the first week........

As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light of meaning in the darkness of being.  - Carl Jung

Well, I survived my first week, and loved it. Every day, when I get on the subway to come back uptown, my head is swimming with information and ideas. Usually I crash when I get home and take a nap for a little bit because I'm so exhausted, but I love it. Like my supervisor said on Friday when we met again, "The world is your oyster" - and that's exactly how I feel at MSKCC. My only problem right now is actually narrowing down and focusing on something specific to concentrate on. 

Monday is the Fellows' Symposium, and I can't wait to go. Here are just some of the topics being presented:

A Case for Long-Term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy in Advanced Cancer (this one I am REALLY looking forward to!!)

My Most Meaningful Patient

Sense and Significance:How Bereaved Parents Make Meaning of the Loss of a Child (this one sounds really great, too)

How do Palliative Care Families Benefit from Sessions of Family-Focused Grief Therapy? A Preliminary Investigation of Therapeutic Process

So as you can see, there will be a variety of topics on monday, and I am super excited to hear all of them. I think it's also interesting that the one on "my most meaningful patient" isn't being presented by a PhD or MD, but a DO. hmmmm. 

Anyway, being in NY is great. Expensive and tiring, but great. It's been a tiring week, with all the walking and getting used to a new environment and job expectations, but I feel very satisfied at the end of the day. My brain might be overloaded, but I'm filled with inspiration and ideas. It's also really great to be back in the city, among so many different people and so much energy. I do miss NC, though. People are just friendlier down South, but we all knew that already. This weekend will be a weekend of relaxing, I think. Catching up on sleep (since I don't seem to get much sleep during the week), doing some work for internship, and just relaxing are the plans so far. 

High point of today: finding a Chinese restaurant right across from my apt and Jamba Juice on 86th and Lex

Low point: the cuts on my Achilles tendons from my shoes, being "dripped on" from a/c units in buildings