It's Over

I started this blog in August (or July... I'd have to double check to make sure) of 2008 as I quit my job and moved from home in Houston, Texas (family, friends and church) to the wild unknowns of New Haven, CT to begin the Physician Associate program at Yale.

29 months later, it's over.

50 tests didactic year, 14 clinical rotations, 1 thesis, 10 weeks in Kenya, countless procedure minimums.

Finished.

Complete.

And truthfully, it feels surreal. I'm positive that at any moment the program is going to call or email or contact me by carrier pigeon to say that I forgot to do something... I can't grasp that at this time next week, I'll be sitting at a desk in Houston studying for my boards as opposed to sitting on my air mattress in my empty apartment writing a blog (when I should be studying for boards). Even more than that, I can't fathom that in just over a month I'm moving to Hawaii... and several weeks after that will be starting at Waikiki Health Care with my own panel of patients. Luckily at this point all I can do live the day that I've been given. Otherwise, I'm fairly sure that this would all be way too overwhelming for words.

I remember feeling almost the same way in the months prior to my move to Connecticut. Excited yet scared... However this time, my nerves about moving seem a little more manageable because I am so excited about my move... And about the fact that I will no longer be in a long distance relationship... Well, except for when Andrew is underway... but when he's in port, I'll be there too! On top of that, Karl and Ashley are there... and I'm super pumped about my job... and it's Hawaii! I never pictured myself living there, but it's going to be quite a nice place to live. Sun, sand, the "aloha" culture....

With all the ups and downs, I'm more thankful for my time in CT than I can say. I made dear friends in my class. Lived with an amazing group of girls ON LONG ISLAND SOUND. Had countless movie nights. Kayaked. Ran 2 marathons. Saw 4 shows at Shakespeare in the Park, including the best show I've ever seen (Twelfth Night). Relaxed with dear friends and family in NYC and Norwich. Fell in love with an amazing man. Visited Groton countless times. (I kid you not, I was talking to someone this past weekend and they said, "Groton? That's a town name? That's terrible. It sounds like a curse!). Went to Boston for a weekend. Had wonderful visits with my family when they came to visit. Fake graduated from Yale twice (with all the pomp and circumstance befitting a Yale graduation). The list could go on and on...

But for now, I should stop reminiscing, go take a shower, and get back to studying for boards!