Meanwhile…Back in the country…

Dearest City Girl,

I am sooooo sorry that is has taken me FOREVER to write on here!  I’ve been trying to pick up the slack on my other blog, but can’t forget ours!  The thing is…for awhile, living in the country wasn’t that exciting.  Don’t get me wrong, I like it that way!!  However, during the month of December that all changed.

Crazy Ruffin Happening #1

It all started with a freak storm that had LOTS of damaging winds.  My room mate’s dad has a shed about a 1/6 of a mile from our house.  I was at school when she texted me, “Road blocked. Power out. Best to stay away.”  Oh…okay…what happened?!  Turns out the wind had knocked down the shed and put a lot of the debris into the road.  I went to my friend’s house and waited out the crazy storm.  (Side story: I had taken a couple of my students to Wal-Mart to shop for our Christmas Angel and the weather, though ominous, was fine when we left.  However, as soon as I pulled into the school all hell broke loose!  Sheets of rain and gusts of wind left me looking like a wet rat trying to enter a wet t-shirt contest gone wrong!)  Back to Ruffin…I waited until 10 to go back to the house and the power was still out!  Now, I usually don’t scare easy (who am I kidding, I slept with the lamp on last night!), but I was slightly freaked out when I got back.  Thank goodness my uncle gave me a bright little flashlight for Christmas the other year!  I lit some candles and willed the power to come back on.  It came back around 3am and you’ve never seen such a happy girl!!  

Crazy Ruffin Happenings 2 and 3:

I really can’t elaborate nor know a lot about situation number two.  All I know is that 2 bodies were found burned in a car about 10 minutes from my house.  Really, do I need to say more?  What the crap?

Third happening…I’m copying an e-mail that I sent my friends after happening #3.  Here you go:

I got home late last night because I had dinner and went to see tacky Christmas Lights with my friend, Kim.  My room mate was still up and we were chatting and all the sudden we heard a HUGE boom.  It sounded like someone had slammed a storm door...except we don't have one.  Our den is in the back of the house, so we look at each other freaked and try to decide what to do.  My room mate had been working on a couple walking sticks (she was putting designs in them for a Christmas present) and I had a jar of homemade salsa.  She grabs the stick...I grab the salsa and head to the front of the house to see what had happened.

My room mate walked outside and came back in and said, "Coley, someone has hit a tree in the front yard."  I grabbed my mace and flashlight and headed out.  We go out and sure enough a Ford Truck and smashed into the tree right in front of our house.  It was the scariest/craziest thing I've ever seen.  We called 911 and she went to help the woman.

Long story short, the ambulance, 3 cop cars, 1 highway patrol car all showed up and it looked like we had robbed a bank.  I was praying none of my students were out driving at 11 at night.  They took her away in the ambulance.  

I did get to meet a couple cute cops!  I was going to invite them in for cookies and milk...but it was midnight and I had to give an exam the next morning.

So…there you go.  December in Ruffin.  Pretty exciting, right?!  Haha, it’s not NJ, but we do occasionally get some action J  I wish you all the best in your travels.  PLEASE be careful!!

Another City...

Hey girl!

   So much has happened since my return to the big city! I will admit- I spent the first few days moping around the city, missing home, and the endless supply of Little Debbie cakes in my mother’s cabinet (I don’t allow myself those little pieces of heaven up here), but last Wednesday, I got over myself and started another semester of grad school.  Don’t get me wrong, I was not looking forward to another semester of stress, work, long nights, and super early mornings; but, I was ready to get started and whittle down my remaining year. What I didn’t tell you over the break, is that by starting another semester I am actually getting to explore another city…. Camden, New Jersey. 

   Now, let me start at the beginning….. right before Christmas break, I received my first clinical assignment: Fast track ED in Camden, New Jersey.  I was immediately excited!  First of all, I think working in a fast track (the part of the Emergency Department where they send all those people with minor complaints….the things they should probably go to a primary care office for) would be a great learning experience.  Secondly, Camden is literally right across the river from Philly which meant I was going to be able to take public transportation instead of driving (my nonexistent car). 

