HURT! All 6 of them. I have new found sympathy for the kiddos when I order up the 3 or 4 shots at a time. I started the Rabies vaccine series (4 more shots to go) and also go the immunoglobulin today, and that was what made it 6 lovely shots. I referred to it as the mackerena of immunizations.. Shoulder, shoulder, butt, butt, thigh, thigh, oomph!
Fucking Bats.
Monday, July 30, 2007
More Bats
Bat #2 just made a guest appearance. I'm annoyed. And now am DAMN WIDE AWAKE. How am I suppose to save lives tomorrow given the lack of sleep? Oh wait, it's adolescent clinic... don't need much sleep for that..
The answering service didn't consider "bats" to be an emergency... It will be an emergency when I go ballistic if I get a third visitor tonight. I called MS, who suggested that they may be coming from the vent in the bathroom.. which doesn't work, and never has, and may be providing a nice one way ticket into MY DAMN APARTMENT. Retrospectively, the noise from the ceiling, which I always assumed was from a squirrel, may have been, in fact, FROM BATS. Holy Bat Shit! (is that guano?).
So, what does the CDC say about bats??
Q: How can I tell if a bat has rabies?
A: Rabies can be confirmed only in a laboratory. However, any bat that is active by day, is found in a place where bats are not usually seen (for example, in a room in your home or on the lawn), or is unable to fly, is far more likely than others to be rabid. Such bats are often the most easily approached. Therefore, it is best never to handle any bat.
Q: What should I do if I come in contact with a bat?
A: If you are bitten by a bat -- or if infectious material (such as saliva) from a bat gets into your eyes, nose, mouth, or a wound -- wash the affected area thoroughly and get medical advice immediately. Whenever possible, the bat should be captured and sent to a laboratory for rabies testing (see: How can I safely capture a bat in my home?).
People usually know when they have been bitten by a bat. However, because bats have small teeth which may leave marks that are not easily seen, there are situations in which you should seek medical advice even in the absence of an obvious bite wound. For example, if you awaken and find a bat in your room, see a bat in the room of an unattended child, or see a bat near a mentally impaired or intoxicated person (NOT ME TONIGHT), seek medical advice and have the bat tested.
Bat #2 is currently flying in the hallway of the apartments (ie, not my fucking problem right now).. thank god other tenants are leaving for work before me tomorrow..
Argh,
B
The answering service didn't consider "bats" to be an emergency... It will be an emergency when I go ballistic if I get a third visitor tonight. I called MS, who suggested that they may be coming from the vent in the bathroom.. which doesn't work, and never has, and may be providing a nice one way ticket into MY DAMN APARTMENT. Retrospectively, the noise from the ceiling, which I always assumed was from a squirrel, may have been, in fact, FROM BATS. Holy Bat Shit! (is that guano?).
So, what does the CDC say about bats??
Q: How can I tell if a bat has rabies?
A: Rabies can be confirmed only in a laboratory. However, any bat that is active by day, is found in a place where bats are not usually seen (for example, in a room in your home or on the lawn), or is unable to fly, is far more likely than others to be rabid. Such bats are often the most easily approached. Therefore, it is best never to handle any bat.
Q: What should I do if I come in contact with a bat?
A: If you are bitten by a bat -- or if infectious material (such as saliva) from a bat gets into your eyes, nose, mouth, or a wound -- wash the affected area thoroughly and get medical advice immediately. Whenever possible, the bat should be captured and sent to a laboratory for rabies testing (see: How can I safely capture a bat in my home?).
People usually know when they have been bitten by a bat. However, because bats have small teeth which may leave marks that are not easily seen, there are situations in which you should seek medical advice even in the absence of an obvious bite wound. For example, if you awaken and find a bat in your room, see a bat in the room of an unattended child, or see a bat near a mentally impaired or intoxicated person (NOT ME TONIGHT), seek medical advice and have the bat tested.
Bat #2 is currently flying in the hallway of the apartments (ie, not my fucking problem right now).. thank god other tenants are leaving for work before me tomorrow..
Argh,
B
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Bats
I came home, and there was a bat flying in my room. From where, I cannot tell. It freaks me out. I may sleep in the living room. Where the hell did it come from?
Friday, July 27, 2007
Stacking Stones: A Year Off... Going to South Africa
I've read my post from April 14th, numerous times... There was nostalgia. And then I remembered thinking one day how I wanted to return to Bara to learn at some point as a resident. I had been debating if I would go to South Africa or Peru for my away elective in my 4th year.. And then I began to entertain the notion of going to Baragwanath, but not for a month.. what about going for a year. Yes, what about taking a year off of my residency to go train at Bara for a year... and I got excited... and ran the crazy idea by a few friends, who didn't think it was so crazy...
