From An End Comes A Beginning

9 weeks down and 1 class complete. Anatomy is officially over. I don't have the results yet, but I know I at least passed. It was a long ride but it has finally ended. Biochemistry and Microanatomy start in the morning which is exciting. I'm glad to be doing Biochem since it's one of my favorites. Microanatomy, not so much. I have trouble visualizing a lot of that so it'll be interesting. I'm sure I'll get through it though. I just have to stay afloat and get it done.

Aside from school, things are going decently. We had Taste of Our Town yesterday which is where a bunch of restaurants set up booths downtown. I went with some friends and had a really good time. It was a much needed break and couldn't have come sooner. Bridge Day is next weekend and I'm definitely going to that. Living in a small town is great as a medical student but sometimes it's difficult to escape classes and stress of everything going on. When events like these pop up, it's a great break and a change of pace that is always welcomed.

While Anatomy was ending, hockey season was beginning. I can't believe it's been so long since the end of last season. So much has changed since then, it's pretty amazing. Not only with the team, but in life in general. The boys looked good on Friday. Not so much on Saturday, but at least they fought for it. Tampa Bay didn't play Friday like we did, and Mason had to play both days in a row due to Pavelec's injury. That brings up a different point. Medical school ruins everything! As soon as he went down on the ice, my head started swimming with the many different reasons as to why it happened. While I'm sure everyone watching was curious, only a medical student would go into the details of a subdural hematoma or the possibility of doing a doppler scan to rule out any vascular issues in the Common Carotid Artery or a AAA. Gone are the days when I can hear that a pitcher needs Tommy John surgery and I wonder how it will affect my fantasy baseball team and instead I start to wonder if he has a Palmaris Longus muscle to use for the graft. Anyway, I hope Pavelec is doing better. I also hope we pick it up on the California road trip we have coming up. The season is underway and it should be fun. While I miss being there, I still intend to keep up with all the goings on.

So that's about it for now. It's on to the new classes tomorrow and we'll see how it goes. Until next time...

Two Exams Down

6 weeks of Anatomy have passed. 2 Anatomy exams have past. We've covered the somatic and visceral body (everything but head and neck for you non-science types) and now there's only one exam left. In 3 weeks I'll be done with Anatomy. That's a phrase I never thought I would say. Time is whizzing by at lightning speed when I look back, but each day feels like an eternity. I get up, go to class, go to lab, come home, study, then go to bed. I had someone ask me the other day what's new and exciting and I started talking about Anatomy. They asked me if anything else was new and I paused for a few seconds and the only thing I could come up with was that I ran my car through the car wash. Not a real exciting life unfortunately, but it'll do for now. I'm still enjoying it a lot. It's stressful and the pressure is greater than I could have imagined but at the end of the day, I really love it. I work best under pressure anyway so it's not such a bad thing.

Last weekend was our White Coat Ceremony. It was nice to see the family again and the ceremony was great. It was difficult at first because it was taking up the weekend before an Anatomy exam but it turned out to be fine. As our keynote speaker said, you have received a coat, but now you have to earn it and grow into it. I'm taking those words to heart. I'm going to continue to work hard and accomplish my goals. Some days it's not easy. There are days when I'd like to turn off my directional, drive past the entrance to my neighborhood, and keep going until I can't go any further. But, at the most difficult times, something small will come along. Even the tiniest, minutest of details in lab or lecture or in casual conversation will come up and it keeps you going.

Next weekend is the annual Penn State weekend and I'm pumped! It will be nice to get away for a couple of days and think about something other than school. I'll of course have the books and laptop with me to squeeze in a little bit of studying, but I'm still going to have fun and put most of that out of my mind, even if for a few hours. Speaking of next week, pre-season hockey starts on Tuesday! Where the hell does the time do!? I'm excited for the upcoming season. New coaches and a new look team should be exciting. I'm sad I can't be there firsthand, but I hope all of my Thrashers friends enjoy themselves. You know I'll be there in spirit.

