A non-medical post today. Really just some rants about commercials...
First: Chrysler. This Dr. Z character? No. Bad. Bad bad bad. The commercials drive me crazy, and they're always on. I hate hate hate them. If I had been thinking of buying a new car, it would be anything but a Chrysler at this point. Dress a young guy in a bad wig/mustache and make him talk in a bad fake German accent? Who pitched that idea? And who said 'that sounds perfect!' I'd really really hate to see the ideas that they didn't use.
Second: Head-On. Apply directly to the forehead. Head-On. Apply directly to the forehead. Head-On. Apply directly to the forehead. What the??? Does it provide omniscience? Or at least mild ESP? Cause if so, I'll totally buy it.
Jul 25, 2006
Jul 24, 2006
Hi, Coconut!
Today is the ninth day in a row of 100+ degree weather. But at least the humidity came down to 20%.
You know that whole - 'sure, it's hot, but at least it is a dry heat', thing? Apparently Sacramento is what they're comparing it to. 'At least we're not in Sacramento.' Where there has been about seven hours a day of temperatures less than 90. And those are the hours when I actually let myself turn on the AC. Because I'm trying to conserve energy. Because they're threatening rolling blackouts.
For those of you unfamiliar with The California Energy Crisis: California has Too Many People and Not Enough Power. For the past several years, they've (I guess now it's "we've," since I live here) had to buy extra power from surrounding states - and Canada. Except when those states (and Canada) need power for their own people, Cali is SOL. So they just kind of have to dole out power to different areas at different times. Rolling blackouts.
I've lived in Minnesota, Oregon, Alaska and North Carolina. One thing I've learned about myself: I hate hot weather. Cold weather? Bring it on, baby. Some day, I'll retire to Siberia. Fur muffs and parkas and hot chocolate by the fire... So much better than rolling blackouts.
Anyhow. I'll stop whining now.
Okay. Here I go again -
I started my Behavior and Development rotation today. Except that it should be called... umm... well, something clever that means "really boring and sleep-inducing." This morning we listened in on conference calls with social workers, psychologists and pediatricians deciding whether certain patients still qualified for services for kids with developmental delay. Then, in the afternoon, I sat in a dark room watching through a two-way mirror while a doctor administered a couple of developmental surveys to a four-year-old.
A four-year-old, who incidentally could not identify a picture of an umbrella because he had never seen one before. (It all comes back to the weather!)
During the testing, the kid said "I cooking it!" referring to a glove in a plastic pot. But it did sound for all the world like he said, "Hi Coconut!"
That was the highlight of the day.
Okay. NOW I'm done complaining.
You know that whole - 'sure, it's hot, but at least it is a dry heat', thing? Apparently Sacramento is what they're comparing it to. 'At least we're not in Sacramento.' Where there has been about seven hours a day of temperatures less than 90. And those are the hours when I actually let myself turn on the AC. Because I'm trying to conserve energy. Because they're threatening rolling blackouts.
For those of you unfamiliar with The California Energy Crisis: California has Too Many People and Not Enough Power. For the past several years, they've (I guess now it's "we've," since I live here) had to buy extra power from surrounding states - and Canada. Except when those states (and Canada) need power for their own people, Cali is SOL. So they just kind of have to dole out power to different areas at different times. Rolling blackouts.
I've lived in Minnesota, Oregon, Alaska and North Carolina. One thing I've learned about myself: I hate hot weather. Cold weather? Bring it on, baby. Some day, I'll retire to Siberia. Fur muffs and parkas and hot chocolate by the fire... So much better than rolling blackouts.
Anyhow. I'll stop whining now.
Okay. Here I go again -
I started my Behavior and Development rotation today. Except that it should be called... umm... well, something clever that means "really boring and sleep-inducing." This morning we listened in on conference calls with social workers, psychologists and pediatricians deciding whether certain patients still qualified for services for kids with developmental delay. Then, in the afternoon, I sat in a dark room watching through a two-way mirror while a doctor administered a couple of developmental surveys to a four-year-old.
A four-year-old, who incidentally could not identify a picture of an umbrella because he had never seen one before. (It all comes back to the weather!)
