This morning, I received a page (about my fourth ever 'real' one) from the Academic Computing office. My computer is back! It completely died several weeks ago, and is now to be returned to me with a brand-new hard drive, and a new monitor, but sans any files that I had saved on it. To me, this combination equals 'new computer.' Kind of exciting! Also kind of sad, as I mourn the passing of my faithful companion of my first two years of medical school.
So. Not terribly long after my Fourth Real Page, I had to use the facilities. In the process, I managed to drop my pager...in the toilet. (Thankfully after I'd flushed) As I stood there pondering the age old pager-in-the-toilet dilemma, I realized that this was an automatic motion-sensing toilet. Now, these things never work for me at the apropos time. However, when I have a pager sitting in the bottom of the toilet, it decides to conveniently start working, forcing me to plunge my hand into the bowl to rescue said pager. Good grief. I don't even like the thing, but I just couldn't let it come to such an end. Not yet, anyway. Maybe at the end of fourth year...
Just in case you were curious: pagers don't swim.
So, now I'm pager-less until Wednesday, when the 'pager person' is in from 11-2. In case you were curious, I know say "Wednesday" like I'm from the south, which means it has about 27 syllables. It's kind of fun - you should definitely try it. Repeat after me: Weh-uns-d-ah-ay.
In other news:
1. A new dinosaur species was discovered in Montana. The interesting thing about Suuwassea emilieae is that it has a 'mysterious'extra hole in its skull. I'm thinking that may be why the poor thing went extinct. Hole in head does not lend itself to survival, in my humble opinion.
2. I don't know how I missed this: Andy Kaufman is alive and well, and is blogging right here on blogspot. Hmmm. Or is he? The debate continues. Personally, I would have to ask: why on earth would Andy Kaufman start a blog? I prefer to think he'd be off with Elvis having a grand old party.
3. A certain female in our class (whose name has a paucity of syllables and vowels) is sporting a rather large diamond on a rather prominent finger. And talks with her hands a lot. This may be a 'daddy-loves-me-oh-so-much' ring, but I don't know...
4. I get my root canal tomorrow! Saints be praised! I never thought I'd be looking forward to it, but I'm ready to get this stinking sedative filling out.
May 24, 2004
May 23, 2004
Funday!
All day at Carowinds! I'm exhausted.
I just had to write my observation that, though it is best to find a swim suit that shows off your best features, it is difficult to find one that shows off your brain.
That's all.
Bed is calling my name. Can you hear it?
I just had to write my observation that, though it is best to find a swim suit that shows off your best features, it is difficult to find one that shows off your brain.
That's all.
Bed is calling my name. Can you hear it?
May 21, 2004
Take Your Picture Off Another Wall...
...So what happens now? Where am I going to? Gen Med D, that's where!
I can't believe my two weeks in heme/onc are at an end. They went by in a flash. But they also took forever, so... Time again plays tricks on my brain. I feel bad reporting that my patients are oriented X4 (person, place, time and situation), when I really only make it to 2 - and that's on a good day.
My latest dilemma: I seem to bond well with the elderly. Really well. I even got flowers from one (and her daughter is going to send a letter of praise to the clerkship director - I didn't even have to beg for that!) I even have a good time just sitting and chatting with my 65+ yo patients. My problem with this: does this mean I should be a geriatrician? Does it? I've always said pediatrics was the road for me, but I honestly have very little experience with pediatric medicine. I've played with sick kids, but I've never had to care for them. And I like old people! And it really bothers me to see the way some people treat them. I just don't know that I could handle it day after day after day... We'll see what happens. I do my peds rotation in January.
It's the weekend! I actually get a weekend this weekend! I don't know what to do with myself. I still have no $$, so I pretty much have to stay home-bound. Or the YMCA. Actually, I am going to Carowinds on Sunday...that is costing me some money...but...it's so much fun! And... my birthday is coming up...so...I'll call this an early birthday present to myself. Yee-haw!
Okay. The weekend has started, yet here I sit in the library at school. I must get out! Maybe I'll dye my hair. That would be fun.
Asheville. I want to go there. And Charleston. Why are these random people in here talking about all these fun places to go? And sailing classes! And canoes! Good grief. My head is going to explode. Now they're bragging about all the 'fun' people they know. I'm a fun person! I know fun people! Think they'd mind if I joined the convo?
