Had one of those terrible moments in life. Started filling up the jeep, before realising I left my wallet at home. Fortunately I had only just commenced filling up. I had put in a total of 78c worth of fuel!
I scrambled through the car, looking for enough change to pay for my huge debt. Unfortunately I had just cleaned my car and stripped it of all but 15c! So I pleaded with the man in the petrol station to let me go get my wallet, and he kindly shouted me the petrol. It was all very hilarious. I came back ten minutes later with my wallet, and filled the car up and paid for it.
I've never done that before in my life.
Still, on the topic of new experiences. I went to centrelink today! I mentioned my plan to go there to a friend, who foretold to me the inevitable journey of waiting amongst, teenage mothers, bogans and students. And it really was such a pleasant mix of people! I particularly enjoyed the man constantly canvassing everyone's opinion on who would win the football. When eventually his name was called, the gruff looking man across the bay proclaimed "Thank F**k, that guy was annoying." To which several heads nodded.
Apart from the man who sat next to me coughing constantly, and the other person who smelled like funny smelling cigarettes, it wasn't too unpleasant. Alas I have to go back there in a week again, she'll be right!
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Embrolojoy
Here's an obscure thought.
If someone told you that you had x years/days/minutes to live. At what point would you start changing the way you live?
If someone told me I had 12 months to live. I probably would stop going to uni and start doing things I've always wanted to do. See the world, spend as much time with friends and family as possible etc.
But what if you had ten years to live? Ten years is a fair bit of time... Enough to finish my education and work for a bit. It perplexes me. Having a deadline changes things. Would I really want to do that though?
The thing is, we all have a clock hang over our heads. We just aren't able to read the time on it. So we live as though we will live forever, forgetting we all have a very finite amount of time on this earth. Certainly though, not dwelling on ones inevitable demise is a good thing. Or else we would never get anything worthwhile done. But it's an interesting thing to ponder.
I had the privilege of talking to a patient who had had and MI, dropped dead, was revived, triple bypassed, valve replaced, heart failured and then heart transplanted. Fascinating fellow! Very aware of the clock above his head, having had his reset on numerous occasions. He was a really insightful guy, and was just tearing off all these profound observations about making the most of life, and treasuring every minute. It's always nice to learn things from patients!
I guess I'm not really adding anything new to the dialogue, it has all been said before. We all have a terminal disease of some kind, but interesting to see how awareness can change people, change their values, and in the case of my patient, change their heart!
If someone told you that you had x years/days/minutes to live. At what point would you start changing the way you live?
If someone told me I had 12 months to live. I probably would stop going to uni and start doing things I've always wanted to do. See the world, spend as much time with friends and family as possible etc.
But what if you had ten years to live? Ten years is a fair bit of time... Enough to finish my education and work for a bit. It perplexes me. Having a deadline changes things. Would I really want to do that though?
The thing is, we all have a clock hang over our heads. We just aren't able to read the time on it. So we live as though we will live forever, forgetting we all have a very finite amount of time on this earth. Certainly though, not dwelling on ones inevitable demise is a good thing. Or else we would never get anything worthwhile done. But it's an interesting thing to ponder.
I had the privilege of talking to a patient who had had and MI, dropped dead, was revived, triple bypassed, valve replaced, heart failured and then heart transplanted. Fascinating fellow! Very aware of the clock above his head, having had his reset on numerous occasions. He was a really insightful guy, and was just tearing off all these profound observations about making the most of life, and treasuring every minute. It's always nice to learn things from patients!
I guess I'm not really adding anything new to the dialogue, it has all been said before. We all have a terminal disease of some kind, but interesting to see how awareness can change people, change their values, and in the case of my patient, change their heart!
Monday, September 12, 2011
A secret!
Sadly, I must disclose a secret! Well, it's not that exciting - just ridiculously awkward:
I can't sleep on my side.
I used to be able to, but I just can't anymore! It physically destroys me! My shoulder kills me, and my neck it aches! I think I have become too broad across the shoulders to stay on my side!
Is it a ridiculous notion, or do other people suffer this unusual condition? I'm starting to appreciate why I sleep on my front so much!
I can't sleep on my side.
I used to be able to, but I just can't anymore! It physically destroys me! My shoulder kills me, and my neck it aches! I think I have become too broad across the shoulders to stay on my side!
Is it a ridiculous notion, or do other people suffer this unusual condition? I'm starting to appreciate why I sleep on my front so much!
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Media fatigue
I think I'm fatigued. Not from life, but 9/11 commemorations. I don't aim to take anything away from the magnitude of the events that occurred that day, and in response to them. But the media saturation the last few weeks has just been a little much for me.
I certainly remember that day as much as anyone else who was kicking around then, I don' really need to be reminded of it constantly.
Perhaps an observation then... It had to be New York. If those buildings had been in any other city it just wouldn't have been the same. When you watch the videos, and you hear the people reacting in shock and horror. They all have such amazing stereotypical accents, and they cut straight to what they feel with their 'Hey! I'm walking here!' attitude. They don't sit their quietly and whimper so much, but the rawness of their emotion comes right out and hits you in the face. Often when I see the horrific videos of that day replayed, it's not the explosions, the people looking dazed and confused, or the disaster that follows that makes me stop and think. It's the audio in the background. The delay between seeing and vocalising their inner feelings. And then subsequently grasping the magnitude of the outcome.
