Can't Wait

At this time in two weeks, Cindy and I will be watching the last bit of sun light fade into the night sky in South Central Colorado. We will be spending several days for my first real vacation in a long time. She is taking me to American Basin near Lake City, Colorado for some good R&R. I have included an image below. I can't wait!

Above photo is from Doerzman Photography. I hope to get some similar pics.

St. Louis Getaway

So Jason & I miraculously got to experience a Cards game last wknd b/c my Dad knows everyone and got us GREAT seats, behind home plat eon the lower deck. We have a blast, besides the fact that the field temp. was a cool 115 degrees. We invited our dear friends Todd & Leah to join us, so the 4 of us very much enjoyed the day. The experience would not have been complete unless Pujols hit a homer, which he did, so we were content. :-) Here are some pics to narrate our 24-hour getaway. I love STL.

the infamous ted drewes, jason got his first taste on saturday

very dear friends and wonderful hosts, todd & leah

yours truly

quite a facelift from the old stadium, i felt like we were in a movie b/c it was so clean & pretty

graveyard of the old stadium

Starbucks is Here

This is the new look in town. I am talking about Cindy's new haircut, of course. You might notice that she is wearing her Starbuck's apron and standing in front of the new Starbuck's sign. This week they are having free drinks so the new employee's can practice (today is the last day, I am told). Tomorrow night (Thursday) is Friend's and Family night from 6-8 pm which = FREE DRINKS. Cindy is really enjoying her job and I am too!! I am digging her new haircut even more, though. Kay, this pic was for you. We have not told you so you could see it "in person".

More to come on our trip to St. Louis later today. 

Freedom

Opening Show, Baum Stadium


Baum Stadium


Fayetteville CC as seen from Mt. Sequoyah with a 300mm zoom


Some neighborhood kids fireworks with the moon in the background

Yesterday was a good day. I got to sleep in for some much needed rest. By Monday night, I had already put in 40 hours since 7am Saturday morning. I did work my first ER shift moonlighting, which went well.

So, how did Cindy and I celebrate our freedom? Glad you asked. We started off the day by sleeping in as I stated above. We then spent some time with the Lord and after that, went to the Farmers Market to buy some flowers. We took Suzie along with us which made the trip a little more difficult because she REALLY wants to play with all the other dogs. After that, we worked around the house getting a few honey-do's done.

The afternoon was spent playing Ultimate Frisbee and having a waterballoon fight with our community group, and cooking out afterwards. Kyla made some AWESOME homemade ice cream that my mouth is still watering over. We then proceded up to Mt. Sequoyah and found the perfect spot to watch the city's fireworks. I was a little disappointed in the Fayetteville show. It ended and I was thinking, "surely that wasn't the end". But, it was. I was, though, impressed with Fayetteville Country Club's display, seen from over 3 miles away.

All in all, it was a good day. Cindy asked the question, "How many people do you think really celebrated Freedom today?" I think this is a good question and something too many of us take for granted. I bet people in Afghanistan, Iraq, North Korea, Sudan, etc. would know what it means to celebrate freedom.

On Call

I am sitting here on call today and had a little "down time". What is call, you may ask? Here is a somewhat detailed version of what being "on call" means. This comes from the Placebo Journal, a humorous look at medicine. To all my medical colleagues, I hope you get a good laugh out of this. To anyone else, don't' be offended. It is all for fun.

Things to Know About Calling the "On-Call" Doctor

What is "call"?
Call is when your doctor stays up and answers questions from patients just like you. Though your questions may be important, most patients call their doctors for moronic reasons. Call usually lasts after work until the next morning. Your doctor loathes the idea of being on-call. He not only has to cover questions from his own patients, but also the other doctor's patients in his call group. In other words, he may field many more ridiculous questions than any human should ever have to.

Is "call" fun?
Are you an idiot? Pretend you are sticking needles in your eyes. That is how "Call" feels to your doctor.

What does my doctor do "on-call".
He drinks heavily and plays xBox. Actually, that's a joke. Your doctor tries to spend time with his family. Unfortunately he is taken away from them many times to answer questions about someone's rash on their bottom or toe that is sprained. This eventually leads to divorce, but don't let that stop you from calling.

Does my doctor meet me in the hospital when he tells me to go to the emergency room?
Yes, your doctor will meet you in front of the emergency room door and hold your hand as you sign-in. This is, of course, if he doesn't decide to pick you up in his own car. On a serious note, he is passing the buck on to the emergency room physician. He will forget about sending you there in the first place after initially praying that the ER doctor sees fit to give you a narcotic or antibiotic and send you on your way.

What happens if I am sick enough to be admitted to the hospital?
Your doctor will hope and pray that someone else will take your case. Maybe a specialist, like a cardiologist or pulmonologist, will find your case right up their ally and will come in to see you. If not, your doctor will spend at least five minutes trying to convince the ER doctor why your case is not that serious and that myocardial infarctions really can be worked up as an outpatient.

When should I call the "on-call" doctor?
This is an easy question to answer. Here are some examples:
-Never
-Loss of Limb

Why are doctors so late in calling me back?
Most doctors are hoping that you will forget about why you called, or that you even called in the first place, for that matter. Sometimes time will heal a lot of things. Maybe you will be so frustrated that you will go right to the ER on you own? Or perhaps you will realize that your doctor has more to do than treat your sniffles at 3:00 AM? Either way, things should work out. They always do.

When should I never call the "on-call" doctor?
-Narcotic refill
-Sleeping pill refill
-Heck, any medication refill
-Back pain
-Head pain
-Actually any pain but chest pain

Why does my doctor seem like he is in a bad mood when he answer the call?
Because he is. The reason is because he doesn't want to speak to you. Not that he is uncaring or rude. It is just that he spent all day seeing third people sucking all the life force out of him and now here you are trying to squeeze blood from a stone. He doesn't mean to be angry and he doesn't even know you enough to dislike you. Unfortunately, he is now angry and hates your guts. Don't take this personally. Just don't wait until 5:07 PM to call your doctor about lab results. Thanks Schmuck.

Tips for calling your on-call physician:
1. Don't.
2. If you can't follow #1, then make sure it is a true emergency. Hey, those new internet sites may give you an idea. They seem really good. Listen to them unless they tell you to call your doctor, then realize they are probably full of it.

The above statement does not entirely reflect my feelings, only partly, and more on some nights than on others. It is meant for humor, so please don't take it personally and try to laugh. It is now 0200 and I am on call and sitting down for the first time today without seeing a patient. I find that being on call can be a joy with the right focus. If I focus on "things above", then I see being on call as an opportunity to serve. If I don't look at things that way, it can get under my skin.

"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Mark 10:45