   The excitement wore off a little when I would announce my site to others, and their faces would drop.  I heard, “Courtney, you know when they talk about Camden in rap songs, well that’s the Camden they are taking about”. When I told a guy at church where I was going, he asked, “Did you get a choice?” (insert look of disgust). Yes, little did I know, I was being sent to what us southerners call- the ghetto. If you google “Camden NJ” you will find all kinds of scary information, my personal favorite “Camden has been named the nation's most-dangerous city, snatching the top spot from Detroit”- oh yeah! But this was the hand I was dealt, so I was going to play it. 

   After tutorials from Susie like- keep your hair tucked in your coat, carry an umbrella as a weapon, don’t carry cash, look at peoples’ faces so they know you see them (and could recognize them in a line up), I figured I was ready… God bless me.  I did a couple of practice runs, taking the train, getting a train pass so I don’t have to carry cash, finding the hospital in day light so I am not wandering around in the dark…. and then it was my first day. Here’s the story.

   I was all excited for my first clinical day, that is, until I realized (while sitting on the train from Philly to Jersey) I had forgotten to apply deodorant.  You know, I am a sweater, not to mention crazy nervous for my first day. Let me put it this way- it was 26 degrees outside, and from underneath my white coat, I already had moist pits (haha, sorry if this is TMI).  Well, my predicament was made worse by the fact that I only had $2 on me (mugging prevention) and no clue where to find cheap deodorant in Jersey.  All I can say, is thank you God, and city planners, for placing a Rite Aid adjacent to the train station (because in the words of Jeff, "white girls like you better not wander around out there"), and for selling mini deodorants for $1.35! So now, clean and smelling fresh…. well, actually smelling like chicken- the Rite Aid is beside The Chicken Casino, which evidently starts frying up the good stuff at 9am (I cannot make this stuff up), I stroll into the hospital, through metal detectors, for my first day.

   {For privacy reasons I cannot share the details of my day, but I wanted to share a couple of clinical pearls I learned while working in Jersey- 1) it is easier to assess the patient if the cops are willing to take the cuffs off, 2) no matter what diagnosis I make, if I give a note to get out of work, then I am loved, 3) if you are treating someone with a bite, which they may or may not admit is a human bite,  just leave the wound open, no stitches, 4) if you order a spine xray for back pain, you may find a random bullet in someone’s back… he has no idea where that came from, and 5) I have a sexy voice and I am the best doctor in the entire world.}

   Fast forward 12 hrs of hard work… I head back to the train station to get home to Philly. Side note: my preceptor drove me to the train station, which is only 0.2 miles from the hospital, but the nurses took a vote and decided that I was absolutely not walking there alone at night (even if I took the needles and scalpel they wanted me to carry for protection). Now, the train station is divided by card access into the two parts- the upstairs area where anyone can stand and the downstairs where the trains come (you must pay to get downstairs). I had heard to wait upstairs, but there was around 40 homeless people up there (its warm) and downstairs didn’t look bad… so I went downstairs…. for about 5 minutes before I realized, I better head back upstairs. This was confirmed, when I got back up the stairs, a police officer walked by and said, “You stay right up here pretty girl”.  He then turned and walked away…. could he not here my inner voice saying “stay with me, stay with me, stay with me”….. guess not!  Well, 25 minutes of pacing later, with my finger on the mace in my pocket, the train arrived, and I rode safely back home. And that was my first day in Camden!  I only have about 16 more to go haha. 

   I truly do like it there, but the safety part is rough. I am not telling you this to scare you or make you worry- so don’t.  Madelyn and Tommy are worrying enough.  When I told my mom she actually said, out loud, “Oh my baby girl”. But through everything, I definitely feel like this is going to be a great place for me!

