July 2011
2 posts
Zac Brown Band- Make This Day
wonderfully happy...
Physician Assistant- Certified!
About a week ago, I learned that I PASSED my board exams with flying colors! Woohoo! This means that I am now Kassidy K. Lyons, PA-C! I have submitted my paperwork to obtain an Iowa License, which is required to practice for my job with the University of Iowa Community Medical Services.
My hard work for the past 25 months—actually 5 years, since I decided to work towards becoming a PA my...
June 2011
5 posts
Board Exams Tomorrow
300 questions in 5 blocks of 60 questions each. 45 minutes of breaks total that I may take in between blocks. All to add a “C” (Certified) behind my name!
This is Funny →
The Place That Beckons Us...
We dwell in our homes and our homes dwell in us. It lingers when we leave. Beckons when we’re weary. It is the place that gives us comfort and ease. Home is the one place where we can simply be. Where we can find our way in the dark. Where we can identify the sounds of our children’s bare feet on the floorboards, trace the same path of sunlight across the dining room wall—from spring through...
Graduated!
but not yet finished.
Our program wanted us to walk onstage with all the D.O.s and physical therapists, etc so we actually graduated three weeks before we will finish.
I have finished all three written comprehensive exams (and passed!) as well as one computer-based practice board exam. Next week I have a final SPAL (patient simulation case with a written note and oral report), final SIM...
May 2011
5 posts
Cell Phones Possibly Carcinogenic, WHO Says
Really?? Short answer= well, we’re not sure…
Medscape Medical News
Roxanne Nelson
May 31, 2011 — The World Health Organization (WHO) announced today that radiation from cell phones can possibly cause cancer. According to the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), radiofrequency electromagnetic fields have been classified as possibly carcinogenic to...
Wow it's here?!??
By “it”, I mean my 25th (and last!) month of school. I start back on Thursday after three days off in which I will attend appointments I have been putting off, attempt to study, continue wedding “to-do’s”, and try to figure out what in the world I am doing!
In some ways, the past two years have been the longest of my life. PA School has been stressful (to say the...
Wonderful Morning
Got up after sleeping in and did a long run in beautiful 60-degree sunshine! So refreshing! Followed that with our first batch of homemade hummus on the new food processor and some leisurely time with my fiance and roommate. Very needed.
Love love love.
Fleetwood Mac- The Chain →
Internal Med Hospitalist
This marks week 2 of my internal medicine rotation at a hospital. The doctor does both clinic and hospital (less frequent these days) but because of that, the medical student I am working with and myself have pretty long days. I am learning but my preceptor is intense.
We have an assigned presentation to give next week (mine is on my birthday!), so I haven’t gotten as much time to focus on...
April 2011
3 posts
Starting to Feel Like the Bride!
We are down to three months until our wedding, and I am finally starting to feel like a bride. Sure, there has been lots of planning and talking about getting married…but now even the smaller details are getting crossed off my list.
The bridal shower my aunts threw for me on Saturday also helped. :) I really appreciated all of their preparation, decor, and homemade sangria! Several of my...
April
Neurosurgery= done; lots of spinal surgeries, a few brain surgeries. Assisting in surgery wasn’t too hard and I certainly learned a lot in clinic. However, don’t think I could handle the emotions that inevitably follow trauma once the call is taken care of.
OB-GYN: begun; first day in clinic today with around a 60:40 ratio of gyn patients to obstetric patients. I really enjoy it...
Best moment of Neurosurgery thus far...
Sterility in surgery is of the utmost importance. After we scrub in we can only touch items on the table, and our hands can only be held from the table height to mid-chest height. Scratching your face, adjusting fogged goggles, anything of the sort is out of the question. Even accidental brushes against something non-sterile requires a new set of gloves to be opened up for you.
The OR really...
March 2011
8 posts
Noah & the Whale- 5 Years' Time →
super fun.
Grace Potter & the Nocturnals- Paris (OohLaLa) →
rockalicious.
Looking Ahead
I’m in the last few days of my general surgical rotation. Hours have not been as bad as expected, although we’ve had a few long days. I’m only occasionally embarrassed by my preceptor, who can be fairly demanding.
Next I’m back in Des Moines, where I will be doing two weeks of neurosurgery (and hopefully working alongside a former UNI classmate who is a PA there)....
Weekend Resident
I can’t wait to be in one place during the week and on the weekends. Excited to be in iowa City full-time with W.
Iron & Wine- Cinder and Smoke
Urbana-Champaign Research Team Featured on Fox... →
My brother is brilliant. =)
Vanderbilt-pioneered fetal surgery positive →
This is amazing.
Surgery
This month I’m working surgery at Covenant in Waterloo. Let’s just say I was more than a little anxious. Fortunately, it hasn’t been quite the craziness I was dreading. Still crazy, but manageable.
I assist my doctor in the operating room, which means I try to find him first, then scrub in, hold retractors/ pass instruments, work the camera in laparoscopic surgeries, and suture...
February 2011
2 posts
Me Want to Go Here... →
or there…or that one too…
Behold! The Daily Meal’s list of Best Restaurants!
