Medicine & Manicures

Friday Five: What’s On My Mind

I don’t know about yall, but I’m so glad that it’s finally Friday!! I feel like I don’t do anything exciting during the week anymore because I’m either working, studying, or being too tired to do anything else. However, weekends mean I get to do fun things and I’m so ready to see Ryan and my besties! Here are five things that are currently on my mind:

One // What’s on my mind the most lately? I’m so over the cold, that’s all there is to it. Sure, it’s fine around the holidays but once Christmas is over, I’m ready for spring time. I’m also over the darkness. Going to work in the dark and getting home after dark gets old.. on top of the fact that it has been foggy and rainy all week. I need some sunshine in my life, people!!

Pretty much the story of my life in the winter time…

Two // My engagement ring is a little big at the moment and I was going to get it sized, but think it may be best to wait until summer since fingers tend to shrink in the winter time. I’ve heard of the ring “snuggies” but they just didn’t look too comfortable, and then I came across the Ring Noodle on Amazon. If you have any rings that are too big or just waiting to get one sized like me, I highly recommend these! They have a curve to them (unlike the basic snuggie) and I don’t even feel like it’s there!

What it looks like on my hand… not too bad!

Three // I’m having Bachelor withdrawals. For now, there is just no way I can commit 2-3 hours per week to this cheesy but super addicting show (plus, I’m not that crazy about “Prince Farming”). I do miss it though! All you Bachelor fans be honest- should I catch up on the past two shows when I get a chance or is this season mediocre?

Four // I’m so excited for not one, but two date nights this weekend with my handsome fiancé! We’re going to see American Sniper tonight (at 10pm, let’s pray I don’t fall asleep). It looks like an amazing movie and I’ll be back with a full report on Monday. We’re also meeting my old roommate and her new fiancé for restaurant week on Saturday to catch up and enjoy some good eats.

Five // I’m taking my very first train ride today on the good ‘ol Amtrack! My weeks have been super busy and like I said before, I don’t get too much accomplished at night because I’m just beat. With me going to Charlotte these back-to-back weekends, I thought it would be a good idea to use that travel time to do something productive, so hopefully I’ll feel all caught up on life when I get back on Sunday!

I hope everyone has a great weekend- I have another busy one on the books and am most excited for my friend Katie’s bridal shower!! May will be here before we know it and I’m so excited for all the upcoming wedding festivities!
Linking with Christina & Amanda.



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What's Happening in OB


My first week in OB/GYN was a busy one, for sure. Some rotations are more relaxed than others but as far as this one goes, there’s barely any time to sit down. This is why it’s been a little hard to keep up with blogging lately. My office is about 35 minutes away so by the time I make two commutes and get home, all I want to do is lay around. Studying and logging all the patients I see is the last, and I mean very last thing I want to do, but it’s gotta be done. Anyways, enough of me being dramatic and onto what’s happening in my OB/GYN rotation! 







On my first day, I mostly shadowed my preceptor. For me, it’s the best way to feel them out and see how they like to do things. I got a tour of the office and jumped right in to seeing patients with my doctor. All of a sudden it was almost lunch time and he said “let’s go to the hospital, I have a C-section.” Ahhhhh! I was freaking out a tiny bit inside because 1) this was my first surgical rotation and 2) I hadn’t really prepared for the steps of a C-section, other than reviewing some suturing. I’ve learned quickly that sometimes it’s best to just get thrown in there and try, even if you may not know all the answers. The highlights from the c-section were that the umbilical cord is actually very colorful (bright blue & purple), the placenta looks like something that would be found on an alien, and I actually got to suture some of the muscle & skin layers! It’s a lot different from suturing in the ER- all the instruments are so much bigger and things are much more slippery- I was definitely sweating a little bit because I felt like I had all eyes on me, but it was a great experience! 












