The art of communication.

I was on holiday this year near a place called Arles in France. I stayed with my 2 kids in a tiny little campsite outside a tiny little village in the middle of nowhere really, where nobody spoke English. Or if they did speak a little English, it was only to ask if I could speak any French, which I can't. I was most ashamed of myself.

However, amazingly as it might seem we had THE most wonderful holiday because no matter what, people find a way to communicate. My kids made firm friends with lots of French children and even managed to play games with them in the pool where they all understood what the other was to do......how so?? Hand gestures and pointing and guesswork and facial expression, body language and physically showing each other what we meant. It worked.

By the time we left France-2 weeks later-I could get the gist of a conversation and speak limitedly to people, how are you, what are you doing this evening, weather's been hot today etc etc and the kids were counting and had invented lots of fun games. My son had a French girlfriend and my daughter was a sulky teen French style.

So we exchanged emails and msn with everyone and we still keep in touch with a cpl of families and plan to go back to the same place next year and meet up with them. A cpl of people are coming to visit Bonny Scotland as a result too. However, next time I plan to have some French and am teaching the kids a little also. It was really quite educational to go somewhere where there are no English/Scottish people/bars/food/nightclubs/culture and to be in the heart of a place and really get a feel for it. I had to fend for myself to get by for me and the kids and I really was so embarassed to have gone to a country and not even know how to count to ten. Next year shall be different!! I simply can't wait to go back!

My Final Semester at Saint Andrews

Technically speaking I still have 2 semesters but the 2nd will be spent writing my dissertation with no classes as we know them now. Research and writing is what the 2nd semester will consist of. We were told last week to enjoy our final moments this semester as a class together and it was poignant for us all. A reminder of how far we have come. This is why I am looking at this semester as the last one and I am sad to be doing so.

When I started at Saint Andrews this current time seemed so far away, 3rd years seemed so superior to me and I thought they must know SO much stuff. Haha now I am 3rd year......and I say grudgingly that yes I think I have learned a heck of a lot.

In the beginning I thought 3 years would take so long to go by, driving up to the bubble every day and studying there and working hard. The truth of it is that it has gone by in a whirlwind, tornado like fashion and I really can't believe I am in the final year. My advice to anyone there starting out is enjoy EVERY moment because before you know it, it is time to go.

Studying medicine has fulfilled me and given me so much happiness and satisfaction on so many different levels. The journey began in Perth when a really nervous mother of 2 went to college with the attitude of "Even if I don't get in to University I might pass the HNC" which rapidly changed to "I am blooming well getting into University and I am going to do this" as my confidence in my abilities and intelligence grew. To think that was then and this is now, how time flies and life changes as it flies by.

I have many wonderful friends whom I have met in Saint Andrews and I am grateful to everyone who supports me and wishes me well in my goals. It is so weird, when I first went to SA I thought nothing could be better than my time at Perth, since I had loved being at college so much, how I was wrong, I have loved being at SA Uni too and I need to remember this as I approach going to Edinburgh, I can already feel myself thinking it will not be so good as SA.

So I am choked with the cold today, tired from a horrid week last week and could probably write all day long and still not have done enough work...........but it's the life I choose and I positively love being a medic and a student and would not be wanting to do anything else at all, even if I won the lottery. I promise!! ;-)

Neo-plastic/Hyperplasia/Adenocarcinoma

I am FED up learning about conditions that are meaningless to me..................I am memorising names, symptoms and treatments of SO many pathologies and I don't really know what I am talking about so I think it  is a bit pointless......................................................................................................................

But, WAIT a minute Miss Smith-are you forgetting real reason for the study and the end goal? The people who HAVE these conditions and symptoms and live through the treatments who will NEVER forget the names of their pathologies. Yes I think I did forget that for a while today but now I have reminded myself I will plod ever forwards with my revision and think of my ultimate achievement, to be there for these patients in the future and perhaps not I will not "know" or "feel" what they are going through but I will have an understanding through my education of "why" they are going through it.

Motivational talk to myself done-carry on!!! :-)

Third last day of Semester 2, Year 2.

The 2nd semester is always the fastest at medical school and it almost over now, aside from the little matter of 4 exams of course.

I am excited at the moment, because of the no driving to Saint Andrews for 4 months, but I know about halfway through the holidays I will get bored (happened last year too) and wish I was going back sooner. And I will miss all my friends too. It sounds like a cliche but the only people who understand what it is like to be a medic are other medics......and we all support and help each other. So when we don't see each other for LONG LONG periods of time it is sad. Sob. 

This summer I will try to remember that I have only got 1 more long summer next year and after that the weeks of term time increase to 42 in year 4 and then 44 in year 5. And I bet when it comes to those wonderful days I will kick myself for not enjoying the lovely long holidays while I had them.  So enjoy Cassandra enjoy!!! :-)

Exam Time (again)

I live my life being examined 4x yearly.  So I have 4 SETS of exams per year which I love..................................hahaha er no..... loathe is a better "l" word to describe the feelings I have towards exams. 

The reason I hate them is I feel like they are not a true reflection of your knowledge base. As soon as I know the time is approaching to the dreaded event already my mind begins to change from relaxed and enjoying the acquisition of new knowledge to oh my god how on earth can I cram all this in so I can remember EVERYTHING in the exam. And then when I sit down in front of the paper I get the most tremendous blanks where I know bugger all.

Also I start to become a little manic about 2 weeks before said crappy exam. In my house there will be post it notes stuck EVERYWHERE with things I am frightened I will forget and of course will need in my big moment. 

So here I am sitting in front of my pink laptop thinking in 2 weeks time I have a most horrid week in front of me. Another set of 4 in a row. January was hideous when we had the same,  I was physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted. I am not looking forward to all this coming my way SO soon.

It is during this difficult time that I remind myself why I keep on pushing to do this. When I was a wee girl I used to steal my big cousin's Doctor Play Kit and my mum would find his stethoscope underneath my pillow. I wanted my own Doctor's Kit then, as I do now, but not to play anymore(well a little playtime-I love hitting people with my tendon hammer). Now the goal is for real and the only way to get there is to keep on passing my exams......so on that cheery little thought I guess I better get back to my books.

Bute Medical School

Isn't it lovely, everyday I walk past the sign into the medical school and thank my lucky stars and Perth College I got in because I love it so much. The Bute has been the place where my dreams became a reality.

We are incidently, the class of 2010, the LAST class to fully complete their years in Saint Andrews in the Bute. The year below me will have their 3rd year in the new medical school on the North Haugh which will be named after Dr BC Sekhar whose son donated 8 million towards the building of the new medical school. And the year below them (this years intake) will have just 1 year in the lovely Bute.

So gone is my beloved Bute in 2010 but so will I be too!! :-(

Stethoscopes and Getting Older

I just love stethoscopes, they are my favourite doctory thing ever!! I have a pink one and am getting a new shiny leopard print one for my depressing 31st birthday in June!! It will be the highlight of an otherwise dismal day. I never wanted to make it this far and be IN MY 30s!! I don't feel old enough but it would seem that I am. Oh well. It is something I will come to terms with gradually I feel and probably only really accept it as I am about to enter my next generation which for now I simply cannot even mention.............. But back to a cheery prospect stethoscopes.......ahhh I love them and they are so useful too.