Update!

Allow me to describe my first week of rotations...

My first rotation is 3 weeks long (1.5 to go) and is based in Outpatient Counseling and Diabetes.  I work in two outpatient clinics at the JC (John Cochran Hospital) location.  In one clinic, I do diabetes counseling and in the other clinic I see patients for a variety of ailments including (but not limited to): weight loss, weight gain, malnutrition, High blood pressure, high triglycerides, high cholesterol, Gastroesophageal reflux disease (aka GERD).  The most eye opening experiences have been working with the diabetes patients and the patients who are underweight due to psychological reasons and HIV.

Before this rotation here were my thoughts: 

"diabetes should be pretty simple to figure out."

"I think i'll like counseling." 

"I hope I like working with the veterans."

Here are some of my thoughts (and actions) throughout the rotation thus far:

"I hate counseling"

"I want to go home"

"can I go back to bed?!"

"I didn't learn crap about diabetes in undergrad...what am I doing?!"

evolving to...

*crying

*anxiety

evolving further into:

"I'm starting to understand this diabetes stuff."

*enjoying the challenges of the learning process

*being OK with not knowing everything-that's why I'm here.

"I loooove the veterans!"

"Life is good."

A roller-coaster to say the least.  I felt so inadequate at first but my confidence has soared in the past 2 day.  A huge benefit to this job is that the mood at the hospital is always incredibly positive! I'm so amazed at how friendly and helpful everyone is-and the vets are no exception.  The veterans are absolutely wonderful and just being in their presence puts me in a better mood.  So far in outpatient they have been nothing but gracious, kind, and complimentary (really good for my ego).

Last Friday night we had a party at our house for all the interns (current and past SLU interns included).  We had over 50 people in our house- 4 were men.  It was a blast.

The festival of nations was also this weekend in the park by my house-tons of international food, entertainment and stuff to buy...here are some pics:)

Above: A whole lotta food booths and people