The Power of a Pager

It can wake you from the deepest sleep, evaporating dreams in-progress...

Ruin the sweetest cup of coffee and defeat a peaceful awakening...

Command attention, immediate response, "JUMP! NOW!" it says...

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It's not all bad, being on call. The problem is, it's entirely unpredictable. Money is a good thing to have right about now, and I'm either making it or I'm spending it. So I might as well be making it. The screeching announcement on the belt indicates another add-on patient waiting to be seen. When they start to stack-up, so does the stress. To be honest though, there are weekends which are pretty quiet: I mean, I saw a patient in the ER first thing this morning, and now here I sit blogging instead of scanning.

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So what do I do if it's quiet? I don't make any plans, to be safe...don't plan to make it to church on Sunday. There's always a project to work on--but not always the motivation to do so. I may venture to a coffee shop and dive into a book. I could have some lunch down the road...but just as I'm ordering... Ahh, well. You never know. It was worth a shot.

~~~

What I don't do is go home. For me, there's nothing worse than driving all the way home after seeing a patient, prop my feet up with a glass of iced tea and "BEEEEEEP BEEEEEEP BEEEEEEP". That will drive me to insanity faster than anything. Not to mention the waste of gas. So I stick around, work out on the treadmill, write some emails...finish those presentations for next week's conference. (I'm currently in full-on procrastination mode. I do work best under pressure, but this is ridiculous).

Guernica ~~by Dave Boling

Are you familiar with this quote?
"People may not remember exactly what you did, or what you said,

but they will always remember how you made them feel"

This comes to mind when I think of my experiences inside the novel Guernica, by Dave Boling. Not to say that I don't remember the intricate weave of characters and events in the story, or the artful phrasing and cadence of the writing which so vividly brought them to life. His work is brilliant...it stirred in me palpable emotions toward the characters, the Basque culture and its people, and the resulting impact of that fateful day in Guernica, which is immortalized in Picasso's painting. I remember how I felt as I spent time in this book, and it was incredible. If you enjoy historical novels, this is one to put on your list. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

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Side-Note: Every now and then you meet someone and immediately "click" with them. This lady was one of my patients for a routine ultrasound exam...I think I caught a glimpse of myself in her, +30 years. We had a lively conversation about work, family, travel--and specifically about books we have read recently. She told me about this book, describing its beauty, and I added it to my list of books to read. The next morning when I arrived at work, the her book was in my mailbox with a kind note, and her intentions that I pass the book along to others who would like it. So if you're looking for a book to read and are interested: I'm "paying it forward" :-)

The Eyre Affair ~~by Jasper Fforde

Admittedly, it's not the longest book I've ever read...and I was sick in bed, literally reading all day...a little perspective on the fact that I read it in 2 days. That said, The Eyre Affair was a fast-paced joy-ride of a book that kept me intrigued and awake!

This book is a mystery novel set in an alternate version of 1985 England, as-in: the main character has a pet Dodo bird (version 1.2), there is a "ChronoGuard" which is a Special Ops detective unit dealing with time travel, and it is possible to actually enter a piece of literature and interact with the characters. There is humor throughout the book, as we follow detective Thursday Next (whos boss is Braxton Hicks, haha) in her hunt for the villian Acheron Hades. I've never been what you'd call a "Fan" of Sci-Fi novels--but this wasn't entirely Sci-Fi, and I was completely engrossed in it! Better yet: I could understand the world the author had created, with an entirely different set of laws, physics, realities from the world we know.

This is the first in his "Thursday Next" series of mystery-detective-adventure novels, and I just might read the next one... Alas, so many books, so little time.

I'm starting on his next series, "Nursery Crimes":
-The Big Over Easy (the fate of Humpty Dumpty set in New Orleans),
-The Fourth Bear (the theory that there must've been a fourth 'bear on the knoll' in the Goldilocks story),
-The Last Great Tortoise Race (TBA).

In the "Nursery Crime" series, Jack Spratt is the detective, and the bad guys are characters like the Gingerbread Man. What I love about Jasper Fforde's writing is that it is highly intelligent, with wicked humor, and not juvenille in the least (despite the characters). Fforde is either the craziest or the most inventive author I've ever read. GREAT STUFF!!

