Pontificum Scriblerus

Well, the nurse calls back, and the gist of our conversation is: "We're just gonna call today day 1 of your cycle. And we're gonna start you on a big-gun drug (well, not to us cause we use it all the time, so we're actually not gonna tell you anything about it, like, the fact that it'll cause hotflashes, and it has thrombogenic properties and it can cause uterine cancer in a small percentage of women, or instructions on how to take it), and we'll call you in a perscription." WTF!! First of all, I'd think that when a patient is a physician as well, they'd extend a small courtesy of having the doctor talk to me, not a nurse, so that I can ask my questions and get a semi-intelligent answer instead of "Polly wanna cracker" playback from rounds! Secondly, since when, even for laypeople patients, is it ok to have a nurse call you up and tell you you're getting started on a new drug without so much as an explanation of the drug? I'm t...

Went to the ultrasound today, accompanied by hubby, which is a deviation from the norm. It was good to have him there so that I could throw punches and bitchy quips his way when results were less than satisfactory. It was, however, admittedly interesting , to say the least, to have him awake and present when the tech said, "Ok, let's have you insert this ..." Although, I think it brought us closer together, as these things tend to do. Have I ever told the story about how and why he decided he would have to marry me? Let's just say, the story has the words, "acetaminophen suppositories" in it. Well, anyway, inserting this ended up showing that I a) continue to have thin lining, although, it's "not that bad" according to the tech. b) I have a collapsing follicle, which means I did ovulate, but who knows when, last cycle, this cycle, we'll never know. c) there is also a huge corpus luteum cyst on the left ovary, sized 7 cm. Last time this ...

We got iPhones!! That is exciting news! So exciting, that, apparently, it's worth posting on the blog; although, I'm starting with this to make a bigger deeper point. We got iPhones, and I'm kinda sad. Don't get me wrong, I've been coveting this toy for a very long time, dropping passive aggressive hints at home left and right. I've always been met with basically a stone wall. Recently, though, something changed; life has been rough to us, plus, we got a small inheritance of about $340 to be spent as we wish. And by inheritance, I mean it's a reimbursement for moneys already rendered for hubby's trip to the Dominican ER, which we consider sunk cost. (Did I not write about that? For shame.) Thus, we decided to upgrade ourselves to the ultimate. Except that now I'm kinda sad. You see, I had an iTouch before, for almost 2 years, and it's never done me any wrong! We had a great time together, and now it lies forgotten, tossed aside, next to the landl...

http://crooksandliars.com/logan-murphy/ohio-republican-re-introduces-bill-gi So, a pro life Republican lawmaker wants to re-introduce a bill which would make abortion impossible unless written permission slips from both parents are signed. There is so much wrong with this, I don't even know where to start. I think I'll start with the point of view of a pro-choice woman. I am not a feminist, not really, not in the classic sense of the word. However, by this age, I can recognize when rights are being granted and then taken away. So, by telling a woman that yes, she has the right to choose - but only if a man agrees, and signs a paper - is patronizing, offensive and incongruent. Plus, I'd like to point out the blind assumption that every woman who is pregnant out there has a man whose permission she has the chance to obtain; this implies horrendous stigma, as far as I'm concerned. I'm not even talking about special cases, like rape or incest, although it's wor...

-By 9 am Saturday, I'd already gotten a phone call from a well known borderline psychotic patient, whose emergency of the day was that although he eats ok, the vitamins and minerals don't seem to be absorbed. Upon my reasonable suggestion that he move up his clinic appointment next week to talk about it with Dr Z, he said, "I see where this is going; I think I'm gonna get the hell away from this hospital, or somethin." Yours truly is just jaded enough at this point to say, "Ok sir, sounds good," wish him a nice weekend, and hang up. And to think, the first time I spoke to this patient, I was actually concerned he might be suicidal, and was gonna call the police to his house. It only took 3 or 4 3am phonecalls requesting percocets, and proclaming love for Dr Z for me to stop taking him seriously. -The high light of the day so far is the giant tray of slightly soggy sandwiches left over from the farewell party for Kerry (is it bad that I don't know...

I bitch about work. A LOT. In case any of you out there think I'm exaggerating, here's a little chat I had with an actual patient, not an actor, about her experience in the ED of a prominent tertiary care institution. This particular patient is a highly educated young woman under the care of a fertility specialist, hence, the follistim references. Here we go: Actual patient, not an actor : I came in to the ER at 2. Explained to the triage: follistim numb painful arm fear of blood clot, known side effect of follistim my Dr. who is at COLUMBIA(this was a Columbia ER) SENT ME please help us rule out blood clot does that seem clear to you? me : rather. APNAA : no really please tell me I may be expecting too much seven hours later SEVEN I come up and that's when the nurse says oh so what did you inject into your arm? me : you should have been like... antifreeze.Is that bad? APNAA : it was just like unbelievable!! i have no words for that experience apparently the THREE triage...

Sometimes, there are things that happen throughout the day that are too short for a good post, but too good to just let lie without telling the world. I've been filing them away. I thought today was a good day to share, since I'm otherwise not inspired to write anything deep at all. 1) Mother Parker On a sunny Sunday, we drove into Boston, right into the thick of things, right into that fateful intersection of Newbury and Dartmouth where many men (and women) have gone MIA searching for parking. But ho! what light through younder window.... There is a perfectly legit spot right there on Exeter! So we position the car and poise for a parallel park - except there appears to be a chick standing in the spot, texting on her phone. Roll down the window, whatcha doin there, and she says, with no note of apology, "I'm saving this spot." WHA? "Are you serious?" "I'd DEAD serious!" (she said that.) Now, hubby and I are just both laughing. Newbury stre...