Happy Easter

I took this picture at the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem- this is the tomb representative of where Jesus was buried and from which he rose. No one knows if this is the actual tomb, but I love this sign that is on the door to the tomb.

Have a great day celebrating. We have much to be thankful for!

Wait

I read this poem from my cousin Stacy's blog and wanted to share it with everyone.

If you read her blog it is the incredible story of a God who loves us and who is working in our lives in ways much more amazing than we could have ever asked or imagined.

I hope this poem encourages you!

Stacy if you read this thank you for your vulnerability and incredible perspective on all that you and Ryan have experienced in the past several years. Myself and countless others are blessed by your transparency. I can't wait to see your children!

Transplant

Well the word is out. I'm planning to specialize in transplant surgery. I've met with some of the transplant surgeons who seem very enthusiastic about training me over the next 7 or 8 (yes, that's not a typo) years and I'm meeting with the transplant chairman soon to plan for the coming years. I'm ridiculously excited about it and therefore I'm sure those I've spoken with recently have heard entirely too much about it. I never would have seen this one coming. Of all the specialties I have pondered this one never made the list. The lifestyle can be insane, although I've learned that it doesn't have to be. The lifestyle has kept me from deciding sooner and if anything causes me to change my mind down the road it would be the potentially long and irregular hours.
Here are the reasons I'm taking the leap:

• Transplant truly changes and saves lives. We snatch people within days of dying from liver failure and give them a new chance at life. We free individuals from 3 days per week of hemodialysis. Diabetics are done with insulin injections and saved from any further devastating effects of diabetes.
• I like maximally invasive surgery and that is precisely what transplant surgery is- the only time we do laparascopic surgery is to take kidneys out of donors. In general I don't really enjoy working through tiny holes- I like having blood and bowels in my hands to feel most effective.
• The surgeries are incredible- I will train to transplant the liver, kidney, pancreas, small intestine and what is called a multivisceral transplant where you transplant several organs at once- often a liver, small intestine, stomach and possibly pancreas and kidney. In the multivisceral transplant you basically take all the organs out and have an empty abdomen and then put the new ones in.
• The procurement (going to get the organs from the donor) is amazing as well.
• I will do transplants in people of all ages: infants through the elderly which provides a nice variety and different technical challenges.
• The future of transplant is intellectually stimluating! Xenotransplantation- basically taking organs out of pigs and other animals and placing them in humans. I will work in the lab of one of the premier transplant surgeons in the country. Many believe that he will likely be the first to figure out how to prepare the immune system to successfully do this. Can anyone say Nobel Prize?
• This may sound crazy but I like the setup of the transplant system, at least here at IU. I get along phenomenally well with the transplant pharmacists, NPs, nurses, case managers and other team members. In general surgery the patients are scattered all over with dozens of nurses and support staff taking care of them but with the transplant patients they are all huddled in one unit with the same pharmacists, nurses, secretaries, care coordinators... and it builds a comraderie that I love. I'm even trying to coordinate a flag football game with all the transplant nurses.

I am full of about as many questions as you might be. I have no idea what my life will look like. What I do know is that I am in a position to not only be on the cutting edge of transplant surgery in the US but to help developing countries begin transplant programs. This leads not only to higher qualities of living but is also much more cost-effective than a lifetime of dialysis or other medical support.

I keep thinking of Eric Liddell in Chariots of Fire who said, "I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure." God has made me to glorify Him and I truly believe that one big vehicle for me to do that is through transplant surgery.

Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday is usually a holiday that gets overshadowed by Easter for me. This year, having been to Jerusalem last year, the day has much greater significance. These pictures are from mom and I walking the "Palm Sunday Road" where Jesus triumphantly entered into Jerusalem- with the view he had from the Mount of Olives leading into Jerusalem. Sorry they are microscopic- I'm going through a computer transition and they are all I could do from snapfish.

As he rode in majestically I love what he said when the Pharisees tried to silence the crowds, "If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!" The work of God cannot be stopped.

Jesus entered Jerusalem knowing what would take place. As He approached Jerusalem he said, "I wish that even today you would find the way of peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from you. Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you. They will crush you to the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you have rejected the opportunity God offered you."

Jesus' words came to fruition shortly thereafter when the temple was destroyed in 70AD. Today the Western Wall, which is part of the western retaining wall of the temple mount, is the only remnant of the Temple from the days of Christ. The Foundation Stone, which is where the Dome of the Rock (one of the holiest sites for Muslims) stands now, is also believed by many to be the spot of the Holy of holies from the Temple. Hence the tension between the Muslims and Jews for access to this site.

