Eddie Walker

The Novella...


Warning: There are many components of this blog that may cause nausea, boredom, or narcolepsy...Read at your own risk!!!! (This isn't very creative due to the amount of information that needed to be dispensed).

In order to speed things a long I suggest reading the headings to this blog, it might make things a bit easier since I haven't written anything in four long weeks.


The Funeral

The funeral went well...The wake was a little tough...I found out on Thursday evening (the night I arrived in Tucson) the way in which my grandfather passed on...It was not nearly the peaceful portrayal that had been described to me on Monday...I was thankful that no one had informed me of the correct details...this would have made my trip to Philly much more difficult...Apparently he hit his head on the end of a table...We think he might have tried to get up, but no one was there to help him...I had originally thought that he died in his sleep...The details are of little consequence now. The Eulogy was a success...I told some stories that highlighted, accented, and underscored the greater components that made Eddie Gallego who he was...I discussed three reasons for our attendance at his funeral: (1) the legacy he left with those who knew him (2)rejoicing in his new home (being reunited with his wife, family, friends, and most importantly Jesus Christ and (3) we were there to mourn, we were there to mourn for those who never knew Eddie Gallego.

Seeing all of my cousins was odd...they are considerably older than I am, however, I think that we all truly enjoyed one another for the first time in 15 years.


The INTERVIEW

So my interview went off without a hitch. It was a nice relaxing day. I arrived on Tuesday night...I exited the plane and through a series of questions to random individuals and a little bit of walking and public transportation...I found myself at Jefferson...I met the guys with whom I would be staying and in my usual outgoing and quasi-casual fashion I chatted about life in PA. We then went out for one of my top three favorite meals...Beer and hot wings...Apparently it is a tradition amongst this pod of med students...On arriving to the pub they commenced in a drinking game...This was slightly embarrassing for a 24 year old to witness...(I think part of my embarrassment was due to the fact that I played these types of games as a boy). Yet they were content and I dare not disturb their few hours of enjoyment...The next day was brisk...I had a leisurely breakfast...Groomed myself and went to the interview...There were about 30-40 of us in board room...we then were met by the Dean of Admissions, then the director of Admissions, and then financial Aid (Yeah, Jefferson Medical College is $58,000 a year...ouch). After this we had our informal student interview...and after that was our talk with the Student liaisons. This was followed by a tour of the campus...after that was our formal faculty interview.

I met with the head of Minority Affairs (I am a Chicano). He was really cool...he asked me about myself so I gave him some tid bits to chew on (these aren't as tasty as bacon bits)...Then we talked basketball, about Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson...from here we discussed music...Then he asked me about my family life, which led into a discussion on racism (don't ask, it's complicated)...From here he asked me about why my application looked light on shadowing doctors and hospital experience (apparently they overlooked the fact that I work in a hospital, side-by-side with doctors daily). I gave him a terse and speedy overview...He then said as far as he was concerned the interview was over...He told me I could stay if I liked to talk a little bit more...I then asked him a few questions...and continued to chat for about 5-10 minutes. After that I said, "Is there anything else that you would like to ask me?" To which he replied, "OH, PLEASE!" I was taken aback...He said, "I've seen this application...You struggled your first couple of years, but then really pulled it together at the end...You persevered...You attended four schools to complete your undergraduate education...Oh, please. I've seen all I need to see." I then stood up and thanked him for his time. He responded with, "Thank you for coming in today, it's been fun." Needless to say, I left on cloud 9.

The Friends

Cloud 9 looked much like Matt Hoffman's car...He came and picked me up from Jefferson and I was able to break bread and catch up with the Hoffmans. Jealous? It was a blast and Priscilla made the most amazing dinner...I had never been to New Jersey and I am not convinced that much has changed. I then left early in the morning and went to Tucson...I love having friends all over the U.S.

The Work Place

Another funny story from the pathology kid...So I went down to one of our other facilities a couple weeks ago (the name of the facility is Pomerado)...It was my first time working in this lab so things work a little differently...By "things" I mean the garbage disposal isn't as nice...There's a hood in the lab for the formalin container because they don't have vents lining the walls, etc...So as our routine dictates we did placentas in the morning and then proceeded to gross in the other specimens on their arrival.

We were working with Doctor Castillo, a jovial fellow...He's like a Filipino version of Santa Clause...As most Filipino's he has no hair on his face (and in his case on his head either)...He is a portly gentleman with a large grin and spectacles that rise to his forehead with the bulging of his cheeks...(this is a little hyperbolic in case you didn't notice).

Anyways, we received a colon late in the day...Castillo let me cut the colon open...we think it was ischemic...This means there's not an adequate amount of blood flow...the tissue then becomes necrotic and that portion of the colon is no longer viable...when this occurs you have an obstruction...Translation: YOU CAN'T POOP! So I cut open the colon and what should flop out? Dookie...lots of dookie...I wash this foul smelling excrement down the drain and hand the colon back to Dr. Castillo.

About an hour later we finish our smaller specimens and are ready to conclude our day...Dr. Castillo is sitting in his chair at the cutting table...Placing the final cassette lid on our final skin specimen of the afternoon. Jennifer and I begin cleaning the lab in preparation for the following day...I pour soapy water down the drain and then turn the garbage disposal on with a flick of a switch...

Like a geyser water leaps from the mouth of the garbage disposal...I am not sure if it was a like a geyser or an erupting volcano, however, the soapy water that was expelled was mixed with shit, blood, and who knows what else...I can envision the people of Pompeii reacting in a similar fashion...Filled with trepidation, desperate for shelter but paralyzed by fear (this is a pretty bland statement, nothing creative came to mind)...I turned to Jennifer on my right...Astonished I simply said, "Did you see that?" She nodded in the affirmative. I then looked to my left to see why Dr. Castillo was silent on the subject. There was Dr. Castillo, looking up at me with pain in his eyes...His lips had been sealed with a large portion of soapy, poopy, bloody water. With each bubble that burst came an aroma resembling that of a stale fart. He tried to mumble something...but I simply burst into laughter...I apologized between the deep gasps I had to take to replenish my oxygen supply...

There are a few more major things that have occurred in the last couple of weeks...I will write about them later this week...some of which can only be described with a picture...I'll have to discuss my trip up to Cambria and Morro Bay...That area is amazing...Just a few little things...

Thanks

Thank you all for your prayers concerning the funeral and the interview...Concerning medical school I have been placed on the wait list at Jefferson...This is supposed to be just a holding place...Apparently they pull people off the wait list all the time so I have to send some more info. to the school concerning my desire to go there etc. I have been rejected at a really prestigious school that shall remain nameless (no surprise)...I really only have one shot left at staying here in Cali. and that's USC...Ya know...the College Football National Champions...So keep praying...OSU offered me an application to their Post-baccalaureate program...for those of you that don't know this isn't the best of news...It means I won't get an interview to their medical school...I would have to attend this Post-Bac program for a year before I would have the opportunity to get in...Fairly disappointing...The long and short of it is...I still have 13 schools left to hear from...And I hope that good news is on the way...It's been very hard to stay positive and faithful...I know that God has a plan and I don't know what it is...But it doesn't matter what I do as long as I am within the palm of his hand...

As a great man once said, "I believe that good things come to those who wait."

Love ya' all keep praying and I hope to blog again soon...And for those of you who don't know...I just found out another friend of mine has been diagnosed with cancer...please keep him and his family in your prayers...

posted by Unknown @ 1:29 PM