GAH! I'm getting out of here!
I have pretty flowers at home! :)
I can't believe my two weeks in heme/onc are at an end. They went by in a flash. But they also took forever, so... Time again plays tricks on my brain. I feel bad reporting that my patients are oriented X4 (person, place, time and situation), when I really only make it to 2 - and that's on a good day.
My latest dilemma: I seem to bond well with the elderly. Really well. I even got flowers from one (and her daughter is going to send a letter of praise to the clerkship director - I didn't even have to beg for that!) I even have a good time just sitting and chatting with my 65+ yo patients. My problem with this: does this mean I should be a geriatrician? Does it? I've always said pediatrics was the road for me, but I honestly have very little experience with pediatric medicine. I've played with sick kids, but I've never had to care for them. And I like old people! And it really bothers me to see the way some people treat them. I just don't know that I could handle it day after day after day... We'll see what happens. I do my peds rotation in January.
It's the weekend! I actually get a weekend this weekend! I don't know what to do with myself. I still have no $$, so I pretty much have to stay home-bound. Or the YMCA. Actually, I am going to Carowinds on Sunday...that is costing me some money...but...it's so much fun! And... my birthday is coming up...so...I'll call this an early birthday present to myself. Yee-haw!
Okay. The weekend has started, yet here I sit in the library at school. I must get out! Maybe I'll dye my hair. That would be fun.
Asheville. I want to go there. And Charleston. Why are these random people in here talking about all these fun places to go? And sailing classes! And canoes! Good grief. My head is going to explode. Now they're bragging about all the 'fun' people they know. I'm a fun person! I know fun people! Think they'd mind if I joined the convo?
GAH! I'm getting out of here!
I have pretty flowers at home! :)
May 19, 2004
Love a Sexy Villain Today
Lex Luthor. Is he one sexy villain, or what? The guy on Smallville anyway. There is another student here that looks remarkably like Michael Rosenbaum. Though, after a look at some of M. Rosenbaum's publicity pictures, the guy looks much better sans hair. Just a thought. Other sexy villains? I'm completely drawing a blank, but I know there are many.
It's on-call night again! They come so frequently... Ah, well, this is the last time I'm on call in Heme/Onc. I go to general medicine next. Should be interesting.
Anyway, I'm watching Smallville right now. It's hard to follow a show that you only see once or twice a season. I think I'd choose Lex over Clark if I lived in whatever town it is that they live in. Ha. Smallville. I seriously could not figure that out for a minute... I'm apparently more sleep-deprived than I thought. Le sigh. The Kents' house just exploded...? And apparently Lex is...dropping dead? Confusing show.
I'm waiting for American Idol to come on. Yee-haw! I can't wait to find out what happens. Will Fantasia make it thru the night? I do hope so. I'm a reluctant fan, but I actually like Fantasia. I'd probably buy a CD, even. Yes. I will buy a CD! I'm being decisive.
Tom Welling. Too attractive, yes or no?
Paperwork is calling my name. I'm going to get ahead!
It's on-call night again! They come so frequently... Ah, well, this is the last time I'm on call in Heme/Onc. I go to general medicine next. Should be interesting.
Anyway, I'm watching Smallville right now. It's hard to follow a show that you only see once or twice a season. I think I'd choose Lex over Clark if I lived in whatever town it is that they live in. Ha. Smallville. I seriously could not figure that out for a minute... I'm apparently more sleep-deprived than I thought. Le sigh. The Kents' house just exploded...? And apparently Lex is...dropping dead? Confusing show.
I'm waiting for American Idol to come on. Yee-haw! I can't wait to find out what happens. Will Fantasia make it thru the night? I do hope so. I'm a reluctant fan, but I actually like Fantasia. I'd probably buy a CD, even. Yes. I will buy a CD! I'm being decisive.
Tom Welling. Too attractive, yes or no?
Paperwork is calling my name. I'm going to get ahead!