Here's the deal:
I was offered a 6 month pediatric training post, and a 6 month medicine training post. My program director supported my idea. And today, the chair of academic affairs granted approval for a year leave of absence from my residency program.
I'm going back to Johannesburg, for a year, to train in the most amazing hospital. I am lucky.
I took the stones and re-stacked them, and to my amazement, they didn't fall this time.
Wow.
Brian
Here's the deal:
I was offered a 6 month pediatric training post, and a 6 month medicine training post. My program director supported my idea. And today, the chair of academic affairs granted approval for a year leave of absence from my residency program.
I'm going back to Johannesburg, for a year, to train in the most amazing hospital. I am lucky.
I took the stones and re-stacked them, and to my amazement, they didn't fall this time.
Wow.
Brian
Monday, July 23, 2007
EBM is bullshit...
I have to present a patient at pedi morning report on Wednesday am. It has to be an adolescent topic. This is what kills me... I wanted to talk on some relevant topic. Something, oh say, big picture. Something that applied to many adolescents. I wanted to do some teaching about choosing appropriate contraceptive methods, (and review Plan B). Some simple spoon feeding. There are a lot of choices.. pills, patches, injections, rings, all with pros and cons, some with contraindications... My preceptor wanted it focused, and, and wanted something that was topical in the current literature, ie, bullshit "Evidence-Based Medicine" (EBM).
EBM should be renamed boring mental masturbation. What the fuck is the purpose of looking up minutia bullshit when people don't even understand the damn basics. I asked around earlier this month, and realized that we residents (both internal medicine and pediatric residents), had a weak grasp of the basics on contraception. And some spoon feeding (oh sure, I would have done it in a case-based format so it was applicable and interesting), would have really helped to increase knowledge. But instead, I have to talk about some fucking random question that most of us won't have to deal with when we talk about contraceptive methods, and to top it off, there is no official consensus on the question that I am presenting on Wednesday morning.
Mental Masturbation without a climax. Isn't that worth it?!
I'm calling it BEBM from now on... Yep, you guessed it. Bullshit Evidence Based Medicine.
The more I train in the US system, the more I am beginning to think that I'm not being prepared to really take care of patients. I'm being trained to look shit up constantly and to fill out fucking forms.
Back to BEBM.
Brian
EBM should be renamed boring mental masturbation. What the fuck is the purpose of looking up minutia bullshit when people don't even understand the damn basics. I asked around earlier this month, and realized that we residents (both internal medicine and pediatric residents), had a weak grasp of the basics on contraception. And some spoon feeding (oh sure, I would have done it in a case-based format so it was applicable and interesting), would have really helped to increase knowledge. But instead, I have to talk about some fucking random question that most of us won't have to deal with when we talk about contraceptive methods, and to top it off, there is no official consensus on the question that I am presenting on Wednesday morning.
Mental Masturbation without a climax. Isn't that worth it?!
I'm calling it BEBM from now on... Yep, you guessed it. Bullshit Evidence Based Medicine.
The more I train in the US system, the more I am beginning to think that I'm not being prepared to really take care of patients. I'm being trained to look shit up constantly and to fill out fucking forms.
Back to BEBM.
Brian
Saturday, July 21, 2007
View of the East River & Stacking Stones II
On the 33rd floor of a friends flat here in Manhattan looking out over the East River. Walking the city today. Walking through the West Village and Chelsea. People everywhere. Street festivals. dIvErSitY. People of all colors. Admiring the men in the city. The view is addictive. Watching barges, boats go up the river. Looking out to Brooklyn.
Tomorrow at this time, back home. But it's temporary. Finally, I'm coming to terms with the decision I made before residency. I decided to choose the best med-peds program for me, knowing I wouldn't like where I lived. I tried to like the place. I explored the mountains. I looked for good coffee shops. I looked for a solid base of friends. I looked for love. I looked for a group of gay friends. I looked, I looked, I looked. And didn't find these things. I am sitting here in my friends flat, which has a couch, a table, some chairs. It is one bedroom. It is simple. I fell into the trap of accumulating a ton of shit in my apartment, and in truth, what I needed was a simple space.
I am stacking stones (see July 4th entry). I am going to keep stacking stones; I am stubborn and will persevere. But stupidly, I couldn't use my imagination when re-stacking stones. I kept placing them in the same order, looking for the same things, and watching it all crumble. I've started the re-stacking. I think I finally have some peace about my decision about where I live, and quite honestly, I'm done complaining about it.
