February 6, 2008

• Sick Monkey, Sock Monkey

  It is approximately 3:00 in the afternoon and I am already sitting at home in my pajamas. There are a few reasons for this

  reason the first: I have no more clinical duties for psychiatry. Yesterday was technically my last day, but I had to return today to get my evaluations from the attending  and resident. Which on the whole were good. who knows i may have a shot at an A in this clerkship yet. One of the patients I have been following the whole 6 weeks was discharged to a social rehabilitation program today, and it was his opinion that I helped him a lot and I am “good people” Which is always nice to hear, although we are constantly warned about letting our self esteem get tied up in our patients opinions of us. So I guess, i am done with work.

  of course this doesnt explain why i am in my pajamas (they are a sock monkey pattern in light blue, in case you are wondering)

  reason the 2nd: It is snowing something fierce in illinoise right now. As in 12-14 inches expected today with more possibly over the weekend. Ergo, having safely made the drive home from work, i have no further reason to be leaving my apartment with the weather outside so frightful. And my jammies so delightful. And since I’ve no place to go. Let it snow, let it snow, let it stop by friday when my shelf exam is. Yes, doesnt have quite the same rhyme scheme too it, but trust me it would make me much happier
  
  I also am wearing a garbage pail kids tshirt. You all remember the garbage pail kids, right? If not, i am sadly older than you. The one i am wearing is “sloshed josh” and he is stuck in a coke bottle. A friend picked up the shirt for me at some garage sale i am thinking, and it is tremendously comfortable. So. inclement weather

  reason the 3rd: still sick. though feeling better than the previous two days, and holding out hope that by friday i will be fully recovered so i can go out and do more things that will probably not make me feel very well. I seem to have some kind of flu/cold. I dont care enough to listen to my own heart and lungs to get any more details. So as rainy wondered, what do doctors do when they are sick?

  this one sleeps much more than usual, and drinks a substantial amount of green tea, cocoa, and watches movies when work does not call. I also enjoy a variety of tasty soups, one of which i will try and post in another “cooking with almost dr j” segment soon.

  I have no other reasons, and sadly for you, no more funny psych stories. Though it was certainly a laid back, easygoing rotation, i dont feel psych would have been right for me, as my constant need to be doing SOMETHING ANYTHING is a little too high intensity, energy for this field. Despite that, i learned some valuable lessons about communicating and listening to the patient, something i fear we all too often as physicians dont have or take the time to do with a lot of our patients

  Thursday is my day off to study or more likely, catch up on sleep and feeling better, and friday the shelf exam. The following monday its back to an inner city hospital to learn about the inner workings of the female in OB/GYN. It will be…interesting…

  • 4:35 pm
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