I’m back!! I missed blogging tremendously with so many times thinking in my head, “Oh, I gotta write/share that!” but I made a commitment to let things settle down to a dull roar before I started posting again, not wanting to have this start/stop bad mojo on the blog. Thankfully, I think I’m finally at the point where I can say things are calm enough and look like they’ll remain so, at least as much as I can expect. So much to tell, so much I’m glad is in the past, so much to look forward to–all in good time.
For now, here’s a small list of some general comments to catch you up, in no special order (some of which will be expanded on later):
I got some email wondering if my “Hiatus” post indicated I was going to seek psychiatric care or the like. Funny that, because I did actually call around to see what was available. Unfortunately, there isn’t anything available for “crisis counseling” on an outpatient basis for people who need short-term, more focused help but are functional otherwise. Therapists and psychiatrists are backlogged for weeks or months, so “emergencies” here are handled by inpatient programs akin to the state ward where you get to use crayons and clay for art therapy and ice cream snacks are used as rewards for good behavior. Um, no thanks.
Instead of mental health care, I got treated to some hard-core health care: 2 hospitalizations with a sum total of 15 days inpatient stay involving multiple scopes, surgery and blood transfusions–oh my! (definitely much more on this later) I’m still on pain meds as I heal, so pardon the grammer and mispellingses for now.
Shortly after I arrived in TX, I treated myself to a Blackberry Curve 8320 now that I was stateside and my cell contract had long expired, ripe for cheap equipment renewal. No more living in the Mexican data desert! (Actually GDL is totally wired for 3G–it’s just that there, the “3″ means you have to pay 3x as much!) Having mobile email and browser is schweeeeeet.
In just the span of a couple of months, my daughter seems to have grown up so much, yet she’ll barely be two next month. It’s awesome seeing her slowly develop every day into her own person. It’s also clear to me that all the trauma we’ve gone through seems totally lost on her–as it should be–as I watch her happy as can be with the simplest of things. I’d go through 100x more just to make sure it stays that way.
I still haven’t decided what do call my new domain (since Mexico Medical Student is obviously not applicable anymore). I am tending to pick a generic title that has nothing to do with medical school, just because I want to be prepared for anything, and more to the point, keep using it after medical school. I want to be happy with something long-term and not have yet another migration later.
It’s nice to have TiVo actually doing what it’s supposed to do now that it can actually use US programming data. I watch so little TV anyway, but what I do watch, I’m fiercely addicted to. Right now that means Top Chef and Battlestar Galactica, both new seasons recently started. In Mexico, I used to always download and watch episodes in large chunks after-the-fact; now it’s almost torture waiting week by week like everyone else for what’s next.
Well, that’s pretty much enough to get an idea of what’s going on. Other than the medical stuff that will follow, there’s not been much. I do have to make one very important point to close this post, however. A few friends have asked how school search/applications are going, completely because they cared and wanted to know. On the blog, however, I will not be posting anything about any facet of any applications, status updates, prospects, etc. Medical school application is a rigorous and, frankly, competitive endeavor. There are enough lookie-loos from my school who (for reasons also to be written about) are in the same application pool as I, trying to transfer to other programs. I don’t need to divulge what I’m doing for obvious reasons. If anything is shared, it’s pretty much because something is a done deal well after-the-fact. Since my target is August, that means mum’s the word for a good while. I hope this is easily understood. Thanks.
Hello…thanks for still checking in! It seems odd to have a post entitled “Hiatus” when I haven’t posted in a couple of weeks, but I felt at least y’all deserved to know that it will still be a bit before anything really moves on here. Things have not been settling easily, though. Every significant step forward seems to have at least an equal or greater step backwards. For example, our stuff got through the border–and we saved over $2500 compared to the cheapest quotes we were getting in GDL, all things being said and done. Except things at my parents’ house weren’t working out, so we moved to my father-in-laws. Like I needed any more moving. At least we’re talking the original stuff we had in the cars only–the big stuff went straight into a storage unit until we can figure out what’s going to go on with us.