May 15, 2004
Beyond the Call of Duty
In an attempt to entertain myself, I ventured into the med school library. At last! A place to ensconce myself for a couple of hours! Alas, I arrived a mere half hour before their closing. In that half hour, I discovered the "History of Medicine" room, and a nice comfy hunter-green armchair. I was sitting amongst all these old books about plague and war - how cool is that? Anyway, I pulled a book off the shelf to check it out. It was Courage and Devotion Beyond the Call of Duty Being a Partial Record of Official Citations to Medical Officers in the United States Armed Forces During World War II. I skimmed through some of it - lots of doctors getting Silver and Bronze medals for putting themselves in harms way to save their fellow soldiers. While that is all incredibly cool in itself, this particular entry caught my eye:
"The Soldier's Medal was awarded to Captain Luke K. Remley of York, Pa. The citation states: 'On August 26, 1943 at . . ., Tunisia, Captain Remley was assisting two (2) (my interjection here: the parenthetical numbers were apparently in the official citation. I love that - like I don't understand what 'two' means unless I see the actual numeral) officers of his squadron in arranging their flying equipment on their aircraft, when suddenly without warning (isn't that the definition of suddenly?) a B-17 type aircraft loaded with bombs, dispersed nearby violently exploded (what does that mean? it was just sitting there, then exploded?), hurling thousands of fragments of burning metal over a wide-spread area and showering the immediate vicinity of the aircraft with burning gasoline and oil. (how dramatic!) The concussion that followed was so instantaneous and forceful that three (3) officers were hurled (hurled!!!) to the ground and momentarily stunned. Upon recovering from the fall (the hurling fall) Captain Remley rushed from the scene of the disaster in an attempt to save himself. (why else would he be rushing away? to catch the falling burning metal fragments on his tongue?) Noting that one (1) of the officers was not running alongside (hey, maybe he was just slower), Captain Remley wheeled about (he wheeled people!) and dashed headlong into the rain of flying missiles and falling debris that was showering the path between him and his fellow officer who was lying on the ground uninjured. (at which point I would have averred: get up, you lazy cur! you made me wheel and headlong-ed-ly dash into raining fiery missiles, and here you lie, without enough sense to rush from the scene of the disaster in an attempt to save yourself!) Utterly disragarding the imminent danger of the bombs detonating in the aircraft by the impending mass of flame and inferno that was encircling it, and the fifty (50) calibre shells that were erratically exploding and striking the plane in numerous places, Captain Remley carried the officer over his back to a place of safety. The presence of mind and heroism displayed by this officer reflect great credit upon himself and the armed forces of the United States of America. (and the writing of this citation reflects great credit upon the author, who obviously read a lot of comic books)' Captain Remley is also the recipient of the Bronze Star. He graduated from Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia in 1938."
I love this post. I've always been amazed by doctor-soldiers, and WWII in general. This is just a fun little story to read - and it is true! My only question, in the end, is why was the doctor arranging his flying equipment in the first place? I thought doctors stayed on the ground. Well, anyway. Thanks, Captain Luke K. Remley - you rock. I hope your days were filled with more rushing and wheeling and running headlong into lots of joyous occasions.
"The Soldier's Medal was awarded to Captain Luke K. Remley of York, Pa. The citation states: 'On August 26, 1943 at . . ., Tunisia, Captain Remley was assisting two (2) (my interjection here: the parenthetical numbers were apparently in the official citation. I love that - like I don't understand what 'two' means unless I see the actual numeral) officers of his squadron in arranging their flying equipment on their aircraft, when suddenly without warning (isn't that the definition of suddenly?) a B-17 type aircraft loaded with bombs, dispersed nearby violently exploded (what does that mean? it was just sitting there, then exploded?), hurling thousands of fragments of burning metal over a wide-spread area and showering the immediate vicinity of the aircraft with burning gasoline and oil. (how dramatic!) The concussion that followed was so instantaneous and forceful that three (3) officers were hurled (hurled!!!) to the ground and momentarily stunned. Upon recovering from the fall (the hurling fall) Captain Remley rushed from the scene of the disaster in an attempt to save himself. (why else would he be rushing away? to catch the falling burning metal fragments on his tongue?) Noting that one (1) of the officers was not running alongside (hey, maybe he was just slower), Captain Remley wheeled about (he wheeled people!) and dashed headlong into the rain of flying missiles and falling debris that was showering the path between him and his fellow officer who was lying on the ground uninjured. (at which point I would have averred: get up, you lazy cur! you made me wheel and headlong-ed-ly dash into raining fiery missiles, and here you lie, without enough sense to rush from the scene of the disaster in an attempt to save yourself!) Utterly disragarding the imminent danger of the bombs detonating in the aircraft by the impending mass of flame and inferno that was encircling it, and the fifty (50) calibre shells that were erratically exploding and striking the plane in numerous places, Captain Remley carried the officer over his back to a place of safety. The presence of mind and heroism displayed by this officer reflect great credit upon himself and the armed forces of the United States of America. (and the writing of this citation reflects great credit upon the author, who obviously read a lot of comic books)' Captain Remley is also the recipient of the Bronze Star. He graduated from Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia in 1938."
