Autopsy... Check!

CAUTION: This might be a little graphic for some. There are no pictures and no gross descriptions, but I will be talking about an autopsy. I just wanted to give you a warning to continue at your own risk.

The school requires us to attend an autopsy before 3rd year rotations start. Well rotations start in 1 week for me, so I figured I've been putting it off for too long. I was not looking forward to this experience. I got an email yesterday after church that there was an autopsy only 30 minutes away, so I decided to go.

The pathologist threw me into it right from the beginning. He made the initial cuts and then gave me the scalpel. He told me where to cut and was guiding my hand. After that I decided this wasn't so bad. He cut out the first lung and was explaining to me what he was doing. He cut out the second lung and handed it to me and said do what I just did. AGH!!! I also got to stitch up the entire abdomen.

They were thinking it was a drug overdose, but it turned out to be sepsis due to a kidney infection. They did send off for toxicology to see if they were drugs in the system on top of the infection.

It was such an amazing learning experience. In the anatomy lab, the bodies do not look real at all. The organs are hard and usually white. Here the organs looked like they were suppose to look. I'm really glad I got this opportunity, but I do not plan on attending anymore autopsies. Yay for steps to becoming a doctor. :)

Storm Chasing

Eric loves weather. He really enjoys it when it's anything but normal outside. Friday was a gorgeous day here until about 5pm. It started to get dark, but I didn't know we were suppose to get a storm. Eric called me when he got into the parking lot and asked for me to grab his camera and come outside so we could go storm chasing. (He was hoping to capture pictures of a tornado)

We decide to sit in the parking lot of the Sears Outlet near our place. Below are some of the pictures Eric captured. The clouds did appear to be swirling, so he was hoping we would see a tornado. I on the other hand was hoping we wouldn't because we were in his car in an empty parking lot. The wind sure was blowing hard, so I was a bit nervous.





The storm lasted about 45 minutes and then the sun came back out and it was gorgeous!

Meal Planning Monday

MONDAY: Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken

Tuesday: Church Community Meal
(I use to live north of the city, so I was involved in small groups up north. Now that we moved down south to Lenexa, we're going to a community meal down south. We're both a little nervous because we don't know anyone from church down south. We're looking forward to meeting some great people)

Wednesday: Shephard's Pie

Thursday: Zucchini Turkey Burgers

Friday: Fish Tacos

I Passed!!!

Board scores were posted today, and I passed!!!! Not only did I pass, but I rocked it. I was well above national average. This was the first big hurdle of becoming a doctor. Now I only have rotations and Step 2 boards between myself and becoming a doctor.

Eric and I celebrated with icecream at Coldstone. The inlaws are coming into town this weekend, so it will be a weekend of celebration :)

Sprinkles Anyone?

Sprinkles Cupcakes were a treasure Eric and I discovered back in Dallas. It's a gourmet cupcake shop that started in California. There are over 25 different flavors to try. We did find a gourmet cupcake place in Overland Park a few weeks ago, but it was not as good as Sprinkles.

Well yesterday on TLC there was a marathon of Cake Boss. Great show if you've never seen it. While watching the show, there were commercials for DC Cupcakes. Every time I saw the commercial, I thought of Sprinkles.

Well I didn't feel too great today. My stomach was bothering me all afternoon. When I would stay home sick from school when I was younger, I would always bake. I don't know why but it made me feel better. It was usually just a box cake, but tonight I wanted to tackle cupcakes.

I found a recipe online for Sprinkles Strawberry Cupcakes, my favorite. YUMMY!!! The recipe is below. I didn't let the cupcakes cool quite as long as needed so the frosting got a little runny. They still tasted GREAT! I can't wait to try gourmet cupcakes next time :)

Sprinkles Strawberry Cupcakes

• 2/3 cup whole fresh or frozen strawberries, thawed
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 cup whole milk, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 2 large egg whites, room temperature

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners; set aside.
2. Place strawberries in a small food processor; process until pureed. You should have about 1/3 cup of puree, add a few more strawberries if necessary or save any extra puree for frosting; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a small bowl, mix together milk, vanilla, and strawberry puree; set aside.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly add egg and egg whites until just blended.
5. With the mixer on low, slowly add half the flour mixture; mix until just blended. Add the milk mixture; mix until just blended. Slowly add remaining flour mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary, until just blended.
6. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Transfer muffin tin to oven and bake until tops are just dry to the touch, 22 to 25 minutes. Transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool completely in tin before icing.

Strawberry Icing

• 1/2 cup whole frozen strawberries, thawed
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, firm and slightly cold
• Pinch of coarse salt
• 3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Place strawberries in the bowl of a small food processor; process until pureed. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce mixer speed and slowly add confectioners' sugar; beat until well combined. Add vanilla and 3 tablespoons strawberry puree (save any remaining strawberry puree for another use); mix until just blended. Do not overmix or frosting will incorporate too much air. Frosting consistency should be dense and creamy, like ice cream.

Dream Interpretation

Alright so I had a crazy dream lastnight. I need a little help here because I have no idea what it means. If anyone out there in blogger land has some experience in dream interpretation just let me know. My mother in law is a psychologist and does some dream interpretation. I don't want to ask her because there's no telling what it means haha.

My dream:

I am in highschool again on my way to lunch. The school in my dream was the high school I went to. Everything looked the same. There is blood on the floor smeared followed by a trail by the stairs. Rumor around school is that there's a killer dog on campus that has already killed 2 people. (now we have 2 dogs but they are by no means killer dogs haha)

I sit at my usual table by the large wall of windows. Our table is the closest one to the doors to leave the school in the back. Then in comes this dog with a police officer following it. It was a female police officer. (no I have not had any run ins with the law) The dog comes to our table and I quickly jump on top of the table because of course not a big dog can't reach me if I'm on the table haha. The dog comes up and is sniffing our table but doesn't bother us. The police officer some how manages to shoo the dog out of the school.

Later that afternoon I have to step outside for something. I don't know if I was having to go to the other building or what. As I walk out of the school there's the stupid dog. I quickly grab ahold of the awning above the door and pull myself up. At my school there were no awnings above the doors so I have no idea. This is kind of fuzzy. I just remember I had my feet up on one bar and hanging on the other bar so my butt is hanging down. The dog keeps jumping up to get me and each time I'm pulling myself up and then hanging. Very exhausting! I'm yelling the entire time HELP! No one comes for what seems like an hour. I think this is were I woke up because I don't remember anything else.

So all you dream experts, what does it mean?

Dream in a nut shell: I'm back in my high school as a student, killer dog on campus, dog is trying to get me. hmmm

Enjoy reading into my dream :)