Creston & Internal Medicine
This month I’m working in Creston, IA at an internal medicine clinic. Creston is about an hour southwest of Des Moines, and three hours from Iowa City. Fortunately, one of W’s classmates is from Creston and her parents are gracious enough to let me stay for the month. I’m getting away pretty lucky with this one—not only are they fun to be around but I also get my own...
January 2011
2 posts
Emergency Medicine
Soooo I’ve realized I will probably not work in the ER in the future. My preceptor this month is great and INCREDIBLY smart. However, it’s at a pace and dealing with problems that are fairly stressful for me. I’ve gotten fairly used to handling much more serious situations and suture at least one patient every shift. I’m comfortable with handling an acute belly and can deal...
Bird Dancing to Whip My Hair →
the original song is by Will Smith’s daughter.
Goodbye 2010 and helloooOOOooo 2011!
A quick note before an evening with friends:
Many memorable events occurred in 2010…I was able to go to Nashville for Spring Break as well as for W’s graduation from his Master’s program at Vanderbilt (loved those breaks away and with him!), finished the *hardest* school year ever and began clinical experiences, watched UNI surprise everyone in the NCAA tourney, spent time with...
December 2010
5 posts
Post-Christmas
Christmas was great—just seeing family and friends really brightened my spirits. I miss getting to see my bro and his wife. Trying to get things accomplished while hanging out with W in Cedar Rapids now…def don’t want to do the school stuff or even think about what I need to prepare for with Emergency Medicine next. A little nervous about that—not knowing what to expect or...
Counting Down til Christmas!
(wrote this last week and forgot to post…)
Obviously, the more time I spend with Wei-erh/family means the fewer updates my blog receives. But that’s OK. I’ve been working out an hour to an hour and a half six days per week with PX90, an intense DVD workout system. It’s designed as a three- month program with a different workout every day for three weeks, an easier week, then a new program...
Haven’t updated the blog for awhile because life, work, and commuting kept me pretty busy. I’m at Penn Mental Health/ Methodist Hospital in DSM until Christmas. Just starting to do pt histories by myself, and trying to keep up with all the medicines! (generic and trade name and pharmacological class) Pdychiatry meds are a bit more difficult because we use some for both their indication...
Relient K-Sleigh Ride →
November 2010
2 posts
A Day in the Life of Internal Medicine
As you probably know, I’m working at Waterloo Internal Medicine (inside Allen Hospital) for this month. Definitely challenging because it’s bringing me face-to-face with many acute and/or complex problems I haven’t had to deal with yet. Cardiology. Pulmonology. Renal. Emergency Med. And all in the same patient!
Fascinating. Yet, I’m noticing an recurring theme that I...
“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of...”
– Mary Anne Radmacher (via kari-shma)
November Rotation
This month I’m back in D-town while I’m doing an Internal Medicine rotation at Allen. Hoping to learn a lot and have a little fun, too!
October 2010
6 posts
Peds...Raynauds...
I seem to be catching on to the practice of pediatrics. I’m remembering more and actually differentiating between some tricky ear infections. Apparently that tympanic membrane, once you actually do locate it, can vary quite a bit from what I had seen in adults. But today I nailed one ear infection and one eardrum that was just pink from the child running around. Sweet. Still have a long way...
Switchfoot- You Already Take Me There →
I love the phrase “Heaven in the Here and Now”. What does that mean to you? And how do we make that happen?
Nope, Not Having Kids for Awhile
I love getting to work with kids at the Des Moines Pediatric and Adolescent Clinic. Don’t get me wrong. They’re usually much more fun than adults. However, I also like leaving the office and not having screaming kids around or little Johnny tugging at my pantleg wanting to show me the boogers in his nose. The past week has taught me much about children and their development—I...
Stuck Like Glue
So here I am, at the end of yet another rotation. I definitely have learned a good amount from this one but am ready to move on. Things I am excited for:
*Being with W this weekend. ‘Nuff said!
*Heading to Des Moines in October for Pediatrics and staying with my parents!
*Shopping in DSM!
*WEDDING PLANNING! finally making lots of progress. current project: flowers!!
*Hawkeye football v...
"Goldilocks' Planet's Temperature Just Right for... →
freakin’ awesome.
September 2010
11 posts
The Nadas- Long Goodbye →
Nursing Home Rounds
Today I made the rounds at two local nursing homes with my Physician Assistant preceptor. Regardless of how one feels about nursing homes, they are never happy places. Sure, patients can do fine there, but I always leave with guilty and sad feelings.
Makes me thankful for my abilities now and renews a need to enjoy life now as much as I can.
21 Secrets to Getting the Job →
Helpful advice to all of us keeping our eyes open for that job opportunity!
Laser Away Your Fat (no joke) →
I’m guessing this treatment is insanely expensive, but I’ve already heard of some alternative medical persons providing it.
Psychologists Identify Killer Dance Moves for Men →
can’t touch this.
next up...
Toledo! My last family practice rotation. I will be staying with my grandparents in my hometown, then returning to Iowa City on the weekends. Sad to have my week off over, but excited to learn more and increase my confidence and skills.
W & I recently returned from a weekend trip to Champaign, IL to see my twin brother and sister-in-law. We also brought along our roommate Alanna, who happens...
MLK III: Still Striving for MLK's Dream in the... →
SNL digital short →