I have gotten past this unhappy hurdle which kept tripping me up.
Now, I am going to read here in my friends flat, and watch the view.
Cheers,
Brian
Tomorrow at this time, back home. But it's temporary. Finally, I'm coming to terms with the decision I made before residency. I decided to choose the best med-peds program for me, knowing I wouldn't like where I lived. I tried to like the place. I explored the mountains. I looked for good coffee shops. I looked for a solid base of friends. I looked for love. I looked for a group of gay friends. I looked, I looked, I looked. And didn't find these things. I am sitting here in my friends flat, which has a couch, a table, some chairs. It is one bedroom. It is simple. I fell into the trap of accumulating a ton of shit in my apartment, and in truth, what I needed was a simple space.
I am stacking stones (see July 4th entry). I am going to keep stacking stones; I am stubborn and will persevere. But stupidly, I couldn't use my imagination when re-stacking stones. I kept placing them in the same order, looking for the same things, and watching it all crumble. I've started the re-stacking. I think I finally have some peace about my decision about where I live, and quite honestly, I'm done complaining about it.
I have gotten past this unhappy hurdle which kept tripping me up.
Now, I am going to read here in my friends flat, and watch the view.
Cheers,
Brian
Sunday, July 15, 2007
1) Shattering ones own confidence 2) Reading
I had been feeling pretty confident lately. In fact, recently I've had a few conversations on how a few of us in our program have hit that stage where we begin to feel like we do, in fact, know a few thingsThat's the tough part about acquiring knowledge, especially medical knowledge. It's impossible to explain what you know. Sure, you can recall some stuff off the top of your head. But in a larger sense, a large part is the application of knowledge. We residents tend to spend a fair amount of time looking things up. And not just looking up, but also printing up stuff to read "later." Like later when I'm bedridden in a nursing home, because that's likely about to be the next time I have leisure time to read.
Tonight, I have decided to throw away all the stuff I haven't read in the last 2 years. (It's a fucking shame there is no recycling in my area. I'm killing trees here)! It's haunting to see the vastness of knowledge I am throwing away. I feel like, OH MY GOD, I DON'T KNOW JACK SHIT LOOK AT ALL THIS STUFF I HAVE NEVER READ, I AM DOOOOOOMED! (The corrolary to this is: OH MY GOD, I DON'T KNOW JACK SHIT LOOK AT ALL THIS STUFF I HAVE NEVER READ, MY PATIENTS ARE DOOOOOOMED!)!
Sometimes I want to gag when I hear the term "Lifelong-learning." I thought I was signing up to learn the bulk of stuff during residency and then do some little learning here and there, preferable at medical conferences in nice hotels, surrounded by ski slopes or warm sandy beaches.. but the closer I get to the end of my residency, the more I realize that residency is preparing me to 1) Not kill people 2) be able to treat the bulk of patients, and treat to a minimal-moderate standard 3) know when to call in backup.
As for reading... between the 4-6 journals a month that I feel compelled to try and read, plus the shit I print regularly, plus the books/study guides for that months rotation, plus the few pedi books that we recommend to parents, plus the stack of books that have nothing to do with medicine, but are a nice escape, I need about 5 more hours in a day to read. Remember when you read a book and had to do a book report in junior high. You wanted to mention some small specific details from the middle of the book so that the teacher knew that you actually read the book. That's how I use to feel about journal articles.. now I read the beginning and the ends.. the boring shit is in the middle... who cares what the delta co-efficient raised to the sputum power of the random blah blah blah... I need to now the level of detail so that I 1) Don't prescribe a drug that will kill somebody 2) can stay current on treatment guidelines so that I can give the best care possible to patients, and 3) what what drugs the back-up docs are using so that when the patient comes back to me from the specialist, I don't look like a fool.
No wonder I almost need bifocals.
Cheers,
I'm off to read.
Brian
Tonight, I have decided to throw away all the stuff I haven't read in the last 2 years. (It's a fucking shame there is no recycling in my area. I'm killing trees here)! It's haunting to see the vastness of knowledge I am throwing away. I feel like, OH MY GOD, I DON'T KNOW JACK SHIT LOOK AT ALL THIS STUFF I HAVE NEVER READ, I AM DOOOOOOMED! (The corrolary to this is: OH MY GOD, I DON'T KNOW JACK SHIT LOOK AT ALL THIS STUFF I HAVE NEVER READ, MY PATIENTS ARE DOOOOOOMED!)!
