Friends

Just thinking out loud, I think I'm finding a new rhythm to this thing again. You see two days ago, I was in a posting mood, so that's what I did. And yesterday, I was more in a comment mood, so I did some blog hopping and posted comments. Maybe I'm on to something here. But, as everyone has told me, there are no rules -- just do what you want.

Anyway... Focusing.... As you know, I've been in this kind of reflective mood recently. During this time, I've heard from a bunch of my new blog friends -- which I really appreciate and I am humbled by. However, I haven't really heard from my "in person" friends, who I will call my non-blog friends.

That really made me think. Hmmmm... In this day and age where electronic communication is more common and more convenient than in-person communication, do I have communication more with my blog friends or my non-blog friends? Now, the people at work don't count, at least for me, because all of you know how much I work (too much).

Anyway... Focusing again... This entertains an interesting question: When it comes to citizens of the blogosphere, do people have more blog friends or non-blog friends? For me, I've come to find out that it's the former -- not that it's a bad thing, but an interesting realization.

How about you? Do you have more blog friends or non-blog friends? Do you care? Does it bother you one way or another? I'm Dr. A, and I'm a re-discovered blogaholic...

BTW, I haven't plugged my map lately. If you haven't placed yourself on my map, what are you waiting for? Click here and join the 29 others who have already done it!

Save Pluto

Hot off the press at the Johns Hopkins Gazette, apparently there is a raging debate on whether Pluto is actually a planet. I know I have been off for a while, but who knew that this debate would be raging across the United States.

That debate may finally end next week, when members of the International Astronomical Union meeting in Prague will vote on a formal definition of the word "planet." According to the proposed definition, a planet is any star-orbiting object with enough mass for its own gravitational force to pull it into the shape of a ball. Furthermore, the object must orbit a star, without being a star itself.

I don't know about you, but I really think that Pluto is a dog and not a planet. It's pretty apparent to me, but listen to Professor Richard Henry:

I think the notion that Pluto is a planet is absurd. When it was initially discovered, it was thought to be vastly more massive than it turned out to be. Its orbit is radically different from that of all the other planets. Down with Pluto is what I say!

So, I ask you to join me in this crusade. Call your senator and congressman today. Tell all your friends and neighbors. The future of the universe is at stake here. Save Pluto! *LOL*

Post-meeting

Throughout those four days, I had this eerie feeling in the back of my mind. I kind of knew that this would be my last meeting after 10 years being such a constant in my life. Why? Well, from a practical standpoint, my work schedule is just too busy now. And, from an emotional standpoint, I knew it was time -- time to move on. As I left the hotel for the last time going to the airport, I felt the transition pass through me.

When I was a teenager going to summer camp, there would always be a group of people in their 20s and 30s who really didn't fit in with the rest of the group. All they would talk about is "the old days" when they were campers. To be honest, I felt sorry for these people, even as a young lad. They revolved their entire life around going to summer camp. Maybe I'm being too harsh and judgemental, but there has to be more to life than summer camp, right?

I just did not want to be one of "those people" coming back to this annual summer medical student meeting year after year after year. Most of my peers have moved on taken on careers of their own. I don't even see them that much anymore. Also, relating to medical students is not as easy as it used to be -- as I get further and further away from my own days in med school. I remember making a reference to movies and music when I was in school and I got these shocked looks as if I was an ancient person -- reality check for me.

So, beginning on that plane ride home, in addition to dealing with my physical exhaustion of partying too much, it hit me that I am in the midst of a major professional and personal transition in my life. That saddened me.

About 12 hours after my plane landed, I was faced with the reality of being on-call. And, you know how busy on-call is for me -- I've talked about it before. It took me a few days to try to catch up from the work when I was off. As soon as that happened, I was on call that weekend.

So, the first 15 days of this month were difficult for me on a lot of different levels. I don't say this to gain sympathy, as I know that there are many people in this world with worse problems than this. It's just that in the ebb and flow of life, there are certain bridges that one must cross and this is one of them.

Meeting

It's always a thrill for me working with medical students. In the every day grind of dealing with insurance companies, lawyers, and those people working against docs, it's refreshing do a little bit of teaching once in a while. It helps keep me grounded, and hopefully not too cynical on medicine.

Every summer, there is this huge medical student meeting that I look forward to. I attended my first one over ten years ago when I myself was a student. Through the years, I've used it as kind of a yearly benchmark on where I was in my life both professionally and personally. This meeting has been on of the few constants in my life over the past decade.

This is where I was at the beginning of this month. And, I was looking forward to blogging from my hotel room to give the day-to-day updates, but, as we all know, that didn't happen. But, it was four days of a totally positive environment. People excited to talk about medicine, excited sharing their experiences why they chose medicine, and not embarrassed to do so. These four days definitely energize me for the next twelve months and make me look forward to next year!

There are workshops, lectures, and one of the biggest exhibit halls that I've ever seen. Every year, I cannot help but get sucked into one of the publisher booths and buy whatever the latest text book is to try to keep updated on things.

I did mention adult beverages before, didn't I? I have this group of friends that I actually met at this very meeting when I was a medical student. We have managed to keep in touch through the years. I'm just a lowly guy in private practice, but they have gone on to bigger and better things being an assistant professor at some university somewhere. Don't get me wrong, same person, but who knew that she would have this important title years later. The only time I get to see some of these people is at this annual meeting. There were a lot of late nights, and we all discovered that we're not a young as we used to be. I'll continue with this story a little later...

