White Coat Ceremony!

White coat weekend was...eventful to say the least! My parents got into town on last Thursday and we decided to go out to dinner. All was well until about midnight, when I woke up feeling extremely sick and with my heart racing. I'll spare you the rest of the details, but yep, I got food poisoning. I was so scared I wasn't going to be able to make the ceremony! Luckily I was feeling a well enough (just really tired) and made it all the way through the ceremony. I didn't get sick again until that evening when I tried to eat, and ended up taking a trip to the ER the next day because I couldn't even keep water down. I was vomiting at least every 30 minutes (sorry for the graphic)! They gave me fluids, ondansetron and phenergan (which completely knocked me out) and I slept for pretty much the rest of the day. They also ran a CBC, which showed mild dehydration, a leukocytosis, and I basically had NO lymphocytes. Needless to say, I don't think I'll be dining out again anytime soon...I hate that I was sick all weekend while my parents were here, but I'm so glad I had them here to take care of me. My dad got new brakes put on my car, bought me groceries and fixed my curtain on my balcony that got destroyed by the wind. And my mom nursed me back to health (literally, she's a nurse haha). I'm so thankful for them!

But enough with the gross stuff, back to what this whole post is really about - the white coat ceremony!

It was pretty surreal! I loved seeing all my classmates dressed up and having their white coats put on. It reminded me how united we all are and how far we've come since August of 2011! Dr. Davis put on my white coat, and I think at that point I was in a daze. Apparently my parents were hollering and I didn't even hear them, heh. After we all got our coats, we recited the pledge of professionalism (which you can watch below!) I gotta admit...I got a little teary eyed at one point. It has been such a long journey to get to this point, and while I still have a year left, I think it's going to be the one in which I will grow the most. In a mere 2 weeks I'll be starting my internal medicine rotation - seeing clients, caring for my own patients, having to put together all of the information I've learned over the years. There is a mixture of fear and excitement, but mostly I'm just ready to start doing what I love - helping animals!

  

Before the white coats!

 

Lab partners from first and second year :)

 

 

Rhyley helping me to break in the new coat :)

 

Momma got me the Littmann Cardiology III stethoscope. I love it!! 

 Silly class photo :)

Post by Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine.

These next two weeks are going to be jam packed with "fun" - 5 exams in a matter of 10 days, 4th year orientation, my last clinical skills lab, shopping for "professional" clothing and comfortable shoes, and trying to throw in a little relaxation during my last 5 days of freedom!