Doctor Psychobabble

• Navigating Love and Autism – NYTimes.com
  
• When Injuries to the Brain Tear at Hearts – NYTimes.com
• A study encourages people to take the doctor’s notes home after exams. – NYTimes.com
• Seeing Social Media as Adolescent Portal More Than Pitfall – NYTimes.com
• Really? Can You Die of a Broken Heart? – NYTimes.com
• Hospital Treatment for Anorexia Is Questioned – NYTimes.com
• The Shame of Filling a Prescription – NYTimes.com
• Nowhere to Go, Patients Linger in Hospitals, at a High Cost – NYTimes.com
• Really? The Claim: Listening to Music Can Relieve Pain – NYTimes.com
• When Doctors Face Death – NYTimes.com
• What We Can Learn From Old Animals – NYTimes.com
• The Provider Will See You Now – NYTimes.com
• Life Expectancy Rises for New Yorkers – NYTimes.com
• Trials and Errors: Why Science Is Failing Us | Magazine
• Philosophy and Addiction – NYTimes.com
• Doctor and Patient: Getting Patients to Take Charge – NYTimes.com
• A study encourages people to take the doctor’s notes home after exams. – NYTimes.com
• It’s Still the ‘Age of Anxiety.’ Or Is It? – NYTimes.com
• Mental Health – Study Links Immigrating at Young Age and Higher Risk of Psychosis – NYTimes.com

“A nation or civilization that continues to produce soft-minded men purchases its own spiritual death on the installment plan.”

- Martin Luther King, Jr.

I truly love it when days have themes, and for me, today had the theme of “speak your mind.”

The first time I was reminded by this is when I was discussing great leaders of the world with my attending this morning and talking about Abraham Maslow’s “Self Actualization.” People like him and Ghandi were not afraid to speak their mind.

Later on, I went to a Martin Luther King Jr. hospital celebration. It was fun. He was not afraid to speak his mind.

Then I decided that I had to speak my mind during a residents’ meeting. I wasn’t representing the popular opinion, but I felt compelled to express my thoughts and I did. (“D”, if you happen to read this, I am still sorry that I offended you.)

Later on in the day we had a lecture on ethics, which ended up becoming a somewhat heated debate. I again spoke my mind, even though I know that I had the minority opinion. (I still love you, Modes!)

Is it due to nature? Is it due to nurture? Is it because I have an opinionated mother who taught me not to settle or acquiesce? (I love you, Bob!) Maybe it’s all of the above and more.

But I think that speaking my mind and speaking up (yelling if need be) when I disagree or believe that injustice is being done is what makes me “me.” And I hope to continue to do so, with increasing fervor, until I take my annoying, obsessive, opinionated, non-settling body to the grave.

Just my 5 cents.

PS, Happy almost MLK day!

Photo: Taken during the MLK service today.

“You start a conversation you can’t even finish it.
You’re talkin’ a lot, but you’re not sayin’ anything.
When I have nothing to say, my lips are sealed.
Say something once, why say it again?

Psycho Killer,
Qu’est-ce que c’est
fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa far better
Run run run run run run run away
Psycho Killer
Qu’est-ce que c’est
fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa far better
Run run run run run run run away”

- Lyrics to “Psycho Killer” by the Talking Heads

Today was an epic day. I mean, really great. I just got home from the hospital. It was a 15-hour day. Was on call. Not horrible. Speaking in short sentences because that works with my brain.

My day went something like this. Walked to the hospital. Got sign out. Had a philosophical conversation with my attending about achieving one’s purpose in life and subatomic particles and such. Saw an interesting consult where I really connected with the patient. Did some other things. Went to an residency applicant lunch where I got to answer some questions. Went to a great Grand Rounds on the subject of violence in first break psychosis (hence the quote above). Followed up on some patients. Consoled a family and obtained information from them. Did some teaching in between. Went on call. Saw another interesting case and possibly even did some good. Was asked by my patient if I could be her out-patient doc. Taught a medical student. Took a strange phone call. Made a strange phone call. Did some faxing. Did some follow ups. Walked home.

Yes, I’m talking a lot but not saying much.

I’m sorry, but all the good stuff is in between the lines.

Time to eat!

Part of My “Yo Brooklyn, Fuhgeddaboudit” Photo Series

Part of My “Trash Talkin” Photo Series

Please check out my latest post on “The Ink Blot” at Medscape/WebMD to find out what they are!

Click Here to View the Original Post on Medscape

“And for the few that only lend their ear, That few is all the world.”

- Samuel Daniel

I just got home from a somewhat long but definitely tiring day of work at the hospital on the psychiatry consultation liaison service. I feel as though lately I have a million awesome thoughts flying through my mind during the day but by the time I get home and sit down in front of my computer, I forget most of them. Since making lists always seems to inspire me, here is a random list of thoughts from this week:

1. I am happy to be walking to work again. I was forced to drive to work last month, and I think it destroyed a part of me. Hitting the pavement again makes me happy.

