On Being a Rat

Today I did something I never thought I would do - rat out my 14yo niece to her mother. My niece has opened a MySpace account and posted her picture, name, hometown, and high school name on her web page. She obviously did not realize the danger involved in this situation. The worst part is that she has been told at least twice not to use the site. Since she's grounded at her house, she came to my house and used my computer to hit the site and chat with her friends. Let me tell you - these are some lovely friends. Brandon Lee wore less face paint in The Crow. In her haste to not get caught, she left the site in my history viewer. She is still honing her "sneakiness" skills. I think the most disappointing/disturbing aspect was that she states on the site that she has used drugs and when asked how many types, she says "2." I realize that teens exagerate to impress their friends, but it's still un-nerving. After a discussion with my brother and his wife, we all decided that my sister should know. I called her over to the house and showed her the site. My brother showed her the freaky friends and explained his concern, followed by his wife, and then me. Let's put it this way - I'm glad I wasn't at her house this evening. I'm sure I've now become the "evil bitch aunt." But if I have to be the bitch aunt to protect her, I'll be the bitch aunt. And I swear, if she's done drugs - her mother will be the least of her problems.

A Good Apple

Today was my final day of clinical rotations - ever. WOOHOO! It's a great feeling. As it always seems to be, walking away from this rotation was bittersweet. Mainly because I really liked my preceptor and the site, but also because walking away from this rotation meant walking towards graduation. A big step - but I'm more than ready for it. One of my favorite patients told me today that I was a "good apple." I asked the meaning of this compliment and he explained his "women are apples, men are wine theory." Women are like apples - the really good ones grow at the top of the tree and the bad ones fall to the ground. Men, being the simple creatures that they are, want an "easy" apple so they take the ones on the ground. But, every once in a while, you get a good man who's willing to climb the tree to get a good apple. I have to admit he made me laugh. So I just had to know what the men theory entailed. He told me that men were grapes and it took a really good woman to stomp the hell out of them and make a good wine. HA! He cracked me up. After my rotation, I decided a celebration was in order. I went out to dinner and then capped the evening with test driving a brand new car. I slid behind the wheel of the Lincoln Zephyr and drove around for a while...just enough to wet my appetite. Then I pissed of the salesman by telling him I wasn't buying anything tonight - just test driving. Is it July yet? :)

Celebrations and Congratulations

On Monday, I bumped into my preceptor from my last rotation. He also happens to be the director of the residency program at my university. I applied to this residency and a residency at a VA center in my hometown. When I first started the application process, I was sure the residency at my university was the position I most desired. After the interviews for the two programs concluded, however, I was sure that it was not the program I most desired. First the pay was a couple thousand less. Secondly, and most importantly, the work schedule sucked. Residents were required to work every other weekend - with no compensation for their time. I didn't think that was fair. Especially since the regular staff pharmacists, making at least double my salary, would only be working every 4th weekend or so. Third, I may have been required to work in a town almost an hour away. I toured that facility and hated it. It was like walking back into 1950. So, when I saw my previous preceptor on Monday, it was odd to say the least. He kept patting me on the shoulder and wishing me luck with my residency matching. I didn't have the heart to tell him I didn't rank him #1.

The ASHP Resident Matching Program issued its results today. I received my #1 choice - the VA Center. I am really excited about the opportunity. I think it's going to be a great experience to say the least. From my rotation at this facility, I have met the staff and really like them. I absolutely love working with the vet population. The other residency position only filled one of its positions. Maybe now they'll reconsider their benefit package... But I don't have time to worry about that, it's time to celebrate!!! :)

Pasta-rific!

I've been trying to eat healthier - been buying whole grain breads, not eating fried foods, and eating more fresh vegetables. Today I decided to fix whole-grain pasta, which boasted lowering my cholesterol along with adding 7g of protein to my meal. Quite frankly it was the worst pasta I've ever had. Cardboard has more flavor. Needless to say, it wasn't a big hit, so there was a ton left over after dinner. It kept swelling. For example, the amount in the strainer was the same after dinner as it was before 4 plates were filled. It was like the blob. To get rid of it, I fed it into the garbage disposal. BAD IDEA! It apparently continued to swell - in the garbage disposal and in the pipes. I have successfully clogged the entire downstairs plumbing up with wheat pasta. I've Drano-ed it, snaked it, prayed for it...NOTHING is working. Tomorrow the plumber's coming. The story of my life...I swear.

On the bright side - WVU is in the Sweet 16. :)

Reasons to Smile

1. WVU: The Mountaineers smoked their first round NCAA opponent. For the second year in a row, they are fighting their way to the Elite Eight. WOO HOO!

2. Heroin Bottle: For the past year, I have been searching for a Glyco-Heroin bottle. The bottle is late 1800s and worth ~$100 when in mint condition. It's very rare and no one in my hometown has even heard of it. I get a lot of odd looks from antique dealers when I ask if they have a heroin bottle. I then have to explain that heroin was legal in the late 1800s and early 1900s - but I still get skeptical looks. Today, I purchased one for $64 - a great deal. My next conquest - a laudanum bottle.

3. Final Rotation: Friday marks the final day of my final clinical rotation. Then it's several weeks of vacation, graduation, a real vacation, and then face first into a residency. It's a great feeling.

