Thanksgiving.

Is still my favorite holiday. Hopefully yours will be filled with reasons to be thankful.

Overheard in waiting room

People are the same everywhere. I was in the waiting room during my mom's case. I was planning on doing some work, writing up a lecture. Instead, I listened to this for over 30 minutes (I was texting a friend during this time, I have time stamps on this!). It was more entertaining than going to the CDC website to get some stats.

Slightly disheveled lady is on the courtesy phone in the waiting room. She talks loud. I'm sitting about 10 feet away, so my laptop can be plugged into the wall.

First phone call: You KNOW he fucking took my percocet! That SOB. Long, drawn out conversation about living situation.

Second phone call: Sounds like it's to another friend. The SOB also took her cell phone.

Third phone call: Sounds like it's to some local apartment complex, trying to deal with getting an apartment.

Fourth phone call: To the orthopod's office for more percocet.

Fifth phone call (we're going on 25+ minutes at this point): To a friend bitching that the goddamned doctor doesn't understand pain.

Sixth phone call: Trying to get a ride to somewhere.

Except for location, this could be my patient. Easily.

Two steps forward...

And one step back.

My mother must have more lives than a cat. She had major surgery again last week. Still in the hospital but doing well. Her surgeon looked younger than me. Now THAT'S depressing. She's trying to guilt me about Thanksgiving but I'm on call that weekend. And like anyone would trade that. sigh.

Got back into the OR for the first time in almost 6 months recently. Muscle memory is an amazing thing. It was really nice - the staff when they saw me ran to me and gave me lots of  hugs. It's nice to know that coworkers like you. But physically, I'm paying for it. I'm looking at my surgery schedule for next month and beginning to think I may have pushed it a smidge. Crap. Not going to tell our office's scheduler because she acts like a mother hen to us docs. She tells us what we will do when we've done things to ourselves.

At least I see pain management next week for another round of procedures.

Please donate.

My extended family has relatives still living in the Philippines. Please, the devastation there is awful.