and I will have then completed year 1 of medical school! That is, assuming I passed my block exam in anatomy today. It was a killer. 
The good thing is that even if I didn’t pass, I can make it up on the next one. . . head and neck. 
Plan to get a “head” start by studying over spring break. 
Anyway, all my other exams went great, including a 70 out of 70 on my OMT practical, which I really love!
Now I’m going to go get my back treated by the top OMT doctor here at the school, and then I’m going to sit back and enjoy the next week with no school pressures!
Woohoo! Kick back in a bubble bath with a scoop of sorbet (or your vice of choice) and congatulate yourself!!! You’ve done great work under dreadful circumstances.
Congratulations Linda - ya, take that well deserved rest!
Linda, you have richly earned your spring break week. Do NOT do much studying. Your brain needs a rest!
You deserve a break for your good work. Enjoy!!!
It seems like exactly what I was worried about has happened. I flunked my anatomy exam. I can still do okay as long as I do well on the next one, but I am absolutely horrified by my inability to pull myself together through the stress of the last couple of months and pass an exam. I just don’t do that.
Anyway, I’ll be okay. Just have to keep my head together and use my support groups at school a little more effectively and efficiently. They’re there for me. The anatomists are being great. . . told me that I took this last exam under extremely unusual and stressful circumstances and that they have no doubts that I will do just fine. I really love the support and encouragement they give me. It helps a lot. I just wish that I had the confidence in myself right now that they have in me.
Anyway, that’s all my moaning and bellyaching for now. Gotta’ get back to my books, even if it is spring break!
Quote:
I am absolutely horrified by my inability to pull myself together through the stress of the last couple of months and pass an exam. I just don’t do that.
Uh, Linda, you are human last I checked. The stress you have had over the past few months was enough to make lots of people consider withdrawing from school altogether. I have seen it happen. That you actually continued to go to class and try your best is monumental under the circumstances. Do not sell yourself short! Do NOT think that you had some sort of failure of intellect or stamina. That you continued to go to class at all shows that you have tremendous strength of character and will. This grade has nothing to do with “inability to pull [yourself] together,” good lord! You persevered through stuff that would’ve knocked most people flat.
Now, organize up your support system for this next hurdle and give yourself a pat on the back for getting through this. No, you didn’t pass one exam - but neither did you shy away from it. You will get through it with your amazing attitude and your incredible work ethic, AND you will have people rooting for you and helping you because you have shown your determination and spirit. You go!
Linda, honey, years ago I had just two people needing care living with me with my whole family to shoulder the load, and I wasn’t the primary responsible person. I took to sitting on my bed and singing to myself.
You are still taking some care of your husband, taking care of your brother who is not helping himself right now, and there’s nobody in the house to take over for you when you need a break. And you kept going to class (oh, yes, in a wheelchair, with painful bursitis, sure, no stress there), studied, and as far as I know didn’t go postal or anything.
Flunking one exam is the least that most people would do in your situation. You’re an inspiration to me RIGHT NOW, exam and all.
Cut yourself some slack!
Thanks Mary, Denise,
I know I’ll be okay. With friends and support like I get here at OPM along with all my support here at school and from my husband, how can I not?
And, I’ve already read and outlined more than half of the head and neck stuff for the next block.
Six or seven weeks from now, hopefully I’ll be able to look back and see what a mess the whole first half of this semester was and be amazed that I got through it at all!
Thanks again for the encouraging words!
Linda, my dear…not to patronize, but what don’t kill only makes you stronger. And you, w/o a doubt, are sufficiently strong to overcome this. Look back at the road you have traversed to get where you are now…long hard way? The purpose of that was to make you capable of surviving this. Hate to be redundent - but you are an inspiration to many here & to many others not here. You have a husband with super-strong faith in you…I know cause I have met him & the pride is in his eyes.
Yes, this is a pain in the @$$ & it is stressful, but you will make it & not because it is some manifest destiny. You will make it because you are driven & you are passionate…that is what makes us tick.
Feel free to give me a call if you just need to talk or vent. I am on-call tonight at the VA Spa…will be post-call tomorrow (Mon the 29th); so in the evening will be fine. I am not on-call again until Friday - other than tha, I am generally home this week by 5pm or so.
Linda,
sorry to hear about your exam troubles. Here’s hoping the next one is better and you have an easier time with things from now on!!!
Just to let you all know. I Am OK!! 
Exasperated, yes . . . disappointed in myself, a little 
. . . but giving up, NEVER!!
I have talked to all my anatomy professors (we have four), and they assure me I’ll be okay. Even if I don’t get enough on the next exam to bring my average up to where it needs to be, they are considering several options to keep me in the game, including allowing me to continue with my class by simply remediating the abdomen/pelvis section over the summer here at WVSOM. Or maybe, as long as I do well on this next exam, I can go to the promotions board and explain what happened on this exam, convince them that I am quite capable of continuing, and go right ahead with no problems.
Whatever is decided, I am not giving up. Not because of one exam! That’s just not the way I do things. Nothing in life worth having comes easy to me. Never has. But I’ve always found that working for what you really want makes you appreciate it that much more when you get it!
So, thanks for all the good thoughts and good advice. And remember, just because “Atlas Shrugged”, it doesn’t mean my feet aren’t back on the ground and my head isn’t back in the right place. (For those of you who never read the book, it has to do with a leader of industry giving up due to stress and feeling he was not being rewarded for his efforts. . . I decided my mind was like ‘atlas’ and said the stress in my life was just too intense and certainly not rewarding, so it just shut down for a day).
Thanks again . . . and for those of you contemplating med school and thinking “what if that was me?”, just remember. If you really want something badly enough, you can make it happen!
You are in good shape. I looked today at the grades at Guys and Kings Medical College and 14 out of a group of 67 failed or withdrew failed. Not good. Then again…they only have ONE test during the year. One. Makes me shiver just thinking about it.