Evening breeze

It's the simple things that make life so wonderful. Like the feeling I have right now, sitting outside of Starbucks on a cool evening, enjoying the sound of cafe music and the feeling of the wind blowing through my hair. Rebecca and I cancelled our cable and internet a few months ago, and I must say that it's surprisingly refreshing to be "disconnected" from the world. Since I haven't given in to the blackberry craze (yet), I usually head to "Bucks" to check my e-mail and surf the internet. It honestly could not be a more beautiful evening- the perfect way to unwind and transition into what's going to be an amazing weekend!

I had a wonderful week- learned alot at work and had fun playing too :) Cooking and entertaining is definitely something I love to do. Rebecca has been dying for me to cook spaghetti and meatballs since she heard about them nearly two years ago! What sets them apart from the classic recipe is that my meatballs are stuffed with yummy mozzarella cheese!! So the other night, we got out our fine china (literally!) and had Scott and Beth over for salad, spaghetti and mozzarella meatballs, and parmesean flatbread. A night with the Harpers is always filled with endless laughter.

Perhaps the most random thing I did this week was to parktake in an impromptu trip to the bowling alley. After finishing up a great run, Rebecca and I decided that it would be fun to meander to the AMF for a bit. We didn't really seem to care that we were sweaty and covered in pollen. So we laced up our sweet bowling kicks and managed to land a few strikes in the process. Life is good.

I can't wait to see what the weekend has in store. Tonight we're having a girls night in- wine, cheese, and the new movie "Bride Wars." Rebecca inadvertantly challenged me to a 15 mile run, which I will attempt to accomplish in the morning. And then tomorrow night (drumroll, please) Sarah's getting MARRIED!!! I have been so excited about this wedding, and can't wait to see her in her gown!!! Stay tuned for pictures and details!! Happy weekend friends :)

2 mm

Just as I was getting ready to head out of the hospital to start my weekend, we got a page that one of our patients was suffering from a massive heart attack. The patient was quickly decompensating and had to get shocked back into a normal rhythm on his ride over to the hospital. We ran down to the emergency room, where the paramedics were pushing meds and stabilizing him just briefly before rushing him up to the cath lab. On the way back upstairs, we looked at his EKG which had massive ST elevations (the tombstone appearance we read about). They quickly prepped him for a PCI which demonstrated a massive occlusion to his main coronary artery. My preceptor showed me a 2 mm piece of plaque that had thombosed to cause the occlusion. I hope you can appreciate just how tiny that is! I was certainly taken aback at the realization that something that tiny was the culprit, the cause of this man’s potential demise. It was a pretty neat way to start the weekend, having seen the power of medicine save a life. It reminded me of why I love medicine, making all of these hours spent studying and working somehow seem so incredibly worth it.

Hopefully reading about this experience will provide some inspiration to promote a better lifestyle in areas you yourself may struggle with. Whether it’s eating healthier, exercising more frequently, or giving up cigarettes, I pray that you will remember this story and the very real consequences that unhealthy behavior can ultimately have. Please read these warning signs, provided by the American Heart Association.

Heart Attack Warning Signs:

Some heart attacks are sudden and intense — the "movie heart attack," where no one doubts what's happening. But most heart attacks start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort. Often people affected aren't sure what's wrong and wait too long before getting help. Here are signs that can mean a heart attack is happening:

• Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
• Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.
• Other signs may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness

As with men, women's most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain.

Learn the signs, but remember this: Even if you're not sure it's a heart attack, have it checked out (tell a doctor about your symptoms). Minutes matter! Fast action can save lives — maybe your own. Don’t wait more than five minutes to call 9-1-1.

Calling 9-1-1 is almost always the fastest way to get lifesaving treatment. Emergency medical services (EMS) staff can begin treatment when they arrive — up to an hour sooner than if someone gets to the hospital by car. EMS staff are also trained to revive someone whose heart has stopped. Patients with chest pain who arrive by ambulance usually receive faster treatment at the hospital, too. It is best to call EMS for rapid transport to the emergency room.
If you can't access the emergency medical services (EMS), have someone drive you to the hospital right away. If you're the one having symptoms, don't drive yourself, unless you have absolutely no other option.

