• I have two tickets available (free!) to "Aces and Blades". It's a benefit (not sure for what) put on by the Sabres. "business formal" attire at the Adam's Mark. TONIGHT. I think it's a casino night- possibly even with sabres players as dealers. Tix are $100 apiece. I have two FOR FREE. let me know ASAP if you want them!!!***

Hey paul, is there anyway to upload an .avi video?

So, my mom has been having some thyroid issues. No big deal, but they finally got her levels under control enough, and it was time to go ahead with the radioactive iodine treatment. Which is a no-big-deal, common procedure. She just swallows a pill and the radioactive iodine goes to the thyroid and knocks it down a notch.

but since it's radioactive, it's a big health issue, blah blah.
They gave her a zillion warnings- like not to touch anyone, to wash her sheets every day- and rinse them twice. They told her that if she blows her nose, she has to flush the kleenex down the toilet- and then flush again. Because her "radioactive waste" can't go in the landfill. (but apparently it's perfectly fine to contaminate the water).

But she has been assured that the dose in the pill is safe and won't harm her or make her have mutant babies or anything like that. Yet somehow her dirty kleenex is a major health hazard that can't even go in a landfill. Eh, whatever. health policy.

I've had patients who had radiation ask for doctors' notes to cross the border back to canada, b/c they set off all SORTS of alarms.

But paul, you would be so jealous... somehow my dad got a geiger counter (not sure where) and brought it home and chased her around the house with it. haha. He took a video, but I can't seem to post it.

so instead, here's something along the same theme.

Ok ok (e:pyrcedgrrl) made me feel bad, so I took the pix down. (if you missed it, I had posted before/after pics of a leg we had to amputate last night.) But to answer- technically it's ok since I didn't show his face (even if I did I would be ok if I blacked out the eyes) or give his name or anything, and he consented to having pictures taken.
That said, was it in poor taste? yes.

It was infected. And it got visibly, significantly worse over the matter of a few hours, which puts necrotizing fasciitis (i.e. "flesh-eating backteria") high on the list, and the only way to stop the spread of the infection is to remove the source. The leg was pretty dead, and we will probably have to go back and take more later, but we watch and see.

It's amazing though... he was starting to go downhill and look REALLY sick- but as soon as the leg was off, his heart rate went down and his blood pressure went up- all while he was under anesthesia. Kinda cool, I think we actually saved his life.

And jbeatty- all "parts" removed during surgery (even non-human parts like bullets etc) get sent to pathology. Or, the horrible joke I've heard too many times "ok here you go- send that to the kitchen!"

ha, ha, ha.

Oh, and did you know you can get herpes in your EYE to the point that you have to have the eye REMOVED? This poor guy can't catch a break.

Unfortunately, I have had this song in my head all day.
I especially like the burning cross, for added drama.

just an update, since it's been a while.

I'm back at Gates now. It's busy, but more annoying busy than good busy. I seem to be working 6a til 8 or 10pm more often than not, and i'm on call every other night, So it doesn't leave time for much else. :(

and I'm interviewing, which is stressful b/c I'm trying to do it "secretly" since work is very stingy with the days off. (i.e. we get five days total, including travel days, to go on interviews. And I have 14 interviews. They must not be very good at math.)

But I was at Yale yesterday...
Sigh...
I miss it.

The airport in new haven is a joke- it has like 2 gates and 'baggage claim' is like a hole in the wall they throw the bags through. So flights are super expensive. So I thought I was super brilliant when I decided to fly into JFK for cheap on jetblue, and then rent a car for $40 (yay priceline) and drive... That ended up being way more of a PITA than I expected.

But I made some calls, and managed to stay on campus (in my old college (i.e. dorm) no less!)- for free.

And it was so bittersweet.
I loved college. And it was so great to be back on campus- but also sad to realize that it's not "mine" anymore, and never will be.

But anyway, so I interviewed, and was done at 2 but my flight wasn't til 8, so my mom/dad/brother drove to town to have lunch with me.

They're the best.

We went to Pepe's for pizza, since my dad insists in the best pizza in the world, and he is totally willing to make the 2 hour (each way) drive for it. And I might have to agree with him. People are FANATICAL about this place.

It IS pretty damn good though... New Haven style (i.e. thin crust, slightly charred, cooked in a coal oven at 800 degrees). They're most famous for their white clam pizza, and will almost turn up their nose at you if you want cheese, even on a red pizza. No offense, but it kicks Buffalo pizza's ass. There's usually an hour or so wait, but we totally lucked out and walked right in. :)



So I finally got home around 1030 last night, and stayed up til 2 to finish a stupid presentation for this AM.

So... that's my exciting life. Work, work, work, interviews, sleep, and maybe some pizza.

(see, that's why I'm not posting much. boooorrrring!)