Computers make my life more difficult. I seem to spend more time trying to figure out why the computer program didn't do what it was supposed to do, than it would have taken to do a lot of the tasks by hand. I know McCain says that putting medical records on the computer will save money, maybe - but it just makes me pull my hair out. And don't even get me started on "computerized order entry systems". My handwriting is quite neat thank you - so get off my back and give me an order form.
My current issues with computers probably stems from my home computer being on the fritz. On Friday night, I downloaded the new "adobe flash player" that my computer recommended that I download, and now it doesn't recognize half of it's own old programs. Nor does it recognize the fact that it has internal speakers. I always like to listen to Itunes when I play on the computer, and currently it is incredibly silent. I spent most of the weekend trying to fix it. By that I mean that I would try something for about five minutes - get incredibly frustrated - and move on to something else. Currently my home computer and I are taking a break from each other. I feel we both need some space to figure out if our relationship is really worth saving.
It is FREEZING up here by the way. I pulled out the Southern card last night and turned my heat on low. I know Kris has claim to the "windy city", but the breeze here is fairly biting. I am starting to have a bad feeling about this winter thing.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Friday, October 17, 2008
What Oprah knows for sure
Post call so I am stealing from Oprah. In this month's mag, she summarizes her top 20 "things I know for sure." Pretty good words to live by.
1. What you put out comes back all the time, no matter what.
2. You define your own life. Don't let other people write your script.
3. Whatever someone did to you in the past has no power over the present. Only you give it power.
4. When people show you how they are, believe them the first time.
5. Worrying is wasted time. Use the same energy for doing something about whatever worries you.
6. What you believe has more power than what you dream or wish or hope for. You become what you believe.
7. If the only prayer you ever say is thank you, that will be enough.
8. The happiness you feel is in direct proportion to the love you give.
9. Failure is a signpost to turn you in another direction.
10. If you make a choice that goes against what everyone else thinks, the world will not fall apart.
11. Trust your instincts. Intuition doesn't lie.
12. Love yourself and then learn to extend that love to others in every encounter.
13. Let passion drive your profession.
14. Find a way to get paid for doing what you love. Then every paycheck will be a bonus.
15. Love doesn't hurt. It feels really good.
16. Every day brings a chance to start over.
17. Being a mother is the hardest job on earth. Women everywhere must declare it so.
18. Doubt means don't. Don't move. Don't answer. Don't rush forward.
19. When you don't know what to do, get still. The answer will come.
20. "Trouble don't last always." This, too, shall pass.
1. What you put out comes back all the time, no matter what.
2. You define your own life. Don't let other people write your script.
3. Whatever someone did to you in the past has no power over the present. Only you give it power.
4. When people show you how they are, believe them the first time.
5. Worrying is wasted time. Use the same energy for doing something about whatever worries you.
6. What you believe has more power than what you dream or wish or hope for. You become what you believe.
7. If the only prayer you ever say is thank you, that will be enough.
8. The happiness you feel is in direct proportion to the love you give.
9. Failure is a signpost to turn you in another direction.
10. If you make a choice that goes against what everyone else thinks, the world will not fall apart.
11. Trust your instincts. Intuition doesn't lie.
12. Love yourself and then learn to extend that love to others in every encounter.
13. Let passion drive your profession.
14. Find a way to get paid for doing what you love. Then every paycheck will be a bonus.
15. Love doesn't hurt. It feels really good.
16. Every day brings a chance to start over.
17. Being a mother is the hardest job on earth. Women everywhere must declare it so.
18. Doubt means don't. Don't move. Don't answer. Don't rush forward.
19. When you don't know what to do, get still. The answer will come.
20. "Trouble don't last always." This, too, shall pass.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Are you REALLY only as old as you feel?
Okay - although I complain a lot about my age, in actual fact - most days I feel like I am still pretty young. I don't think of myself as "middle age". I know that I have been out of college for a while and that I was 14 when my mom was my age, but all that aside - i still feels young and relevant. [I mean let's be honest - I have been flirting with twenty year old lately.] Oh, how much a single day can change your perspective.
The day started innocently enough. I was doing an anterior mediastinal mass resection, and as the case was going really well and I was sans staff - we were all laughing and telling stories. I was telling some tale about when I was in medical school. At some point in the story, I mentioned that the parents of the two year old who could not afford $3.00 for antibiotics had no difficulty buying him a pair of Air Jordan's. This is where my story takes a frightful turn.
My medical student innocently asks "what are Air Jordan's." I pause for a minute and look around. I have an anesthesia resident, medical student, two scrub techs, one circulating nurse and two nurses observing in the room - a full house. All who look barely old enough to drive. I then ask the unthinkable question - "Who in this room was born after 1980?"
EVERYONE IN THE ROOM RAISED THEIR HAND!!!!!! I almost walked out right then and there. When did this happen? When did I become one of them? I, like Peter Pan, didn't want to grow up. I guess it had to happen some time - and for me today seemed to be the day. Well, I am going to rub on some BenGay and sit and yell at the television during the debate. Does this mean I have to start identifying with McCain?