During the testing, the kid said "I cooking it!" referring to a glove in a plastic pot. But it did sound for all the world like he said, "Hi Coconut!"
That was the highlight of the day.
Okay. NOW I'm done complaining.
Jul 23, 2006
How Many Pediatricians Does It Take To Change A Tire?
Four.
Man, I knew it had been a while since I posted, but I didn't realize quite how long!
Anyway - Friday was my last day on the wards! Which means that this weekend has been a real live "Golden Weekend." A rare delicacy in the medical world, a "Golden Weekend" consists of two whole days off in a row. Normal people call it a "Weekend." But, actually, since I have two weeks of Behavior and Development, followed by two weeks of vacation, I actually have five Goldens in a row!!!
In total, I worked 4 weeks on the ward - 24 days on - about 280 hours total.
How does one celebrate the end of a rotation? By going to an eighties cover band, of course! I went out on Friday night with some fellow residents - a few interns, some third years, a chief and a recent graduate, to be exact. I don't know where the second years were... Anyway, it was really HOT, but much fun. I actually even managed to stay up many hours past my bedtime.
We'd gathered at one intern's house, since she lived walking distance from the club. When we left the club - at around one am, mind you - it was still mid-80s outside. Ridiculous! SO FREAKING HOT. When we got back to our cars, it turned out another intern had sustained a flat tire. Thus the four pediatricians changing a tire. At 1 am. In 80+ degree weather.
So, after a month of residency, do I really condsider myself a doctor? I've met many patients - I've even had two afternoons of clinic where I'm the patients' doctor. As in, "Who is your doctor, random person?" Random person replies, "My doctor is Brenna."
Ah, yes. The name thing. I have yet to actually introduce myself as Dr. Last Name. I will say, "Hi, I'm Brenna Last Name, one of the residents here. I'll be taking care of you when you're in the hospital." Notice that the word 'doctor' never escapes my lips.
And when the nurses call me doctor? Well, first, I don't hear them. They'll call me several times before it enters my skull that they're talking to me (usually to remind me to sign an order!). Then I aske them to call me Brenna. Because, really? That's my name. Though I guess I do need to get in the habit of telling my patients that I am, in fact, a doctor. To instill some sort of confidence or something.
But when I'm out in public? I have a new answer to 'What do you do?' The new answer? I work with children.
Man, I knew it had been a while since I posted, but I didn't realize quite how long!
Anyway - Friday was my last day on the wards! Which means that this weekend has been a real live "Golden Weekend." A rare delicacy in the medical world, a "Golden Weekend" consists of two whole days off in a row. Normal people call it a "Weekend." But, actually, since I have two weeks of Behavior and Development, followed by two weeks of vacation, I actually have five Goldens in a row!!!
In total, I worked 4 weeks on the ward - 24 days on - about 280 hours total.
How does one celebrate the end of a rotation? By going to an eighties cover band, of course! I went out on Friday night with some fellow residents - a few interns, some third years, a chief and a recent graduate, to be exact. I don't know where the second years were... Anyway, it was really HOT, but much fun. I actually even managed to stay up many hours past my bedtime.
We'd gathered at one intern's house, since she lived walking distance from the club. When we left the club - at around one am, mind you - it was still mid-80s outside. Ridiculous! SO FREAKING HOT. When we got back to our cars, it turned out another intern had sustained a flat tire. Thus the four pediatricians changing a tire. At 1 am. In 80+ degree weather.
So, after a month of residency, do I really condsider myself a doctor? I've met many patients - I've even had two afternoons of clinic where I'm the patients' doctor. As in, "Who is your doctor, random person?" Random person replies, "My doctor is Brenna."
Ah, yes. The name thing. I have yet to actually introduce myself as Dr. Last Name. I will say, "Hi, I'm Brenna Last Name, one of the residents here. I'll be taking care of you when you're in the hospital." Notice that the word 'doctor' never escapes my lips.
And when the nurses call me doctor? Well, first, I don't hear them. They'll call me several times before it enters my skull that they're talking to me (usually to remind me to sign an order!). Then I aske them to call me Brenna. Because, really? That's my name. Though I guess I do need to get in the habit of telling my patients that I am, in fact, a doctor. To instill some sort of confidence or something.