The things kids say...

So, this weekend I walked into the used bookstore at the West Seattle junction, and I hear this kid say "Hey Dad, isn't that the crazy Jesus lady?!". I glance around the shop (pretty much just us and the shopkeeper), at the kid staring at me, and finally at the dad who was beet red and not-so-subtly shushing the kid. It was pretty funny, and I gave the dad a smile. I didn't say anything to them, but I did think: Even though I wasn't their "crazy Jesus lady", I do love Jesus, and in some ways I am a little crazy. Hmm.

A *Sunny* Weekend on Alki Beach

Yes, it was *SUNNY*, albeit a little on the chilly side this weekend. It was perfect for a walk along the waterfront in my neighborhood...

...and maybe a coffee in a comfy chair by the fireplace at Tully's...

...or maybe a Guiness at the Irish pub...
...I went for the Guiness this Saturday...
Certainly you've heard about this:

NEWS FLASH!

From: BBC News, Nov. 2003:

The old advertising slogan "Guinness is Good for You" may be true after all, according to researchers. …A pint of the black stuff a day may work as well as an aspirin to prevent heart clots that raise the risk of heart attacks. ...the firm still makes no health claims for the drink. The Wisconsin team tested the health-giving properties of stout against lager by giving it to dogs who had narrowed arteries similar to those in heart disease. They found that those given the Guinness had reduced clotting activity in their blood, but not those given lager…The researchers told a meeting of the American Heart Association in Orlando, Florida, that the most benefit they saw was from 24 fluid ounces of Guinness - just over a pint - taken at mealtimes. They believe that "antioxidant compounds" in the Guinness, similar to those found in certain fruits and vegetables, are responsible for the health benefits because they slow down the deposit of harmful cholesterol on the artery walls.

(Image from the BBC Website)
…The original campaign in the 1920s stemmed from market research - when people told the company that they felt good after their pint, the slogan was born. In England, post-operative patients used to be given Guinness, as were blood donors, based on the belief that it was high in iron….

A little internet research to justify my Guiness enjoyment on a Saturday afternoon :-)

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We even have our own version of the Statue of Liberty down at the beach:

I have a favorite workout-walk: It's a 6 mile loop from the east side of Alki beach (with fantastic views of the Seattle skyline across the bay), around the point (with incredible views of the islands, penninsula and Olympic mountains) along the waterfront to the Coast Guard station and lighthouse, up the long steep Admiral hill, and through the north-West Seattle neighborhood (past historic mansions built by sea captains and...appropriately enough, Admirals), and down the hill to Alki once again. Depending on where I start the loop, I end up at the pub for a refreshing Guiness (just one).

Makes for a nice day, don't you think?

"Liberating" (that pun's for you, Dad!) :-)

The Most Caffiene You've Ever Seen is in Seattle

One of the morning radio stations I listen to is "The Bob Rivers Show" on KZOK. They are pretty darned funny, and generally interesting and entertaining.

The reason I bring it up is: They do the "Twisted Tunes", which are parodies on songs we know and love. While some of them are a little raunchy (although not too raunchy to play on the air...true, that's not saying much these days), some of them are classic.

My favorite one is to the tune of "The Bluest Skies You've Ever Seen are in Seattle". It's ramped up to rock speed, and it's called: "The Most Caffiene You've Ever Seen"

http://www.twistedtunes.com/#v8771

Lyrics to Most Caffeine You've Ever Seen :
The bluest skies you've ever seen in Seattle
And the hills the greenest green in Seattle
Like a beautiful child growin' up free and wild
The most caffeine you've ever seen in Seattle

And they grind the meanest beans in Seattle
It's a beautiful trip from the very first sip
We're the java pioneers
Served by chicks with no brassieres
Till the foam comes out our ears
In SeattleIn Seattle

When it's time to go to work
You'll be draggin'
And you need a little buzz to get you through
Don't be shakin' till you find
A hot barista sweet and kind
That triple mocha's waitin' there for you
The most caffeine you've ever seen in Seattle

And our teeth are turnin' brown in Seattle
Have a grande-size cup
It'll jack you right up
Serve it iced or serve it hot
Single short or triple shot
Six bucks a cup is not a lot in Seattle
In Seattle
[ Most Caffeine You've Ever Seen Lyrics on http://www.lyricsmania.com/ ]
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It would be worth browsing through some others on the page...but remember, I warned you!

