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My last AM in NY was a beautiful one. I ran the same route I ran the day before because the view was way too cool to only see once, then I had breakfast at the diner with Jack and Rizzo. And while Jack went to some math class whose name is too complicated for me to remember, I explored the campus and found the graveyard especially tantalizing. One of the things I love best about New England that we don't have a whole lot of here in the Midwest is history. If I could have made it work with my requirements for grad school, I would have majored in history in college because I find it fascinating. That evening, my flights back to Chicago were long and uneventful-- but I did connect in NYC this time, and the breathtaking view of the city at night from my window seat made the longer flight considerably less annoying.

I jumped right back into life at ORS by spending three hours at a continuing education course last night, where we watched arthroscopic shoulder and knee surgeries being performed on cadavers. It was co-hosted by Dr. Trenhaile, one of the most well-known ortho surgeons in the region who refers almost all of his shoulder patients to David. (I hear they co-own a hot dog truck, but I'm not sure if my sources are trustworthy. I'll look into it.) I had the pleasure of meeting him before the course started as we nibbled on appetizers (which, after having come straight from work, was more like as we devoured our dinners.) Trenhaile is another one of those good-to-know guys in northern IL-- he's the team physician for the Ice Hogs, and he even said he'd try to get me on the ice with the team before I head back to MN. I know not to get my hopes up, but it's pretty hard not to... 

Another thing that's hard to do is get too excited about this weather. I love fall, not 80 degree weeks in October. These temperatures are not conducive to my favorite sweatshirt-jeans wardrobe, nor to my cool afternoon runs or obsession with scented Yankee candles. If this is what I get for complaining about snow in NY on Saturday, fine. Just please don't skip over fall completely and head straight to windchills and black ice. 

A few more life updates:

+ Major breakthrough with a patient today. Came in with severe, debilitating knee pain that his doc couldn't diagnose, and we figured out it was in fact referred pain from the hip. Spent a few minutes doing manual therapy on his hip, and he was almost pain-free for the first time in months. How's that for a feel-good story?!
- I'm getting sick. It probably has something to do with spending quite a bit of time on an airplane and/or living with 6 college boys in fairly small quarters over the weekend. I'm relying on lots of water and sleep, plus the super spicy jalapeno chicken enchiladas I made for dinner tonight to help clear my sinuses. 
+ Made more sleepover plans with Kaitlin! She'll spend the night next Friday on her way home from Michigan, and we'll caravan back home together. 

- I work 6:30am- 6pm tomorrow. I'm getting tired just thinking about it.

- For the first time in 7 weeks, I'm finally feeling homesick. So ready to get out of Rockford, and back to my family and friends. Which brings me to my next point...

+ HOME in 10 DAYS! Despite the fact that I'll be moving back home for the 3rd time in as many years, I can't wait. The countdown begins...