Weekend top five

What an amazing weekend! The weather was absolutely amazing and it was my first weekend back in Winston in a while! After beginning my last rotation in cardiology (which has been fantastic, by the way), I was ready to kick back, relax, and play! Here are some highlights of the weekend:

1. “Parlez-vous francais?”
   After catching up over a glass of wine and hearing all about Christy’s engagmenet (and seeing her beautiful ring!!), we made our way to Sixth and Vine, where I met a Parisian named Pierre (shocker, I know). It was so fun to speak French with someone and learn more about Paris. Pierre gave me the inside scoop on what to do in Paris, highlighting the local favorites. As if I wasn’t already excited, I am now even more pumped to graduate and head to Europe!


2. Queen city
   Saturday Rebecca and I grabbed some Starbucks and headed to Charlotte. We went to South Park and cheered on her brother who was running a half marathon. I honestly can’t think of a more perfect place to spend a Saturday morning than with a bunch of runners (I was envious not to be running myself). We sat on a grassy hill and listened to music, people-watched, and enjoyed the ambience, soaking up the endorphins and sunshine. Charlotte is such an amazing city, a place I can’t wait to call home!



3. Spatulas, china, and petit-fours
   I knew based on the charming shower invitation that Shannon’s kitchen-themed bridal shower would be fun. Shannon looked so beautiful, and will certainly be able to play the role of being a domestic goddess. We enjoyed delicous petit-fours and were entertained by bridal trivia and wedding talk (not to mention Shannon’s hilarious family)! We also got our bridesmaid dresses, which are absolutely beautiful!! June 6th can’t come fast enough!!




4. Strike!
   What could be a cooler way to spend a Saturday night than hitting up the AMF for some quality midnight bowling! After lacing up our sweet bowling kicks, we showed our moves (or lack thereof) under the black lights, strobe, and yes, disco ball. What a blast!




5. First Pres.
   An awesome weekend would not be complete without an inspiring worship service, great music, and fellowship. One of the verses that stood out from today’s message comes from 1st Corintheans, reminding us that “Bad company corrupts good character.” As obvious as that may sound, it’s a good reminder of the importance of surrounding ourselves with those who bring us closer in our walk with the Lord. On that note, I wish you all a wonderful, productive, carefree and stress-free week!
   

Spring break!

This time last year I was on a cruise ship with 13 other girls, dancing, laughing, and soaking up the sun! This year I decided to spend spring break in Virginia and play in my own backyard. Before kicking off the break, we all gathered back at the hospital for our Master’s Symposium. I completed my master’s thesis on the Norwood procedure in hypoplastic left heart syndrome. I became interested in this topic during my month of pediatric cardiology at UVA. My clinical question was “In an infant with hypoplastic left heart syndrome undergoing a Norwood procedure, how does a Blalock-Taussig shunt compare to a right ventricle to pulmonary artery conduit in post-operative hemodynamics and outcome?” Although the work involved was at times tedious, I honestly enjoyed working on this paper! The symposium was great, and I learned a lot of useful information from my colleagues.

After the symposium, I headed up to Charlottesville to see Cary and Anna! We caught up over a wonderful pasta dinner and had fun decorating Easter cookies with the kids. The next morning we ran the Charlottesville ten miler, one of my favorite races of all times. The course features UVA’s beautiful grounds, “the corner”, and the downtown pedestrian mall. All along the course were screaming fans, bands, and much needed water and Gatorade stops. My chip time was 85 minutes, an all time personal best for this distance. After the race I visited the children I used to babysit in Charlottesville. Pheobe was having a birthday party and had a huge blow up “bouncy thing” in the backyard. We had so much fun jumping around, playing popcorn and being silly. And of course, no visit to Charlottesville would be complete without a trip to Arch’s!! Who knows… maybe one day I’ll settle down in this sweet little town!!

One of the most exciting things I did over break was go to Shannon and Lance’s engagement party. I felt like I was in the setting of a movie! The party was on a family farm, in the middle of nowhere, Virginia. We had appetizers on the porch and I felt as if Paula Dean herself was going to pop out at any minute. It was so wonderful to meet Lance’s family, and spend time with some of the other bridesmaids. After walking around the farm and seeing the baby animals, we all gathered in the dining room for a southern feast!! I can’t wait until the wedding!!!

Other highlights of my break include sailing with my dad, spending time with my niece and nephew, catching up with friends, and discovering a new hot yoga studio in Williamsburg! I haven’t made it over to Busch gardens yet, but can hear the whistles of the trains from my neighborhood. Having this time off is such a teaser to the summer!! I have one more rotation to go before I GRADUATE and take the boards!! In the meantime, I will certainly enjoy my last little bit of time in good ole Winston-Salem!