Saturday, July 28, 2012

Day 1980: This week...

...at work.

As I said, I put in my first stitches, performed my first PAP smear and bonded (possibly in my own mind) with the younger doctor I work with. I'm really glad to hear there is some follow-through in the world and I feel so lucky to have this opportunity to learn these skills before we're actually taught them this year!

...in life.

I AM IN INDIANA WITH MY BEST FRIEND AND COULD NOT BE HAPPIER. Danny texted asking how my time has been and honestly, just being in the same room as her is more than enough! I love (BEST) friends!

I also had a Google hang out session with my sister, cousin and cousin's baby. So much fun! We're trying to coordinate another one with our other cousin and his baby so it's going to be a joyfest of cute Asian babies. Love it!

My sister got a big kick out her double image on screen.

I had no idea you could have face things. I love them!

Friday, July 27, 2012

Day 1979: ED & IN

Today, I will be working with/shadowing a doctor in the Emergency Department. My usual Friday doctor is off on vacation so she scheduled in some time for me to work with some of her colleagues at the nearby hospital. I have to be at the hospital at 7am, so I will be out the door by 6:20am.

Why am I blogging this early you ask? Because thanks to Danny and using my actual brain, I think I have figured out what the deal is with my computer! I will update you all this weekend, while in Indiana. Yes people, it is that time again--best friend time! I am driving to Indiana this weekend to visit my absolute best friend in the entire universe and I cannot wait! It has been much too long and the visit I'm sure will be much too short!

Okay, I have to change and wait for this stupid thing to finish deleting!

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Day 1977: STRESS.

I've had a lot of cool things happen to me at the clinic this week. Stitches, my first PAP smear, more independent learning. Cool things.

However, I don't have "time" to blog about that right now. My computer has been a sh!tshow lately (pardon my French) and I had to take it in to Apple twice where they charged me $245 to replace the hard drive, hard drive cable and charge me a labor fee on top of all of that.

Right now, I am so stressed out. I have no idea how to restore all my backed up files into my newly rejiggered MacBook Pro. If that stupid overly social "genius" today wasn't so worried about impressing me and being the "cool dude bro," maybe he could have actually made sure I wasn't a completely lost cause when I came home. I am cursing a lot in my brain right now.

Monday, July 23, 2012

Day 1975: Fun stuff.

I think all this medical talk gets very boring very quickly.

To remedy that, I thought I would post some pictures from my summer thus far.

The first Brewers game of the year!

My first (of two) Independence Day BBQ

Summerfest 2012

Having a little picture-taking-fun at Bastille Days 2012

Friday, July 20, 2012

Day 1972: A good day.

I had such a wonderful day today!

These past two days, I have been feeling very blah about my externship. The first day was my first blah day and it was a bit concerning for me. The second day, I realized that my blah feelings were due to the fact that I felt like my learning has slowed and as a result I am shadowing more.

Well! Today, I learned how to check reflexes, which is very gratifying every time you make someone kick on the first go. It seems banal but these are things family practitioners have to know!

In addition, I had the absolute pleasure of having a Deaf patient today! Boy would my old ASL teacher be disappointed in me! I couldn’t remember how to sign “husband” or “deaf” for that matter. I signed a weird version of “deaf” and “home” (I had my ‘d’ going in the incorrect direction). It made me laugh in my head when the doctor I was working with today kept shouting at her. She’s deaf. Shouting or not, she won’t be able to hear you because...you know...she’s deaf.

In other news, the other doctor I work with came in for her son’s 9 month well baby check. OH MY WORDS. HE IS SO CUTE. I have to tell you, I was making faces at the boy, and the two doctors I work with commented on how good I am with children and how much they all like me...which is a nice thing to hear.

So, after two blah days, I ended the week on a good note and feeling pumped for my next work day (Tuesday of next week).

Have a good weekend!

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Day 1970: An update on Guillain-Barre

I actually shadowed the neurologist (from this entry) yesterday and discovered that the patient with Guillain-Barre actually had something called arachnoiditis. Arachnoiditis is a viral infection of the very bottom of your spinal cord (called the conus medullaris). Since it is a viral infection, there are no antibiotics to help the patient improve. However, after running a few tests, it looks like the patient's immune system is doing what it should and he is on the road to recovery. The human body is an amazing thing.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Day 1963: Guillain-Barre Syndrome

I have a good story to tell you all.