I love this post. I've always been amazed by doctor-soldiers, and WWII in general. This is just a fun little story to read - and it is true! My only question, in the end, is why was the doctor arranging his flying equipment in the first place? I thought doctors stayed on the ground. Well, anyway. Thanks, Captain Luke K. Remley - you rock. I hope your days were filled with more rushing and wheeling and running headlong into lots of joyous occasions.
Totally Useless
So, I'm here at the hospital... I'm on call tonight, which means I had to come to morning rounds, then stay all day until 11pm, then come back tomorrow morning for rounds again. The only problem with this is that I have nothing to do. My two patients need absolutely nothing today. We have room to take on one more patient, but that never seems to happen during the day (people always wait until late-night to present to the ED). So, here I am. Waiting...
I've had time to mess around on-line, and have discovered that Gwyneth Paltrow gave birth to a large, healthy baby girl, who she then proceeded to name Apple. Apple. Honey, that's a fruit, not a child. Apple cider. Apple sauce. Apple pie. Apple Jolly Ranchers. Does Gwyneth not see these things coming??? On a separate note, I wonder what people call Gwyneth for short... Gwyn? Neth? Gwynnie?
My stomach is a bottomless pit today. I'm hungry. The cafeteria here is really not that great. But I want food! Nice, soft, easily chewed food. I only have a temporary filling in my tooth as I await my ::drumroll:: Root Canal!!! How exciting. The dentist the other day was very nice, but unfortunately the combination of his niceness and my finger-crossedness did not serve to save me from the dreaded canal of root.
Tired. And hungry.
And bored.
There must be something to do...
I've had time to mess around on-line, and have discovered that Gwyneth Paltrow gave birth to a large, healthy baby girl, who she then proceeded to name Apple. Apple. Honey, that's a fruit, not a child. Apple cider. Apple sauce. Apple pie. Apple Jolly Ranchers. Does Gwyneth not see these things coming??? On a separate note, I wonder what people call Gwyneth for short... Gwyn? Neth? Gwynnie?
My stomach is a bottomless pit today. I'm hungry. The cafeteria here is really not that great. But I want food! Nice, soft, easily chewed food. I only have a temporary filling in my tooth as I await my ::drumroll:: Root Canal!!! How exciting. The dentist the other day was very nice, but unfortunately the combination of his niceness and my finger-crossedness did not serve to save me from the dreaded canal of root.
Tired. And hungry.
And bored.
There must be something to do...
May 13, 2004
Don't Smoke
One of my patients is dying. Really, really dying. Like, he'll be dead within a few hours. If he's lucky. If not, he'll hang on for a few more days being just miserable. He's DNR (do not resuscitate), otherwise he'd have a tube down his throat and a machine making him breathe. His entire family is here. He's got metastatic lung cancer - he was a smoker.
Another of my patients, also with lung cancer, also from smoking, just had a CT scan that shows metastases to the liver. Hepatic mets is one of the worst prognostic signs of lung cancer. She'll be dead within a few months.
Today is not a good day to be my patient.
Now, I'm going to the dentist.
Another of my patients, also with lung cancer, also from smoking, just had a CT scan that shows metastases to the liver. Hepatic mets is one of the worst prognostic signs of lung cancer. She'll be dead within a few months.
Today is not a good day to be my patient.
Now, I'm going to the dentist.
May 11, 2004
Blaze
Just had to share the back-of-the-book blurb on a book I found in the conference room here:
Title: Between the Sheets
The only action April Stevens has been seeing between the sheets lately is sleep. Not her preference, but since her inability to relax has proven almost fatal to too many past lovers, she's given up sex. Fine. Except that her latest assignment has her going undercover with marketing hottie, er, genius Rex Holt...field-testing risque sheet sets! As if that's going to keep her mind off sex...especially when Rex is tempting enought to make her reconsider that little vow of celibacy.