The day started innocently enough. I was doing an anterior mediastinal mass resection, and as the case was going really well and I was sans staff - we were all laughing and telling stories. I was telling some tale about when I was in medical school. At some point in the story, I mentioned that the parents of the two year old who could not afford $3.00 for antibiotics had no difficulty buying him a pair of Air Jordan's. This is where my story takes a frightful turn.
My medical student innocently asks "what are Air Jordan's." I pause for a minute and look around. I have an anesthesia resident, medical student, two scrub techs, one circulating nurse and two nurses observing in the room - a full house. All who look barely old enough to drive. I then ask the unthinkable question - "Who in this room was born after 1980?"
EVERYONE IN THE ROOM RAISED THEIR HAND!!!!!! I almost walked out right then and there. When did this happen? When did I become one of them? I, like Peter Pan, didn't want to grow up. I guess it had to happen some time - and for me today seemed to be the day. Well, I am going to rub on some BenGay and sit and yell at the television during the debate. Does this mean I have to start identifying with McCain?
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Screeching halt
Surgery is a funny thing. It is a profession of unbelievable highs and unfathomable lows, but it also is incredibly cyclical. For anyone that spends anytime around surgery or surgeons, they know exactly what I mean. Instead of having a constantly busy but steady stream of work, surgery tends more toward the all or nothing variety. I am either working my now sizable backside off or sitting on it twiddling my thumbs. There really is no in between.
Even more ironic is how shocked all surgeons are by this incredibly predictable occurrence. We complain when we have too much to do, but are even more vocal when things slow down. We start pacing the floors worrying that we have nothing to do, and let me tell you surgeons with time on their hands can be dangerous.
I say all of that to offer the following complaint. I have worked ridiculous hours for the past week and lived on very little sleep and today --- I did absolutely nothing. I went to work, but our one and only case was cancelled. I sat around all day reading and playing on the Internet. Unfortunately tomorrow looks about the same. We have only two cases, and one of them is looking kind of iffy. I don't mean to complain about a much needed rest, but is there no in between? Why can't the fates combine to produce a steady stream instead of flooding or drought conditions? Oh well - there are many things that I don't understand about the fates.
Even more ironic is how shocked all surgeons are by this incredibly predictable occurrence. We complain when we have too much to do, but are even more vocal when things slow down. We start pacing the floors worrying that we have nothing to do, and let me tell you surgeons with time on their hands can be dangerous.
I say all of that to offer the following complaint. I have worked ridiculous hours for the past week and lived on very little sleep and today --- I did absolutely nothing. I went to work, but our one and only case was cancelled. I sat around all day reading and playing on the Internet. Unfortunately tomorrow looks about the same. We have only two cases, and one of them is looking kind of iffy. I don't mean to complain about a much needed rest, but is there no in between? Why can't the fates combine to produce a steady stream instead of flooding or drought conditions? Oh well - there are many things that I don't understand about the fates.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Still alive
Despite what my mom and Kris currently believe - I am still alive. Let me explain. Whenever I get busy and don't stay appropriately in contact I can always count on both of them leaving me - "just want to make sure you are a live messages". They have an uncanny ability to usually call within a couple of hours of each other and both evoke the same guilt. I feel incredibly chagrined and make the appropriate time to "call home." Unfortunately for me, not only have I been busy and sick, but my cell phone is currently on the fritz.
In all honesty, I sometimes get so wrapped up in the speed and craziness of my life at a particular moment in time that I forget that I haven't spoken to any of my friends or family in a few days. I actually count on the above mentioned phone calls to remind me that I haven't spoken to anyone outside of the hospital for a week or more. It is perhaps not the best system, but it has worked for several years now. At least it did until my phone decided to stop telling me I had messages or missed calls.
My first clue - Kris called Saturday evening and gently hinted that I should have called Matt back to congratulate him on his goal. (Scored his first soccer goal on Saturday - WAY TO GO MATT). When I protested that I did not get the message, I find out it was not the first. With a sinking feeling in my gut I proceed to call my mother. Turns out I missed a lot of calls there - and the fact that my mom threw her back out and required a trip to the ER. She will probably eventually forgive me, but I'm guessing no time soon.
I took my phone to the local Sprint store this afternoon, and they think they have the problem solved. The phone problem that is - I still have some ticked off friends and family. Therefore, I am offering a HUGE I'm sorry. Last week was crazy, and I was somewhat felled by the "common" cold, but neither is an excuse for being completely out of touch. I will try much harder in the future to do better. (I will even send you some dates Jessica so that we can plan my trip to DC.) I continue to be thankful for all of your great patience and understanding. I will get better some day - PROMISE.
In all honesty, I sometimes get so wrapped up in the speed and craziness of my life at a particular moment in time that I forget that I haven't spoken to any of my friends or family in a few days. I actually count on the above mentioned phone calls to remind me that I haven't spoken to anyone outside of the hospital for a week or more. It is perhaps not the best system, but it has worked for several years now. At least it did until my phone decided to stop telling me I had messages or missed calls.
