7 years

Maybe?

2010-02-22T20:57:00.000-05:00

Maybe I will start this up again???

I am loving third year of medical school. People and medicine are just so interesting.

I can't imagine doing anything else.

best

Rubbing it in....

2009-05-27T20:39:00.002-04:00

An image from a little note from my ladyfriend from someecards.com (funny!)....way to rub it in! Not taking the bar, but we get the point!

Med copters

2009-05-27T12:39:00.005-04:00

What's awesome? Taking a day off from board studying to spend a day with the state med helicopter service.

What's even awesomer?
Watching this pathetic trailer with real life flightRNs and pilots! I think about 12 helicopters crash in 3 mins. I am grateful I have no TV. They were laughing their asses off!

"Do you really want to be out there playing adrenaline cowboy?"
"There is something you should know, I can't die!"
"I got a A-hole with a concussion!"

"This guy is just running on fumes now, baby (to his coworker)!
I want to try the atropine!"

No destination.

2009-05-07T22:26:00.002-04:00

I have given up on a destination. I just keep steamin' on.

Swine

2009-04-30T14:07:00.000-04:00

Almost done.

2009-04-24T13:15:00.003-04:00

Well, I know that I said I was done blogging until I get real patients in 3rd year but hell, I had to say it...

I am almost done with my second year.

Hell ya. Its been both quick and long. It almost seems like it should have a little graduation in its own. I mean, no more classroom. Just patients and learning.

End of school in early May does not mean all that much considering I have 1.5 months of brutal USMLE/COMLEX test studying to do and the tests to take, but there is light at the end of the tunnel:

1. A trip outwest to potentially borrow my sister's boyfriend's BMW 1150 GS enduro and rally around the west, hopefully getting some flying (paragliding) in around Jackson, WY and visiting friends.
2. A trip to Holland and France after that to visit my family.
3. Sunny, warm days

I leave you with pictures I took flying in Wyoming and Mexico in my past life: (mostly because I want to look at them ;) )

No.

2009-03-27T15:34:00.005-04:00

Yesterday Shane McConkey Died.

He is a skiing legend and he will be missed.

Enjoy this beautiful clip of Shane.

and this!

news:
http://www.superhumanmag.com/content/view/1258/92/

Break.

2009-03-02T22:48:00.003-05:00

So, as one might of guessed, I am taking a break from the blog.

I will re-continue posting on my 3rd year medical rotations when I have some interesting medical cases, pt. encounters, and life experiences to blab about...

be well
7

The Virus Pushes and We Humans Push Back.

2009-02-11T20:48:00.002-05:00

Incredible.

I'm a WINNER!

2008-12-17T15:21:00.003-05:00

photo credit

Happy had a contest and I won! I only guessed 30 times.
I am little suprised I was not knocked out of the comp. with the inappropriate mom joke but Amazon here I come! I got plenty of books to buy for next semester...

http://thehappyhospitalist.blogspot.com/2008/12/take-your-best-guess-win-25.html
(all the guesses are in the comment section)

winning announcement:

http://thehappyhospitalist.blogspot.com/2008/12/and-winner-is.html

Heme test tomorrow then freedom!

R.I.P Skiers....

2008-12-15T21:16:00.000-05:00

http://www.wildsnow.com/1575/december-avalanches/

the problem with avy's are that you can be super solid and still get caught...after a few rides of my own, I am getting to be super cautious.

Sounds like one of the deaths was that of a patroller with 25 yrs experience

sad.

7

Day in the Life of A Hippy, Telemarking D.O. Student

2008-12-13T18:26:00.004-05:00

1. Wake up. Drink tea.
2. Drive to cafe. Study. Drink Coffee. Drink Coffee. Study more.
3. Blog 6 times. Read news. Check northwest snow conditions for upcoming backcountry ski trip in Washington State. It is dumping snow out there. Let out a whoop!!! in a quiet cafe. Ignore stares.
4. Go to 1.5 hours of Hot Yoga. Sweat my arse off.
5. Go to Whole foods. Eat rice and indian curry. Purchase kombucha tea. Ignore that fact that I am overspending my loan money.
6. Proceed back to Cafe for more studying. Tea.
7. Blog again.
8. Return to frozen hut with no power.

7

DO school offering an MD degree?

2008-12-13T12:05:00.004-05:00

KevinMd (also caught in ice storm central) pointed out an article describing some plans by a Texas Osteopathic school. READ HERE
Apparently, the school feels it will improve its financial situation by also offering an MD degree...
and of coarse, Kevin (like many others will)points out that this additional degree may be in effort to become a more "traditional" medical school. Cause we D.O.s all want to be M.D.s yo!

My comment on this news (copied, too busy and lazy to write something formal) are incldued below:

"there is definitely no shortage of students applying to medical school period. DO or MD. My DO school gets about 4000 applications for 120 spots. I think they accept about 450?

I really can't speculate why this texas school is doing this. I think there are some who feel D.O.s and M.D.s have become so similar in practice that there is little difference in schooling these medical students aside from the additional manipulation and biomechanic education the D.O.s get.

While I agree that we end up doing very similar jobs, I personally really do enjoy my D.O. education and feel I am getting some extra helpful hands on techniques. I think the healthcare system often dictates whether we have the time to actually use them...

I also pay the price for these extra skills with higher tuition (private), a longer school year, frequent questions of "are you really a doctor",having to take two sets of boards (COMLEX and USMLE), and some discrimination from dinosaur M.D.s that still don't get it.

I think a school offering both degrees might be a good way to go. They could do all the core science and didactics for the D.O.s and M.D.s in the same classrooms and then add on a component for the D.O.s covering osteopathic philosophy and manipulation."

NPR is doing it up this week: a 2 min blurb about enjoying time as it passes.

2008-12-13T11:01:00.002-05:00

Awoke to the house of no power and 45 degree air.

Rolled out of bed. Grumpally (my word) said goodbye to the lady, my sister, and her boyfriend who stayed over and headed out to study somewhere warm.

I was sort of rushing as I did not get anything much done yesterday and Hematology is haunting me right now. That is when this nice little blurb about slowing down, being patient, and enjoying time as it passes came on the radio.

How fitting. It changed my perspective on the morning and I had a nice drive not caring about the grandma in front of me driving 5 miles below the speed limit.

Listen to it. It will help during the holidays! This guy must be amazing to hang out with...

CLICK HERE!!! and breathe!

Abortion and an Excellent Interview!

2008-12-12T17:41:00.005-05:00

I had a conversation with a classmate (who I totally love) the other night after a tough day at school with multiple tests. She is very different than me in that she uses her religious background to guide her decision making, including those made in medicine. She is anti-abortion, anti-plan B (which is not abortive), and not exactly "pro-gay" (but not a hater either!). I really would not expect anything different as she grew up in a family with 3-4 aunts who were nuns and several priest uncles because, after all, we really are just conditioned monkeys. Anyhow, also in conversation was another classmate who also happens to work on woman rights issues, is a pro-choice activist, and is gay herself. Needless to say, the conversation was interesting. The great part though, came at the end of the night when we all hugged and said goodbye no worse for the wear and still good friends.

Abortion, in particular, is a touchy subject and one that is not going away anytime soon. As a social liberal, I too have my strong opinions. I believe a woman has a right to chose. I believe there are already too many sad, unwanted human beings on this planet. I believe it is wrong to encourage young mothers who are not ready to have a baby but whose hormones have deceived them to keep a child… only to provide them with limited social services and healthcare later down the line. I believe the earth is struggling under the burden of our species’ needs, wants, and wastefulness. I believe strongly that there should be a solid line between church and state, one that the Republican Party and the conservative right seems intent to erase to gain ground on issues such as abortion.

I sometimes have a problem with my classmates who are very religious and pro-life but are getting their scholarships through the armed forces. What? You can't wield a uterine vacuum but you can shoot a gun? You can be part of an establishment that has also killed innocents in Iraq? Is it any worse to snatch away the life of a conglomerate of cells we call a fetus than it is to bomb people or shoot our enemies and surrounding innocent civilians down? There is a serious failure in logic here.

I was intrigued , however, when last night I heard this INTERVIEW on fresh air. It was a great interview because it represented some logic and intelligence from within the conservative, evangelical religious right...a supposed once “leader”, Frank Schaeffer, son of the late Francis Schaeffer.

All too often, I turn on the radio to listen to 'church radio'(for fun) and find it to be mind numbingly lacking in rationality. This was different. I liked this interview. Mr. Schaeffer was calm, collected, and intelligent. He had some sage advice for Obama. He provided a solid middle ground for both liberals and the religious population to potentially find common ground. He lamented the graphic “abortion holocaust” and hysteria that he, himself, had helped create with his father. He explained that his religious beliefs were, too some degree, never meant to be politicized or directed against abortion rights or the gay population. He implied that he was sucked into the anti-abortion movement by his own ambitions, interest in film, and the sense of importance. He also noted how he maintains his love for god and his pro-life philospohy in the context of a society that allows one to choose what is best for him/herself. I think this is an interview that anyone interested in the abortion debate should listen to, especially the last several minutes.

Listen... I respect the rights of everyone to decide their own life-paths as well as the right of my religious classmate to not partake in anything that she does not believe in, but we need to maintain abortion as an option and a medical out when life goes wrong or a mistake is made.

SOrry for the poor grammar and rambling post...