Yesterday, I got the opportunity to see a patient with rapid onset lower extremity paresthesia. No, I'm not trying to be douchey and talk doctor talk. I'm showing you all that I actually learned something this year (the doctor talk ;p). Anyway, rapid onset means it occurred quickly, or even rapidly you could say ;) Lower extremity means legs. Paresthesia means weakness.

I shadowed a neurologist for an hour and watched him go through his examination of a patient. What that entails is testing muscle strength, cranial nerves, vision, abdominal stuff et cetera et cetera. Given the patient's symptoms, and how quickly they came on, I thought it could be a syndrome called Guillain-Barre.


Courtesy of Children's Hospital Boston

Guillain-Barre is also known as acute autoimmune inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. Blah blah blah, words. What it means is that your body attacks the sheath (myelin) around your nerves and you lose sensation and control over your body. It happens slowly but quickly, which means it doesn't happen at once but within a few days to weeks you could be paralyzed. Eep!

Even though the patient's symptoms did not present exactly like Guillain-Barre, it's pretty close and it's one of the ten big diseases neuroscience pushed last semester. I would like to express how utterly pleased I was when the doctor also thought it could be (a variation of) Guillain-Barre. Pleased. Validated. Smart as hell. The whole shebang, I felt it! :)

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Day 1959: Medical books

Hello.

I'm sure you have all heard about medical books (see below). But do you know what they are?



Medical books are what doctors refer to when they don't know something. (Shocker, doctors don't know everything.) One of the doctors I work with has a ton of books and they're actually really informative. These are the smatterings of books I have been looking through when I don't know what 'impetigo' (skin inflammation) and 'Shingles' (chicken pox for adults) are.

PS, look at my badge for the nearby hospital!

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Day 1956: Happy Independence Day!



Hi everyone! I hope you all have a fun, safe Independence Day!

In non-medical news, things I have been doing include painting glass jars to mask my fake flower stems, hemming jeans (thanks to Danny's family lending me one of their sewing machines) and hanging out with people.

Oh, there has also been a heat advisory in effect since Monday that is expected to last until 10pm Friday. Thank every baby higher-being for air conditioning!

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Day 1955: The power of the white coat


It has been said that a study was done where they gave non-medical people white coats to wear and these people said they felt more confident. Having owned a white coat for a year now, I have to say I haven't really felt that way. Don't get me wrong, the white coat definitely makes me feel confident. However, it doesn't make me feel confident in my medical skills.

All of that has changed.

In one short week, this white coat has really opened a lot of doors for me. I think when you are at a medical school, the novelty of medical students wears off...quickly. At the clinic where I work (25 minutes north of my school), all the doctors I have met (at the clinic and at the hospital nearby) have been extremely friendly and extremely open. They all seem so willing to help me learn and it's such a refreshing feeling. Despite the fact that my medical school doesn't have an undergraduate institution, it doesn't make it any less competitive to get an internship/externship/research/blah blah blah.

Today, one of the doctors at the clinic I work at (not one of my two mentors) suggested I go to the hospital nearby to see one of his patients with an intense case of rheumatoid arthritis. She had nodules on her hands and her hands had that sort of gnarled look that happens with an extreme case of rheumatoid arthritis. The patient was more than happy to receive me (did I forget to mention I went alone?) and talk to me about her history of rheumatoid arthritis. I have to tell you the white coat makes patients more than willing to help/share and it also helps me feel more capable.

Monday, July 2, 2012

Days 1938-1946: The Bros come to Cali!

The first picture of the trip!



These boys sure know how to ham it up.

At Paradise Pier in California Adventure

Waiting in line for the new ride in Cars Land!

Me and my favorite Disney character (and other people)

Celebrating an early birthday at
Blue Bayou Restaurant
(in the Pirates ride!)

At the end of our dinner at Blue Bayou.

Aww, so cute.

Just like the movie!

These kids love their Disney pins.

At Crystal Cove State Park in Laguna Beach.

More ham.

This is the saddest picture.
Danny's brother has never seen the Hollywood sign and the
black space between the lights is where it should be lit up.



The Palace of Fine Arts! Check one off the to-do list!



My favorite picture of all the trips I've taken this summer.

At Pier 39. There are sea lions back there.

Bros and Alcatraz

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Day 1953: Happy birthday Jess!

I am so proud of all you've accomplished thus far and I know there are only more good times ahead for you and us! Happy birthday!