Tara and Andy's Wedding

Just when you thought the celebrations couldn't get any better after the fireworks, the wedding the next day was fabulous! It was an absolutely beautiful day for an outdoor wedding. It was sunny and warm with just enough breeze. Ari looked very dapper as an usher but Tara stole the show! She looked SO beautiful! The ceremony was performed by the groom's uncle who did an amazing job personalizing the wedding and capturing the essence of Tara and Andy... I cried, of course. After the ceremony it was time to... finish getting ready! Jackie, Sarah, and I had late nail appointments so I came to the ceremony sans make-up. After getting myself together, it was time to celebrate. Ari enjoyed dinner, where he was the only male at the table since Megan's husband had to work and Steve was a no show. The food was delicious and the company was better. Then it was time to strut our stuff on the dance floor. I didn't participate in the polkas... must be a northern Wisconsin thing... but we spent the rest of the night gettin' down. Ari was upstaged, however, by Andy's 10 year-old cousin who had some sweet moves. By the end of the night we were exhausted! What an awesome day!

Fireworks on the Farm

This past weekend was Andy and Tara's wedding in Wausau, WI. They kicked things off with a rehearsal at the beautiful outdoor amphitheater where they would have the ceremony. The most important thing that came out of that was the ring bearer was replaced... Tara's nephew Cayden was not about to walk down the aisle so his little brother Max got the part. After the rehearsal we headed to Andy's dad's farm for dinner and fireworks. I am sure you are thinking what I was thinking... backyard, anybody can buy 'em fireworks... but that is so wrong. After eating a ton and enjoying delicious wine, Tara brought out a birthday cake so we could sing to Sarah (who's birthday is Wednesday). The cake was so yummy. We then found our places for the fireworks show. It was getting colder so we buddled up under blanket and sat around a fire. Then all of the sudden there were fireworks shooting into the sky. Huge, beautiful fireworks better than the 4th of July. Apparently, Andy's dad is in charge of the Wausau fireworks show every year and has a good friend who makes his own fireworks. The show was super and even included some pyrotechnics. What a way to celebrate a wedding! I was exhausted after the show so we headed back to the hotel.

Ari's New Chair

Ari has been dreaming of owning his very own "man chair" for some time now. He was looking for a comfy leather chair that was optimum for T.V. viewing and napping. So for graduation his parents, my mom, Kristen and Larry, and I pitched in to buy him his chair. We searched long and hard; he finally settled on a beautiful leather chair with reclining capabilities from Crate and Barrel. The chair arrived two weeks ago and Ari loves it! He and our kitty Eckstein probably find it to be their favorite place in the house! It is definitely a well deserved treat. Congratulations Ari!

Vacationing in the Dells

So after months of planning, mom, Kristen, Larry, Ari and I headed to the Dells the 5th of July. We went to spend 3 days in the water park capital of the world... or so they proclaim but I did see Noah's Ark on the Travel Channel! Anyway, the big plan was to get out of town, catch some rays, relax, and enjoy each other's company. Mission accomplished!! We checked in to the Chula Vista resort and threw our swimsuits on to go investigate the place. I picked this condo because we all wanted to cook and there was a water park there and its free when you stay... what a deal! Just as we headed to the slides a dark cloud passed overhead opened up on us. We were actually kind of thankful because everyone got up and ran to the indoor water park and we got a seat five minutes later when the rain let up! After soaking up the last of the days' sunshine, we headed to the indoor water park. There were some fun slides in there! Finally, we headed back to the condo and I made fish (and two soy) tacos, mmm... The next day, mom and I found seats early by the wave pool and delved into our books. Kristen and the boys took on the outdoor water slides. When we were ready for a break we played a round of mini golf... Ari won as usual, though I did make a run at the back nine. Mom was in charge of dinner and she made ribs, corn on the cob, cucumber salad, and zucchini souffle. There is nothing better than home cookin'! We then played some dominoes... we totally got Larry hooked! The last day, Kristen, mom, and I again went back to the wave pool for some reading and this time added some frozen drinks! The boys went to explore the downtown Dells. After baking (and me frying) in the sun, Kristen, Larry, Ari, and I headed back to the indoor water park. They had some slides you could race on... they flashed the winner and their time and everything! We also rode Jungle Adventure which is a 2 person tube ride that shoot you into a big room with flashing lights and music before you crash down into the pool, way fun! We played some more adventure golf after eating Kristen's homemade pizzas, which I nearly won... guess who did though! (Ari) The next day we headed back home. *** I supremely apologize about the lack of pictures, I got off to a good start taking pictures of the condo and then I fell apart... too much fun to be had!

Hellos and Goodbyes

In the medical world July 1 is an exciting time, all over the country medical students are starting school and new residents are eagerly/anxiously awaiting the first time that they will introduce themselves as doctor. With all these fresh faces, however, it means that many residents are saying goodbye to residency and starting a whole new adventure as attendings. Though there are many people we will miss, this week we said goodbye to three good friends. Dennis and Davette (pictured here and throughout the blog) left Monday morning to return to Wyoming. They have been great friends and we will miss their company. We are definitely looking forward to visiting them in their native state where there are apparently many chickens?! I am sure Davette will be back here to utilize their vacation home (unfortunately they haven't sold their home in Milwaukee just yet) and to prowl the malls with me.

Larissa is a peds graduate that is starting a new chapter in her life in Waterville, Maine. I think she was trying to get as far away from Milwaukee as possible while keeping in the same climate... to each their own! All I know is that town is sure lucky to have such a caring and brilliant pediatrician. I have also never been to Maine... maybe during the summer I can visit!

Let us not forget the hellos that we have to say! Hello to the new pediatric intern class! Do not worry, your seniors (yep, I am one of them already) are here to help you... even if it is just asking the dose of Tylenol. We are also looking forward to Ari's new crew at St. Joe's.

Graduation Part Deux

Sunday, after Ari's graduation, was the Pediatric residents' graduation. The beauty of our graduation is that it is a required event, one of only 3 days of the year where ALL 80 pediatric/med-peds/prelim residents are excused from the hospital. We are lucky to have many generous fellows and attendings who will play our roles while we are away. I was especially delighted this year because I got out of 6 hours of NICU call! Thanks Dr. Mulrooney!! At our graduation we recognized not only the seniors leaving us (the count down is on!!), the interns for all the hard work they do, and the graduating pediatric fellows. This makes for a LONG ceremony. The company was good, however, and the food was okay. Ari's graduation was definitely more fun. I was very surprised at the end to win award. Every year the emergency department recognizes one outstanding resident from each class, this year that was me! Ari must be rubbing off!! Finally, the end had come and I said goodbye to my senior friends and my husband to head back to the hospital.

Ari's Graduation

I am so proud to announce that Ari officially graduated from residency Thursday, June 21. This day marked an end to his 3 year emergency medicine residency and more importantly the end of call for ever. We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful night to celebrate; the temperature was perfect for enjoying hors d'oeuvres outside of the yacht club. We were so lucky to have Ari's parents in from Oregon, my mom in from St. Louis, and Kristen and Larry up from Chicago (but recently in from enjoying their anniversary in Mexico). Once we were seated inside we were truly impressed with the food. Ari had even gotten the honor of picking the vegetarian menu: polenta with roasted vegetables in red pepper sauce. Dr. Callahan, Ari's program director, kept the evening light-hearted by reading excerpts of all the graduates personal statements... they were a stitch! The graduates in turn roasted their attendings with a Colbert Report-esque video. Finally the laughs were over and Ari received his certificate. He is going to make a brilliant attending, I am so lucky to have him as a husband!

