“Erik is not truly dead. He lives on within the souls of those who choose to listen to the music of the night.”

― Gaston Leroux, “The Phantom of the Opera”

Please enjoy the photos below, all taken on Tuesday night this week after the Phantom show on Broadway. A huge thanks and photo credit to my BFF Chris!

“I just realized that I’m cognitively promiscuous.”

- Dr. Psychobabble

Life has been busy but incredibly awesome as of late. Yesterday, I went to see Phantom of the Opera on Broadway with my fellow “psychos.” I realized that I’m not a huge fan of the Phantom, per se, but I am a huge fan of Broadway shows, especially when the tickets are complimentary.

Today was the first day of a new rotation for me. I am still rotating in consultation liaison psychiatry, but I’m at a different hospital, so it’s added a new perspective and spice. I was then on call at another hospital and just arrived home a few minutes ago.

I had a ridiculously silly consult tonight, and would kill to provide the details, but the damn HIPAA prevents me from doing so. What I can say is that it involved a Ouija board and a misunderstanding. I have the funnest job in the entire universe. Seriously. And you could never make up the things I see. They are simply larger than life.

Time to order some sushi and chow down. I realized today that I am not alone in my sushi addiction, and that makes me happy. It’s good to not be alone.

Here is a random list of stuff “learned” today:

1. Trash makes me happy.

2. Cognitive promiscuity makes me happy.

3. I have the best job there is.

4. Just because a hospitalist thinks a patient has decision making capacity doesn’t make it so.

5. I’m not half bad at reading brain MRIs.

6. When the nurses don’t know me at a hospital, they are at first confused as to why some crazy looking chick is walking around asking questions and talking to patients, but they then become excited to know that I’m a doctor and psychiatrist-in-training.

7. I “get” non-verbal communication on a profoundly deep level.

8. Having an easily accessible fridge at work is a good thing.

9. Haldol is a darn amazing medication.

10. Mostly, people just want someone to talk to.

11. I don’t even want to attempt to imagine life without dogs.

Photo: Taken in Times Square last night after enjoying the Phantom.

My Review on Amazon:

I see that many people also purchased this book along with Samuel Shem’s famous book, “The House of God.”

Well, “A Cartoon Guide to Becoming a Doctor” is just as much of a classic book on the topic of medical school and residency. But the best part about Dr. McFizz’s book is that there is way less text, way more pictures, way more laughs, and at least as much sex!

Buy the book…you know you want to!

“I’m one of those regular weird people.”

- Janis Joplin

Great day of lectures today. Went for a run in the cold rain. I truly love living on top of a subway station. I’m just one of those regular weird people.

Photo: Subway platform taken from my kitchen window.

“I think life’s an irrational obsession.”

- Sean Penn

I am currently home and post-call for the day. A long, but wonderful day performing psychiatric consults.

I have an obsessive personality. Sometimes this is a good thing and sometimes it’s bad. I realized just now that I was obsessing about the last consult that I saw today. I forgot to ask a few questions that might have been pertinent. Probably not, but still I should have asked. So I continue to review the “what ifs” in my mind, but try to comfort myself with the idea that I still did a good job.

I continue to love psychiatric consults. I must admit that I do love catching problems overlooked by the medical team and enjoy educating the requesting docs on how something is “not psychiatric but medical.”

I also continue to also be obsessed with all things canine, especially my lover, see above photo.

I realize that this post is completely jumbled and stream of consciousness. But this is where my mind takes me tonight.

Time to assemble a hummus platter and catch up on my sleep before tomorrow….

Part of My “Doggy Doos” Photo Collection

“the decisive moment, it is the simultaneous recognition, in a fraction of a second, of the significance of an event as well as the precise organization of forms which gives that event its proper expression.”

- Henri Cartier-Bresson

I had a conversation with my attending recently about how people make their own futures. We talked about how there is this moment in time when you make a decision – and at that moment a million possibilities suddenly open up like a supernova. And if you can live in that moment, and fully envision your future, it happens because it must. Because it is. It’s a quantum probability manifested.

We were also talking about how people sometimes defy “chance” and resist the consensus opinion to surmount all. I thought back to the pre-med advisor who told me, many years ago that a high school drop out like me had no chance of succeeding in med school. I thought back to the time I made the decision to attend a Caribbean medical school and many people told me that I’d never obtain a residency or succeed in my career. It turns out that many people were wrong.

Anyway, some heavy thoughts for a Tuesday, I know. Time to have a decisive moment about my dinner!

Photo: Taken on my walk to the hospital.

Click Here to View the Original Post on Medscape

“I’m so happy ’cause today
I found my friends
They’re in my head

I’m so lonely, that’s ok
I shaved my head
And I’m not sad”

- Lyrics to “Lithium” by Nirvana

Life has been pretty good lately. No complaints. Of course, as my profession has me constantly analyzing myself and my life and my happiness, I have observed that there are a few components which seem to contribute to making me happier. I’ve stated them all a million times before, but here we go again:

1. Walking to and from work. I just can’t emphasize this enough. It is probably the single most important part of my life. Walking in boiling heat, pouring rain and frigid cold allows me to think. It makes me stronger. It provides me with wonderful photo ops. It’s simply the dog’s bark.

2. Having a job where I am busy, challenged, and needed. This is incredibly critical. I need these things in my life. They make me happy.

3. Interacting with people. I need to say hello to the man who drives the hospital shuttle bus. I need to say hello to the janitors and nurses and other ancillary staff. I need to talk to my patients. I need to teach my medical students. I need to learn from my attendings. I need to have lively debates with my fellow residents. This all makes me feel alive.

Today was a great day. It was our dedicated didactics day. Our lectures were on: supportive psychotherapy, forensic psychiatry, advanced psychopharmacology and ethics. Great topics. Great discussions. Fun learning.

Anyway, time to knock a few items off my “to do” list and have some dinner. Until next time!

Photo: “s/p Miss Piggy?” Taken on my walk to the hospital yesterday.

Part of My “Trash Talkin” Photo Series

Click Here to View the Original Post on Medscape