Be Well.
7

ICE

2008-12-12T17:02:00.004-05:00

photo credit
Ice storm rolled through last night...

school canceled. test postponed.

next week: Heme system exam, OMM practical exam, and OMM written exam. Fun!

we are without power like most people. It may be a couple of days and boy does the house get a little nippy without power. Drove a little ways to check email and do some online studying...heading back to the dark cave now...

Highlight of the day: Forest run with the pups just after the sun decided to come out for a while. All the ice was reflecting the light and the dogs were wild, bashing through trees allowing them to shed the weight of all the ice. Looked like a disco...

Low of the day:
drinking this horrible Panera bread coffee (I mean real bad) just so I can be writing this and studying more!
7

R.I.P.

2008-12-12T01:42:00.003-05:00

Bettie

"God approves of nudity. Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, they were naked as jaybirds."

sOUL escapE

2008-12-11T20:28:00.005-05:00

ME: (Guttural roar)....! (from my study chair)

Loving girlfriend: What was that?

ME: ahh...nothing...

Loving ladyfriend: ummm....that's the sound of your soul leaving your body huh??

ME: yes. yes it is...

Lover: That's so sad.

Too much school.

7do going hollywood soon?!

2008-12-02T20:52:00.001-05:00

Well...I don't want to get you fans out there too excited quite yet but my google analytics webpage is showing a lot of visits from the Hollywood, Bev Hills, LA area...could 7do be going Hollywood? Could 7do be airing right before Grey's Anatomy or House?

Exciting news in deed.

(ps. Whoever is reading this little blog out in Cali, no worries, I can't tell anything more than someone out there is dropping by...its not like I got your phone # so keep visiting and line me up for an EMMY!)

7

Backbends, Bricks, Bacon, and BM's: Random Thoughts On a Rainy Day

2008-12-01T12:15:00.012-05:00

photo credit

So...I really liked my new yoga teacher and studio until the end of class the other day when she had us do 10 deep, long breathes in wheel. This is not an abnormal length for the pose but one I don't really look forward to doing...(I try to avoid anticipation in yoga but I fail at times). I take really long breaths so that was about a minute and a bit...

I completed the 10 breathes and then self-congratulated and began to feel the warmth and change in my spine. That is when she announced we could (should?) do 25 breathes in wheel. I could not believe it and had to chuckle at the insanity of the request. This meant about 4 mins of long slow breathes, in a position where your ribcage barely wants to change size, shape, and volume. I did it anyhow.

IT was freakin' hard and I was feeling it for days...
I was sort of feeling the muscle soreness and self-soothing the next day when I came across this video and I reminded myself that these sensations were probably standard for many folks: people with chronic pain, muscular disorders, manual laborers, trauma victims, the abused. For much of the world, feats more impressive and awkward are preformed everyday around the world in effort to just survive or make a wage.

I can smell the somatic dysfunction of this poor man over the internet waves. Crazy stuff...bet he needs an osteopathic manipulation or two.

Anyhow, I am going back today to the same teacher to see if she always encourages such self-inflicted brutality.

As for the bacon...SAD news. Another passing at the farm. This time, Timmy the pig had to be put down. It seems his back may of broken under his weight and perhaps he paralyzed his hind legs as he could not stand all of a sudden.

(Timmy and I in better times, enjoying a laugh! (censored for med blogging anonymity))

Timmy was an experiment of sorts. Most pigs of this variety are turning into bacon ASAP. But Tim was brought to us by a hippy, artist friend after he was found abandoned in the woods after some people had left their house. He grew up at our farm with Madison, the pot-bellied pig, in green pastures and with endless dinner leftovers. He lived the best life a pig could really. To my mom, he was a sort of science project, pig behavior experiment. Her observations after his death...

"Pigs are really quite social. Timmy loved to have his skin cleaned by the guinea hens, to hang out with Madison the pig, and to be around the other farm animals. He loved to have this skin rubbed but only very lightly and only in the direction of his course hairs. He loved to make nests and routinely used several bales of hay to perfect his spot under the barn. Timmy was a character." (loosely quoted)

Tim was not fat but his legs could hardly hold his shear size and he often had pretty cool muscle fasciculations as he stood and walked. We tried to excercise him by putting his food out in the pasture a ways but after watching him struggle later in his life, it just seemed cruel so he got the luxury lifestyle...bread, veggies, leftovers near his bed of hay.

R.I.P. Timmy

AND...in other animal news..Pombe..our younger male Chesapeake bay retriever cost us another $150 bucks at the vet after partially ripping his nail off the quick so bad he was squealing in pain every time he got nudged or moved. That dog is getting into the thousands this year. He shows no caution when playing and it shows in his injuries. Just got a call from home that he was so out of it from the anesthesia that he had a big BM (dump) on our kitchen floor. THanks pombe! Little bastard...

Gotta Love the Gimme's

2008-11-29T23:06:00.003-05:00

On the respiratory exam last Wednesday:

What cancer has the highest mortality rate in the United States?

A. Colon
B. Lung
C. Breast
D. Prostate
E. Bone

Ummm. Give me a break! Not only is this a common factoid but we are in the fricken' respiratory system exam! LUNG, LUNG, LUNG!
Give me that point.

Next!

...some b.s. question about what gene on what chromosome is the mutation that causes cystic fibrosis....

Nervous, Muscloskeletal, Psych, and now Respiratory exams down! We pack in Heme next and then I will be 1.5 yrs through medschool. What up!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Why do I torture myself so?.....and a decision.

2008-11-12T21:55:00.004-05:00

First the decision.

I have never done this before but its time.

I am declaring a favorite beer.

I have always doubted I could do this given my love for fine beers but hell, I am calling it.

It is hard to put aside brews such as New Belgian Fat Tire Ale, Rogue Dead Guy Ale, Snake River Brewery's Discombobulator Mai-Bock, Delirium Tremens, etc. etc but I have determined the one.

DOGFISH HEAD 90 MINUTE IPA.

The best. Period.

And the torture?

Tonight I put on Long Way Around, Ewen McGregor and Charley Boorman's trip around the world on their enduro motobikes. With an enduro in the garage and a shit ton to learn, I just want to pick up and ride too. Crap.

Fly on....

2008-11-09T13:39:00.000-05:00

Muscloskeletal exam down...did well....flying on...

R.I.P. Jeremy

2008-11-05T22:45:00.004-05:00

One of our family's draft horses (the big guy behind and on the left) had to be put down today due to neurological issues. I think Sophie (the horse on the right) will miss him most. Jeremy was always madly in love with Sophie and when we would take her out to drive carts, he would always neigh and snort like crazy! He was a nice character.

R.I.P. Jeremy

Also, I have plenty to say about how great the election went yesterday but I am too tired right now. Recovering from the Muscloskeletal exam today and the days leading up to it...

7

Well....

2008-11-03T18:59:00.002-05:00

now you got to vote for Obama.

What kind of ass would not vote for a guy whose grandma just died?

Geesh.

Sad.

7

VOTE.

Practicing Peace and Calming One's Self

2008-11-03T12:15:00.011-05:00

"Also, he says, kids can become desensitized to violence. 'When you're exposed to violence day in and day out, it loses its emotional impact on you,' Huesmann said. 'Once you're emotionally numb to violence, it's much easier to engage in violence.'"

This quote from the linked article above (click on the quote) refers to yet another study that empirically links violent video games to aggressive behavior. I have indirectly commented on this before (click).

In my humble opinion, people need to start practicing how to be calm rather than continually conditioning themselves to destroy, torture, hate, and act impulsively. I am all for our bill of rights but when we start creating an alternative universe in the minds of our youth that encourages a "culture of disrespect" and of violence, I begin to think, why should we have to then deal with the consequences? Police, doctors, firefighters, politicians, lawyers, victims, soldiers....we are constantly dealing with the effects of this violent culture. At what point do we draw the line and say, these games, these activities, this way of life is making our society ill and we have got to stop it?

People may laugh at males that do yoga, but I will tell you one thing: ever since I started practicing and working on breath, relaxation, and meditation, I have been able to better cope with things that piss me off. It is essentially practicing a state of acceptance, peace, and tolerance (both of yourself and the smelly neighbor on the mat next to you). And the effects are long lasting. I cannot go to class for 2 weeks and I still feel the presence of calmness and respect what I have learned. I am not saying we all need to be yogis but I merely offer that we need to practice these states of tranquility somehow and that the overall sympathetic tone of our lives needs to be turned down a notch! By practicing one can prepare for the time that he/she wants to throw that chair, flip that driver off, or rant about waiting in line. People need to practice peace. Parents need to take the video games and TV away. We have got to spend less on war and military. We are sick.

So what's in it for you? How about a simpler, happier life? How about better health? (click)How about not becoming the next victim of violence?

7
go ahead and call me a dirty hippy. I dare you. I still got the mohawk!

Can't be that unhealthy?!

2008-11-02T14:32:00.003-05:00

Despite an all time low in outside activity, still rocking a pretty low heart rate...

48. mid-day, drinking a 3 shot latte at a coffee shop.

Kick ass.

7

like you care ;)

To Be a Dog....

2008-11-01T19:42:00.000-04:00

the studying continues...

Deep Thoughts

2008-11-01T01:30:00.003-04:00

Well....since I found (read: irresponsibly devoted)the time to close down the local brew pub tonight with over 100 medical students and other folks on Halloween night, I guess I can take the time to enlighten you all with some of my deep thoughts of the day.

1. I felt guilty tonight handing out little candy bars (did you know one tiny almond joy is equal to 20% of one's daily saturated fat)to poor little kids who are likely doomed to be obese Americans with type 2 diabetes.