Random Groceries

How much can you tell from what's in a person's grocery basket? Can you in fact get an idea of this person by their "9-items-or-less"? Maybe.

Last night at Safeway, the "9-items-or-less" express line was exceptionally s-l-o-w. There were 4 of us in line with our items on the belt and I had time to take notice of what they were buying. Some combos were pretty predictable-- as in, they all fit a particular list of what you would expect. Some did not...and it was pretty funny! (To be clear, this has nothing to do with the person standing with the basket. Of them, I remember nothing. I'm just talking about the collected items for purchase.)

Shopper #1: 6-pack CocaCola classic, 1 head cauliflower, fortune cookies, dirt bike magazine.

Shopper #2: 4 Kashi frozen dinners, chicken noodle soup, large bottle mineral water, cottage cheese, shelled edamame.

Shopper #3: 6-pack Budweiser, Wonderbread, Gatorade, Cosmic Rainbow brownies, Tony's pizza, 1 carton Marlborough cigarettes.

Shopper #4: 1 Whole chicken, Crest toothpaste, soymilk, tortilla shells, toilet paper.

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Okay, so Shopper #2 is me. But I've been Shopper # 1 too! Except for the dirt bike magazine. There are certainly times you run in to the store to quickly pick up a few items to supplement what you already have at home, hence the silly combo. But what if he really was going to eat a head of cauliflower for dinner and have fortune cookies for dessert?

To be fair: Shopper #4 got it right: Never buy only toilet paper.

Things I Learned While Staying Home Sick

I'm back from the sickbed, after being "down-for-the-count" for a few days with a bizarre combo of cold/flu/24-hour bug. YIKES. I'm pleased to have lost a few pounds :-) Punkin was happy for the snuggle time and I got some serious reading done. I finished "Guernica" (Dave Boling), read "The Eyre Affair" (Jasper Fforde) cover to cover and started "Heyday" (Kurt Andersen). It's the first time in a while that I've been coherant enough while sick to read and enjoy a few books.

I don't recall the last time I was home during the week, let alone for 3 days in a row, and I was surprised to find out a little of what goes on while I'm away every day. Propped up in bed with a cup of tea, the cat and a book wasn't as quiet or interruption free as one would think:

- The traffic never stops. Rush hour is a given in the morning and evening; the rest of the day is quiet. Not so much...it's all day. I live on a busy street near an intersection and 4 bus stops. Said intersection is up the hill from the Vashon ferry, which arrives and deposits around 100 cars every 30 minutes. There's a mini-mart a few doors away and a busy fruit stand across the street. I have drafty single paned windows. Therefore, I hear everything--and it goes on all day. Horns, sirens, loud engines, occasional yelling, busses grinding away from the stop. An "Urban symphony"? Not to me: my biggest pet peeve is Noise Pollution. I did know that most of this would be troubling when I moved in. So I really can't complain.


- Punkin literally sleeps all day. He barely moves. We cat owners presume this to be the case: The cat is snoozing as we are toiling away, whistling as we work. Yes, he is. They all are. So don't waste your money with the "kitty-cam". Maybe he was just playing it cool for a few days. He was probably thrilled to see me leave this morning...if for nothing else than the return to his routine, which he values greatly. I have given some thought to a light dusting of baking flour across various surfaces in the house, and checking out the tracks when I get home in the evening. Very CSI. A lot of dusting work later, but it may be worth it. You can expect a full report once I've completed this mission.

- A certain neighbor of mine comes and goes from her apartment multiple times per hour for what seems like all day. I know this because she slams the door each time, and the decorative hanging above my bed rattles against the wall. I never said it was the highest quality of construction...it is a "vintage" building. We'll see how solid my building is once we've had the next "Big One"...the earthquake we were due for a couple of years ago. It could happen at any moment, and in a sick way I'm anxious to see what happens.

