Beauty

November 29, 2018

My plan for having glowing skin on my wedding day

It’s no secret that I’m a skincare whore. I am obsessed with finding new ways to make my skin better and brighter, ageless, and acne-free.

Some of you may know this about me, but I struggled with acne for my entire life. Even up until this year, I have had regular breakouts. I have had a dermatologist for as long as I can remember, and I have been on many different medications to help control my acne. It always came back. I got to the point where I was thinking, “what the hell, I am 32 years old and STILL getting pimples, they’re never going to go away”.

For those of you in my age group, if you ever have break outs, you can empathize with the fact that it’s a different type of acne and it heals MUCH differently than when we were in our teens and 20’s. It’s like a scar that lasts a lifetime. More breakouts=more scars. Even when I didn’t pick my acne, it would scar.

So… becoming a bride was a little scary for me because I knew I wanted to get my acne under control is a consistent manner, so that I wouldn’t have to worry about break outs on the day of my wedding.

You all have seen my skin transformation over the past year. The best part about me being on social media all the time, including without makeup, is I get feedback from you guys! I happen to know my skincare routine has worked… because you all have told me about improvements that you’ve noticed. Thank you social media world!!

My biggest piece of advice to the brides out there… START EARLY. Way early. You cannot prepare your skin as a last minute thing. You need plenty of time to undergo trial and error, if need be. And plenty of time to heal from any failed treatments.

The first step- find your right hand man! Or woman, of course. A professional; a dermatologist, aesthetician, etc. For me, I had a handful of FABULOUS experts to help keep my skin at its best. Many thanks to you all- Erin Jensen from The Treatment, Taryn and Nicole at Facial Works, and Nikko from The Treatment.

So here. we. go. My skincare routine broken down by daily, monthly, and every few months! Keep in mind that my regimen may not work for everyone, but it does provide a few options to look into! I have naturally oily skin, and no matter how dry it is, I tend to have shine.

Daily

Cleanse– twice daily. I use Fresh Soy Face Cleanser. I found that this is the most gentle cleanser for my skin type. It is marketed to be helpful for any skin type, and I will say that although I am no expert, I have friends who use this product and they also love it.

Sunscreen– this is A MUST to prevent aging. I used to use Clinique basic daily sunscreen for oily skin, but it still left my skin pretty shiny. I switched over to Erin’s sunscreen which doubles as a daily moisturizer and has SPF 45. I have NEVER found a better moisturizer with sunscreen included. I kid you not, it leaves me with the perfect glisten but feels sheer and breathes well.

Glycolic Gel Pads– also from Erin’s shop, these babies give you a mini in-home peel. They help gently remove dead skin cells and even out the skin tone. If your skin can tolerate (which mine can), you can use these once daily.

Toner- daily after cleansing. Balances skin pH. The one I use also lightly exfoliates, smoothes, and clears the skin.

Deeply moisturize– at night. I like to wear an anti-aging product at night. Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve face cream. It’s hydrating and also repairs while I sleep! I also use Fresh Black Tea Firming and De-puffing Eye Cream.

Topical prescriptions– if you need them. I pulled out all the stops to keep my acne at bay. I have used tretinoin for YEARS, and I swear it’s the reason I appear youthful. It is the only topical product that is known to prevent wrinkle formation and aging. There are various strengths and your dermatologist can help you determine if you are a candidate and what strength is good for you. It is rather drying for some people, so applying it every other day can help.

In addition to using Tretinoin at night, I use Aczone in the morning. This is a topical anti-bacterial gel that helps prevent breakouts. A prescription is required for this medication and it can be very expensive. A good reason to have a specialist, is that they often have access to specialty pharmacies that can help supply these expensive dermatologic medications for a lower cost.

Oral prescriptions– my last resort. When I want to ensure I have excellent skin, I will temporarily use oral medications to help keep my breakouts at bay. I used oral antibiotics many years back in college, and it was a miracle. I didn’t need them for a long time, but they work well on certain types of acne and can be used for prophylaxis.

Spironolactone is one of my daily medications, and it specifically helps with hormonal breakouts. It is an anti-androgenic medication that helps suppress testosterone. It also happens to be a diuretic. AKA… it can make you have to pee, all the time. It is a potassium-sparing diuretic, so every once in a while, your blood work does need to be checked.

Doxycycline is another one of my daily medications (for now). This medication is an antibiotic that happens to work really well to fight and prevent cystic acne. It is very cheap in generic form, but the brand form (Doryx) is much easier on the stomach and typically more pricey. Thank goodness for those specialty pharmacies! Either version works, I just prefer to not have tummy upset if I can avoid it!

**Keep in mind, many of these medications are not recommended in pregnancy, so talk to your doctor if you are considering any of these options for skincare.

Weekly

Under eye treatment– my fave 24K gold eye patches, y’all! If you’ve been following me for a while, you know that I love to wake up after a night shift and put on my Peter Thomas Roth 24K gold eye patches. They aren’t total miracle workers, but they do help with moisturizing my under eye area. I feel that when I use them regularly my dark circles look just a tad bit better! I’ll take it.

Mask– I try to mask at least once a week, after night shifts in particular. I rotate between a few different masks depending on how my skin is behaving. One of my new favorites is Erin’s limited edition Photo-Cream Pumpkin Mask. It’s been super hydrating with the dry weather out here in California. I also use the TreatMINT mask and the Clearworks mask from Facial Works.

Monthly

Facials– my location of choice is Facial Works, because it’s close to my home and there are multiple locations. It’s not your typical spa experience, it’s a convenient facial that’s just as luxurious but for someone on-the-go. They sit you up at a facial bar and lean you back while movies play on the screens in front of you. They have amazing seasonal facials too!

Every few months

Botox– I have been doing botox for about a year now. Erin uses a small amount throughout my forehead (I have very strong eyebrow muscles), and I love it because it helps me look less tired. I get this every 3-4 months. I have only had very mild bruising at times, and the needle is so small you can hardly feel it.

Dermasweep– this can be done more than every few months, but this was my schedule. I had 3-4 treatments before my wedding, over the course of this year. Dermasweep helps to deeply exfoliate and clean the skin in attempt to make skin smoother, pores smaller, and stimulate blood flow. It feels like a vacuum against your skin; sometimes scratchy, but painless overall. My dermasweep facials were done by Nikko at The Treatment. During these sessions he would also apply a mask and/or light stim therapy, depending on what my skin needed.

Chemical Peels– there are various types of chemical peels, based on your skin goals and skin type. I did very mild peels a couple of times this year, and felt like my skin was really glowing. The peels that I did were not painful, they just felt like burning when they were applied. The peeling however, can be less than desirable if you have somewhere to be. I made sure to do them when I knew I would be working night shift or a string of days at work.

**I didn’t use any fillers or other injectables but if you are planning on doing so, you need to do this WELL in advance. There can be bruising and of course everyone whats to ensure you have the results you were hoping for.

So there you have it friends! My detailed skincare regimen, that helped this bride achieve and maintain glowing skin! You too can have it, you just have to find the right products and the right people to help with guidance!

Brides out there… TREAT YOURSELF!!

xoxo

Lifestyle

November 28, 2018

#MakingItMajestic in Park City

My bachelorette party was literally A DREAM, and I’m so excited to share the details with you, finally! You all helped pick a hashtag for the weekend and clearly you knew that I should #MakeItMajestic.

