A Problem of Pediatric Proportion

I finished my Peds rotation! OK, well, sort of. I'll have to go back to this clinic in January for another five week stint, but for now, I'm finito. At least, I finished enough to call for celebration.

I'm so over children :) Is it the kids that I'm over, or the moms? Before we begin seeing patients in the afternoon, all the residents and I get together with the attending to review some topic of care. Today we were going over asthma but the conversation got a little off track and one of the residents wanted to discuss when the child should be taken away from the mother's care. You know, due to "dumb mother syndrome." See, this is the advantage of being out in the clinics. You don't learn about dumb mother syndrome, DMS, in the classroom.

The manifestation of the disorder is clear. A post pubescent female presents to the pediactric clinic with a small child assumed to be their offspring.

OK, there is more; not every mother who brings their kid in is considered "slow."

The post pubescent female mentioned above, in addition to bringing her child to the pediatrician's, will demonstrate one or more of the following:

Continues to smoke around her baby already diagnosed w asthma
Does not allow her child to be vaccinated
Fails to fill her baby's prescription


Uh, am I missing any? Please be on the lookout for these signs. The CDC has noticed a spike in DMS within the past nine months and we want to put a stop to it before we have two pandemics on our hands. Do your part and report DMS, ASAP, to your PCP, the FBI, CIA, or any other acronymous (just go with it) organization!

Before & Happily Ever After

A few weeks ago, a patient answered my first question with, "Well, I bought three cars last week." I wasn't expecting to hear anything like that. I did not ask how many cars he or she bought. I did not ask anything related to purchasing behaviors. I just asked why he was here today. It didn't take many more questions before it was clear that he was seeking treatment and help with his bipolar disorder.

I've been suspicious of my own self and my bipolar tendencies ever since my grandfather was diagnosed with this illness. Well, it wasn't three cars, but I did buy a house this summer--slightly manic, yes. My recent conversation with this patient made it clear, however, that I am in no way bipolar.

No, it wasn't mania that led me to purchase a house. I just wanted to take care of something, to be responsible for something--and I was done with landlords, and I thought I could get a good ROI. Most everyone feels this way (responsibility/care) at one point or another in their life; and the traditional response to such a desire is to get a pet. Right? And how likely am I to do the traditional? Hence, the house.

Medical school is not the best occupation for someone interested in hobbies and such :) but here is a start at documenting some of the care I get to provide, outside of the clinics:

A couple of the doors in the house wouldn't shut. And I noticed they had the original door hinges from 1880. The doors needed some adjusting and the hinges just needed some cleaning (many hours of boiling and wire brushing/beeswaxing).

And after taking 140 yrs of paint and gunk off:
PS does anyone have any suggestions on bathroom tiles? Quick, I'm gonna do that soon!