Updates from 450 miles apart

Cary:

Clinic is going well so far. I've spent my first week at NHC-Farragut, a wonderful skilled nursing facility west of Knoxville, TN. When people hear nursing home, they usually have thoughts of a rough place, but skilled nursing is a little different. The population is more selective, and most of the patients are those who have left the hospital planning to go home, but are just not quite ready. My job (as a future PT) is to learn the best and most efficient ways to achieve that goal of getting back home, while being independent. I am staying with the in-laws of a guy in my class and they've helped make the time here that much better. My original rotation in Augusta was canceled, but this facility is just under 1 mile from their house, so I couldn't have asked for a better fit. My days consist of an 8-4 day at the nursing home, followed by a little time to exercise, study, and eat. The family lives in Fox Den Country Club so sometimes I'll watch the golfers for entertainment as well. It took only 1 day for a patient to tell me that I would soon be "bleeding orange and white." I may go to a game or 2 while here in Knoxville, and I may even root on the SEC, but I highly doubt I'll be bleeding anything resembling orange or white. Although Kelly and I knew we would be distanced for 8 weeks, I don't think either of us realized how far it was. Google says it would take around 7 hours in the car or a little over 5 1/2 days of non-stop walking. But, only 7 more weeks and I'll be back in Augusta, 300 miles closer and much more feasible to visit. For now, we have most of our wedding planning done other than flowers (or at least that's what I think). We'll definitely try to finalize everything in December, as we have a full month off from school/clinic.

Kelly:
My clinic is going well, too. I am in Savannah, at Memorial University Medical Center doing an in-patient acute rotation. I have to admit it was interesting figuring out all the lines and tubes, and since I am on a post-op floor, I still get one every now and then that I have no clue what to call much less how to take it with us down the hall! Figuring things out as I go. I'm actually living with my aunt and uncle in Richmond Hill which is a suburb of Savannah...so I have a MUCH farther drive than Cary--about 40 minutes. So far it hasn't been bad, though. I was able to join the hospital's gym and I'm looking into a dance studio in Richmond Hill (no ballroom...I'm hoping for lyrical or modern or anything that sounds new and exciting). Like Cary said, it is an adjustment to not see each other every day, and when you compound that with bad cell phone reception (on my end) it makes it even more frustrating. I think we can manage 7 more weeks. Luckily, some of the wedding planning can be done via internet (such as finalizing save the dates and contacting florists). I expect December to be busy just like May was.