2. Watching the show House is much more fun, as a medical student, with Wikipedia in front of you. You actually learn something. Tonight I learned about William's Syndrome because of the story line:
Williams syndrome (WS; also Williams-Beuren syndrome or WBS) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder caused by a deletion of about 26 genes from the long arm of chromosome 7.[1] It is characterized by a distinctive, "elfin" facial appearance, along with a low nasal bridge; an unusually cheerful demeanor and ease with strangers, coupled with unpredictably occurring negative outbursts; etc.

3. This time of year really makes me produce a lot of large, dry boogers. I am going to miss picking my nose once I get into the MRSA filled hospitals next year. Despite my love of digging deep, I don't think injecting Staph or neisseria meningitis into my brain and airways is worth it in the long run. It is going to take some time to break this life long habit.

4. Today, I sculpted a sic mohawk. I will be sporting it for the next week or more. Sadly, the only reason I know I can pull this off is b/c I don't have any preceptorships in the near future. It sucks that I will have to be, act, and look professional for the rest of my life. I always enjoyed mixing it up.

5. I need to see and listen to more live shows. Tonight a local band rocked the house and it was great. I need to seek out shows and get back into the groove.

6. "Joe the plumber" needs to go back to snaking toilets and removing large chunks of feces from porcelain rather than spouting his pathetic theories on world politics.
Watch this:

7. Please to god, let those in the DRC survive this new wave of insane and useless violence. We need to prevent another genocide.

7

Bloggin on hold until this MusculoSkeletal Exam is overwith next Tues!

2008-10-29T22:04:00.002-04:00

This should hold you over with Halloween coming up!
Pretty creative.

and the now classic:

Funny.

2008-10-20T01:37:00.000-04:00

But you are still going to lose.

I love the part with the moose.

Loitering

2008-10-20T00:46:00.003-04:00

So I was exiting the main entrance of a big hospital tonight and hardly anyone was around and it was cold (Winter is setting in already)when I looked ahead to see a bunch of teens loitering outside, smoking, and sitting up on a retaining wall that had just been built as part of a new addition. I thought surely I would get some wise-crack, smart-ass comment thrown my way as I walked towards them in my tie and white coat.

them:
"Ummm. Sir. We are just waiting for my father who is in surgery. I promise we are not loitering. I swear."

me:
"uh, guys...I wouldn't give a shit."

Laughter.

them:
"Ah, dude just wants to get home. He don't care."

Guess this white coat thing really does influence the way people see you.

FAILURE.

2008-10-19T01:17:00.006-04:00

I have been fortunate thus far in medical school. I have been working hard and killin' the grades (not something to discuss with classmates and since no one really reads this, who cares?)but it ain't easy. So when I prepare for exams, I am stressed and tired. And when I go to pick up those grades, I typically get anxious.

Lately, however, I have become a bit more complacent. After battling through the first year and making it, I now feel pretty confident that I will at least pass. I also don't really seem to care about high-passing (>90) anymore either.

So it was a bit of a shock the other day when I strolled into the curriculum office to pick up my Geriatric course grade and opened the stapled piece of paper to find a 63 accompanied by a big fat F! For the record, Geriatrics was suppose to be a side-liner of a course, a little annoying monkey on your back while you dealt with the gorilla in the room: Neuro. We had had 2 test, 5 assignments, and had an attendance requirement and I had not gotten one grade back yet. Therefore, I had no clue where this 63 was coming from: was it the final exam? The paper? Did they miss that I had attended? WTF? HOW COULD I FAIL GERIATRICS? Yet, I believed it. I had hated the lectures, not paid attention, begrudged the monotone nature of the course director. I could have missed something. I could have spaced because of my complacency, distraction, and hatred for the 8th lecture on the same frickin' thing.

I came home pissed and bummed. I sort of fretted about it in bed for an hour before I could fall asleep. I felt sh#tty. I was sort of a dick. I was going to have to restudy, retake an exam, and lose one of my 2 precious retakes that the school allows us before they throw us on the 5 year plan (an extra $70,000). Failing= pride hit, potential money disaster,extra work, and having to re-read the 10 page document on multiple reasons for urinary incontinence.

The next day, I showed up to class and informed my close friends. They assured me it was an error and that I could not of failed Geriatrics. I felt better. Maybe they were right? I emailed the course director and stopped by offices. Noone. Anxiety prevailed for another day before I finally contacted the assistant course director. She had failed to include my final paper on restraints for the elderly- 25% of my grade. I felt like suing for mental anguish. She corrected the grade and announced that yes, I had indeed HIGH passed. WTF?

The point of this post? I have got to handle failure better. It is going to happen in this process again and again, regardless if it has not happened quite yet. There is no way I am going to avoid failing some test, getting yelled at by an attending, failing to make a diagnosis, or screwing up a procedure. The practice of medicine is laced with failure and the clinical years are going to be heavier than these didactic years. I need to become familiar with failure and accept it when it comes my way.

7

P is for Pain and Pharmacology

2008-10-19T01:08:00.002-04:00

Ahhhh.....

it will never end and I am just starting!

Just trying to stay afloat.

Learning about Rheumatoid Arthritis right now and guess how fun the pharmacology part is? Non. Zero. Pain.

• Acetaminophen
• NSAIDs
• Corticosteroids

• DMARDs-disease modifying anti-rheumatoid drugs
o Methotrexate
o Antimalarial drugs
o Sulfasalazine
o Leflunomide
o Etanercept
o Infiximab
o Adalimumab
o Rituximab

For one disease. And ohhh...their names make no sense? No sh@t! Plus, for every drug name, there are 1-10 trade names that are unrelated. Talk about a pain in my arse.

Medicine.

First 2008 presidential debate: 34.7 ... vp debate: 45.0 ... last night: 42.1 (prelim)

2008-10-08T13:48:00.003-04:00

To all of you out there that tuned in to see the feisty, "sexy" Palin in the VP debate but have been skipping the Presidential Debates (you know the debate between the guys that will actually run this country), I say this:

YOU ARE MORONS.

http://www.thrfeed.com/2008/10/second-debate-r.html

3 solid examples of why corporate CEOs should not be running our healthcare system.

2008-10-08T13:32:00.003-04:00

1. http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/08/politicians.meltdown.aig.ap/index.html
2. http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/oct/07/lehmanbrothers.banking
3. http://money.cnn.com/2006/10/23/news/newsmakers/skilling_sentence/index.htm?postversion=2006102409

A Morbid Run!

2008-10-07T23:21:00.002-04:00

After a long day at school including 2 hours of patient encounter scenarios complete with video, timed SOAP notes, and patient feedback (read: kind insults), I went for a run along the ocean.

The ocean was unusually calm. I mean almost glass-smooth which it almost never is here. It seems that the lack of any waves for 24 hours allowed for anything dead in the ocean to show up on the exact beach I was running on. I mean it was a carnage run.

1 dead dog (I think), 3 dead seagulls, 1 dead seal, 2 dead big fish, and lots of crustaceans that seem to have had better days. It was certainty entertaining.

Why am I writing about this to you all?

No clue.

Melting the lb's @ Work

2008-10-07T00:58:00.005-04:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/18/health/nutrition/18fitness.html?no_interstitial

I have always advocated for a little sound proof room in the back of our tiered classroom in our medical school... little speakers could keep the lecture flowing into the students while the walls could keep the machine noise out of the classroom. Would be rad!

Not so sure I could type at the same time though.

Online Fire Fights

2008-10-03T12:53:00.003-04:00

in response to my blog comments at movin' meat which I discussed in a previous post.

I get so annoyed with online debates. Barely ever bother but I sometimes do get sucked in!

https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=20056539&postID=4186700177525066188

Hat trick! 3 posts in one night. And the start of a new 7 years tradition.

2008-10-02T00:48:00.005-04:00

Here at 7 years, I plan on having tribute posts for my commenters. They mean that much to me.

First up: Dr.J

What can I say? A liberal, intelligent D.O. student? I mean, does it get better than that? Yes. It does. A liberal, intelligent D.O. student that has a farm, cooks like a mad woman, and still finds more time to do great things during medical school than anyone else I know. You should see this woman's Macbook calender. Holy crap.

Well, because this is an anonymous blog of sorts and because I don't have any video of you anyhow, I am posting a great video of a another tall minority that shares your name. Dr. J.

so, get an alias and start commenting so that you too, can be featured here on 7 years. (anon comments suck)

love
7

ps. please do scroll down for more interesting posts from tonight below including a librarian scandal!

God, I am a rant filled blogger lately.

2008-10-02T00:27:00.007-04:00

Shadow Fox over at Movin' Meat wrote an excellent peice on universal health care and the debate surrounding health care as a human right. Check it out:
http://allbleedingstops.blogspot.com/2008/10/healthcare-is-not-right.html

I could not help but sound off. Here is what I posted in his comments. Where do you stand?

7 years comment:

"First of all, I would like to thank the cosmos that I have found a liberal Doc blog. For the past year of medical school I have been floating around the blogosphere reading horrifically conservative med blogs. I will not name names but I believe that although so many Docs are annoyed by the system, at the end of the day they go home to a comfortable living situation, add to their savings, and enjoy the lifestyle of the top .5% of the world.

