tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4324614553845355882024-02-21T00:13:10.630-05:00Small Things With Great Love"We cannot always do great things, but we can do small things with great love" -Mother TeresaAnna Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07979809574372523071noreply@blogger.comBlogger234125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-432461455384535588.post-12486419904032201582015-03-13T19:45:00.001-04:002015-03-13T19:46:11.953-04:007 months old!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
My precious little one turned 7-months-old on March 1st, and I am a few days behind on posting her newest accomplishments!<br />
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She continues to become more and more of her own person. She's started showing preferences for certain foods or toys. She has also become more aware of people (and dogs) around her, which is very fun.<br />
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She is laughing up a storm! She cackles and giggles in the cutest way I've ever heard or seen when we play with her, and I am loving it!<br />
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She has two bottom teeth (and 2 top ones starting to come in), which is just so crazy and makes her seem way too old, according to this Mama.<br />
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She is getting up on her hands and knees and starting to have more purposeful scooting that will be crawling before we know it. She is steadier every day, and if she could just figure out to move her hands, not just her knees, we'd have a crawler :)<br />
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And above all, she is more awesome every day, and I love her so much! She is such a blessing of sweetness, joy, beauty, and silliness to me and her Daddy. We are so happy and cannot wait to see where God is taking our sweet family next...only 7 days to Match!<br />
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Anna Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07979809574372523071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-432461455384535588.post-60552919115076800472015-02-06T17:10:00.000-05:002015-02-06T17:18:46.308-05:00Half Birthday!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
On February 1, 2015, my baby girl had her half birthday! We were in Augusta, celebrating her God Mother, Jennifer's, birthday, so you know she got some half birthday loving :) Not only is this month a huge milestone time-wise, but she has also learned and accomplished so many things over the past month! I feel like my baby is starting to become a little girl in some ways.<br />
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Evelyn with Jennifer and her Aunt Melissa and cousin Jackson!</div>
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Her personality is more apparent than ever before! She is so sweet and gentle. People are always commenting on what a wonderful baby she is (for which I give God, and not myself or Mikey, all the credit!)...she just hangs out with us most of the time, and she is always smiling or calmly observing and learning from the world around her. Basically, she's the best.<br />
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Evy after a bath.</div>
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She has started sitting up on her own, and with that comes a whole new world of possibilities! She can reach for things better, so she can play for longer periods of time, entertaining herself. It is so fun to watch her learn and play with her toys. She loves her soft blocks from Gramma and Grampa and her play kitchen from Gammy and Poppa! Before, I know it, she'll be crawling...aah! She is already starting to scoot around a little bit.<br />
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Little sitter :)</div>
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She started eating solid foods! She caught onto eating from a spoon so quickly. I am so incredibly proud of her and excited for all of the new options she can try! Right now, we are just doing solids at dinner time, but we will probably start adding them to more feedings during the day and working towards a three-meal-a-day schedule.<br />
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6 month old stats:</div>
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27 inches tall - 88.29%ile</div>
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16 lbs 11 oz - 60.82%ile</div>
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Anna Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07979809574372523071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-432461455384535588.post-57454849266338714722015-01-02T17:14:00.002-05:002015-01-02T17:14:26.903-05:00FIVE months old!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I am dumbfounded. How is my little baby girl <i style="font-weight: bold;">five months old?!</i> It does not seem possible. But, alas, it is. And she is awesome, let me assure you.<br />
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In the past two months she has grown in so many ways!</div>
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#1 - She is 95th percentile for Length! She definitely takes after her Daddy in that, not my little 5'2" self. I bet she'll be taller than me in middle school. And Mikey will have to console her about the difficulty of finding pants long enough for her tall, skinny self. He's the pro at that.<br />
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#2 - She doubled her birth weight at 4 months! I don't even know how much she weighs now, at 5 months, but she is growing great! I love her little baby chub. She was almost exactly 50th percentile for weight at her last check-up.</div>
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#3 - She is laughing and smiling and being generally happy and wonderful. She loves when her Daddy beatboxes or throws her in the air. She always has a laugh or chuckle for her Aunt Nina and Uncle Luke. And she continues to love spending time with her grandparents!<br />
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#4 - She is rolling over! Almost exactly at 4 months old, she rolled front-to-back for the first time. Now, she is doing it every day! She's still working on getting over that arm on the back-to-front roll. And then she'll be rolling all over the place before I know it! She also loves to stand up, so who knows when she'll start sitting up straight and pulling up to stand! I'm not ready for this...</div>
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#5 - She is teething! Poor baby has had a few minor fevers and general fussiness related to her sore little gums. And she. is. drooling. But she is still so sweet and happy most of the time! Maybe the worst is yet to come, but teething has been a lot easier than I thought it might be. I just have to watch out because she is putting everything she can grab into her mouth!<br />
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We are so proud of our beautiful little girl. She is smart, sweet, strong, and so lovely. I am so blessed to be her Mommy and to raise her alongside the best husband and father I could even imagine!</div>
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Anna Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07979809574372523071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-432461455384535588.post-65793516505202320262015-01-01T20:41:00.004-05:002015-01-01T20:41:41.436-05:00Make Up Your Mind<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">"Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be." </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">- Abraham Lincoln</span></b></div>
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This has long been a favorite quote of mine. One of my best friends in middle school gave me a book mark with these words on it, which I then hung on a cork board on my wall. I saw it every day until I left home for college.<br />
<br />These words are not meant to diminish the serious reality of depression and other mental illnesses. The friend who gave me this little, but well-loved, gift struggled with bipolar disorder. I myself battled depression for over four years. These illnesses are real, and if you need help, seek it out.<br />
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But even through those years, I went back to these words for encouragement and motivation. I think one of the greatest struggles of my adult life is realizing that I <i style="font-weight: bold;">cannot</i> do everything. I cannot be everything to everyone. I cannot accomplish every goal I ever dreamed up. I cannot be everywhere at once. I <i style="font-weight: bold;">cannot</i>. As I've grown in my adult life, I've accomplished many things, and to some people, that might give you some sense of power. But the many demands on my life that I have been able to fulfill have, for me, also highlighted the many things I could not do. I had to start making sacrifices. Saying no. Letting go.<br />
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<strike>Sometimes</strike> Often, my floors are not vacuumed, the budget is (way) behind, and the dirty laundry is overflowing its basket. Not only household chores, but also goals in other areas of life. I cannot ace every test. I cannot make everyone like me. I cannot be the <i>best</i> in every category. I am not always home with my baby. I do not keep up with my blog. I do not cook, or workout, or eat vegetables as much as I'd like.<br />
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In this new year, as I started thinking of resolutions to make, the list got so long that I gave up. I realized again that <i>I cannot do it all</i>. I have to pick...maybe I can actually do one or two of the most important things on my list. But I will <b>never</b> be able to do it <b>all.</b> Not like I wish I could.<br />
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And I feel helpless.<br />
And small.<br />
And defeated.<br />
<br />Life is beating me. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Double meaning intended)</span><br />
<br />
And then I remember this quote.<br />
And I remember that I <b>can. </b><span style="font-weight: bold;">always</span><i style="font-weight: bold;">. choose</i>.<br />
<br />
My attitude is mine.<br />
My thoughts are mine.<br />
<br />
I can <b><i>choose</i> </b>joy. I can have a positive attitude. I can hold my tongue instead of saying something mean or hurtful or negative. I can focus on all of the amazing blessings in my life...my husband, my beautiful baby, my family, my friends, my work, my home, my dogs, good food, time well spent.<br />
<br />
I can choose how I spend the hours I do have in the day. Maybe I cannot do everything, but I can spend my time <b>well</b>.<br />
<br />
I am not a victim in this world. I am not defeated. <b>I can choose</b>.<br />
<br />
I make up my mind to be happy this year.<br />
<b>That</b> is my resolution.<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>-Philippians 4:8</b></span></span></div>
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Anna Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07979809574372523071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-432461455384535588.post-47026928703905567182014-11-02T17:07:00.003-05:002014-11-02T17:07:48.685-05:003 Months Old!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It's here. Evelyn is officially 3 months old. I do not know how this happened...time must have sped up over the past month. Maybe the earth is spinning faster. But however it has come about, it's here. My baby is growing up!<br />
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Evelyn's Stats:<br />
-Eating 5 oz 5x/day<br />
-Sleeps 11 hours a night!<br />
-Weighs over 12 lbs!<br />
-Not a fan of tummy time<br />
-BIG fan of sleep<br />
-Loves to listen to her Daddy beat box<br />
-Loves watching fans and lights<br />
-Getting more and more smiley every day :)<br />
<br />
This month, we have had a lot of fun together! Including...<br />
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HALLOWEEN!</div>
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Road trip to Orlando / Harry Potter World!</div>
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Evelyn's first butter beer :) JK!</div>
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And so many other sweet moments. I am so blessed to have my beautiful family! Love you, Evelyn Grace! You are such a precious gift!<br />
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Anna Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07979809574372523071noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-432461455384535588.post-67737014939477637122014-10-05T20:29:00.000-04:002014-10-05T20:30:23.365-04:00TWO months old!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Evelyn is 2 MONTHS OLD!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It is hard to believe that two entire months have passed
since this beautiful, sweet, thoughtful girl came into our lives. She is such a
good baby, and we are so incredibly blessed to have her in our growing little
family!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Evelyn’s stats:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">-Eats 4.5 oz 6x/day<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">-Sleeps 9 HOURS at night!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">-Loves to play with her jingle giraffe<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">-Still loves her “Goodnight Charleston” Book<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">-Getting better at holding her head up and pushing up with
her arms</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">-SMILES! Especially at her Daddy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">-Wearing size 0-3 month clothes and size 1 diapers<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This month has been quite a busy one for our little girl!
