Speculative Speculum

There has been a lot going on over the last few weeks. I am registered at a different university to take genetics in the fall and biochemistry I in the winter semester. My sister graduated from BYU with her geology degree and has been in town for the last week (congrats Sarah). I’ve been studying like a mad woman for the MCAT. I’m getting consistent 10′s now in verbal and I’m working on getting the biology section up. I would like at least a 10-12 on the real test in this section. This month, I’ll be focusing on the physical science section since I’m behind in this area. The DO (AACOMAS) application system is open, and I’ve been busy filling out the information requested. My updated transcript also has already arrived to them. In June, I’ll get to submit even though I will be still waiting on my MCAT score that will come back in August.

The children are doing better. Everyone has been sick with colds and pink eye. D1 is into the Titanic right now. He went to the zoo on a field trip recently and had a good time. D2 has been sweet and helpful. D3 is getting so girly, and D4 (4.5 months old) is really interacting with everyone. Breastfeeding couldn’t be going any better. Also this week, we will tour a preschool in the area for next year for D2 and D3.

D4 is going to be 3 months tomorrow! I can’t believe how time flies when you’re having fun! Work is going great, and breastfeeding is still going well. My son’s school is closing after this year due to a budget deficit, and we are looking forward to sending our children to another school in the district. This first year of kindergarten has been very rough on D1, us as parents, and apparently the school. D1 is the best kid at home, but at school he seems to not be able to do anything that his teacher likes. We’ve gotten nothing but negative letters, phone calls, and emails ranging from complaints about how he likes to dress to acting “childish” in class. I’ve been tempted to pull him out of school a dozen times this year since this environment doesn’t appear to be good for us or them. It will be great to start anew with a different school and teacher. From this experience, I can understand why parents choose to homeschool their children.

The other kids are doing okay, and MCAT studying is going smoothly. I registered for the July 26, 2013 exam to be taken at the university closest to my home. I’m so exicited to get this beast taken care of. Furthermore, I thought more about where I am going to apply. There is another MD school (Western Michigan) opening! Yay! I also created an e-mail account specifically for medical school applications so that I don’t miss a single notification.

There isn’t much new around here. I’ve been thinking a little bit about the next medical school application cycle that begins in June. D1 turned six and got a Nintendo DS for his birthday. D2 and D3 have been getting into things, but I think that they are getting stir crazy from being inside so much all winter. D4 (two months old) is growing big and smiles and coos often. I also turned the big “30″ last week. I don’t feel any different, but man that’s getting up there! My family made my birthday extra special. I love them so much! My PEG tube site is also healing more and doesn’t leak.

I’ve also started studying for the MCAT the most seriously since the fall when I got invited to a medical school interview without even having an MCAT score and then rejected. I’m documenting my progress under “MCAT Journal” so people can see how others study while working and having children.

We’ve had warm weather here in Michigan lately. Yesterday, the kids actually played with the hose and got soaked. However, we’re still gearing up for Halloween. The youngest two are going to be garden gnomes, and the oldest is going to be Luigi from Mario brothers (his friend from school is going to be Mario). Also, the kids went to the dentist for the first time. They did great and had no cavities! We are very proud of them.

I got another iron transfusion today, and my last one will be next week. I think that they are helping me, overall. Also, next week I start fetal NSTs twice weekly until I deliver (part of a pre-eclampsia protocol since I had it twice before although mild cases with each). It’s going to be a really busy holiday season this year. Oh and the Joint Commission finally came to our hospital, and I guess that we did really well. Yes!

On the MCAT front, I’m almost done with the BR biology book one. I’m also working through the second BR biology book. Chad’s videos are helping me through the second book since I have not had biochemistry. I’m doing all the biology EK 1001 book and about a passage a day from the TPR science workbook. With my health not being so great lately and a new baby on the way, I’ve decided to take it easy and not take the MCAT until the spring of next year. That means, I will not be filling out any of the secondaries that I received and will not apply to the MSBS program that I was thinking of. June of 2013 (application time) will be here before I know it. Hopefully, this means that I will rock the MCAT going through all the information that the major test prep companies have to offer.

Everything looks good with D4 (now 29 weeks). She weighs approximately three pounds and seven ounces plus or minus five ounces according to the ultrasound. Today I go in to have another Venofer transfusion, so hopefully, I start to have more energy soon.

Last night, I got locked in my daughter’s room. This is not conducive to MCAT studying. The kids were safe, but it really sucked to spend hours trapped in a room when there is so much to do. I had to wait until my husband came home after one AM to get me out. My daughter thought that it was party time and would not go to bed for anything.

I passed the one-hour glucose test with a blood sugar of 89. Yahoo! I took my blood sugar in the ER right before I went to have it drawn in the lab, and it was 137, so I was a little freaked out that I wouldn’t pass it. I was really kicking myself for eating a big lunch and then taking the test. I guess that lab trumps our glucometer which I have now determined is a piece of crap. Other than that, my labs look great except for my hemoglobin and hematocrit (9.6 and 31.4 respectively). They still aren’t that bad, however I predict Venofer infusions in my future eventually as the pregnancy progresses a little more.

The secondaries are rolling in since my application was sent to the schools that I applied to today. It’s a little exciting since I don’t have an MCAT score. I didn’t think that I’d get very many if any at all until I take the test. Several months from now, I’ll compose a list of schools that send out secondaries without an official MCAT.

I finished the endocrine and reproductive sections of the BR and EK books. I’m glad that these are a little easier for me. Verbal has been going well, and I’ve been doing about three passages daily from BR. I want to use BR up because they are not as good supposedly as EK and TPR. I also finished the first chapter of BR physics and reviewed the first chapter of EK general chemistry. I feel really behind, and the MCAT is four months from now.