I knew from the day Chris and I got engaged, that I wanted a bachelorette party in the snow. Funny because I NEVER would’ve said this as a kid. I was so tired of the snow and cold weather. But let’s be honest, California has been getting hotter and hotter, and although staying local would’ve been easy, I needed a change of scenery. I was so thankful my girls were willing to oblige!

Let me start by saying that my maid of honor is the world’s best planner. She’s an Emergency Med doc, and probably the smartest gal I know. She planned everything to-a-T.

I don’t really remember why I chose Utah, but I had my heart set on Park City. I had seen it in photos, and on social media, and it looked like the cutest little town with amazing lodging. We ended up staying in a VRBO property, and it did not disappoint. It slept 8 girls comfortably, and had an amazing view of Park City, while still being close to Main St.

I have been super busy with work, and I only have limited time off, so i knew I needed a rejuvenating weekend instead of a rager (let’s face it, I’m too old to handle that).

Friday

We arrived on Friday in Salt Lake City, where we took a fabulous Sprinter into Park City. We popped some bottles, decorated a little bit, and relaxed before our in-house private chef experience with Amanda Pilkington.

I have dreamed of a private chef, in-home dining experience, since I saw it on Housewives of OC a long time ago! Well Amanda did not disappoint. We started with stuffed mushrooms, and prosciutto crostini followed by a salad for first course, dijon chicken with mashed potatoes and spiced chai carrots second course, and caramel ice cream with brownie for dessert.

We closed the night in the jacuzzi. A favorite past time for me growing up was sitting in a jacuzzi while it snowed, so this made me feel like I was right back at home in Michigan.

Saturday

I slept SO good and woke up on Saturday morning ready to get the festivities started. No alarms, no ticking clock or places to be. The girls all helped make a delicious breakfast- egg burritos with rice and beans, a favorite of mine! We all changed into our cozy workout clothes and gathered in the living room for a private yoga class taught by Amber Lind (@amberberryumyum). She kept it gentle for us, and spared us the many chatarungas, thankfully… she must have sense the large amount of wine I drank the night before! We practiced handstands with each other, and stretched; it was the PERFECT morning with a backdrop of Park City.

The next part of our day was really rough…we trekked over to the spa at Stein Ericksen Lodge, for some serious relaxation and bonding time. We spent hours in the jacuzzi laughing, I had the best massage of my life, and we sipped champagne courtesy of my good friend Erin from The Treatment, who couldn’t be there. Seriously the sweetest surprise.

We headed back to the cabin feeling all rejuvenated, ready for the fun to begin! I had my heart set on a hot chocolate recipe sent to me by one of my bridesmaids. You guys HAVE to try this. You can make the alcohol-version like we did, or go sans spirits. The recipe is probably one of my favorite hot chocolate recipes and I will absolutely be making this again!

You can find this delicious recipe HERE.

While we sipped on hot chocolate, we played games and I laughed the hardest I have laughed in months. It was truly special to have this time with my girls, before my big day. Some of the games we played that I highly suggest- Cards of Humanity, Speak Out, Beanboozled, Charades, and Kiss My…!! We are all medical professionals, we aren’t scared of a little anatomy!

After I laughed off all the calories I ate throughout the day, we got ready for our night out on Main Street. We headed to Riverhorse on Main for dinner and it did not disappoint. Excellent food, amazing service, and piano music to top it all off! We wanted to experience Park City’s finest bars and night life, so we started at No Name Saloon (where we did a traditional “shotski”), and ended at downstairs where we danced the night away.

Sweater dress can be found HERE but only one size left. Similar HERE. These over the knee boots are a MUST HAVE. Only a few sizes left! Belt HERE.

This weekend was truly one of my most memorable. I felt so much love and it was simply the perfect combination of relaxation and let-loose fun!

Sunday

We woke up to snow on Sunday! Cherry on top of my Park City sundae. Before leaving for the airport, we made a quick stop at Harvest for a delicious and healthy breakfast. The avocado toast is amazing, and just what I needed before our trip home.

Advice for brides

My biggest piece of advice for you brides out there, is to communicate to your ladies who are planning, exactly what you dream of. If wearing stilettos makes you cringe, you probably don’t want a Vegas bachelorette party! Be honest, it’s your celebration! And it’s easy to mix in activities that everyone enjoys doing. If you’re upfront with your guests, they won’t be surprised by costs or what’s involved, later.

Bachelorette Party Favors

Bride and Babe Beanies $24

Sash from Lauren Lash $25

Personalized wine glasses $13+

Personalized party labels $6.99+

Smore’s hot chocolate favors $2.35

Park City was simply amazing and I’m so glad I had the opportunity to travel there with my girls. The people were so friendly, and the town was so quaint. I can’t wait to go back with Chris and do a little skiing.

Be sure to enter my bachelorette giveaway on my Instagram page, for a chance to win a $100 gift card to Stag and Hen and $100 to Bachette!

What is your dream bachelorette party location?

Home

November 27, 2018

Building the registry of your dreams

Who doesn’t want to pick out a bunch of fun, new things that others will buy for you?! Not to mention you get to carry around that awesome scanner. It’s what I consider one of the most fun things surrounding a wedding. The registry!!

My biggest piece of advice, is to go all out! You may not get everything on your list, and that’s ok, but after the wedding you will get great deals on those products you added to your registry. Most stores offer these deals, for up to a year!

Pick 1-3 of the most desirable stores (this can include online registries) in your mind, and take a day with your beloved to go in-person (or shop from the couch) and discuss how you want to decorate and supply your home!

Chris and I chose an online registry called Zola, Williams Sonoma, and Bloomingdales.

Zola was easy, they have TONS of products to choose from, AND you can set up cash funds for various things that you want (i.e. honeymoon, yoga classes, dining out, airfare). This allows your guests to feel like they are actually a part of a gift, even though they are gifting cash. You can even write in what you plan to do with the funds. For example, under honeymoon fund, you can detail this with where you are going, what you plan to do, etc. When someone sends you a gift, you get an email and you can choose to release the gift, or return for store credit, before it even gets to your home!

Williams Sonoma was Chris’ choice. He loves the vibe in that store! We chose our pots and pans, knives, and baking utensils for this registry. You can try out the products in store, and even sample some of the food that you cook with the products! They have a ton of registry store events, so you can really take advantage of what they’re offering.

Bloomingdale’s was my choice, because they have a huge selection AND the service there is impeccable. Bloomingdales has it’s own section of the store for The Registry. They have events for couples to attend and learn about the newest and greatest products. They also provide champagne, and water for the most luxurious registry experience. Chris had a great time walking around with the scanner. He pretty much scanned everything he could… and then weeks later forgot that he scanned said things, acting confused when we got them in the mail.

We had a bit of an incident in Bloomingdale’s because of Chris’ excitement for a chip and dip set. He flipped it over, assuming the glass bowl in the center was attached to the rest of the tray. It wasn’t. It shattered on the floor and I swear you could hear a pin drop it became so quiet. They assured us that it would be cleaned up as we apologized repeatedly. As I started walking in my open toe heels, I realized that my toe was painful and as I looked down I noticed it was bleeding. I had no tissues or kleenexes (because of course I had switched to my smaller purse that morning), and proceeded to bleed on the Bloomingdale’s floor as I walked. How embarrassing!!

Chris and I were mortified and fully expected to pay for the item. The Bloomingdale’s staff simply said “it happens”, cleaned up the mess, provided alcohol swabs/bandaids, and sent us out with a parting gift! I received a follow up phone call and email from the staff asking if I was healing ok. It really was the tiniest of injuries and stopped bleeding pretty quickly after it started. We definitely laughed about it all night. Chris is still to blame for this one!