Sometimes I want to gag when I hear the term "Lifelong-learning." I thought I was signing up to learn the bulk of stuff during residency and then do some little learning here and there, preferable at medical conferences in nice hotels, surrounded by ski slopes or warm sandy beaches.. but the closer I get to the end of my residency, the more I realize that residency is preparing me to 1) Not kill people 2) be able to treat the bulk of patients, and treat to a minimal-moderate standard 3) know when to call in backup.
As for reading... between the 4-6 journals a month that I feel compelled to try and read, plus the shit I print regularly, plus the books/study guides for that months rotation, plus the few pedi books that we recommend to parents, plus the stack of books that have nothing to do with medicine, but are a nice escape, I need about 5 more hours in a day to read. Remember when you read a book and had to do a book report in junior high. You wanted to mention some small specific details from the middle of the book so that the teacher knew that you actually read the book. That's how I use to feel about journal articles.. now I read the beginning and the ends.. the boring shit is in the middle... who cares what the delta co-efficient raised to the sputum power of the random blah blah blah... I need to now the level of detail so that I 1) Don't prescribe a drug that will kill somebody 2) can stay current on treatment guidelines so that I can give the best care possible to patients, and 3) what what drugs the back-up docs are using so that when the patient comes back to me from the specialist, I don't look like a fool.
No wonder I almost need bifocals.
Cheers,
I'm off to read.
Brian
Friday, July 13, 2007
Mentorship
Starting this month, I'm spending one half day a week in a separate pediatric practice. I have chosen to spend these half days with a local pediatrician who has become my mentor. Dr. N is not only a great pediatrician, but he has lots of experience abroad and understands my interest in international health. He actually works with a group which has done overseas medical relief work. So, today I went to their private practice office, and spent a half day with him. It was quite a shock to see what and efficient outpatient practice looks like. It was even better to spend half the day with the pediatrician whom I idolized the most. Ironically, there are two other pediatricians in the private practice group who like Dr. N. and myself, along with a few others, all are in charge of overseeing the International health and global medicine track at our hospital. (This is the track that I wrote a proposal for a year ago, which is being implemented this year).
The rest of the day was rather bland.
Maybe I need some Yemen.
Blah,
Brian
The rest of the day was rather bland.
Maybe I need some Yemen.
Blah,
Brian
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Normalcy
The past few days I have actually been done with work by 4pm. It's almost a sense of normalcy. It just feels weird to actually come home from clinic, grab a bite to eat, putz around the flat for a bit, and then either go to read at the library or Barnes and Noble, and then pop into the gym. Sadly, this is going to most likely be the only real month of normalcy this month. I doubt I'll have this much down time in clinic again..
Still doing adolescent medicine this month. It's picking up a bit. Still miss the buzz of the hospital.
B
Still doing adolescent medicine this month. It's picking up a bit. Still miss the buzz of the hospital.
B
Saturday, July 07, 2007
Spicing Things Up
Bland was the flavor of the day. In fact, bland was the flavor of the past few days. This month is already dragging. I'm outpatient, again, this month. And am really realizing that I need to buzz buzz buzz of the hospital to keep me interested.
I ditched the co-workers last night, was feeling anti-social (really just tired of ending up with co-workers always talking medicine) and needed to just get out and have a laugh and enjoy the craic. So, Kian (my pal who is a manager at Starbucks and a coffee whiz) and I went for sushi, and then ice-cream. I know what you're thinking.. and when we went for ice-cream, they had Jalapeno Ice Cream. Seriously, I know it sounds yucky gross. And I kind of figured it would be, but what the hell, like there is anything else interesting going on in my bland life... So I tried it. And not only did I try it, i LIKED it enough, that I got some to eat :) I literally tried to spice up my evening. And the craic was good, we hung out having coffee people watching and laughing the whole time.
Ya gotta get you some of that Jalapeno Ice Cream!!
Spicely,
B
I ditched the co-workers last night, was feeling anti-social (really just tired of ending up with co-workers always talking medicine) and needed to just get out and have a laugh and enjoy the craic. So, Kian (my pal who is a manager at Starbucks and a coffee whiz) and I went for sushi, and then ice-cream. I know what you're thinking.. and when we went for ice-cream, they had Jalapeno Ice Cream. Seriously, I know it sounds yucky gross. And I kind of figured it would be, but what the hell, like there is anything else interesting going on in my bland life... So I tried it. And not only did I try it, i LIKED it enough, that I got some to eat :) I literally tried to spice up my evening. And the craic was good, we hung out having coffee people watching and laughing the whole time.
Ya gotta get you some of that Jalapeno Ice Cream!!