But when I'm out in public? I have a new answer to 'What do you do?' The new answer? I work with children.
Jul 11, 2006
A Fresh Perspective
Last week, I had yet another Big Event in my Life as a Resident: the arrival of the medical student!
They came Wednesday morning - So young. So fresh. So... clueless. There are four residents and there were four med students starting, so we each have our own shadow to kind of follow us around. Unintentionally, I'm sure, the students kind of got paired up with residents of similar dispositions. "My" student happens to be a fourth year making up his third year rotation in peds. Which is nice, because it means that I don't have to follow him as much (or rather, he doesn't need to cling to my coat-tails all day).
That first day, I had NO idea what to do with him! I still barely know what I'm doing myself!
Amazingly, however (as I've noticed in the past), if you give me someone to 'teach,' I get a lot more confident in my own opinions and actions. Maybe I'm showing off... But all of a sudden, I'm writing orders, and making decisions and discussing plans with everyone without any (or as much) guidance. I'm also teaching things that I didn't even know I knew. And giving tips on how to give better presentations. Or what questions to ask to get a good birth history. It is SO SO SO weird to be the person in the long coat now.
When I was a third year, I thought interns were so amazing. And now... that's me!
I might have mentioned this before, but some of the best advice I received in medical school seems quite relevant right now. What is that advice, you ask? Well, I'll tell you. It is this: Never compare yourself with people that are ahead of you in their training. If you must compare, look backwards to were you were. Having a med student really shows me that I don't suck.
Something else that is different as a resident: my motivation. As a student, I would see patients, and I'd care about them, but there was still usually a level of dis-connect there. Something upsetting would happen, and I'd care, but I'd also care a lot about whether the patient's problem would keep me from getting home early or not. I worried about it sometimes - could I be a good doctor if I wasn't subverting my own self interests? If I cared more about my hair cut appointment than a patient's MRI results?
Now that I'm the doctor, though, it is totally different. I don't know what made the difference... I guess as a med student I always felt kind of useless. But now... I have to be reminded to eat... I look up patient labs at home. I wake up thinking about whether or not I can get a patient into inpatient rehab that day.
This afternoon, I was scheduled to take the in-service exam (a four hour test we take each year, so they can make sure we're getting smarter). I spent the morning hastily getting things together (I'm a lot busier this week than I had been), and re-admitting a patient. I checked things out to the people that were staying. But when I finished the test early? I didn't even think about going home. I went back up to the floor to make sure my patients were getting taken care of.
You could say it was because I'm a control freak. You'd probably be right. But I think it is also because I finally care about the people. Which makes things a lot more stressful. But so much more rewarding.
Have I mentioned that I love my job? And that is after putting in 38 hours already this week.
They came Wednesday morning - So young. So fresh. So... clueless. There are four residents and there were four med students starting, so we each have our own shadow to kind of follow us around. Unintentionally, I'm sure, the students kind of got paired up with residents of similar dispositions. "My" student happens to be a fourth year making up his third year rotation in peds. Which is nice, because it means that I don't have to follow him as much (or rather, he doesn't need to cling to my coat-tails all day).
That first day, I had NO idea what to do with him! I still barely know what I'm doing myself!
Amazingly, however (as I've noticed in the past), if you give me someone to 'teach,' I get a lot more confident in my own opinions and actions. Maybe I'm showing off... But all of a sudden, I'm writing orders, and making decisions and discussing plans with everyone without any (or as much) guidance. I'm also teaching things that I didn't even know I knew. And giving tips on how to give better presentations. Or what questions to ask to get a good birth history. It is SO SO SO weird to be the person in the long coat now.
When I was a third year, I thought interns were so amazing. And now... that's me!
I might have mentioned this before, but some of the best advice I received in medical school seems quite relevant right now. What is that advice, you ask? Well, I'll tell you. It is this: Never compare yourself with people that are ahead of you in their training. If you must compare, look backwards to were you were. Having a med student really shows me that I don't suck.
Something else that is different as a resident: my motivation. As a student, I would see patients, and I'd care about them, but there was still usually a level of dis-connect there. Something upsetting would happen, and I'd care, but I'd also care a lot about whether the patient's problem would keep me from getting home early or not. I worried about it sometimes - could I be a good doctor if I wasn't subverting my own self interests? If I cared more about my hair cut appointment than a patient's MRI results?