Happy Birthday to Me!

This past Sunday was my birthday and believe it or not I had the day off! I slept in (until 8 am!!). When Ari got up he was so excited he gave me my presents right away. He gave me some art work that I have had my eye on for a long time. Then he took me out to my favorite place for breakfast. After breakfast I got some time to spend working in my garden but Ari told me I had to be ready to go by 2:30pm... he wouldn't tell me why. So after planting lots of flowers, we were off. He took me to a really cool miniature golf course I hadn't been to before. I even got a hole in one! It kind of balanced out the holes where I got six!! It was such a beautiful day to be outside. Afterwards Ari took me to Ulta and he had me pick out some new make-up and fun beauty things. Next stop, dinner at Bravo Cucina Italiana... a restaurant I have been dying to try. Dinner was amazing. They had Prosecco by the glass... which is my favorite Italian sparkling wine. Ari started with the gazpacho which was delicious. I had chicken scallopini and he had tortaloni. Mmmm.... I am drooling just thinking about it. Even though they had cannolis on the menu, Ari said I had to wait for dessert. We mosied over to the book store after dinner and I also got a couple of fun books to read. Finally we went to Kopps for custard and Ari had arranged for our friends to meet us there. The custard was great and so was the company! I almost forgot that I turned almost 30!!

In The Car Again?!

After returning from our road trip Friday, it was time to get back in the car Saturday to go to Lansing, Michigan where one of Ari's college friends was getting married. Tom and Sarah picked us up early and we were on our way... relieved that we didn't have to drive! The drive there was uneventful, but filled with expensive tolls (ugh Illinois!). We also got to pass through the very scenic Gary, Indiana. Finally we arrived and checked into our hotel. Luckily, we remembered there was a time change so we had plenty of time to get ready... unlike some of our friends. We then walked across the street to the Sheraton where Amanda and Nate's wedding was held. It was so awesome to reunite with all of Ari's college friends: Jason, Jenny, Dan, Amber, Karen, and Andi. We also got to meet the newest member of this group Jen, who is Jason's girlfriend and the mother of his soon to be son. The ceremony was a record 7 minutes long and then it was time to party!! We all had a great time (some more than others). After the wedding was over many people still wanted to go out, but Ari and I pooped out. We were really glad we had after the stories of the adventures that were had in downtown Lansing... I am leaving this out of the blog! We all met up for breakfast, except for Tom who was paying for all the fun he had the night before. Finally, we were able to get him in the car. After a 45 minute pit stop at a rest stop he felt much better and we were on our way back home... to stay!

Road Trip!!

This past week Ari and I went on a Midwest road trip to visit many friends that we had not seen for a very long time. First stop: Iowa City, IA. We went there to visit Bob and Gwen, friends from medical school, and their three kids Eric, Charlotte, and Layla. We had not seen Charlie since she was a baby and she is 3 now! Layla is the newest addition just born in January. We had so much fun catching up on their lives and of course playing with Charlie who has SO much energy.

Next stop: St. Louis, MO. We had a full itinerary in St. Louis.

Monday night we had dinner with Tracy, my mom, and John

at a winery in historic St. Charles call Little Hills. Our food was

delicious but the service was awful! Tuesday, we took my mom

out to lunch, did a little shopping and then headed to Busch

Stadium for the Cardinals v. Pirates game. We met Laura, Tim,

and Audrey there. It was doubly special because this was Audrey's first Cardinal game! She was all ready in her Cardinals gear and was very lucky to see a victory. She did amazing; the fireworks didn't scare her, she shared lots of smiles, and she made it though the whole game! At the game we also had to meet up with our friend Grant who was in town visiting his brother and Mrs. Bennish, an old family friend, got to meet Ari for the first time. Wednesday, Ari went to work with Dr. Crane while I went to have my teeth cleaned. Dr. Crane is an emergency medicine doctor turned sports medicine guru who does cutting edge therapy on joints and tendons. Ari had a great time playing in his office for the day and injecting people! I did not fare as well at the dentist's office. Chris was so nice to fit me in for a cleaning, something I had been neglecting since the start of residency. She so nicely told me that I needed to step up on the flossing. Then Dr. Weber came to take a look... when he took his explorer and it stuck in one of my teeth, I knew that was a bad sign... my second cavity! He asked me to come back Thursday for some fun with the drill :( Mom and I then were off to the little cafe across the street for some lunch. Wednesday night Ari and I met up with another medical school friend, Holly. We got to see her fun apartment in U city and then went to Cicero's for pizza, a favorite hangout of mine during high school. Afterwards, we made it through a couple of rounds of dominoes before calling it a night; Holly was post call and I had a date with drill! Thursday morning it was back the the dentist. My cavity was so shallow I didn't even need Novocaine! Once I was fixed up, it was back in the car.

Third stop: Springfield, IL. Okay this was only a pit stop but we did get to enjoy a sub at one of our favorite sandwich shops in medical school: Head West. The hippies were the same and the subs were still delicious! Fourth stop: Peoria, IL. There we met up with Tim and Michelle our friends from med school and their two adorable daughters Elizabeth (3) and Lauren who is one and a half. After playing doctor for a little bit we went to meet Dave and Amanda, more med school friends, for dinner. We had a great time catching up with everyone and then went out for ice cream. We spent the night with Tim and his family then got back in the car and finally drove home. Our kitties were so glad to see us!!

Peds Prom

Every year the pediatric department puts on a dinner dance to acknowledge their appreciation for the residents and we affectionately call it Peds Prom. We look forward to it all year because it is one of two days that all nearly 80 residents are let out of the hospital at once with fellows and staff covering all the patients. Okay, we also like the free dinner, drinks, and dancing! This year was more fun than last, probably because it was held in the spring instead of winter. Everyone is starting to celebrate the graduating class's accomplishments and get excited for where they are heading to next. So after a lengthy cocktail hour, we sat down to dinner. All of the carnivores enjoyed their meals but unfortunately Ari and Melissa (Grant's wife) got the short end of the stick with the vegetarian meals... not so yummy. During dessert a couple of awards were given to staff that have worked at CHW for more than 25 years and to some residents and fellows for research projects. After dinner, the real entertainment began. Many residents and staff hit the dance floor when the band began to play. I will keep them anonymous... you wouldn't probably know their names anyway, but let me tell you some of the staff were really gettin' down. It is so funny to see the docs who seem so serious and driven at work let their hair down. I still think there should have been a dance off. At about 11pm, we were exhausted and the on-call residents had to go back to the hospital... I didn't say they got 24 hours off!... so we retired home.

Fun to Play

The team we played in kickball last week summed it up best, "You guys are really fun to play but aren't that good." So we still haven't won a game this season, but you wouldn't know it by looking at us. We all get out there and have a great time, no one gets aggravated when an error is made, and we cheer like crazy. That is the point isn't it? After this week's game we headed across the street to O'Brien's for food and libations... though I don't think anyone really needed more libations after Jess's punch.