Which is the point–too much is too unstable to be blogging here about it right now. Either I blog about what’s going on (which part of me would LOVE to do) or I censor myself to the point of losing interest, blogging out of some unspoken forced obligation. The former runs the almost certain consequence of shifting the blog too negative (more than it already has), and I think that’s too high a price to pay. When things calm down (and I thought they would have by about now) and life is more stable, I look forward to writing about many things again, without the seemingly ever-present undertone of doom and gloom.
Speaking of doom and gloom, one of my worst fears has been realized. I promise, that’s what’s not sending me into a non-writing funk, but it’s close.
In the meantime, I have to change the name of this site from mexicomedstudent.com to something else, since it clearly no longer applies. Any suggestions you’d want to leave in the Comments section would be greatly appreciated.
It’s gameday once again for my Green Bay Packers, this time for the NFC Championship and a trip to the Super Bowl. The New York Giants, proving themselves a team to take seriously in Dallas’ defeat last week, I’m afraid to say is too beat up and inconsistent to be a match for the green and gold. I’m not a superstitious person, so I have no “jinx” worries by typing this before kickoff.
The big story on the game is the weather. The 3-day estimate for kickoff was 4 degrees. I just checked online about 45 minutes ago and found this:
That’s for about 1pm local time; kickoff is at 5:42pm, so you can be sure it’ll probably be a bit colder, certainly dipping lower as the game progresses into the night. The temperature situation is serious enough that the Packers issued a press release giving safety/health tips and advice to fans attending the game.
The advice given above doesn’t apply to the comfortable temperatures here in Guadalajara, so my prescription for gametime is the following:
Like antibiotics, you should not stop treatment early, even if you feel better. hehe
In all the festivities I almost let slip by the fact that tonight is the Medgadget Medblog [Pre-]Awards Radio Show with the host, Dr. A, as well as Dr. Nick Genes, fellow Medgadget colleague and creator/coordinator of Grand Rounds. The show will be at BlogTalkRadio with the live broadcast starting at 9PM EST/8PM CST/2AM GMT. Be sure to log into the chat room a few minutes early to get comfy.
My “work” for the Medblog Awards was done back when Medgadget was responsible for collecting nominations and determining finalists, and since the final vote belongs to the public, I’d let things slip a little (and as a judge, my blog, however not worthy of being among them as of late, isn’t eligible anyway) In general, my blogging activities have taken a back seat to the administrative hassles at school, but this should show that I’m still alive and kicking and still not without humor. I feel bad for not promoting this earlier, but better late than never I s’pose.
If you can’t tune in tonight, you can catch the show archive anytime thereafter. Watch Medgadget on Wednesday, January 23rd, to see who the official winners are (and what lucky individual gets that Kindle)!
Tomorrow, Thursday Dec 13th at 9PM EST (8PM CST/6PM PST, 2AM Dec 14th GMT) I’ll be a guest on Dr. Anonymous’ Holiday show, broadcast (streaming) live on BlogTalkRadio! Dr. A., myself and other panelists will be discussing (viciously debating…heh) various holiday songs, movies, favorites, and other festive topics. There is a call in number that will be available for you, the listener to call in and get a chance to participate.
UPDATE, Thursday PM:
The show has changed as of this afternoon to shift focus on what I’m going through with UAG. Several factors went into this decision, made by Dr. A., and outlined here. Times, links, directions, etc. are still all the same.
Being a follower of the show and having been on the ‘air’ before as a caller, I can definitely say that participating in the chat room, available only just before the time of the broadcast (and lasting until sometime after) is just as fun as listening, like a running commentary while the show is going on.
I highly encourage people not only to tune in, but to stop by the BTR radio show site to create an account (see “Register” at top of page) before the air time so you can be identified as someone other than “Guest12345″ in the chat room. If you can’t make it for the live broadcast, don’t worry–the archive of the show will be available within 24 hours to listen at your leisure.
Posted by enrico | Under Blogs/Blogging
Sunday Dec 2, 2007
Pediatric Grand Rounds is up at Hope for Pandora. Yours truly is included–my first time in PGR since I rarely blog about things pediatric. It’s a clever Christmas theme and a nice collection of posts. Check it out!
