The past two weeks have been filled with excitement. In my lectures I have learned many intersting things but by far doing sutures (stitches) for the first time was one of the best. We learned three different ways to suture: simple knot, continues, and vertical mattress. The last week in May we took a tour of the operating room (OR) in small groups. There is always a bit of excitement when entering the OR even if there is no surgery going on that day. While in the OR we learned the correct way to put on and take off gloves as well as how to scrub in. Yes there is a wrong way and it is not really that easy todo the first time hehehe.On May 26th I spent the majority of the day trying to focus and study but it was hard as at 4pm I was to leave to pick up Nicole and Pat (my friends from Minnesota) from Central Station in Milan. :D Words can not explain my level of excitement to share with them all the reasons I have fallen in love with Italy. They were only in Milan that time for a day as they went to Venice for two nights while I stayed here and studied for my physiology exam, which was two weeks later. Once they got back we went left early on thursday morning for Cinqua Terra. Two and a half hours later and we were there. Due to the land slides from a few years ago we could only hike from the first to the second city. It took us about and hour and a half. It was significantly harder then I was expecting, but what fun it was. I am so glad Nicole wanted to go. We then visited the other cities having gelato, coffee and lunch.
I was so disappointed we did not make it to Florence because the weekend they came was the amazing Gelato festival I went to when I was studying abroad the first time. However, luck had it that this year they brought the festival to Milan. :D So after getting Nicole and Pat Italian leather shoes. A couple new outfits for Pat's new job we spent that day on sunday at the GELATO FESTIVAL. In Milan it is held at the castle. So you pay like 12 euros and get 5 gelato "samples" and a gelato cocktail. The gelato was the best by far I have ever eaten. I mean ever. My Favorite gelato was the salted caramel one. yummmmmmmmy.
We also sat in on a gelato cooking class where they made a shrimp risotto with a vanilla gelato. OMG AMAZING. For those in Minnesota mom and I are thinking about doing a cooking class in August and this may or may not be on the menu.
:D
Sutures, friends from home and a Gelato festival all in one week. I am not sure what else a medical student could want. I am just starting my second semester exam period so in a few weeks I will update you'll about how they are going. The count down to the end of my first year has started just under 5 weeks till I come home to Minnesota on July 17th :D
Till we meet again,
-M-