The Next Big Move!

It is official! As of 11 am this morning I matched at Cincinnati Children's for my hematology-oncology fellowship. Most of you have followed my trials and tribulations during the interview process and probably had to listen to me stress about my rank list. After much discussion, however, between Ari and I we knew that Cincinnati would be the best next step... maybe not the best place to live out of my choices but definitely the best from a career point of view. I was absolutely blown away by their program, they have everything I want: high volume, great research, and great mentors. The emergency department at the university is ranked in the top 5, so hopefully Ari will find what he is looking for as well. Kris, another peds resident, matched at her first choice as well at the University of Wisconsin.

For the big day, Ari surprised be by putting flowers in my mailbox at the hospital. Then I was excused from neurology clinic to wait by the computer for my match to appear. I was glad to share my good news with everyone at journal club this afternoon. The real celebration took place during NICU call. Yep, on call on match day. We made the best of it though... Jackie brought sparkling grape juice and I brought a cookie cake and all the on call residents and fellows ordered chinese food. Then I got even more flowers! Mom sent me a beautiful bouquet to the hospital. So now all is quiet and I am going to try to get some sleep... we'll see how that goes.

Tailgating... Part 2

We had so much fun tailgating before the Brewer v. Cardinal game on Tuesday, we decided to have and encore on Friday. They were giving away terrace seats for $6.50 and hot dogs and small sodas were $1. That really drew the crowds and about 12 of the peds residents plus spouses. Aaron was in charge of buying the tickets and we found out when he picked them up at will call that he had bought all individual seats... none of them were together!! So we all got in the park and found a section that had a big group of seats together, which was great until the group showed up in the fifth inning (who doesn't come until the fifth inning?!) We went a section over to get more seats together. In the next inning, our previous section was named "The Party Section" and they all got balloons and tshirts and Bernie came over to party with them. Ari and Andy were very disappointed... maybe next time boys. Before I knew it, it was 9:30 and I told Ari we had to go. I was on call in the NICU the next day and had to be up at 5am. Stay tuned for more baseball adventures!!

Cardinals Defeated

In the wake of the tragic death of pitcher Josh Hancock, the Cardinals regrouped in Milwaukee to face the division leading Brewers. Ten of us braved the chilliness and wind to tailgate prior to the game. We had a plan, we seemingly had everything we needed: Brats, hot dogs, veggie brats, potato salad, chips, nuts, beer, soda, oreo cookies, grill, music, plates, forks, napkins... wait a minute, what is missing?! How about some chairs!! Luckily, it was only a minor set back and since most of us are docs we are used to lots of standing. We made our way into the game as the sun went down and the temperature continued to drop. Our seats in the bleachers were good but with so many empty seats (I am unaccustomed to seeing this at Busch Stadium) we headed toward some prime property along the first base line. It was good to see Suppan pitch (a former Card) but terrible to see our team defeated 2-6. The Cardinals just could not get themselves together. Kip Wells threw a couple of bad throws to first missing the outs. Also, the Brewers just seemed to be positioned perfectly for where we were hitting the ball. Oh well. We had a good time even though I was heckled for wearing my Cardinals gear... Milwaukee fans just are not good sports!

The PL-2 Retreat

This past weekend the second year residents packed their cars and headed to Sheboygan, WI (Affectionately known as Shevegas) for their annual retreat. The added benefit for the second and third year residents is that spouses and families get to come along. Our friends Tara and Andy decided to wait for Ari to finish work on Friday so that we could all drive up together. We packed their Santa Fe to the brim with all of our stuff: luggage, games, and libations. About halfway to Sheboygan there was a car pulled over on the side of the road and I immediately noticed that it was our classmates Jackie and Sarah. Andy pulled over and we all went to see what had happened. Jackie had a nasty flat tire. She had AAA on the way though so we helped by getting back on the road to let her know the nearest mile marker. We went to dinner at the Horse and Plow with almost all of my classmates and their spouses. It was tons of fun socializing with everyone outside the hospital while enjoying fried cheese curds... its a Wisconsin thing! Once we got checked into the resort, Andy, Tara, Ari, and I settled in with Scattergories. People popped in and out of our room to visit and try to get us to explore Shevegas with them, which we declined since we were saving ourselves for Saturday (Tara's birthday). During our game, Andy tried to pass off "kamel" as a farm animal and things never got more serious than that! As he always does with word games, Ari won by a landslide. The next morning we had breakfast and then a couple of lectures... no matter how relevant they were painful; our jobs just do not require sitting for long periods of time so most of us have no tolerance for it. When we were finally finished we headed into town for pizza. We had this awesome Italian style pizza to get our energy up before heading back to the resort's waterpark. Ari loves waterparks so I was so glad he was able to get the day off. We have actually been to a waterpark in the Dells that was bigger but this one did have some fast slides. After riding them quite a few times and enjoying a trip around the lazy river we went to dry off and warm up before dinner. Since it was Tara's birthday we decided to start the night early at the resort's wine and tapas bar. I had the best martini I have ever embibed called a mochatini... vanilla vodka, godiva liquer, and starbucks liquer... are you kidding me? Coffee and a martini! I was in heaven. We also split some baked brie which was also delicious and headed downstairs for cocktails and dinner. Dinner was tasty, the drinks were not so we headed back to the tapas bar after dinner. We took up an entire half of the restaurant. I had another mochatini before we all headed to Tara's room to celebrate her birthday and not being on call. The night quickly turned into a dance party thanks to someone bringing their iPod speakers and I picked out the tunes from my classmates iPod. Everyone had a great time... some more than others... until the party was broken up by security at about 2am. The next morning we had breakfast and it was pretty clear who had the most fun the night before. We packed up the Santa Fe and headed home. This time I drove so poor Andy and Tara could recover from their hangovers. We definitely had a great time!!

Kickball Double-header

This past Thursday the Q4 Kickers had a double-header since our games last week were snowed out. The team came out enthusiastic but we got clobbered 24-1 in the first game... thank goodness Brian Branchford kicked a homer to save us from a shut out. The next game was neck and neck until one bad inning so we lost again! We went across the street to strategize afterwards... or at least drink our sorrows away. We are very excited that we are starting to get a fan base, though. One of our favorite PICU nurses and a PICU fellow came out to cheer us on.

Celebrating Mom's Birthday

This past week, I flew down to St. Louis to celebrate my mom's ...th birthday with her. Getting there turned out to be the biggest problem since Milwaukee was in the midst of getting a foot of snow the day I left. The streets were a mess so I knew the airport was going to be backed up. They kept cancelling flights so I was definitely glad that I got on the plane just a couple hours late. Retrieving my baggage was also a problem since they decided to set it down two baggage lifts from where it was supposed to be. Once I finally found it and spurted out a few explitatives (it happens!!) I was ready to greet the birthday girl. Mom had to work the next day so I took myself shopping... I know you are shocked. Then I met Laura and Audrey for dinner at PF Chang's. I LOVE that place. We had a wonderful time catching up and were so busy talking that we forgot to take pictures until we got to the parking garage!! Mom was home from work by the time I got back and we played some cards before bed. The next day we started with pedicures and manicures and then made our way to Wapanga, this awesome Latin restaurant. We treated ourselves to steak for lunch! We then hit the malls. We got tons of great deals. Then we headed to U City to meet Holly for dinner at Saleem's... the King of Garlic. Good thing there were no boys around when we were through! Saturday we hit the gym... you have been keeping track of all we've eaten, haven't you?! We then went over to Mike and Tracy's to have chili. We brought the cornbread and Gail brought this awesome dip. It was so damp and cold outside, perfect chili weather. We finished the dinner with carrot cake and unfortunately watched the Cardinals lose to the Brewers. Sunday we got lucky with some bleacher tickets and some warmer, drier weather and headed to Busch Stadium. We got to see Mrs. Bennish. The game was AWESOME. We beat the Brewers 10-2 and Albert Pujols hit 2 homeruns. It was a great day to be a Cardinals fan!! We went to eat a bite at Union Station before it was time to head back to Milwaukee. Thankfully, the plane was on time and all the snow had melted by the time I got home.