It's off to the gym and then studying for round two of exams. A med student's work is never done. Until next time...

I've Learned What?

And now the real game begins... The second week is now complete and the first full week of medical school classes is over. Looking back at what I've learned so far, it seems like I've completed an entire semester but it's only been 6 days of class! I'm working harder then I ever thought possible, but you know what, I love it. I'm tired and I need a mental break, but it's been worth it in this short time. 

Anatomy has been pretty intense and it's only getting worse. We've completed the back and moved on to the upper limb. I've taken 8 years of Spanish and I'm pretty sure I've studied close to the same amount of vocabulary this week. OK, maybe not that much, but it does feel that way. 

In the midst of that, we've started OPP and Clinical Skills which makes it seem real. Yeah, it's how to take a patient history, but it's still exciting. Student Doctor Sorci would like to know what brings you in today. How can I help you today? It has a nice ring to it. 

So, things are moving along nicely. It seems like there's no possibility that I'll ever learn all of this stuff, but I'm confident that I'll get through. Two more weeks until the first Anatomy exam and 8 more weeks of Anatomy. That doesn't sound so bad after all. 

I hope everyone back in Atlanta is doing well. I still miss everyone but I'm getting by. Until next time...

One Week

Well, the first week is in the books. It's been 4 days of orientation and one day of class and I already feel behind! The message all week is keep your head above water and DON'T FALL BEHIND! That almost seems impossible. With the new schedule, we have 9 weeks of Gross Anatomy and that's pretty much by itself (with the exception of Clinical Skills and OPP). For those of you who don't know, OPP is Osteopathic Principles and Practice. More on that another time. Anyway, it's nice to not have to focus on 15 other classes, but at the same time, 9 weeks of anatomy is intense and a little frightening. There's so much time and so little to do...strike that, reverse it. Seriously, it doesn't seem possible but I'll get it done.

Where to begin? That seems to be the pressing issue so far. A million things have been thrown at us all week. Don't get behind, study lab, look at objectives, read this, don't read that, no wait go ahead and read that just in case, know this, and did I mention don't get behind? It just seems like there are a thousand things to do and about a day to do them in. Oh well. As one of our professors said in lecture yesterday, this is medical school, dearhearts.

Overall, the week has gone well. I've met some great people so far and I'm really happy with my choice of schools. The faculty and administration is very helpful and it's just a great environment. I really look forward to working with everyone and it should be an awesome experience. I'll keep everyone updated as we progress. Speaking of not getting behind, it's time to study. Until next time...

It's a New Dawn, It's a New Day...

They tell me that time flies. I suppose they're right. One week ago I was in a Budget truck with my possessions behind me and my car in tow. Today I am sitting in my office in Lewisburg enjoying the comfortable summer day. Back in January, I never thought this day would come. When will I be moving and be able to start school?! It seems so far away. I have plenty of time. The air was freezing cold and the Thrashers still had Ilya Kovalchuk as the captain. A few months later it seemed closer but there was so much else to do that I could put off moving for yet another day. And now here we are. Orientation for medical school starts on Monday and I'm already moved into my new place. So yes, I suppose they're correct. Time really does fly.

I miss everyone back in Atlanta, but I am definitely enjoying myself up here so far. The move could not have gone any better. We made great time getting here despite the painfully slow ride up the mountains of West Virginia and Virginia. Getting into my car made it feel like a Shelby GT500 and not the V6 that it is. It was hot on Saturday but we got it done before it got unbearable outside. We were able to put the ramp to the truck right into my front door over the porch steps so it was like a loading dock. That came in handy big time. It took some work but I got everything in order and I'm ready to take on the school year.

