Medicine & Manicures

Weekending: Races & Date Nights

Happy Monday, friends!! Another weekend bites the dust and I had a great time in Charlotte, as always. It was definitely feeling like fall and we had sunshine and gorgeous weather both days. However, at night it got down into the 50’s… brrrr! Thank goodness I live in the south. Anyways, here is a little recap of my weekend:
Of course October is known for all things orange, but another color also comes to mind- pink! I was in the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority in college and our philanthropy is breast cancer education and awareness. Whether it was handing out pink ribbons at a Panthers game, collecting Yoplait pink lids, or hosting a golf tournament, we were always busy doing everything we could to “think pink.” It’s been a few years since I ran in Race for the Cure, so I was excited to participate this year with the girls and our boyfriends. We were on Logan’s work team and she did a great job organizing everything (including bringing big bows for our hair). 

Running in Race for the Cure is a great way to support the cause of breast cancer education and awareness, but you may also see lots of pink floating around in stores this month. Some companies will even donate some of the proceeds to the Susan G. Komen foundation so be sure to keep an eye out. Here are some of my favorite pink items for October!

Breast Cancer awareness

Saturday night was date night, complete with dinner and a movie! Nothing beats spending time with my guy and I’m seriously looking forward to November because I’ll get to be back in Charlotte for 2 whole months!!! Anyways, date night started with stuffing our faces with sushi then we headed to the Epicenter to see Gone Girl. I love Ben Affleck so I figured it would be good. I didn’t read the book or anything, but I love a good psychological thriller. If you haven’t seen it already then put it on your to-watch list because it definitely has some crazy twists. (Ps. I also got pretty excited when the 50 Shades and Hunger Games trailers came on… who’s with me??). 

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I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend and enjoyed the crisp fall weather. As for me, it’s back to work for the next three days (including one overnight shift.. eek!). Now, off to make some coffee!
Linking with Biana & Meghan for weekending.
Weekending


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Embroidered




J.Crew Factory embroidered top (comes in 5 colors) // Citizens jeans // DV booties (love these too) // Kendra Scott Elle earrings (select colors on sale!) // Rebecca Minkoff Mini Mac bag // Lips: Clinique Chubby Stick in Broadest Berry // Nails: Formula X in Thrilling









I got this top from J.Crew Factory back when it was still 90 degrees out but guess what… I can finally wear it! You might remember Biana’s post about her color crush, burgundy and navy, and I have to agree that this color combo looks great together. I love this top because it’s casual yet classy- I love the detailed embroidering. (Ps. Did I mention it’s on sale?). I paired it with darker denim and my favorite suede booties to feel oh-so-fall-ish! I wore these so much last year and they’ll definitely be on repeat throughout the fall and winter seasons.







Can we please talk about how happy I am that it’s Friday?! After working 50 hours this week, this girl is ready for a break and luckily I have all weekend off (insert happy dance here). I’m so excited to head back to the Queen City for a fun weekend and some QT with my swee-T (our cheesy little saying… gotta love it). What are everyone’s plans for the first weekend in October?





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Linking with Amanda, Christina & Karli for Friday Favorites!









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Life in the ER: Part 1




Happy Thursday y’all (and also happy October… my favorite month ever!). I’m wrapping up my 2nd week on my Emergency Medicine rotation so I thought it was time for a PA school update. I haven’t been posting as much lately because I’ve been working 10-hour days, most of which are right in the middle of the day, and honestly I’m just tired! However, somehow I got super lucky and got all Fridays and Saturdays off this rotation. #Winning. Anyway, today will make my 8th day in the ER and I’d have to say it’s going pretty well. I’m finishing my 5-day stretch with a 5pm – 2am shift and then it’s TGIF! 













