TenCate Family Summer Picnic or What Happens When Near 40 year olds are Given Water Guns for Their Bdays!

This weekend all of the TenCate cousins got together in Ada, MI. We celebrated Paul's 40th bday, Rob's 39th and Jean's 38th. Jill has her own birthday celebration, complete with fireworks and a day off work every year (on the 4th of July!) Patty had a great idea to get this mature group squirt guns for their birthday. The crowd quickly deteriorated to using the water from the melted ice cooler and soaking each other head to toe.

Not even the kids were spared! Here we use Olivia as a weapon against her own father :)

Steve and Laurie Got Hitched In Lake Geneva

After 4 long hours in the Kia, we were happy to arrive in Lake Geneva on Friday. We went out with the whole crew at Champs (with one p) . The next morning we all met up at our old favorite Egg Harbor, where we once frequented weekly post-exams in medical school.

We spent the day in the sun and even rented a speed boat on Lake Geneva. Who knew you could rent boats?!?!The weather was perfect for the wedding on the Golf Course. While the boys took pre-wedding pictures...
I posed for a few of my own....
The ceremony was perfect....
and the friends the type you always hold on to.

Medical school may have been tough, but with a crew like this it was worth every second.
Above you see from left to right (Kevin- Anesthesia, Nathan-Plastics, Jordana- ER, Shawn-GI, me-GI, Steve-Cardiology, Amanda-Pediatrics/ICU, Aaron-Anesthesia) One hell of a group.

Graduation Song Worth Watching

Hospital humor at it's best thanks to Joey!

New Addition to my Family!

ANNOUNCING THE ARRIVAL OF BIG RED COUCH Birthdate: Friday June 13th at 3:08 pm
Weight: 80 lbs 10 oz
Height: 72 cm


For more photos of my condo please visit the Photo link on the right!

Graduation Night

Last night we had our graduation dinner at The Park Hyatt. My name and picture were in lights and everything!! Mom, Dad, Dani and Amanda came to show support. The party carried on to the wee hours of the morning at Nomi and Pops for Champagne!


Blue Steel

Tale of a Body Piercing

It all started in the spring of 1997, eleven years ago, the day after I ran the naked mile for the very first time. I was feeling impulsive and rebellious on the walk to 5th Ave in Ann Arbor for my first, and only, body piercing. I suffered through finals week with my pants unbuttoned so not to rub against my swollen and sore belly button. I laid on the floor in my door room with upside down shot glasses filled with sea salt to prevent infection. A year later I rushed to University Health Services with a severe infection despite all my efforts. The doctor advised I removed the ring- but I didn't because I LOVED IT!
On my 26th birthday a friend gave me unsolicited advice to remove the navel ring. Many of you know that I am the type of person to do the opposite, to prove that I don't do things for people's approval. So I kept it in, with a sort of indifference. This weekend I mentioned taking it out, sort of on a whim and the thought fleeted-until this morning.
Getting ready for work today, I suddenly decided I would rather have a hole in my abdomen where it used to be than to continue on with body jewelry. It's not really fitting to my personality anymore and sort of tacky. I took it out almost as impulsively as I put it in 11 years ago. The difference is I still have the option of putting it back in any time I want. Thoughts?!??

Last In House Call!!!

Last week was my very last night of taking in-house call. The call was in the Medical Intensive Care Unit. HIPPA prevents me from disclosing too many details, but the night did include my white coat being ruined by a patients bloody vomit, a patient on carotid blow out precautions (hello, Grey's Anatomy), and a fight with the ER attending and ENT resident- along with plenty of other crazy things I won't go into here. Don't let the picture fool you, I didn't actually put my head down on those pillows that night. At least I went out with a bang!

Jersey Girl

Secaucus, New Jersey was the home to many pig farms and junk yards in the 1950s but has since become a home to many commuters from NYC. I've taken a few jogs in the area; the town fits just about every stereotype I've ever had of The Garden State.
I am here to take the "Awesome Board Review Course" for my Internal Medicine Boards. I spend 10-11 hours a day in lecture reviewing just about every medical fact ever known- its, well, awesome!
Luckily, Secaucus's close proximity to Manhattan has made keeping sane relatively easy. Tonight I had dinner with my medical school roommate Jordana and her sister Emily. Tomorrow I have big plans to take the bus into the city to meet with Binsky and my sorority lil sis Laurel.

Here's to You Dave!

As it turns out, guy's named David are the coolest people around. Two people named David in particular have given me motivation and technical support for my new blog- Dave Hamm and Dave Staple. This made me wonder, "What's with the name David?"

David is a Hebrew word meaning beloved. It is the 13th most popular name in the United States and also popular in Spain (#4 in 2006) and Austria (#3 in 2006).
Camp David is the name for the US President's mountain retreat and also what I once thought was the name of UW-Madison's football stadium. I have since been corrected.

Anyhow, hats off to the two Davids.