Vegas, Baby!!

A couple of weeks ago... sorry I have been busy!!.... Ari had a conference in Vegas and I was able to maneuver my schedule to tag along. We stayed at Caesar's Palace, which I have to admit was a bit disappointing compared to the Paris. The pool, however, was very nice. I enjoyed my time laying around, reading, and sipping frozen treats while Ari went to the lectures. When he was finished we spent a lot of time gambling, eating, and enjoying time with his classmates. The first night we had an awesome seafood dinner at Roy's, don't worry Ari got to substitute tofu. Unfortunately, the gambling wasn't as good as the food and we left Vegas as losers for the first time but not before enjoying the weather and a gondola ride at the Venetian. We shared our gondola with our friends Dennis and Davette. Our gondalier was so funny and his singing wasn't bad either!! No more Vegas for us for awhile... we are going to have to forget the sting of defeat!!

On the Interview Trail

It has been an absolutely crazy 2 months. In addition to my regular work schedule I have gone on 4 fellowship interviews, flying from Milwaukee to Memphis, Nashville, and Durham trying to find our next home. It has been an interesting experience, the hematology-oncology programs that I have visited are so different! So here's the recap.

I started off the adventure at Vanderbilt... it their children's hospital that is pictured to the left. I had a very frustrating lay-over/delay in Cincinnati so I didn't get to my hotel room until 1am the night before the interview and the program director picked me up for breakfast at 7:30am! Though I was feeling a bit sleepy and also had a bizarre case of vertigo, I very much enjoyed my day. Fellowship interviews, I have learned, are grueling days. I started with the director and then had a series of 8 interviews with a break in the middle to have lunch with the current fellows. When I was finally finished, my medical school roommate and her husband picked me up. They live in Lexington, KY so we planned a whole weekend together and Ari flew in that night. Nashville is such a fun town! We ate at tons of great restaurants, spent some time shopping, and mostly enjoyed catching up with our old friends who are actually also considering moving to the area.

Next stop, Memphis to interview at St. Jude. I have a special tie to this hospital because of the 3 months I spent doing research their in medical school. It is an amazing place to be if you are a hematologist-oncologist because they do cutting edge research, they even have a Nobel prize winner, and they treat all children despite their ability to pay for the care... which is not cheap! I enjoyed revisiting the city... my first stop was Rendezvous which has the best BBQ in the city. Then it was another full day of interviews. It was nice to actually know some of the people there.

My third interview was here in Milwaukee. This was the strangest day because I already know all of the staff and they know me. It was a lot of learning about their research interests and hearing about the fellowship intracacies. Though I have had a great experience here in residency, I think it is time to move on.

A couple of days ago I returned from Duke. This was a surprising day. I actually did not think that I was going to enjoy the program, but I actually loved it. The staff was warm and friendly... and surprisingly young. They do great research and Durham is beautiful! I spent an extra day down there just because I had never been to the city. The Duke campus is amazing and the area is very interesting because of the four universities in the area. The weather was perfect, too.

So now I just have one interview left in Cincinnati. I am not so excited about the city but their children's hospital is one of the best in the country. After I am finished I will have to make my rank list and wait for May 9th which is match day... cross your fingers for me!

Congratulations Kristen!!

Today Kristen's fledgling company, Vine Journeys International, was noted in the Chicago Sun Times! If you keep up with the blog, you will know that her company focuses on bringing wines from emerging wineries in Argentina, Chile, New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa to the public both by hosting local events in Chicago and in the future taking wine enthusiasts to the wineries themselves. She is preparing for her third local event this month and so far has been hugely successful. Click on the title of this post to be linked to the article. If you look to the sidebar there is a link to her website and information about her events. Well done Kristen!

Our Last Day in San Francisco

Just when you thought I was done blogging about San Francisco, I have one last post about the end of journey! On our last full day, we headed back to Chinatown for a pre-New Year celebration. A street fair was in full swing. Although the internet said there would be a mini parade, this turned out to be not true. We were, however, dazzled by the performers. We then made our way to the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie factory. It was definitely not what I had expected. The factory/shop was tucked away in an alley and so small. It actually reminded me of a little sweat shop. We did get to sample the cookies and they were delicious! From there we walked to the Ferry Building Market Place which is a wonderland of specialty foods and other gourmet treats. I got a sushi mat so I can try my hand at rolling my own (that has actually been put off since I had some bad sushi when we got back and I can't even think about sushi without getting nauseated). The best part, though, was Ari and his mom got to try gelato for the first time. I knew they would love it. I coaxed Ari into getting the Dulce de Lece and it was awesome! Afterward, we walked back to Fisherman's wharf for some last minute shopping and then waited to catch the Hyde Street cable car which takes the most scenic route of all the trolleys. It was a blast going up and down the steep hills. Our engineer (I have no idea if that is what they are really called!) was hilarious. He would stop the trolley in the middle of a hill and get out to flirt with girls he knew! He also let everyone ride for free. We got off and trekked through Nob Hill to get back to our hotel. That night we ate at the gourmet vegetarian restaurant in our hotel and had awesome meals, though not photo worthy. Ari and I had a good laugh because the guy waiting on us looked just like my brother in-law Larry. The next day Ari's parents headed out early and Ari and I killed some time before our plane by window shopping in Union Square. The End... I promise!

Our Golden Gate Experience

Despite the weather channel forecasting a 100% chance of rain our 2nd full day in San Francisco, we decided to bike across the Golden Gate Bridge and on to Sausalito as planned. After being sized for bicycles and fitted with helmets we were given a map and directions so fast that even the micro machine's announcer (or for a more timely reference, the Jimmy John's announcer) would be proud. It was smooth sailing... uh, biking... to the bay and up toward the bridge. Ironically, the cafe where we had planned to have breakfast, The Warming Hut, had burned down. Too warm, I guess. We went ahead with empty tummies. Just about the time we were ready to cross the bridge the sky opened up. Despite the very wet journey, crossing the bridge was an exhilarating experience. We definitely weren't the only ones braving the weather but clearly the most amateur. After crossing the bridge, our map was not clearly marked and none of us could quite recall what the lady at the bike shop had instructed. We made our way up and down hills and even through a one-way tunnel thinking we were headed to Sausalito... and lunch... but we had gone astray. When we came upon a friendly biker, he chuckled as he told us we were nearly to the ocean when we really needed to be by the bay! So back up the hill, through the tunnel, down the hill, and up the hill we went and FINALLY arrived in Sausalito. By this time it was after 1pm and we were famished. We had a great lunch in a cafe by the bay and did some window shopping. Our journey had taken so long with the detour that we weren't able to bike on to Tiburon. We finally dried off and went to board the ferry with our bikes to take us back across the bay when the weather decided it was not quite done with us. The sky again opened up and winds blew the rain nearly sideways at us. Soaked now for the second time, exhausted from the biking, and looking forward to a hot shower, I almost cried. We finally made our way back to San Francisco only to realize the ferry dropped us off at Pier 1 (not the store!) not Pier 30 like our trusty (?) map had led us to believe... the bike shop was near pier 41. So we mounted our bikes again and somehow pedalled back to the shop. Not wanting to move one more inch, we cabbed our way back to hotel for a long awaited shower.