Some days I work at “big Wake” and others are spent at the surrounding ERs. There are several “free-standing” ERs in the Raleigh area, which basically have everything except an attached hospital. Contrary to popular belief, the emergency room isn’t all gunshot wounds and heart attacks. We see anything from lacerations and skin infections to kidney stones and headaches. One great thing about the ER is you have pretty much everything at your disposal. You can order labs and x-rays/CT scans and get results within hours (or sooner) which helps you come to your diagnosis much faster. 







Here are some highlights from my first two weeks in the ER:















Lots of people come to the ER for toothaches and most haven’t seen a dentist in 20-something years. Note: I am not a dentist. You have to remember that a lot of these patients are uninsured so our job is to help them until they can get into a dentist (aka antibiotics and pain meds). I was pretty excited about my first dental block… aka numbing a tooth like when you get a filling. Needle + long-acting numbing medicine = instant pain relief. Everybody wins! 















Pelvic exams. Oh boy. Lots of complaints with the lady parts, pregnancy problems, STD checks, and the list goes on. Definitely getting some practice for my OB/GYN rotation… that speculum can be tricky! I have to say though, this isn’t my favorite procedure, but it’s definitely becoming easier with more practice.















Lacerations are always fun (for me at least). I really like procedures and these are things that take practice and time to become more comfortable, so I try to see as many as I can. On my first day I sewed up a scalp and a forehead- they were pretty straightforward. The other day I had a girl who flipped her car two times and had a huge hole in her elbow full of dirt and God knows what. That was a really complex wound and took quite a while to clean out and suture.















Yesterday I got to run over to the trauma bay and see a patient who had a MVC (read: car accident) be evaluated by the trauma & surgery team. One big, hot room with lots of people doing a million things. At WakeMed Raleigh, there are 4 different areas of the ER and my shifts aren’t on the “trauma” side, but it was still cool to go watch. 













Believe it or not people come to the ER for medication refills, chronic knee pain, and to find out the sex of their baby. Although these complaints may not be “emergent,” our job is to always think about what could be life-threatening and rule that out. I don’t know if this is somewhere I would work straight out of PA school, but I do like the environment. Lots of people around and you get to work with several other providers. It’s definitely keeping me busy and I’m learning (and seeing) a lot of interesting cases.













As soon as 2am hits, it’s off to bed and then I head to Charlotte for the weekend! I’m so very excited to see my main squeeze and my girls- we’ll all be running in Race for the Cure. Thanks for reading & hope y’all have a great day!











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Billion Dollar Brows




Some are thick and bushy. Some are thin and drawn-on. Some are manicured with the perfect arch. Eyebrows frame your face and we would all look pretty silly without them (remember these eyebrow-less celebrities?). It wasn’t until about a year ago that I started grooming my eyebrows a bit more and had been using a powder/brow wax combo. After being introduced to Billion Dollar Brows, I was very excited to try out this new Best Sellers Kit that is now available at Kohl’s! 











I’m certainly not the queen of tutorials, but I really love these products and I wanted to show y’all how to get a great brow in just 4 easy steps!






1. Universal Brow Pencil – this is a mechanical, self-sharpening pencil which goes on smooth and natural for all hair colors and skin tones. It comes in one universal shade which works for blondes and brunettes… awesome right?! I just followed the shape of my brow as I filled them in (you could probably do bolder brows than I did but this is what I would do for an everyday routine).

2. Brow Duo Highlighter – a two in one pencil with a highlighter and concealer. I highlighted along my brow bone and under my brows to add definition and warmth (it just really makes them POP). This also works with any skin tone. Plus, for those on-the-go touchups, a handy universal concealer is on the opposite end of the pencil. 


3. Smudge Brush – an essential item for applying Brow Highlighter. This flat, synthetic brush is ideal for applying creamy cosmetics like the Brow Duo Pencil. Blend, blend, blend!



4. Brow Gel – an effective formula that will lock in your look, giving your eyebrows a long-lasting, radiant glow while keeping them perfectly in place all day. It’s the perfect finishing touch for giving that polished, perfectly manicured look. Plus, it is a guarantee the Brow Gel never flakes. 