I found most of the things I wanted at Bloomingdales. They have such a vast array of choices and beautiful pieces, for many different price ranges. I wanted to add items to our registry that I wouldn’t buy for myself, so for me, that included a lot of entertaining items, for all those future dinner parties and holiday hosting!

I never used to appreciate the presentation of food, and having all the right glassware, until I graduated from residency and enjoyed having an adult-like set up. Plastic dish ware be gone! The pieces below are all part of our registry, and I can’t wait to arrange and present them at future family holidays!

Don’t forget about all the cozy home items and practical products that you’ve always wanted! That includes sheets, towels, and any fancy electronics you can think of, to make your home, a home. If you’re a traveler, don’t forget about luggage!

Last but not least ladies… don’t forget the all coveted KitchenAid Standing Mixer!!! And all its attachments… there are MANY. And trust me, I could justify all of them, but I stuck to these below.

The best part, is when the boxes start to arrive! Minus all the box breaking to fit them in our small trash can! Engaged ladies out there- make sure your registry is completed before your bridal shower! Many of the gifts you receive from your registry will be during that time.

Happy engagements and registry shopping!! Comment with your favorite registry items!

Fashion

November 26, 2018

Diamonds are a girls’ best friend

One of the most memorable times in my relationship with Chris, was talking about marriage and becoming engaged, including shopping for rings of course! There is something SO special about knowing that the time is coming, but not having any clue when that time will actually be.

There are SO many engagement rings to choose from. Shape, size, color, cut… it’s overwhelming! We started simple, by just walking into a store and trying some on! I know Chris ended up doing A TON of research, but initially we just figured out what looked good on my finger in terms of size and shape.

I never thought I would end up with an oval diamond. I was loving the round solitaire rings that I tried on in the beginning. I started with round, then square, then pear shaped, and finally tried on an oval. To be honest, I was kind of torn between a round and oval diamond in the end. I knew that I loved a pavé band though!

These are some of the other rings I had tried on.

This ring above, inspired my current engagement ring band. The designer of this ring was inspired by the Eiffel Tower, and made the setting to resemble the tower itself. My mom was born in Paris, so I immediately fell in love with this look.

This ring above has a double halo, and was my first crush on an oval diamond.

I was a huge fan of the pear-shaped diamond, and they are super popular right now, but I knew it wouldn’t work for me because of my job. I could imagine all of the torn gloves and scratches because of the sharp point. I also hate when my rings get stuck in my purse as I’m searching for something. The solitaire on the right was beautiful, but we noticed that solitaire rings are pretty pricey if you want a good diamond of a decent size.

This one was just for fun! I can’t even remember the carat count on this one, but it was massive. I’m not a huge fan of yellow diamonds, but many women love them and it really was still a beautiful piece. Basically, this ring is a really expensive car, on your finger. Something like 13 carats. INSANE.

We kind of got overwhelmed with the process in the end. Chris was very focused on ensuring I had the ring of my dreams, but honestly, I would’ve been happy with anything from him! I was just so thankful to be doing life with my best friend.

He ended up custom designing my ring, in the end, with Nathan Alan Jewelers. He creatively combined the top three rings that I had tried on and loved (they were all so different), and put them into one beautiful ring that I couldn’t have even imagined.

When it came time to search for our bands, I knew I wanted something to match and highlight what I already have. Although I won’t be giving away the exact look of my bands, in this blog post… you will get to see them soon! We both purchased our bands with Nathan Alan, and plan to go back for years to come. In my opinion, every woman needs a jeweler. Someone you can trust and rely on! I never take my ring elsewhere for cleaning or questions. I prefer a smaller shop with a story, and Nathan Alan (in South Coast Plaza), is exactly that type of business.

I personally rarely take my ring off. Yes… I wear it to work! I am very careful, but I honestly don’t do as many things with my hands these days. I wear gloves most of the time, and my ring is fit so that it doesn’t spin, or slide. That makes it a little hard to get over my knuckle, but it’s worth it to me.

For those times I do need to take off the bling, I wanted a safe place to store it, and not just a jewelry dish. The Mrs. Box is everywhere on social media, and as soon as I saw the customization options, I had to have one. They turned boring ring boxes into a beautiful, heirloom-worthy ring box. You can choose from pretty much any color of the rainbow, different sizes, and monogram it with your initials.

I loved these ring boxes so much, that I had to arrange for a little giveaway in honor of my upcoming wedding! One of you can win a $150 gift card to The Mrs. Box for your own special ring box (or as a gift for a lucky bride friend). Be sure to enter on my Instagram page! It would look epic in your stocking this year!!

And tell me in the comments what your favorite engagement ring style is!

Fashion

November 21, 2018

Do you want to be comfortable in your own shoes?

Ask yourself, “how comfortable are my shoes that I wear on a daily basis”? Lucky for me, I wear scrubs to work, so I have the pleasure of pairing those with tennis shoes, and that’s very comfortable.

However… medicine is not my entire life, and I happen to love fashion. There’s nothing more I enjoy, than buying that perfect pair of shoes to go with my outfit for the evening. My problem has always been painful, arthritic feet. I was a ballerina for many years growing up, and my feet definitely feel it, now. I drool over cute boots and booties, stilettos and pumps, but my feel cannot tolerate any of them well. And that can really ruin a fun night!

I eventually had to suck it up and admit that I can’t buy every cute pair of shoes out there (even if I love them), because my feet just won’t tolerate them. I have had to be very selective of the shoes that I purchase.

Recently I found a brand that delivers both comfort AND style. Honestly, that has been hard to find because so many brands that are comfortable, just don’t look as fashionable as I would like. The Taryn Rose brand was created by an orthopedic surgeon (who obviously gets anatomy), and has a passion for design and style.

This brand has been designed with 360 degrees of comfort. When I first put these booties on, I noticed the arch support and glove-like feel of the shoe, which is definitely not something that my other booties have. They have unique insoles for enhanced flexibility, and leather linings that are breathable and soft. The shoes also have a memory foam footbed, that is antimicrobial and breathable. Doctor approved!

Since California decides to act like it’s summer all year long, I love to pair booties with a skirt. This look could totally work for day or night. I love the edgy vibe these booties give to any outfit. Extra edgy when paired with a leather skirt. Remember to pack those layers though! I always get chilly at night, and I love the fall/winter vibe that this fuzzy sweater brings to complete the outfit.

If you don’t live in California and actually have fall and winter, with real rain and snow, Taryn Rose just launched a weatherproof line! There are 11 available styles that are made with materials that provide superior protection against water infiltration and the harmful effects of calcium and salt. They are built with insulated linings to keep feet warm and dry. My favorite part? They are SO low maintenance. If they become dirty, a damp cloth will do the trick on leather, and a suede brush to clean your suede.

I’m a big fan of a black on black look, so when I saw these black leather booties I knew exactly what I would pair them with. I could wear black jeans everyday, I love them so much. Cuff them above the bootie as shown in the photo above, or tuck them in to your pants. Fave fall accessory to pair with black, white, or red… leopard. This little leopard clutch is low profile, the perfect size, and has leather trim to match with the booties.

These shoes in particular add a little pizazz to any outfit, with the metal embellishments on the side. I’ll admit, I love to wear basic pieces in solid colors, but these can be brought to life with accessories.