She has had a lot of firsts:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">FIRST STEELER’S GAME</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">FIRST CONCERT</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">FIRST BRIDGE WALK<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">FIRST STUDY TIME WITH MOMMY</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">FIRST DANCE WITH DADDY<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxI-kJ3ao-nBtssSTwem9lKcz2eaJeTw1fMUp7tnzZwYbMZ0IbaPuJEqz21f27GEqpCTL7puvS7CFWBvjXTSw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I went back to work on September 15, and Evelyn and Mikey
have been having so much fun together during the days. I miss her so much, but
Mikey is the most amazing Daddy. I<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>just
have to get lots of snuggles in when I get home!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Happy 2 month-aversary, Evelyn! Your mommy loves you SO
MUCH!</span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
</div>
Anna Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07979809574372523071noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-432461455384535588.post-67465441188875672842014-09-11T15:19:00.001-04:002014-09-11T15:19:31.309-04:00a healthier me<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Being a new mom is hard.<br />
<br />
Don't get me wrong. When I look into Evelyn's face or even just think of the amazing joy she has brought to our family, <b>it is all worth it</b>. But that doesn't change the fact that motherhood involves some serious challenges<br />
<br />
I am especially learning about balance...how to spend your time, restarting work and still being a mom, giving baby daddy some attention too, what to eat, how to get back in shape. There are a lot of challenges.<br />
<br />
One of the ones I plan to conquer first is getting healthy. When I got pregnant, I was already the heaviest I've been my entire life. Part of that is getting older, and part of it is a combination of poor diet and not much exercise thanks to the rigors of medical school, marriage, and an attempt to maintain a semi-normal social life. <i>Now that I'm a mom, I want to put my health a little higher on the priority list again.</i><br />
<br />
So my goals are:<br />
1) lose the last 5 lbs of baby weight (...and maybe 5-10 more?!)<br />
2) find new recipes and snacks to support a healthy diet...one that I can stick with long-term<br />
3) find forms of exercise that I ENJOY so I stick with them<br />
4) keep up my high water consumption from pregnancy...at least 64 oz / day<br />
<br />
Tomorrow marks Evelyn turning 6-weeks-old. My midwife just gave me a clean bill of health at my post-partum check-up this morning. So today is the start of my campaign to start a new, healthier lifestyle! I got a bit of a head start over the past few weeks with a couple of new recipes and a pact with my friend Lyndsey to workout together twice a week (and a plan to workout on my own 3 times a week).<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Here are some of the <i><b>recipes</b></i> I've found that I really enjoy:<br />
<br />
Parmesan Garlic Quinoa:<br />
-Cook quinoa in vegetable broth on stovetop according to package instructions<br />
-Season with fresh minced garlic (or garlic powder)<br />
-Add parmesan cheese to desired taste...I did about 1 tbsp in 1 cup of quinoa<br />
<br />
Roasted Brussel Sprouts<br />
-Clean sprouts and cut in half<br />
-Toss in (small amount of) oil with salt, pepper, and paprika to taste<br />
-Place on greased baking sheet<br />
-Top with minced garlic if desired<br />
-Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes<br />
<br />
Baked Caramelized Chicken (not as healthy, but SO good and still semi-healthy!)<br />
-Mix 1 cup soy sauce, 1 cup honey, 2 tbsp ketchup, 2 tbsp oil, and 1 minced garlic clove in dish<br />
-Place boneless skinless chicken breasts in greased pan and top with sauce mixture<br />
-Bake on 350 for 1 hour or until chicken is cooked through and sauce is caramelized<br />
*You can use the extra sauce on your veggies!! YUM!<br />
<br />
<b><i>Snacks</i></b>:<br />
-Apple with PB<br />
-Trail mix<br />
-Cheese stick<br />
-Yogurt<br />
-Leftover veggies...brussel sprouts and asparagus especially!<br />
<br />
And some of my <b><i>go-to workouts</i></b> are:<br />
-<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tj9d6aBOzDo" target="_blank">This</a> bollywood inspired dance workout on youtube...fun, not too hard, but challenging enough to keep you interested. 30 minutes long.<br />
-"Workouts with Jessica" on youtube...you choose the workout by song and can do as many as you want! She's great, and the songs are really fun, which helps to keep me motivated. Some of my faves are <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaFkJMxVI3I" target="_blank">this</a> and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Qfnn7OyNYk" target="_blank">this</a>.<br />
-Zumba classes (technically my first time back at Zumba will be tonight, but I know I love it from classes I've taken in the past!)<br />
<br />
Let's see how this goes! I'm excited to start a new healthier lifestyle! I hope to set a good example for Evelyn and to be happier with myself, as well :)<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Anna Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07979809574372523071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-432461455384535588.post-44556613569511292922014-09-06T15:06:00.001-04:002014-09-06T15:06:36.156-04:00my 1-month-old<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Evelyn is <b><i>1-month-old</i></b>! How is this possible?!<br />
<br />
The past month has been a beautiful, messy, challenging, rewarding, and amazing time in our lives. We have really started settling into our new life together as a family of 3. Evelyn is such a wonderful blessing! Mikey and I have loved getting to know our precious little one over the past month!<br />
<br />
My little munchkin is:<br />
-about 9 pounds (aka growing like a weed)<br />
-sleeping a 6 hour stretch at night<br />
-eating 4 oz at nearly every feeding<br />
-almost outgrowing her newborn clothes<br />
-holding her hands together<br />
-focusing on objects and tracking with her eyes<br />
-getting better at holding up her head<br />
-loving her bird toy<br />
-loving her bedtime story (Good Night, Charleston)<br />
-loving her paci<br />
-loving bath time<br />
-loving her mom, dad, Gramma, Grampa, Gammy, Papa, and all of her aunts and uncles!<br />
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Evelyn on her 1 month-aversary :)</div>
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Family picture from Evelyn's newborn photo shoot...she was 2 weeks old :)</div>
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Anna Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07979809574372523071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-432461455384535588.post-36030705867980473302014-08-25T16:25:00.002-04:002014-08-25T16:25:17.700-04:00Evelyn's Birth Story<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Here it is. The Birth Story. Disclaimer: it is super long and pretty detailed (aka not for the faint of heart), but I wanted to share my amazing birth experience...to share it with others and for posterity's sake, as well!<br />
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Evelyn's due date was August 9, and beginning around 36 weeks into the pregnancy, I was getting antsy to meet my Little One and to NOT be pregnant anymore. I was so worried she would be late and I would lose some of my precious weeks off with her, as they were pre-scheduled to start right on her due date! But lucky for me, on Friday, August 1, Evelyn decided to make her appearance.<br />
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For the few days leading up to August 1, I was feeling like things were progressing. I was 3 cm dilated and 50% effaced on July 31 at my prenatal appointment. I felt like she was sitting lower and lower in my belly. My swelling was getting worse. And my braxton hicks contractions were getting more frequent and a little bit stronger. However, I wasn't yet in labor, so I was still going into the hospital for my hematopathology rotation. I had a half mile walk from the parking lot to the hospital every day, and then I spent a lot of time walking around the hospital once I was there. However, my work on this rotation was sitting in a scope room, looking at slides of blood smears and bone marrow biopsies under a microscope. Over lunch, I walked to the library on campus to lead a suturing workshop for the third year medical students on their Ob/Gyn rotation. The suturing workshop went great...just like every other one we'd done. And then, I headed back to the scope room to finish off my work day. I was a little late back to the room, but I had warned the resident that this might be the case. When I walked into the room, the residents and attending physician looked up and starting joking about worrying that I had gone into labor when I didn't show back up on time. We all laughed, and then I am pretty sure I got the funniest look on my face because, as I was laughing, I felt a little gush of fluid. With wide open eyes, I told the doctors, "No. I wasn't in labor, but I'm pretty sure my water just broke. I'll be right back." And I took off to the bathroom down the hall.<br />
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I called Mikey, then my mom, and then the birthing center from the bathroom. Every time I stood up, more amniotic fluid started leaking out, so I sat on the toilet for about twenty minutes. The resident brought me my bag, some paper towels to use as pads (and luckily I was wearing a black dress!) and offered to take me to MUSC's labor and delivery floor. When I told her I was delivering in N Charleston and not at MUSC, she offered to walk me downstairs and wait with me for my mom to pick me up. The plan was for Mikey to meet us at the birthing center and for my mom to pick me up from MUSC, as she was much closer to downtown Charleston. When we got to the birthing center, I was still only having weak Braxton Hicks contractions. I was given the option of waiting it out on my own or drinking a castor oil concoction to help me start contracting. I chose the nasty cocktail, as I was more than ready to get this show on the road. Mikey drove me home, where I drank about half of the cocktail, and about two hours later, I started having contractions. They were instantly strong and 3-4 minutes apart. After 2 hours, I called the midwife, but I decided to wait another hour at home before heading into the birthing center.<br />