OB/GYN has two parts (obviously). Obstetrics is for all the future mommas out there- this includes prenatal visits, actually delivering the babies, and postpartum care. Gynecology is for all of us girls out there and mostly consists of complete physical exams, pap smears, problem visits, hysterectomies, etc. OB intimidated me at first because it’s foreign territory. I just thought the moms would be super protective and wouldn’t want a student messing with their baby, but I was wrong. Now the OB visits are probably my favorite (they’re so quick!) and I’ve learned so much.








My fetal doppler is my little buddy that hangs out with me all day. When I see a pregnant patient, I always find the baby’s heartbeat with the doppler (if they’re far along enough) then give my go at the ultrasound machine. Something else that’s intimidating. My class got a very veryyyy basic understanding of ultrasounds in our training because that just isn’t one of the skills that we have to have, but you can choose to learn more if you want. Thank goodness for ultrasound techs! I have gone from seeing nothing but complete blobs on the screen to now being able to find the heartbeat for the mom to visualize and hear. It’s pretty cool! 












I haven’t seen any deliveries yet, but it’s only week two so hopefully some babies will pop out any day now. Fridays are our OR days and last week I got to watch a DaVinci hysterectomy. This is a robot-assisted surgery where one surgeon sits in a corner of the room and controls two of the instruments like a video game and the other surgeon stands by the patient to assist. High tech. I didn’t actually get hands on in this one, but it was cool to see what a laparoscopic surgery looks like. We had the lights dim and the tunes going and it definitely helped time go by more quickly.







Now this is for all you mommas out there. I would love to hear any funny or crazy stories that you’ve experienced at the OB office, if you’re willing to share! And I leave you with this funny cartoon. Since I’m Russian, I thought it was fitting! 








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Weekending: Bridal 101

Is the weekend over already?? Say it isn’t so! After a long but successful first week in my rotation, I made the drive back to the QC for a busy and fun-filled weekend! Let’s jump right into the recap because I have lots of good news to share in this post!! 
This weekend was about all things bridal. On Saturday, Logan and I went to meet with a florist, grabbed lunch at Cowfish, then headed to my first bridal appointment. So much excitement!!! Winnie Couture is a new bridal boutique that just opened up on Selwyn Avenue in Charlotte so we decided to check it out. 
If you know me, you know that I’m very indecisive (one of my worst qualities) and also very picky. I honestly didn’t think that I’d find the dress that had all the qualities that I wanted, it was only my fist appointment after all. Well… I actually found not one, but two dresses that I was in love with and couldn’t decide which one I loved more. #brideproblems. Also knowing myself, there is no way I could buy a dress during my very first appointment, even though they were having a sale. This girl has to shop around and see what’s out there before committing to a dress, but it was so much fun to try them on. And so the search continues!!

Sunday was a long day full of more wedding planning. Ryan, Logan & I headed to The Bridal Showcase at the convention center to get ideas, meet vendors, and munch on lots of free samples of cake! It was SO much fun and it was so cool to be the bride- everyone wants to know the details of your big day and I just felt so much excitement and happiness! I loved getting tons of free goodies but the best part of the day was definitely saved for last.


Lots of pretty flowers all around!
Brides searching for rings in a giant cake which each represented a different prize… wish I could’ve joined in!


Ryan was a trooper and I’m so glad he came to the show with me- luckily he squeezed in some football game between all the vendor shopping.

If you didn’t catch it on Instagram, I was in for some major excitement yesterday. The Knot was hosting a giveaway featuring vendors such as a photographer, videographer, florist, planner, etc. and you had one card to drop in a box for the chance to win a prize from that vendor. The florist walked on stage and I grabbed Logan’s arm because I had this feeling, but honestly didn’t think I’d win. There were a lot of cards in her box. Well, sure enough they announced my name and I jumped up and screamed like a little kid!! It was so exciting!!! Ryan couldn’t find our seats so he was across the room but luckily was prepared and got it on video. Isn’t he the best?!? Our luck has been pretty good lately and I couldn’t be more excited to win this prize ($1000 towards flowers… eeek!). I had actually already met with this florist so it worked out perfectly and I can’t wait to see the amazing flowers on our wedding day!


