Saturday, February 19, 2011

Would You Like Fries With That?

Excuse the rant, but seriously?

I've seen electronics develop greatly since the time I was in medical school.  I remember getting my first Palm and "synching" programs to help make studying easier with my fellow colleagues.  I remember our brand new auditorium boasting that one day all of the students would be able to instantly download the lecture to their personal laptops.  Wow, how could a medical student afford the $3300 a laptop would cost....?

Fast forward to now where I look up everything from medication interactions, to the latest antibiotics therapies, to calculating free water deficits on my phone.  My laptop is my, almost, constant companion.  And that dream of one day using a tablet-based medical logging system is now becoming a reality.  I, of course, should have patented my App for that.

But, what I find hard getting used to is patients who come in and tell you what their problem is, how they would like it treated, and could you freshen their coffee while you're at it.



I have always advocated for patient rights.  I tell patients it's their responsibility to ask questions of their doctors so that they are well-informed about their illnesses.  But, really?  I've called primary care physicians at home to talk to their patients who come into the emergency department because they don't believe me when I tell them to stop their medications, and that, no, they won't die, well unless they don't stop their medications.  I know what you read on WebMD but that relates to a certain population which you're not a part of.  I know that "Diagnose That" said that because your skin looks green under a full moon you could have a metabolic disorder, but if you read further or did some more research,  the fact that you're still alive at 22 means you probably don't have something where the average survival age is 2.

I read somewhere that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing... just continue to quote the internet to someone who's dedicated at least 12 years of their lives to studying medicine. Mmhmm...

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Making Headway


photo by v.bonales 2010
 So, hubby and I were having dinner with one of the traveling physicians, and he told us about the Headwaters Forest Reserve which is located about 8 miles north of where we live.  He talked about a paved mile hike followed by about another 2 miles of graveled trail.  After that is a steep, uphill 2.5 miles leading to a grove of untouched redwood trees.  And this is just a small part of the 7500+ acres that make up the reserve.

Yeah, we made it to the three mile marker and turned around.  But, I was amazed yet again at how much beauty and history is located so close by.  The BLM has signs posted along the first mile of the trail that give you information about the area;  where prior dwellings were, the history, etc.  One picture showed a bustling logging town named Falk some time around 1902.  Now, there is just forest.
photo by v.bonales 2010

You look up the hill and can't even begin to imagine that a mill, a general store, a saloon, etc. even stood in that site.  I think what I am sometimes most amazed about is how quickly nature reclaims the land.  My mind is blown away when I stop to think about these 1,000+ year old redwoods that have withstood forest fires, logging companies, a town, and are now a part of reclaimed forest.  This truly is an amazing place, and I am lucky to be here now and able to continue to explore and stand in awe of nature.

Can't wait to find that next hidden treasure.  Oh, and also can't wait to get into shape to make it up that last 2.5 mile climb.  I am sure it will be well worth it!

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