Now that I'm the doctor, though, it is totally different. I don't know what made the difference... I guess as a med student I always felt kind of useless. But now... I have to be reminded to eat... I look up patient labs at home. I wake up thinking about whether or not I can get a patient into inpatient rehab that day.
This afternoon, I was scheduled to take the in-service exam (a four hour test we take each year, so they can make sure we're getting smarter). I spent the morning hastily getting things together (I'm a lot busier this week than I had been), and re-admitting a patient. I checked things out to the people that were staying. But when I finished the test early? I didn't even think about going home. I went back up to the floor to make sure my patients were getting taken care of.
You could say it was because I'm a control freak. You'd probably be right. But I think it is also because I finally care about the people. Which makes things a lot more stressful. But so much more rewarding.
Have I mentioned that I love my job? And that is after putting in 38 hours already this week.
Jul 4, 2006
Independence Day!
This morning, I went in as always, and I pre-rounded, and we rounded, and then - then - my upper level said to me, "Do you think you can be ready for check-out at noon?"
And I said, "......Noon?"
And she said, "Well, yes. It is a holiday, so the people who aren't on call can check out when they're done."
At which point, I did a little jig. In my head, though. Gotta keep up appearances and all, you know. The long white coat buys you some respect, but people are still watching. Judging. And doctors don't dance.
Well, except for me, maybe. (Just not with any grace or rhythm)
So today felt like a total vacation day for me. A vacation day where I worked six hours...
And what did I do with my vacation you may be asking yourself? Because I know you are all so terribly fascinated by my every waking moment.
First, I went out to lunch with a fellow intern. A nice, relaxed lunch. Outside of the hospital.
Then I cam home and read a fun book and cleaned a little.
Then I studied.
Yes. Studied.
Darn PALS class on Thursday. THANK goodness for today, though. I don't know if I'd have had the time/patience/awakeness to even make a dent otherwise.
Tomorrow is another exciting Milestone day for me and my doctor-hood: we get medical students! Never mind the fact that, in terms of actual working days, it was only, ummmm.... 10 days ago that I was a student myself. Now, I hold young, impressionable students' minds in my hands. Mwahahahahaha!
I shall impart unto them the wisdom of the ages. Most importantly: when your upper level says to go home or to, say, check out at noon: you GO.
Relish the independence.
And I said, "......Noon?"
And she said, "Well, yes. It is a holiday, so the people who aren't on call can check out when they're done."
At which point, I did a little jig. In my head, though. Gotta keep up appearances and all, you know. The long white coat buys you some respect, but people are still watching. Judging. And doctors don't dance.
Well, except for me, maybe. (Just not with any grace or rhythm)
So today felt like a total vacation day for me. A vacation day where I worked six hours...
And what did I do with my vacation you may be asking yourself? Because I know you are all so terribly fascinated by my every waking moment.
First, I went out to lunch with a fellow intern. A nice, relaxed lunch. Outside of the hospital.
Then I cam home and read a fun book and cleaned a little.
Then I studied.
Yes. Studied.
Darn PALS class on Thursday. THANK goodness for today, though. I don't know if I'd have had the time/patience/awakeness to even make a dent otherwise.
Tomorrow is another exciting Milestone day for me and my doctor-hood: we get medical students! Never mind the fact that, in terms of actual working days, it was only, ummmm.... 10 days ago that I was a student myself. Now, I hold young, impressionable students' minds in my hands. Mwahahahahaha!
I shall impart unto them the wisdom of the ages. Most importantly: when your upper level says to go home or to, say, check out at noon: you GO.
Relish the independence.
Jul 2, 2006
Day Off!
It's my first day off as a doctor! I was on call Friday night - overnight call. I know that I spent a whole post describing the night team that comes in to cover the nights, but it turns out that the day team still has to cover the weekend nights - Friday and Saturday.
