To The Maxilla

Estadio das Dunas, Natal (viewed from The Darling Laboratory, Biosafety Level 2)

(Latest entry from my World Cup Journal)

Resilient. That is all I need to say about the 3 points the United State's Men's National Team earned on Monday night in Natal. The second half wasn't pretty, it was an ugly defensive battle. But we prevailed and we survived. It was a sweet, sweet vengeance against our African rivals. Monday was an amazing night, the celebrations indeed well deserved! Now our eyes and heart are set to the Sunday night showdown against an angry Portugal. Our midfield work rate will be crucial if we intend to get any points. And Howard, he will keep us in the game. I know we will get our chances on goal, we've got to finish every one of them. It will be interesting to see Klinsmann's formation without Altidore. Will he play the magical Clint as a lone striker and bring a new midfielder into the starting XI? Zusi has definitely earned that chance.

Arena Fonte Nova, Salvador (viewed from Jacob’s USA/NED based WC_HQ)

NETHERLANDS vs SPAIN (latest entry from my World Cup Journal)

We had our second radiology experience today in the clinic, with a practice exam at the end of the session. Let’s just say the results of my current radiology skill is no where near the display that the KNVB’s senior team showcased to the world today against defending World Cup champions Spain. Because of meeting with my study group all afternoon, I missed watching the match live. Thus began a torturous afternoon and evening, my iPhone loaded with pending texts from dear football friends that I sadly could not dare read. Just one spoiler would ruin the Oranje themed post-study date I had planned at my World Cup Headquarters just down the road from school. I went on a run at the local soccer pitch and did some ball work right after the study session (trying to treat my body right in dental school, while treating the constant football fever now that the weather has turned nice), before heading home to the World Cup final rematch awaiting me. Boy did it not fail to entertain a certain want-to-be Dutch American.

The first half was rather slow, with limited chances from both sides. The penalty that Spain was awarded was another weak call in my opinion, but in the heat of the moment and with the pace of the match, I don’t blame the ref. Robin Van Persie’s equalizer before half was an absolute world class finish. Ajax’s Daley Blind sent a spot on ball to the streaking captain, who finished it with a header that almost defies what we have thought world class strikers are ultimately capable of. A hard downpour welcomed the squads back onto the pitch for the second half and it proved to be an exciting one. Arjen Robben has come into the tournament at the peak of his career. He exemplified the creativity of Dutch voetbal today, as he and Van Persie were both smelling hat-tricks. Most importably for the Oranje, I believe we have the two top duos in Brazil. The attacking/defensive mid combination of Sneijder and De Jong, swiftly linking up with the flanks and with what I expect to be the most dominating front line this June in Robben and Van Persie, proved to show brilliance today. The Oranje were quick to strike after dispossessing Spain. The penetrating balls of the Dutch into the final third, especially during counter attacks, kept Spain on their heals the entire half. This built up to a beautiful final Oranje dagger in the 80th minute, as Sneijder threaded a deadly ball to feed a blazing Robben, who took on the likes of the Spanish back line, schooling a struggling Casillas (who may have just earned his final international cap) to suavely finish it home and make it 5-1. 

I really enjoyed this 16 minute doc titled "Slomo" from the NY Times. It really puts life into perspective.

The second semester of first year here is apparently more difficult than the first. We are now taking anatomy and biochemistry as our big units (12 hours of credit between the two time consuming courses) amongst a wide array of other courses (20 something hours total). Anatomy is split up between Gross (the first six weeks) and then Head and Neck (until the end of April). Needless to say, we are learning the body, minus the superior most portion, at an extremely quick rate. We will then be learning the head and neck in its most extreme detail. Second semester is supposed to be more difficult because of Anatomy, however, I would much rather take Anatomy rather than Histology (which we had last semester) any day of the week. It is extremely fascinating to me. And fun to study.

A graduate level Anatomy student has the unique experience unlike any other in life. It is a surreal privilege to step into the Anatomy dissection lab and delve into the magnificence of the human body itself. The first week, being in the lab felt like a dream. I couldn't believe the experience and aura of it all. The most amazing part is that these people wanted to donate their bodies to the education of future health care providers. They are leaving the greatest legacy to the upcoming generation of doctors. I will be forever grateful to them and their families for allowing me to learn so much.

An incredible sensation of this is studying a body system and memorizing all of its details through notes and textbooks - multiple layers of countless branches of nerves and arteries and muscles - then dissecting the body and finding those exact structures laid out almost the same way in every single cadaver. You can never really appreciate the most advanced living being on Earth until you realize its amazing, out-of-this world detail. How it came to be is just mind boggling.

