Enough!

My 3rd ectopic in less than 2 months.

Stop it!!!!!!!!!!!!

Implant in the correct place, dammit!

PSA

A yeast infection is NOT a medical emergency.

You do NOT need to go to L&D at 1 am for it.

There ARE over-the-counter medicines for it. Trying them first is NOT a bad idea.

Doctors are really bitchy at 1:23 am when paged by the L&D nurse about this.

I'm starting to think I need to screen patients on common sense.

Fun times

At least Mecca is closer to me than home is, which means I can run up every day I'm not on call.

So Mom's over anti-coagulated (again), this time with a retroperitoneal bleed. She's gotten 4 units of PRBCs and some platelets (since they're down to 30). She's also acting like she's infected, although the source is nebulous. So Vanco and Zosyn are on board.

The whole team rounded when I was there...med students, intern, resident, God. Made me smile internally. Thank god it's June! I said that outloud and Mom and her cousin asked "Why?" July 1st is the start of the new academic year...and interns are worse than clueless! They are clueless AND have the ability to write orders!

Coincidentally, her cousin was there because her niece (my second cousin) is getting her bone marrow transplant next week. Usually we do a family reunion every August at a park on Lake Michigan. I suggested the reunion site near the Mecca, where we could play spin the bottle to see who gets admitted to the onc floor at Mecca next. Gallows humor at its finest. I followed my cousin to see Emily and her mom.

Emily's mom (also my mom's cousin) is about 10 years older than me and was one of my favorite babysitters as a kid. She is just one of those people who exudes generosity and caring. I was shocked to see how she has aged in the last year. I can't imagine the hell she has been through. And yet, she still makes you feel like everything you are saying is the most important thing in the world to her. Truly a beautiful person.

I made sure to hug my kids extra hard when I got home last night.

Going back today.

Huh?

You know that saying that states there is no such thing as a dumb question? That person was an idiot for saying that. Here's proof:

Patients husband, in the post-operative conference room. I'm there telling him that the vag hyst went well. His question:

So, um, where will my cum go if she doesn't have a uterus?

Readmitted

Pelvic abscess. Being shipped to the mecca as I type. I'm on call tomorrow. I have instructed DH to go up there tomorrow and scout out what's going on. My sister is somewhat clueless when she calls.

I think I'm going to enjoy a lot of wine tonight to numb myself.

Whatever happened to "2009 is going to be fine."?

Moods

It's been a rough few months...between working my ass off, my mom getting sick, various appliances all deciding to die at once in my house (I think they're unionized and striking). I'm finding myself listening to a lot of punk/hard rock lately with some later Beatles thrown in.

It makes for a strange mix in the OR. The punk and rock seem to cover the anger that I'm feeling at the world. The dandelions in my garden beds can attest to that anger. But the Beatles...not angry. Their songs that I'm drawn to are more wistful, more longing for connection. Let It Be is even more on the road to acceptance. (yes, I've been reading Kubler-Ross)

My usual assist is getting sick of American Idiot. ;)

Validation

Sometimes, it seems like all we hear is the whining and complaining of people whom we can NEVER make happy. (Usually because we are withholding narcs, but that's another story). And although I don't do this for praise, an attagirl every now and then is appreciated. But they are few and far between. Just knowing that some people recognize the effort that you put forth to care for and about them...it makes a lot of the daily crap a little more bearable.

Well, I got two today! A box of dark chocolates from a patient at her postpartum visit with a very nice note. And then a call from the patient advocate at the hospital. Usually those calls mean someone is pissed off and let Press-Gainey know it. But not this time! A patient took the time to write this long, handwritten letter about her birth experience and how wonderful it was, how caring we all were to her and her stillborn child, and how she will never go anywhere else for her care.

So even though I'm delirious from lack of sleep, I'm feeling good. Stupid, I know, but it doesn't take much.