I am crazy busy getting ready for the next step!  I thought that by this point things would have settled down, but there are so many plans that are in progress that all require a lot of work. Here’s a quick overview of what I’ve been doing, and what still needs to be done to prepare for life after graduation.

As I mentioned in my last blog post, I was in California and got back last week Wednesday. Seeing other NDs in practice helps me sort out how I do, and do not want my future practice to look. One of the most valuable things I took away from observing experienced docs is how they break down complicated medicine into simple analogies that patients can grasp. “Doctor as Teacher” is one of the naturopathic tenets, and the doctors that I observed truly embodied this.

Last week Wednesday night I returned from California. Thursday and Friday I was back the NUHS Whole Health Center. After clinic on Friday, and also on Saturday, I was in Milwaukee to look for apartments. There were two great options that were close to where I’ll be working (details on that to come next blog post), but by the time we made our decision, both had already been taken. Therefore, I’ll have to find time to go back again soon, because graduation is on August 17th and we have to be out of our campus apartment on the 19th! Moving will be a huge process with having to sort through 4+ years of class notes, books, and stuff we’ve accumulated.

On Sunday we celebrated our daughter Jade’s first birthday. It’s amazing to think that a whole year has passed already! Coordinating all of that in the midst of everything else during the past few weeks was crazy, but it all came together at the end. We had her party at a park and it was a lot of fun.  

This week, in addition to my regular clinic shift I am doing my second week at the Chicago Salvation Army clinic. To complete my graduation requirements, I need to do two more orthopedic exams. I’m sure there will be the opportunity to do so here this week.  

One thing that has been very lacking is self-care. I hope to be able to be treated as a patient and get some constitutional hydrotherapy sessions now through graduation to help rebuild and restore my body from all the stress, and to also get more sleep.