   Briefly back to Philly (to finish the book-of-a-post off).  It is COLD up here!  I know it has been cold down there too, but girl………. when it is 15 degrees, the two mile walk to school feels like 15 miles!  My face is getting a little tougher, after nearly freezing off one day.  But, I refuse to complain. I love cold weather, and will take it over the summer heat any day, so bring on the snow! (haha, now I am just pushing it).

Anyway, that’s all for now, my other clinical site may be in Delaware, so I will update you on another city soon.  I cannot wait to hear about your semester, those kids better be treating you nice!

Love and miss you!

Courtney

Are we there yet?

   I am flying back to Philly on Wednesday (way too soon in my humble opinion). When I left Philly for my vacation, there was a sense of sadness, that I would miss my new city, and all that I could do there while I wasn’t laboring in class. However, after a great vacation with my family and friends, I have grown to regret my return to the big city.  I have yet to allow myself the indulgence of making a list of things I miss about NC, so I will not go there now (it’s too hard and honestly puts me into a depression), make no mistake- my heart remains in the south. Now, don’t get me wrong- I have realized a couple of things I do not miss about the south, that I will allow myself to list:

1) Traffic. Actually, I should be more specific by saying- driving behind tractors, logging trucks, hay trailers, or just Morgantonians who just refuse to drive the speed limit.  Dear drivers- if the speed limit is 45, there is no reason you should ever be driving 25! The traffic I sat in, on Enola Rd, rivaled that of a big city. I also realized that when you don’t drive for 4 months, your road rage does not dissipate… in fact, it may have exponentially increased.

2) Pounds. I do not miss those extra pounds that somehow just appear on my body after spending time at home.  Ok, I have an idea on how those pounds materialize - it probably had something to do with home cooking, Shoney’s buffet, the new Cook Out (yes, Morganton got a Cook Out during my stay), and the endless supply of Little Debbie Cakes that my mom keeps in the house (bless her). I am looking forward to getting back to my healthy eating, and walking at least 4 miles a day….. although laying on the couch does feel oh so right.

3) Questions. When I am in Philly, in the world of academia, people ask, “What are you going to do once you graduate?” They may expect an answer, but they don’t expect for you to come out with a perfected plan.  In the south, when you come home from living in Philly, or was it Pittsburgh, wait where are your after all-  you are expected to know what you are doing, when you are doing it, and where that will lead you (and that better be- back to NC). Not to mention, the concept of a Nurse Practitioner is still one that escapes most people (but that is NOT just a southern thing).  I guess, coming home just reminds me that I should be getting my life together, and making a plan….. but in grad school, I live week to week, and my final destination is still a year away (at the very earliest).  

    It’s kind of funny how I can think of three main things that I do not like about the south, but if I allowed myself to list the things I miss- it would be pages and pages. No matter what, like my mom said, I am right where I am supposed to be (in Philly). There is a lot of sadness and anxiety about returning to the city, but it is something I have to do. I am sure once I am up there and back into my routine, I will be fine. I feel like I have worked so hard to get here and yet I still have an entire year left…. which makes me ask, in true holiday spirit- are we there yet? Am I there yet? Unfortunately, the answer is a resounding- No. Actually, since I’m back in NC, the answer is- heck No!

    Nevertheless, my goal for 2012 (which is the year I graduate, oh yeah) is to enjoy where I am- in geography and my life in general. I want to enjoy my life for what it is, without stressing over what it is not. You know, I compare my graduate school journey to a hike on the Appalachian Trail. I got to hike a small section of the AT, in Virginia, during my vacation and definitely fell more in love with the trail and hiking in general. Anyway, I see my vacation as a month of zero days (days when you take a break from the trail to not hike at all, relax, refuel, and restore yourself). So now, it is time to get back on the trail. On the AT, I pushed myself physically and mentally to do things I wasn’t sure I could accomplish, but I did it, and the view from the summit was incredible. So, it is time for me to start walking again, move forward, climb higher, and enjoy the journey.