 
With Karen from Lily Greenthumb’s… my official florist!
Last, but certainly not least, I’m so excited to announce my maid-of-honor!! (More on how I asked later). Logan has been one of my very best friends since college and is pretty much like a sister to me. She has already been doing MOH duties for a while now like looking at venues and making my dress appointment, so I know she will do an amazing job helping me plan for the big day and I can’t wait for all the fun festivities (especially the bachelorette party!!!). 
I’m still smiling about this weekend- from dress shopping to winning wedding flowers, the whole concept of being a bride is feeling so real right now. It still feels like I just got engaged, but I already have so much planned and love checking things off the list- one more vendor down and I’m locking some more in this week! The weekend just went by way too fast and now it’s back to work at the office- hopefully I’ll get to see a delivery this week. I hope y’all have a fabulous week!!





Linking with Biana & Meghan.







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Weekending: New Year, New Rotation


Hello, friends!! Today’s the day- my break is officially over, I’m back in Raleigh, and am on to my next rotation- OB/GYN! I hope all of you had a a great weekend- mine wasn’t too eventful but let’s jump right in to my short but sweet recap! 









Ryan & I went to the Hornets/Cavs game on Friday and it was a fun time as always. I swear the Hornets always put up such a good fight until the end (there were definitely some great dunks this game) but somehow we manage to lose only by a few points. Another bummer was that Ryan is a huge LeBron fan and was so excited for this Cavs game… only to find out that LeBron is injured and didn’t even make the flight down. But we still have a great time and enjoyed some good halftime entertainment and even an appearance by Sir Purr.










Ryan & I got our latest engagement present… a Dyson! Thanks to Ryan’s mom for this awesome (and practical) gift. Originally we thought the stick version would be better since it was lighter and cordless. Here’s a word to the wise- don’t buy this one unless you’re getting a second “spare” vacuum. The thing I hated the most was that it has a “trigger” on button, so you have to hold it down the whole time you’re vacuuming (Ryan failed to mention that little detail when he was researching). No thanks. Also, the can is so tiny. We vacuumed our area run and bedroom and it was full. Oh, and the charge only lasts like 6 minutes… do I need to go on? Needless to say we ended up returning it and went with the original Dyson and we love it so far! 










Ryan, Logan, Katie & I chatted over some Dunkin’ Donuts on Saturday morning then it was packing time. And let me tell you, packing for 2 months = a lot of baggage. I was pretty sad to leave my fiancé but luckily I’ll be back the next two weekends! He headed to tailgate for the Panthers playoff game (yay for a win!) and I made the 3 hour drive back to my apartment. 









It was definitely great to catch up with the roomies, feels like I haven’t seen them in forever! Yesterday was spent doing super fun stuff like unpacking, doing laundry, grocery shopping, and studying. Y’all gotta wish me luck on this rotation… it makes me a little nervous! Women and babies… all day every day. Don’t know how I feel about it yet but I’ll definitely be writing a post in the near future so be on the lookout. Who knows, maybe I’ll deliver a baby by the end of the week! 









Linking with Biana & Meghan for weekending. 







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Five Goals for 2015

Here it is- my first post of 2015! It’s going to be a great year… I can feel it! I thought I would be staying in on New Years Eve, but Ryan & I ended up hanging out with some of our friends here at the condo then went out to a nearby bar for some drinks. Sometimes the most fun nights are the ones that are unexpected! I didn’t make any specific resolutions, but I do have a few goals in mind for the next year. Every year is a chance to grow, accomplish new things, and learn a thing or two. Here are 5 of my goals for 2015!

