on paper

the write stuff
there is something about a fresh notebook that just touches my soul. like most women, i get a nice euphoric rush out of buying a beautiful pair of shoes or handbag, but to me a cute piece of stationery is almost as satisfying for a fraction of the price. blank pages in a pretty package — it’s all about the promise of filling the thing with lists, thoughts, plans, ideas, aspirations. with paper, i can have a better day, be a better me. or at least sometimes it seems like it.

when i see someone scribbling in messy handwriting on an ugly steno pad, i just want to shake my head. i know, i realize that i’m crazy and not everyone needs to see their thoughts lined up perfectly in color-coordinated text to make sense of them (but vickie, you at least know what i’m talking about, right?). in the medical world, i am definitely an anomaly, a freak-of-nature — patients usually say when i hand them prescriptions, “wow, i’ve never had a doctor write so neat before!”. what, so the pharmacist can actually read it? blasphemy! residency has yet to destroy my writing and i am determined not to let it.

a handwriting sample. graphologists, analyze away!yes, i’m left handed.

so anyway, i have notebooks for work, academic endeavors, recipes to try, things to do, and of course a planner. admittedly, i have more notebooks than i am currently able to use, but i like having a row of fresh ones to choose from in case the impulse hits to start a new project. a little silly? perhaps. but fun (at least for me) and way more economical than rows of unworn louboutin heels.

some of my favorites:

girly snow & graham notebook. photo from luxepaperie.

quo vadis from the daily planner, my favorite notebook source. wouldn’t this baby make taking notes all the more enticing?

the utilitarian moleskin — fairly inexpensive (pack of 3 for $9 now at the daily planner) and great for work. i use these to track patient phone numbers (to call back about labs) or to keep track of admissions on call nights.

colorful with great quality paper, these clairefontaine notebooks would also be great for work. also from the daily planner.

and this post wouldn’t be complete without representation from ms. kiely! from the orla kiely website. i want:

and while we’re on the subject,
oooh.

ER update
thank you cindy and dr. A for your expert IV placement advice. TRACTION. got it. although i don’t think i’m about to impress anyone with my skillz any time soon.

and jess, since i’m still floundering with IVs and stitches, you can be safe to assume that i am not exactly qualified to fix anyone with a gunshot wound. peds residents aren’t formally trained in trauma, and thank god — that is just so not my scene. that doesn’t mean i’m not involved when that sort of thing comes in (thankfully, it’s only happened twice this month), but i’m certainly not alone. when a “GSW” arrives, a trauma code is called and a whole team of people works on the patient. the surgery residents basically run the show and decide on treatment, while the peds/ER side tends to help with the medical side of things (does the patient have underlying medical conditions? allergies? does the patient need fluids or pressors?) as well as getting the story from EMS and updating parents.

yesterday there were no gunshot wounds. there was, however, a schoolbus accident — something i had been joking about all month as the peds ER’s worst nightmare! fortunately, it must have been a very minor accident because all the kids we saw were completely fine. and no one all night needed an IV, so i didn’t get a chance to practice. tonight, though, is promising. it’s friday — bring on the drunk and vomiting teenagers! preferably slim ones with huge veins.

run report
i made it 5 miles on mild hills with only minimal pain! i really tried to focus on form and staying as relaxed as possible. it was hot (okay, fine, warm) and despite running slowly i’ll admit i felt very challenged cardiovascularly (ie: nearly died by the end). i think i really did lose some running fitness in the past few weeks, but i am happy to be nearly pain-free that i don’t even care. i’ll get my speed back eventually.

average pace was 9:26/mi, and my heart rate averaged 184, with max 195 — on the high side.

at my ART appointment, we did the usual targeted stretching, and the chiro also used this barbaric looking tool to manually ‘break up fibrotic tissue’ in the muscles around my injury. it hurt like a mother and now i have a huge, scary-looking bruise there! ouch.

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3.19.09

workout: as above, plus 30 minutes of “intro to yoga” from yogadownload.com.

reading: a short article on respiratory viruses, but i need to be doing more!