Between the sexy bed linens and his even sexier assistant April, Rex's job has gotten interesting. He has sex on he brain. Conducting personal trial runs on the sheets with April should clear his...mind. Instead, Rex finds himself craving even more of her--he just has to convince her that what they have is more than a bit of fun and relaxation. Good thing he can sell anything...including himself.
Thoughts:
1. When it says that her 'inability to relax has proven almost fatal,' do you think it actually means that this April Stevens has almost killed poor men during sex?
2. April Stevens is not a very exciting name for a 'romance' heroine. (not like Misty Fortune, the heroine of another book I found here called Against the Odds)
3. Rex Holt is a perfect name for a 'romance' hero.
4. Do you suppose they advertise for "risque sheet set tester" in the classifieds?
5. Does this actually qualify as a plot? What could the climax be?
6. Could these words all be code for something actually resembling a story, or is this truly just a book where people just have sex?
7. Does the author of this book have her work on display at home?
8. What inspired the story?
9. How many publishers did the author have to send the book to until it got picked up?
10. Are trashy 'romance' novels of this caliber merely porn for women? What about Danielle Steele? Nora Roberts? D.H. Lawrence? Charlotte Bronte? Where is the line between 'romance' and 'trash?'
Okay... enough thinking. Time to leave here and see what it is like in the real world!
Title: Between the Sheets
The only action April Stevens has been seeing between the sheets lately is sleep. Not her preference, but since her inability to relax has proven almost fatal to too many past lovers, she's given up sex. Fine. Except that her latest assignment has her going undercover with marketing hottie, er, genius Rex Holt...field-testing risque sheet sets! As if that's going to keep her mind off sex...especially when Rex is tempting enought to make her reconsider that little vow of celibacy.
Between the sexy bed linens and his even sexier assistant April, Rex's job has gotten interesting. He has sex on he brain. Conducting personal trial runs on the sheets with April should clear his...mind. Instead, Rex finds himself craving even more of her--he just has to convince her that what they have is more than a bit of fun and relaxation. Good thing he can sell anything...including himself.
Thoughts:
1. When it says that her 'inability to relax has proven almost fatal,' do you think it actually means that this April Stevens has almost killed poor men during sex?
2. April Stevens is not a very exciting name for a 'romance' heroine. (not like Misty Fortune, the heroine of another book I found here called Against the Odds)
3. Rex Holt is a perfect name for a 'romance' hero.
4. Do you suppose they advertise for "risque sheet set tester" in the classifieds?
5. Does this actually qualify as a plot? What could the climax be?
6. Could these words all be code for something actually resembling a story, or is this truly just a book where people just have sex?
7. Does the author of this book have her work on display at home?
8. What inspired the story?
9. How many publishers did the author have to send the book to until it got picked up?
10. Are trashy 'romance' novels of this caliber merely porn for women? What about Danielle Steele? Nora Roberts? D.H. Lawrence? Charlotte Bronte? Where is the line between 'romance' and 'trash?'
Okay... enough thinking. Time to leave here and see what it is like in the real world!
"I enjoy sateen shirts..."
Totally inappropriate work activities #37: Looking at Match.com
Okay, so a while ago I joined match.com cause I thought it would be funny. And believe me, it is. I have a folder on my hotmail account called "Match Duds." There is no "Match Superstars" folder. Though, not everyone is totally bad, most of the e-mails I've received just don't fit with me. Anyway. A few months ago, I took my profile off, but then I realized I missed getting the electronic attention - however infrequent it is. But I didn't want to run the risk of having to meet any of these guys, so this time I posted my profile in Portland.
I just got an e-mail today. They guy seemed very nice and normal, but then, in his profile under the "Favorites" category, he had actually written: "I enjoy sateen shirts, khaki pants and the gentle smell of a woman's perfume." Okay. Now, khaki pants, that's fine; cheesy remarks about gentle-smelling women, I can live with. Sateen shirts, not acceptable. Sateen = shiny shirt = something wrong in the head. Unless you are a)female, b)flamingly homosexual, or c)a well-built Latino Salsa dancer, you should NOT wear shiny shirts. Much less list that as number ONE of your favorite things. Good grief. I feel very strongly about this.