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When we arrived, the midwife, Laurie, checked me, and I was 5 cm dilated. I labored in the bed, on a birthing ball, and in the shower. After a few hours, I had the most painful contraction I could imagine and started vomiting uncontrollably. After a couple of minutes of straight pain and severe vomiting, the contraction finally eased off. But after this, all of the contractions were much stronger than previously. I'm fairly certain this is when I entered the "transition" period of labor. I'd been nauseous and vomited some before this...likely thanks to the castor oil and my generally weak stomach when stressed. I kept inhaling the peppermint oil they put in a little container for me. After that terrible contraction, I decided to sit in the shower, but kept my little container handy. Throughout all of this, Mikey was the most amazing birth partner. He held my hand, rubbed or pressed on my back, got me whatever I needed, and was absolutely present and exactly what I needed.<br />
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Mikey told me after Evelyn was born that during transition, when I started screaming during contractions, vomiting, and generally feeling like I must be dying, he had started to send my mom a text. We'd planned ahead that she would be on standby in case Mikey couldn't handle the labor process. However, before he got the text sent to her (in which he was saying that he was starting to feel a little lightheaded and uneasy due to my intense and obvious pain), I told him that I felt like I might need to push. He immediately informed the midwife. When she checked me, I was about 9 cm.<br />
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I transferred into the birthing tub. I started out leaning on the edge of the tub, stomach down, but this was not comfortable to me, so I switched to leaning back into Mikey, with my arms draped over his legs. Every contraction, I would squeeze down on his legs so hard that he was sore for a few days after the delivery! For a number of contractions, I really felt like I needed to push, but I didn't know how. I couldn't mentally make myself push with all of the pain I was feeling. I was somewhat frozen...in fear, in pain, in denial that this baby was coming out one way or another. It was at this point that I asked Laurie what pain control options I had. The birthing center we used had three options: a TENS unit, sterile water injections, and self-administered nitrous oxide. I asked for the nitrous. We discussed the utility of it...Laurie thought it might not be worth it for me since I was so close to delivery, but after another painful contraction, I told her I definitely wanted it. It took a few tries to get used to inhaling through the mask during contractions, but once I did, it made a huge difference! It didn't really take away the pain, but it helped me to get out of my head enough to push through the pain. I got in the zone. I stopped talking, closed my eyes, and just listened to my body and to the instructions Laurie was giving me. After the birth, I learned I had pushed for forty-five minutes. I had absolutely no concept of time during the entire labor process, but especially during pushing. It was such a relief to have some purpose to the pain, something to put my effort into. The last ten to fifteen contractions, Evelyn was a little stubborn about making her appearance. She was almost here, but I couldn't quite get her out. Finally, her head came, and after one more contraction, the rest of her followed. Laurie took her out of the water and placed her on my chest immediately. I hugged my baby girl, in absolute awe of her existence and of what my body had just done. It was the most amazing feeling in the world.<br />
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After the birth, we transferred back to the bed, and Mikey, Evelyn, and I all laid in the bed together. I got to just enjoy my beautiful little family. I felt exhausted and elated and amazed at the miracle of childbirth. I am so thankful for my birth experience. It was life changing to go through such an incredible process. I'm not sure what I will choose to do for our future child(ren), but I would not change Evelyn's birth story at all! I feel like it gave me an amazing perspective on childbirth, especially as a future Ob/Gyn.<br />
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I am incredibly thankful for my healthy baby girl, for my speedy recovery from a very smooth labor, for the Charleston Birth Place for providing such an amazing experience, and for the most wonderful and supportive husband known to man!</div>
Anna Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07979809574372523071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-432461455384535588.post-91171092435419651452014-08-06T04:06:00.001-04:002014-08-06T04:06:43.630-04:00a new beginning<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Meet Evelyn.<br />
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The most perfect, precious, beautiful little girl I have ever laid eyes on.<br />
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She is smart and adorable. She is nursing like a champ. She is great at taking good long naps, although most of those are in the arms of someone who loves her dearly. She makes the funniest little serious faces and loves to look at and learn about the world around her. She prefers keeping her hands by her face, so she normally has them curled up in a ball or is sucking on her thumb. Her yawns are the cutest.<br />
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I could go on...but I'll just give you her stats real quick so I can get back to snuggling with my precious little girl.<br />
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Born on: August 1, 2014 at 10:05 pm (at 38 weeks and 6 days)<br />
Weighing: 7 lbs 2 oz<br />
Measuring: 19.5 inches<br />
Labor: 9 hours<br />
Pushing: 45 minutes<br />
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She is happy and healthy as can be, and we are so incredibly blessed and happy to have her in our lives! Every day, nearly every second, I pray for her to be healthy and safe and to know how loved and cherished she is. Now I better get back to showing her...</div>
Anna Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07979809574372523071noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-432461455384535588.post-83767654524413556982014-07-27T08:45:00.000-04:002014-07-27T08:45:27.918-04:00the waiting game<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Up until about 36 weeks of pregnancy, I would ponder in my head when the best time for little miss to arrive might be. I figured (subconsciously) that she would choose the perfect timing, considering others, our commitments, our desire to meet her...after all, she is my daughter, so she <b>must</b> be a planner, right? And I decided on sometime in the 39th week...I'll be finishing up my last rotation before my six week "maternity leave." My externship in Ob/Gyn will be done. Mikey will have lined somebody up to lead worship at church that Sunday. All will be well. And exactly as it <b>should</b> be.<br />
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Then I hit 36 weeks, which is when one of my best friends gave birth to her healthy and beautiful little girl, and my spirit started to get a little antsy. Next I hit 37 weeks and I thought, "Well, now wouldn't be so bad...she's still just early term, but she'd be safe and healthy if she would just come <b>now</b>!" I have become so impatient to meet her. Not only is my desire to see her tiny face and count her fingers and toes growing minute by minute, but I am also growing increasingly uncomfortable in my increasingly <i>large</i> body as I near the end of this pregnancy. And I am starting to get a little nervous about her being late...with a due date still nearly 2 weeks away, I just feel unreasonably nervous that she will <b><i>never</i></b> come, or at least not for another 4 weeks or so. Coming after her due date would mean cutting into my 6 weeks of pre-scheduled "maternity leave," which is actually just six weeks of the usual time off all fourth year medical students receive, and that would mean less time home with her after her delivery.<br />
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In these past two weeks, my soul has been very restless. Worrying. Wondering if today is the day. Wanting to plan, but knowing so much is out of my control. And I realized this morning, while reading a <a href="http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/crosswalk-devo/" target="_blank">devotional</a> about wrestling with God and with your place in the world, that I am never really in control. I like to think I am. Just as I like to think that Evelyn would choose to arrive exactly at the most appropriate and convenient time. But truly, we are all just pieces in the huge puzzle of life. Sometimes, we find where we fit perfectly, and we can rest there. We feel that we belong and that all is right with the world. But just as easily, we can wake up on any given day, and it looks like the puzzle has changed completely. Where everything around us is harsh edges and sharp angles, we can't seem to fit comfortably anywhere, no matter how hard we try. And those days we get frustrated or dejected with what is around us, with ourselves for not fitting perfectly into the life we are living.<br />
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And I would find this lack of control utterly distressing if I were to look at it from the perspective of my one poor little piece. It would all seem so meaningless, so frustrating, so demeaning. But when I look at my piece as a vital part of completing the puzzle, a piece <i>cherished</i> by a God who knows exactly where I fit in, every day, no matter what my perspective may be, I find it somewhat freeing. The big picture is <b>always</b> there...the whole puzzle put together. Even when I feel like I am totally out of place or that the world around me is out of place, I can trust that I am where I need to be. I can learn from every season. I can rest in God, knowing that He has a plan, a place, for me.<br />
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And so as I start this new week and am about to go get ready for church, I want to take a moment to thank the Lord for being the one who knows the big picture and for giving me seasons of rest and "fitting," as well as seasons of wrestling and growing. I pray that every season would draw me closer to Him...to trusting Him and knowing Him, and to becoming more like Him. I pray that He would give my heart a resting place in these upcoming weeks, as I wait for Evelyn's birth and then as I learn how to do this whole parenting thing with a newborn.<br />
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"I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word, I hope" - Psalm 130:5</div>
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Anna Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07979809574372523071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-432461455384535588.post-82130133958468109862014-07-13T14:51:00.002-04:002014-07-13T14:51:23.479-04:00Happy Fourth of July!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I know I am a little bit behind the times, but I wanted to wish everyone a happy 4th of July and share what we Baurs were up to last weekend :)<br />
