'VIDCATION Recap
July 12, 2022
Day 1: Sore throat, fever, chills, fatigue, muscle aches, headache, cough, photosensitivity, and neck pain. I slept almost the entire day, getting up only to take care of my dog briefly and medicate with DayQuil/NyQuil plus plenty of water.
Day 2: All of the above plus night sweats and back pain. The fatigue and exhaustion became so intense, I could not walk my dog more than a block without fear of collapsing. I also started to feel short of breath with walking. I ended up sleeping prone (on my stomach) that night as a precaution since this is known to help facilitate and maintain lung capacity and oxygenation.
Day 3: The symptoms continued along with a fever and congestion. Luckily the acetaminophen in the DayQuil helped bring it down.
Day 4: Started to develop some nausea but this was brief and improved with soda. I only slept for half the day.
Day 5: Most of my symptoms improved except I unfortunately lost my sense of smell. This was a little frightening but I think it was more related to the congestion as I started to pick up faint scents while the day wore on. Was able to stay awake the majority of the day and take my dog for our usual walk.Day 6: Officially out of quarantine based on the CDC's guidelines and symptoms almost resolved except for the loss of smell and cough.
Day 7: Back to work and my smell returned. I now only have a lingering cough that worsens at night but is manageable and improving.
All in all, this virus is no joke. A few things I was glad I had handy: Thermometer, Acetaminophen, DayQuil/NyQuil, cough drops, tissues, Pulse Oximeter (though this didn't arrive until a couple days in), Incentive Spirometer (I used this to help ensure my lungs stayed well-inflated just in case - see below), plenty of soup, essential oils to rehab my nose when I lost my sense of smell, Netflix, and of course my family, friends, and #colesetters for all the love, support, and get well wishes!
It was not how I wanted to spend my week but I'm glad I listened to my body and took the time to heal. If you have not yet gotten vaccinated, I highly recommend doing so as it will help prevent severe symptoms and hospitalizations.
Top 10 social media tips
June 21, 2022
Take these or leave them but they helped me on here and I hope they help you 👩⚕️
- Be original, be unique, be you. Don’t compare yourself to others. Quality beats quantity any and every time. While it's true that people often find success with "niching" themselves, I am of the philosophy that these platforms are for us to share what makes us happy, inspires us, surprises us, or teaches us something new that we can share it with others. So I suppose you could say my niche is lifestyle with a mix of any and everything. Other people prefer a niche of only medicine or only fashion, only food, only [fill in the blank] meaning whatever topic they are most passionate about.
- If you have to question it, don’t post it. If you’re second guessing yourself there is probably a reason so listen to your gut. It can help to have a second opinion by someone else to give you an outside perspective whether it's a photo, video, or even a caption. Generally if you're unsure, it's best to move on and go in a different direction.
- Check your facts then check them again. It is so easy to re-post and re-share an image, a quote, or a caption you see online. As a result the spread of misinformation is rampant. Cite your sources whenever possible/indicated because credibility is huge both on and offline.
- Speaking of credit, don't forget to credit your inspiration - whether a song, a dance, a quote, etc. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery as long as it is clear who inspired you. However, stealing or plagiarizing another person's work is wrong.
- Adhere to HIPAA so you do not jeopardize patient care or privacy. This is especially true for all the aspiring #medfluencers out there. Take into consideration the environment you're in not only when you're shooting content but also when you're posting it.
- Follow your job duties/social media policy. Make sure you have a clear understanding of the policy at the organization where you work. It can help to meet with the marketing team as well to ensure you are following the guidelines.
- Be professional and kind. This is also a networking opportunity and a chance to build connections both in and outside your field. Engage with others and don't be afraid to ask questions. We all started somewhere.
- Be wary of brands reaching out, especially when it comes to conflicts of interest and ethical dilemmas. Think of the disclosures you have when it comes to presentations. Also think of the prevalence of scams. Don't give out personal information unless you're 100% sure it's a legitimate company.
- Be supportive of others. Being a #medfluencer comes with the ability to connect with others who also love to show what it means to practice the ART of medicine. Liking, commenting, sharing, saving, and re-posting are all great ways to lift one another up on here. I'm in several local as well as international social media groups online where we share tips and advice for one another. It's also a great way to make friends :)
- Have fun! This is a chance to explore your creative side and balance out the left side of your brain, known for its logical and analytical thinking with the right side of your brain, known for its more artistic and imaginative nature.
Additionally, some of my favorite FREE apps for photo and video editing include:
LightRoom, Snapseed, FaceTune, ReTouch, Canva, Mojo, Picsart, InShot, and CapCut.