After a little relaxation, we went to dinner at the Stinking Rose. If you peak at the linked pictures you will see I actually took a picture of my dinner because it was sooooo wonderful. I must tell you that I order Zuppa di Pesce every time I see it on a menu, it is definitely one of my favorite things in the whole world to eat... and you know I love to eat! But this was the best meal I may have eaten so far in my 28 years of life (sorry mom!). It was full of whole crab legs, mussels, fish, and garlic! I am salivating just thinking of it. After Ari and his parents were finally able to roll me away from the table, we made our way to see Beach Blanket Babylon. It is this crazy musical that parodies pop culture. When I went to pick up the tickets at will call I had a little surprise... I bought 8 tickets instead of 4! The first time I purchased them online, it said and error had occurred so I bought them again! I was so upset because it was raining (in case you were wondering... even when I haven't directly mentioned it, it was pretty much at least drizzling every day) and I thought there would be no way people would wait outside to find someone to buy tickets from since the show was sold out. Luckily, I was wrong. Someone needed 4 tickets and I was glad not to make a $200 mistake! The show was AWESOME!! It was funny and the singing and costumes were fabulous. Definitely a must see if you are ever in San Fran. It is constantly updated, too, so even locals love it.

Hailing the Chief Farewell

In a sad state of events, Chief Illiniwek was retired this week secondary to the NCAA banning post-season athletics at Illinois for the use of what it deemed a demeaning mascot. Those of you who know me well know that I am a truly proud U of I alumnus and have always supported the chief as our mascot. I thought supporting him acknowledged the native American culture of Illinois. I have known people that have had the honor of being this mascot and know how hard they worked to bring honor to him and the university. I am deeply saddened that he will know longer be a part of the tradition that is the University of Illinois. So long Chief Illiniwek.

Alcatraz

After our long walk ending at Fisherman's Wharf, we headed toward the ferry to journey to Alcatraz. We signed up for the night tour... which I totally recommend since you really get the spooky feel when the sun goes down. It was drizzly and damp on the day we went (are you starting to sense a theme?) so it was perfect! I was a little concerned about the ferry since I have a bit of a problem with motion sickness, but everything went fine. Once we got off the ferry, we stood under cover for a moment to hear the history of Alcatraz and then headed up to the big house. To tour the prison, you get to take an audio tour which is so cool... you are led up and down the cell blocks by the narratives of wardens and then get to hear stories from the prisoners' points of view. When you are led outside, there is also an awesome view of the city. What I didn't know was that Alcatraz island has had many purposes besides a prison... it started off as a fort for the army, transitioned to a low security military prison, then became the Alcatraz we know, and actually was home to Indians for some time. By far exploring this relic of the past was one of my favorite things in San Francisco.

When we got back we trollied our way back to our hotel and got cleaned up for dinner at Kan Zamman... a Morrocan restaurant with belly dancers. I wasn't quite so sure we would make it there... our cab driver was driving like he had lost the will to live! Once we arrived, however, the atmosphere was fabulous. We sat on pillows around a low table to eat. The food was superb and the belly dancer could balance a sword on her head while she danced! What a night!!

San Francisco... The Long Walk

Despite the dreary weather, Friday (the 9th) we walked from our hotel to Union Square, through Chinatown and North Beach, and to Fisherman's Wharf. The whole journey was about 4 miles. I played tour guide with my book on San Francisco and pointed out interesting architecture and interesting locations. We enjoyed popping in all the little shops in Chinatown and amazingly avoided buying any knock-offs. In North Beach, there is this really awesome building owned now by Francis Ford Coppola in the flat iron shape sometimes seen in Chicago. What is really interesting, is that someone built its mirror image but modern right next to it. This picture is from telegraph hill. We climbed all the way up to Coit Tower which had fantastic views of the city and Alcatraz. Fisherman's Wharf was fun. We explored Pier 39 (a tourist trap, but we were tourists after all!) and then ate at the famous Boudin Bakery... known for its Sourdough Bread. We also toured the bakery and their museum. It had this funny computer program that told you what kind of bread you are... I'm an olive bread?! Apparently this means I love tradition but every once and awhile am adventurous... you be the judge!

San Francisco...Arrival Day

We arrived in San Francisco last Thursday, February 8th to meet Ari's parents for a mini-vacation. The flights were okay: in the first we had an extra seat to spread out but the second longer one from Minneapolis to San Fran was packed. I have never felt more like a sardine. I was delighted to land and stretch out my legs. We then traveled on to our hotel... The Hotel California (ha!). It is a quaint hotel with a retro feel and just two blocks off union square where the major shopping district is located. Ari's parents had been held up by an accident on the way down from Oregon so we sat in the lobby and enjoyed the complimentary wine cocktail hour. Finally, they arrived and got settled in their room. We sat around and caught up and then made our way for a late dinner at AsiaSF.
Asia SF is restaurant known for its transgender wait staff that put on lip sync shows every hour on the bar top. I figured since we were in San Francisco, we might as well soak in the culture. I started out with a pomegranate mojito and sat back to enjoy the show. Honestly, if you had seen half of the staff on the street you would have sworn they were women! The lipsyncing was a riot. They performed both current popular music by Beyonce and also other older songs, "All by Myself." Skip, the owner, probably entertained us the most with his wild views on drugs... as adults we should be able to pick our drug of choice and go with it! Finally, stuffed to the gills with food we retired for the night.

Going Irish

This last Wednesday, EVERYONE was in the mood to go out. I was the first to arrive and requested a table for 10 at O'Donahue's. Finally a large booth opened up and about eight of us sat down. Within five minutes, ten more people had arrived so they set up a banquet table to extend our booth! It was a blast to have so many people out. We also had another token fellow this week, Rahul one of the PICU fellows. It was fun to have him out since we have been spending so much quality time together in the PICU... we definitely were ready to blow off some steam. Ari came out briefly, he had to go home to prepare for his lecture on Thursday. Time passed quickly and soon it was time to go home to catch a few hours of sleep before heading back to the PICU. Thursday Rahul and I lamented about our headaches (which is pathetic since I had 2 beers) but the night was definitely worth it. I wonder which fellow will join our ranks next week!