I wore these booties around town for the day, uphill and downhill; I did a lot of walking. I didn’t notice my usual foot pain or swelling. In fact, I could’ve worn them for longer. In the past, my feet need freedom after an hour, max!

Lately I have had to ask myself, “is being in pain really worth it”? And how do I feel about spending A LOT of money for designer shoes, when they are still uncomfortable? Honestly… I’ve reached the point where I’m putting comfort first. Besides, comfort really is the ultimate luxury.

Taryn Rose shoes are available at TarynRose.com and select national retailers and boutiques.

I’m jumping into the Black Friday and the holidays in style! Check out TarynRose.com for 30% off with code BLACKFRIDAY.

Outfit inspo below!

Blog post sponsored by Taryn Rose, Photos captured by Zo’e Cole

Fashion

September 15, 2018

Paris meets Newport Beach- #MajesticSaysOui

My bridal shower weekend has finally come and gone, and it was literally a dream! I had a vision for A LOT of pink, with Parisian vibes. With some help from my stylish sister-in-law and the rest of my family and friends, it came to life!

When I was brainstorming theme, it was easy to come up with Parisian, because my mom was actually born in Paris and grew up with a lot of French influence in her family. Since she was helping to throw the shower (from afar), she was super excited to move forward with this theme!

Lucky for me, my sister-in-law-to-be is a style and design wizard (La Confidence Events)! She quickly took the reigns on this Parisian, Chanel-inspired bridal shower. We started planning about 2-3 months in advance, because I knew I didn’t want to rush it, AND I wanted to keep it as affordable as possible.

We had a vision for a lot of PINK! Before I knew it, we were collecting supplies from all over the place. Some from Etsy, some from the streets of Los Angeles, Party City, etc. I think the key for being cost effective, was looking at all of the options, and that takes time of course.

ATTIRE

I knew that I wanted my outfit to be fabulous. I am not the type of girl who is prepared for events and parties. I tend to wait until the last minute to find an outfit and then I’m not super happy with what I’m wearing. This time, I planned WAY in advance and sought out a fun tulle skirt to complete the Parisian vibe. I found this skirt from Space 46 Boutique where the options are ENDLESS. They have tulle skirts in any color, and any length. I went to the shop, since I live locally, but most of their business is online. My top is from Forever 21! I googled away for months to find the perfect top to complement my skirt. I wanted simple, but chic, and this really did the trick. I completed the outfit with a beret, Chanel pearl necklace and Chanel perfume! You can see links to my outfit pieces and other options below.

I knew the day was going to be busy, so I had Erica from 10.11 Makeup come to beautify me! She does not disappoint, and I can’t wait to see her again on my wedding day. I went for a French, Parisian look with thick black liner and bright lips. Top with beret, voila! Even EMS made an appearance in her beret and striped shirt. She wasn’t as happy to be donned in Parisian attire, however.

FOOD

Now… let’s talk FOOD. I knew what I wanted from the start, I just had to find someone who offered it. There are a ton of catering companies in Orange County; many of them are not only expensive, but very specific with what you can order. I ended up choosing my favorite meal-planning boss babe Taylor DeCosta, from Taylor Made Cuisine, and I am SO glad I did. She customized the menu to exactly what I wanted, AND played a huge role in making sure everything went smoothly throughout the entire party. Taylor and her husband Mike offer both catering and meal prep services in Orange County, and they truly know how to make a customer happy.

TREATS

What would a bridal shower be without FABULOUS treats?! My best advice? DON’T skimp on the desserts. I used a combination of locations to provide the sweets.

My mother-in-law was kind enough to order a cake and it did not disappoint! I have always dreamed of having a cake like this, and when I saw it, I felt like a princess who had her dreams come true. The cake was designed and ordered from Penelope’s Perfections, in Costa Mesa. It was as tasty as it was beautiful! I love almond flavoring, so my mother-in-law chose the almond flavored cake with raspberry filling. DIVINE. My family also added a few peonies and a Chanel decal to the cake to fit perfectly with my theme.

I couldn’t have a French-inspired shower without croissants. I ordered these in bulk from a bakery in Tustin, Cream Pan. They have a wide array of selections and I couldn’t decide so I needed them all! I chose a variety of butter, chocolate, almond, and strawberry and cream croissants. Lay these out on platters of your choice and they can complement your decor.

To complete the dessert table, I wanted a variety of mini desserts that included mini caramel apple pies, macaroons, and sugar cookies in the shape of a Chanel perfume bottle and Eiffel Tower. One of my favorite bakeries in Orange County for specialty desserts, is Sweet and Saucy. They can make ANYTHING, and they taste fabulous.

FLORALS

OK… I love flowers. I always have fresh flowers in my home, and I can appreciate what fresh blooms will do to a room, especially if you’re having a party. What I don’t love, is what florals can cost. You wouldn’t believe some of the quotes we received for my bridal shower! I get it, florists are amazing and they really know what they’re doing. We just weren’t willing to spend that on the bridal shower.

Thanks to my sister-in-law’s genius idea (who is starting her event planning business, La Confidence Events), we purchased all of our florals and vases from the flower mart in Los Angeles. Yah, it required driving to a not-so-nice area in LA, it’s not the most convenient plan if you’re busy, but I am SO glad we made this choice.

I purchased eight vases in various sizes for $40, and a few more silver pails for 50% off at another shop in LA. I paid less than $150 total for the flowers themselves. I used a combination of pink roses, ranunculus, white hydrangeas, baby’s breath, and some greens to mix in. We cut and built the arrangements ourselves, the night before the shower. It was definitely more work by doing these ourselves, especially with transportation, but it worked out in the end and those blooms are still living in my home as I write!

Venue and Decor

One of my favorite places in Orange County, is Pelican Hill Resort. It isn’t far from my home, but it when you stay here, it feels like you’re in another world! I had my 30th birthday party here and it was one for the books. It was the first place I thought of when I was deciding on venue for my bridal shower.

My preference when staying here, is to rent one of the villas and share it with family or friends. We stayed in a three-bedroom villa with an ocean view. It is THE PERFECT place to get some R&R, and entertain a small group of family or friends. There is a full kitchen, and very spacious quarters. My parents came from Michigan for the weekend, and Chris’ parents stayed as well. It was a really fun bonding weekend for all of us, and saved time on traveling to another bridal shower destination.

As I mentioned before, the decor came from many different vendors and locations. One of my favorite companies to work with was For Your Party. This brand offers the cutest products for customizing and personalizing your events, with free range to design as you please! I had a great time designing all of my products. I plopped down on my couch one day and designed each of these products, keeping the French/Chanel theme in mind of course!

My ladies and I came up with a hashtag (would you have expected anything else?) so I tried to incorporate that into much of my decor. The personalized napkins were A MUST. They come in a variety of styles and the fonts/graphics are endless. I had to emphasize Chris’ sweet proposal with these coasters, and placed another more interactive coaster on the table as well.

Since we had so many amazing treats, I wanted a cute goodie bag that my guests could put them in, to take home. I LOVE how they turned out, and fit in with my theme, hashtag included. For favors, I chose personalized tea bags, shown below on the right, that my guests could pick up on their way out. These were paired with candles (also shown below) for each guest. I figured at least these favors would be super cute, AND useful at home!