I have seen too many people write off Universal Healthcare and chose to vote conservative just because they don't want to shell out taxes and are afraid a big change will rock the boat. Their boat. Case in point: Nurse K's comment. She does not want to lose what she currently has. She is fairly set. She works hard and does not want any compromises in how she lives. This is a moral standing point that she is not likely to change although it is one, that in my opinion, is constructed on FEAR and insecurity.
(As a sidenote, I am suprised that a nurse would have such confidence in a private health insurance company. Has she not gotten sick yet and have them deny her claims with every slick trick in the book? Good for her.)

Well, this debate comes down to a moral standing point. Am I willing to risk my lifestyle and make sacrifices in the hope that more can enjoy basic human rights and humanistic benefits like healthcare, disability, and other social gifts? I am. It is called social progress and it is what has gotten us from roaming, feuding tribes of primitive men and women to the societies that exist today. If conservatives were left unchecked we would most certainly still have slaves, a domineering church, and not be making strides in the rights of gays/lesbians. While every group, including liberals, need their checks and balances, I believe social conservatives such as McCain and Palin constantly just keep us 50-100 years behind in social progress.

I think there is a lot of complacency and apathy that goes on within conservative thinking. It is short sighted. What goes around comes around and when the top tier gets too high above the populaces, it will equalize eventually. Why not begin with a new wave of social projects that does not leave the historically marginalized and the unfortunate in the cold?

We have an inefficient, unequal, shitty health care system that needs an overhaul. Insurance companies rape and pillage. Docs give away services. Primary care nurses have to spend their days calling in preauth's for medications. Patients get treated by overwhelmed and overloaded docs. Nothing works here. What are we trying to preserve?

Why the f@ck are we all afraid to change?

Wall street just ran people into the ground. Their savings, their retirements, their homes... Why trust health care to the same people? Why corporate care and overpaid CEOs? The government may not be perfect but 1 system, social equality, and money spent on people instead of battling with health insurance companies sounds like a good plan from where I sit as a humanist, future doctor, and social liberal.

Please pardon the rant grammar, I need to skip the proofreading and get back to studying."

7

Feisty Librarian ?

2008-10-01T23:00:00.007-04:00

So, I was watching this video of McCain that the AP has deemed sarcastic and irritable and all I could pay attention to was the giant "Abortion" Book just to his left ear. Did a feisty librarian place this book in a strategic location to make a point? McCain is commenting on Palin with an Abortion book next to his head. Just seems a little fishy.

Word to that librarian.

Also, notice a Sacrilege book on his right? I won't go there.

You heard it here first people.

ps. use the "enlarge" feature on the player to see the book more clearly.

Why bother?

2008-09-29T12:51:00.003-04:00

Well, the final neuro test went alright. It was hard and I feel sleep deprived, fat, and grumpy but another hoop has been jumped threw.

Saw this in an email today and sort of made me wonder, why bother?! If one can lead the free world with sub-par grades, random college courses, and a beauty pageant history, I could surely be a doctor by achieving just the bare minimum grades right? Unforuntely, I am just not built like that. Wish I was.

Candidate Educations:

Obama:
Occidental College - Two years.
Columbia University - B.A. political science with a specialization in international relations.
Harvard - Juris Doctor (J.D.) Magna Cum Laude

& Biden:
University of Delaware - B.A. in history and B.A. in political science.
Syracuse University College of Law - Juris Doctor (J.D.)

vs.

McCain:
United States Naval Academy - Class rank 894out of 899 (meaning that, like George Bush, McCain was at the bottom of his class)

Palin:
Hawaii Pacific University - 1 semester
North Idaho College - 2 semesters - general study
University of Idaho - 2 semesters - journalism
Matanuska-Susitna College - 1 semester
University of Idaho - 3 semesters - B.A. in journalism

Now, which team are you going to hire to lead the most influential nation in the world?

7

Cancer

2008-09-29T02:58:00.004-04:00

I am totally hacking this from another Medblog but I really thought these pictures were amazing so I am posting the link here as well.

It is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

So sad that some of these kids hardly had a chance to live. Cancer truly is evil.

Well...it is 3am and I have a test at 8am so I better finish up here and get some zzzzzzz

As a sidenote: I have a friend who has been working as a democratic campaign organizer in the northeast. He was invited to go on a bike ride with John Kerry. THis kid is 28 and he is what 60? Kerry crushed him like a little bug. I guess the ol' man can ride. (see pics)

Hurricane?

2008-09-28T00:06:00.003-04:00

Could a Hurricane save me from my inevitable destruction on Monday's Neuro exam? What luck!

Let the oceans rise!

(I am behind on Neuro-pharm)

R.I.P

2008-09-27T11:26:00.001-04:00

R.I.P

More.

Debate!

2008-09-26T22:40:00.012-04:00

That presidential debate sucked!

Put these guys to sleep:

McCain: "I would start a spending freeze except for the military, veteran affairs, and existing entitlement programs."

Umm dude. The country still needs social services. Mental health, health care, poverty programs, and education are important. Not only that, but we need many of these EXPANDED. Why is it so hard to believe that money spent on our citizens is some of the best spent money? Why keep funding shitty wars if we are financially strapped? You can't have a conservative view of birth control/abortion issues and then have families with 5 plus kids that are not supported by our government if needed. Having a girlfriend who is a therapist working for a government funded mental health group, I am scared of McCain's views on government spending and social programs. He sucks. And he is really a robot.

Voters against robot-rule!

I made this! Talent...

I had a chat with my next door neighbor, a McCain supporter now that hillary is out of the running, and here is what she had to say about Obama post debate! She would of chatted longer but she had to run as the 2 guys and the goat on the four wheeler wanted to start the orgy!

if no sound or not working;
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=3be_1222409488
god, there are a lot of idiots out there voting.

Lyme Disease

2008-09-26T18:12:00.016-04:00

Well, the pups got diagnosed with Lyme Disease the other day (Not Lyme's! That was a pet peeve of our BacT professor last year.)

This is a serious bumma dude! It increases their chances of arthritis and other bs that I don't want them to have to experience nor me pay for...

They have started the brutally long 4 week antibiotic treatment.

I am currently hammering through a disease index for a neuro pathology exam on monday. I think I got a Lewy body stuck up in my cranium.

A pic of pumpkin Maji cool chillin on a rainy, study day:

A pic of a crazy ass chicken from a local fair last weekend:

My new skateboard! Sic!

Random Badass pic, african with pet hyena:

Osteopathic Discrimination

2008-09-18T23:01:00.008-04:00

Got this little ditty of an email today....

"Recently, the AOA has been contacted by members experiencing discrimination in hospitals in Boise, Idaho (St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center and St Luke's Boise Medical Center) and North Carolina (Carolinas Medical Center and Moore Regional Health Center). These hospitals and health systems have denied hospital privileges to DOs with osteopathic training and board certification, rather than ACGME/ABMS credentials.

The AOA is here to help educate health care facilities about osteopathic medical education to ensure that DOs are treated fairly. If you are currently experiencing discrimination or have experienced discrimination in the past regarding hospital privileges, whether at the hospitals listed above or elsewhere, please contact the AOA....

The AOA is committed to protecting DOs' practice rights. "

Frankly, I think this kind of discrimination is bullsh@t. As a hard working Osteopathic medical student, I find this highly offensive. D.O.'s are playing a critical role in supplying not only this country, but the world, with highly qualified, well trained physicians. We took the same stinking MCAT and challenging college courses and subjected ourselves to the same brutal admissions process as M.D. students.

We also learn the exact same things as M.D. medical students plus some. Want to come by and visit my classroom for a day, Mr. Discriminator? Our school year is longer. My days in the class (8-4 or 8-5 often) are long and vigorous. I have an extra thousand plus hours in hands on manipulative treatment and anatomical study. Our program is 4 years plus residency (3-7). I will take both the COMLEX and still kick ass on your little USMLE as well. I will likely, due to location issues, work at an allopathic EM residency. So whats the deal? We can do the same things as M.D.s, we can practice is over 55 countries, and we will constitute 1 out of every 5 U.S. physicians by 2020. So please, NC and ID hospitals, spare me the elitist M.D. "good ol' boy" mentality because, I can tell you right now, I am going to be an awesome Osteopathic EM physician and you better believe I am coming to a hospital near you, maybe even yours.

oh, and yes, I am taking on the same $380,000 in debt to become a doctor. A little respect please.

7

ps. I was working in a highly respected, regional level 1 EM dept. last week and there were an 1:1 ratio between D.O.s and M.D.s at the time. Guess what? They were all doing a good job.

I'm so new age hip.

2008-09-17T23:20:00.004-04:00

On my way back from a meeting with the State EMS bigwigs (which was way cool), I stopped by my favorite cafe in my local favorite city (keeping it vague here). I was looking around at all the tattooed young folks, coffee sippin' poetry readers, guitar players, bike commuters, and couples of all shapes, sizes, and orientation. Then, I looked to the one place on the wall that I had never really thought to look in the past (this section of wall is not right next to all the art) and there it hung...

The plaque entitled "______'s Best Lesbien Bar and Wifi Hotspot" given out by a local magazine.

And that's when it clicked...

I am so god damn hip.

Comments? Thoughts?

Are you hip?

Hold THE PHONE. HOLY FUCK.

2008-09-13T22:30:00.005-04:00

NPR's World Cafe introduced me to one of the finest talents on the planet tonight.

Her name is Jessica Lea Mayfield. She is out of control excellent and rivals some of favorites, Cat Power, Iron and Wine, Jolie Holland, etc. She is only 18!