A Texas Hold "Em Showdown

Last Saturday night we hosted poker night. We were totally pumped because we love to play and haven't gotten the opportunity in awhile since The Man won't let us play online anymore. So we gathered up our favorite poker pals and even a couple of newbies for a Texas Hold "em tournament. The added bonus this time was the card shuffler that Tom and Sarah had given us for Christmas. Jason, Dan, Andy, Tom, Brian, Mary Jo, Jackie/Sarah (they were a combined effort), Jenny, Ari, and I antied up for what was quite possibly the longest tournament we have had. Larissa and Karen were there to hang out and keep the losers company. The girls were unfortunately some of the first to fall: Mary Jo and then the team we will call Sarakie. There was some back and forth between chip leaders, all the while Andy was awfully quiet. Even though I was getting tired I kept my wits about me and played smart, waiting to make my move. I attained quite a few chips going head to head with Dan on a couple of hands that I had one card better. Finally it was down to the final three: me, Andy, and Dan. Unfortunately, Andy took out Dan and had a marked chip lead on me. I perservered and kept playing my game. Finally, with pocket kings I took the lead. A few hands later I won it all!! It is hard to believe that I have gone from the first one out (multiple times during med school) to the outright winner. A lesson for the boys: girls can do it too!! I can't wait to go to Vegas in March!!

So above is a picture of Jason, Dan, and Andy. If you look really closely, you will notice they are all wearing the same socks! I don't have many pictures because I was too busy taking care of business!!

Kristen's Big Night

Friday night was the first official event for my sister's company, Vine Journeys International. What she has so cleverly created is a business that caters to wine enthusiasts and has both local and international events. We delved into the wine, food, and culture of Argentina last weekend. At Ritz Tango Cafe we tasted five wines from Argentina that were described to us by one of the local distributors. Then we had a Tango demonstration and lessons. This was also accompanied by fresh empanadas and other Argentinean specialties and finished off with coffee and dessert. The event was a success! I could not be more proud of my sister for her creativity, enthusiasm, and clear passion for her entrepreneurial venture. I was so glad I was able to come down for it since I had been on call in the PICU the night before. Afterward, to celebrate my mom, Kristen, Larry, and I went for martinis...mmm...

Saturday we got up early so that mom could get on the road and I could catch my train. We had a delicious breakfast at Glenn's Cafe and then mom dropped me off at the train station. Even though I was five minutes early, they wouldn't let me on the train. "The green light is on." So I missed my train (which makes two planes and a train that I have officially missed) and I cried. Please keep in mind that I had now slept about 6 hours over the past 3 days. I then went to spend more quality time with Kristen and Larry until it was time to catch the next train, which ironically I almost missed again after we couldn't find the car in the parking garage, we couldn't get out of the garage, and Larry almost took a detour. Thank goodness I made this one and no more tears were spilt.

**Don't forget to check out Vine Journeys International's website to the right to see if there is an event you would like to attend!**

Crab Fest

This Wednesday night for happy hour... affectionately called Liver Rounds by some... we went to Las Palmas for all you can eat crab (and cocktails, of course!) Ari was ecstatic that he actually was off work and could attend the weekly event. We ate before hand, vegetarians and crab just don't mix, but came out to enjoy the company. The mango daquiries were delicious!! There were many usual faces but also some new ones. Sheetal, the rheumatology fellow, came to join us which was an awesome treat since she has been hiding in a lab all year. We look forward to are weekly gatherings growing and ever changing venues to spice things up!

New Year's Eve

After much consternation, we decided to have friends over to our house of New Year's Eve. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy entertaining friends (they are such good guinea pigs for my new recipes) but the decision was made only two days in advance leaving me little time to prepare... or clean! Amazingly our house was ready for the night and we entertained about 20 of our nearest and dearest friends. The champagne floats were a hit (just raspberry sherbet with champagne) as we rang in the New Year. Then in classic resident style, we all about crashed by 12:30. One of my resolutions was to take more pictures, but unfortunately again, no pic with Ari and I together. They say it takes three weeks to change a behavior... keep watchin'!

Workin' Christmas

This year marked another working Christmas for Ari and I; he was on overnights in the ED while I was in the NICU. Fortunately, my mom came up and we did get to celebrate Christmas a little more than last year (when I was post call and slept through it.) Here is mom opening up some of her gifts... they were a hit! We also had a great Christmas dinner, a collaboration between me and mom. That night Ari went to work and the next day I was on call and the holidays were suddenly over. We are so glad that we got to spend time with mom even with our busy schedules. Who knows, maybe next year we will have Christmas off... nah!

The Peds Resident Christmas Party

Friday, December 22nd we had our annual holiday party. All the residents go up to the lounge (instead of noon conference) for lunch and holiday cheer. Secret Santas reveal themselves and give their last present. I had Jen Schrieber... I think she was suprised. Sheena had me and I am so thankful for my Target gift card, boy do I love that store! Jackie, Tara, Sarah, and I also exchanged gifts. I got a Cardinals welcome mat, a Tshirt, and a cookbook; all very useful items! Then some very creative residents entertained us by singing their version of "The 12 Days of Christmas" in this case "The 12 Days of Wards." These words are similar but may be out of order:
On the 12th day of Wards my senior gave to me:
12 directs coming
11 trachs a plugging
10 Crohn's a bleeding
9 nurses paging
8 fevers spiking
7 kids a puking
6 hyper bilis
5 RSVs
4 seizing kids
3 transfers
2 spinal taps
and a pager for the ward team.

Unfortunately, after the festivities I had a ROUGH night of call in the NICU. ***Note that when you click on the title above it will link to other pictures, I hope! I will add others to the previous posts if they are available. Best wishes!

Jen and Jenn

Wednesday we were lucky enought to get another visitor... Jenn Rigg came to town! Besides the fact that Jenn is one of my nearest and dearest friends, it is super special to see her because she is a traveling NICU nurse and you never know where she is going to be. Lucky for us, she had taken time off for the holidays between assignments and fit in a visit on the way to pick up her Grandma for the holidays. When she got into town she got to have lunch with Ari and I before he headed off to work. I took her to Children's to drop off my secret santa gift and then show her our NICU, which she really liked. Unfortunately, CHW doesn't hire traveling nurses... that would be too much fun! That night she got to join us for resident happy hour which was at the Milwaukee Ale House. John Trost, one of my classmates friends, was singing/playing the guitar and he was so talented. Finally, we decided to take off and rent a chick flick... The Devil Wears Prada (a movie I am quite sure Ari has no interest in seeing). Poor Jenn was exhausted from traveling and fell asleep on the couch. The next day we had planned to do some shopping in the Third Ward but the weather just did not cooperate. We ended up eating sandwiches and watching You, Me, and Dupree which was hysterical. I then took off for a meeting and Jenn went down to Chicago. Thanks for coming up Jenn!!

Ari's Mom Comes To Visit

Last Friday night, Ari's mom flew in to visit from Oregon. Her trip was unfortunately a little eventful with one of her planes being late causing her to almost miss a connecting flight. For those of you who fly Northwest Airlines, beware that there are no snacks! His poor mom flew all day and didn't even get a pretzel. When she arrived, I took her to one of our favorite local restaurants to get a bite to eat and Ari came to join us after work.

Saturday, I took Ari and his mom to an Indian restaurant I discovered a couple of months ago. Lunch was delicious! We then walked it off at the Milwaukee art museum, which had more art than I suspected. There was also this creepy display with a talking baby doll... wierd. Tom, Sarah Beth, and Conner came over for dinner and I made home-made pizzas which were accompanied by Tom's famous salad. Dinner was great but the company was better. Tom and Sarah also brought us a Christmas gift - a card shuffler. Get ready poker fans, we are now planning the next party!!