My first clue - Kris called Saturday evening and gently hinted that I should have called Matt back to congratulate him on his goal. (Scored his first soccer goal on Saturday - WAY TO GO MATT). When I protested that I did not get the message, I find out it was not the first. With a sinking feeling in my gut I proceed to call my mother. Turns out I missed a lot of calls there - and the fact that my mom threw her back out and required a trip to the ER. She will probably eventually forgive me, but I'm guessing no time soon.
I took my phone to the local Sprint store this afternoon, and they think they have the problem solved. The phone problem that is - I still have some ticked off friends and family. Therefore, I am offering a HUGE I'm sorry. Last week was crazy, and I was somewhat felled by the "common" cold, but neither is an excuse for being completely out of touch. I will try much harder in the future to do better. (I will even send you some dates Jessica so that we can plan my trip to DC.) I continue to be thankful for all of your great patience and understanding. I will get better some day - PROMISE.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Whew!
I am still at work. A place that I have spent an overwhelming majority of the last 160 hours. I don't think I worked this hard as an intern. I know I wasn't responsible for such sick patients. It didn't help that I was the only Thoracic resident in town this weekend and four of our patients got sick enough to need an ICU, reoperation or both. Thought things would slow down today, but so far I am wrong. We still have one more case to go.
It does not help that I am also getting sick. I woke up this morning with a sore throat and a fever. Not the end of the world - right?. Well, I was rubbing my neck this am before my first case and found a lymph node. Everyone in the world - medical or not - would say : sore throat, swollen gland - most likely connected. Not me. I have decided that I must have lymphoma. (Yes, Bassam and Jill, not exactly what we learned in medical school, but I think I may need a biopsy.) Oh well, I will continue to obsessively rub my neck to monitor it's size.
I am quite jealous of those of you back in Nashville. You have a Debate buzz going on tonight. Hoping I get home in time to watch it. I completely slept thru the Vice Presidential debate. I had been up the entire night before playing like a doctor on ER and didn't get home in time for an adequate nap. It doesn't sound like I missed much more than a few winks. The SNL - Tina Fey debate was HILARIOUS.
It does not help that I am also getting sick. I woke up this morning with a sore throat and a fever. Not the end of the world - right?. Well, I was rubbing my neck this am before my first case and found a lymph node. Everyone in the world - medical or not - would say : sore throat, swollen gland - most likely connected. Not me. I have decided that I must have lymphoma. (Yes, Bassam and Jill, not exactly what we learned in medical school, but I think I may need a biopsy.) Oh well, I will continue to obsessively rub my neck to monitor it's size.
I am quite jealous of those of you back in Nashville. You have a Debate buzz going on tonight. Hoping I get home in time to watch it. I completely slept thru the Vice Presidential debate. I had been up the entire night before playing like a doctor on ER and didn't get home in time for an adequate nap. It doesn't sound like I missed much more than a few winks. The SNL - Tina Fey debate was HILARIOUS.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Rain Rain Go Away
So everything comes at a price. The cost for my gorgeous weekend a couple weeks ago - rain. It started raining here last Friday and continued to rain until Monday morning. Now I have really enjoyed the convenience of living in a pedestrian city, but it is A LOT less fun in the pouring down rain. Rumor has that it briefly stopped raining during the day on Monday, but I worked all day so I missed it. Rain started back Monday night and most of the day Tuesday. I had Tuesday off (2 of my 3 staff were observing the Holiday so we had no cases). I had the great joy of running errands in the rain. Another rumor circulated today that the sun actually came out and it was gorgeous. I am on call and haven't left the hospital. Tomorrow - my post call day - it is supposed to start raining again. Oh well - that's life.
Because it just randomly crossed my mind - I need a favor. I am sad to report that I no longer am a frequent visitor to Macy's. My move to Philly has turned me into a Fiscal conservative (personally - not politically and hopefully only for 9 more months). Therefore, I try to avoid temptation. However, I need new moisturizer. I refuse to pay $60 dollars for my Estee Lauder moisturizer unless I get a free gift out of it. {Yes dad - I know that is a ridiculous amount to pay for lotion, but think of the money I am saving by putting off my first face lift.} So, I need someone who still gets to walk thru Macy's and look at the pretty things to tell me when Estee Lauder is having their gift time. Thanks.
Because it just randomly crossed my mind - I need a favor. I am sad to report that I no longer am a frequent visitor to Macy's. My move to Philly has turned me into a Fiscal conservative (personally - not politically and hopefully only for 9 more months). Therefore, I try to avoid temptation. However, I need new moisturizer. I refuse to pay $60 dollars for my Estee Lauder moisturizer unless I get a free gift out of it. {Yes dad - I know that is a ridiculous amount to pay for lotion, but think of the money I am saving by putting off my first face lift.} So, I need someone who still gets to walk thru Macy's and look at the pretty things to tell me when Estee Lauder is having their gift time. Thanks.
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