ok, new and improved post. Much less whiny and depressing! If you missed the short-lived previous one, consider yourself lucky.

I was just talking to Paul, and he made me realize that I totally haven't even mentioned-

I'm going to my 10 year college reunion this weekend!
How insane!
I'm so old!!!

I'm so excited though. The 5 year was super fun. I hope this is even better. I'm really excited to see friends that I probably haven't seen... since the last reunion. :(

But unfortunately, in order to make up for getting the weekend off, I'm having to work all sorts of extra hours. Like- 27hr yesterday, and 27hr tomorrow.
That's why I missed the parties this wknd. BOOO.

and while we're talking about religion, sort of...
I was just telling paul this story too, and he said "omg you have to post that" so here goes.

So last night I was on call. I was in the OR from 1 to 4pm or so doing a bypass surgery for this lady's leg. I kind of hate that surgery, and it takes a long time. (3 hours is fast. The one I did the other day took 6. ugh.)
But so I had JUST finished. I was in the recovery room writing orders. i was thinking 'ahh... now I get a little break. maybe i can go to the bathroom and get something to drink. maybe even eat lunch."
But noooo.
The med student comes in looking for me, nearly in a panic. "omg there you are thank god you're done! You need to go help in the ER! Like right now! It's bad."

ugh, so much for a little break.

So I go to the ER.

Now, this is the ER at Suburban. It's usually BUSY, but pretty straightforward. Gallbladders and appedicitis and bowel obstructions are the bread and butter. no gunshot wounds, nothing like that. (thank god.)

So I get there... and it's a 21 year old girl, with abdominal pain. She went to her doctor, who sent her for a CT scan. When they saw the CT scan they sent her to the ER immediately.

She was bleeding internally, and she looked like shit.
She was pale as death, moaning and shivering... she looked awful.
Her vital signs were crappy. Her blood counts were dropping.

She was literally bleeding to death.

She needed surgery. NOW.

So we're talking to her and her family. She's practically a baby, and her baby-faced husband was there with her holding her hand and crying and kissing her forehead and telling her she'd be ok. I almost started crying just watching them say goodbye as we started to roll her away.

We didn't know exactly what was wrong, and there was no time for more tests. We thought it might be her spleen bleeding, but we weren't sure. But it didn't matter. We just knew we had to go in there and find the bleeding and make it stop.

So we're talking to the family about consent for surgery. And then we get to the part about blood transfusions, and they say oh no, absolutely not. Because they were jehovah's witnesses.

Now, I feel like it would be one thing if it was your own life you were dealing with... but for your child?
I think I'd be like 'fuck you God- my baby is dying. give her blood!'

But they didn't. We said "you just need to know the risks and benefits. But she is bleeding a lot, and she could die if we don't give her blood." And they said "we know. No blood." And that's their right. We tell them risks/benefits, and can give recommendations if they want, but it is THEIR decision, and we are bound to it, even if we disagree.

And as we were walking down the hall, I said "i just can't imagine being willing to DIE, or to let your child die, over religious beliefs."

And my intern replied "me neither. But I also can't imagine not believing in god, and I try to remember that."

I mean it's one thing if you're a million years old and have cancer and don't want to go through hell. But 21 and healthy, newlywed, with her whole life ahead of her... she's too young to die.

And the conclusion of the story... we took her to surgery, and she lost about 2.5 liters of blood. That's about 50% of your blood. We thought maybe she had a ruptured spleen, but it ended up being a ruptured ovarian cyst.

We didn't give her any blood transfusions. And when I left the hospital this morning, she was doing pretty well. Fingers crossed!

Ok, and one last thing- I got a belated birthday present today. Apple tv. I'm going to try to get it set up tonight and will give a report. supposedly it plays youtube now, too.

(I started this as a comment, but it got way too long.)

Oy, this is a huge topic... But I think valid points can be made on both sides.
I don't believe in God just b/c I think it's a bunch of impossible crap. (hell I'm a scientist.) Some big mysterious force that made the universe in a few days? Bullshit. Immaculate conception? Bullshit. Resurrection from the dead? Bullshit. Heaven/hell? bunch of crap. Turning water into wine, no way. and on and on and on. Yeah yeah I know, the Bible isn't meant to be taken so LITERALLY, it's all in the translation, etc. Maybe. But I think the majority of people out there who do believe the bible, believe it literally. I have a problem with organized religion in most incarnations because it brainwashes people... it makes excuses. it justifies things. and punishes other things.

That said, it is maybe a little scary to think that maybe we really ARE all that there is. I mean I'm ok with it, but I think for many people it's comforting to believe in SOME sort of "higher power"- just to think and hope that maybe there's a point to it all.

So religion to some degree is fine with me. If it gives people comfort to have something to believe in, if it helps them cope with hard times, that's great. I think that's what it's meant for. If it helps them cope with things that are just too cruel to imagine otherwise (loss of child, etc)- great. Good for them. And I think most major organized religions are founded on a set of 'rules to live by'. Thou shalt not kill, etc. Most of which are pretty good advice.

Believe what you want, I couldn't care less- as long as (this is the key)- you don't force it on me. My problem comes when religion (or atheism even) is taken to either extreme- the zealots and fanatics.
The obvious extreme is war.... annihilating whole countries/societies/cultures because they don't believe in your God? How fucking stupid is that??
Fine, you believe "murdering babies" is "against the bible". Then don't have an abortion. that's your choice. But don't you dare try to tell me what I can do! And what is mind-boggling is when abortion clinics are blown up. It's not ok to "kill" a bunch of non-viable cells (that are most likely destined to a crappy life since they are unwanted)- but it's just fine to blow up a building containing a bunch of productive adults because you don't like what they do? WHAT?
You think evolution is bullshit? Fine. But don't tell me I can't let my kid learn it in school.
You think it's wrong that I use birth control? Fine, then you can raise my unwanted kids. You think I'm a sinner because i'm not married and I've had sex? all I can say to that is I feel sorry for you, you're missing out. haha.

I don't like FORCING people to believe things. I don't like the concept of "god-fearing". The whole catholic guilt thing. And jewish guilt. And making muslim women cover their faces... a lot of it just isn't decent... It's counterproductive.

I could go on forever, but I'll try to reel it in... I think the bottom line is that religion, like anything else- has to be done in moderation. If it's not for you, great. Yeah, I kind of laugh at people who believe all that god/miracle crap- but whatever. If it makes you feel good, if it makes you treat your fellow man better- it's no skin off my back if you want to go to church. Even I can see the pleasure in sitting in a cool dark stone building and hearing some music once in a while...

All I'm really trying to say is- can't we all just love each other? And sing and dance and hug and kiss and play in the flowers with the angels and unicorns? ;)

Come join the church of alex.
The main tenets-
Be a good person. (i.e. don't kill, rape, steal, etc).
Respect each other- even if you disagree.
Enjoy yourself.
If you fuck up or hurt someone, say sorry.
If someone hurts you but apologizes- move on.

Didn't we all learn this in first grade?
"do unto others as you would have others do unto you?"
It's pretty simple.