Sunday we slept in and then did a little holiday shopping. We then got ready for a night out. Dennis and Davette, a classmate of Ari's and his wife, came over and we headed off to see the Nutcracker. I was the only one who had seen a ballet before. Everyone enjoyed the show. We then went for Tapas at a restaurant down the street called Swig (that's where the picture was taken). It was delicious for the carnivores and the vegetarians.

Monday was back to work for me. Marshan and Ari actually came to visit me while I was on call in the NICU since things were quiet. Then Marshan flew back home EARLY Tuesday. We are so glad that she got to visit!

Our New Hang Out

After a few weeks at Leff's Lucky Town (home of the world's largest urinal... boy am I sorry I missed that one!), Wednesday night resident happy hour has moved to Mo's Pub conveniently about a mile from the hospital. This Wednesday residents from all classes and most of the PICU nurse practitioners met to celebrate our move. Let me tell you, the place was hoppin'. The service left something to be desired (and was probably related to my prior comment) but the food was good and the beer was cold! They also had a live band as an added bonus... unfortunately their song list did not include Polka!

Friday Night Fish Fry

In Milwaukee, you can hardly go anywhere that doesn't serve fish fry on friday, even the hospital does! So the interns requested that our weekend outing include fish fry at the Lakefront Brewery... the added bonus being that the Polka Kings play live every friday. So you can imagine the fun we had after a few beers and a couple of sets of polka music. Most of the interns got up to try their hands (well, actually feet) at polka. It was a riot! Here I am with a couple of stars of the intern class Aaron Weiss and Melissa Turner. Ari actually did eventually join us after his Flight for Life shift. I promise we do spend time together, I just don't have the pictures to prove it!!

Mother Daughter Bonding

As I alluded to in my previous blog, my mom braved the weather to come visit last weekend. Normally, the trip takes about 6 1/2 hours... as she painfully found out, in a blizzard of snow and ice it takes 12! For the couple of hours we had left of Friday, we took her out to dinner with our friends Andy and Tara and had a few laughs.

Saturday, Ari was feeling under the weather so after a quick breakfast with him we dropped him off at home to recuperate. In our usual style, mom and I then went shopping!! We bought some Christmas decorations and presents. That night, mom totally spoiled us by making dinner... when will she just move in?! Then mom and I played games while poor Ari dozed on the sofa.

Sunday morning Kristen came in by train. She was looking a little rough around the edges but perked up after a bloody mary at brunch. I then took them on a mini tour of Milwaukee and showed them all the beautiful houses by the lake. They were decorated for Christmas and snow covered... Gorgeous! We did more shopping... I am sure you are shocked!... and then came home to get cleaned up for dinner. I took them to Carini's (most out of town guests end up there so come visit!!) and we had such a wonderful girly dinner. The wine was fabulous, the dinner specials succulent, and the chocolate cannolis are still the best I have ever eaten. We then headed to the Martina McBride Christmas concert. It was really entertaining, she has one of the most amazing voices I have ever heard. Mom and Kristen spent the night and left early as I went to work Monday morning. Luckily, mom's drive was a bit smoother!

A New Addition

Meet the new addition to our family, Eckstein the cat. Eckstein actually started out in St. Louis and was found by John. He went to live at mom's house which is where Ari and I met him. He was so friendly and sweet that I wanted to take him home, but decided not to because I was not sure Sassy would take it well. She has been an only cat for 4 years. We parted ways after the Thanksgiving holiday but I knew in my heart he would find a good home. This past weekend, mom came up for a visit, braving Blizzard '06. Guess who was with her? Eckstein!! He turned out to be an early Christmas present from my wonderful husband. He made himself right at home; Sassy did not take that well at all. She hissed, attacked, and made some of the most horrific noises I have ever heard come out of an animal. Eckstein was just upset that she wouldn't play with him. Finally, tired of her antics he took a swat at her and she has a scratch on her nose to prove it! Believe it or not, now they are pals. They like to be in the same room together and have even been caught giving each other Eskimo kisses! Welcome home Eckstein!!

Our Whirlwind Thanksgiving Break

I think you better sit down for this... for a week over Thanksgiving, Ari and I were actually on vacation together! The stars must have aligned when our chiefs wrote our schedules this year!! We were delighted to take the time to catch up with our friends and loved ones. Here is a synopsis of the insane itinerary:

We left Tuesday morning and headed to Peoria to see Tim, Michelle, and their beautiful daughters. They are old friends from medical school and we were glad to catch up and see how big their girls have gotten. Elizabeth, who was born during medical school, is now almost 3 and Lauren just turned one. While I sat and cuddled with Lauren and read a book, Ari and Elizabeth ran around in circles until he almost passed out. When Tim got home from the hospital we went out to dinner and Dave, one of Ari's med school roommates, got to join us. Unfortunately his wife Amanda was on call. As luck would have it, Aja and Jill, friends from my class, were there too! Finally, stuffed full of pasta, we rolled into the car and down to St. Louis.

Wednesday, Ari went to play golf while mom and I shopped in historic St. Charles. I found a couple of ornaments for our tree and some Christmas presents. That night mom cooked an awesome meal - steak for the carnivores and pasta for the vegetarian! We finished off the night with an exciting game of Mexican train.

Thursday, which some people call Thanksgiving and I fondly refer to the festival of food, we ate all day! My mom cooked a delicious meal for me, Ari, Tracy, Mike, Tina, Don, John, and Holly. She even made sweet potatoes (which she hates) because she knows we love 'em. We were so glad that Holly could join us after her crazy night in the Cardinal Glennon PICU. Believe it or not, I was so full from the wonderful dinner that I couldn't eat the obligatory turkey sandwhich later that night!

Friday, mom and I treated ourselved to manicures and pedicures. Then, Ari wanted to go shopping... I swear it was his idea!! Miraculously, we found parking easily. We got what we were looking for and headed to Aunt Camille's for a visit. It was wonderful to see Dad, Lily, Kelsey, Aunt Camille, Uncle Orville, Uncle Brucey, Aunt Kathy, my cousin Adam and his fiancee Katie. We then went to have Japanese with mom and were off to the boat... casino, that is. If you have been reading our blog at all, you probably get the impression that we like to gamble... you are probably right! Ari had terrific luck at Harrah's, though I kept trying to give back our winnings!

Saturday we went to visit Laura, Tim, and Audrey. Laura, Tim and I went to the U of I together where Laura was my pledge mom. Ari and I were so excited to meet their new daughter. She is so beautiful... and such a good sleeper! That night was my 10 year high school reunion. The picture above is me and Sara who has tolerated being my friend longer than anyone else... now about 15 years! I had a great time catching up with everyone and seeing what they were up to. It was fun to meet the spouses, too!

Sunday we slept in and regretfully made our way home back to the real world.