I wanted to have something a little different for my guests to do while at my shower, so we decided to set up a wine tasting table. Of course, the winner would get an awesome prize! I rented 6 different carafes, and picked various wines for tasting. I chose 2 champagnes, 2 rosés, and 2 sauvignon blancs, and asked that my guests determine which was a “save” vs “splurge”. I needed tasting cups for the game, made by For Your Party, as well as paper signs indicating what the game was.

My other sister-in-law arranged the rest of the games, which included a bridal emoji game, “he said she said game, and “guess the age of the bride” in various photos. Don’t judge!! You will likely not recognize me in many of these photos!

Are you planning a party anytime soon? Use code CASSIExFYP for 10% off your order.

The code is only valid until October 31, 2018!

The rest of my decor was purchased as followed:

Tablecloths- fabric district in LA (~$40 for 6 gorgeous fabric tablecloths)

Balloons- American Celebrations in LA and Party City (~ $100 for combo of customized letter balloons, large 36 inch balloons, 9 inch latex balloons)

**Balloon tassels hand made out of sheets of tissue paper. They were otherwise very expensive and we wanted a lot of them for the big balloons. Big shoutout to my mom here for doing most of them!!

**Don’t forget about helium! Sometimes there are restrictions to how many balloons a vendor will fill for you. We rented a helium tank for $45. That is very affordable for this county, but we called around and somehow got lucky.

Invitations- Zazzle (~$90)

Silverware, plates, straws- Amazon, Party City

Mirror decal, bridal shower sign, photo props- Etsy

I’ve said this over and over, but my bridal shower really did feel like a dream. I cannot believe I am marrying my best friend in a few short months, and it meant SO much to me to have my friends and family at this special event in my life.

And to all of you who are joining from afar, you feel like friends and family to me, and your sweet comments don’t go unnoticed!

Personalized Thank you cards by For Your Party

All photos by Zo’e Cole

Career

August 25, 2018

Shoe game strong

Who doesn’t want comfortable shoes for work, that also look rad?

The answer is NO ONE, my friends.

I have to say though, in medicine, the cool factor becomes much less of a priority. Most of the time, I’m just so tired and focused on my work that what my shoes look like, doesn’t matter a bit. There came a point however, when I realized even though I wear scrubs to work, my appearance still matters a lot. Just like any other line of work, people want to see their doctor or nurse look presentable. That includes having shoes that are clean. I mean… would you want to see blood from last night’s trauma spattered all over your doc’s shoes? I think not. That may not bother us in medicine, one bit, but it definitely brings morbid thoughts to the minds of the patients we are seeing.

I set out to try a variety of shoes, and find my favorites. I will start by saying that I have bad feet. I used to be a ballet dancer, so I have nasty bunions (which some of you comment on in my stories I might add…). My feet ache and hurt like an old woman. I am VERY picky with the shoes that I wear. I would prefer to wear NO shoes because it gives my feet space to breathe! But we all know that’s not an option in medicine!

So here are some of my all time favorite shoes that I like to alternate through, on my days and nights in the Emergency Department.

These are the Nike Flex Run 2017 edition. Let’s be honest, I bought them because of the rose gold accents. Subtle, yet they make a statement. They’re super comfortable, and I’ve always loved Nike shoes. I tried them out with my work get up, but I prefer to wear them more for walking or cross training.

My regular work shoes as of lately. I did a campaign with Easy Spirit a few months back, and I honestly had never heard of the company prior to doing the campaign. Well… I totally fell in love with these shoes. They are SO comfortable. The fabric is breathable but still protective (the holes aren’t exposing your socks/feet), and they have built in arch support.

Rose gold obsessed… can you tell?! I saw these shoes randomly at Lululemon, and I couldn’t stop thinking about them. They are comfortable, but a little more structured than my typical shoe. I have bad feet, so I prefer to have less structure and more flexibility in my tennis shoes. I love that the laces tuck in nicely on these shoes, and the design and color speaks for itself. They come in many other cool colors, as well. I don’t wear them much for work, but I do love to rock them with my athleisure while running errands around town!

This pair is one of my faves! The Free RN Flyknit 2017. I have them in 3 colors (one photographed below in bright yellow). I LOVE wearing these to work, but they definitely expose your underlying sock and foot to messes. The flyknit fabric is comfortable, but not as protective. I love wearing these for workouts. Like I said, my feet prefer LESS structure even when working out, because otherwise I seem to get blisters and pain.

Disclosure- I forgot to bring socks when I photographed these babies, but typically worn with socks at work of course! These are my precious Crocs clogs. They are like walking on clouds, FOR REAL. I love the fact that clogs can be slipped off at any time when my feet need a stretch. I know Dansko’s are a popular clog in the medical field. I owned a pair of these for many years, but the Crocs are much more comfortable in my opinion. Especially for those of you that are standing (not running around, but standing still) for long periods of time, these may be your savior! I wear a size 7, and they fit just fine. Crocs don’t offer half sizes.

So there you have it!! Dr. Majestic’s casual shoe collection. You can shop the looks at the links in the post or below.

Share YOUR fave shoes in the comments!

Scrubs are all FIGS; 20% off with FIGSxCassie

Career

July 9, 2018

Life with a Frenchie

It’s no surprise to any of you that owning a dog is work! Especially when you have a busy work schedule.

Many of you ask questions about how we found and manage our little french bulldog, so I’m finally writing this blog post! And yes… her name is Ems (m’s) but short for EMS (Emergency Medical Services), we HAD to find a way to be creative!

Chris and I had been talking about getting a french bulldog for a while, before we took the plunge. We were lucky, and found a breeder that we were happy with, pretty quickly. One of my friends had gotten a dog from this breeder, and I am BIG on personal referrals. That’s pretty much the only way I will buy products or use services these days.

Roseflower Frenchies had this little lady ready to go, on a day that we were coming back from Mammoth, so we had a lot of time to discuss it in the car. I spoke to the breeder for a long time, to get a sense of how they bred their dogs and what they were looking for in owners. It was an obvious match right away. They are so thorough and genuinely good people, that just love their frenchies like children.

We were lucky because Chris happened to be off on injury during the time period that Ems came home with us. He had an above-the-elbow cast I might add, but a little pup was still manageable. Or so we thought! I remember the early days and how tired Chris was. I would go to work, and he would watch the pup all day. She required constant supervision and work with potty training. I am laughing out loud right now, remembering the first time that she used the doggy door and potty on her own. Proud parents we were!

Ems was crate trained from the start. Her breeder started the process and I am SO thankful. She only slept in our room for the first night (in her crate), more because we were paranoid. She slept downstairs in her crate from that point forward. We are SO glad that we did this from the start, because she loves her crate, associates it with her space only, and doesn’t cry or whine. We never let Ems sleep in bed! One reason being she would get used to that immediately and I cannot have a frenchie dictating my sleep schedule!!

Because she is crate trained, she stays there when we aren’t home. Once she grew out of puppy stage, we attempted to let her roam free while we were gone, and we ended up with furniture complete with teeth marks to the corners. She has all the toys in the world, but still couldn’t keep her chompers off the furniture.

Some the biggest questions I get:

1. What do you do with Ems when you go to work?

Ems stays in her crate, which is plenty big enough for her to lay down and stretch out. We continued to expand the crate as she grew larger. I’ve always been told that puppies can stay in their crate for as many hours as they are months old (i.e. 7 months old=7 hours). I’m not a vet, but this really seemed to be true for Ems. She is able to stay in her crate now for my entire work shift without accidents, but that rarely goes longer than 10 hours. Ems’ crate can be found here.