Can’t wait to see you, and the south again.  Until then…..

Love,

Courtney

Is it too much to ask?

 Dear Coley,

  Recently, I have had the same question running through my mind- Is it too much to ask? The ending to that question changes depending on the situation, but the question keeps coming up over and over again. So, I wanted to share a few of the things, about this big ole city, that just make me wonder-

Is it too much to ask:

Is it too much to ask, for peace and quiet on the bus? Seriously, the last few times I have ridden on the bus, I have been accompanied by either a mentally ill person shouting obscenities at the air, or a very loud person yelling/talking to the driver. I mean, come on people, just sit and be quiet! By being loud and obnoxious, those lovely passengers really just make me regret spending the two dollars on a ticket and make me want to either break down the window and escape or box my ears into deafness. Oh and while I am asking…. Please take a bath before getting on the bus. The other day I actually gagged from the body odor coming from the man beside me, and I am a nurse (meaning that I deal with stank every day). Help me out here!

Is it too much to ask, to make it home safely without incident?  Let me paint the picture: I am walking home from the bus stop, in the dark and pouring rain, freezing and wet….. when all the sudden a guy walking his dog loses control of the leash and the dog darts out in front of me- this causes me to trip and land on all fours on the nasty streets of Philadelphia.  My keys when flying, my tights were ripped, my umbrella was thrown, my hands were raw from the impact of the cement….. all in the rain and darkness. It was bad, but when I realized that my bare hands were on the street where the day before a dog had peed and a homeless man had puked- it got worse. I scrubbed them sufficiently later.  Anyway, thank goodness I was one block from home, so I could hobble home with blood running down my knees (exaggerated by the rain) to have my doorman greet me with, "Looks like you've had a rough one". Why yes sir, I have! And then I call home (as I am soaking in the tub) to have my dad say, “You got mugged by a dog!”  Not funny Tommy.

Is it too much to ask, to get to celebrate the end of the semester, every weekend? I really don’t go out in the city much, let’s face it, I study a lot.  However, when we finished our first semester this Friday, it was the perfect excuse to get out and experience the best of the city.  So, 19 of us headed out to have the best night of our lives (well, the best night since we have all been imprisoned by graduate school). We went o Tequila’s (the name gives it away) and had some amazing Mexican food, accompanied by- well you know.  The food was great and we all laughed more in that one night than we had all semester. It definitely made me wish each weekend was a celebration. However, we managed to rack up a heck of a bill (see below)…. which answers the question- yes, it is too much to ask to celebrate every weekend (cause I definitely don't have that kind of money).

 Clarificaiton: that was the bill for the entire group (not just mine, haha).

So those are just a couple of things that I ask- often on a daily basis.  Sometimes, like when I am on my hands and knees on the side walk, it can be frustrating! I am just waiting for the day when I can wonder, "Is it too much to ask for the Morganton driver to drive the actual speed limit, and not 10 under?" 

- Can't wait!

See you in two days!

Court

my 27th (belated now)

Dear Coley,

   Happy Birthday to me!

  I had such a great birthday this year (especially when I got your card).  My day mainly consisted of Patho (which is every Friday from 9:30-4:00) but thanks to my amazing friends, it turned out to be a fantastic day.  Meredith started the day off by bringing doughnuts for breakfast (Meredith and I are both healthy eaters {yes believe it or not, city life has transformed me into a fruit/vegetable/nut/nothing fried eater…Susie says we eat like squirrels haha}, and so when we are really sad or stressed, we share our food fantasies… this week was doughnuts, the cookies that come in tins during Christmas, and cheeseburgers with bacon).  So Meredith brought doughnuts for breakfast, cupcakes for lunch, a cookie tin, and a gift card to Chili’s- yeah, she is amazing! 