- There are little elves who come to shine shoes, replace the toilet paper roll and fill the Brita water pitcher in the refrigerator. Communication broke down in the early stages of negotiations for them to also dust, vacuum and wash dishes. What can I say, I got greedy.

- The "Postal Carrier" (which I believe is the PC term) is in fact not attractive. He is not young and fit, as you would believe someone--who walks miles upon miles each day with a heavy load--would be. He appears to be approximately 30 seconds this-side of a heart attack, and should consider a portable oxygen tank. I did not express these opinions. My mailbox is pitifully small and I fear revenge on the oh-so-fragile Netlix mailings. At least I know CPR. (Now here's a moral dilemma to ponder: mouth-to-mouth on a stranger, these days? Hmm.)

- The "Home Grocer.com" or some such delivery man is indeed very attractive. Or maybe it was the cold medicine. Two of my neighbors received their groceries from him while I was home. I can certainly see why: ooo-la-la. Alas, it was not to be. I looked like death (literally). Besides, I really like to pick out my own produce, and wander through the aisles of the grocery store talking myself out of--then into-- that bottle of wine.

Do you know what goes on at your house while you're away?

Age is just a number, right?

I'd like to think I'm still young. I feel young--younger with each workout, in fact (if you don't count the aching knee). When I really feel old is at a mall when the music in a store is just too loud, and the cloud of cologne that causes a burning sensation at the back of my throat at that one certain store. When you think about it, a 32 year old shopping at Old Navy, Forever 21 or even Abercrombie & Fitch is a little weird. Maybe it's not an age thing so much as a style preference. I'm an "Audrey", not an "Audrina". Another time I feel old is when the young bagger at the grocery store calls me "Ma'am". Or when I realize that students graduating from high school this year were born in 1991-92, when I was in high school. For the record, I'd never want to go back to my teens or 20's...the 30's are absolutely the best so far. But I digress.

I started doing the math last night as I was on the treadmill, at the 28 minute mark (another 32 minutes to go), starting to get bored. I'm a little competitive, so naturally I was trying to keep up with the girl on the machine next to mine. It put me to shame how good of shape she was in...a steeper incline and faster pace. Blast! What's a good justification for falling behind? This girl looks about 12 years old...she must be 18 at least, to be a member here. How old are these "kids" really? College freshmen are generally 17-18 years old. Hmm. My moral dilemma suddenly became: is it creepy for a 30-something gal like me to "enjoy the view" as fit college guys work out at my gym? It certainly is good motivation to go work out...and anything it takes to get me there must be fair game. It's not like I'd ever flirt with them...only minimal blatant staring. It's probably okay then.

So, if in fact age is just a number, then I'm in luck. I'll take extra good care of myself, and date people closer my own age--who are equally as young as me ;-)

A little something to get through the workday

It's Wednesday here in the Strandness Vascular Lab....we're motoring along through the week, well into our normal routines, seeing all kinds of patients and having a fine day.

Regardless of how wonderful a job is, or how great our co-workers are, we all need a little something to get through the day. Sure, there's the bucket of candy, the platter of cookies, the enormous pot of coffee...temporary fixes. At this moment, the candy bucket is filled with hard candy: peppermints, cinnamon and butterscotch discs, jolly ranchers. Not even a Werthers--those were the first to go. Unless it's chocolate, it's useless for this purpose.

What we need is a theme song for the day...a "soundtrack for life". Everyone should have a theme song...something that serenades you from within, gives you that spring in your step. No one has to know what it is. In fact, with some songs it's better if no one knows how lame you are...like the theme song from Beverly Hills Cop, for example. Not that I ever groove to that one. Or Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley. Not that Kurt ever grooves to that one. :-)

Choosing a song of the day isn't always easy. Sometimes it comes to one of us along our morning commute, or lyrics that pop into the conversation. We didn't have a great song until my first patient today came in with her husband. He was bored out of his mind within the first few minutes, and got out his iPod. From behind me there was a distinct beat...then a recognizable rhythm...and I totally know this song...it's...it's... AWESOME. The perfect song of the day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Fo0-gVwX2o&feature=related

I'll start posting a running list of the Song of the Day on the right panel of this blog.

Enjoy!!