I think for many of you who are students or residents, your schedules may make it extremely tough to have a puppy, depending on if you have hired help or a significant other. When I was a resident, my shifts alone were 12 hours, more like 14 with clean up and charting time. That can be tough on a furry friend. However, some of you students out there who study from home or listen to lectures electronically, may have more time for a pup given your time spent at home is greater than if you had a daily job. Of course all of these problems can be improved with hired dog walkers or doggy daycares.

2. Where does Ems potty?

We live in a townhouse that is extremely vertical (LOTS of stairs). I know many of you deal with apartment life and/or cold weather that makes it less ideal to take your pups outside for their potty time. This of course depends on the size of your dog, but we LOVE the Porch Potty. We have a small balcony on our main floor where we installed a doggy door that Ems loves! She heads out there where her porch potty is located, and that’s where she does her business! The porch potty can be hooked up to any drainage system so that you can water it down regularly, to avoid a nasty smell. If there’s no drainage system for you to hook up to… well, you have to hose it down every few weeks. Not ideal, but we do it, and it works for us!

Ems still goes on walks and potties like a normal dog, but this helps with our schedules and Ems’ comfort.

3. Do you experience many health problems with your french bulldog?

We have been VERY lucky with Ems. She is healthy as can be! Minus the occasional fungal skin infection (common in frenchies), ear infection, and gas. It’s true… french bulldogs can be VERY gassy. Nothing a few candles can’t help. Or I just wave it in Chris’ direction!

Some common health problems for french bulldogs are- allergies, hip dysplasia, cherry eye, skin infections, and respiratory difficulties due to their brachycephalic nature (short skull/short nose). They have trouble controlling their body temperature during exercise and in the heat, so as an owner you have to be attentive and know when they need a break. Because let me tell you… Ems never wants a break. She will play and run herself into respiratory distress!

As a medical professional, even I am grossed out sometimes by the folds on folds on folds that I have to clean. It’s rather humorous actually. We had to get Ems used to this as soon as possible, so now she just lays there when we do it, but it was a fight initially. I clean her facial folds daily. Sorry for TMI here but… she also got the big ol’ thighs. So her folds down under need cleaning too. Yep, I told you it was TMI. She has required a dose of topical creams a time or two. At least this is prepping Chris for cleaning our baby in the future!

This is why many people say don’t get a french bulldog if you are time constrained OR financially limited. They do come with a level of risk. But we have been very lucky so far.

4. What do you feed Ems?

Ems was eating dry food recommended by the vet initially. Blue Buffalo and Royal Canine were a couple of the foods she had tried. Then I discovered Pet Plate. I asked her vet about it, and since it’s freshly cooked, all natural, and made with nutrients to support dogs of any size, she approved. I cannot tell you how much Ems loves Pet Plate. We noticed a huge change in her waistline (for real), she seemed to drink less water (other times she acts like she’s in the sahara desert which makes me wonder if the dry food is messing with her electrolytes), and she has substantially less gas… almost none. And believe me, that is a WIN.

The meals come in 4 flavors, chicken, beef, turkey, and lamb. If you’re interested in letting your pup indulge, you can try it for 25% off with code MAJESTIC25 here. If they have any promotions running, you will get an added 25% off with my code 🙂 Ems says “you’re welcome”.

This little french bulldog gives us a run for our money, it’s no lie, but I wouldn’t change a thing! French bulldogs have so much personality, their little gremlin faces are to-die-for, and they are such lovers. Yes… they will run the house if you allow them to. They are stubborn and tend to have a mind of their own! But with a little love and direction, they will most definitely be your new best friend.

Career

June 4, 2018

My zombie life on night shift

It’s no surprise to you all, that I work a lot of night shifts. You see my regular post-night shift rituals that include attempting to beautify myself to no avail, and being a wide range of delirious, confused, slap happy, and just plain zombie.

As an Emergency Medicine physician, my schedule changes on the reg. Although schedule will always vary by the group or hospital that you work for, most Emergency Med docs will work night shifts. It is less likely to find a group where you work the same shift and have a regimented schedule. I actually prefer the variety. I don’t think I could work purely night shift, like nurses do. I want to be a day person and a night person! But at the same time, I imagine the regimented schedule (even if it is night shift) is just better for your body, over switching constantly.

You guys ask me constantly about my routines, schedule, tips and tricks, etc. Well here it (finally) is!

First things first… it took me a year (my entire intern year) to get my body used to NOT having a schedule. I was tired and felt very low energy ALL the time, for about a year. I tried routine after routine, before I figured out what worked best for me.

So that being said, BE PATIENT. Figuring these things out, is not easy and it takes time. In fact, your body will tell you what it wants. You just have to listen.

My favorite “routines” (I say that lightly because nothing in my life is routine) may not work for you, just as yours may not work for me. So again, don’t try to fit yourself into someone else’s routine. My night shift is scheduled from 9pm to 5am. For many of you those times may be variable but here’s how I tackle these shifts!

When I’m going ON to a night shift, I utilize the day as I would any other day, with the exception of trying to sleep in as late as I want. I allow myself as much sleep as I feel I need, but I don’t force myself to stay up late the night before, just to try and sleep in and get acclimatized to the night shift. I tried that in residency and it didn’t work at all. So when I wake up on these days, I lounge HARDCORE. I almost always work out on these days, at some point, preferably in the morning because I want to wind down during the afternoon and evening, and catch a nap if I can. That being said, I never force myself to nap. I end up more frustrated than not. I never do anything busy or overly social on the day I am starting a night shift. This will cause me to be way too tired and feel as if my day was rushed.

On my first night shift I typically get pretty tired around 2am, since I’ve been up all day. I prefer to use coffee or tea about halfway through my night shift, for an extra push. Regardless of if I drink caffeine during the shift, I hit the pillow hard and fast when I get home and I have no trouble getting to sleep.

I go to bed immediately when I get home and I set my alarm for 8 hours later, if I am going onto another night shift. I do wake up multiple times (especially after my first night shift), that’s inevitable, but I force myself to get back in bed and try to sleep. I NEVER look at my phone during these times. I use the clock in my room to see the time.

When I get up from bed, I make coffee/breakfast and carry out the morning (except it’s like 3pm) like I would any other morning. My meals are similar as any other day and I actually prefer my biggest meal to be “lunch” which is Chris’ dinner, because I don’t like eating anything heavy later in the night. To be honest, I don’t typically work out on my night-sandwich days. I am tired and honestly can use the rest. Plus my mind is confused and the last thing I want to do is get up off the couch, knowing I have another night shift coming. Sometimes I will go on a walk with Chris, or do a quick Insanity workout, but that’s rare. I make these my rest days. Many people do better and have more energy with working out before a shift, but when I’m constantly switching, it just doesn’t feel good for me.

I typically do 2-3 night shifts in a row. I try to never do more than that. When I am coming OFF of a night shift I sleep when I get home however I only allow about 4 hours. I would honestly sleep all day if I didn’t set an alarm. I tend to book a workout class for this late morning/early afternoon so that I have a reason to get up. There is NO way I would do an independent workout on these days (I have tried so many times) so a class keeps me motivated. Even though I am super tired, limiting my sleep allows me to go to bed at a normal hour and get up at a normal time the next morning.

I used to try and stay up all day when transitioning off of night shifts, in residency. I always fell asleep, no matter what I did, and I typically lost my entire day. The routine I described in the paragraph above gives me a good chance at enjoying at least some of the day.