¡Bienvenidos a Guadalajara, Jalisco, México! I will be your host and guide through this week’s best of the medical blogosphere. This is the second time I have had the privilege of hosting, and for that I’d like to thank Dr. Nick Genes who has seen fit to give me the nod for this week’s edition and keeping the Grand Rounds tradition going. Without further delay, let us begin…
Prelude:
Thanksgiving is two days away in the USA. This will mark the 3rd Thanksgiving in a row that I am not home to spend with the rest of my family. Perhaps I’m just a little nostalgic for home right now, but I really wanted to incorporate the holiday here in a way besides references to turkey, pie, and football (Go Packers!). Victor Hugo said (translated), “Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent,” and like the last time I hosted, it is to music I turn once again to express myself.
In the Thanksgiving spirit, all of today’s selections will highlight American composers. Since all links here are set to open in new windows (or tabs), you can read articles while leaving this window playing in the background. In all but one shorter case, the selections are about 8 minutes each; I hope you indulge my desire to share. Enjoy!
When Aaron Copland burst onto the musical scene in the 1920s, American music would never be the same. While there were several important composers before him–McDowell, Herbert, Sousa–Copland was arguably the first to truly musical codify what it was to be “American,” by drawing from folk songs, cowboy music and other “popular” sources. Everyone knows Rodeo (the last part used in the “Beef: It’s What’s For Dinner” campaign in the States), but there was far more to Copland than catchy tunes. Here is the 2nd movement of his third symphony. The expansive, colorful harmonies and driving rhythms are so distinctly American, one just feels it.
Editor’s Choice:
Sid Schwab at Surgeonsblog has a great piece about people’s need for magical thinking, particularly as it relates to “alternative medicine” and new discoveries. The post builds up steam (both momentum and ire) and finally culminates in a challenge bordering on the ridiculous (the whole point) to those who want to cherry-pick common sense. In a similar vein, Dr. Val comments on an infuriating decision by Medicare to no longer cover expensive, necessary treatments to lymphoma patients while at the same time, government dollars are wasted trying to legitimize the spurious benefits of homeopathy with more research studies. Craziness.
Coming back from the Twilight Zone to the ER (some would say that’s just a few steps away ), the truth always comes out eventually, as Bongi at Other things Amazni shares. It may not come via the patient nor the patient’s family or friends–it may require surveillance cameras to finally shed light on what’s going on. The delay, however, could be deadly.
And on the lighter side, Zac at Agraphia has a story about a particularly reptilian surgeon which had me belly laughing from a similar experience.
Mark O’Connor is of a newer breed of contemporary American composers. O’Connor draws his inspiration from the country and bluegrass aural traditions (handed down through playing, not written) and brings his formal training to transform it into something completely unique. O’Connor’s most famous piece is Appalachia Waltz, and O’Connor has arranged several versions, this one for solo cello. This is a slow, easy waltz, just like sitting on a porch looking at the mountains…
Clinical Perspectives:
Here are two selections about burnout and emotional balance. Keith at Digital Doorway talks about having been all compassioned out. Third-year medical student Nick Gavin at NY Emergency Medicine has a post entitled Traumatic Disconnect where he explores the fact that empathy and connecting with patients don’t come automatically with the white coat.
Nancy Brown at Teen Health 411 writes with suggestions on how to ensure an inclusive, positive holiday season for the whole family. With so many families being “go-go-go,” just pausing long enough to communicate openly is probably more than half the solution.
Ever wonder why your psychiatrist doesn’t take your insurance assignment (especially if talk therapy is involved)? Dinah from Shrink Rap explains why.
Some patients just “get to you,” and some do so without you realizing it before they’re gone. About a Nursetalks about one such patient and her struggle to find balance when you can’t even grieve because there’s still work to be done.
In Emergiblog’s first-ever guest blogger post, an anonymous Army nurse writes a letter of thanks to her fellow military nurses who serve our country by helping manage the healthcare of detainees. It’s another world entirely when one is faced with a potential moral dilemma for every medication/intervention, every patient, every day.