I just downloaded her Album White Lies off itunes (glad they had it) and the best part is that she has a new album coming out Sept 16th so I wont have to wait to get a second fix.

CHeck her out. Cause everyone needs music.
http://www.myspace.com/jlmayfield

I Wish I knew how to embed tracks on here because you guys would be in for a treat.
This is the best find I have had in a while.

another track off the newer album, not as kick ass but thought I would pass it on...
http://www.irockcleveland.com/tunes/KissMeAgain.mp3

Register to Vote

2008-09-13T22:04:00.001-04:00

Hey everyone,

If you are at like me you have moved 16 times since the last election. I found this website very easy to register to vote and even check if I had already done so. This works regardless of your party but please disregard this resource if you were planning on voting for autobot McCain, his joke of a VP running mate, and more war ;)

http://www.voteforchange.com/index_obama.php

7

Eaten by the Wolf Pack

2008-09-12T15:54:00.007-04:00

=

Palin makes me sick. SHE WILL LEAD TO WAR.
So you are Pro-war, pro-georgia/isreal, pro-bush, just got a passport, think you know about russia because you can see it from your home coast, focused on "terrorism", pro-drilling, and deny anti-climate change Mrs. Palin?
Wooaaaaa, you do sound like a real reformer, change-focused vp candidate. Or just george bush with tits and stupid ass glasses.
Thats enough for now. rant off.

http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=5783816

WOMEN AGAINST PALIN!
http//www.womenagainstsarahpalin.org/

http://womenagainstsarahpalin.blogspot.com/

Pombe

2008-09-12T00:53:00.003-04:00

is doing well!

Random Musings and News

2008-09-11T02:18:00.010-04:00

I survived my 2nd of 3 neuro tests. It was the hardest test I have taken since entering medical school. The shear knowledge you need to acquire just to answer some of these questions is crazy. I have been in school just a month since second year started and I am deep in it. Battling it through and pushing myself...

As a younger lad, I was a competitive ski racer. I spent YEARS racing downhill in freezing conditions and training all winter and summer (glaciers) long to battle the elements, my mind, my competitors, the mountain....if I can contribute any of my success thus far in medical school to anything, it would be my 20 years competitive ski racing. I can deprive myself of sleep, battle through anxiety, endure physical and mental pain, and push myself when needed. I really can't imagine where I would be without these experiences.

In other news, I made one of my first financial contributions to a political candidate. After Obama lost 5-10 points this week, I decided to contribute to his campaign. I CANNOT sit here and watch as the autobot McCain and his useless bitch brainwash the country. America can be so stupid. I sure hope we can initiate some positive energy and progressive programs for environmental health, human health, jobs, and peace in the upcoming presidency. I just don't see an old, white male with 20 years of political experience in Washington and some extreme conservative vp doing any of these things.

I liked this video.

...not only for its substance but for its aura. Its passion. I don't think there is passion in the republican party. I think there is an agenda of fear. An agenda of maintaining a status quo. Its scary to think there are so many of us who want the world to freeze. For social progress to halt. I doubt McCain would campaign on a racist, anti-black platform in this day and age but I bet he would of 80 years ago. Also, I think the republicans will be backpeddling on social issues such as gay rights in 10 years. Soon it will be socially unacceptable and political suicide to speak of unequal marriage rights and to belong to chruches that oppress and kill.

I spent the evening with some friends who are heading to India for 2 years to do some powerful and amazing work. They will be working on PhD dissertations and working for think tank NGOs to help India and the world. Sometimes, actually all them time, I wish we had academics, social theorists, and/or philosophers running our countries instead of money bag rich kids and lawyers. It is no mystery that the rest of the world would love to see a conscientious, intellectual leader in the whitehouse. If we are going to live in a world with billions of other people, I believe we should value their opinions on this important presidential race as well.

I hit a mild depression tonight. Depression is a common word these days and I don't mean "depression" in your prozac commerical kind of way but as in a dip in the road kind of way. I felt down and I know the wine I had drank contributed. One good thing resulted though. Iron and Wine tixs. I was listening to this epic group and decided that it was time to throw down the cash to finally see them.
nov 15th. Mass. I will be there.
http://www.ironandwine.com/tour/

unlike real depression, there is a certain comfort in my ability to feel emotions such as sadness so intensely. Means I am not an autobot yet.

Lastly, throw some good vibes out to my bestest buddy, Pombe, my dog who will be in surgery in the morning.

Giving (edit: 2 posts for 1!)

2008-09-06T20:06:00.014-04:00

A cool thing happened today.

For the past month my upstairs neighbor has been scraping to get by due to recently being laid off. He is a nice man and appears to always be looking for a job or walking somewhere to investigate opportunities (he has no car). I truly believe he has come under hard times because of a stumbling economy and a lack of skilled training.

It appears many are having the same trouble.

Anyhow, my girlfriend and I have been occasionally providing him with tomatoes from our potted plants, bread, a few dollars, meat, and an occasional brew (essential during a down time!).

So today I was headed up there to give him a few of the aforementioned items when I was caught by another neighbor as I exited my apartment. This neighbor, an old woman with an accent of some sort, and her husband live in the house next door and have lived there for about 50 years. They are truly some of the nicest people I have encountered since returning to the northeast. She is always yelling over to us and keeping up on our lives and news. She also likes to scorn me for riding my motorcycle since her own son was paralyzed riding an old crotchrocket of sorts.Well, in her hands she appeared with 2 nice lobsters that she wanted to give my girlfriend and me. To say the least, I was taken back as I have only had 1 since my arrival on the eastcoast over a year ago due to their cost.

I thanked her and all I could think was, "what goes around, comes around." I feel like the universe knew we were sharing (even though I am floating on loan money right now) and that she (both the universe and my neighbor)had reciprocated. It was an unprovoked, kind gesture and I appreciated it. I ate lobster, local corn, and a glass of red wine as I sat studying Neuro.

Without ruining this nice experience with too much political thought, I want to briefly mention that I believe their are too many Americans who don't want to help each other out. Everyone bitches about taxes, programs, bureaucracy, large government but in my mind these societal elements are essential to building a society where people's basic human needs are met: food, shelter, health care, and opportunities to grow. The republicans are building yet another political platform on reduced taxes, cut programs, and selfish ideology. I watched one woman speak at the DNC who claimed to have been a lifelong republican until a year ago when she came onto hardtimes because of joblessness and health issues. Shee could not pay her bills or get the medicine she needed. Her statement was, "I can't afford another 4 years with a republican in the Whitehouse." My question to her is,"where were you when you had the funds and your fellow citizens were the ones that needed your tax dollars, government programs, and health care aid?"

What goes around, comes around. And I don't mean it in the revenge kind of way!

Remember to share and elect the most progressive, socially minded politicians you can find on your national and local ballets.

edit:
ok, I am going to taint this post with politics after all.

listen to this Michael Moore interview on Larry King Live:
They have two quick clips of McCain and Obama on healthcare and then he says some interesting things that echo my post above: GO TO minute 19 sec 17.

in case you dont see the embedded video click here

I also liked how M.M. commented that Obama's plans are not perfect either.

"His (Obama's) plan still leaves insurance companies at the table. Ah...they should ont be anywhere, private-profit making companies, around a universal healthcare plan b/c they are there to make a profit. We whould never talk about profit when we are talking about helping people that are sick."
Min 22 sec 10

As a medical student who is taking on about $350,000 worth of debt to go to school, universal healthcare is a huge gamble for my professional life and career. But...I still support the idea of attempting to construct such a system in which insurance companies have no hand in determining how one gets care. I don't understand, as a non-healthcare professional, why universal healthcare would not be on one's list of things they would like to see happen in short order.

Neuro

2008-09-06T12:58:00.003-04:00

Neuro is definitely a bitch. The more I study, the more I realize we are just encountering the tip of a very large iceberg. Test on Monday and once again I am feeling a little "special" today.

Love IT

2008-09-04T10:51:00.002-04:00

karma.

Dennys

2008-09-02T09:39:00.001-04:00

See, I told you people living the dream love Denny's.

The Republican ladies are driving me crazy.

2008-08-31T00:34:00.005-04:00

Video Here
This is really McCain's pick? Thanks for shooting yourself in the foot dude.

Does this mean I can still live my lifelong dream of being a sports illustrated swim suit model? I mean if this woman, Sarah Palin, can be McCain's pick for VP after a couple years of political experience, shit, I could probably throw on a g-string and be on the cover of SI in no time.

Hockey mom in the Whitehouse. Fucking great.

And please don't give me any crap about how her story is merely symbolic of the "The American Dream" and how she is living it and is all for it. I have heard that jargon so many times in the last week (including the Dem convention) that it makes me nauseous just to hear the phrase. To me it screams over-consumption, oppression, ignorance, blindness, and idiocy. The American Dream has been narrowed down to being able to have 5 kids and still afford to feed them denny's and provide them with ample Flatscreen TV time. This country is heading in the wrong direction and everyone just wants to have the things that the people at the top, the ones leading us in the wrong direction, have tucked in their 10,000 sq ft homes. It is a sad state. And if you do support "the dream", it will surely not be coming to your home town with Republicans like Palin, capitalist extraordinaire, sitting in the White House. Keep the rich, rich and the poor, poor.

This woman stands against woman's rights, is pro-gun, anti-gay, pro-drilling, and is rumored to be sympathetic to the creationist movements within school systems. Sounds like an idiot to me.

