Sponsored by the Letter Z

After traveling by air and ground for 12 hours to get back home following a visit to my mother's, I am sincerely exhausted.  So I will keep this brief... zzzz....

Back at ya, tomorrow when we return to our usually scheduled program.

I Hate Shopping

I don't know that I've ever admitted this in public, but I really hate shopping.  It's not the going out and getting things that bothers me... it's all the people crowding the aisles, grabbing clothes off the rack, the general chaos.  I only ever truly enjoyed grocery shopping when I was in medical school.  That's because I would be leaving the hospital at midnight or going in for an early start and would stop by the local grocery store which was open 24 hours.

There's something special about a clean, quiet store;  with only the workers moving about the aisles, stocking them.  Everything is straight and orderly.  For the most part, I could take my time and check out new products.  I could stand in an aisle and not worry about blocking someone with my cart while I debated brands of potato chips and soap.  And, my absolute most favorite thing to do.... I could do... I like leaving my cart of groceries at the beginning of the aisle, walking down the aisle to get whatever I need, and then walking back.  Granted I like going slowly up and down the aisles... but, the sheer convenience of leaving my cart behind is heavenly.

I especially don't like clothes shopping.  I'm a "know what I need, walk into the store, grab the item off the rack and head for the cash register" kinda girl.  I had a friend who I went shopping with one time.  She grabbed a pair of pants after deliberating for about 30 minutes as to what cut of pants she wanted;  front pocket, no pocket, pleated with pockets... uuggghh!  Then, she had to grab one size up and one size down from her usual size.  Then it was the parade from the dressing room to the mirror with each one.  Then back again for the next size.  Then back when the right size was established.  Don't even mention picking a different color in the same style because then the process repeated itself.  Just in case the sizes ran different between the two colors.

When I am home, I make my mom go to Walmart at 7 in the morning.  No crowds.  Clear aisles.  I almost feel like I have the whole store to myself.  Plus, since I wear scrubs to work every day, the only clothes I wear are usually, I am proud although maybe slightly embarrassed to say, from Old Navy.  Now that's a run in, grab my size and run out kinda store.  I like it.

Ultimas Semanas

Ooooh, it's getting so exciting!!  After all of these months, we're in the "ultimas semanas."  That means "final weeks" in Spanish.  If you remember a prior blog post back in May (wow time flies!), I had gotten my husband, my mom, and a co-worker involved in the daily dramatic adventures of Geronimo (the gorgeous Juan Soler) and Renata aka Regina (the lovely Silvia Navarro).

At that time, we didn't know if the couple would get together, then they did, then they broke up, then they got back together.  Now, an unexpected pregnancy and a dastardly suitor threaten their relationship.  And, we're in the "ultimas semanas!!"  Actually, I knew the end was drawing near.  I looked up the telenovela on Wikipedia and found out the air dates (while also trying to avert my eyes so I wouldn't mistakenly find out something and spoil the show), so I already knew the end date would be the last week of December.  But, I still can't believe the end is drawing near.

Not to sound cliche, but there's still so many loose ends to tie up.... what's going to happen to the evil mother and psycho office worker?  ...who's going to tell one of the minor actors he's dying of a brain tumor?  ... and how is the evil half-sister going to be punished?  Also, what's going to happen to this twin pregnancy?  They obviously can't have the babies born, so is the mother going to die, are the twins going to die, and if so, who's going to cause it?  Aarrgghh!  There are still so many question.

Well, it's going to be an exciting 5 weeks.  And, based on the fact that my prior blog post has gotten 3 times as many hits as all the others this year, I guess there's some interest out there in Enrique Iglesias, or maybe a lot of other women are as smitten with Juan Soler as I am... grrr....!

Betty and Veronica

I was saddened today when a friend posted on her blog about a death of a family member.  I say, and truly mean, friend even though I have never met her.  We met while blogging initially on AOL and then followed the group over to blogger.com.  It's amazing how fast three years can pass, and how much you can learn about someone by reading and commenting on each other's blogs.

We've never met, yet we know about each others' families (her kids, my cats), our jobs, our recent moves.  She's cheered my career from residency to now attending status, and I've sympathized with her pet's illness and occasional family dramas.  Her faith, through it all, has continued strong which is what attracted me to her blog in the first place.

I thank you for always commenting on my posts no matter how mundane I sometimes think they are... at least I know someone is reading them.  And, even though I don't always comment, I read each and every one of yours... my thoughts are with you and your family at this time.

The Late One

Trying to get this one in under the wire...

I love to teach.  I think I've mentioned that before.  It's not that I want to be a school teacher and do it on a daily basis, but I love working with medical students and residents sharing knowledge and experience.  That converted over to giving lectures to the paramedics and firemen during my residency. Now I present a monthly lecture to our nurses and EMS providers.

I think it's not just about the teaching.  I think it's the fun of playing with programs like Powerpoint and Keynote.  Especially Keynote.  Now, I consider myself a Powerpoint maven.  I could do things with the program that made lectures pop.  But, when I went to buy my Mac, the salesman gave me a brief demo of what could be done with Keynote.  WOW!  Not only did I fall in love with my MacBook and would marry it if I could, but Keynote would definitely be the illicit affair I would have.

After putting together a complex slide presentation for our residency graduation party, I now consider myself a Keynote savant.  This post is late because I've had back to back lectures to prepare for, and I am currently working on a very professional lecture for the local medical society.  But it will still have some pop... and some squirrels... I always have squirrels in my lectures...

Seinfeld Moments

Not much to write about today, but as I was watching TV thinking of inspiration, I started thinking that everyone can relate something in their life to a Seinfeld moment. At least several times a day, I can think of something that I can relate to an episode; or a line I can quote. It's funny, but as time is passing, it seems less people know about Seinfeld and so it's getting harder and harder to make the reference. Blank stares all around. Anyway, one of my favorite shows of all time. Enjoy!

And For My Next Trick...

Every once in a while I do a procedure in the emergency room that isn't done very often.  Every once in a while I do a procedure while there are nursing and paramedic students around.  And, every once in a while I do a procedure that isn't done very often while there are students around.  Like today.  Today I drained a knee.

Now, we do knee "taps" not infrequently in the emergency department, but it's unusual to do one on a pedi.  That's pronounced pee-dee... as in pee-dee-atric patient.  Not peh-dee as in peh-dee-cure.  Anyway, we get sick pedis every once in a while, and tonight I got a small patient with a big knee that needed to be tapped.  And, I had a nursing trainee and a paramedic student en tow.  Throw in mom and little sister, and I had quite the audience.

I don't mind performing under pressure.  Heck, I'm an E.D. doc, and I do it all the time.  Add an audience, and it just adds to the fun.  I remember as a surgical resident sitting in report looking at chest films and hearing the intern say that one of the patients was suddenly short of breath and with a fast heart rate.  He thought he might just be in pain.  I took a look at the chest x-ray and quickly realized the patient had a collapsed lung and might be developing a potentially lethal complication called a tension pneumothorax.

I called out my suspician to the trauma team, and we rushed out of our conference room en masse to the patient's bedside.  I had my senior resident, the attending and about 3 interns plus several medical students all rushing around gathering supplies.  I was given the job to put in the chest tube since I was the junior resident and responsible for this.  Now that was pressure.

Tonight, not so much... but still, you have to get used to working under a spotlight sometimes.