A Weekend Away

This weekend is my brother-in-law's 40th birthday, and he lives in another state. A couple weeks ago I decided to fly out for the surprise party, even though I knew I had 2 tests the following week. Well, here I am in Arizona. The surprise party was a great success, and I even got to hang out with my roommate from undergrad! I also got to see my 3 nephews and niece. They sure are growing fast!

It is fun to see them mature, but I have to say that my current rotation in Endocrinology makes me look at children differently. I am constantly thinking about growth patterns and behavior, wondering if it is age appropriate. I guess this is just the beginning. The more you know about something, the more you want to apply it to the world around you.

Too bad the palate for medicine is every person you meet! It is a good thing too. People are easy to come across and therefore experience is NOT hard to get! On the other hand, it is hard to meet anyone without seeing a mole and thinking, "The shape is symmetrical. The color is good. It doesn't appear abnormal." Or when I went walking with a friend and a woman jogged by. Even my friend commented on the "awkward" gait of the jogger. My immediate thought? She has a problem with her hips and should see someone before she does excessive damage to her joints. :-)

Oh, well. I do enjoy solving puzzles and medicine is just that - a HUGE puzzle. Sometimes you think the pieces go together, and you don't find out for years that the pieces aren't quite right. It is the nature of medicine and science. Our understanding of it is constantly changing. Sometimes it seems disorganized and confused. Patients think doctors aren't giving the best care because of certain methods or medications, but really I think it boils down to the most recent study that doctor agrees with (or knows about). It is really difficult to stay on top of the most recent recommendations, drugs and therapies. Honestly I think most doctors do the best they can, and because medical science is always changing, they may not agree with the most recent research, yet. It is hard to jump on board of EVERY new research study right away. Some people want a little proof first - if I were the patient, I know I would!

Ok, enough of a tangent.
I will squeeze in as much time to study as possible this weekend! I know it will all work out and the tests will come and go, whether I am really ready or not. :-) I will do the best I can!