Ohhh? This is a medblog? Sorry. Lets quickly nab a healthcare clip from M.D.O.D.'s positive review of this wonderful VP candidate.

"On healthcare: “I support flexibility in government regulations that allow competition in health care that is needed, and is proven to be good for the consumer, which will drive down health care costs and reduce the need for government subsidies.”"

On the economy: “I am a conservative Republican, a firm believer in free market capitalism. A free market system allows all parties to compete, which ensures the best and most competitive project emerges, and ensures a fair, democratic process.”
http://docsontheweb.blogspot.com/2008/08/i-think-im-in-love.html#links

Yeah, cause capitalism is really working out in the healthcare field. I personally love my insurance company. They never screw me over. Oh. And the millions of uninsured that can't even afford the crap I get to buy? Clearly market forces will help them out. Brillant MaCain/Palin. Sounds just like the Bush team.

And McCain's little lady.
Yeah, she was campaigning for daddy by heading over to Georgia for a little goodwill tour. Seriously, John, I don't mind another Cold War so that you can get elected. Really.
Why has he sent his lady friend over there?
Well religion and oil of course!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26396020/

John gives us a little history on how Georgia was one of the first Christian nations. Who cares?
Oh, and also it has massive oil pipelines.
Maybe Cindy and the Republicans can start another war over oil.

Is this a fricken joke? Are these people for real? This country now stands for

overdependence on oil without disregard or responsibility
international disapproval
fat people
ignorance
wars
shitty healthcare
environmental destruction.

yeah.
lovin' it

ps. neuroanantomy is going well. Having a little issue with sorting out all the Thalamus stuff but it will come. Lots of tracts rolling through the ol' "gateway to consciousness"

Post rant humor

2008-08-20T23:42:00.004-04:00

One of my classmates is now famous!
at

http://www.urbandictionary.com/

you can enter in any slang you may know. Well, lately bored and stressed classmates have been adding in stuff they have made up. One of them, a super cool gay dude in my med school class, had an experience a few weeks ago that inspired this new slang verbage.

click here

Death

2008-08-20T21:18:00.006-04:00

That did not last long as suspected.

Sad, but the child was likely to be brain dead....

sort of like the leaders of this country.

I can't believe these people are suppose to represent me. Why is it that we are so driven to put up walls, boundaries, defense systems? Answer: Fear. Inherent weakness and fear. A lack of depth in our communal abilities to think. To suppress and reason through our fears. The more walls we build, the more others have a reason to try and bring them down.

Now, we have signed a deal to put up a missile defense system in Poland. For what? So we can go to war with Russia? Great, lets ruin relations with Russia over prophylactic, unnecessary, violent and costly weapon systems. That way, when they get pissed we can actually have a reason to use them.

news link

Like we would allow a new missile system 120 miles from our border? Of course Russia has the right to question this.

I am against it all. Lets find the biggest god damn hippy and get him/her in office ASAP.

Peace. Those that don't feel it are the fearful ones.

back from the dead

2008-08-18T15:13:00.002-04:00

amazing

Intentions

2008-08-18T01:10:00.002-04:00

I have this weird thing going on where I think about doing certain things over and over but never actually convince myself to take the time to do these things. I have been meaning to catch up with my best friends for months, been meaning to blog here since the end of the school year, to whittle down my to-do lists, and to call my long lost sister. But hey, I've been burnt.

Intentions: got a lot of them but have not been acting on a whole lot of them. Medical school seems to drain the life out of me at times. Lately, I have been trying to convince myself that this is just how it has to be right now and that I need to just accept this. No money to travel, no time to visit friends, no western geography to play and conquer, and too much neuroanatomy to learn. Even this summer seems to have been focused on this medical school process and I am told that this was my last summer "off" as there are boards and clinicals in the upcoming summer months.

My ladyfriend has tried to drill the verb "should" out of my vocabulary. This is in an effort to stay in the moment, to stay balanced and healthy, and to not to commit to more than you are capable of....
our fridge even has a small piece of paper on it that reads,
"I am relaxed and centered. I have plenty of time for everything."

I think this is a good lesson. I still think I need to act on some of these intentions as I spend more time thinking about them than they would take to accomplish.

Looks like I will start blogging a little more again.
cheers

Drunk on medical trivia

2008-05-22T23:35:00.002-04:00

How I feel right now.

stupid. incapable. clumsy. Only wish it was for the same reasons as this guy.

insightful, I know. Your welcome.

1 day left.

And now, an email from my wonderful ladyfriend....

2008-05-21T20:02:00.006-04:00

My girlfriend came home a bit disgruntled at lunchtime while I was studying. She is a counselor at a nonprofit, mental health center. I guess she sorted it out.Here is her email to me and a couple friends:

Today was my adventure on the ACT team. (ACT is designed for our toughest,most challenging clients.) Adventure Wednesdays is what I should call it. I had an initially challenging day. I talked to the ACT team supervisor at the end of it. I had told her I was struggling with giving a shit, how much money is wasted on people, that we are crippling clients and making them dependent. I was on my own high horse of what I thought would be better. She smiled and remarked that I must have needed my meditation time today (an APS group was in the room during the normal meditation wed. hour group I lead). As my supervisor left the office just now she handed me a book by the Buddhist nun Pema Chodron, a book she said she read when she was feeling a bit fried. And so I opened the book and this is what came to me from the page and I wanted to pass on the cleansing power:

"Acknowledge what is without judging it as right or wrong. Let it go and come back to the present moment. Whatever comes up, see what is without calling right or wrong.

Acknowledge it. See it clearly without judgment and let it go. Come back to the present moment. From now until the moment of you death, you could do this. As a way of becoming more compassionate toward yourself and towards others, as a way of becoming less dogmatic, prejudiced, determined to have your own way, absolutely sure that you are right and the other person is wrong, as a way to develop a sense of humor about the whole thing, to lighten up, you could do this. You could also begin to notice when ever you find yourself blaming others or justifying yourself. If you spent the rest of your life just noticing that and letting it be a way to uncover the silliness of the human condition- the tragic yet comic drama that we all continually buy into- you could develop a lot of wisdom and a lot of kindness as well as a great sense of humor."

Cheers to all of you in my very own drama, thanks for letting me play a small part in yours.

I wish you and myself open hearts as we continue living this moment, this day, this life.

2 days left. Can't decide if I want time to slow down or speed up!

2008-05-21T11:09:00.004-04:00

Can't wait to sleep more too. lack of sleep is not good.

How about 3 weeks worth of sleep deprivation?

Hope this does not happen to me on exam friday.

One 8 hour exam vs. me....then summer. ahh. breathe.

Jack Hammers and BacT

2008-05-17T10:33:00.006-04:00

Why is it that everyplace I go to jam for these finals is accompanied by large machinery and jackhammers? Can't a brother get some BacT in without repeated hammering? My school's library has been inundated with construction for the past 6 months so I escaped to my local public library. Guess what? There is a massive large beast of a backhoe with a 4 ft jackhammer breaking up the parking lot right out my window. I could probably high5 the guy from my seat if I wanted. AHHH! Can't the world just stop for a while so that this self-centered medical student can catch up and focus on his upcoming finals? It is not looking good at this point.

Oh, and what about studying at home? Even worse than jackhammers lately. My new upstairs "neighbor" at our apartment likes to come home after a long day of doing whatever it is that he does, and blast "soft and easy"classics really loud for several hours. Awesome. I did not even know people actually liked this music. Well, he is a nice guy, so that's all that matters at this point.

Enough whining.

NOW you tell me...

2008-05-10T15:37:00.005-04:00

Long time no bloggie.
Too busy with the wrap up of school and moving apartments. I will be blogging again soon.

Fun to be torturing myself for this...

and in honor of pathology and bacT I am having to study...

so great.

2 more weeks and year 1 is done. over. 25% done.
d

Stop Stealing Doctors!

2008-04-01T22:30:00.009-04:00

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oew-karr14mar14,0,3153798.story

I saw Ray Rickman, Co-Founder & President of the NGO Adopt A Doctor, speak today at my medical school about an interesting phenomenon: doctor stealing. Apparently, the U.S., Britain, Canada, and several other developed countries recruit doctors from poor countries to deal with their own doctor shortages, leaving practically no one to care for their home communities.

He (and his one other admin. volunteer) is trying to encourage foreign doctors from poor countries to stay in their home communities to take care of their local populations. He does this by sending them a small monthly stipend to lift the doctors, themselves, out of poverty so they have the energy and willpower to stay home and work hard for the sick. Many of these doctors are foreign trained and are able to leave at anytime to work in other countries and increase their income from around $800/year to over $100,000/year abroad. The doctors that choose to stay are amazing people and choose to serve their people, despite living in poverty with their families. Adopt A Doctor merely supplements their meager income in exchange for a contractual agreement to stay in their home communities for 7 years. Last year, the organization only spent $1000 on admin costs so you can be assured that most of the money you donate will go straight to these doctors.

Learn more and consider donating to Adopt A Doctor @ http://www.adoptadoctor.org/
or contact me as we are doing a fundraiser.

One other solution to this problem is ensuring that the United States has enough medical school spots to fullfill its own needs and meet the number of residency slots we have available....

Wait?! What?! Thats what Osteopathic schools around the country are doing right now? New schools? Expanding the number of doctors and emphasizing primary care? Well, who knew...

