Block 1: Week 4 + Jackson Hole/Grand Teton

We started off the week in clinic by putting together our PowerPoint presentation for the in-service assignment we had been working on. Katherine reached out to schedule us to present to the different pod meetings at all 3 clinics Thursday-Wednesday, and we planned to present updates to the ADA Standards of Care regarding treatment and monitoring for T2DM. We were also including analysis from the clinic patient data we had been collecting in our presentation to discuss areas of treatment and monitoring in which the clinic could improve. 

We spent Monday-Wednesday finalizing our analysis and compiling our presentation. Occasionally throughout the week we were able to counsel patients and replace their FreeStyle Libre sensors. We also input prescriptions as they were submitted by the clinic providers. On Thursday, we headed to the Arapahoe clinic for our first pod presentation. We presented alongside the TN students as they had put together a brief presentation on a different topic. 

Throughout the week, we tried to spend some time outdoors when we could despite the rain. We headed to the Red Canyon Overlook which is past Lander to check out the views since the wildflowers were blooming. Amber told us to look out for a canyon on the left as we headed that direction as it was full of flowers, so we had to make a stop there to appreciate the views. Because it was raining and we did not want to get out for any hikes in the weather, we decided to drive up the switchback road past Sinks Canyon State Park. The road was still closed at the top of the mountain, so we decided to turn right onto the unpaved road and see where it would take us. That road goes out to Worthen Meadows which has several hiking trails. We did not get out to hike, but it was nice to see the views from the top of the mountain. Beware though, this road is not a smooth one. 



We also tried to walk down Ray Lake Road a couple of the afternoons. The first day we went for the walk, it was very windy but still beautiful outside. We were able to see several of the foxes in their dens and got to see several sheep. However, when we went to do the walk the second afternoon we were chased by a dog that ran through one of the house's fences. We decided it was best to turn around and just walk around the house that afternoon. 

Friday morning we presented to the Ethete clinic, and after working the day in the clinic, we headed straight to Jackson Hole to meet Savannah's family. We got to Jackson Hole in time for dinner that evening, and after walking through some stores downtown we went to Pinky G's for dinner. While the pizza tasted amazing, it did not agree with our stomachs. 

We headed out early the next morning to hike around Jenny Lake after stopping by Cowboy Coffee for a little energy. The Jenny Lake loop ended up being about 8 miles since we hiked up to the Hidden Falls, and this took us around 3 hours and 40 minutes. There was not a significant amount of elevation gain, so although this hike was more lengthy I would say it was not difficult! If you are interested in seeing Jenny Lake but not interested in hiking around it, there is a ferry that goes across the lake. You can go one way for $15 (this way you would only have to do half of the hiking loop), or you can go both ways for $20. 


After our hike, we headed to Merry Piglets downtown for dinner. Their food is amazing!! We rested for a bit after eating and headed to drive down Moose-Wilson road later that evening. We started this route on the side closer to Wilson and drove through to Moose. It was neat getting to see Teton Village, but we were a little disappointed because we ended up not seeing any wildlife, and this road is supposed to be a frequenting place for moose and other wildlife. After our drive, we circled back to downtown Jackson to get ice cream from Jackson Drugs. There isn't a flavor here that I have not liked, but if you're wondering what you should get, you definitely have to try the huckleberry. After getting our fill of sugar, we drove by the rodeo just to see it, and it was PACKED. They had a sign up that said it was sold out, so unfortunately we did not get to see any bull riding. 

We went to sleep early that evening so we could wake up early Sunday morning to hike the Taggart Lake loop. This hike ended up being close to 4 miles and had more elevation than Jenny Lake. It was definitely worth it though! I enjoyed the scenery more than Jenny Lake. We also saw a moose here that didn't charge us, so that was very exciting!!! After this, we decided to have brunch at Cafe Genevieve, and it definitely lived up to the hype. The food was DELICIOUS!!! We would definitely recommend stopping here if you get the chance, especially for the breakfast menu. Savannah and I headed back into Grand Teton after brunch to revisit the spots where our fiances proposed and take a few pictures. Most of the snow had melted at this point, so the view looked entirely different. I then took Savannah to pick up a rental car at the Jackson Hole Airport, and we headed back to the house to prepare for our last week of rotation.



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