We were Physiologists and Histologists last semester. I guess I'll call myself an Anatomist and Biochemist until May.

Winter Storm Cleon has passed through Louisville, dumping anywhere from 3 to 6 inches of this fresh powder! Luckily my downtown living means I don't have to worry about driving the next couple of days. Everything I need is within walking distance. One thing that I was pretty excited about when I got to Louisville was the possibility of these midwestern snow storms. Being from Atlanta, this kind of thing just wasn't a normal occasion like so many that are from here in the Ohio Valley.

Next week is finals week. Crazy to say, but my first semester of dental school is coming to a close! It has gone by in a flash. Sheida is flying here next week after her final exams. I am beyond thrilled for Christmas break with my fiancé and family! 

Back in May I bought a ticket to see one of my favorite bands, Queens of the Stone Age (QOTSA), in Louisville at a theater called the Louisville Palace (capacity: 2,700). Queens has played enormous festivals and at venues with audiences in the tens of thousands. Their most recent album was the number one album on the Billboard 200 chart its first week  To see them play in an intimate theater is such a rarity and the ultimate dream of any rocknroller. 

While setting up my infection barriers at my unit in the simulation lab, I envisioned myself a 3rd or 4th year dental student. One with a body of knowledge of oral and medical science, meticulous hands with the capabilities of many a procedure, and a chair-side manner that woos the unwoo-able. I put on my medical gown and snapped out of this mirage as I glanced over the encompassing list of oral landmarks that were apparently inside the mouth of my fellow 1st year classmate Travis. A slide show of images with arrows pointing to specific anatomy in the cavity was playing on the sixty-inch plasma monitors on the walls of the simulation lab. Mandibular tori? Oh yea, right there where the arrow is pointing. Wait, I have those, do you have those? Kindergarden for dentistry if you will, or so I thought.

"Do you mind if I take a look?" I asked Travis (a chair-side tip from a great dentist I met at a convention in Atlanta last year, "always ask for permission"), we laughed as he played the patient-in-pain role and I nervously (voice cracking) played the all knowing doctor role. With my explorer and mirror, I timidly explored the cavity and wow is it tiny and compact. Nothing like the dentoforms (fake teeth and oral cavity) that we have been practicing on with mannequin heads. I actually had to worry about where I rested my wrists for support. There is actually a live human being sitting here. I can't just stretch (or rip) out his cheek to see the facial side of the tooth. I can't just jerk his neck around to get a better view. And the tongue. Up until now in my career I had no idea there was a tongue in the mouth. You kind of forget about this somehow. But it's there alright, producing so much saliva that sticks to your gloves, sticks to your mirror, and is just plain sticky. 

— ESPN (@espn)

September 3, 2013

I officially entered the health care profession this weekend. Sheida, her parents, my parents, and my grandparents made the trip to celebrate my white coat ceremony with me and we all had the best time. I have a while before I will actually be seeing my first patient in the clinic and wearing this official cloak though. When the going gets tough this semester, I will just think back to this day I put on my doctor coat, and remember what this difficult biomedical science rite of passage is all for!

Our bodies have approximately 40 liters of water in them at any one time. 25 liters of that is actually inside our cells. Imagine a 2 liter bottle of Coke. Now imagine 20 of them, filled with water. Physiology sheds light on some crazy facts! 

Sheida and Bergkamp visited me last week and stayed until the weekend. We had a great time and ate some really good food... an enormous 18" bacon, pepperoni and sausage pizza included one night's meal. I am definitely missing them here in my loft, it isn't the same without my favorites! My white coat ceremony is this weekend, and my parents, Sheida and her parents, and my grandparents will be coming into town Friday! I can't wait for the festivities.

Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time - Jeff Speck

I love cars. As a teenager, I had twin subscriptions to Car & Driver and Road & Track. My chief school-bus skill was the ability to name the make and model of every vehicle that passed. Until recently…

A great insight into the reality of our modern world. Most people have a sheer reliance on automobiles. To get to work, to get food, to get goods -- suburbs are obviously built with the assumption that each adult have their own automobile. Living downtown, I am fortunate enough to walk to and from the medical center for school each day (saving a $500 parking fee per semester ), I can walk to the gym, and walk a little further to some decent restaurants. However, a nice grocery store for weekly shopping and any other trip needed to Target, etc. is highly dependent on personal transportation.