Monday, January 28, 2013

Virginia Redistricts on MLK day

Oh my poor state of Virginia. You have always been, in my eyes, the golden child of these United States. But today I am very disappointed in you. I still love you, I am just disappointed.

You know you are in trouble when you make the Colbert Report.

Monday, January 21, 2013

Dog with arthritis

I found out recently that my 9 year old golden retriever has arthritis! One day, right after Christmas, she was having a hard time getting up from her bed. But the next day she was fine. But as all golden owners know, the breed will hide pain with their energy, desire to please and happy face.

So we took her to the vet state-side and x-rays revealed the ball of her hip is flat, more so on the right than the left! A square peg in a round hole as my mom puts it. On the right there is an osteophyte (knot of bone sticking out). So the vet has suggested a chondroitin supplement but I think I would also like to have her on a daily low dose predinsone to prevent further inflammation. Any thoughts?

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Student Robbed, men armed with machetes

At about 8:50 pm on Thursday January 17, 2013, a RUSM student was robbed and assaulted by two masked men armed with machetes after leaving the Annex for her nearby residence. Personal belongings were taken. The student was treated at the campus health clinic and released.

All members of the RUSM community are encouraged to utilize the free transportation service provided after dark:

· Nightly transportation departs from the front of the Library (Campus) and Annex beginning at 5:30pm (starts at 6:30pm in during the Summer months) and ends at 5:00am the following day.

· Buses leave the annex and campus every half-hour from 5:30pm to 2:00am. The buses go in opposite directions (north and south) to students’ residents in the Portsmouth and Picard locality. En route, these buses make stops at St. James and Jenner Hall (Swing 1).

· The runs from the annex stop at 2:00am. From 2:00 am the runs from campus are reduced to an hourly schedule until 5:00am.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

De Champ waiter robs from students

A young man of Bioche who betrayed the trust of his employer now has to find $2750.00 to pay as a consequence of that betrayal. Thirty-one year old Ike Antonio Maronie of Bioche, after working as a bar tender at the De Champ Restaurant and Bar in Portsmouth, involved himself in a mini scam with regards to customer’s payments. He pleaded guilty to two counts of theft when he appeared before Magistrate Candia Carette-George on January 15th.

Maronie, who is the father of two, was on duty at De Champ on Wednesday December 5th when medical student Lisa L Roberts went to the restaurant about 5:45 pm for dinner along with her friends. After having dined, she requested the bill of the defendant and gave him her National Bank debit card to facilitate payment. She signed the receipts for the amount of, gave him a $20.00 tip and exited the restaurant.

On January 5th, having spoken to the owners of the De Champ Restaurant, Miss Roberts filed a complaint with the Portsmouth Police Station regarding an additional charge on her account.
Several days later on January 12th, corporal O’Brien visited the defendant at his home in Bioche and informed him of the report which had been made against him. He did not offer any explanations at that time and was arrested.

However, the following day he admitted to the police that he swiped the card twice, duplicated Miss Robert’s signature, took the cash from the draw and replaced it with the receipt. “I apologize for the offence I have committed. It is not in my character to do so and I accept the consequences,” he told the police officer when he was formally charged for theft of $200.00 on January 14th.

The second complaint was from a Dominican who resides in New Jersey but visited the island during the Christmas holidays. On December 26th, Angela Sylvester visited the De Champs Restaurant with her husband and two children for dinner about 9pm. Her bill amount was EC$133.00, gave the defendant her Chase debit card to process the payment, signed the receipt and left the restaurant.
When Mrs Sylvester checked her account online on December 30th she saw four additional transactions; $250.00 on the 26th of December, $250.00 on the 27th, $250 and $300 on the 29th and made a report at the Portsmouth Police Station. The defendant was accosted by police officers who informed him of the allegations made; he admitted to the offence and indicated that he was willing to repay the money.

Attorney at law Wayne Norde who mitigated on Maronie’s behalf, pleaded with the court for leniency as his client admitted his guilt, is a first time offender and a man who has potential as he holds an accounting degree from Devry University. “Bear in mind when people trust you with their money, their card or their business, you must not betray their trust because you will find yourself in trouble or in embarrassing situations,” Magistrate Carette-George admonished the defendant.

He was ordered to compensate Miss Robert $200.00 before the 25th of January or in default spend one month in prison and Mrs. Sylvester $1050.00 before the 15th of February or in default spend three months in prison. He was also fined $500.00 for stealing from Miss Roberts which must be paid before the 15th of March or in default serve two months imprisonment and $1000.00 for stealing from Mrs. Sylvester before the 30th of April or in default serve three months imprisonment.
Magistrate Carette-George also advised him to pay the compensatory awards first and then the fines.

http://dominicavibes.dm/news/bioche-man-fined-after-betraying-employers-trust#comment-22462

Monday, January 7, 2013

4th Semester Begins

Today is the start of my last basic science semester on Dominica!! After this semester I return state-side for the next 2 years of clinical rotations, which will round out 4 years of medical school.

This last semester will consist of clinical presentation and pathology of neuro, psych, endocrine, GI, renal and reproduction. We will cover this material in 10 weeks followed by a 3 week Falcon review course. At the end of the semester we take a comprehensive exam ("Comp" for short) so gauge where we are for the Step 1. The Comp is made from retired USMLE Step 1 questions so it should be good practice.

Anyway, I am looking forward to a fast paced semester but most importantly I am soooo close to getting off the Rock.

Friday, January 4, 2013

Layover in Barbados


I had to layover in Barbados for the night before heading to Dominica for my last semester on the island. The airport at Barbados is AMAZING! It is an open-air structure that is way better than the shack of an airport in Dominica.







Then there was the nasty hotel I stayed at called Melbourne Inn. I mean, it was your standard 3rd world hotel, but I was hoping for one last nice place to stay before 3rd world living began again. The reason I booked this place is because I was looking for something under $100US. When I got in the room there were more mosquitos than I have ever seen in a room. I had to go to the grocery store to buy Deet spray. I sprayed myself, my bed and my clothes. I ended up sleeping in long pants and a long sleeve shirt. And the AC did not work, so it was hot.

I went to a cool beach bar for dinner. I tried the local fried fish called Jacks which was horrible. It tasted just like it looks, like fried dead fish carcass. But the next morning on my flight out, I was able to find a flying fish sandwich which was much better.