Will Work for Food

Where did all the work go? It is getting to the point that I am a little embarrassed to call myself a resident. It is now 11 am, and I am finished for the day. Honest - finished for the day! I am going to waste a couple of hours studying, but that is all I have left today. What happened to more work that one thought you could handle?

Part of the problem this week is the Holidays. I have one attending leaving town to spend Easter with his in-laws, and another off for the next couple of days for Passover. Therefore, we had one case today - an easy one at that. I "had" to do it because the patient is incredibly vain and wanted a small incision. My reputation for small incisions is rampant and usually the source of much ribbing. This is the one time that it was seen as an asset.

I think the bigger problem is the economy. Even for us (life saving surgery an all). People aren't going to the doctor for problems. Therefore, they don't get their CXR with an incidental finding of lung cancer. The scary part is that all of those people still have lung cancer - we just won't know about it until it has spread and is no longer curable.

I am glad the economy is starting to show slow signs of recovery, but I am a stronger believer than ever that we need a more universal health care program. Good health should not be dependent on the economy. Period. It shouldn't matter if you are working this week or not if you have chest pain you should get to see a doctor. The current system is hurting and will continue to hurt us in the long run. We need a system where people are encouraged to stay well, not one that slaps band aids on people once they have passed the point of repair.

Okay - I am now stepping off of my soap box. I just wished a few Republican members of congress had to spend a few days in my shoes and see what I get to see.

Embarassing

A few days ago, I blogged about how out of shape I have become. I had recognized that it was true, but did not fully understand how true it is. In a bout of post call euphoria yesterday, I headed to the gym (after my nap of course.) I decided to run on the treadmill.

A little back story . . . I haven't exercised in a month, but I haven't run in SEVERAL months. However, it works for me and I want to be a runner if only I could get over that running part. I spent 30 minutes on the treadmill and ran just over half that time. I would run for a few minutes and then spend a few catching my breath. Luckily I had the workout room to myself because it was highly embarrassing.

Since my pride is now involved, I headed back to the gym today. My legs hurt to much for another go at the treadmill so I spent some time on the elliptical. I will tackle the treadmill again tomorrow. I refuse to be this out of shape this young.

Daffodils

I decided to walk to work this morning. I am not sure what led to such a notion, and in all honesty probably not my brightest idea ever - it was both cold and dark when I set off - nevertheless off I set. Dawn finally started to break after I stopped for coffee and I was at least able to appreciate the sights for at the last portion of my walk.

The sights are actually the purpose of my musings. For the first time, I actually saw true signs of spring this morning. There were daffodils, azaleas, and blooming pear trees. I think I even saw a cherry blossom. I have spent so much time complaining about the lack of these things I wanted to make sure that I remark on how happy I am that they are here. Reportedly it is even warm and sunny today. I have been breathing designer air and bathing in fluorescent lighting all day, but rumor has it tomorrow is also slated to be nice. Since by then I will have spent 60 of the 72 hours of the weekend in the hospital, I will be trying to spend as much of tomorrow as possible as far away from here as possible.

Hopefully spring has sprung and is here to stay.

Taken to task

I have been taken to task by my friend Jessica for unfairly hating the city of Philly. She thinks that I am currently refusing to see any of the positives and only concentrating on the negatives. She may be right, but hear me out. There are many aspects of this city that I enjoy a lot. Unfortunately as of late, perhaps related to my stressed state of mind and my growing frustration being a resident, I have chosen to ignore those aspects and only see the parts I don't enjoy.

I don't hate Philly. I have enjoyed most of my time here. I will most certainly return here to visit in the future. If given another option, I would probably not choose to live here permanently, but that has more to do with me than the city. It is actually very interesting how things work out. The entire time that I was growing up I couldn't wait to get out of my small town. I wanted to live in a large bustling city where there was always tons of stuff happening. I was going to have this incredibly exciting full and fast pace life.

I moved to my first big city in college, and had a blast. However, by the time I finished medical school - I needed a rest. I am absolutely positive that I could not have survived a surgical training program in a big city. Perhaps it is related to the way that I grew up, but the fast pace life takes a lot out of me. Turns out as much as I hate to admit it, my soul occasionally craves a slower pace to life. I like the stillness of sitting on a front porch watching the trees blow. I never would have believed that growing up, but it is what it is.

Don't get me wrong, I am by no means a country girl. However, I would love a nice small to middle size city with friendly neighbors and front porches.

Length matters

I know as a girl that I am not supposed to actually admit this out loud, but length matters. I'm sorry it does! We are simply kidding ourselves when we say it doesn't. And when did it become the collective rule that we were all willing to lie about it not mattering? I don't recall a vote, but yet I am supposed to go along with the secret "girl code"? Shorter is definitely better!!!

I am of course talking about the length of winter. (You should all collectively get your heads out of the gutter.) Yes, it got colder here than I thought it was possible to survive, but I survived it. It turns out that you can put on enough clothes if you keep layering. The toughest part of this winter of my discontent is its length. I mean COME ON! It is the first weekend in April - Easter is next week, and we are just now getting a couple of days per week in the low 60's. How do these people live this way?

I actually know the answer to that last question. They don't know any better. They don't know that March should bring flowers and grass and sunny days. Maybe if by some horrible twist of fate I spend another winter here I too will tolerate it better. I will mentally be prepared for winter well into April. I was not at a mental place for it this year.

I have actually discovered that there are lots of things about the south that people around here don't know. When I first came here, the misperceptions about life "down there" were annoying. I couldn't believe that people really thought such ridiculous things. I now find them amusing. I smile politely, nod my head and have two thoughts. The first - I can't wait to get back home to the south. The second - I am so glad that small minded people like you will never move there.

What a Week

I need this week to be over. I was on call last weekend so didn't get much rest. Worked a "normal" day Monday getting home around 7 pm. Who knew that would be my good day. This is the earliest I have gotten home since and I am on call this Friday/Sunday. . . so a LONG weekend ahead. I am on call again next Thursday, and then my travels begin. Luckily, my first trip is all for fun. I am heading to DC to see my friend Jessica, her new baby boy and the cherry blossosms. I just have to survive the next 7 days . . . I just have to survive the next 7 days . . . I just have to survive the next 7 days . . .

Addicted

Okay - I have a confession. My name is Tammy Baxter, and I am a TIVO addict. I realized I had a problem last night when instead of watching the show I wanted to see, I chose to read - not because it is better for me, but because I didn't want to wait through the commercials. I knew I could watch it tonight minus the commercials on TIVO.

I can't say that this is the first time I have done this. The only shows that I watch consistently are Oprah and LOST. I also record West Wing - which is ironic if you consider I have the entire series on DVD, but I digress. I haven't watched any of these shows real time in months. Granted I am not usually home for Oprah, but am not sure that would change anything. I am almost always home for LOST and choose to watch it the next day or my favorite wait until it is about 30 minutes in and start watching the recorded version. It finishes only about ten minutes later than the "live" version minus the commercials.

They say the first step is admitting you have a problem.