Thursday, July 13, 2006

Good news and a few RANTS!

No, we're NOT pregnant. But almost 3 years after leaving, Beth has accepted the job as our church secretary and will give her 2 weeks notice at the state tomorrow. It's an exciting time for her and I am very proud of her and this decision to return to ministry. Her title may be secretary, but she's the front line minister, the one that people first talk to when calling in need of help. Her talents will be better utilized and she will be among Christian people who care about her very much.

Future rant (i.e not enough time to rant now, but this will keep you wanting more...): "Why I think the Texas Right to Life Organization" should NOT be allowed to exist.
You heard me. This Uber-conservative just said a not-so-conservative thing.

Current Rant. Up unitl 10 months ago, my mornings began with listening to Roula and Ryan on a local radio station. Then one day, poof, they're gone. And they were replaced by a COMPLETE dork and an IDIOT sidekick. I was mad, sad, and felt compelled to find a new radio station. I did that and Maria Todd and Atom Smasher became my NEW morning. I was just getting settled into their routine when, yup, POOF, Friday they were pulled from the air. No good-byes allowed. Just gone. Well my sadness turned to bitter-sweet joy when it was announced today that Roula and Ryan (and producer Eric) would be returning to radio. To the station that Atom and Maria were just fired from! It's ironic, and it SUCKS...that in order to get my morning show back, Atom and Maria suffered the same fate that took them away in the first place. Thank you Atom and Maria. I'm sorry that the radio business sucks. But then, I suspect you already knew that.

Final quick rant: Why did you go into Medicine if all you want to do is REFUSE to take care of patients? Huh? Quit argueing (or is it arguing?...to lazy to spell check) with me and trying to convince me...just come to the ER and admit the patient. It's your job. You agreed to do it. You chose a PRIMARY CARE RESIDENCY. If you don't want direct patient contact, be a radiology or a pathologist (I know these people see patients...sometimes...so don't leave me nasty comments, I've been yelled at enough today)

Friday, July 07, 2006

My crazy Aunt-in-Law

This is for you Becky (not the one in Florida...but I love you, too).

So my wife's Aunt Becky is in town for the Astros-cardinal's series. Last night was game 1 which WE (the Astros) won. Now Becky has been a cardinal's fan since Moses was a small child. I'm quite sure that if you took the money she has spent on baseball games and the things associated with baseball games, as well as her vast collection of paraphernalia (that is drooled over by her nieces and nephews who not-so-secretly wonder what's theirs when she's gone) she has that she would be richer than Bill Gates. But let me tell you why I admire Becky.

She's a true sports fan. She loves her cardinals. She has had weekend season passes forever. She and her sisters (a.k.a a close group of girlfriends) make the 90 mile trek to St. Louis every chance they get. The make at least one out of town game every year. Or at least they try. The last few years they have come to Houston.

They know the players, their strengths and weaknesses, they know who their wives are and what they do in the community. We joked that when the cards finished playing in the old Busch Stadium that the would have to untie Becky chained to the ballpark before they could knock it down. Last year during the cards' race for the pennant, Becky turned up on all sorts of media. She and her girlfriends could be seen on the cards' website wearing these sparkly red wigs. I even saw her on TV (wearing that same wig) while I was in the ICU watching one of the games of the NLCS. Patient care did NOT suffer that night by the way. A nice man let us watch the game on his TV. He was intubated, but we're sure he was an Astros fan.

OK, I'm kidding, the room was empty.

Anyway, I feel honored to be the only male allowed to come to all 3 games of a series with the girls when they've traveled. I am in awe of their love for their team. They have different jerseys for each game. They've made friends with the owner of the bar across the street from MY ballpark (Minute Maid). They are happy to talk to any cardinals fan they meet. And they enjoy good healthy banter between themselves and Astros fans. Just don't get personal. That's rude.

I have to go work on my chicken impersonation, which I will use when the cards decide to pitch around Berkman again because they're scared, even though I'm sure it will never be as good as Aunt Becky's.

Happy Birthday (it was yesterday) Becky, and thank you for allowing me into your family. I love your niece more than words can express.

P.S. When the Astros sweep the cards, I'll buy dinner Saturday night. It will be my pleasure!

Sunday, July 02, 2006

Different Name--Same Me

Yesterday, July 1, 2006, marked the beginning of my second year as residency. I am no longer an intern. Now, I am a Resident. A friend asked me if I was excited. I told him I was, mainly because now I could just say that I'm a resident and not an intern and not have to explain to people the difference between the two. Although, I am still troubled that people don't understand what I do.

A man at church today asked me if I was about ready to trade in my short white coat for a long one. ?huh? This man sent me a graduation gift A YEAR AGO when I GRADUATED from Medical School!

So my quest continues: To educate people about who I am and what I do.

In case you are new to my blog (because you just happen to stumble upon it) or perhaps you've forgotten, I will tell you again who I am and what I do.

I am a doctor, an M.D. I have been since May 28, 2005 and I have the diploma on my wall that says so (that sounds bad...but I'm saying it anyway). For my specialty, I have chosen a primary care residency. I am training in a combined program. I will be Board Certified in two specialties when I'm done three years from now and take the two tests required to be so.

First specialty is Internal Medicine. It is defined as "a primary care physician who specializes in adult internal medicine, specifically the diagnosis and nonsurgical treatment of diseases."

Second Specialty is Pediatrics. It is defined as the "care and treatment of infants, children and adolescents."

Ergo I am training in Internal Medicine/Pediatrics or Med/Peds...hence the title of the this blog, "Ramblings of a Med/Peds Resident (the word Resident has replaced Intern).

When I finish my residency on June 30, 2009, I will look for a job that will allow me to see anyone from birth to death with a non-surgical, non-obstetrical medical problem.

I promise that I will try to Ramble with a little more consistency that in the previous year. I am in the ER at the county hospital this month and will work 18 shifts, so perhaps I will have a little more time to blog.

Thanks for reading.