Ladies' Night

Before we all scattered to celebrate Turkey Day, a few of girls got together for Ladies' Night. Tara, Jackie, Sarah and I started out at the Melting Pot for dinner, where they actually have a "Girls Night Out" menu. I had never been so it was a new experience. The food was good but my favorite part was dessert. After dinner we headed to the casino, Jackie had never been so it was fun to show her around. Tara and I were clearly casino veterans and headed toward our favorite games... craps for me, blackjack for Tara. Tara won a big hand on Let it Ride and came to see what I was up to. I taught her some craps basics and she did great! She was an awesome shooter and made both of us some money. Before leaving, I decided to give the casino back my winnings on Roulette. Oops! Overall, it was a great time!

Pediatrics in Action!!

For the last month I have been on a rotation called MDEP (multi-disciplinary educational project) with the goal being that a group of residents develops a project for kids in the community. It has been a nice four weeks away from the hospital! Our group has been working with Head Start to develop healthy snacks parents and kids can do together as well as encouraging physical activity. So far we made vegetable roll-ups, dynamite sticks (fruit kabobs), and yogurt parfaits. The kids have LOVED it. It has been fun trying to make sure they don't poke their eyes out with skewers! We have also made obstacle courses, taught them tae kwon do, and yoga. Here Ebe and I are playing a rousing game of Duck Duck Goose when it was 72 degrees outside... in November... in Milwaukee... amazing!! I am not quite sure we have achieved life-changing health for the kids but we sure have had fun trying!!

The Q4 Kickers

For the first time in Children's Hospital of Wisconsin history, the residents formed a kickball team. Believe it or not, the game we all grew up playing a recess is a VERY popular Milwaukee past-time. We joined a league through MUSA (the Milwaukee unconventional sports association) that also sponsors dodgeball leagues and putt-putt tournaments. You know it is going to be a fun time when we play rock/paper/scissors to decide who will be the home team!! Our team of 20 residents and spouses had a challenging season. We didn't realize how seriously some teams take the sport! Needlesstosay, we ended the year with a losing record but a winning attitude. We look forward to next season when we will focus on the fundamentals - catching, kicking, and aggressive base running! The picture above is two of my classmates Jackie (star right fielder) and Sarah (star catcher and team cheerleader). We were out celebrating an end to the season and planning the rest of the winter social calendar.

Ari's Birthday Surprise!

The weekend before Ari's birthday, I surprised him by inviting all of his college friends to Milwaukee. Those of you who know him best will realize what a feat that is... he is NEVER surprised. So you can imagine how exciting it was to get 7 of his friends together without him suspecting. We started off with a tour of Miller Brewing Company (no worries, I am still a tried and true Budweiser fan). Andi never quite made it there but instead got a self-guided tour of Milwaukee. After sampling the stock and writing a few postcards to our loved ones, we headed back to our house. My friend Sarah was gracious enough to be my sous chef as I made dinner for Ari, Tom, Jason, Jenny, Karen, Grant, Andi, Dan, and ourselves. We had all of Ari's favorites including artichoke lasagna and Moscato di Asti. We then ended the evening in college form with a lot of beer and a game of a-hole (sorry, I am a pediatrician now). We crashed a lot earlier than we used to in the old days except for Tom who decided to run home... good thing he only lives a couple of miles away. The next morning I cooked brunch and our friends had to say goodbye. Thanks everyone for coming, we hope to see you again soon!!

Aunt Ellen and Uncle Kenny Visit

Yesterday, we were delighted to have Aunt Ellen and Uncle Kenny come up to Milwaukee for a visit! We met at the Potowatomi Casino (pictured here) for a little gambling fun. Aunt Ellen surprised me with a hand stitched little purse to keep my casino cards in... how did she know I have more than one?! Then we were off to the tables. Ari and I played some craps, not a good day for that! I don't think any shooter rolled more than 4 times. Disheartened we went to find Aunt Ellen winning big, I mean having fun on the slots. Ari and I tried to get a seat at the poker tables, my personal favorite, but there were 39 people waiting!! So we headed back for some roullette were we started out pretty hot but ended up even. After all that excitement, we were starving.

We took our guests to Carini's, a superb Sicilian restaurant. We had a wonderful time catching up and filling up on wonderful bread. Our main dishes were delicious but the dessert was my favorite. Aunt Ellen and I split a chocolate cannoli... it may very well have been the best cannoli I have ever tasted (and I have tasted my fair share). We then took Aunt Ellen and Uncle Kenny back to our house to show them our updates. I didn't realize that they hadn't seen our house since it was a bachelor pad when I was still in Springfield. I think they liked what a woman's touch had done. We watched a few innings of the World Series and then they had to leave us to return to Highland Park.

And the Cardinals won game 1... Go Cards!!

PICU Madness

Long time, no blog! I am sorry for the long delay, but I have a good excuse. For the last three weeks I have been working harder than ever in the pediatric ICU. I thought I worked hard before, but taking care of the sickest babies in the hospital has been the most challenging experience of my young career. I have only had 1 day off in the last three weeks and every fourth night on call I am lucky if I get to blink let alone lay down. I used to think that I may want to be a critical care doc but now I am quite sure that I don't. Things change rapidly in the ICU and I personally do not require an adrenaline rush as part of my day. What I do find that I require is a pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks on my way in to the hospital at 5 am. Mmmm... Thank goodness I have the most supportive husband a girl could ask for. It helps tremendously to come home and vent for a bit. Ari is starting to feel a little neglected, though with me on call and then going to bed at 8:30pm because I am so exhausted. He has been busy too interviewing for jobs for July when he will be an attending! In the midst of this I am applying for my fellowship in hematology-oncology and promise to keep you posted on how that goes. The choices are Milwaukee, Children's Hospital of Denver, St. Jude in Memphis, Vanderbilt Children's and Duke. Ari and I wax and wane about where we would like to end up but I am sure it will all become much clearer after interviews. Also looming in the future is Step 3... last test to pass before I can become a fully licensed physician. I would appreciate everyone thinking happy thoughts on November 13-14 for me. The test covers all of medicine so I am going to have to review adult medicine, yuck! So I am off to enjoy my first weekend off, just one more week of stress until two call free months. Until then...

Reunited!!

Believe it or not, a couple of weekends ago 4 resident's schedules actually coincided for a reunion. Sarah (my med school roomie), her hubby Steve (a roomie for a short time), and Jolly... I mean Holly, one of my best friends and I all met in Chicago for a quick reunion. I couldn't swing getting the whole weekend off so I hopped a train on Saturday after my call to meet them downtown. It was fabulous to catch up on their lives. Steve and Sarah are doing great down in Lexington, Kentucky but have yet to develop a drawl. Holly is chillin' at Cardinal Glennon in my hometown of St. Louis where she is quickly becoming a snake bite expert... you'll have to ask her for details! We had a great dinner at Weber Grill, where my sister took great care of us at the bar and then went for some laughs at the Second City. The Second City was as wildly inappropriate as I remember and the show had the best improv session I have ever seen. We all had a great time. We then crashed back at the Hilton where it was like old times waiting to use the bathroom!! There is no sleep for the weary so we were up early the next day to get in a few more quality hours and share a tasty breakfast at Toast. Then it was time for us to leave by trains, planes, and automobiles or rather Amtrak for me, Metra for Holly, and a Mazda for Steve and Sarah. The only thing missing was Ari who was stuck working overnights back at home. We just thought of him as safely tucked in a crisper (sorry to those of you who don't get that one!)