I honestly think that allowing myself to sleep long hours and veg on the couch without any to-do list on either of these days flanking my night shifts, helps me get through it. Sometimes I feel like crap and other days I’m ready to rock n roll! I just accept it. It’s the job I chose so I had to find a way to continue living while feeling my best.

I maintain my energy for all of this, by working out the majority of the other days I am not on night shifts and keeping my diet relatively clean. Seriously, when I turned 30 I swear I started having all these food intolerances. It got worse when I started flipping schedules constantly. I know what and what not to eat at this point, because it will make me feel tired or crampy or bloated- none of which I want to suffer through, while awake all night taking care of patients. I have also learned to limit social activities if night shifts are coming up in my week.

So there you have it! My not-so-perfect way of tolerating night shifts and still being a fairly normal zombie, er I mean person. We all know this lifestyle is not healthy, but I do the best I can with the career I chose. And crossing my fingers that my night shifts continue to decrease as I move up in the ranks! 🙂

My absolute must-haves for a good post-night shift sleep:

Black out blinds. Like the best ones you can find. They are worth whatever you have to pay
Eye mask or t-shirt. Even black out blinds don’t keep out all the light sometimes!
Ear plugs. Day time noise doesn’t stop for us night shifters. Gotta block it out!
Water at bedside with Ibuprofen if needed. I sometimes suffer from headaches when I can’t sleep well, and having this by my bedside makes me going back to sleep smoother since I don’t have to get up
A clear path to the bathroom. My kidneys are never on night shift… and tripping on something when half asleep, well that’s how you end up in the Emergency Department
Air conditioner or fan. We use a portable AC that can double as a cool fan. The noise helps me block out other noise that would wake me up, and temperature control is SO important

Fave products that bring me back to life:

Peter Thomas Roth 24K gold eye patches
Exfolikate cleanser and exfoliant
Fresh Lotus eye gel
Fresh Lotus Moisturizer
Tretinoin gel/cream (I use this every night to prevent aging, get this prescribed by your dermatologist)
A fresh dose of botox every few months (by none other than The Treatment’s Erin Jensen). I swear, a small dose helps me look just a tiny bit more awake

Photos by Zo’e Fraley, Shirt by Medthusiast, Scrubs by FIGS

Lifestyle

May 3, 2018

The desert calls

Chris and I like to getaway as often as we can. Sometimes that means short trips within the Southern California area, but I’ll take it. I still feel like I’m curbing my travel craving. Due to our insane schedules and levels of stress, we try to aim for MAX relaxation.

We had a Boston trip planned for a while, but when we realized that we had a few extra days off together, we decided to book it to the desert for some hot sun and pool time, before braving the Boston cold.

We have both been to Palm Springs in the past, but there are so many hotels to choose from. We sat on the couch, googled, and came upon Avalon Hotel. It seemed like the perfect balance between boutique and luxury. I also love that Palm Springs has such a strong French influence. My mom was born in Paris, and I have many fond memories of my travels through France. If I can experience some of that closer to home, it is most definitely welcomed!

The hotel was small, trendy (would you expect anything else in Palm Springs?), had excellent food, and a 24/7 pool and hot tub (huge plus!). There was a separate pool for families with children, and the overall vibe of the hotel was laid-back and quiet. We were not in the mood for a party-hotel with a DJ, so this ended up being perfect.

The food, I have to say, deserves some serious credit. For our first breakfast we lounged by the pool and enjoyed avocado toast (for me) and an acai bowl for the hubs. There was most definitely some chips and guac intermixed, with refreshing poolside cocktails.

I had really wanted to stay at the Parker, but it was pretty expensive pricing for Easter weekend. So we trekked over there for dinner instead. Of course, the Parker did not disappoint. From the infamous IG-worthy wall out front, to the trendy bars inside, it is definitely a place to see and be seen. I had really wanted to try their little wine bar and luckily we scored the last two seats in this tiny, speak-easy location called Counter Reformation. This place reminds me of a wine bar you’d find in Paris. Chris and I (naturally) ordered a charcuterie and cheese plate with french bread that was to-die-for, and vino.

Despite Parker being one of the most Instagram-worthy spots in town, the Instagram queen herself was definitely off her game with photo snapping. Honestly, I was really enjoying my night out with Chris, and the only photo I managed to snap was on the way out! Until next time Parker.

We awoke to a really beautiful, calm Easter morning complete with another amazing breakfast and pool time. Truthfully… I have a very hard time relaxing by the pool. My overactive brain kicks in, and I start to feel really fidgety. I swear I never used to be this way; I blame my job as the culprit. Chris always helps me live in the moments. I swear he’s so good at turning everything off around him, and just being thankful for the moment. Such a good influence. But… I still spent the afternoon searching menus and planning out my next meal, instead of quieting my mind! Typical.

We ventured out on the town our second night, and ended up at The Tropicale. Although the location is very popular, the environment wasn’t my favorite. The food however, made up for it. We decided to hit the casino on the walk back to our hotel, which is kind of unusual for us to get the urge to gamble. Honestly, the spontaneity of it all made it so much fun.

I love craps, but that’s a no-go in California so we settled for roulette, black jack, and a slot machine or two. Honestly, it was so much fun. We won more on a random lottery ticket en route back to our hotel, than we did at the casino, but what can ya do? The memories are worth it!

The best part of our trip, aside from the relaxation, was that we hit the outlets on the way home! Nothing like snagging designer goods for a great price! That’s what I’m talking about.

This little sunny getaway really helped Chris and I reconnect after being busy with work, and kicking off our cold weather, Boston vacation with a little tan, helped me feel brighter and more relaxed.

Some of my other faves in Palm Springs:

Kimpton Hotel (posh with luxury feel)

Korakia Pensione

L’Horizon Hotel and Spa

Some of my fave Palm Springs fashion:

Career

March 20, 2018

MedStudebt

There’s a little term I like to use when I talk about medical school.

It’s Medstudebt.

For some reason my phone used to autocorrect to this, when I tried to type med student. But really it is kind of a funny (and very fitting) term.

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room; one of THE MOST COMMON questions I receive on a daily basis.

How do you deal with the debt from medical school??

I’ll be totally honest with you about my debt. I graduated medical school with $240K in student loans. This was somewhat average at the time. I have personal friends who acquired much more than this, and some with less debt due to scholarships, help from family, etc.

When I started residency, I found myself wondering, “how the hell am I going to live off of this salary AND start paying back my loans?”. I literally made $3-4K monthly, and living in Orange County is not cheap. Many of you may know, that you can defer paying your student loans, until after residency is completed. This however, may not be the best decision for you, based on the fact that the interest will continue to accrue, and capitalize.

Let’s think about that for a minute.

I graduated with 240K in loans. The interest rate through my lender was about 6% annually. Do the math. If I chose to defer payment in residency, my new total at the end of the year would be $14,400 more, just based on interest alone. That’s a LOT of money.

I chose to start paying my loans back right away. I couldn’t stomach the fact that although it may feel like I had more money to use on life right away, I would be compounding all this interest and be hit with it later. It wasn’t easy to pay back my loans during residency. I was lucky that I had some help, in doing so, but that was not the case for most of my friends.

In medical school, I was able to focus on studying because becoming a fully-trained doctor felt so far away. In residency it clearly became a reality, but so did being an adult. I was 27 after all! I thought about every purchase. “Do I really need that? Because I cannot afford that”. I started to think about buying a house, buying a more reliable car, having a family, etc. It all seemed so impossible because I was so far in the hole and would never be able to save for a down payment on a home, for quite some time.