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Mikey plays with a cover band / wedding band / reggae band in the Charleston area known as the Charleston Groove Factor (or Holy City Hooligans for their own work). Unfortunately, I am normally working or he is playing at a wedding whenever he performs, so I rarely get to go see him play with this amazing band. However, this past weekend, he played at the N Charleston Riverfront Park for their 4th of July festival! AND we had friends from church and tons of family come to the event, so I had plenty of company to sit with while I could hear him play. My mom and Gwen (my mom's BFF and my "second mom") came to the show, and it was wonderful getting to sit with them! (And explore the food trucks at the event after the show!) Mikey did an absolutely amazing job! I am always impressed by his talent and dedication to his art. I was so proud of him and happy I could actually come support him in person!<br />
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After his show, I said my hellos to new friends and family that had shown up, and then I spent the rest of the evening with friends from the Hive Church, while Mikey jetted off to Folly Beach to play another gig with the band there. Staying at Riverfront was great, even though I had to miss watching the fireworks with my honey, because I got some great time with amazing friends, and the fireworks display at Riverfront is the largest in South Carolina! It was amazing. The whole night was a blast.<br />
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Last weekend also marked 35 weeks of pregnancy...making this weekend 36 weeks! Which means I am only one week away from being term, and hopefully not too much farther away from meeting my little girl! Mikey and I are both getting extremely impatient for Evelyn to make her arrival...I feel like it is all I think about when I am home. Luckily, I've been kept quite busy with my externship, which helps to keep my mind occupied and to make these last few weeks go by more quickly. But still...I'm so ready for Evy's debut!<br />
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Anna Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07979809574372523071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-432461455384535588.post-50229759361087477992014-06-29T16:39:00.000-04:002014-06-29T16:39:00.507-04:00the difference a year can make<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Tomorrow, I start my fourth year of medical school. By the end of July, I will have completed my externship and started my application for residency. It is hard to believe that I am nearing the end of my medical school career. Over the next ten months or so, I will continue rotating through different areas in the hospital, but there will be no shelf exams, no die-hard studying, no wondering what I want to do with the rest of my life. I'm there. The decision's been made.<br />
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I was talking with Mikey this afternoon about where we were one year ago. I was anxious about starting my clinical years of medical training, having just finished classes and taken Step 1 of my medical boards. I felt unprepared and uncomfortable with the hospital system, with seeing patients on a day-to-day basis, and with my own abilities and role as a member of the medical team. I was just about to start orientation for my family medicine rotation, where I would spend 5 weeks living with my grandparents in Spartanburg and working on weekdays at a small family practice in Gaffney. This was my introduction into medicine. I went on to rotate through Internal Medicine, Surgery, Psychiatry, Pediatrics, and Ob/Gyn. I learned so much in such a short period of time. It is hard to believe it has only been a year since I started that first rotation.<br />
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And now, only a year later, I am about to start my externship in high-risk obstetrics, and I feel confident in my place in the medical team. I know how the system works. I feel comfortable with my level of knowledge and skill, while knowing there is still so much learning and growing ahead of me. I am not scared to enter a patient's room and answer questions they may have about their illness, the risks of a procedure, or what the plan is for their care. And I hope to be a friend and help to the new third year students starting their rotations this year, remembering my fears and self-doubts just one year ago. It is breathtakingly wonderful and awe-inspiring (all of the glory to God!) to look back and see how much I have grown as a future physician in 12 short months.<br />
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And I have grown as a person in even more ways. Mikey and I just celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary on June 20, and we are expecting the arrival of our daughter in August. I have made so many wonderful friends through working with different students on my rotations throughout the past year and through my new church family. I am truly blessed.<br />
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Now, I can start to look forward to what this next year has to offer as I continue growing...as a future physician (less than 10 months until I am an M.D.!), as a wife, as a friend, and as a mother.</div>
Anna Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07979809574372523071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-432461455384535588.post-90629180432633189682014-06-22T21:29:00.002-04:002014-06-22T21:31:45.654-04:00Cute as a Button Baby Shower<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've been busy studying for Step 2 CK of medical boards, which I take this coming Friday, but I wanted to take a moment to post some pictures from my baby shower last weekend :) My mom and sister did an absolutely amazing job, with help from my mother-in-law, my grandmother, and Gwen (aka my second mom)! Beautiful decorations, yummy food, fun games, and best of all...a group of ladies that means the world to me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This shower was filled with the women who have shaped me into who I am today and who, I know, will play huge roles in shaping Evy into her beautiful self :) It was such a joy to have so many of them together in one place at one time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was absolutely humbled by the effort that went into preparing the shower and by the family and friends who came to support me and Evelyn, many of whom came from out of town. I felt incredibly loved and so thankful! Unfortunately, I totally spaced and didn't get pictures with/of so many of these wonderful ladies, but here are a few shots from the shower:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />-- Cute as a Button pictures of Mikey and myself as babies --</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">--a chance to give (much-needed and appreciated!) advice to the new mom--</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">--drink table (taken before everything was ready! oops. But still lovely!)--</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">--just the beginning of the table of gifts...we were so blesssed!--</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">--Jennifer and Rabun with the cutest little shower attendee--</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">--opening presents with Nina, Mom, and Glenda looking on--</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">--a little time with Gwen before the shower--</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">--overwhelmingly happy and blessed by all the love and support!--</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thank you to everyone who made it! And to those that were unable to attend, you were missed, and please know that I am incredibly thankful for your impact on my life and your future impact on Evelyn's life!</span></div>
Anna Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07979809574372523071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-432461455384535588.post-39062010140731733282014-06-11T16:14:00.001-04:002014-06-11T16:14:28.422-04:00On Being "Severely Pregnant"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I've been on the small side for most of my pregnancy. It wasn't until about 25 weeks that people start guessing I was pregnant, at least to my face :) It is still shocking to me to look down and see my giant belly protruding or to have somebody ask me when I'm due because I am so obviously pregnant. At work today, I had a resident refer to me as "severely pregnant." Which is true. I am really, really pregnant.<br />
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At 31 weeks and 4 days, I have just over 8 weeks until Evelyn is due. I am less than 2 months away.<br />
And the weird part is, I don't feel that different. I thought that by now, I would really feel like a "mom," or at least a "pre-mom." But as excited as I am for Evelyn's arrival, I am mostly just shocked that it is almost here. Someone is about to send me home with a BABY, and I am going to be responsible for feeding her and clothing her and generally making sure she turns out okay. What?! How can this be possible? I feel so small and inadequate compared to this huge task. I know when she gets here, my ineptitude will only be more apparent. But thank goodness I am not alone!<br />
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Every mom friend of mine has told me their own version of this story...coming home with a tiny, helpless human being who is totally in your care...the excitement, the fear, the overwhelming gravity of it. I am so glad to have these friends to call on for reassurance when Evelyn gets here. I am beyond thankful for my amazing mother and mother-in-law, who have already assured me of their excitement and willingness to help in whatever way is needed. And mostly, I am thankful for my wonderful, caring, strong, calm, considerate, and devastatingly good-looking husband, who happens to charm every baby he meets. There is nobody else in this world with whom I could see myself entering this strange new world of parenting.<br />
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And so with Evelyn's due date fast-approaching, I guess I need to get used to strangers asking if "it's a boy or a girl" or telling me not to sneeze or I might go into labor. I'm only getting more "severely pregnant" until I go on a major weight-loss program via the birth of this baby. And even if I don't yet feel quite like a real-life mom, I <i>am</i> a mom already. And every comment and joke just serves as a reminder of how close I am to meeting my precious little girl. And that's alright by me!</div>
