started tingling and out i went. it was great...until i woke up before they were done. my first thought was "i'm not supposed to be awake. i better keep my eyes closed!"...then realized "wait! i'm not supposed to be awake...i better open my eyes so they know!" nobody acknowledged that i was awake. i would have appreciated a simple "we're almost done"...anything...i got nothing. then i was put into my recovery room, where matt was waiting. the nurse asked me if i slept through the whole procedure...after my response of "no. i was awake for the last part," there was no further probing - no questions about whether i felt pain or reassurance that it happens now and then...she just moved right along.

so then it was off to the pharmacy. upon arrival, we were told "they're processing your order. it should be less than 10 minutes." an hour and a half later, once i was completely nauseous, in pain, and completely sick of listening to the other man in the waiting room talking on his cell phone while it was on speaker phone for over an hour...we finally had my meds. i figured the nightmare was over...and went home to sleep.

the next day, i was doing super well, but the right side of my tongue was still numb. sunday i started to look a little chipmunk-like, but was well enough to go out shopping with allison. my recovery was honestly going very well. come monday...my tongue was still numb and i knew this probably meant an injury to the nerve, so i called my surgeon's assistant, who sort of seemed to think i was exaggerating - that things would be "just fine" - but set up an appointment for me to see the surgeon on wednesday.

got to the appointment and the assistant comes in, doesn't sit down, just says in her perky voice "so, has it gotten better? no? okay...right side or left side? right? okay," and she proceeded to walk out of the room. then the surgeon arrives and his response after poking my tongue for quite some time was "well, you're numb"...duh!?!?!

so his evaluation was...
best case scenario: months and months before my tongue will heal. that means months and months before i can feel or taste on the right side of my tongue. months and months before i can truly enjoy food again, talk properly again, not worry about biting my tongue again. that's best case scenario.
worst case scenario: permanent damage that will never heal.
further treatment scenario: 6 weeks to 3 months from now we can consider another surgery to try to find the nerve and fix it if possible. i don't want to do that...but i'd also like to be back to normal.

he told me to test to see if i can taste on the right side - if i could, it would be a good sign for healing. tested it as soon as i go home no taste...grrr...

he also never acknowledged that this whole thing has been a terrible experience. i think he's probably a nice guy...it just really hasn't shown in my interactions with him...i think that's making this whole experience worse.

speaking of worse...since my appointment, my tongue has begun to feel like it is on fire...and nothing makes it better...nothing. weirdly enough, my tongue is still completely numb...can't feel anything on it...no poking, pinching...nothing. i have tried to research all of this - hoping the burning was a good thing...a sign of the nerve healing - but i haven't quite figured that out yet.

i know that logic should tell me that having a half-numb-and-tasteless tongue really is not a big deal. i wouldn't think it would be...but it has taken quite a toll on me. some days are better than others and they're continuing to get better overall (i think)...just as long as i still have hope of healing, i will be just fine.

hoping that healing comes sooner than later...(and promising more positive posts relatively soon...)

playing doctor

so why haven't i been posting on here lately? i've been at the hospital taking call, admitting and discharging “my” patients…basically, i am officially playing doctor. there are a ton of hours (about 80 per week, sometimes more), but so far, it’s been great.
i am on my internal medicine rotation, which is 6 weeks long. the first 4 weeks are on inpatient hospital service (primary care internal medicine team). we have a huge medical team, which consists of 9 people: one consultant (attending physician), 2 senior residents (people who have their m.d.s but are in their third year of residency/post-med-school training), 3 interns (m.d.s who are in their first year of residency), and 3 of us (third year med students).
my schedule works on a 4-day rotation. first day i’m on call. i start at sometime between 6 and 7am and we “round,” which means that we go around to all the patients that our team is responsible for and check in on them, check their labs, order tests and update our plan to make them better. this takes several hours. the rest of that day I spend some time reading up on patients, trying to discharge patients, checking in on those who need it, and that afternoon and overnight our team admits new patients. i take a history and do a physical exam on “my” patient(s) and create a plan for their care (under the guidance of a real doctor, of course). depending on how busy we are (i.e. how many patients we get), we may stay up all night long, or we may get a few hours of sleep in a call room. no matter what, though, we stay in the hospital overnight. the second day is my post-call day. if i got to sleep in a call room that night, i get up to pre-round on my patient(s) starting at 6 or 6:30, go to a meeting, then do rounds again. that’s followed by a lunch meeting and we get to go home around 1. on the third and fourth days we arrive early to pre-round, attend a meeting, do rounds with the team, lunch meeting, reading/learning and patient care (checking in, ordering tests, discharging, etc). then the whole thing starts all over the next day and continues for a total of 4 weeks. the following 2 weeks will be on outpatient primary care internal medicine. that will have a schedule that is closer to typical "business hours".
so far i am feeling really lucky. we have a wonderful team. they’re super nice and encourage us to avoid “scut work” (the crappy work med students and interns are often forced to do) and to take advantage of the learning opportunities we have during this rotation. it’s wonderful! and believe it or not, my first couple nights of call weren’t so bad. seeing as how i'm heading into week 4 of inpatient service with q4 (every fourth day call, i am getting rather tired. however, i am on the same schedule as my friend, hilary, so call feels like some sort of warped slumber party. it's a fun twist to working all night longm especially the other night when hilary didn't get a call room. we dragged a recliner into my call room and so we could actually have a real little slumber party for a few hours! it’s also really fun to have my friends, sujit and brandon, on our team. they're both so encouraging and great to work with! sujit was on our team the first 2 weeks and now it's brandon. i am really enjoying this! other than a little bit of exhaustion, it's way better than class from 8-5. i’m hoping it’s giving me the pick-me-up that i have been in desperate need of - despite my lack of sleep!

a taste of home

several weeks ago matt went on a fishing trip with my dad, cousin and uncle and had a wonderful time. i was incredibly jealous, but i am so glad that he brought back lots of walleye for me to enjoy! when we visited matt’s parents the next weekend, matt cooked up some walleye and homemade potato chips for us, his mom made her homemade tartar sauce that i just love, and i enjoyed a sundrop, which originated in our hometown. there is no meal that gets more wisconsin-esque than this…unless of course, you add a brat to the plate! the night before i started my first rotation, matt made more walleye, but with a beer batter (ooh! another way to make it more wisconsin-esque!) and some onion rings and french fries replaced the chips! yum! yum! yum!

(the first meal of fresh walleye)