Day 1 -- not Nicaragua

To make it short (b/c I am tired and it has been a VERY long day).....

Left STL 10:55, scheduled to land in Atlanta at 1:45.

30 min delay leaving STL, approached ATL and there was a big storm so we circled around waiting. We still were not allowed to land and our plane didn't have enough fuel to keep circling while waiting to land. This plane only had 3 seats per row and at 5'6 I was close to hitting my head on the ceiling.

Landed in Chattanooga, TN to get fuel. Stayed on the tarmac for nearly 1.5 hours waiting to get approval to land in ATL. They told us it looked like we weren't going to get approval anytime soon and then all of the sudden there was a break in the storm so we took off for ATL.

My connecting flight was to leave ATL at 3pm, stop in Miami (where the rest of the group was at) and the same plane would continue onto Nicaragua. I landed in ATL at about 5:15.....my 3:00 flight was delayed til 7pm. However, they decided to get a new plane from Miami to Nicaragua and not wait for my flight from ATL to arrive. Now I am booked on the 11:05am flight to Nicaragua tomorrow morning. The previously 3pm, now 7:00 flight from ATL didn't board until 8 and didn't take off until 8:30.

During my wait in ATL Brian got me a motel close to the airport in Miami. I went to go get my luggage and realized it was tagged for Nicaragua so I wouldn't be getting it in Miami. So with my backpack (which luckily I had packed w/ an extra outfit but no bathroom things) I caught the La Quinta shuttle. And here I am sitting in my dbl bed at the La Quinta listening to a roaring plane take off about every 30 min.....its pretty loud. But at least they have FREE Wifi and some sort of breakfast in the morning.

Here's to a better tomorrow, hopefully getting to Nicaragua in one flight and my luggage meeting me there!! Fingers crossed!

Want To Help??

A fundraising campaign has been initiated for our Nicaragua trip. If you want help, here is the link.

Giving the Gift of Sight - Nicaragua

I will be going to Nicaragua on a Gift of Sight Trip from Sept 21-Oct 3rd. Memebers of the team have created a blog for out trip. If you would like to follow our trip you can visit the blog.

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Visiting St. Louis

It is a little weird to be a visitor in my own home, but that's what happened this weekend. Since I have been doing my externships in KC I have only been home to St. Louis 3 weekends this summer. This weekend Gary & Jayne also came to St. Louis so I hitched a ride with them. We got there Friday night, said our hellos, and went to bed soon after.

Brian had some activities planned for us on Saturday so we woke up early (well, early for a weekend) and headed to the Botanical Gardens. The following are some pictures from our visit.

Looking sweet and innocent

Pretty flower

Rainforest flower

Strangers reunited

Gary & Jayne

After the Botanical Garden we went and had lunch at Blueberry Hill in the Loop. Brian made dinner reservations for us a a new restaurant Eleven Eleven in south St. Louis so after some much needed afternoon naps we headed back out for dinner. For dessert we went to a Chocolate Bar. Between our group we tried 3 different flavored chocolate martinis (macaroon, chocolate and nutty--they were pretty good but a little heavy on the vodka) and had some brownie and ice cream dessert.

Sunday we grilled hamburgers for lunch before departing westward. Unfortunately, we had to leave Brian to hold down the fort and of course to resume his studying.

The weather could not have been better for us. It was in the 70s and sunny and absolutely wonderful. We ate outside for every single meal and it was perfect. A nice relaxing weekend.....I am just sad it is over already!

Guess I'm Getting Old

On Thursdays, I, along with some good family and friends from VF, (sister Makenzie, sister-in-law Laura, Amber, Sarah and Kate) have been playing in a volleyball league in Lawrence. It's a competitive league so the serves and spikes both come pretty hard. This last Thursday I was having a rough night; i.e. I sucked really bad. It seemed as though the serves were extra hard that night too (no excuse for crappy passing, but maybe for the excessive bruising). I was shanking passes (or "bumps") left and right and became the number one target for the opposing servers. We played a double header so I got to suck it up for two consecutive matches.

I have been playing volleyball since the 4th grade and I have NEVER had bruises like these!! This pic was taken on Saturday evening. They started out black and blue on Friday, but after playing a sand tournament on Saturday they got kind of reddish-brown. I think they were actually darker in person than what this picture shows and much more noticeable--you can't miss them if you try.

So why did I bruise like this this time and never before? The consensus seems to be because I am getting old. I was thinking maybe a vitamin deficiency or something, but when I got to work and saw my first patient (a nurse) and was explaining my awful looking arms and how I have never bruised like this before she kindly suggested it's because I am getting older. Some co-workers echoed this same theory. Yippee :( I am still holding out for some nutritional cause.

Rotation #2

I just started my 2nd rotation and am again at a private group practice. I am now at Eye Associates with locations in Overland Park (which is where I am going), Shawnee, Olathe and Leawood. They have six doctors that rotate between the four offices. Day 1 I started by watching a few exams, but was seeing patients on my own (just checking in at the end with the doctor) the first day. I really enjoy being able to work with so many different doctors and see all the different ways to practice.