Anna Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07979809574372523071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-432461455384535588.post-65320108727740386522014-06-07T13:52:00.001-04:002014-06-07T13:52:59.607-04:00hello again. nice to see you.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">hello again.</span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">it's been awhile.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The past 10 months or so have been a whirlwind. A lot has happened...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">ONE</span> - We are having a baby!! In August :) We announced to the family on Christmas and to the world a couple of months later. And now we are only two months away from Evelyn's arrival! It is absolute madness, but we could not be happier. I've had her nursery ready for her arrival for, oh, 3 months already. (Can you tell I am one excited mama?!) I just cannot wait to hold her in my arms and to see her sweet face!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">TWO</span> - The Hive Church is alive and well in North Charleston. The church plant that Mikey and I are apart of will have its 1 year anniversary in August, and we are so proud of our church and its vision..making disciples who make disciples. Preaching Truth from the Word of God. Sharing our lives with fellow believers…encouraging one another, laughing and crying together, discussing important things and not-so-important things together. And working to make an impact on the city around us. It is beautiful. And I am so thankful for our church.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">THREE</span> - I have chosen my career. After much struggle, heartache, and deliberation this year, I have settled on OB/GYN. I am extremely excited about this choice. OB was my last clerkship of my 3rd year of medical school, and frankly, one of the lowest things on my list coming into school. However, 3rd year and impending motherhood really showed me what is most important to me in my future career…</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Be able to help people. Duh. That's why I went to medical school in the first place! But it helps to remind myself of this ultimate goal, and it also helps me direct which area I feel like God has best equipped me to do this through</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Have some life outside of work…time for my amazing husband, for my daughter, for my family and my friends and my dogs…and time for myself! This is ultimately what led me away from general surgery, where a balance lifestyle is much more difficult (but not impossible) to come by.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Get to do surgery. I couldn't give up the OR completely. I tried to love other specialties, but the drama, excitement, and tangibility of the OR is too intoxicating for me. I need it in my life.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Get to do medicine. I also really enjoy complicated patient with presentations that give me a real puzzle to solve. Getting to do surgery AND medicine…who can resist that? Not this girl.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And SO…I chose OB/GYN, which gives me a nice mix of surgery and medicine, the opportunity to shape my career to have more of a life outside of the hospital, and the amazing ability to help women through crazy times in their lives…pregnancy, birth, hospital stays, gynecologic surgeries, battles with cancer, and plain ole year-to-year life! And I really, really want to do medical work abroad through programs like the fistula clinics in Africa, where I can leave a lasting impact on the women I meet there. Basically, I am pretty stoked about my choice, and I feel like it is exactly where God wants me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">FOUR</span> - I am less than a year away from being a real doctor! This seems like absolute madness. But all of the "fourth years" who are in the class ahead of me have now graduated, are officially "M.D."s, and are about to start residency programs across the country! And the thought of that being me in a year is magical and rewarding and terrifying all at the same time. I can't believe it is that close. So the next couple of months are filled with taking step 2 of boards (June 27!), completing my externship in OB/GYN (July!), having a baby (August!), and applying for residency (September!)…then residency interviews October through January. And in March, we'll find out where we matched and will be spending the next four years of our lives…whew.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So to sum it all up: baby, church, OB/GYN, and almost a doctor! :) Now you know why I have been a little too busy to post on this blog. However, I hope to rectify that, if for no other reason than to give me a place to share the joys and madness of having a newborn and finishing up medical school over the next year…but I am so blessed to have family and friends who try to keep up with us and what we are up to, so I hope this is cool for you too :) Talk to you in a few days!</span></div>
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Anna Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07979809574372523071noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-432461455384535588.post-82647413599954468272013-09-02T15:32:00.001-04:002013-09-02T21:01:48.115-04:00Sweet, Beautiful Exhaustion<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I am entering my fourth week of my internal medicine rotation, and it is everything I was promised (and warned) it would be!<br />
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It is a beautiful mess of busyness: early mornings, overnight calls, long hours, sneaking in meals, tons of meetings, lots of teamwork, and a teeny tiny bit of time squeezed in for studying and sleeping. I have 3 real days off in the 6 weeks of this rotation, and each one is mostly taken up with sleeping. However, for a person who always thought I couldn't function without sleep, I am quickly realizing, thankfully, that I CAN! A good five hours can have me set for the day, as long as I don't sit too long or stop moving :) By the weekend, when our days are shorter, I absolutely crash when I get home.<br />
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The long hours are totally worth it though, because I have had the time on inpatient internal medicine to really get to know my patients. I get to know them as people, to educate them about what is going on with their bodies and why they are still in the hospital, to comfort them when they are anxious about their conditions or their support systems or they just want to go home, and to know that I am part of a team that is really helping these people. It is a blessing to see sick people become well, to see patients with chronic illnesses learn the best ways to cope with their lifelong experience of a particular disease, and when necessary, to help patients deal with leaving this life behind. Everyday, I am reminded of the great gift of serving people in this very intimate and often scary time of their lives, and I am so thankful for the honor of taking care of them.<br />
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During all of the emotional and temporal madness of this rotation, I have also realized again how amazing my husband is. From leaving flowers on the dinner table when I get home from a long day of work to cleaning up the house without even being asked, he is definitely a keeper. I am so thankful for Mikey's patience with my crazy hours and with my sleep-deprived, emotional ramblings when I am home. He is such a wonderful husband and best friend!<br />
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Basically, life is good. I am blessed. And I will post another update as time permits!</div>
Anna Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07979809574372523071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-432461455384535588.post-65374442163205375882013-07-24T20:24:00.002-04:002013-07-24T20:24:39.875-04:00recovering from The Moment<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ever since I was young, I excelled in school. And it seemed
that the more I was praised for being “above average,” the better I got. As and Bs were great in middle school, but by
the end of 8<sup>th</sup> grade, only A+’s would do. In high school, I studied and somehow ended
up as the valedictorian of my class of over 600 students. I never really meant to do that. I just worked hard. I enjoyed school. And it worked out. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In college, I had the same sort of ride. I wasn’t the kid who never studied and
breezed through every subject, but when I worked hard and put my mind to
something, I ended up doing well. And
somewhere along the line, it became part of my identity.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I don’t know if it was when friends started asking me for
help explaining a difficult concept. Maybe
it was when my parents stopped freaking out when I got straight A’s because it
became a sort of “normal” for me. And I
liked doing well. But as it became more
of a WHO I am, not just WHAT I do, it went from a happy outcome of hard work
and a love of learning to a real need to do well. And not just because I wanted to do well, but
because I knew it was what people expected.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This fear of letting down the world, in the form of my
friends and my family, started to plague me throughout college. I lived in constant fear of when THE MOMENT
would come…the one where my luck ran out and my hard work just wouldn’t cut
it. I kept waiting, expecting, fearing…but
I kept doing well.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I graduated with a 4.0 GPA in a Bachelors of Science in
Biology from college. I did well on my
MCAT and was accepted on my first application attempt into medical school. I
even received a small annual scholarship, which was a huge honor. During my first year of medical school, I
received Honors in nearly all subjects on my exams. I was elected to a leadership position in student
government, and I started to think that maybe THE MOMENT was just a dark cloud
in my head. Maybe that ominous time
would never come.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And then…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The second year of medical school arrived.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
No matter how much I worked, how many hours I put in, how
much I cared and lived and breathed what I was learning, I couldn’t make it
make sense. It never “clicked” like
everything always had before. I was
learning in leaps and bounds, sure. But it wasn’t enough. My grades started
falling. I did not make honors on a
single exam my entire second year of medical school.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And I was devastated.