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A Look Back at 2014

Happy New Year’s Eve/ December 31st/ last day of 2014!! This year was definitely one of my best, if not THE best to date! So many wonderful things have happened and I could not be more thankful for my fiancé, friends, and family. I loved how Katie did her recap post by breaking up the biggest moments into months so I’m following the trend! Here are my highlights from 2014 (along with some of my favorite outfit posts)!! Ps. Congratulations to Rachel Maleady for winning the $25 gift card to The Mint Julep Boutique!! I’ll be emailing you shortly 🙂
January
After a glorious month off for Christmas, I headed back to PA school and jumped back into the books. This semester was a little more bearable than the first and our favorite part was definitely surgery lab. Gowning, gloving, scrubbing, cutting things open and suturing them back together was the highlight of our week!
February 
I spent my 3rd Valentine’s Day with my sweetheart! I unwrapped a Diamonds Direct box and got a little nervous… but luckily they were a pair of beautiful diamond studs, phew! He knew not to propose on Valentine’s Day. That weekend I also got asked to be a bridesmaid in my friend Katie’s wedding and I cannot wait until May for all the festivities!
March
A much needed spring break was in order so Ryan & I flew down to his parents’ condo in Naples, Florida to enjoy some sun, sand, and relaxation. Oh, and great food. Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion was the highlight of our trip- their butterfish is the best fish I’ve ever had in my life. 
April
I’m partial to April because it’s my birthday month and I turned 25 this year- a quarter of a century!! I got to celebrate in Raleigh with my friends and went out to a nice dinner in Charlotte with Ryan. Another big event that I helped plan was our Campbell Health Spring Fling Mixer. It was a blast, but I learned that being a party planner is no easy job!
May
May was my month for traveling. I got to go to Boston with my classmates (and Ryan!) for the national PA conference and got to participate in the AAPA Challenge Bowl- basically like medical jeopardy. The trip was a blast and I always love the chance to explore a new city.
June
In June I had such a great weekend with friends and family. My uncle was visiting from Russia and I hadn’t seen him since I was 4 years old, so it was great to show him around Charlotte! We also went to the beach… a lot. Living so close to Wilmington definitely has its perks.
July
I finished my first year of PA school (yes!!) and Ryan & I headed up to New York to celebrate the 4th and our friends Jordan & Alexa’s wedding. It was great to see all of our “northern” friends and it was definitely a great party. We also went to the Justin Timberlake concert this month… best concert I’ve ever been to. I still get chills thinking about it!! 
August
We celebrated Ryan’s 30th birthday (that’s a big one!) and I headed back to Raleigh to start my clinical rotation year of PA school… time to actually work and see patients!! We also released our super awesome medical rap music video to “Paris” and it was one of the most fun things I’ve ever done! My class is pretty awesome and we definitely know how to make PA school fun. If you haven’t already watched it, go ahead and press play!!






September
Another New York wedding but this time Ryan’s sister Jessica got married… to another Ryan! (It definitely gets confusing around here sometimes). She looked absolutely beautiful in her dress and I loved getting the chance to meet all of Ryan’s extended family. 
October
Fall is my favorite season so naturally October is my favorite month! A bunch of us went to the NC State Fair, I got to see some crazy things while working in the ER, and Ryan & I went to the Hornets season opener. So glad the buzz is back in Charlotte!
November
We had our very first annual friendsgiving at Logan & Kevin’s, Ryan and I spent Thanksgiving in Marion with my family, and then we headed to Asheville for the very best weekend of the year. Ryan & I got engaged at The Grove Park Inn and it couldn’t have been more perfect!!
December
I finished up my 3rd rotation and officially have one year left until graduation!! Ryan & I made our first Christmas card and had a great holiday with our friends and family. My month off also made perfect timing for wedding planning- can’t wait to marry Ryan on May 7th, 2016!!
I don’t really consider my blog to strictly be a “fashion” blog, because I love to talk about everyday life too. It has evolved from strictly sharing my experiences in PA school into a lifestyle blog where I write about anything and everything, but I can’t lie and say I don’t like the style posts the most! Here are some top favorites from 2014:
If you made it to the end of this super long post, congratulations! Seriously… it was long, I know. Last, but certainly not least, I want to thank all of my readers and all of the wonderful companies that I have worked with this past year. Medicine & Manicures has grown to be so much more than I ever expected and so has my love and passion for blogging. I’m so excited to see what 2015 brings and I hope y’all have a safe & fabulous New Year!






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