   Later that night we went out for sushi. My birthday dinner consisted of: a Sake-tini, Sunomono (a cold seafood salad), Calamari, Edamame, Spicy Tuna roll, free chocolate birthday cake, and Tempora ice cream. I was beyond stuffed and crazy happy.  I am so blessed to have met such an amazing group of girls here! I can honestly say I would not be able to make it without them, and they went out of their way to make my day special. We finished dinner, then Susie, Lauren, and I went to The Continental- a restaurant that has a roof top bar.  It was so nice to sip a martini, look up, and be surrounded by skyscrapers- definitely a first. Susie then took us to a hookah bar, again, a first (and legal- mom). Overall, I had an amazing birthday- and was so happy to experience my 27^th year in Philadelphia.     

   The next day was when the real adventure started.  My mother sent me a surprise package for my birthday….. although, even though it was a “time sensitive” package, it was not delivered to my apartment.  After some UPS tracking, phone calls, and texts, it was discovered that instead of sending the package to 2100 (my street name), my mother sent it to 1200 (my street name). Yes, bless her heart.  So, Saturday morning, I set off to find this special package.  Turns out, 1200 is an apartment building too, but unlike my building, they do not have a doorman.  So there I was, at 7am, standing outside a locked building, able to see the package in the lobby, and unable to get inside to get it! I was so frustrated, especially since I just walked 9 blocks for no package.  I headed back later in the day with a plan: study on the stairs until someone with a key came and let me in (yes, genius, I know).  Thank God, about 5 seconds after I sat down, a guy walked up and allowed me to follow him into the building. Turns out, the package was a pumpkin pie- a very delicious Maw-Maw made pie! I guess all the drama was worth it.  Through it all, I just kept thinking, “this would never happen in NC” haha. But where else do you get to walk 18 blocks, stalk an apartment building, and end up with a homemade pie- only in Philly baby!

   It did hit me, I will also spend my next birthday in this city…. kind of crazy (especially when you think where I was and what I was doing a year ago).  I definitely made a wish before blowing out my candles.

Love you,

Courtney

Just for fun, here are the places we went on my birthday night (all of the places were within walking distance from my apartment, I do love this city):

http://www.fujimt.com/apps.php

http://www.continentalmidtown.com/

http://www.byblosphilly.com/home.html

A Philly Thanksgiving (and more)

Hey girl!

   As you know, I wasn't able to come home for Thanksgiving (boo). At first I was pretty depressed about the situation, but then I decided that I was going to make the best of being in Philadelphia. I took the "see all, do all" attitude.

   So, last weekend (11/20) was the Philadelphia Marathon, and since the race course was just one block from my apartment, I decided to take part in the “fan zone”.  There I was, at 8am on a Sunday morning, at mile marker 7, with my clapper (a little high five thing that they handed out) in one hand and a cow bell (another free gift) in another. It was a little awkward because everyone around me was waiting on someone they knew to run by, and I was there…… to just cheer. On top of not knowing anyone, I also questioned my cheering ability when the first racers went by and I almost started crying! - they were the disabled racers. (I am sure there is a different word, because clearly, anyone who can race 26.2 miles is not disabled).  But, when I saw them race by, I lost all ability to cheer and started to tear up a little- I know, I am getting soft in my old age, but seeing someone with such strength and perseverance really got me, it was amazingly impressive. Anyway, I got myself together in time to cheer for the other runners, and I found that even though I didn’t know anyone in the race, I had the best time!  A couple of awesome moments:

~Seeing a “guide” run along a blind marathoner- another miraculous woman.

~Cheering for Students Run Philly Style, a non-profit organization that I share a cubicle with (at the law office); it is a program that works with inner city kids and pairs them with runners. Over 200 kids ran this year!

~Meeting a woman from Asheville, NC who was there watching her daughter run.  She had a sign that said, “fastest woman in Asheville” (evidently, her daughter won a 5k there, haha).