Sorry, Not Your Residency

On Monday, a resident started at my rotation site. She and I have worked together before on numerous occassions. We get along pretty well. I get the impression from other people that she is not so easy to get alone with. I've never really had a problem. I was a bit dismayed when she started at my rotation site. During the interview process, I was certain that I wanted her residency position. She keeps telling me, "just wait until next year" and, "wait until you're in my shoes next year." I haven't the heart to tell her that her residency is my second choice, and I'll be pretty disappointed if I get placed there. My preceptor has picked up on this atmosphere and keeps assuring her that I may have chose another residency. Next Wednesday is the day I find out my placement. Thank God I'm off on Wednesdays and don't have to share my results with her until I have prepared a response.

As my final rotation draws closer to the end, I am left with mixed feelings. I have really enjoyed this rotation. I really like my preceptor, absolutely love the office staff, and have grown quite attached to a few of my patients. Today, "Scooter" was back to have his blood checked. He was recently started on an antibiotic, so he's coming back again next Friday for a blood check. Next Friday is my last day. I told him that it was such a treat to have him as a patient on my last day...and he cried. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he told me that I couldn't go because I was his bestest friend. That broke my heart - and my preceptor's. Whenever I see his name on the patient list, it brightens my day. He's always such a joy to have in the office. His mental disability does not hinder him in his accomplishments. He truly has touched my heart. Hopefully next Friday, I won't be the one with tears in my eyes.

The Feminist & Lent

Tonight I did something I never thought I would ever do...participate in a Bible study. Two weeks ago, my elderly neighbor approached me with a book of devotionals for women during the Lenten season. I thanked her for her consideration and tossed the book aside. Let's put it this way, the last time I was in church was the baptism of my nephew - he'll be 4 in May. I've run the gamut with religion. I've been everything from an atheist to a diest to a quasi-Christian. Lately I find myself more in the Christian setting; however some...well, a lot...of my views don't really follow Christian doctrine. My biggest qualm is the "only believers of Jesus Christ go to Heaven" mantra. I think God reaches his children in the best way he sees fit. So, that puts me on the outer fringes of Christianity. Being the feminist that I am, I was curious about the devotionals for women. I've always viewed the Bible as pretty much anti-woman. These devotionals select passages from the Bible that highlight the importance of woman. For example, it was three women that discovered that Christ had risen. So, I decided I'd go to the bible study at my neighbor's house and see how I liked it. Three of the women were over 60 - probably over 70 - and two were in their 30s. I found it rather enjoyable. We discussed the Bible, and we discussed the role of women in society. It was great to be in the room with 6 strong women. I was so enlightened by my experience, that I purchased a Bible for women when I returned home. I amaze myself sometimes.

ROMA - Is it snowing yet?

A Beautiful Bracket

WVU a #6 seed in the Atlanta bracket...need I say more? :)

The Culture of Hate

At a recent family Sunday dinner my sister told me about an email she received from a group of band parents at her daughter's high school. The email was a racist blast of the victims of Katrina. Apparently the composer of the email had re-written the words of the Battle of New Orleans to include racial epithets. I was sickened by this. I was more bothered by my sister's apathetic response to the email. She did not respond to the sender with an email displaying her disgust. She did not explain to her daughter why the email was fundamentally wrong. She did however forward the email to someone who found it to be "funny and true." In my sister's defense, she sent the email on to this person thinking he would be as appalled as her. Unfortunately, he shares the same racist opinions as those who originally forwarded the email. Apathy is a horrible, horrible thing.

Yesterday, I was participating in a patient discussion panel with other students on Am Care rotations. We were discussing disease states and primary literature articles. The guy beside me kept expressing his outrage that the trials included people not from America. He felt that they were "fudging the results" and twisting the statistics to suit their cause. While this was a bit comical, you could've heard a pin drop in the room when he said, "Well this trial had 55% Hispanics. America is not 55% Hispanics, we're all white." This highly infuriated one of the preceptors, who responded with, "Well, we do live in America - the melting pot country. And actually, the only indigenous Americans are the Indians. Everyone else moved here." I think he quickly realized that he was not surrounded by his "white croonies" and quickly changed his opinion. I wanted to turn to him and say, "Do you want me to get your white hood out of your car for you?" The scary thing is, this boy is not an ignorant band parent - he's a well educated future pharmacist.

Racism comes in all shapes and sizes. No socioeconomic group is immune. From the poor, white, mountain-dwellers to the rich, white, socialites, hate has become part of the culture of America.

Free Drinks, Free Food, Expensive Drugs

Today I was invited to a "happy hour" courtesy of one of the drug reps. He ran the idea by my preceptor and I to gauge if the staff would be receptive to the idea. My preceptor informed him that the doctors in our practice frown quite heavily on dinners provided by drug reps. He quickly chimed in - "But it's not dinner! It's happy hour at a local pub!" She said she would ask around but didn't think the doctors would go. His reply - "That's ok, just the nurses can come. We won't even talk about drugs." Isn't that cozy? While Ms. Patient cries in my office because she can't afford her AcidBeGone, the company is paying for a doctor's office to have happy hour at a local pub - sans drug talk. I was quite appalled by the idea. When asked if I would go, I quickly replied, "No." Apparently the disdain was written across my face because the drug rep did not pry and stopped addressing me from this point forward. When asked if he would provide us with more samples for AcidBeGone, the rep replied that he would not because the doctors would not speak to him and he was sick of them just giving out samples and not prescribing the drug. What a jerk. He can take his happy hour and shove it. I'll go back to consoling Ms. Patient and tell her that her AcidBeGone will have to cost her $110 this month because the entire tri-state area is having margaritas courtesy of her.