Yesterday I took a ride up to the New River Gorge Bridge. It is just outside Fayetteville, WV which is about an hour from here. Well, it's more like an hour and a half but the Mustang and I did pretty well around some of the mountain twists and turns ;) It is the longest arch bridge in the western hemisphere and the second highest in the world. It was the highest in the world up until a few years ago when the French built an aqueduct that's higher. Lousy frogs. Anyway, it was incredible. It really is amazing to see an engineering wonder that high above the ground. It was an amazing blend of man and nature. I think I will definitely be heading back up there soon for some calm unwinding.

That's about it for now. I am including just a few pictures. Those of you on facebook can see the whole album. If you're not on facebook but would like more pictures, send me a message and I'll email them to you. I hope everyone is doing well. I miss you guys and I hope to see everyone very soon. Take care.

In the End It's Right...

It's been a little over a month since the last game of the 2009-2010 Thrashers hockey season. With the playoffs in full swing and some changes being made to the team, it's finally beginning to set in that I will no longer be a season ticket holder.

It seems like just yesterday I was sitting in 218 cheering the boys on to the first ever Division Championship and their first trip to the postseason. A lot has changed since then. Coaches have come and gone, players have been signed and traded, and my seats have moved across the arena for a new perspective. However, despite all of the changes and differences over the past few years, the memories and friendships I have made will always remain with me.

As I move on to medical school and leave Atlanta, it will be odd not to be preparing myself for the upcoming season. Opening night will come and go and a new coaching staff will be hired. Free agents will be signed and some old faces will be sent off to pursue other opportunities. I'm not sure what it will feel like to have to watch opening night at home on television rather than at the arena, but I am confident that I will be there in spirit. One thing I am sure of is that I will miss everyone as I already do. I realize it won't be the same without Angry Steve there to put on a show by yelling and screaming or cursing under my breath about the annoying opposing fans sitting around me, but I'm sure you all will carry on. I will definitely be in touch and I wish everyone well. Have a beer and drop an F-bomb for me every now and then. Thank you for being such great friends. It wouldn't be the same without you and you will never be forgotten. Until we meet again...

Webster Defines Cluster as...

We work for the people. That's what they tell us. The men and women of Congress sit up there in their tower and insist that they work for us. They are here for us to make our lives better. Don't believe the hype, folks. With the recent House passing of the Health Care Bill, this theory of "working for the people" has pretty much been disproven and eradicated. Never in my short lifetime have I witnessed a more blatant disregard for the needs and wants of the American public.

I don't understand how a group of people who is supposed to be working "for us" can pass something that only fits their own skewed agenda and feeds their own massive egos. It doesn't make sense.

I am about to enter medical school at the end of this summer. Right now there are few things I want more than to jump on a plane, fly to Italy, and spend a few weeks relaxing and taking in the sites and culture of my ancestors. Yet, I don't have the money to do so. I have bills to pay and I have to be financially prepared for the next 4 years and beyond. Why is this such a hard concept for the American Government to grasp? Our deficit is in excess of a TRILLION dollars at the moment. The answer? Blow up spending with the new Health Care Bill to make sure people can get coverage. If you're scratching your head, you're not alone. I know, I know. It's all Bush's fault. He can be blamed for everything right? Not so fast.

There is no possible way this bill will NOT cost us money. No possible way. 0% chance. Nil. Zippo. Zilch. Goose Egg. The number of goals the Thrashers have scored against the Bruins in the last two meetings. Period. You cannot tell me that increasing the amount of people by millions that rely on the government will not cost us money. They have even explicitly stated that individuals making over $200,000 a year or married couples combining for $250,000 or more per year will face drastic tax increases. Does this affect the majority of Americans? Maybe not. Does it affect many? Yes it does. People making this amount of money work hard and have earned the money they make. They have health care for themselves and their families and now they are responsible for funding the health care for individuals who don't care to work or make less money? This group already funds the welfare and unemployment system so these people don't have to work and can still survive, now they have to provide prescription drugs to them as well?

