Cardio Week One

The hospital isn't as addictive and cardiology isn't as specialized as I presumed. The hospital has it benefits, like lots of resources, but it is a large complex organism with some parts dysfunctional at any given time. And you rarely have any control over those parts.

Cardiology seems more like primary care for large percentage of the geriatric population with cardio problems. Internal medicine rounds our patients and QB's the other specialties, but it sure seems like we run the show on the majority of cases.

I'm still way too slow on H&Ps, but doing well as usual with the patients. My studying is better than previous rotations but still has room to improve. It's difficult this weekend because I'm at home watching the boys while Becky and her sister are in Spokane for their grandmother's 90 B-day.

The boys had a sleep-over Friday with a couple friends and secretly stayed up until about 3am. That made for a great Saturday morning and soccer game. Picking up their friends was kinda fun though because we "magic schoolbus" night at the boys' school. Connor's M&M model of planet earth was a big hit. I got to meet Colton's new buddy and his parents. We even discussed get togethers for them finally. We also cleared up some of the drama with Colton and Becca's long-term "relationship". They never even held hands, but "dated" for almost two years :-). Colton wasn't very nice with the break-up so Colton got some early lessons in polite social behavior and friendship.

He actually used a line from "50 ways to break up with your lover" on Becca and then ran away so Jacob could interrupt; "you're dumped!" Even in 3rd grade, the kids need to be nicer. Just as importantly many of us parents discussed where the 6th graders are going next year. Challenge Charter is only K-6 and deadlines for many of the best Junoir Highs are in December.

This morning the boys have in much better moods. We chores done relatively quickly and now I'm procrastinating from putting together (I hope) the final draft on my Gamma Knife paper for Matt. If Gigi got me the correct graphs and stats, I should be able to just plug them in. It will be so nice to get that off my table.

Parting thoughts on Cardiology. I like the Docs and job is pretty cool. But they do work hard and average about 8 years of residency. The payoff just isn't there for me. But I this is very good rotation and I'm going to learn a ton. I can't wait to see my first CABG operation.