I struggled with depression. I
lost touch with numerous friends, as my husband changed jobs and we acquired a
new dog, a rescue, on top of all of my anxiety about how to juggle all of the
knowledge I was meant to acquire in my second year of medical school.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was not re-elected to the leadership position I had during
my first year of school. However, I was
chosen as the Secretary/Treasurer for an interest group, kind of like a surgery
club, for the college of medicine. I
tried to appreciate these minor victories, to be proud of what I <i>was</i> accomplishing with my hard work in
class, and to cherish the other positives I had in my life, like my family and
my friends and my home. But the heavens
had opened up, and my life was in the middle of a crazy storm of doubt,
confusion, and total frustration with THE MOMENT.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I felt like a fraud.
I went to one of the deans of the College of Medicine to ask for advice
on how to prepare for boards, and despite all positive signs during my
studying, I missed my goal score for USMLE Step 1 by 16 points. Again,
devastation. Again, trying to keep my
head above the flood of emotion because all was finally revealed…I am not that
special, not that smart, not that capable.
I am not even quite <i>average</i> in
this world of high-achieving, career-minded individuals that is Medical School.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
WHO AM I NOW?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is a question that I continue to struggle with as I am
entering my clinical years of medical school. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am no longer the top of my class.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am not the leader of the pack.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am adequate.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The doubts that have taken serious root in my soul from my
second year of medical school and my acceptable, but not stellar, performance
on Step 1 of my medical boards creep up on me whenever I knock on the door to
go in and see a patient. They sneak into
the back of my mind while I am studying cases or reading a medical article. They question whether I am fit to be A PHYSICIAN…the
person that people depend on at their weakest, at their lowest points in life,
the person that makes the life and death decisions, that yields their knowledge
and their skill in order to make the world a better, healthier, safer place.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And somewhere deep within me, the voice of my soul screams
out…YES. It is what I was made to
do. It is in my heartbeat. It is in the tears that well up when I talk
to a patient about their fears and struggles and desires for a better
life. It is in the steady hand when I go
to administer a shot or remove stitches from a healing wound. It is in the smile that lights up my face
when I look back on a day spent caring for others, for their bodies, but also
for their minds and their souls.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I AM A PHYSICIAN.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And I will fight every uphill battle to make it to my
goal. I will not let fear or doubt or
mere adequacy deter me from the life I was made to live. I may not have the
most glowing CV or the highest test scores, but I work hard. I have learned so
much. And I care. I really, truly, deeply care about every
person I have the privilege to call my patient. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So even though THE MOMENT still haunts me at times, I can
turn the light back on in my spirit by reminding myself of these truths. I was made to be a doctor. I am capable and
knowledgeable. I am imperfect and still
learning. And I have been given the amazing gift of using all that I know, all
that I can do, all of my self, to take care of the sick and the injured.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am blessed.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am a physician.<o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment--></div>
Anna Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07979809574372523071noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-432461455384535588.post-908599792263607732013-06-24T18:55:00.001-04:002013-06-24T18:55:21.690-04:00NYC, a big anniversary, and the USMLE<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hello all! I am such a terrible blogger since med school (especially second year!) started, but for friends and family who are still faithful readers of my rare posts, here are some new things going on in the Baur household:<br />
<br />
1. I finished my second year of medical school! Woohoo! I am officially done with my pre-clinical years of medical school. Which leads to....<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAO512dnEhSAROuhur8cOFEneI0GJ5RGKwfIv9hv4liAgS3RNIoa_maJy8toDOi2mRCU8lvRhj2w1QTYkBfSF-jkut-amvGz0k4TbEj9EHo2UrsuoTd6nD4Ja8BL4IlIxLXixJt6v4OOf6/s1600/IMG_2607.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAO512dnEhSAROuhur8cOFEneI0GJ5RGKwfIv9hv4liAgS3RNIoa_maJy8toDOi2mRCU8lvRhj2w1QTYkBfSF-jkut-amvGz0k4TbEj9EHo2UrsuoTd6nD4Ja8BL4IlIxLXixJt6v4OOf6/s400/IMG_2607.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPFdc3iTJEtuqbwg-HkNnxHzFpJ7anSzuj7z3OB4ZQB7lCLh6MaLx1PUFIG92hUKUAPtYacdDKqRmqql1CAdxDNZWUOPaHyrJxZh_bHlLMQbngPIaDX3F6L6dnbntupgi6NswWbuoZjc_T/s1600/IMG_2618.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPFdc3iTJEtuqbwg-HkNnxHzFpJ7anSzuj7z3OB4ZQB7lCLh6MaLx1PUFIG92hUKUAPtYacdDKqRmqql1CAdxDNZWUOPaHyrJxZh_bHlLMQbngPIaDX3F6L6dnbntupgi6NswWbuoZjc_T/s400/IMG_2618.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />
2. A wonderful trip to NYC with my cute mother to celebrate the end of med school classes! We went to see Wicked, explored the Met, and had all other sorts of adventures...it was a wonderful break, post-class and pre-boards. Which leads to...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsB5mB8_LXswCItnOCgIU1YFIcsQJEyTYcJfRpvuDMkLqyY1etzBvKExM4jaf030TzXs64goCDRh9XecAFNnMpMhJ3u00jNMGriCHoHKFVueGuxydOrg6hIj6aBQWsyFAwidlKG7aIBvxV/s1600/IMG_2660.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsB5mB8_LXswCItnOCgIU1YFIcsQJEyTYcJfRpvuDMkLqyY1etzBvKExM4jaf030TzXs64goCDRh9XecAFNnMpMhJ3u00jNMGriCHoHKFVueGuxydOrg6hIj6aBQWsyFAwidlKG7aIBvxV/s320/IMG_2660.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
3. I took the first of three steps of of the United States Medical Licensing Examination last week! After a month of nothing but studying, it felt great to put this giant, important test behind me! It will be a few weeks before I get the score that could determine what field and what program I am competitive to do a residency program in, but I am proud of the work I put in...now only time will tell! Which leads to...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnjGzOjAzuJF_VKCoQaIyOMd0mvZLamrenOCyQ5gL8VNnPNAkBNnGsQ8LWiKfg_XD6ZpObAXTLP6qgXMZqAcCN0ZXkqz7lXVFhuWLWAqtEP97JaZlw7Eaumblfy7gyDN0bzAldpkYtixbL/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnjGzOjAzuJF_VKCoQaIyOMd0mvZLamrenOCyQ5gL8VNnPNAkBNnGsQ8LWiKfg_XD6ZpObAXTLP6qgXMZqAcCN0ZXkqz7lXVFhuWLWAqtEP97JaZlw7Eaumblfy7gyDN0bzAldpkYtixbL/s400/photo+2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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4. The day after my board exam, Mikey and I celebrated our FIFTH wedding anniversary with a trip to Myrtle Beach for a few days. It was great to get away to spend some time, just the two of us. I must say, I really love that man :) And finally....<br />
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<br />
5. I just had the first day of orientation for my clinical years of medical school! Next Monday is my first official day in clinic as part of a patient care team! I cannot believe that I have finally gotten to this point in my medical education, but I am beyond excited (and slightly terrified) of starting this new adventure!</div>
Anna Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07979809574372523071noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-432461455384535588.post-82267529917054381672013-02-28T21:47:00.000-05:002013-02-28T21:47:40.963-05:00a day in the OR<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This week, I spent about 10 hours shadowing one of the amazing doctors from MUSC. He is an orthopedic oncologist, which is a very unique and rare specialty. Dr. L specializes in bone tumors, but he works on general orthopedic cases as well. I chose to shadow him in order to get more experience in another interesting focus of surgery: orthopedics! <br />
<br />
I spent 2 hours in the clinic with him and his team on Monday, learning about how they deal with patients and what type of cases they work. Then, I showed up at the hospital at 6 am on Wednesday to attend the Orthopedics M&M (Morbidity and Mortality) conference, which is where the residents discuss with their attending physicians things that went wrong in various cases and what to do differently next time. After that, we headed to the OR! I got to observe two surgeries, which took about 6 hours total.<br />
<br />
Here are two videos from youtube (preceded by explanation of what the surgery entails) showing surgeries similar to what I observed:<br />
<br />
(ps I know a lot of people will find these too graphic, but for those who aren't squeamish about surgeries, these surgeries are super cool!)<br />
<br />
1. Total Hip Replacement (this video is of an anterior approach, and we did a posterior approach...but same idea!)<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Cut through the skin, fascia, fat, and muscles to get down to the joint capsule, which is opened.</li>
<li>Dislocate the hip and remove the head of the femur (which is the problem...often, it is arthritic)</li>
<li>Ream (with a thing that looks like a circular cheese grater) into the acetabulum (aka the hip bone, where it articulates with the femur) until you hit bleeding bone (which will help the bone grow into the implant)</li>
<li>Place an acetabulum prosthetic and plastic liner</li>
