Last Blog from Philly!!!!!

I am very sad to report that this is my last update from Philadelphia. It has been a wonderful 8 months, and I am very sad to leave. However, the last month has been SOOOO crazy, it will be nice to come home and unwind for awhile.

I am currently doing a month of infectious disease at Frankford Torresdale Hospital. It is turning out to be a wonderful rotation, and I am learning so much. The group of physicians that I am working for are all wonderful and so patient and such good teachers. I have seen some crazy stuff, including cryptococcal meningitis, necrotizing fasciitis, and thoracic empyemas (if anyone knows what any of that is!). I am really enjoying it, but they are wearing me out!

My weekend in NYC with Nicole was wonderful, we went out with her lawyer friends on Fri. night after having dinner at a restaurant called Chummley's, which used to be a speakeasy. On Sat. we went to the Guggenheim Museum and to an off-broadway show called "naked boys singing!", and they were, naked, about 90% of the time. We just spent a lot of time catching up b/c goodness knows when we will be in the same time zone again.

My sister Kirstin came out the following weekend, which happened to be the same weekend that Emily's dad, Dan, came out to visit. We started out her trip by taking her to infamous McGillian's and subjecting her to a good night of karoke. Unfortunately I did have to work while she was here, but we went to dinner together on Thurs. night and did a little sisterly bonding. It was so good to get to know her again! Friday night we went and saw a band called Gaelic Storm, and they were awesome! We even got Molly to do a little Irish stepdancing for us and the crazy group of guys we met. Sat. we hung out down in the city and walked around in the beautiful weather and did a little shopping. I kept Kirstin out way too late, but I think we all had fun.

Last weekend my very dear friend Matt flew up from Texas to hang out with me and have a cheesesteak. I think he was more impressed with the Tastycakes. Unfortunately it POURED on Sat., so we ended up doing a good old fashioned pub crawl, but Sunday was beautiful and he got to see the sights, have a cheesesteak, and take a carriage ride with me around Independence Hall and Olde City. It was wonderful to have him up, but boy was I exhausted at the end of it.

I am stopping at my friend Cindy's wedding on the way back from Philly, but I should be rolling into Des Moines on April 23. I am looking forward to seeing all of you who will be in DSM, and sad to say good-bye to all my friends out in Philly. I am so grateful for this opportunity, and think that it was by far one of the best decisions I have made in my life. I am very sad to go, but look back with many fond memories, and this blog to document many of my crazy times.