Normally I'd link a video, but I'm pretty sure you know what I mean already. It's an amazing piece of history.
I certainly remember that day as much as anyone else who was kicking around then, I don' really need to be reminded of it constantly.
Perhaps an observation then... It had to be New York. If those buildings had been in any other city it just wouldn't have been the same. When you watch the videos, and you hear the people reacting in shock and horror. They all have such amazing stereotypical accents, and they cut straight to what they feel with their 'Hey! I'm walking here!' attitude. They don't sit their quietly and whimper so much, but the rawness of their emotion comes right out and hits you in the face. Often when I see the horrific videos of that day replayed, it's not the explosions, the people looking dazed and confused, or the disaster that follows that makes me stop and think. It's the audio in the background. The delay between seeing and vocalising their inner feelings. And then subsequently grasping the magnitude of the outcome.
Normally I'd link a video, but I'm pretty sure you know what I mean already. It's an amazing piece of history.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Huh.
Very very interesting weekend. But I have done no work at all. No wonder I feel so happy!
This year has been a really interesting year for me. The whole time I was doing science I don't think I was ever really the person I wanted to be. I was more akin to shut in than a human being.
I've changed a bit this year, I'm a little more open. A little more mellow, but mostly I think I'm a bit more me! Sure, I haven't changed dramatically, maybe I've just become more accepting of myself. I just feel more at ease with life.
One thing I have learned this year, is that confidence is key. Even when you're not confident! This is especially true when you ghost the wards. As one of the doc's said to us:
"Dress like a doctor, put on your badge and throw a stethoscope around your neck, and just go talk to patients. There's nothing to be scared of."
Or more concisely, as my GP told me as we chatted about medicine "90% is looking the part."
If you can't be confident, look confident, and the rest will come trickling back!
I'm starting to get a wrangle on this medicine dealy. But I'm trying not to be consumed by it. Wouldn't want to get obsessed (again!) I really hope this balance can be maintained!
Mostly though, I'm just thankful for the opportunity.
This year has been a really interesting year for me. The whole time I was doing science I don't think I was ever really the person I wanted to be. I was more akin to shut in than a human being.
I've changed a bit this year, I'm a little more open. A little more mellow, but mostly I think I'm a bit more me! Sure, I haven't changed dramatically, maybe I've just become more accepting of myself. I just feel more at ease with life.
One thing I have learned this year, is that confidence is key. Even when you're not confident! This is especially true when you ghost the wards. As one of the doc's said to us:
"Dress like a doctor, put on your badge and throw a stethoscope around your neck, and just go talk to patients. There's nothing to be scared of."
Or more concisely, as my GP told me as we chatted about medicine "90% is looking the part."
If you can't be confident, look confident, and the rest will come trickling back!
I'm starting to get a wrangle on this medicine dealy. But I'm trying not to be consumed by it. Wouldn't want to get obsessed (again!) I really hope this balance can be maintained!
Mostly though, I'm just thankful for the opportunity.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
sunshine and lollypops
This weather is nice! Took the top off the jeep and drove with the sun in my face and the wind in my hair, and I was happy. Then spent the night at a fun birthday where I got to know some of my classmates a bit better. I'm finally starting to realise a balance between work and recreation is probably healthier than a balance between work and contemplation (about work).
But because this is a medical themed blog, supposedly, I should at least drop a bit of medicine in. You might remember some time ago I talked about my first experience with CPR. Essentially they threw me in to the deep end, and let me push on a dummy's chest for a bit. I felt awful afterward, and would later find out that I had succeeded in pushing on my mans chest sufficiently just once, out of my 120 times. I'd also been unable to get any reasonable puffs of air in to him! All in all it was a disaster, but a really good learning experience.
On Thursday I had my final basic life support assessment - a virtual rerun of the original scenario (with a few changes for spice!) Except this time I had skills! It was really nice to feel confident about some life saving skills, and rather happily I passed. They give you a little picture of how you performed, which I find the most interesting part of all.
Basically, it's just craziness. The top waveforms are the ventilations, the bottom is the compressions. You have to get each one in to the right volume or depth for it to be successful, and you have to be pushing on the chest at a rate of 100 compressions per minute. So if you're doing CPR, go hard and fast, and forget being gentle.
Suffice to say, I'm really looking forward to doing some more advanced life support stuff in the future!
But because this is a medical themed blog, supposedly, I should at least drop a bit of medicine in. You might remember some time ago I talked about my first experience with CPR. Essentially they threw me in to the deep end, and let me push on a dummy's chest for a bit. I felt awful afterward, and would later find out that I had succeeded in pushing on my mans chest sufficiently just once, out of my 120 times. I'd also been unable to get any reasonable puffs of air in to him! All in all it was a disaster, but a really good learning experience.
On Thursday I had my final basic life support assessment - a virtual rerun of the original scenario (with a few changes for spice!) Except this time I had skills! It was really nice to feel confident about some life saving skills, and rather happily I passed. They give you a little picture of how you performed, which I find the most interesting part of all.
Basically, it's just craziness. The top waveforms are the ventilations, the bottom is the compressions. You have to get each one in to the right volume or depth for it to be successful, and you have to be pushing on the chest at a rate of 100 compressions per minute. So if you're doing CPR, go hard and fast, and forget being gentle.
Suffice to say, I'm really looking forward to doing some more advanced life support stuff in the future!
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