Saturday, February 13, 2010

Lame

Sometimes I do silly things - like pay $15 to run a 5K and then sleep through it. Ha. At least I intentionally slept through it. I've had trouble going to bed before midnight for the last 2 weeks and then I get up most days around 4:30 or so. Weekends are prime catch-up time! Waking up at noon, making cinammon rolls and drinking coffee while catching up on some tv was well worth $15. Besides, I'm going to run now, then gonna head out and pick up some groceries and Valentine's Day surprises for the hubs.

As for yesterday, my sis and her husband didn't have any electricity so they came and stayed with us. We had dinner at McB's where they tried to convince me that the rodeo isn't just for er, country people. They did make it sound pretty fun. Might have to try to go this year. Then Kris and I went to see The Wolf Man. It was okay, not my favorite, but I guess worth the price of admission... The fight scenes were just a little comical. Tried really hard not to laugh and piss everyone in the theater off.

All in all it's been a fun little weekend so far. It's nice to have 2 entire days off in a row for once and I'm determined to enjoy every little bit of it - even if it means sleeping through 5Ks and not taking baths until 3:00 in the afternoon :) Hope everyone else's weekends are going splendidly.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

That Time I Almost Crapped My Pants

So today was a wonderful day. I knew it would be. Our patient list had been whittled down since being on call a few days ago which means less patients and shorter rounds, less to do, etc... I knew there was no way they could find enough scut to keep us occupied until 2:00 or 3:00. One of the interns tried, but no one took him up on his offer to go to his afternoon clinic with him.

I can only imagine. He would have had us see all the patients, come up with assessments and plans and present to him just like he was an attending. That way he wouldn't have to think or work. He automatically turns into the authoritative one as soon as our upper level resident steps out of the room. This is the same intern who showed up this morning at the same time as our upper level resident without having seen any of his patients. It's a little ridiculous.

Anywho, we finished rounding pretty early this morning and said intern told us to go read about CHF. Instead we went and ate and lounged, checked our test grades, e-mail, and so on like good students. Ha ha. This was probably around 10 or 10:30. He said to check in around 12:30. I snuck off and went to lunch at Basil's with my mom and sis and subsequently saw no less than 3 classmates and 3 4th year med students all there. Guess that Fondren corner building would be a really safe place to fall out, huh?

I arrived around 12:40 or so to see my classmates headed for the Exit with bookbags in tow. Yes! Our M4 had dismissed us and told us to say the other intern did it. I went home and got all cozied up in bed, was almost asleep and then I heard my phone ringing.


It was my UPPER LEVEL RESIDENT! I literally jumped out of bed and started pacing, considered not even answering it for a split second.

Upper Level: "Hey Allison."

Me, very nervous: "Uh, hi upper level resident"

Upper level: "Umm, WHERE are you guys?"

Me: "Uh, erm, uh, we were told to go home?..." (yes, with that slight upward lilt at the end)

Upper level:"Oh good, I just wanted to make sure you guys had left. I'm about to leave myself. Didn't want y'all stranded at the hospital."


And then I had to take several deep breaths to calm down. Got back in bed and took a 2.5 hour nap. I think I could have slept 8 hrs but Kris woke me up. I had to be all responsible and take our taxes to be done, like a grownup, gah. K went to the doc to get a brand new slightly suspicious looking mole on his face checked out. My advice before he went: Let's watch it for a week for changes in size, color, shape before cutting it off. Doc's advice: Let's watch it for a week. Guess I am learning something?

We had dinner at Pigskin's tonight. We'd never been. K got the smoked chicken sandwich and I got the BBQ. It was delish! It didn't hurt that the waiter brought us 3 pieces of FREE cake. Lemon, chocolate, and pound cake. We ate it ALL but to be fair they were about 1/2 inch thick little slivers. Ah, who am I kidding. I can't say no to cake!

On call tomorrow; let's hope we cap EARLY and don't get snowed into the VA!

Monday, February 8, 2010

Runner's Log

Went running with my cousin A today. We did 4 miles. It felt so much easier than if I'd tried to go it alone. That makes my monthly total for February 5.5 miles so far with 277.06 miles left to go this year.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Eventful or Uneventful? You Make the Call

I was on call today. Yes, Super Bowl Sunday. I wasn't that upset about it since I usually just enjoy the food/festivities more than the actual game. Here's the thing though...


We got there at 8am and I just got home. We stayed 13.5 hours and each saw 1 patient. That's it. My 2 partners had already gotten their patients and finished working them up hours before my veteran came in. Then I go see him, take a full history and do a full physical, and my resident tells me not to even finish my note - just sign it over to him and he'd do it. I guess it was nice of him, but I really wish he would have just assigned that patient to me in the morning rather than make me wait and wait and wait and then not even finish the note on him. I REALLY wish he would have sent my poor partners home. They finished their work and had to sit for hours while the game was on and family and friends were partying it up. I felt terrible for them! All waiting for a patient for me to come in. Oh well. Tomorrow we'll get to go home by 3:30 or so, so that will be nice. Granted, we'll get there at 5:30 or 6, but no complaints here!

Anyway, congrats to the Saints!!! I enjoyed watching the 1st 2 quarters and the last 3 minutes of your Superbowl. I enjoyed hearing squeals and shrieks of joy during the 3rd and 4th quarters echoing down the halls of the VA while I was asking my veteran about his bowel habits.

Oh yeah, and I ran 1.5 miles on Friday. Subtract that from whatever :) My treadmill is officially broken and I could just about cry :(

About to take a bath, get in bed, and do it all over again in 8 hours. Oy. This rotation would be so much more bearable if we got more than 4 days off this month.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

What a Morning

I woke up at 6:56 this morning. I was supposed to be at the hospital at 7:00 (a late day since we're on call) We usually get there around 5:30. Anyway, this is the 1st time I've overslept this year and it was so not fun. I'm sure I won't have that problem again all year!

As if that wasn't bad enough I got rear-ended on the way to the hospital!!! No real damage, so no big deal. We just swapped a little paint and it came off easily with my fingernail so I didn't even worry with calling the po-po. Once again, this car has NOT been good luck for me!

Runner's Log

Did 1.8 miles last night before my treadmill decided to quit on me. So sad! 282.56 miles left to go this year :)

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Things Overheard in the Lounge

Sometimes things can get monotonous on medicine - like writing orders for Joe Veteran's cough syrup and finger sticks, updating the list, etc... and music provides some relief.

Chief Res: "I'm about to put on some music. What do you guys like?"

M3s, M4s: "Oh, we listen to anything"

Czechoslovakian intern: "You got any Russian nasty rap?"

Monday, February 1, 2010

Runner's Log

2.3 miles; 26 minutes; 250 calories burned; 284.36 to go

I tallied up my miles from January and was a little disappointed with myself - came in at 13.34! I've got a long way to go before I hit 300. I'm going to try to be a bit more disciplined in February. Plus, it just feels good :)

How are everyone else's resolutions for 2010 coming along?

I've Just Got One Thing to Say:

Thank God Neuro is OVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

and because I can never say just 1 thing: I'm happy to be starting VA House Medicine for the next month.