Pontificum Scriblerus

We went for sushi today. We were out for only a couple of hours, and yet, there was a myriad of things I couldn't believe that I can list. First of all, the place was in this strip mall. And the strip mall is apparently a hub of activity because there were people everywhere. And apparently, you had to have a reservation for dinner at this strip mall sushi place. Can you believe that? Me neither. Secondly, while waiting for a table, we were sitting down next to a large group, and part of that group was a young lady, about my age. Munchkin became completely enthralled with her. Absolutely fascinated. He just kept staring at her and half smiling in awe. Then, he waved. That was the first time he waved ever. He's never waved at me. Or at daddy. Or at his teachers. But yes at this girl. And he then proceeded to wave at her 4 more times. Can you believe he waves now? And can you believe he waved at some random girl? Third, the idee fixe du jour is where we are goin...

I've been walking past these posted fliers for weeks. Only yesterday did I stop and read one, and I just had to share. They hang on the walls and doors of the endoscopy department. Line 1: Colorectal Cancer awareness benefit This line makes sense because we are the GI and endoscopy department, which is where one would go to either detect, diagnose or treat colorectal cancer. Line 2: at Leo's Ristorante This also makes sense, because it's a local venue that is both big and nice enough to host an event such as this. Line 3: Come support colorectal cancer awareness! Good, remind people why they're reading the poster to begin with. Line 4: Drinks served at 6 Self explanatory, and convenient: late enough so that people can make it from work, and yet, early enough so that people can go to work the next day. Line 5 (and this is where it gets interesting): Followed by a talk on... "Sex and the History of Prostitution" ?? Why does this benefit colorectal cancer and wh...

I wish it still took so little to get so happy.

When I wrote my personal statement for my residency application, I just sat down and jotted down what I was thinking. It went along with what the statement was about. I wrote about how important decisions shouldn't be agonizing, but rather, a natural next step in the smooth flow of life. Or something along those lines. I mentioned the decision to go to medical school, my then recent marriage, and choosing a specialty. Does it follow, then, that these natural next steps aren't a cause for celebration, because they're so smooth and natural? When I got the letter that I got into medical school, I was by myself in the mail room at my university. I looked at the letter. Looked around for someone to tell. Then I folded the letter and stuffed it into my bag. My mother brought champagne home that night, but I didn't drink it. And I got annoyed when people congratulated me for it. (feeling kind of guilty about it, to be quite honest, because I think I was rude to this on...

So, we did go to Paris. And it was not good. I was irritable and couldn't sleep much, and was somehow scared and made uncomfortable by all the people and grandeur of Paris, to the point where its charm was lost on me completely. I felt at the same time fat, unfashionable, tired, cold and sweaty. I even remember saying, "Why is this the most romantic city in the world again?" Hubby's parents came up to join us. They planned to hang out with us for a few days, but couldn't stay too long, because his grandfather was still in the hospital or in a rehab, status post total hip replacement after his fall and fracture. Unfortunately, on the second night, during a really nice dinner at some place that had no signs in English, and no staff that spoke it (a good prognostic indicator), my mother in law got a phone call. She said into the phone, "He died?" Just like that, out of nowhere... She seemed emotionless at the time. What do you really say to a pers...

2006 was a rough year in a way. In lots of ways. In March and April of that year, I was the second year resident in the MICU, complete with overnight calls, followed by the very dreaded EP/CHF service, which, although didn't have overnight call, was even worse, what with the incredibly long hours, endless rounds, and patients who were so sick, and whose organ systems were so at war with each other, no one knew exactly what to do with them (help one organ, kill the other, type of dilemma) while they waited for a heart transplant. Around the second week of my MICU rotation, my grandmother got sick. I was on the T around 2 pm on my way home after a sleepless night, dreaming about a hot shower, a soapy scrub, and then crawling inbetween crisp sheets, and passing out until dinner time. My grandmother called me onthe cell phone, and said she had a stomach ache. I was so fatigued, I felt nervous I would have to turn around and go back to her house, but she said she didn't want th...

When you're learning to do something, especially when it's a complicated something, and after the first few (or few hundred) times you try it, you don't succeed, you think it's you. And you're probably right. It takes a while before, when you fail, and fail you will, you can confidently say: it's not me, it's them. Learning to do colonoscopies is no easy feat, at least for me, as my questionable hand-eye coordination and small hands don't lend themselves to be the best tools for the task. Could be a woman thing (I can say that, but no one else can, or should, although, they sure have); could be because the boys spend hours playing video games and honing their coordination... Either way. It is not easy. In addition to not being naturally disposed towards this procedure, it's challenging to say the least to work with a different teacher every week and receive different and sometimes, polar opposite instruction. Like, "What the hell are you d...