~Cheering for runners by name (their bibs had their names).  I walked along the course (cut through to the finish line, near the famous “Rocky stairs” at the art museum) and stood about ¼ of a mile from the finish line. There I would shout “way to go Steve” “good job Olivia” and then they would throw up their arms, or smile, or shout “thank you”- it was so much fun!

   So that was my first “embrace the city” activity.  The second came this weekend (11/25), THANKSGIVING!

   Even though I was not with my family for the holiday, it was pretty cool that 4 different graduate students offered to take me home to spend the break that their families. So, for all those Southerners who think they are the only ones with manners... not so! Anyway, I realized that if I wasn't going to "deal" with my family, I definitely wasn't going to deal with a friend's family- this Thanksgiving was going to be all on my own. Its a good thing that Philly has lots of activities to occupy my time.

   Did you know that Philadelphia has the oldest Thanksgiving Day parade in the country?  Well, they do, and even though I really wanted to spend all of Thanksgiving in my pajamas exploring the world of gluttony, I made myself get up at 7:30 to get a spot to watch the parade. 

   I walked over to the art museum and get a spot where I could see all the action. When I sat down, this extremely nice family immediately starting talking to me and by the end of the parade, I felt as though they adopted me as their fourth child. They asked all about my “city adjustment” and what I thought about Philly- turns out they were both therapists, so it was like 3 hours of free treatment. The parade was great! I detailed the events through the pictures on facebook, so I will spare the repetition. 

   After the parade, I went home and cooked a masterpiece of a dinner. The only problem was…. I was only able to consume about 1/16^th of what I cooked. Turns out, I am terrible at cooking for one and after being too busy to eat the last few weeks, my stomach has shrunk….. don’t worry, I stretched it back out. After my two dinners (oh yeah), I took a stroll through Rittenhouse square, and did feel a little lonely, but overall it was a great holiday. It was so nice to just sit around, eat delicious food that I don’t normally have the time to cook and hulu all kinds of shows. (Speaking of, Pan Am, is amazing! I got hooked, via Hulu, over the holiday, and now cannot stop watching). 

   So the past two weekends were great, and made me fall in love with this city even more! It turns out, that no matter where you live, if you are surrounded by nice people and great food- you’re in the right place.

That being said, Christmas is a different story…. I cannot wait to be back in NC! hehe

See you soon!

Courtney

Finally...

Hey girl,

   First of all, I have tons to tell you (and at least two blogs to post dating back from a week before Thanksgiving), but I have just been so insanely busy!  However, all of that is over now because, today at 10:30ish, I finished my first semester of graduate school!  As my mom put it- I am 25% finished.  25% doesn't even begin to explain what I have accomplished, haha.  Anyway, I will post the blogs I wrote weeks ago, tomorrow- but tonight, I am going out with my friends here to a Tequila bar :)  All I care about is the evidently amazing Mexican food that resides at the same place with all of the Tequila (clearly not LaBamba quality, but a city girl must settle).

   And speaking of city girl..... the other day I was about to walk out of my apartment and realized something- you can take the girl out of the country but you can't take the country out of the girl- haha.  Some days I do wear "trendy things" that would make my family and NC friends laugh. Susie actually said I looked Italian the other day with my boots, dark tights, dress, and scarf, but anyway- Thursday I walked out of the house wearing...... (See below).  It just made me laugh because, check out the hat..... Carhart all the way! Yep, without a doubt, still a country girl :)

Love you, check back tomorrow for more updates. 

Court.

Just to tease you a bit about what is to come.... this week we were talking, in study group, about the Duggar family and how they are getting ready to have their 20th child! In the discussion, Lauren said, "well, don't they live down there near you" - hahaha, classic!  Not only am I Elle Woods (who by the way is from California) but I am also neighbors with Jim-Bob Duggar (who resides with his clan in Arkansas).  It only gets better....