Little Lion Man

Tremble for yourself, my man
You know that you have seen this all before
Tremble Little Lion Man
You'll never settle any of your scores
Your grace is wasted in your face
Your boldness stands alone among the wreck
Learn from your mother or else spend your days biting your own neck

"Little Lion Man" by Mumford & Sons, great song! Once again, it has nothing to do with this post, but it popped into my head when I made the post's title. Anyway, last night I drove down to my hometown to visit some of the best friends a girl could ask for; we went out to dinner and drinks and had an all-around blast. However, I realized that what I now love most about coming home is not the drunken messes we all become at night--which is still awesome, don't get me wrong--it is the next morning at Gully's house, with her little Leonardo. The above title, Little Lion Man, is actually referring to my best friend's firstborn, Leo. This post is an ode to the little guy!

Regarding us girls and the time we spend together, things are as they have always been: lounging around, talking (may be gossiping too), eating puppy chow, and having some delicious coffee (or glasses of wine--depending on the time of day.) And yet, at the same time, it is also very different because of one small change: we take turns holding and canoodling this little tyke. It is such a great feeling. You just look at him and wonder what he will be like in six months, a year, 18 years, or even (gasp) 26 years like us! I get so excited about the infinite possibilities and opportunities that lie ahead of him, and I am only a pseudo-aunt; I cannot imagine what goes through Gully's and Tommy's minds when they wander into Leo's future!

So, my little lion man, you are one of the cutest and most laid back babies I have ever met. You also have some pretty sweet parents--as well as grandparents, aunts/uncles, pseudo-aunts/uncles, and cousins--that love you like crazy. I have no doubt that you will be a little rascal as a toddler, a good kid as a teenager, and--inevitably--a great man as an adult. I wish you all the success, love, and happiness in the years to come!

 On October 9, 2010, at Gully's baby shower, Leo is still just a bun in the oven.

On November 21, 2010, Kaylee and I officially met the 2-day-old (and jaundiced ha) little Leo. He was born November 19th, a measly three days after my guess in the baby pool, so Kaylee won. I was robbed!

And finally, the little guy now, at four-months-old. He really looks like half Gully and half Tommy. And all smiles!

ObamaCare

Approximately one year ago, President Obama signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (aka ObamaCare.) As much as I want every American to have insurance and, in effect, have access to affordable health care, ObamaCare brings to mind the classic quote: "great in theory, bad in practice." I do not think the answer to our current health care system--which is flawed!--is completely gutting the existing structure and replacing it with an equally fallible one. I believe the solution involves addressing the shortcomings of the system in place. I also believe that, throughout the deliberation and creation of said solutions, lawmakers should remain conscientious of the federal deficit and prevent establishing programs that threaten to bankrupt the country once and for all.

By 2014, it is estimated that ObamaCare will result in an additional 16 million people on Medicaid. The (already indebted) federal government plans to "foot the bill" for this surge for three years, however, the states will start picking up their portion of the cost after that. To illustrate the effect this will have on states, here are two examples: First, Virginia currently allocates 21% of its entire budget to Medicaid; ObamaCare will cause that figure to increase to 28% within a few years. Likewise, ObamaCare will push Texas into spending approximately 46% of its budget on Medicaid; call me crazy, but designating almost half of a state's budget to just one program is ludicrous. Increases like these will occur across the nation and they translate into one of two things (or both:) States will have to cut spending on other programs, such as education, and/or they will have to raise taxes.

The Independent Women's Voice held an "IWV ObamaCare Video Contest" which asked for a 1-minute video portraying why ObamaCare is bad for the country. So, I made a video. After getting a decent number of votes, the IWV (and I) realized I had violated one of the fine print rules by putting a licensed song in it, so they took it down. Even though it was removed from the contest, I still want to share it with others because I strongly believe in its message. So, here it is!

The End

This is the end
Beautiful friend
This is the end
My only friend, the end
Of our elaborate plans, the end
Of everything that stands, the end

"The End" by The Doors, great song! Depressing, but great. It really has nothing to do with this post, but it popped into my head when I made the post's title. Anyway, the end of medical school has finally arrived. I am officially done! The past four years have been spent pulling all-nighters before exams, drinking pots of coffee before 6am rounds, and using every (rare) free moment to sneak off for a nap. As lovely as that all sounds, it has also been the best four years of my life. I had the pleasure of meeting incredible people from all walks of life, learning from intelligent physicians from various fields of medicine, and experiencing the presentation/diagnosis/progression/treatment of some of the most interesting medical cases. (That last part sounds nerdy, but trust me, it was exciting.)

I have also made some of the best friends during the past four years. Let me tell ya, getting through hell and back is always a little easier with friends by your side! And through the roller coaster ride of school, rotations, and life, they made the teetering highs a little sweeter and the devastating lows a little easier to bear. So, to you all: THANK YOU. You have been nothing but wonderful classmates and great friends... and soon-to-be outstanding colleagues! I cannot thank you enough.

Finally, to wrap this up, I want to comment that this is not really the end. Being in the field of surgery, there will always be more protocols to study and more exams to take. In general, in the medical profession--like in most things--the end of one chapter only brings you to the beginning of the next. I guess that is why graduation is so aptly named commencement! So, here's to the end of school and the beginning of everything else!

My official "half page" in the yearbook is a collage representing my family and friends.

This photo of my fellow gen surg classmates and me looks very Grey's Anatomy-esque ha!