Colby's First Test

Today was Colby's first test in medical school in Cell Science, which is essentially Biochemistry. He's been working so hard these past few weeks. I'm so proud of him and know he did great on his test! We're adjusting slowly to the new schedule, although it is now Tuesday night and tonight will be the first time we'll sleep in the same bed together since last Wednesday! Yikes, talk about opposite schedules with me on night shift and him on days plus studying hard. Although we know this is just a season of life for him to accomplish the goals the Lord has set before him, it definitely will take some getting used to. In fact, last week and I went with him up to the school library with my magazine and watched him study for a couple of hours just to sit with him. I now value my time with him more than ever and know that I was truly spoiled these past 3 years of marriage. He is being very thoughtful and accommodating to me, as he studies extra hard on the nights that I am working (even if they are weekend nights) and then schedules a break to be with me on nights that I am home. So I really appreciate that, and know that we will make things work. I snuck in and took a few pictures of him over the past few weeks when he was in the home office studying. hehe, cheesy I know, but I'm proud of all his efforts. He wasn't that excited about the picture interruption, so these are all you get. :)

Even Rocky is having a hard time adjusting to the schedule b/c playtime and walks are harder to come by, but he decided to help his daddy out by keeping him company.

A LONG Week!

Orientation week was pretty crazy. Colby was gone everyday from 8-5 sitting through introductory lectures, computer training and Basic Life Support and then had a social event every evening. I got to go along to a few and just the 3 that I went to made me tired. We had a wonderful time getting to meet new people and really like the people in his class. I joined the spouses association, so hopefully I'll be able to meet some other wives and be able to help out with class support and make some new friends. We decided that we haven't been this social since we were at Baylor, nor have we had so much free food since then!

I also had my Chemotherapy certification workshop and testing at the hospital on Tues/Wed. so now I'm good to go with administering "safe chemo." That sounded like the biggest oxymoron the whole time, but I do feel like I know a whole lot more about it and will finally be able to do everything independently on my floor once I'm checked off of the actual administering.

Here is a picture of our nametag collection from the week from all the events. Keep in mind we even threw away a few before deciding to save them on the dashboard. :)

-JB

Colby's First Day!

Today was Colby's first day of medical school. Okay, so it was just a week of orientation, but he looked so handsome and professional that I made him pose for a few pictures. I had just gotten off of work, so excuse the tiredness. I totally wanted to him to stand on the front porch with his backpack just like all of my first day of school pictures, but he quickly informed me that he didn't have a backpack and that all the neighbors were probably staring wondering what we were doing at 7:30am having a photo shoot. Oh well. I at least appreciated the participation that I got and told him that he would be very happy when the day comes for me to take a picture of his last day of school. I am SO proud of him and he has worked so hard for this day to come. I can't tell you the amount of time, effort, prayers, etc. that has gone into medical school and I'm sure we can quadruple that once it begins. Thanks to everyone that has helped us along the journey. And so it begins.....!!!

Student Doctor Brownlee (haha, isn't that a funny term!?!)

Getting in the car

Backing up

And off he goes into the world of medicine!!Ok, I just had to give you the play by play so that everyone could feel like they were there and can share in our excitement!!! :)

-JB

Origin of Osteopathy

Well, orientation is Monday thru Friday and then the fun begins as I set sail on my medical journey the next Monday, July 28, at the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine. I was just flipping through a few pages of one of my many obese textbooks and reading about the origins and principles of osteopathy. I am thinking that most people have a pretty good understanding of physicians and what they do, but I am willing to bet that most don't have much knowlege about the brand of medicine known as osteopathy. So I just decided that over the next four years I will occasionally post something on the subject that I have recently learned, whether it be interesting or strange, or that I think will help others understand. And I hope that I have enough MD friends that will read and comment in order to discuss the similarities and dissimilarities of our medical education and philosophy of medicine hoping that in the meantime we all become better physicians.

With the intro aside, I want to define osteopathy in this first post with the help of Foundations for Osteopathic Medicine (second edition):

Andrew Taylor Still, M.D., D.O., the founder of osteopathic medicine and the term itself, began using osteopathy to describe his practice and philosophy in the 1880s. The words roots simply break down as 'osteon,' meaning bone, and 'pathos,' meaning to suffer. He reasoned that the skeletal system was his starting point to determine the cause of pathological conditions. He said that "bones can be used as levers to relieve pressure on nerves, veins and arteries."

However, "osteopathy is not only a neuromusculoskeletal-oriented dignostic and treatment system, it is also a comprehensive and scientifically based school of medicine that emabraces a philosophy," which according to A.T. Still is "a scientific knowledge of anatomy and physiology in the hands of a person of intelligence and skill, who can apply that knowledge to the use of man when sick or wounded by strains, shocks, falls, or mechanical derangement or injury of any kind to the body," and "the object of Osteopathy is to improve upon the present systems of surgery, midwifery, and treatment of general diseases." (Remember he wrote this in the late 1800s)

Also an important emphasis made in Osteopathic Medicine is found in the following quote from Still: "To find health should be the object of the doctor. Anyone can find disease." And in finding health the Doctor of Osteopathy is taught the importance of the full scope of health including mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of life alongside the pathophysiologic issues.

I will try to keep these shorter in the future and hope they don't bore anyone outside the medical field.

-CB