That brings us to the issue of fining individuals or businesses without health care. If you make a certain amount, you have to have health care. Period. These fines will help encourage people to work hard and work for companies with benefits and the money the government collects will help pay off the deficit. FALSE. These fines will do the opposite. Few people will want to face fines and most who do will not be able to afford to and will therefore opt for the government's Medicaid plan thus increasing people who rely on the government causing an increase in spending and an increase in the need for more tax revenue. The economy is in the toilet. The fix? Let's tax and fine the hell out of businesses that don't offer decent health care plans. That makes sense. Did it ever occur to you that they cut out health benefits because they CAN'T AFFORD TO OFFER THEM?!! Maybe businesses like airlines and medium sized retail stores would like prefer to cut out benefits rather than laying people off in these tough times.

As a future physician, I am not only taking it on the chin with regard to tax increases, I'm also taking it when it comes to my business. The government plans to cut repayments to hospitals, physicians, drug companies, and pharmacies by an undisclosed amount. This is in addition to the almost 40% physician cutbacks for Medicare and Medicaid starting in January of 2010. Walgreens in Washington state has stopped accepting new patients on Medicare because they cannot afford to help them. Physicians in family practice are doing the same. Physicians in specialties are cutting back because many of their procedures are not covered by the government as it is. Remind me again how putting more people on the government aid is beneficial to care. Please....I'll wait for your answer...Actually, I better not because I don't have time to wait that long.

I cannot believe the ego of these idiots passing this bill. They are all incredibly insane to think this is a good idea. Pelosi has an approval rating of 11%. Reid has one of 8%. Obama has a DISAPPROVAL rating of 58%. I wasn't alive to see Jimmy Carter take office, but this is pretty much the same thing so I guess I can get my fill. I beg the American people to see this as a travesty. People without insurance are viewing this as a hay day. The system is running wild. The government cannot control itself or its spending. A person who preached "transparency, accountability, and an open government" has egotistically signed a bill which was created in "Democrat-only" closed door meetings and has purchased votes by bribing Democrats in certain states. This bill smells and it smells bad, forget the fact that's it's unconstitutional. Where in the Constitution does it say we have a right to health care? Where in the Constitution does it allow the House to pass a bill and THEN read it to see what's involved? What happened to "the public will have 5 days to read the bill before I sign anything?" The only good that has come of this is that the Democrats have shot themselves in the foot for the midterm and Presidential elections. I'm only sorry that it wasn't the face...

Olympic Reflections

February 22, 1980. The United States and the world finally believed in Miracles. February 28, 2010. The belief was back. The last time a home country won gold in men's hockey was 1980 when the US men took gold at Lake Placid, a time nobody could forget. Although the singing of "God Bless America" was replaced with "O Canada" in 2010, the USA finally had a miracle to believe in again. The United States was not supposed to compete in the medal rounds in Vancouver. With the recent success of Russia and Sweden on the world stage, and Canada's all-star NHL roster competing on home ice, there was no way the USA was going to even take bronze. They couldn't. They had the youngest roster in the games, and even if they did make it out of their pool with Canada, they'd have to fight Russia, Sweden, or Finland to get into a medal round. There was so little confidence in them that most of the US hockey players were booked on flights leaving Vancouver for the respective NHL cities on Sunday morning, three hours before the gold medal game.

That's where the miracle started. The men's hockey team not only got out of their pool, they won the pool by defeating Canada and securing a bye and a spot in the semifinals. They fought hard and routed Finland to stamp their ticket to the finals with Canada. Everything was going right. In the final game they won a silver medal, but not without a hard battle. It may not have been Mike Eruzione, Jim Craig, and Herb Brooks, but it was very much Zach Parise, Patrick Kane, and Ryan Miller. Good for Canada for winning the medal on home ice. It was a spectacular accomplishment for them. However, it was an even bigger accomplishment for the USA team to prove their doubters wrong. Many questions remain about 2014. Will the Canadians be able to repeat? Will the NHL allow its players to compete in the games? Will I have time to remember that the Olympics are on since it will be in my final year in medical school? Only time will tell.