Back to my patients. They wear nice, sturdy cotton gowns. Not a shiny shirt among them. Wait! I take that back. One gentleman wears shiny, sateen pajamas. I wonder if that would send match-boy into fits of rapture?
Okay, so a while ago I joined match.com cause I thought it would be funny. And believe me, it is. I have a folder on my hotmail account called "Match Duds." There is no "Match Superstars" folder. Though, not everyone is totally bad, most of the e-mails I've received just don't fit with me. Anyway. A few months ago, I took my profile off, but then I realized I missed getting the electronic attention - however infrequent it is. But I didn't want to run the risk of having to meet any of these guys, so this time I posted my profile in Portland.
I just got an e-mail today. They guy seemed very nice and normal, but then, in his profile under the "Favorites" category, he had actually written: "I enjoy sateen shirts, khaki pants and the gentle smell of a woman's perfume." Okay. Now, khaki pants, that's fine; cheesy remarks about gentle-smelling women, I can live with. Sateen shirts, not acceptable. Sateen = shiny shirt = something wrong in the head. Unless you are a)female, b)flamingly homosexual, or c)a well-built Latino Salsa dancer, you should NOT wear shiny shirts. Much less list that as number ONE of your favorite things. Good grief. I feel very strongly about this.
Back to my patients. They wear nice, sturdy cotton gowns. Not a shiny shirt among them. Wait! I take that back. One gentleman wears shiny, sateen pajamas. I wonder if that would send match-boy into fits of rapture?
May 10, 2004
Be still my beating heart!
Day One in Heme/Onc, and I manage to make a lasting impression. Okay, so it wasn't that bad, and could have been much worse, but... There we are, doing rounds, and I start to notice that I'm very warm. And dizzy. And, when I stopped to think about it, it wasn't so much that I was warm, as that I was breaking out in a cold sweat. And I wasn't dizzy so much as I was starting to black out. So, in the middle of a patient presentation, I turned to the resident, and declared: "I have to sit down!" and then went running down the hall (okay, not running - but I was walking fast) to the nearest stool. Yeah. I don't know what it is about hem/onc that made me almost pass out. I recovered after a few moments of sitting, but I was pretty embarassed.
It looks like this service will be quite different than CCU. For one thing, the patients are much sicker. That surprised me. I figured people in after heart attacks and all would be sicker than people just coming in for chemo. But, the oncology patients that end up in the hospital are S-I-C-K, sick. Not a good place to be.
I have to go finish a write-up now. I can't believe it is already 6pm and I'm still here! This was supposed to be easier (or at least shorter) than CCU. Humph. No yoga tonight... :(
It looks like this service will be quite different than CCU. For one thing, the patients are much sicker. That surprised me. I figured people in after heart attacks and all would be sicker than people just coming in for chemo. But, the oncology patients that end up in the hospital are S-I-C-K, sick. Not a good place to be.
I have to go finish a write-up now. I can't believe it is already 6pm and I'm still here! This was supposed to be easier (or at least shorter) than CCU. Humph. No yoga tonight... :(
May 7, 2004
Rock Garden
I'm done! I made it through my first two weeks of third year relatively unscathed. Two weeks in the Coronary Care Unit. It went by quickly. I'm kind of sad to be going. I really want to know what is going to happen with some of the patients - especially mine! In total, I took on 7 patients during the two weeks. There were also several that I was interested in that I followed unofficially - many of whom are still in the CCU. Supposedly, it is against HIPPA (how's that spelled?) regulations to look at patient information when you're not involved in that patient's care. But I want to know what is going to happen! It would be like putting down a really good book right in the middle of a sentence. I don't know if I can do that... I wonder if I'll get more blase about this in the future? I don't always want to be sad when I leave a particular service, but I also don't want to be a heartless doctor.
They throw all these platitudes and ethics at us during our first two years of medical school. At first, you're totally inspired: "I would never make fun of a patient;" "how could anyone, much less a doctor, forget to make sure that patient got their medicine?" After a bit, you start to get annoyed, when the fiftieth person tells you how important 'humanism' is in medicine, you feel: "Alright, I get the picture already. I'll be good. Get off my case already." By the time orientation for third year comes around, you just ignore the pleas entirely. After only two weeks dealing with 'modern medicine,' I'm already starting to see why we were platitude-d and humanized to death. I don't feel like I can adequately explain it yet, but I'll try to as I continue along this year. If I'm conscious of it, maybe I can avoid it in myself.