More articles:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/27/international/27brain.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/325/7355/65/a

A Vivid and Unique Explaination of A Stroke

2008-03-31T23:08:00.005-04:00

Yes, Yes the slimfast challenge is going well. I had to hide under the stairs to drink it at school today so no one would see me. So embarrassing.

This video is a talk given by neuroanatomist Jill Bolt Taylor. She describes, in amazing detail and with great insight, her experience going through a stroke. Pretty cool if you take them time to listen. (A little long but I think the end gets real interesting). I like that, even as a neuroanatomist, she still ties her experience into a greater context of energy, spirituality, transition, and the world today.

http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/229

"One morning, a blood vessel in Jill Bolte Taylor's brain exploded. As a brain scientist, she realized she had a ringside seat to her own stroke. She watched as her brain functions shut down one by one: motion, speech, memory, self-awareness ...
Amazed to find herself alive, Taylor spent eight years recovering her ability to think, walk and talk. She has become a spokesperson for stroke recovery and for the possibility of coming back from brain injury stronger than before. In her case, although the stroke damaged the left side of her brain, her recovery unleashed a torrent of creative energy from her right. From her home base in Indiana, she now travels the country on behalf of the Harvard Brain Bank as the "Singin' Scientist."

Confesssion of a fat boy and the slimfast challenge.

2008-03-28T12:30:00.005-04:00

So, I knew I was getting a little hefty. It has been a long winter with mostly sitting in class from 8am-4pm for excercise and then studying into the night. I get a fair amount of yoga in during the week but that has not been cutting it. Plus, I am down to about 3 days of skiing this winter from the norm of around 80-100.

So, I finally sacked up and got on the scale three days ago. 198! AHHH. I was down to 176 in Colorado, my all time low, just a winter ago. (My high was 210 in college when I was weight lifting and training for my collegiate sport a lot). What happened to me? Medical school happened. Apparently, this is a concern for my medical school colleauges as well.
http://lonecoyote11.blogspot.com/2008/03/you-are-what-you-eat.html

The funny thing is that I am not really that fat. Being big already (6'2" and medium build muscle-wise), an extra 20 pounds sort of disperses on you. I can still run 6 min miles, ski skin all day, and do 1.5 hrs of hot yoga with no trouble but I just got this extra layer! The other thing is that I actually eat well. I cook with my girlfriend and I avoid processed foods 99% of the time. I think what is really getting to me are the stress hormones, lack of sleep, and decreased excercise, not an excess of food.

So the plan. I will be 175 for summer so I feel lean and mean for getting right back on the mtn. bike and enjoying shirtless days. How? Well, coming from someone who was a veghead for 14 years, straightedge for 6, and an competitive athelete for 20, this is going to sound lamo, but I started slimfast. Mostly as an experiment. Yah, an experiment for my future obese clients, thats it. One shake for breakfast, one for lunch, and then a small dinner. The plan here is to simply reduce the number of calories I take in during one day. When I decided to try this after the 198 weigh in, I went to the grocery store so I would not let the lameness of the plan deter me. I asked the grocery store lady where they were as I could not find them for the life of me.

"Ummm. Excuse me mam? But, do you know where the slimfast shakes are? My mom wanted me to pick up a few cases for her. She is a little big."

So, off I went with 36 slim fast shakes (18 days worth) to start the medical school slimfast challenge. Amazingly, they sustain me for quite a while. I have one for breakfast and I am not hungry till lunch. I have one at lunch and I am hungry just before dinner! What do they put in these things? Crack? Nicotine? Meth? I dont care at this point. Lose the lb's and then I will be back to good food, just smaller portions.

The main thing I am missing is my glass of wine or 1-2 beers/night. BOOO! I know these are a classic useless calorie intake for me while I study but I love a little ETOH after sitting in class all day long.Ohh, well. Good to give that habit a break as well.

Weight in:
3-26 198
3-27 am:195, pm: 193
3-28 am:192, pm?

Yeah, loss of water weight and lower amount of food going through my bowels is what is going on here but hell, I will be into th 180s in no time.

Stay updated on the slimfast fat boy challege!

This Can Happen? Horrible. Who Knew? Glad I never had a pool.

2008-03-21T14:04:00.004-04:00

http://www.ketv.com/news/15664664/detail.html

On a happier note. Spring break starts today. More like super fast catch up study session starts today. Breaks hold new value these days.

Might write something interesting soon. Hang in there.

BTW, WTF?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/03/13/wtoilet113.xml

Perspective

2008-03-17T16:18:00.002-04:00

Ahhh. I am back from a 4 day backcountry ski trip into the mountains. Time in the mountains is always a spiritual and emotional journey for me. It gives me perspective on life. On this trip, it put my medical education back were it belongs: as part of my path rather than a life consuming monster that defines me. Sometimes you got to shove the beast back under the bed.

opps...Time to catch up on work, got to go ;)

Violence

2008-03-10T20:17:00.006-04:00

Tonight I am sitting in a cafe reading about Type 2 Diabetes. Or trying to....there are 3 teenagers next to me yelling and pointing to their computer screens. Each one has their own separate war game going on.

"ahhh! Joe, he just blew up!" "I shot him with a rocket."
"That was sweet."
on and on....

This love of violence is becoming absurd. I will admit that some video games (limited) penetrated my adolescent years as well, but come on....they are getting worse. This level of violence, in my opinion, all stems from shitty, violent world leaders. Like Bush. Leaders should outright reject violence, not pursue it. I wonder what the world would be like if each country committed to electing a peace activist as leader? There would still be problems, inequality, conflict, and elements of violence but we would not resort to war and violence so quickly and with such pleasure.

I was looking through a Rolling Stones magazine on my lunch break in the library today just trying to read up on good 'ol Jack Johnson: king of chillness and cool. Instead, I wandered upon a picture of two American soldiers proudly and laughingly displaying the decapitated head of an ALLY. Yes, someone who had collaborated with them.
(I had a hard time finding the picture on the web but if you want to see it, the picture is on this blog entry:
http://oldhickorysweblog.blogspot.com/2008/02/nir-rosen-on-iraq-war.html
and no, it is not photoshopped as accused by the conservative comments)

I felt sick. The physical image of a body less head made me feel sick. My doctor persona became defensive. How can this make you feel ill? Are you not trying to become a EM doc or maybe even a surgeon?

Later after class, I entered the cadaver lab to start working on some spines. I recently started a new job dissecting on my spare time, partly for a little cash but mostly to secure a job working over the summer in the anatomy lab. Next to me, my classmate was working on a decapitated man. I took the time to look at the corpse, the person. I could look right into his jugular veins descending into his unopened thoracic cavity, the severed nerves, and the sliced vertebra and muscles...

and then it hit me. It was not the decapitated head that had stirred my guts earlier in the day, it was just the shear level of violence, evil, and terror insinuated. This was an obvious betrayal, a disgust, a representation of why we are hated all over the world. The man in the picture died in one of the worse possible ways. And we laugh in amusement. On the other hand, the man without a head in front of me had donated his body out of love and for the sake of science and helping others.

It was not the bodies or the gore after all. It was simply the intentions associated with each decapitated human.

I can still be Juvenile!

2008-03-09T18:46:00.013-04:00

I am really loving my Osteopathic medicine education. Not only do we learn what the Allopathic folks (M.D.s) get to but we also learn some great hands-on techniques that only add to our bags of tricks when treating patients. For those of you who still don't know what an Osteopathic Physician is in the United States I refer you to the wonderful wikipedia!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osteopathic_medicine

Osteopathic medicine is not for all doctors, but it works well with my personality, philosophies, and goals. Besides, why not add in a little holistic, hands-on care when the drugs seem to be filled with issues of late.

See:
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=expensive-sugar-pills-wor
I mean 80% pain relief with sugar pills? Only the expensive ones? Does America even know what pain is anymore?! Shows how people seem to think that today's pills have all the answers.

See:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7263494.stm
yummy...pills! They make me feel better! Or do they?

See:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2004-10-12-vioxx-cover_x.htm
Ummm. Sometimes the pills just kill you!

Don't get me wrong. I understand the value of drugs in Medicine and will likely spend more time prescribing them than doing manipulations, but there is something to be said for actually touching your patient and maintaining a sense of simplicity in practice when warrented.

Anyhow...enough seriousness. The actual objective of this post was to point out some of the hilarious manipulations and treatments I have come across in my first year of school. They bring out the immature teenager in all of us during lab time.

"Hey man! You better be quiet or I am going to give you the obturator!"
"Hey Mike, I have not gotten to practice the ischial tube spread in a while, do you mind bending over?"

While we learn several modalities in our first year, including HVLA (high velocity low amplitude/ "cracking"), muscle energy, soft tissue, and balance ligamentous tension, the common culprit is a treatment called "Counterstrain".

In all fairness, this treatment is a pretty amazing accumulation of knowledge and works quite well. Counterstain works to address somatic dysfunctions that result in "tenderpoints", most commonly found in muscle bellies or muscle attachments. The physician first identifies the point and then positions the patient to maximally relieve the discomfort. The physician holds the patient in the maximally relaxed position and then slowly returns the passive patient to a neutral body position. The physiological basis for this is quite interesting, however I will not address that here. (See Figure 1. below)

This maneuvering puts both the patient and physician into some pretty awkward and funny positions. Hands also end up in interesting places. You get to know your classmates well.

SOME OF THE BEST...

Figure 2. My favorite. The obturator. The obturator internus is a small muscle under your gluteal muscles that helps you laterally rotate your hip. Sometimes it gets sore. Treatment: Well, look for yourself.

