Visiting Home

Brachial plexus. Ectopic Pregnancy. Forarm Flexors. Appendicitis. Forearm Extensors. Muscles of the Anterior and Posterior compartment of the Arm. Pharmacokinetics. Physical Exam Skills.

These are a few of the many things going through my mind. I probably should be studying these subjects among other things, but I can't get myself to open up my syllabus or my Netter's anatomy atlas right now.

I'm spending my weekend in Davis at home with my family. This is my first time returning to my hometown in over a month since starting medical school. It is so nice to return to a place that really does not change much.

Everything seems the same. Home remains home--a place of serenity, loaded with lots of ready-made food and free laundry. It's great to just spend time around my parents and younger siblings. We also spent Saturday morning making samosas- a potatoe filled oily packet of sheer goodness (see above picture).

I exhausted my conversation topics within the first hour of my visit once I got all the updates about life, school, events, etc. And now I'm just enjoying my family's company and the comforts of home, including seeing my old cat, eating my mother's legendary Pakistani khannas (food) and coming face to face with Baloo, a new kitten that has made residence in my parents backyard shed.

I spent Saturday brunch with my mother's friends, which primarily consists of Pakistani and Indian families. I don't know if it's me or if I'm just a giant, but I felt like I was really towering at 6 feet in my gold heels and in a blue-violet shelwar kameez ensemble, a traditional outfit worn in Pakistan and India, that resembles a fitted tunic (or mu-mu) on top of MC hammer pants.

To celebrate Eid, the end of Ramadan, the women wear shinning in all the colors of the rainbow, the orange lines of henna designs were visible on some women's hands, and their arms were decked in glimmering gold and colorful glass bangles that complemented their beautiful jewelry sets. And there was no shortage of sequins, fake diamonds, or glitter to complete a scene that really could have been taken right out of a low budget Indian film.

Being reunited with friends is one of my favorite things. We really enjoyed each other's company, in conversation and in hand decorating. And to be honest, we spent a good chunk of our time taking pictures of each other. I brought my digital camera (point and shoot) and I was interested in trying different angles to get the most flattering shot (from everybody's point of view).

One friend described our scene, as something close to a "circus in town." I think she may have been referring to the fact that one, we were dressed in all colors of the rainbow, and two, we really must have been catching everyone's attention with our endless camera flashing and inability to sit still. We seemed to keep taking pictures; I'm dreading posting the pictures on the facebook because it involves endless tagging. But that's the fun of seeing each other--creating memories and having those pictures.

Along with indulging in a smorgasbord of Pakistani food items, including samosa (pictured above), chunnea, halwa, poori, and dai; we also satisfied our sweet tooth with jalabi, triple chocolate cake, and baklava. Food never tasted so good. And with no restrictions in place, we really devoured the food. The inevitable guilt that results from consuming 10,000 calories in one meal can be easily justified with "We've fasted for one month and should be allowed to eat for one day (with no regrets or guilt)!" This is actually my rationalization and I stick by it,perhaps a little beyond the days after Ramadan.

I probably over packed my backpack for this little weekend adventure. I leave for San Francisco tomorrow, heading first for a short dinner at my brother's place in Oakland. But before I leave, I'm going to pull out my stethoscope and blood pressure cuff and practice the physical exam, including HEENT (head, ear, eyes, nose, and throat), abdomen, heart and lungs, and musculoskeltal exams. Now, all what I have to do is round up some volunteers from my family and get started. Well, maybe I'll just suspend that thought until tommorrow.