"Rock garden" was what an intern called the CCU one night. A 'rock' is a patient who will just hang around for a while, not getting better or worse. (similar to gomer) "Rock garden." It's funny. I laughed. But that is exactly the type of thing we were warned against. We were encouraged to pull the intern or resident or fellow or attending aside to tell them that we are not comfortable with that kind of terminology. But it is funny! I'm not sure where the happy medium is there, or if there is one. You're a humanist or you're not. Is that true? Who knows?
My eyes are swimming. I'm sleepy, and tonight is "Whine and Cheese."
AND! I just remembered that Gretchen took her first test yesterday!!!! GO GRETCHEN!!!! I hope it went smashingly. I'll try to remember to call (or you call me!) I'm off all weekend, and ready for some (mildly) crazy fun!
They throw all these platitudes and ethics at us during our first two years of medical school. At first, you're totally inspired: "I would never make fun of a patient;" "how could anyone, much less a doctor, forget to make sure that patient got their medicine?" After a bit, you start to get annoyed, when the fiftieth person tells you how important 'humanism' is in medicine, you feel: "Alright, I get the picture already. I'll be good. Get off my case already." By the time orientation for third year comes around, you just ignore the pleas entirely. After only two weeks dealing with 'modern medicine,' I'm already starting to see why we were platitude-d and humanized to death. I don't feel like I can adequately explain it yet, but I'll try to as I continue along this year. If I'm conscious of it, maybe I can avoid it in myself.
"Rock garden" was what an intern called the CCU one night. A 'rock' is a patient who will just hang around for a while, not getting better or worse. (similar to gomer) "Rock garden." It's funny. I laughed. But that is exactly the type of thing we were warned against. We were encouraged to pull the intern or resident or fellow or attending aside to tell them that we are not comfortable with that kind of terminology. But it is funny! I'm not sure where the happy medium is there, or if there is one. You're a humanist or you're not. Is that true? Who knows?
My eyes are swimming. I'm sleepy, and tonight is "Whine and Cheese."
AND! I just remembered that Gretchen took her first test yesterday!!!! GO GRETCHEN!!!! I hope it went smashingly. I'll try to remember to call (or you call me!) I'm off all weekend, and ready for some (mildly) crazy fun!
May 3, 2004
Excessively tired
There is no reason for me to be this tired. I was in bed last night by 11, and didn't get up until after 6. That's over seven hours of sleep - plenty of zzz's for the adult I purport to be. Maybe I'm getting ill. It's possible. Either that, or my brain is just rebelling against the alarm clock's tyranny.
New interns today. I'm sad to see the old ones go. You never forget your firsts, you know. I should track those guys down and tell them that I'll remember them forever. How creepy stalker-girl would that make me? :) It is funny to see how intimidated the new batch looks. I expected them to be just like the ones that left, but I guess that takes time. I can't even imagine what I looked like last Monday. Not that I'm really any more confident now, but at least I now know how rounds work!
I have a patient that moans. I literally could not do a physical exam this morning, because they were moaning too much. And my addled 6:45am-alarm-clock-hating brain could not figure out how to make it cease and desist. The nurse threatened to lock me in the room until I made it stop (she suggested a wash cloth in the mouth). I think she was only half kidding. I feel bad for the poor patient. And there don't appear to be any drugs whose main effect is: 'halts moaning, use 1 Tab, bid (adjust for renal dosage).'
This morning, we had a patient die during rounds. It was not my patient, but I've seen the patient every day. It was one of the three patients in here that was on a ventilator. I never want to be on a ventilator. It looks just awful. (I also never want anyone sticking any sort of camera/tube down my throat to look at my insides, iccch - it looks like it is horrendous). The patients on the ventilators are really sad to me. That said, if I should ever really need a ventilator, go ahead - I'm a bit too young to be DNR... The patient this morning was a DNR patient. I wasn't any where near the room when it happened, so I don't know what the doctors or nurses did...do they just stand there and watch? I'm not certain. I'm sure I'll find out someday, though. My moaning patient is also DNR. I think this one might pull through, though.