One option I wish I had during residency? Refinancing my student loans.

I refinanced as soon as I graduated, and am currently on a 10-year plan to pay them off. The payment and interest rate is MUCH lower than it would be, had I not refinanced. Refinancing may allow you to pay back your loan with better terms, and a lower interest rate.

So for those of you out there starting residency soon… check this out. There may be a new option for you. Refinancing as soon as you start residency.

There is an online personal financing company out there, called SoFi, that has just introduced a medical resident refinancing product. SoFi has been around for a long time, but this program was just released in October 2017. By refinancing your loans (earlier than I was able to), you can reduce your payments to a much lower monthly rate, and have extra money to spend and use during your stressful residency, while not ignoring your loans altogether.

I was super pumped when SoFi reached out to me, and asked me to introduce this new program to you! My goal is always to educate you all, on the truth behind this career and life of a professional. So I’m asking you to continue to educate yourself on your options. Read about it, ask questions, think about what is right for you.

SoFi offers refinancing options of your private and federal loans, with a range of excellent rates and terms. Their current medical residency refinance plan can reduce loan payments to just $100/month during medical residency or fellowship (up to 54 months). In addition, there are no origination fees, and no prepayment penalty (meaning you can pay more on your loans if you have it, and it won’t penalize you). With this includes access to personalized financial advice, career coaching, and networking/community events.

My BIGGEST issue with being in medicine, was feeling like I could never enjoy my money. Just knowing that I have all this debt, used to bother me internally. Once I educated myself on the options for loan payback, I was able to accept what worked best FOR ME. I wanted to have extra cash flow. My goal was never to pay back my loans as fast as possible. For some individuals, that may be your goal, and that’s ok too.

I felt that because I spent so much time in school and training, I deserved to enjoy my new income. The income I spent YEARS working towards, and still work very hard to achieve on a regular basis. Maybe it makes me a little entitled, but I feel I deserve to finally spend some of that money. Whether it’s a nice dinner out, better groceries, a Chanel bag (yes I love to shop), it took me years of blood, sweat, and tears (lots of tears) to get here!

I deserve these things.

Honestly, I look at myself as the big sister to all of you. I have been through it, I know ALL of the feelings, the questions, the doubt. It’s normal, and there IS light at the end of the tunnel. I am lucky enough to have this platform to help educate you all, but you have to continue to educate yourselves and search for what is right, for you! You will hear so many people talk about the options and it’s overwhelming.

If you’re training to be a doc, I know the last thing you want to do is worry about finances. But trust me, it’s worth it and important to think about it.

Once I got my finances and fixed, refinanced loan payments in line, I stopped worrying. True story. So now I really can enjoy all the finer things in life that I choose to have, knowing that my debt is stable and slowly declining by the day!

I remember the day I refinanced. My previous lender sent me an email that said “Congratulations, your loans are paid off”! Even though it wasn’t literally true, I still felt like I took the first step in kicking my debt’s butt!! And that sure feels good!

Blog post sponsored by SoFi. For more information, click HERE

Photos by Zo’e Fraley

Career

March 3, 2018

How I feel about being a doctor… the unedited version

There are days when I let the superficial angst and anxiety of my job, consume my thoughts. Many days.

I sit in front of my computer charting, thinking about how much I hate it. “I hate my job”, sometimes creeps into my mind. You guys don’t often hear me talk about the negatives, I know. That’s because I try not to dwell in the negatives. If I did, it would really bring me down. Every job comes with positives and negatives, but medicine in particular, has it’s fair share of negatives. The long days, high level of stress, difficult (and many times entitled) patients that speak to you like you’re not a human, the endless charts that seem to take away from actual patient care, and of course the mentally challenging and life-or-death cases. Many days, I think about how this job is legitimately going to make me die at a younger age. Morbid much, Cassie?

All of these things not only keep my level of stress high at work, but they keep me from relaxing in my free time, if I don’t force myself to break away. Medicine is definitely not for the faint of heart.

But…

Truly when I reflect on my career and what I get to do, day in and out, professionally, I am in AWE. “I love my job”, creeps into my mind SO much more than the alternative. I am seriously, truly inspired by my job. When I’m laying in bed or sitting on an airplane with some time on my hands, and I think back on my career in medicine thus far, I still feel like a little school girl who was just dying to be a doctor. I am still so inspired.

I have so many memories of what it has felt like to be with someone in their darkest moments, happiest moments, most relieved moments, thankful moments, and angry moments. Who gets to say that? I mean really, how lucky am I to be a part of the circle of life?

I get to carry with me, the cases that have changed my life and the way that I look at life. I can remember when my own brain and hands have helped save the life of someone who have otherwise died. I can recall the sweat dripping down my face during the complicated procedures I didn’t think I could get through, and the feeling of relief when I actually did get through them successfully.

That’s deep.

It’s funny, my job is sort of fun while I’m doing it, but the fun part really comes later- when I reflect, remember, and tell the stories of my days (and nights) in the Emergency Department.

The toddler that came in at the very end of my shift one day, who ended up having a spontaneous brain aneurysm bleed. I remember when I called to transfer the patient to a children’s hospital, the neurosurgeon said, “thank you, great job, you took care of the hard part”. Funny guy. You’re about to cut into this kid’s skull and touch his brain, and I took care of the hard part!?

And the patient who had cocaine up his butt… I made him go get those drugs himself because, let’s be honest, you never know what’s up there (razor blades anyone?).

A patient that we brought back from cardiac arrest outside our doors. One of our nurses literally picked them up and carried them onto a gurney, all incredible Hulk-like. One of the only patients I’ve had that actually returned to functional quality of life.

The patient that came in on the 4th of July, when I was a resident. After all the firework injuries and traumas from motor vehicle collisions, we were exhausted. He was pretty much the only patient that wasn’t drunk or a trauma, but was super sick with a spontaneously collapsed lung. After recognizing it (which took a few minutes, I’m not going to lie) and placing a chest tube, he went on to have multiple other lung complications that I have seen him for in the Emergency Department. The cool thing about this patient, is that our paths keep crossing, over the years. In fact, I just saw him again recently, and he is doing well. And you thought ED doctors don’t have continuity of care with our patients! Many of our patients are “regulars”. I guess you can consider that a product of American medicine and insurance companies. When I saw this patient recently he said, “I’ll never forget you Dr. Majestic. Besides, you left your mark on my chest for life”! I had to chuckle. It’s true!

The kid whose scalp I sewed back on. It took me hours, no lie.

The woman younger than me, dying of ovarian cancer.

The new parents, who thought they were doing something wrong with feeding, because their baby kept having diaper blowouts. Truth… that’s just what babies do sometimes! I mean, anytime I can get my hands on a newborn and give some simple reassurance is a good day for me!

A woman who came in concerned that she had rabies, because she kissed a guy who said he was bit by a squirrel at some point in his life.

The night I had to google the details of a sex toy so I could fish it out of someone’s vagina. Believe it or not, it was not straightforward.

As you can see… I wear many hats. And there is never a dull moment. I make things work, on the fly. Sometimes I have to get creative with my treatment and recommendations. Who can actually say that about their job?

But if I had to use one word to describe how I feel about being a doctor, it would simply be, inspired.

So for those of you considering medicine. Recognize that you will likely have a love/hate relationship with your job. And that’s OK.

Shoes from APL. Scrubs from FIGS. Photos by Zo’e Fraley.

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