Reflection

Something really strange happened this morning. I woke up at 5:30am and had this urge to blog. Something strange, I know, coming from a self-proclaimed blogaholic. I've been reflecting on the past three weeks. It's been a long month for me -- busier than it usually is. And, day after day after day, I felt myself getting more and more fatigued. Yes, I was working too much. Yes, I did not have enough free time. And, yes, I was not getting enough sleep.

And, then, it happened. Blogging actually felt like work. I was so sleep deprived and tired that I was not looking forward to writing my blog. Some people (rightly so) remakred about how my posts were not the same as in the recent past -- and that was right. It was hard to hide from the truth.

So, instead of getting to the point of driving myself away from blogging, I decided to take my blog break. I thought that it would be just for a couple of days. I told myself that I would not come back until I felt the urge to do so. One day went by, then two, then three. I asked myself would I ever come back. Was I done with blogging? Was this just a passing thing for me and now I'm done? But just this morning, just now, it happened and I'm back at my trusty Mac keyboard typing away. I wonder if anyone else has went through something like this before.

Even though I started blogging nine weeks ago, I put the training wheels back on my bike just in case I forgot how to do all this. Blogging every day was tough (or maybe it seemed tough). Maybe I'll change that, maybe not. But, for now, I guess the best place to start is the beginning of this month and more forward from there...

Grand Rounds

GR 2.46 is being hosted this week by hospital impact. He has an interesting picture of his son that you should check out as well...

So for this edition of grand rounds, I wanted to write a letter to my new son, Timothy. One day, when he is old enough, I hope he'll read this and learn about how healthcare used to be way back in 2006. I don't know what it is about letters, but somehow I just enjoy writing them.

Very well done and creative. Happy reading! I'm going to take a blog break for a few days. See you soon...

Book 'em Danno

Since it's felt like 2 years since I was tagged by Moof, Dream Mom, and Runner Girl, (it's only been about 2 weeks), and since it's felt like the entire blogosphere has answered these questions except me, here's what I've come up with:

One book that changed your life?
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven Covey

One book you have read more than once?
The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell

One book you would want on a desert island?
An Island to Oneself: Six Years on a Desert Island by Tom Neale

One book that made you laugh?
Sein Language by Jerry Seinfeld

One book that made you cry?
Report from Ground Zero by Dennis Smith

One book you wish had been written?
Not sure about this one

One book you wish had never had been written?
Blogging for Dummies -- HA!

One book you are currently reading?
Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi

One book you have been meaning to read?
The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown

Outed blogaholic

I found a new commenter (is that a word?) to my blog today. Thanks to Michael C from The Wonderful World of Nothing Worthwhile. He also sent me a link to a post entitled, "Blogging Has Already Consumed My Life."

If you are kind enough to still be reading this blog and contemplating beginning one of your own, take heed. I can no longer just enjoy or be affected by life, I have to approach it thinking about how it will fit into written form and whether or not I can find a cool little graphic to accompany it. Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Michael and I’m a Blogaholic.

This post is hilarous and his entire blog is very entertaining. Please give him some Blogaholics Anonymous love and check him out. Don't worry, Michael, we have regular meetings and I'll make sure that you're on the mailing list. Remember, admitting you have a problem is the first step. We'll conquer this addiction together, one blog at a time...

Mascot

It's tough being a quarterback in the National Football League these days. You may have heard about Ben Roethlisberger a couple of months ago when he crashed his motorcycle. Ben is fine and started his first preseason game yesterday.

I ran into a story this morning from Nashville, Tennessee where an NFL mascot, in a golf cart, accidentally hit the opposing team's quarterback during halftime festivities. The quarterback was checked out by trainers, walked off the field, and then did not come back to play the second half.

The player was ok. But, I mean, c'mon! Maybe the NFL is trying to toughen the image of mascots. Here's the slogan: "NFL Mascots: Don't Mess With Us!" Maybe there will be a song about this, like the whole head-butt episode.

In a related story, the mascot was seen at the bar hours later receiving "high fives" and telling the story again and again at the Mascot Anonymous meeting. HA!

Online drugs

Ran into an article this morning from BBC news. It tells the story of a 64-year old woman who self-diagnosed herself with chronic fatigue syndrome (I feel like I've been having those symptoms this week).

She went to the internet and purchased a medication -- without a prescription -- and is now losing her eyesight because of cateracts and glaucoma (side effects of this prescription med without physician oversight).

Writing in the Lancet, the researchers said: "The expansion of the internet is relentless and, from the perspective of patients seeking information, in the main positive.

"However, the online availability of controlled and uncontrolled drug therapies needs to be carefully monitored."

Mr Fraser added: "If you look online it is extremely easy to get hold of anything you like. Obviously, you do not need a prescription.

"If you are going to access medicines on the internet you are gambling with your own health."

He said doctors needed to be more aware of the issue and to make sure that they asked patients whether they were taking any medicines purchased over the counter or online.

I think all that is good stuff except for the last paragraph. I am definitely aware of the issue. However, it's going to be next to impossible for me to "police" this as they are asking.

People can tell me if I'm wrong, but, if my patient doesn't think that I'm adequately treating a certain condition, I think my patient would be reluctant to tell me if she/he purchased a medication on the internet -- just out of embarrassment. This doesn't only apply to prescription med purchases on the internet, but also herbal and alternative treatments.

I think I have set up an environment where I think my patient would be able to open up and tell me about this, but putting the burden on docs to police this information is not fair. Communication is a two-way street and is essential for ideal medical care.