Spicely,
B
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Stacking Stones
From Free Will Astrology:
[Aquarius Horoscope for week of July 5, 2007
Nature artist Andy Goldsworthy is a skilled rock balancer. With infinite patience, he arranges stacks of them in seemingly impossible arrangements. Though he has a highly developed sensitivity to the heft and shape of his raw materials, his work still requires him to persist through frustration. While building one particularly intricate structure, he said, "The moment it collapses is disappointing. But since it has collapsed four times I'm beginning to understand the stones better." From what I can determine, Aquarius, you're at a stage in your own labor of love that's equivalent to Goldsworthy's third collapse. Keep at it. ]
Hmmm... Kind of scary how horoscopes just kind of make sense once and a while. Guess it's time to pick up the stones and start re-stacking..
4th here was wet and soggy, a day which would have been better had I stayed in PJs, drinking tea and reading a good book.
[Aquarius Horoscope for week of July 5, 2007
Nature artist Andy Goldsworthy is a skilled rock balancer. With infinite patience, he arranges stacks of them in seemingly impossible arrangements. Though he has a highly developed sensitivity to the heft and shape of his raw materials, his work still requires him to persist through frustration. While building one particularly intricate structure, he said, "The moment it collapses is disappointing. But since it has collapsed four times I'm beginning to understand the stones better." From what I can determine, Aquarius, you're at a stage in your own labor of love that's equivalent to Goldsworthy's third collapse. Keep at it. ]
Hmmm... Kind of scary how horoscopes just kind of make sense once and a while. Guess it's time to pick up the stones and start re-stacking..
4th here was wet and soggy, a day which would have been better had I stayed in PJs, drinking tea and reading a good book.
Monday, July 02, 2007
Start of 3rd Year
Amazingly, I'm starting my third year. I looked back on the post from last year at this time, and after speaking with some of the new second years today, realized that the transition from second to third year is less exciting that the transition from intern to second year resident. That may be a good thing, though. Unlike last year, when I had to suddenly be a responsible intern on July 1, this year I was off.
I had a fabulous (a word that is not used often enough) weekend. Friday night I went to New York City. I regret to say that it is, in fact, only my SECOND trip down there in the time I have been here. I think that is un-fabulous. A dear friend of mine is starting a family practice residency in the city, so I went to visit her. We had a great time catching up, had a lovely dinner outside on the patio of some swank-ish restaurant, and chatted forever about future dreams and plans. I think NYC is really one of the forbidden fruits. Denver is the other. I found myself feeling slightly regretful at where I am living at the moment. FACT: I love the hospital I work in. I think it is an AMAZING hospital (maybe I'll make a separate post about that later), I have great co-residents, lots of wonderful attendings, and think I am becoming a good doctor (as slow and painful as the process seems, at times). FACT: I am not meant to live here. NYC is forbidden fruit because, people there run in the city. People are everywhere. There is a buzz to the city. There is social awareness. What's really important right now? My training. But it's kind of tough when life can feel so painfully boring here.
The rest of the weekend was spent getting caught up on organizing my life. Sat night had a somewhat impromptu going away party for our former med-peds chief. Sunday Patrick and I went for a lovely hike. He's starting a blog, and I've threatened to put a link to his blog here.
That's about it really. I'm doing adolescent medicine this month... kind of a lighter month.
Cheers,
Brian
I had a fabulous (a word that is not used often enough) weekend. Friday night I went to New York City. I regret to say that it is, in fact, only my SECOND trip down there in the time I have been here. I think that is un-fabulous. A dear friend of mine is starting a family practice residency in the city, so I went to visit her. We had a great time catching up, had a lovely dinner outside on the patio of some swank-ish restaurant, and chatted forever about future dreams and plans. I think NYC is really one of the forbidden fruits. Denver is the other. I found myself feeling slightly regretful at where I am living at the moment. FACT: I love the hospital I work in. I think it is an AMAZING hospital (maybe I'll make a separate post about that later), I have great co-residents, lots of wonderful attendings, and think I am becoming a good doctor (as slow and painful as the process seems, at times). FACT: I am not meant to live here. NYC is forbidden fruit because, people there run in the city. People are everywhere. There is a buzz to the city. There is social awareness. What's really important right now? My training. But it's kind of tough when life can feel so painfully boring here.
The rest of the weekend was spent getting caught up on organizing my life. Sat night had a somewhat impromptu going away party for our former med-peds chief. Sunday Patrick and I went for a lovely hike. He's starting a blog, and I've threatened to put a link to his blog here.
That's about it really. I'm doing adolescent medicine this month... kind of a lighter month.
Cheers,
Brian
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