<li>Ream (aka drill) into the femur with increasingly large reamers and then fit the hole in the bone with the correctly sized broach (which is a piece of metal that is the same shape as the prosthetic)</li>
<li>Place the prosthetic into the femur (this part is called the "stem")</li>
<li>Then add a false neck and the real femur head prosthetic</li>
<li>Relocate the hip and take an X-ray to check leg length (want it the same as the other leg!)</li>
<li>Dislocate the hip, attach the real neck and femur head prosthetics to the prosthetic stem</li>
<li>Relocate the hip</li>
<li>Sew the patient up!</li>
</ul>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/HRki3UDYa08" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
2. Tibial Nail<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Make incisions over the knee, to the side of the knee (slightly lower than other incision), and to the side of the ankle</li>
<li>Disarticulate the tibia from the femur (aka pop your lower leg bone out of the knee)</li>
<li>Place a guide pin to make sure you are going through the center of the bone as you ream down (as was done in the hip replacement)</li>
<li>Hammer nail into place</li>
<li>Screw nails at side of knee and side of ankle incisions (to ensure stability)</li>
<li>Place tibia back in place</li>
<li>Sew the patient up!</li>
</ul>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/006h2tbynwo" width="560"></iframe></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
TOO COOL! These surgeries make such a difference in the patients' lives...decreasing pain, increasing mobility and quality of life! Amazing.</div>
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Anna Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07979809574372523071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-432461455384535588.post-71313290057663041192013-02-23T09:55:00.002-05:002013-02-23T09:55:50.839-05:00weary<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
That is what I am right now. weary.<br />
<br />
With all that life is throwing my way, there are days that I wake up and just feel so weary, so worn-out and worn-down. <br />
<br />
When the dogs wake me up early again...<br />
When school is hanging a long list of to-dos over my head...<br />
When the laundry isn't done and the sink is full of dirty dishes and half of the surfaces in our house are covered with junk that has accumulated over the past week...<br />
When my back hurts and my eyes want to close and my mind can't rest...<br />
<br />
I am weary.<br />
<br />
And I <i style="font-weight: bold;">know</i> I am so blessed. And while that sometimes helps, other times it just makes me more weary...because I don't always <b>feel</b> like life is this huge blessing, but am I allowed to get frustrated with life when I have so much more than so many others? Weary.<br />
<br />
This is one of those mornings...a morning when nothing can fully quiet my spirit and all I can do is call on God to <i>help my unbelief</i>. To give me grace when I am graceless, peace when I am in turmoil, and hope when I am hopeless.<br />
<br />
I don't deserve it. I don't even fully believe it is going to happen. But He does. He knows. He's in control. And so I say it with my words and in my mind, and I hope that the Truth of His love and rest will somehow penetrate through my overwhelming <i>weariness</i> and into my tired soul.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
ISAIAH 40:</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="label" style="-webkit-background-clip: padding; background-clip: padding-box; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1; margin: 0.5em 4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 1em;">28</span><span class="content" style="-webkit-background-clip: padding; background-clip: padding-box; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 1em;">Do you not know?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2em; text-indent: 2em;">Have you not heard?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="content" style="-webkit-background-clip: padding; background-clip: padding-box; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 1em;">The </span><span class="nd" style="-webkit-background-clip: padding; background-clip: padding-box; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-variant: small-caps; line-height: 2em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 1em;"><span class="content" style="-webkit-background-clip: padding; background-clip: padding-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Lord </span></span><span class="content" style="-webkit-background-clip: padding; background-clip: padding-box; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 1em;">is the everlasting God,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2em; text-indent: 2em;">the Creator of the ends of the earth.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2em; text-indent: 1em;">He will not grow tired or weary,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2em; text-indent: 2em;">and his understanding no one can fathom.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="label" style="-webkit-background-clip: padding; background-clip: padding-box; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1; margin: 0.5em 4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 1em;">29</span><span class="content" style="-webkit-background-clip: padding; background-clip: padding-box; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 1em;">He gives strength to the weary</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2em; text-indent: 2em;">and increases the power of the weak.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="label" style="-webkit-background-clip: padding; background-clip: padding-box; border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1; margin: 0.5em 4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 1em;">30</span><span class="content" style="-webkit-background-clip: padding; background-clip: padding-box; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 1em;">Even youths grow tired and weary,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2em; text-indent: 2em;">and young men stumble and fall;</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="label" style="-webkit-background-clip: padding; background-clip: padding-box; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1; margin: 0.5em 4px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 1em;">31</span><i><span class="content" style="-webkit-background-clip: padding; background-clip: padding-box; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 1em;">but those who hope in the </span><span class="nd" style="-webkit-background-clip: padding; background-clip: padding-box; background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; font-variant: small-caps; line-height: 2em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-indent: 1em;"><span class="content" style="-webkit-background-clip: padding; background-clip: padding-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Lord</span></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2em; text-indent: 2em;"><i>will renew their strength.</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2em; text-indent: 1em;">They will soar on wings like eagles;</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2em; text-indent: 2em;">they will run and not grow weary,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; line-height: 2em; text-indent: 2em;">they will walk and not be faint.</span></div>
</div>
Anna Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07979809574372523071noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-432461455384535588.post-30780239932085656662013-02-09T16:22:00.000-05:002013-02-09T16:22:14.459-05:00give the world a reason to dance<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Just wanted to share this little pep talk with whoever needs a little encouragement today. <br />
<br />
Take the road to awesome!<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/l-gQLqv9f4o" width="560"></iframe></div>
Anna Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07979809574372523071noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-432461455384535588.post-55098431674437218102013-02-08T12:57:00.004-05:002013-02-08T12:57:36.267-05:00a new addition<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: center;">
Meet Duchess</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ca0cqqECAK3m8QVFx79b4Fk8wsT14c8Q5G6A7n0aZvtGFFrbWX5jGEacDw80gkfPr940XSgAT8nPUlrh75nEYef-syeVyHOfQbveHH7oYuju00o7p0oARX4qqw0psJ2xjC_sPKNphP0R/s1600/photo-5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-ca0cqqECAK3m8QVFx79b4Fk8wsT14c8Q5G6A7n0aZvtGFFrbWX5jGEacDw80gkfPr940XSgAT8nPUlrh75nEYef-syeVyHOfQbveHH7oYuju00o7p0oARX4qqw0psJ2xjC_sPKNphP0R/s320/photo-5.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
We weren't planning on expanding our little family just yet, but when we heard about the sweet girl's story, we couldn't resist the opportunity to have her as a part of our family! This beautiful dog was abandoned at a rental property, where she had likely been mistreated and neglected for most of her life. She is underweight, has heartworms and an ear infection, and had never had a rabies shot before this week when Mikey took her to the vet. Other than that, however, she is in incredibly good health, and she is probably the sweetest, most gentle dog I have ever met. We are so glad to have her as the newest member of our clan!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib_mGnzIiUYAKil7YBzOl3VeqH1TPo3cFwXx-27_6oWB7hyphenhyphenYARxb43g_wpyE6DQSzC45obSJB9SkSy00OZG7xfzetPPzvA1AsszUpsbRrcuoPaT7NIxdCzrJgwCbeCCHqGCYcO5VRnHCfV/s1600/photo-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib_mGnzIiUYAKil7YBzOl3VeqH1TPo3cFwXx-27_6oWB7hyphenhyphenYARxb43g_wpyE6DQSzC45obSJB9SkSy00OZG7xfzetPPzvA1AsszUpsbRrcuoPaT7NIxdCzrJgwCbeCCHqGCYcO5VRnHCfV/s400/photo-2.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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Me with all three of the dogs :)</div>
<br />
