this and that

I can't even remember all the things I wanted to write about. Here are a few random tidbits:

It's official: July 28th USMLE Step 2 CS, October 2nd USMLE Step 2 CK and $1500+travel/lodging in Atlanta. And I used to think that it would all be smooth sailing after the MCAT. Ha!

A friend asked our small group an interesting question. She asked us what are the top five diagnoses we see in the hospital. MI, COPD exacerbation, CHF, Pneumonia, and Renal failure were all on our list. She then asked us how we fix those things. Other than pneumonia, we don't "fix," we "manage" with symptomatic treatment (and hopefully preventative treatment too). It makes me sad that with all the medical advances we have that chronic disease is so prevalent, and we can't fix people no matter how hard we try. Ironically enough, oncology is one of the few specialties where you actually do CURE people.

I had a close encounter with something very scary last week on my day off. I went to Lenscrafters to get contacts. Not even 5 minutes after I had gone in and sat down, I heard a loud "bang" outside - loud enough that I looked out there to see what it was. I didn't see anything...then there was another bang... and I still didn't think much of it, until a few minutes later ambulances and fire trucks and police cars all showed up. Apparently two men got in an argument and the one shot the other (his former lover) in the back and in the head! I was very upset (to say the least) considering this was in the middle of Joseph Beth parking lot in total daylight - and the creepiest thing was that the shots were not right in a row, they were separated by at least 15-30 seconds, meaning he thought about it before shooting again. The killer then went on a high speed chase and ended up in a standoff with police for 2 hours and eventually turned himself in. I was SO freaked out because I had been outside in that parking lot just minutes before... eeeeek.

On a separate note, my patient yesterday was probably one of my most touching so far this year. He has lung cancer with a recurrent pneumonia that just won't go away. He's sick of fighting it and finally decided he wanted to go home with Hospice and not have to be in the hospital anymore. He was given a 6-month prognosis 8 years ago, though, so he's not complaining. He was so brave when facing his own mortality and he told us how he was not afraid of getting out of the boat, that he had a friend, and that friend was Jesus Christ. (I assumed he was referencing Peter in the Bible and walking on water?) He'd fought his battle hard and wanted to die with dignity. and his sweet wife was just heartbroken. Before we walked out, he told us all "hug your kids" - I think we all left that room a little teary-eyed.

I had wanted to tell him how his faith was so inspirational to me, that I hope that I can be that clear-headed and brave when my time is coming, and that he taught me invaluable lessons about life and love. Unfortunately, he left yesterday before I got to say goodbye, but I hope he knows he made an impact on me.

On a lighter note - we picked our honeymoon today! Hooray, vacation! We're going to Sandals Grande in St. Lucia - I am so pumped!

A funny VA story: So a nurse called and said that Mr. X was bleeding out of the groin after his cath - we assumed it was his foley catheter caused some trauma and was bleeding...and he was on heparin so he obviously was having trouble clotting his blood. Our resident joked that she needed a medical student to go put pressure on it, and I (begrudgingly) volunteered since I had nothing better to do. My partner-in-crime on medicine with me (who shall remain anonymous for the purposes of this post) said "No, Katie, he probably doesn't want you holding his schlong for 15 minutes, I'll go instead." This "schlong" is one of the funniest sounding words I've ever heard, so I cracked up laughing and felt like I was in 3rd grade for laughing at a slang term for male genitalia. Fortunately (for our patient and unnamed medical student) he was actually bleeding after coming back from the Cath Lab - out his femoral area (which is near the groin but not the "schlong" exactly...hehehe). No pressure was needed.

Speaking of schlongs - I dozed off for about 15 minutes this evening after dinner and dreamed that I had about 7 baby turtles walking around the floor of my apartment. I looked away for a while then looked back and there were 14! the only reasoning I could come up with was that they were mating/multiplying, so I'd have to separate the boys and the girls...I flipped over the first turtle and saw the tiniest (human-looking) male genitalia (except that it was green like the turtles)... and then I woke up. This dream is open for interpretation...

anyway, I should go do some studying, and maybe even try to exercise. I need to try on wedding dresses tomorrow!