Photo rundown

I had the last week off, which was fantabulous.

Here is a picture from our lazy Friday morning (Danny took the day off so we could hang out).

We went to St. Joe on Friday afternoon to see some sights and hear Jason Upton at Word of Life Church. Here's a random picture from a creepy museum.

And a random picture from a creepy antique store.

We didn't make it to the Jesse James museum because they had already switched to "winter hours," closing early. Um, yeah....winter hours? 85 degrees people....85 degrees. We did make it to the Pony Express Museum. Did you know that the Pony Express only operated for 19 months before the company went bankrupt? Oh snap! My blog just got all edumacational!

Oh, and we interrupted these guys when we sat down at a picnic table to enjoy some ice cream. Danny made me take the picture.

I was also able to spend some time with my besties and their adorable children.

(This is Rachel and Carmen's daughter Eva)

(Julie's Daughter, Alexis)


(Ellie and Alexis)

(Eva at Louisburg Cider Mill)

(Ellie at the Cider Mill - she usually doesn't like to smile for me, so this was a treat!)

Differential

So....here's a list of some things that are plaguing me:

Pink, shiny papule right below my left clavicle....probably a basal cell.
Rough, scaly skin just distal to afore mentioned papule....potentially actinic keratosis, or squamous cell.
When I lay down to sleep at night, I can feel my abdominal aorta pulsating strongly - probably an AAA.
Random chest pain - most likely prinzmetal angina.
Occasional pain in the region of my right scapula....gall bladder must be acting up.
My left leg has been aching lately. Feels like bone pain. I don't think I'm growing anymore, so that leaves me with bone cancer.
I clear my throat a lot, as do my mom and grandma. I think we've all got silent GERD. Probably erosive esophagitis too.
I'm pretty sure my panic disorder is resolving - I can drive on the highway again, thank you very much - but I think I may have developed a little OCD. I check to make sure that things are unplugged or off SEVERAL times before I leave the house because I don't want my house to burn down, incinerating my animals. Completely rational, right? Thought so.
I could probably make a case for IBS, IBD, Crohn's or UC, but I'll leave those details to your imagination.

That's if for now. I would hate me if I were my patient.

I know I shouldn't

Sometimes when I get bored with studying, I check out petfinder.com. I realize that this is probably not the smartest thing to do because, well, I seem to have a knack for accumulating animals. And I live in a tiny little house that requires daily vacuuming to combat the hairballs that flow freely across the floor. So...I know, I know, I know, but is this not the cutest little peanut you've ever seen?

http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=11793234

This is Gus and he's available for adoption here in KC. Just look at that widdle face! I told Danny that we should probably go and visit him....you know, just to say hi and give him some love. He then reminded me what happened the last time we went to "visit" an animal rescue: this guy came home with us.....

....and our lives were complete :)

The most awesome thing I've heard in a while

"I'm having trouble with testicles today."
-Anonymous Pediatric Attending

HI

I haven't blogged in a few weeks, so I thought I should, even though I don't really have anything important to say.

Hmmmm....So I've been working at a family medicine clinic for the past 5 weeks. I went into FM thinking that I'd get bored with the sore throats and the diabetes and the hypertension, but I've actually really enjoyed this rotation. I've been there for the birth of two babies, one c-section and one vaginal (drugs please!), and I've seen a ton of different things from warts to minimal change disease, catatonic sleep disorders, autism, and someone my age recovering from a stroke.

I'm really kind of surprised at the number of patients that I see who are on anti-depressants. If I had to guess, I would say that upwards of 60% are on them. And while some are on them for generalized anxiety, panic disorders and chronic pain, a good number are on them for, well duh, depression. Don't get me wrong, I'm definitely a fan of any medication that can make you feel better and function like a normal human being, but I wonder if some emotional stresses in life are necessary, or even good. We had a patient recently who was on an SSRI over the summer because she was going on vacation with her in-laws. Um, yeah. Really? Really? This just seems a little ridiculous. We were created with emotions for a reason. Some things should make you sad, some situations should make you anxious. It is unsettling to me that there are so many people out there facing life with a drug-induced faux-happiness because they decided they didn't want to deal with a normal life situation. Again....I totally support those who take any sort of drug for actual problems: depression/anxiety/OCD or otherwise. In-laws don't count.

Something else I find slightly upsetting. Kids are now getting a vaccine for chicken pox. Okay, so medically speaking this makes sense, but chicken pox is a right 0f passage for Pete's sake! It was such a big deal when I was a kid. I remember my mom trying to get me exposed over the summer so I wouldn't miss any school. She made me share some pumpkin ice cream at Maggie Moo's with Megan Amos when I was about 6 because Megan was infected and my mom thought that it would be a good time for me to get sick. That strategy failed and I didn't get the chicken pox until third grade. But it was exciting! The pursuit of chicken pox.....finally seeing that first pock mark....watching as they spread....trying desperately not to scratch them.....counting my pocks in an attempt to one-up my friends. Then sharing my tales of battle, "I had 'em bad in my throat! Had to eat popsicles all day." "Oh yeah, well my mom counted 5,000 on my back alone!" I would imagine that I am not alone in my fear that we are somehow disservicing today's youth by sheltering them the experience of chicken pox. It's like a first kiss or learning to drive a car....not necessarily the best experience of your life, maybe even a little painful, embarrassing or dangerous, but necessary and memorable. Okay....now I've worked myself up into a tizzy. Where is my Xanax? (This is the funny thing....I actually have some in my kitchen. But I haven't taken any. Thanks Rach.)