Because of Duchess's separation anxiety, we try to leave her out of the crate unless we are gone from the house, which means she has been sleeping in our bed with us. And so as to not be unfair to Oliver and Berkeley, all five of us have been sharing the bed every night for the past week! At least we have a king-sized bed :)<br />
<br />
We are getting Duchess treatment for her heart worms, fixing that ear infection, and feeding her regularly (of course!) to get her weight up to normal...and most importantly, we are loving on her like crazy! She deserves a lot of TLC after all that she has been through!<br />
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Anna Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07979809574372523071noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-432461455384535588.post-59351933903308871362013-01-28T12:23:00.001-05:002013-01-28T12:28:15.979-05:00a new season<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I have been the most slack blogger imaginable, but as med school is kicking my tail and taking up all of my time, I just haven't thought to sit down and write out how wonderful, crazy, and fast-paced life has been over the past six months or so!<br />
<br />
As I type this, I am on a fifteen minute break between two lectures, one on genetic causes of cardiopulmonary disease and the second on non-pharmacologic cardiac interventions. And I have to say, I am loving it all.<br />
<br />
Ok...the lecture started, and I had to run...but I am back now! Break #2 :)<br />
<br />
Here are some updates on what is going on in the Baur household:<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Mikey is changing jobs (but not careers!)</span><br />
My wonderful and talented husband had his last day at Northwood Assembly on Christmas Eve. We are both stepping out into the unknown to plant a church in the North Charleston area inside the I-526 loop with some friends. AJ Rankin was a youth pastor at Northwood and left about six months ago to begin work on The Hive Church. Over those six months, Mikey and I prayed about where God wanted us to be, and it became clear that we were meant to join AJ and his wife Alison in planting the Hive Church. <a href="http://thehivechurch.org/" target="_blank">Here</a> is our website, if you are interested in seeing what we are all about!<br />
<br />
We are both extremely excited about the path our new church is taking as we start to set up missional communities, groups of people coming together to encourage one another, talk about how we can make an impact for Christ in our city, and just live life together. We are in the process of raising funding for the church, and services will start in August or September. <br />
<br />
In the mean time, Mikey is in search of a job to pay the bills. He is very involved in meetings and such for the Hive Church, so he needs something with sufficiently flexible hours. Please pray with us that he finds something quickly that will meet our family's needs. We are extremely blessed to have loan money to depend on until then.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">I started taking dance classes again.</span><br />
Most of you know that I danced ballet for 10 years, starting from when I was 8. I absolutely loved it and spent most/all of my "free" time in class, rehearsal, or stretching on my living room floor. However, half-way through my senior year of high school, I was diagnosed with Iliotibial Band Syndrome (IT band syndrome), which means that the tissue stretching from my hip to my knee got really tight and was causing significant knee and hip pain, exacerbated by dancing. I did 6 months of physical therapy, but dancing was still difficult, as it would cause a flare up of knee pain. So with marriage and school soon taking up most of my time, I ended up taking about 5 years off of dance, the whole time desperately missing it.<br />
<br />
A couple of weeks ago, a friend mentioned a studio really close to MUSC that has dance classes for adults, and I checked it out. I am now officially registered for two classes a week. I am not pushing myself to do ballet, although I would love to, because it is harder on my knees, but I am so happy to be taking a modern and a contemporary class. As cheesy as it sounds, taking a couple of dance classes a week makes me feel like I am finally myself again. I have missed this artistic side of my life so much, and I feel incredibly blessed to be able to jump back in!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">I am 5 months away from the most important test I will ever take.</span><br />
In mid-June, I will be taking Step 1 of the USMLE. This is the first part of a board exam to become a doctor. In May, I will have finished my two years of classes in medical school. I will have about a month of studying devoted solely to reviewing the material that has been covered over the past two years, and then, the test. It is a day long exam, which I have grown accustomed to in med school at MUSC, but the outcome of this test could determine the course of the rest of my life. No biggie. Basically, you get one shot to take the test. As long as you pass, you are stuck with whatever score you earn. If you fail, you can retake it. The score is the way that residency programs weed out people for the interview process. Certain specialties and certain programs will only look at people with certain Step 1 board scores. As I am hoping to enter into a surgical residency (at least that is the plan at this point), I need a moderately competitive score to get into a program. At least I am not shooting for orthopedics, dermatology, or ENT! :) So fingers crossed...the studying has already begun!<br />
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<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;">In summary...</span><br />
Life is insane right now...with changing jobs, tons of schoolwork, and a little extra time devoted to one of my greatest passions (besides medicine, of course!). But it is also absolutely wonderful. I cannot complain at all. Mikey and I are both working towards jobs we love and about which we are extremely passionate! We have two adorable dogs to love on as we are waiting for the right time to start expanding our family. We have amazing families that support us (and feed us often! Thank you!) And we have wonderful friends who are patient with our hectic schedules and always there when we need them.<br />
<br />
We are blessed and so thankful for all we've been given.</div>
Anna Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07979809574372523071noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-432461455384535588.post-60039527858893245832012-11-14T21:12:00.002-05:002012-11-14T21:12:26.076-05:00Future Surgeon?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Sorry it has been so long since my last post! I am almost halfway through my second year of medical school, and it has been a wonderful, stressful, joyful, busy ride! Over the past year, I have started leaning back towards my first love in medicine...surgery. I switched from it because I did not want the "surgeon lifestyle," but the longer I am in medical school and the more experience I get with different fields of medicine, the more I feel drawn to surgery. I figure, if that is what God has planned for me, that is where I want to be, no matter the cost! However, I am keeping an open mind as I continue my classes this year and begin thinking about my rotations in the hospital, which start at the end of the summer. <br />
<br />
As a testament to my renewed love of surgery, I am the Secretary/Treasurer for a surgical interest group for MUSC's College of Medicine, STAR (Surgical Training, Awareness, and Residency). This week, STAR hosted our first suture lab of the year, which we have dubbed "Pizza and Pigs' Feet." We serve soda and pizza before following the instructions of surgical residents who are kind enough to volunteer an hour or two of their limited free time to help us learn how to suture on pigs' feet bought from the local butcher. <br />
<br />
This was my first attempt at suturing EVER, and I loved every second of it. There were definite ups and downs as I tried to learn the proper grasp to use with the forceps and the hemostat, the correct angle to use with the curved suturing needle, and various different styles of suturing. By the end of the lab, I was pretty proud of my results. I got a friend and fellow medical student to snap a couple of pictures of me and my pig's foot, containing my first ever sutures...possibly the first of MANY more to come!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Different Suturing Techniques:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYVpeXXDUjEctNwvDLusgnAUWhFqM__pMnOYrzbyTdj-AIbK8lx8cnnv7SYtma9vZqII6wMeNpjzHFFP5SH0KWmatPnGL743M7TsqQvqS4_BtE18ZlzKtmPTENTcERCfC8MFhEqMaRQhlP/s1600/X2604-S-67.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYVpeXXDUjEctNwvDLusgnAUWhFqM__pMnOYrzbyTdj-AIbK8lx8cnnv7SYtma9vZqII6wMeNpjzHFFP5SH0KWmatPnGL743M7TsqQvqS4_BtE18ZlzKtmPTENTcERCfC8MFhEqMaRQhlP/s320/X2604-S-67.png" width="248" /></a></div>
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I attempted the simple (over and over) interrupted and continuous, the vertical mattress, the horizontal mattress, and the subcutaneous ("invisible") sutures! :)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpVOx0kckXJivx-oDE_us9Ex1IUyyXBNm8_BPCIA8DkRbjjxb_j59xr6VACrI1T0UqXkfwT3CZ3_yyrCHHp_bJD_hK5-dWLVSDZM8-WA0EB3go1w7Lm-AWam5plAMsRpmPktB4TAFaf9E_/s1600/IMG_1739.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpVOx0kckXJivx-oDE_us9Ex1IUyyXBNm8_BPCIA8DkRbjjxb_j59xr6VACrI1T0UqXkfwT3CZ3_yyrCHHp_bJD_hK5-dWLVSDZM8-WA0EB3go1w7Lm-AWam5plAMsRpmPktB4TAFaf9E_/s400/IMG_1739.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
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Left incision (top to bottom): vertical mattress, horizontal mattress, simple continuous, simple interrupted</div>
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Right incision: subcutaneous</div>
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Anna Baurhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07979809574372523071noreply@blogger.com1