What tips do you have? Leave a comment below
Jaanuu Photoshoot
February 27, 2022
Five of us were flown out to LA from all over the country for a once in a lifetime experience, showcasing what it means to be a modern day healthcare worker. They maintained all safety precautions including COVID tests before the shoot. We had our hair and makeup done by an incredible team of stylists and artists before going on set. In between takes we got to shoot some fun behind the scenes videos that captured how quickly we bonded as a team, a unique ability that comes naturally in healthcare.
As part of the campaign, Jaanuu asked us a series of questions to better understand how we rise to challenges and charge up to push through and power our passion. Read below for my answers!
What makes you feel the most power full?
Donning my white coat. It represents not only my years of education and training as well as my commitment to medicine and my patients but that of countless other physicians who together, have paved the way for many of us to pursue our careers, especially for women in healthcare.
When you’re facing a challenge, how do you power up to push through?
I break the challenge down into smaller obstacles that I can tackle one at a time. It makes it more manageable and approachable.
When your power is low—you’re feeling anxious, sad, overwhelmed, over it—what’s a go-to trick in your arsenal that charges your power back up? (Perhaps a song, a person, a workout, etc.)
Playing the song Eye of the Tiger has been a tradition before every board exam to pump me up. Having done my residency and fellowship in Philadelphia, it feels only natural to echo back to Rocky territory and the City of Brotherly Love
What are you most passionate about when it comes to a) work and b) your personal life?
For work: caring for my patients and advancing the medical field of Cancer Rehabilitation
For personal life: caring for my family including my dog, my friends, and most importantly myself. As Michelle Obama once said, we need to do a better job of putting ourselves higher on our own to do list.
Describe yourself when you feel “glowed up”—aka at your very best, and energized to chase your passion?
Any time I put my scrubs on because they represent all that I am as a physician.
How do you plan to charge your future and change the world?
I charge my future by surrounding myself with positive mentors and role models and hope to change the world through healthcare advocacy that breaks down barriers, including disparities and inequities.
Check the new color drops out now at Jaanuu.com!
How To Compete In Pageants
December 29, 2021
It has been a whirlwind of holiday cheer and reasons to celebrate despite some of the difficulties we are facing in healthcare and the community at large. One of the biggest difficulties I recently shed light on was the cost of education. I shared how I helped pay for my medical school tuition through competing in Miss America pageants. See the Reel below:
My message resonated with so many people around the world. Several of you wanted to find out exactly how to get involved in pageants. I hope the following information on the who, what, why, when, where, and how gives you better insight and inspires you to start your own journey!
For more on my pageant experience click HERE. Keep in mind this post is specifically talking about Miss America (Congratulations to Miss America 2022, Emma Broyles, who won $100,000 in scholarship assistance along with a six-figure salary plus benefits for her year-long reign). There are several other pageant organizations but I am not as familiar with these and cannot speak to their requirements, their rewards, or the cost.
Who can compete?
According to Miss America's website, you can compete if you:
- Are between the ages of 17 and 25 years old
- Are a United States citizen
- Meet residency requirements for competing in a certain city or state
- Must reside in state of competition
- Be enrolled in and physically attending classes on a full-time basis at an accredited college or university
- Be employed on a full-time bases in the state in which you intend to compete
- Meet character criteria as set forth by the Miss America Organization
- Be in reasonable good health to meet the job requirements
- Be able to meet the time commitment and job responsibilities as set forth by the local, state, and national competition(s) in which you compete
- Here is the complete list of eligibility requirements
What is involved in competing?
There is a $35 registration fee, which gives you the chance to win a $1000 scholarship right from the start. In addition, you must complete an application that includes a social impact statement, your resume, and come up with a talent (mine was dance one year and singing the next). My platform was STEAM: Adding Arts to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).
The only additional fundraising I did to become a contestant was raise money for the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals (CMNH). Miss America has raised over $6.9 billion in donations for CMNH and continues to be a proud partner. Learn more HERE. It is an incredible cause and actually led me to volunteer at our local Children's Miracle Network Hospital.
Why compete?
As described on the Miss America website, "[t]he organization stands for empowering young women across the country to be the best they can be through leadership, talent, communication skills and smarts." In several cases, a lot of growth and development happens behind the scenes. What you see on stage is only a small part of the experience. Competing for Miss America pageants gives you the opportunity to gain valuable life skills, earn scholarship money (regardless of winning), discover new interests, make lifelong friendships, achieve goals, foster a positive mindset, receive recognition for community involvement, and develop a sense of responsibility for helping others.
Miss America gives you access to exclusive professional development series with experts in:
- Public Speaking
- Advocacy and Fundraising
- Resume building
- Career and Networking opportunities
- Health and Wellness
- Financial Literacy
- Performance, Press, and Social Media training
When to compete?
Where to compete?
How to compete?
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