Here are Mark Beeson's (senior pastor at Granger Community Church) words on this day:

"On the day Christians celebrate the Prince of Peace riding into Jerusalem, North Korea does a product demonstration for potential buyers of nuclear weapon delivery systems - with free advertising from the American Press. This week, the cover of Newsweek magazine proclaims - in the bold shape of a cross - "The Decline and Fall of Christian America."
The world is watching. I can't help but wonder what the people of the world see.
The One riding into Jerusalem was hailed as king, but who guessed by week's end He would rise from the grave?
But will the world see Jesus this week?Will the world see Love, Forgiveness and Hope?
Or will the world see no better way than the path of hate, fear and decline?
The world is watching. What does your life proclaim?
If others do what you do this week, what will the world see?If others say what you say this week, what will the world hear?If others emulate your manner, what message will be communicated? Hope or despair? Courage or fear? Confidence or discouragement?
What will your life proclaim during Holy Week?
You get to decide."
John 12:12-13 - On the next day the large crowd who had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet Him, and began to shout, "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord , even the King of Israel."

My heart

Just a quick update for those of you who are aware that I've had some "issues" with my heart and who know that there have been some recent problems as a result. Basically I've had an occasional abnormal heart rhythm and exceptionally fast rate that is usually associated with exercise but occasionally it happens randomly.

I had what I thought was an exhaustive workup at the beginning of medical school, but this year I was denied disability insurance because there hasn't been a diagnosis attached to my symptoms. Now I know some people aren't supporters of insurance, but I am (especially given my tendency to injure myself and enjoyment for more high-risk activities) and will save that dialogue for another day. I have had some recent concerning symptoms and went to see a cardiac electrophysiologist here in Indy for what I thought would be simply the beginning of annual EKGs and routine follow-up.

He is a leader in the field, covered with my insurance plan and so I thought the man I picked was a great selection. During my first appointment he went crazy on the fact that I need a diagnosis and came up with these over-the-top tests we could do. He threw out words like pheochromocytoma, electrophysiology lab, implantable cardiac monitor... all of which seemed a little aggressive.

Needless to say I was taken aback and resistant to this. We reached a compromise and so far I have had another echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart) and all sorts of external monitoring. I just got a new device yesterday that will monitor my heart at all times externally and I am off my heart medication to try and unmask the "events".

We'll see what happens, but I think we've decided that if this comes back ok we will be done and he will give me the diagnosis "benign inappropriate sinus tachycardia" and hopefully I can get disability insurance and rest assured once again that my heart is ok.

Shoulda woulda coulda

I'm trying to pick a new computer unless I am able to resuscitate mine in the next few days with the help of tech-savvy friends (hence the sparse blogs...plus my life is thoroughly out of control). Any suggestions? I'm leaning away from a mac since I will be doing research and using programs regularly that aren't mac-compatible. I've gone with Dell before, but am open to Sony or another brand.

Mexico

I don't have the time or energy to load any pictures (not that I took many) but here are a few highlights of Puerto Vallarta:

• sleep- I slept 11-12 hours every night for a week. It was ridiculous but oh so wonderful
• the sun- I hadn't seen the light of day in a long time and it was great to bask in it
• hanging out with my parents- it was great to spend a week with them catching up and laughing
• crazy tour guide man who thought I was 12 or something. he was talking to me in an incredibly condescending juvenile way. he asked if I saw santa claus when we celebrated Christmas in Mexico a few years ago. he pointed out pineapples under a tree like I didn't know what a pineapple was. My mom, continuing in the fun, pointed out bananas and other items to try and bring me to a 5th grade vocabulary.
• eating on the beach. it is one of my favorite things to do and we biked to a restaurant on the beach for lunch a couple of days.
• watching the bachelor with my parents. my dad actually sat through the whole finale and after the final rose drama. good times...
• reading for fun. it was so great to read a couple of novels for the pure pleasure of it.
• the spa- hot tub, steam room, sauna, rain shower... so much so that I went twice a day on a couple of occasions.
• the food. i ate enough chips and salsa to last a year.
• getting a tan. i know it is superficial but it feels good to have some color to my skin and blonder hair.

Thanks mom and dad for a great week!