The Memphis Files: Chapter 1

Wow! It has really been a whirl-wind couple of weeks for me in Memphis. I am finding that adjusting to a new city is everything I thought it would be and more.

For those of you who are just joining in, I will sum up my story. For those of you who know me...you can skip this if you want to.

So I am in Memphis for a year to figure a few things out. I was accepted to Texas A and M but deferred for a year. I still have my acceptance and a start day exactly a year from well, probably this week. However, I moved to Memphis to be with Garrett who is starting medical school here at UT this week. I have a job as a clinic assistant at the Church Health Center and have been here for two weeks. That should catch most of you up.

So Memphis is an interesting place to be and is very different from Abilene. I am really enjoying the culture and variety of people that I get to interact with every day. I have been working the phone lines for CHC and have learned so much even in two weeks. I get to talk to a lot of people with a lot of different reasons for calling in. We are a clinic that sees patients who are working, uninsured and live in Shelby county. It is interesting talking to these folks, especially the ones that tell you their story although it is testing sometimes when I can't really do anything for them but give them another number to call. I pray that everyone that I talk to will have relief from whatever is paining them even if I can't schedule their appointment or they have to seek another clinic.

I know that this job is already teaching me lots and lots of life lessons about how to treat and interact with people. I have even thought about how I want to run my practice in similar and different ways than the clinic here. Something I really love is how devoted to their particular mission they are and how they claim that every day. They see a select group of patients and for that reason, they are able to treat their patients well. More examples to come. Another thing is how intentional they are about everything. Every meeting has a purpose, every assignment or phone call is for the greater good and they have inservices and meetings every week to remind themselves. Anyway, more of that to come.

Otherwise, life is just business as usual. I can enjoy my time off with Garrett. I am having a lot of fun learning how to do this kind of relationship versus the long distance thing and it is working out. It has been hard with him starting school and trying to feel good about my decision to put it off for a year. I ask for the peace about it that I need for the moment and move on.

In a meeting I had with a supervisor that helps people get into med school at UT, I was made aware that the likelihood of me getting in to UT, whether it be in a couple years or down the road would be extremely low. I had pondered that thought for a possibility to get to stay with Garrett and see where that leads but that is not going to be the case. We could do long distance again while we are in school but we both know the likelihood of that working out would also be very low. It seems as though the decision will come down to being with Garrett or being a doctor. I can't pretend that there is an easy answer to that question and even if you think I am crazy, pray that I may have clarity and peace about it. I won't have to figure that out until November but it weighs heavily on my mind every single day.

Anyway...thanks for reading and I will update soon.