Lady Bird Johnson Grove

 

This Saturday, we went hiking in Lady Bird Johnson Grove, a trail north of Orick, CA which is part of Redwood National Park, a protected park created in 1968 with much support from this First Lady.

It was a short but pleasant hike; Pepper had a great time exploring the nooks of the mighty redwood trees.

  

It was sunny but pretty chilly (40s), which explains the multiple layers which, with the camera, add 20 lbs...

 taaallllllll trees!

Can you spot K and Pep?

Mushrooms!

Goofin' around in a gap

  

The end!

First, do no harm

Thank you to Char for sharing this very well-written article on Forbes.com: "Why Rating your Doctor is Bad for Your Health." It quotes some colleagues from UC Davis, where K and I trained in residency, and really should be mandatory reading material for all patients (and doctors).

I believe in patient-centered care. I believe in being nice to patients (and hoping they're nice to you) and listening to and considering their concerns carefully. I like patients to be satisfied. But I don't believe in performing unnecessary diagnostic tests or over-treating to "get good reviews" and I certainly would not do anything I didn't feel was medically indicated just to keep a patient from getting upset with me or because I'd be better compensated (this, to me, is absolutely abhorrent).  I'd rather "do the right thing" and get a bad review than potentially cause a chain of harm by doing what a patient (who, with a few exceptions, did not go to medical school) requested.

I have refused a lot of antibiotics in my day (note to all future patients: save yourself a visit for a "cough/cold" lasting fewer than 2-3 weeks, as antibiotics will not help you, and bronchitis is rarely bacterial).  I have refused to do a pap smear in an appointment made for a "pap" as it was not due (note: pap smear screening has recently changed to every THREE years for most women ages 21-65, or every 5 years if negative and HPV co-testing is available; however, annual exams/health reviews and pelvic exams may still be indicated). I have refused to order imaging as I felt the chance it would be abnormal was minimal (note: not all abdominal pain requires a CT scan). I don't agree with Lyme testing for asymptomatic people, even though I live in a Lyme-endemic area. I don't think all pain needs to be treated with narcotics. I request urine specimens in almost all patients who "think" they have a urinary infection, as many do not, and won't usually treat over the phone. We are still over-screening people for prostate cancer.

Doctors need to stand strong in their medical decision-making and not be swayed by threats of patient dissatisfaction or poorer compensation. As we all swore at a ceremony in medical school in accordance with the Hippocratic Oath, "First, do no harm."

Snow Frolicking!

 

After 7 deliveries in 7 days, I finally had one day off of call and, since we'd heard the hills east of us had gotten snow with the tons of rain we got over Christmas week, we decided to try to check it out.

We'd planned on snow-shoeing but, as we've had sunshine for most the last week, there wasn't much powder and trekking in our snowboots sufficed.

It's amazing that, just 25 miles or 30 minutes east of us, we could play in this (off of Titlow Hill Rd, just before Willow Creek). We're not sure if this was actually Horse Mountain which is what was recommended to us (directions were scarce!), but we found what we came for!

 

Pepper LOVES the snow. She just frolicked, scampered, and ran around, exploring ...

 

 We came across a nice snowman...

... and had nice views!

Kelvin now thinks we should get a sled, since we obviously have sooooo much access to snow! :)

2012: Year in Pictorial Review

We had a wonderful year! Here is 2012 reviewed in pictures...

January

Kimie and the Lees visit Humboldt County!

 

Pep does the Lost Coast

  

February-- weekend at Mt. Shasta

March: ITALIA!

Cinqueterre

Cappuchino!

Being tourists in Pisa

Trevi Fountain, Rome

Trees of Mystery in Klamath, CA

May

Our Solar Eclipse 

Kayaking at Big Lagoon

Memorial Day: Bend, OR and the Rogue River

June

Kenn & Lisa Tie the Knot 6.23.12 

  

Oysterfest in Arcata!

July

Trinity Alps and Whiskeytown Lake 

Rafting the Trinity River

August

Pallavi and Amanda Tie the Knot (SD, CA) 

September

 

Devil's Punchbowl (labor day weekend)

Oregon Coast!

Cathleen & Tim 9.22.12 

K turns 30!

Laura and Adrian tie the knot - Rancho Las Lomas

 

October

Ann-Chi and Anthony tie the knot in Chico, CA

 November

We visit old friends in Rochester, MN ...

... and family in Crookston for Thanksgiving

December

The Vus visit Humboldt!

Trinidad

Avenue of the Giants

After being up all night (not by choice to celebrate midnight, which is about 3 hours past my bedtime, but because of laboring women!), I got to deliver our community hospital's "New Year's Baby" at 0815 this AM.

Here's to a wonderful 2013! Happy New Year!