The two sides

I'm currently on the tail end of the first week of my 2-week rotation (last of my intern rotations!) on Peds Wards. It's quite interesting because, although I don't really enjoy hospital medicine or really pediatrics all that much, it's been quite a nice week. Although painful at times because of all the scut work, it's kind of nice at times to be in the "intern" role because you have much less responsibility and don't look stupid for asking your superiors for help! I can claim to not know anything about kids and then look smart if I do bust out with some appropriate developmental milestone or miraculously correct drug dose (I do admit that I'm getting sick of doing all the math with mgs per kg drug dosing, cc/kg urine output, etc. though). But back to why it's pretty cush... maybe it's because it tends to be easier to deal with the medical (and usually more limited) problems of these little ones compared to the old geezers (say, at the VA where we do a lot of medicine) who have accumulated 80 years of disastrous medical issues (even though some of these kids have a lot of complex stuff going on). Maybe it's because morning exams and rounding takes less time because there is less body surface area to examine. Maybe I'm swayed by the schedule-- which starts at 6 a.m. but, if you are not on "long call" (meaning admitting during the day), can end with sign out as early as 4 p.m.! I can not say that I have ever on any other inpatient rotation walked out of the hospital before 6 p.m. The extra few hours per day are much appreciated! I've taken more naps this week than I think I did all of last year!

I even have this weekend off (this makes 3 in a row, which has been the most I have had since my 1st month of intern year when I started on gyn!), although I pay for it by being on Saturday weekend call for peds next weekend, followed by OB Saturday call the following weekend and OB Friday call the weekend after that which makes 20 days in a row on and rounding. Yuck. There is definitely a balance. I almost got down (and very lonely!) last weekend because I think I had too much time on my hands that I wasn't used to but I do really think 1 day off per week is kind of necessary!

Continuing to speak of days off-- I found out this week that, when I'm on my peds urgent care rotation in November, I get Thanksgiving and the subsequent 3 days off!!!!!! I can't believe this gift! I'm trying to see if I can meet up with my parents (who will be coming out in October anyway- yeah!) and Grandma in MN like last year.

And then-- (I must have done something really good to deserve this)-- although I am on 24 hour call on (Wednesday) Christmas Eve, I have gotten a clinic break and don't have to go back to work until the following Monday so I have basically 4 days off then, too! I CAN'T BELIEVE MY LUCK. Although I'm probably on call every day in 2009 to make up for this good fortune, I think it's worth it. :)

So enough of residency talk.

As for sides of recently-read books... two thumbs up for Marley and Me (John Grogan) and The Last Promise (by Richard Paul Evans, who is almost as sappy as Nicholas Sparks). Pass on The Almost Moon (Alice Sebold) and Lipstick Jungle (Candace Bushnell). Next is Lost and Found (Carolyn Parkhurst). (Rachel, I keep trying to request your authors/get them from the library but they're always checked out!! Maybe by the time we leave for Belize...)

And as far as 2 sides of things go.... have you all been watching the campaign coverage?

Let's just say that Shomir and I don't disagree on very many things, nor do I discuss much politics on this blog, but we tend to disagree on:

1. Whether dogs should be allowed inside the house

2. Whether playing "Call of Duty"/(Xbox) is a worthwhile use of precious free hours in residency

3. What constitutes a "good movie"

and

4. Which political party and candidate should be in our presidential office come November because the other party is insane.

I have never donated to a national campaign before... but there is a first time for everything and here is a very subtle picture of my preference...




And let me end by this post by wishing my little sis a very happy birthday (big 24!!)! She is far away in Denmark (it is 101 here and probably 51 degrees there) but I'm sure she'll be celebrating in style!!! (here's a pic of her in COLD water I stole from her blog)