We have come to the end of another Olympic season. The Olympics are a time when we can put our differences aside and recognize all we have accomplished. It's a time when we can look at friends and neighbors from other countries who may be very different from us and congratulate them on their achievements. It's a time when we can look past our anger towards one another and shake their hands, give them a high five, and rejoice in a common ground.

Pretty soon our lives will be back to normal. The NHL will resume tonight and the players we cheered for last week will once again become our rivals. The players we booed yesterday will be our team's heroes. We will look at Vancouver as just that Canadian west coast city that seems ever so far away on a map. Life will go on but we should remember to keep the Olympic spirit going as well. Congratulations to all the athletes who made us realize that we are all together in this world. Congratulations to the United States for setting a Winter Olympic record with 37 medals, including our first in Nordic Combined and Men's 4-man Bobsled. Farewell, Vancouver. We thank you.

OK, so I've been away from the blog for a while. After getting yelled at for not staying current, I suppose it's time to update. Without hockey it's tough to find something to rant and rave about, but I'll give it my best shot.

I've been watching the Olympics like many around the world lately. It's a big day for hockey as the US takes on Finalnd in the semifinals. It's also big for Canada as they take on Slovakia. I had Russia facing Canada in the finals so I guess I blew that call. Oh well. I'm pretty glad Russia went home although I was hoping Canada would lose to send that cry baby Sidney Crosby home. It's great to see the US actually show up and compete in the winter games. Winning three medals in Nordic Combined is awesome and I'm hoping we can play some decent hockey and take home a medal in that as well. It was a little sad to see the ladies figure skating streak come to an end but I think the girls did well. There was no way we were going to beat Asado and Kim. They're freaks out there and it made it a lot more fun to watch.

Aside from that, there's not a lot of other things going on. I appreciate everyone's support on the Air Force debate. After talking to some people, looking into the program, and some serious soul searching, I've decided to rely on loans to finance my education. The debt free nature of the military is incredibly appealing. However, I can't really justify doing it just for that. I would like to serve and I respect everyone who does, but as a physician, the private route seems to be the best fit for me. It's one of those decisions where you have to make it and trust yourself and that's exactly what I'm doing.

That's all I've got for now. NHL hockey resumes next week so I'm sure I'll have plenty to write about. Thanks for reading and as always, I'm Steven Sorci and I approved this message.

 

I just sent the deposit in today. It looks like I'll be attending school there starting in August. I'm really excited but it's still a little scary at the same time. I am confident in myself but it's not going to be easy. Either way, I'll make the best of it and I can't wait to get started. Thank you all for the support. Today is the first day of the rest of my life...

The Sky Iz Fallin...OHNOZ!!!!

The title is what most people think is happening in Blueland. What ever are we going to do! Ilya Kovalchuk was traded from the Atlanta Thrashers on Thursday night because we could not come to terms with him on a contract extension. He was an incredibly important aspect and was a ton of fun to watch and to have on our team. However, I don't really think this is as bad as expected. Dr. Hockey's diagnosis: The Thrashers will press on. Everyone relax.

First of all, I think it's important to realize that agents have a lot to do with these transactions. It may not always be the player or the GM of the team. Everyone likes to flame DW for making awful decisions, but this one doesn't appear to be his fault. Let's see why:

1) Kovalchuk announces this past summer how he wants to see the direction of the team before he makes a decision. Done. The team comes out and has a strong showing at the beginning of the year and is off to the best start in franchise history.

2) Kovy wants some new players to play with so he feels like we can put together a winning team to get into the playoffs. Accomplished. Antropov and Kubina were traded for the dead weight otherwise known as Garnett Exelby. Then, Afinogenov, who happened to be my favorite player in Buffalo, gets a pro tryout and ends up signing with the team.

3) Captain Princess claims he loves it here in Atlanta and that his kids will receive a quality education and it's an excellent place for his family. Fine. He loves it here. We get it.

