Scrubs, Pilot Episode

Gah. (strangled gasp). Orientation week is over, and, not feeling very oriented, I am starting on the VA wards on Monday.

This past week has been spent trying to forget this fact. This past Monday our intern class had a ropes challenge course as a team-building exercise. It was a great way to meet people, and I really like our class. I recognized several other interns from interviews. Monday night we went to a bar called Forest Room 5 for the evening social event. It was a beautiful evening out, with the distant sound of Blackhawk helicopters swarming through downtown and military peeps rappelling onto the top of skyscrapers, purportedly in preparation for the Democratic National Convention come August. Tuesday we all got our embroidered, long white coats that are all a size too big for us. Wednesday through Friday were spent getting parking, getting computer orientation on about ten different programs, and collecting our stack of ID badges which we will wear around our necks on no less than three lanyards. Highlight---I also received my business cards that I can hand out to people in the ER if I like them and want them to be my patients. Friday night we had a pool party at the Stapleton Puddle Jumper Pool, by the old Denver airport. We had the best BBQ from Famous Dave's there. Today, Saturday, about ten of us interns drove out to Boulder to hike up to Bear's Peak, in the Flatiron Mountains. It was seven miles round trip, and we gained about 2500 feet in elevation over the last mile. SO HARD!!! But, the view of snow-capped mountains and the clear blue skies was so worth it.
We stopped at the 7/11 on the way home for Cherry Limeade Slurpees. Delicious and very summery. Then I put on my suit, swam for about 45 seconds at our apartment complex pool, which was very frigid, and afterwards sat in the 90 degree heat reading my "Intern Survival Guide." Hah.

Here is a picture of my roommate, Lauren, me, and my classmate from med school, Ben, on the top of Mount Evans last week.

Ashley, Andy, and everyone else, thank you for the lovely birthday card! I would love to host you at the end of October. My vacation is from October 11-19. I am starting on the cardiology floor at UCH after that, but we can definitely still hang out in the evenings. Did I mention that I am on call overnight at the VA on our very first day, June 23, which also happens to be my birthday??? I am hoping that means I will be a white cloud. Bless you if you actually read this whole blog, and wish me luck because I am scared!!!