So sleepy am I. All my patients (except the moaner) are finally leaving the hospital today! Thank goodness. It makes less work for me to do in the morning, and I'll get 15 minutes of extra sleep. Maybe tomorrow I'll have an anti-moaning idea...
New interns today. I'm sad to see the old ones go. You never forget your firsts, you know. I should track those guys down and tell them that I'll remember them forever. How creepy stalker-girl would that make me? :) It is funny to see how intimidated the new batch looks. I expected them to be just like the ones that left, but I guess that takes time. I can't even imagine what I looked like last Monday. Not that I'm really any more confident now, but at least I now know how rounds work!
I have a patient that moans. I literally could not do a physical exam this morning, because they were moaning too much. And my addled 6:45am-alarm-clock-hating brain could not figure out how to make it cease and desist. The nurse threatened to lock me in the room until I made it stop (she suggested a wash cloth in the mouth). I think she was only half kidding. I feel bad for the poor patient. And there don't appear to be any drugs whose main effect is: 'halts moaning, use 1 Tab, bid (adjust for renal dosage).'
This morning, we had a patient die during rounds. It was not my patient, but I've seen the patient every day. It was one of the three patients in here that was on a ventilator. I never want to be on a ventilator. It looks just awful. (I also never want anyone sticking any sort of camera/tube down my throat to look at my insides, iccch - it looks like it is horrendous). The patients on the ventilators are really sad to me. That said, if I should ever really need a ventilator, go ahead - I'm a bit too young to be DNR... The patient this morning was a DNR patient. I wasn't any where near the room when it happened, so I don't know what the doctors or nurses did...do they just stand there and watch? I'm not certain. I'm sure I'll find out someday, though. My moaning patient is also DNR. I think this one might pull through, though.
So sleepy am I. All my patients (except the moaner) are finally leaving the hospital today! Thank goodness. It makes less work for me to do in the morning, and I'll get 15 minutes of extra sleep. Maybe tomorrow I'll have an anti-moaning idea...
May 2, 2004
Bloody Hell
...what could be better definition of that than getting your "monthly" (to put it delicately) in the middle of rounds with an attending who resembles an evil leprechaun? Slightly loony and slightly biting, all with an Irish lilt. That's our new attending. Our previous one looked slightly mean, but was actually very nice. This one looks like Santa's skinnier, nicer (Irish) brother, but is apparently a force to be reckoned with.
Not that it was really all that bad, but I feel the potential. The interns and residents were all edgy, and there was very little up-front joking today. Versus Thursday, which was apparently 'squirt who ever is presenting a patient in the face with saline' day. Apparently yesterday was b-a-d bad. Today was fine, but I think I'll be nervous the rest of the week! Still, some part of me has to love a man that uses the words "mirth," "elucidate," "languish," and "mellifluous" during rounds. I mean, c'mon: how many people actually use those words?? Except for me, but that's only when I'm too tired to remember little words.
I rewarded myself for successfully passing the boards by buying Little House on the Prairie, season 1. My goodness. It is by far the most family-values oriented show I've ever seen! I thought Seventh Heaven was cheesy (and therefore refuse to watch it). But I still love Laura! And Pa. And Nellie Oleson. Gotta love Nellie Oleson. Her first line in the series is "country girls..." said all snide-like. I need to perfect my snide-likeness abilities. I can't wait to see what happens next in Walnut Grove...
More pretend doctoring to do...
Not that it was really all that bad, but I feel the potential. The interns and residents were all edgy, and there was very little up-front joking today. Versus Thursday, which was apparently 'squirt who ever is presenting a patient in the face with saline' day. Apparently yesterday was b-a-d bad. Today was fine, but I think I'll be nervous the rest of the week! Still, some part of me has to love a man that uses the words "mirth," "elucidate," "languish," and "mellifluous" during rounds. I mean, c'mon: how many people actually use those words?? Except for me, but that's only when I'm too tired to remember little words.
I rewarded myself for successfully passing the boards by buying Little House on the Prairie, season 1. My goodness. It is by far the most family-values oriented show I've ever seen! I thought Seventh Heaven was cheesy (and therefore refuse to watch it). But I still love Laura! And Pa. And Nellie Oleson. Gotta love Nellie Oleson. Her first line in the series is "country girls..." said all snide-like. I need to perfect my snide-likeness abilities. I can't wait to see what happens next in Walnut Grove...
More pretend doctoring to do...
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