I got home post-call yesterday around 11 am. Not too bad. In all, I worked about 87 hours this week. If you know much about residency work hours, you'll know that we're restricted to 80 hour work weeks. BUT. It turns out that the 80 hours is averaged over 4 weeks. And, in fact, I'm only on the schedule to work about 57 hours this week. Fifty seven! Awesome. What has life come to when 57 hours sounds like part-time work? Hmm.
My night on call went much like most of my call nights as a med student. The whitest of white clouds possible reigns over my work-load. Even on Friday, when I was on with an upper level that is apparently notorious for Friday night black clouds, we got NO admissions overnight. And the sick kids? Not a peep from them. I got like three pages all night. And one of them was for a kid that wasn't on our service...
A white cloud may sound like a good thing, but I find it quite frustrating. I need to prove - to myself and others (mostly myself) - that I can handle the workload. And I want patients! How am I supposed to learn without them?! I'm hoping that my white cloud will start to absorb some of the smogginess of California and become slightly gray-tinged. I'm not wishing for a black cloud. More like a heather to slate gray.
On my post call day, I was so happy to be home with no 'bed time' that I decided to try to stay up. Yeah. I crashed around 4. I did set my alarm to wake me up at 6. Didn't hear it at all. I finally woke up when Ari called around 8 pm. If Ari hadn't called, I think I would have slept all night (thanks Ari!). As it was, I woke up, ate some dinner, and fell asleep on the couch at 10.
I keep looking at the clock today. I feel like I'm supposed to be at work! I am struggling to keep myself from signing on to the electronic medical record to check on some kids' vitals. Being on the wards is quite a pervasive experience - it takes over every thought. And it has only been a week!
As it is, I don't really get to completely enjoy my day off. I am scheduled to take Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) on Thursday. That's the class where we get taught to save children's lives for real. S.C.A.R.Y. So, I must study today. This is not a med school, "I'll-learn-it-later" type thing. This is me, a doctor, learning how to save lives in emergency situations. I need to know it. Ack!
I am meeting some fellow interns for a movie later, though. So it isn't all work and no play. Just Mostly work. For the next three years anyway. Or 1093 days. However you want to look at it...
I got home post-call yesterday around 11 am. Not too bad. In all, I worked about 87 hours this week. If you know much about residency work hours, you'll know that we're restricted to 80 hour work weeks. BUT. It turns out that the 80 hours is averaged over 4 weeks. And, in fact, I'm only on the schedule to work about 57 hours this week. Fifty seven! Awesome. What has life come to when 57 hours sounds like part-time work? Hmm.
My night on call went much like most of my call nights as a med student. The whitest of white clouds possible reigns over my work-load. Even on Friday, when I was on with an upper level that is apparently notorious for Friday night black clouds, we got NO admissions overnight. And the sick kids? Not a peep from them. I got like three pages all night. And one of them was for a kid that wasn't on our service...
A white cloud may sound like a good thing, but I find it quite frustrating. I need to prove - to myself and others (mostly myself) - that I can handle the workload. And I want patients! How am I supposed to learn without them?! I'm hoping that my white cloud will start to absorb some of the smogginess of California and become slightly gray-tinged. I'm not wishing for a black cloud. More like a heather to slate gray.
On my post call day, I was so happy to be home with no 'bed time' that I decided to try to stay up. Yeah. I crashed around 4. I did set my alarm to wake me up at 6. Didn't hear it at all. I finally woke up when Ari called around 8 pm. If Ari hadn't called, I think I would have slept all night (thanks Ari!). As it was, I woke up, ate some dinner, and fell asleep on the couch at 10.
I keep looking at the clock today. I feel like I'm supposed to be at work! I am struggling to keep myself from signing on to the electronic medical record to check on some kids' vitals. Being on the wards is quite a pervasive experience - it takes over every thought. And it has only been a week!
As it is, I don't really get to completely enjoy my day off. I am scheduled to take Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) on Thursday. That's the class where we get taught to save children's lives for real. S.C.A.R.Y. So, I must study today. This is not a med school, "I'll-learn-it-later" type thing. This is me, a doctor, learning how to save lives in emergency situations. I need to know it. Ack!
I am meeting some fellow interns for a movie later, though. So it isn't all work and no play. Just Mostly work. For the next three years anyway. Or 1093 days. However you want to look at it...
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