How can one talk about American music and not include jazz? Well, 1) Ken Burns already covered that history at length, and 2) I am focusing on classical music. Nevertheless, jazz’ universal appeal influenced many composers from around the world, none more so than American composers. George Gershwin is probably most recognized for this, evidenced most popularly with his Rhapsody in Blue. However, the work I’m featuring is the Piano Concerto in F, an unmistakably American work but rooted in a more traditional form. In spite of feeling a distinct “swing” at times, it’s completely written out and is very strictly timed (as evidenced by the orchestra’s accompaniment–there are no free-form solos as in Rhapsody) Here is about 1/3 into the first movement to the end:
Patient Perspectives:
November is Diabetes Awareness Month. In a special feature, Amy Tenderich at Diabetes Mineinterviews musician Elliot Yamin, former American Idol finalist and Type I diabetic, on World Diabetes Day. Stories such as Elliot’s are clearly inspiring for any diabetic feeling imprisoned by their illness. However, this can have an unintended counter-effect, as Kerry Morrone shares at Six Until Me. Just because a person appears healthy doesn’t mean they are disease-free.
In The Power of the Flower, Own Your Own Health talks about how physicians who tailor their communications individually to their patients win them over in more ways than one.
In Sickness and in Health, a chronic pain sufferer, has a nice, short post about appreciating the small moments of being pain free.
Of all the many incredible pieces Samuel Barber wrote, his “Adagio” is far and away the most known. The “Adagio” was first penned as the slow movement for his first string quartet, but was arranged by Barber once for string orchestra (which is most played by far), and again for a capella 8-part choir. It is this infrequently performed second arrangement that I present here. The music is set to the words of Agnus Dei:
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem.
Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.
Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world, grant us peace.
The seemingly endless, ever reaching melody passes among all the vocal parts, finally culminating in a climactic chord and sighing quietly to the end. The tonality is never really settled until the final major chord, making one feel that after all of the yearning, peace is found at last.
David Williams from Health Business Bloginterviews the founder of DoubleCheckMD, a free, public web-based medication service that checks interactions and utilizes natural language technology to correlate patients’ symptoms, in their own words, against drug data. I was skeptical given the marketingspeak from the interviewee, but I checked it out before including it here, and it is worth a look.
Toni Brayer at Everything Healthlaments the whole SCHIP fiasco. I never understood the argument that because certain adults and/or families above a certain income level might be newly eligible (and improperly so, say opponents) if passed, why that would be reason enough to deny coverage (a non-partisan fact) to so many children.
To send this edition off on an uplifting note, here is the finale of Howard Hanson’s, second symphony. Hanson is practically synonymous with the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY. He also wrote this symphony at a time when most composers of his day saw romantic, melodic music as an anachronism, preferring instead to embrace the atonality that was emerging from Europe. Hanson, a consummate melodist, unapologetically subtitled this symphony “The Romantic.” While Hanson is not as universally known as Copland, his legacy also lives through all of the Eastman students who have carried some of his spirit with them.
Culture and Media:
Christian at MedJournalWatch presents a absolutely fascinating case study in Africa about body image issues (!?!) and a surprising trend in the perception and desirability of body fat.
Jolie Bookspan at The Fitness Fixer shows how she performed martial arts movement analysis “old school” with high speed film years ago. Later, she returned to this area, except she was the model FOR a computer and even had her moves included in a video game. Cool stuff!
In the spirit of both Thanksgiving and the upcoming holiday season, Paul Levy of Running a Hospital shares his daughter’s essay on Salon.com about fruitcake and family tradition. It’s an extra click from his post, but the Salon article is an excellent read and well worth the extra navigation.
Postlude:
I hope you enjoyed this edition of Grand Rounds! I hope everyone has a safe and happy Thanksgiving. Regardless what country you’re reading from, I know there’s something to celebrate and be thankful for–after all, you’re alive and reading this, aren’t you?
Grand Rounds leaves Mexico from Puerto Vallarta a few hours away and sails for the Philippines, home of next next week’s host, Prudence, MD. ¡Adios y buen viaje!
Posted by enrico | Under Blogs/Blogging
Saturday Nov 17, 2007
Just under 25 hours left to get your submissions in! I was getting worried when Friday I had probably only 12-15 entries. Let’s just say that the flood began early this morning…perhaps everyone was waiting to get off of work. Nevertheless, there’s always room, so get yours in!
), 