Figure 3. The Anterior Upper Thoracic Tenderpoints. Aka, the Boob grab.

Figure 4. The Adductor Treatment. Aka: the testicular flick.

Figure 5. The infraorbital tenderpoint. AKA: the smother.

Figure 6. Not counterstain but a great Tx regardless. The ischial spread.

So rest easy. Know that for every ache, sore, and dysfunction you have, we Osteopathic physicians have a treatment.

By the way, anyone want to volunteer to be a practice patient...?

Still trying to figure out how I would not get sued when working in a ER using these particular techniques.

dad

2008-02-20T22:57:00.003-05:00

Dad-
Come on man! I am anonymous on my little blog. No one is going to know your son has a snake tattoo. I promise :)

well, maybe GW and his patriot friends. But most people won't!

love
Bob Ballzitch

awesome

2008-02-20T22:43:00.004-05:00

Well 3 practicals down in two days....just a block exam for 5 classes on friday left before I can breathe...

I was taking a 5 min internet blog break to refresh and well, this post refreshed me.

http://emphysician.blogspot.com/2008/02/groove.html

Awesome. Emergency medicine with a balanced lifestyle is right up my alley. I always planned on trying to make something like this happen but it is nice to know it can happen outside my dream world at night. I mean facials bimonthly? ;) Seriously, this job is going to kick ass.

I promise, to all my readers (including all 2 of us), that I will come up with some original stuff after these exams and not just link to others' postings.

I am starting to realize that all the important issues are already being discussed at length on many a doctor blog so pardon me if I don't restart a debate on the healthcare system, drugseekers, tort reform, or EMTALA (Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act) anytime too soon. I will be referring though b/c there is a lot of info out there which I am just discovering and it is all really important in the context of how screwed up our healthcare system is right now.

peacy weacy
d

Force Feeding and the Toll

2008-02-15T23:29:00.007-05:00

Man...

I have just been force feeding information down my throat since August. Besides Christmas break, I have not really let my guard down around school and studying at all and it wears on me. The school I am attending is heavy on class time so we spend most days in class from 8-5 or 8-3pm and then it is off to the races to try and learn as much as you can before bed at 1-2am.

It is crazy how much we are required to learn and assimilate in such a short period of time. Not really my style and I can only hope that I am retaining a 1/3 of it in the long run. Don't ask me all the muscles in the pelvic diaphragm please! In college I tended to opt for the 3 classes (w/labs) at a time gig and that was sweet because, by the end, you knew everything. People taking 5 classes in college always just skimmed the surface of what they were studying...but now, it is 6+ classes AND you need to know it all. Brutal man.

The first indicator that school was taking a toll on me was my hospitalization for atypical mycoplasmic pneumonia in October, towards the end of our intensive non-hold bards Anatomy course. It all started with intensely painful occipital headaches, an inability to sleep, and night sweats. When I went to the doctor he thought I could of had a brain bleed, so I got a head CT which was negative. Eventually, I ended up in the hospital ER with extreme dehydration, fatigue, and migraines and I was diagnosed with pneumonia after a chest x-ray.

I had never been sick before and during my 6 day hospitalization I got a good lesson in how much it sucks to be sick. To be a patient. To be stuck in the arms with needles during the middle of the night. To require hits of dilaudid so my brain would not explode. To poop blood (still don't know what was going on with that). And now to deal with the financial fallout...even with insurance (bastards) my bill is likely to exceed $11,000. Ummm. yeah. I got to admit, it was a great learning experience but I don't think I would do it again.

Even now my body feels transformed by this intense routine. Reduced power. Reduced immunity to sickness. Fatigue. Well, maybe just cause it is 12 am on a Saturday morning and I am reading about Fifth Disease but you get the point.

The lack of skiing is definitely weighing on me as I have spent a majority of my life on snow 100+ days/yr and the med school lifestyle is quite the change. No more PBR and powder.

Word to my homies getting the pow. I'll catch up with you in 7. d

Happy Valentine's Day!

2008-02-14T11:13:00.001-05:00

M.D.O.D.: Happy Valentine's Day!

Check out this case for Valentine’s Day. This is why I love medical blogs. I can only aspire for such greatness. Also, need just a little more clinical time before things like this happen...

warning: interesting case not suitable for all.
d

First Death

2008-02-14T02:34:00.005-05:00

Bit tired of studying histology so the procrastination continues....
First Death.

So, I had my first emergency room preceptorship last week and while most of it was fairly familiar after working as a medical assistant and addictions counselor for several years, one part was not. I witnessed my first death. At the above aforementioned jobs, the people DT'ing, stroking out, or having heart attacks all got lugged off to the hospital just in time. Good for them by all means, but it always left me wondering what it would be like to actually witness their passings. A little morbid I know...but, I think most medical students are a bit intrigued by death and dying. In fact, part of the problem with our healthcare system is that we (really them-can't really pull that card yet), as doctors, are focused on the treatments, procedures, and drama surrounding death while we often fail to focus on the preventative measures that could of helped these patients long before.

Anyhow...the passing. It was sad. This 65 yo woman came by local ambulance, nonemergent, with c.c. of mid-back pain accompanied by fatigue and weakness. She was pleasant, alert, and in no acute distress. She had some atrial fibrillation which she reported that she had had since a young age but the rest of her EKG looked fine. I witnessed the extremely short physical and hx taken by the ER doc and labs were ordered and the decision was made to admit her because she could not support her own weight. The doc was not too worried about her though, no major problems, just needed a tune up in the ol' hospital. We ran around attending to other patients until we took a break in the office, when all of a sudden a nurse yelled requesting a doctor. We ran in to find the patient going into ventricular failure and we were about to shock her when the hospitalist ran in behind us and announced that she was "DNR" (do not resuscitate). The doctor put down the paddles and within seconds the 10 people in the room cleared out.

I could not believe it. I was the only one left and all I wanted to do was witness the event. It was still occurring. The blood vessels in her cheeks still pounded as if her cardiac output was just fine, her eyes laid open gazing ahead, and every once in a while she would let out a gasp. After dancing around the issue/concept and working with very sick people for so long, I almost felt relieved to finally see death. The passing was marked with little care, no ritual, and with no one she knew next to her. Besides the mid-back pain (a viscero-somatic indicator of cardiac malfunction), there was little on her arrival that indicated to me, as a first year student, that this woman would be dead in 45 minutes.

mad dog

2008-02-14T01:59:00.002-05:00

First piece of sharing, robbed from andrew d.'s blog...

mad dog dana d. is getting it in patagonia

http://www.climbing.com/news/hotflashes/fitzroymassiftraverse08/

so kick ass

7

2008-02-14T00:38:00.005-05:00

7 years: The theoretical length of time before I become a physician. And it all started with a broken mirror on the very first day. no shit. Made me wonder and it definitely exacerbated my skeptism surrounding the endeavor ahead which was already at an all time high after leaving a life of working and playing in the mountains of Colorado and Wyoming to return east and commit the next 7 years to medicine.
So, why the blog? Well, this is a sort of self experiment. My feelings around starting this challenge are skeptism, embarrassment, wonder, and preemptive apologies. Firstly, I am a bit skeptical of writing here because I already spend enough time in front of the computer with my new student lifestyle. 9-5 classes not including study time- why spend more time thinking, writing, or reading? Good question, me asks. Maybe I should take all the time I could potentially invest here and put it towards being outside. I could stop this right now. I may, in fact, do just that. Hence the skeptism and the experimental status of this blog.
Secondly, I feel a bit embarrassed because, by blogging, I assume that I have something new and exciting to say...and really, I don't. At least not yet. Maybe this process will flush something out. And this thought goes right along with the apologetic feelings and wonder. Why would I write? I have never spent time writing or enjoyed reading nor am I particularly good with grammar. So...my apologies to you and myself if this falls through or wastes either of our precious time.
I often preach to my girlfriend how the internet is failing society. A) I believe it often takes away from our local community and distances us from real life encounters. I imagine bloggers everywhere holed up in their rooms, writing, and mean while, not looking their neighbor, friends, or lover in the face. I berate facebook, myspace, etc. etc. because there are so many surface relationships of no meaning or context. You sign on, throw up your favorite drinking picture (no pun intended) and wait for your long lost high school acquaintances to "friend" you. I had a friend at school tell me that people in our own class of only a 100 people had been "friending" her on the internet, but that these same people failed to say hi or look at her while walking down the hallway. Interesting. B) Who needs more complexity? People can't even handle everyday life anymore. Anxiety, depression, hopelessness... Maybe you just need to get off the damn computer and away from the TV set and go for a walk, heh? Maybe, a deep breath. C.) (no, med students, this is not another multiple choice question, I am just listing here…) c. where is the family time? Parents can't even weigh in on what is healthy for their children to watch and communicate about anymore. Google: rotten. Utube: gun. Online chat, make sure you can't look the person in the eye while you write to them. No wonder our society is only getting more violent. WARNING: I will contradict myself a 100 times on here by posting utube videos. I already know it, does not mean I agree with it though ;)
So again, why am I here on this page? Well, I want to keep in touch with friends. Vent. Share ideas. Post interesting articles and pictures. All while not getting "friended". Am I contributing to the downfall of mankind by blogging instead of bongo-ing with the hippies down the street, probably so. Wait...this town has no hippies, damn.
I doubt my posts about medical school will be much different than those of the other 1000 medical students that whine about the process, but I will try and accept that.
A random first post, but there it is.
d