So here is me before and after my eyebrow touch-up. Nothing too dramatic, but my eyes appear brighter and I just feel more put together when my brows are looking nice, don’t you think?



Another product from BDB that I would love to try is their Brow Boost, a formula to use at night to strengthen and condition thin brows and give them that extra oomph and fullness. Don’t neglect your brows, people! If you’re looking for a starter kit, I would definitely recommend this one because you have everything you need to get a nice, shapely brow (except tweezers… and if you don’t have a pair of those then we’ve got bigger problems). Hope y’all have a fabulous Tuesday!





This is a sponsored post by Billion Dollar Brows and BrandBacker. All opinions are my own.









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Grey Stripes

LOFT Lou & Grey tunic // Paige coated denim // Leopard loafers // J. Crew necklace // B.Makowsky bag, old (similar here & here) // Michael Kors tortoise watch 






As I was walking through LOFT the other day, I noticed the new Lou & Grey collection. Holy stripes and all things soft. I love all of the patterns and textures and there are tons of styles that are cozy and stylish (I think that might be my motto for this fall). I mixed this textured striped tunic with my coated jeans that I talked about in this post. The temps have gotten a little cooler so I was so excited to finally bust them out. These are guaranteed to be on repeat all season… and so will my flats. I can’t help it because they go with everything, especially stripes! If you’re on the hunt for cozy neutrals to add to your fall wardrobe, be sure to check out the Lou & Grey collection– here are some more of my favorite pieces:

I hope everyone has a happy humpday! I had a successful first day in the ER yesterday (didn’t get off until 11:15pm so I definitely slept in this morning) and am back at it today. Be looking for a post on all the details next week!

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Wedding Weekending

Happy Monday, friends! I got back in Raleigh on Thursday and was here for less than a day until it was off to Plattsburgh, NY for Ryan’s sister’s wedding. After two planes, a car, and a ferry, I got in Friday after midnight (I guess that’s technically Saturday!). The next morning we all woke up, had a yummy breakfast, and got ready for the wedding festivities. The wedding party and parents came over for photos and Jessica & Ryan had their first look.
I used to think a first look would take away from that breathtaking moment when the bride walks down the aisle and I thought that should be the first time the groom sees her. That tradition actually came from the olden days of arranged marriages when the groom wouldn’t meet his bride until the actual ceremony, so there would be no turning back. Not the best tradition, huh? Then you get to thinking about logistics. Getting the first look and wedding party photos done before the ceremony allows for less time between the vows and the reception. Guests don’t want to wait hours for you to arrive and you don’t want to feel rushed taking photos, so it’s really a win-win. Anyway… That’s my spiel on that. I would love to see how you married ladies liked the first look or why you chose not do it. And now for a few wedding photos!
The happy couple- Jessica & Ryan
Love this boy in a tux!

Ryan and his big sis!

The signature drink: Caramel Apple Martini (delish!)
The Turchins!



I did a lot of traveling just to be there for a day and a half, but the wedding was beautiful and it was so great to meet the rest of Ryan’s extended family. Jessica and (her) Ryan looked so incredibly happy and it was exciting to share that special day with them! 

Lake Champlain… ain’t it gorgeous? For some reason, Ryan was up at 7:30 am yesterday and wanted to get some shots of the sunrise.
In other news, today I start rotation #2… the ER!! Today I’ll just be doing orientation, meeting my preceptor, getting a badge, etc. so I won’t be seeing any patients until tomorrow. Since I’ve been gone for a month and traveled this weekend, it will be nice to have the rest of the day to grocery shop, get organized, and finish unpacking my life! Hopefully y’all had a great weekend as well and happy 2nd day of fall!!

Wedding portraits of bride and groom and bridal party done by Monica Lattrell Photography.
Weekending
Linking with Biana & Meghan for weekending fun.


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