4) DW and the Atlanta Spirit FINALLY want to spend some money on him and offer him a 12 year, 101 Million dollar contract and he says nah, those other three things I said really aren't as important as money.

So what more could we have done? The guy is not Ovechkin, Malkin, or even Joe Thornton. Those guys are terrific two-way players who have all the great qualities as Kovalchuk and then some. They play defense and they stand their ground. Kovalchuk is weak defensively and is either offsides or turning the puck over. Is he even really deserving of the 12 year contract making him the highest paid player in the NHL? I think not.

He's going to have a hell of a time with the Devils (pun intended). He will NOT be a star there like he was here. He will NOT play the defensive style that NJ plays. He WILL score a lot of goals as he usually does. The Thrashers will NOT move to Hamilton, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Anchorage, Oahu, or any other ridiculous place that many have suggested. The Thrashers WILL continue to win games (they just did after being bussed for 5.5 hours to go 120 miles from DC to Richmond, sitting on the tarmac for 2 hours, and arriving at Philips Arena 50 minutes before game time). The Thrashers will NOT re-sign Kovy before free agency. Kovy will NOT get the money he is looking for with any other NHL team. That is how I see it. I could be wrong. I was once before, but that was a long time ago just to see what it felt like.

Again, I feel the Thrashers will move forward even without our star forward. Many other guys will rise to the occasion and we will continue to win games. Now if we could only figure our goaltending situation out... Stay tuned, and as always, I'm Steven Sorci and I approved this message.

Captain Who?

After the Thrashers' 5-2 loss to Carolina the other day, things are looking extremely blue in Blueland. It's a difficult pill to swallow after the strong start to the season. Kari has now been reassigned to the Wolves for conditioning and the Olympic break is right around the corner. So how do we rebound from a loss to the worst team in the league?

1. What to do with Kari? Moose has been stellar this year in net. He has had a few bad outings here and there, but mainly because of shoddy defense, not poor play. Pavelec can't seem to stay in position, but can Kari? I've not been the biggest Kari fan in the past, but it's looking like he may be the better option over Pavs. Now if only we can get him to visit a Jenny Craig while in Chicago, we'd be in good shape. But that's a big IF.

2. Where have we gone wrong? I don't understand why this team doesn't forecheck. It's really getting old and fast. They have also become one of the most predictable teams in the league aside from New Jersey. The difference is, New Jersey's system works. We carry the puck into the zone through the center, pass to the wing and then pass it across to the other wing where nobody is waiting. We have yet to establish net presence despite signing big centers like Antropov. Why we have Little playing the net and Antropov diddling behind the net on the PP is beyond me. It just doesn't work. We've also become the biggest dippidy-doo team in the league. All we do is dance around with the puck in the zone. How do you have 6 PP opportunities in a game and generate only 3 shots on goal? It doesn't make sense. I realize you don't have a shooting lane on EVERY play, but you have to get dirty and generate some shots on goal.

3. And then there's the princess... I'm not sure what's going on with Captain Primadonna. I think he's a great stick-handler and has an awesome shot from the point, but he cannot outwork anyone on the boards. He gets checked off the puck easily and he doesn't seem to have the same passing ability that he had in years past. Do we trade him? Do we keep him as a rental? Do we keep hoping he'll sign? I'd love to keep him and his scoring ability but does he really deserve $11 million for 10 freakin years? Don't think so. Give him $9 million for 7 years, sign the contract, and tell him to get his head out of his ass. Period.

We'll see what the future holds. I hope we can get it together. This is my last year for a while as a season ticket holder. I have enjoyed my time thus far, but I'd hate to leave on such a negative note. Let's start winning some games and let me leave on a high note. No matter what, I still believe in Blueland. After all, that's the hockey way!

Welcome

Hey everyone. Thanks for visiting my blog. I've decided to write one and keep up with it to share what's going on in life. There will be a lot of changes coming up with me starting school soon so I wanted to keep you all informed. Check back for updates and all the latest happenings.