2. One of the attendings that I work with is simply too amazing to put into words. She’s brilliant and creative and never hesitates to dive headfirst into a deep philosophical conversation.

3. I love working with medical students and teaching. I’m lucky to have 2 med students with me this month. They keep me honest, keep me on my toes, and keep me thinking.

4. Psychiatry remains the coolest field out there. If only HIPAA weren’t in my way…I have SO MANY fascinating patient stories to share.

5. Cheap happy hour drinks with my fellow “psychos” is something wonderful to look forward to every week.

6. If I don’t run soon, I will implode. (Have been resting my injured ankle but hoping to give it a spin this weekend.)

7. Calming an agitated patient with words instead of medications is good for the patient, and the doctor.

8. I think my doggies get me better than any humans ever will.

9. The clothes don’t make the person, the person makes the clothes.

10. Sometimes I feel bad for using my blog to get things off of my chest. But the world makes for such a lovely bended ear.

I’m on call tomorrow, so it’s time for me to discover some leftovers in my fridge and subdue my brain with some non-intellectual Netflix watchin!

Photo: Taken a few doors down from my new office.

Today was my first day on my consultation liaison psychiatry rotation. What the heck is that, you ask? Here is a quick and dirty description from Wikipedia:

Liaison psychiatry, also known as consultative psychiatry or consultation-liaison psychiatry is the branch of psychiatry that specialises in the interface between medicine and psychiatry, usually taking place in a hospital or medical setting. Liaison psychiatry has areas of overlap with other distinct disciplines including psychosomatic medicine, health psychology and neuropsychiatry. The role of the consultation-liaison psychiatrist is to see patients currently admitted as general medical inpatients at the request of the treating medical or surgical consultant or team. This is known as a ‘consult’ and constitutes the consultation facet of the role.

I’ve worked on the “CL” service as it’s known while on call, but this is my first time working during regular hours. It was an interesting day. However, I am very tired for some not entirely known reason. Perhaps it’s the frigid weather and limited amount of daylight.

Anyway, more to come. Promise.

In the meantime, please enjoy the “trashy” photos in this post. All taken on my walk to the hospital.

Part of My “Trash Talkin” Photo Series

“Youth is when you’re allowed to stay up late on New Year’s Eve. Middle age is when you’re forced to.”

- Bill Vaughn

I had a long and busy day on call at the hospital this New Year’s Eve, but as I did not have to work on January 1st, I was able to ring in the new year with my friends. You can check out some of the photos here (thanks, Chris for letting me steal them from you!)

I don’t believe in making New Year’s Resolutions, because I think it’s more important to make resolutions every day.

Anyway, I hope everyone has a happy, healthy new year!

• Treating Stress, Speech Disorders With Music : NPR
• Nurses Threaten Strike at Three New York Hospitals – NYTimes.com
• As Doctors Use More Devices, Potential for Distraction Grows – NYTimes.com
• Doctor and Patient: When the Doctor Gets Sued – NYTimes.com
• Doctor and Patient: A Web Campaign to Prevent Cancer – NYTimes.com
• N.Y.C. Sidewalks Getting More Crowded – NYTimes.com
• Doctor and Patient: A Medical School More Like Hogwarts – NYTimes.com
• Mad as Hell – NYTimes.com
• Coping With Addiction and a Mood Disorder – NYTimes.com
• Ex-Convict Uses Battle With Addiction and Mental Illness to Help Others – NYTimes.com
• A World Without Faces – NYTimes.com
• Robert Ader, Who Linked Stress and Illness, Dies at 79 – NYTimes.com

Please check out my latest post on “The Ink Blot” at Medscape/WebMD to read about taking your work home with you.

Click Here to View the Original Post on Medscape

“It is the working man who is the happy man. It is the idle man who is the miserable man.”

– Benjamin Franklin

I am home, post-call from the hospital. Christmas is over. I missed my family, but at least got to hang out with some good friends on Christmas Eve. However, on that same day I went for what was going to be a yummy 12-mile run. But less than half way into it, I had a spill and badly inverted my foot. I thought it might be broken so today I ordered an x-ray for myself. When I went to radiology to have the x-ray performed, the technician said, “where is the patient, doc?” And I smiled and said, “I am the patient!” Anyway, after encouraging the radiologist to read my x-ray in a hurry, he discovered that I actually had an old, healing fracture, but no new fracture related to my injury. Likely just a bad sprain. But it has certainly put a rain on my parade. And I will have to suck it up, be a good girl, and not run for a bit while it heals.

I was reminded today how good work is for the soul. I had gotten a touch of the blues from not working and missing my family. And then I had an awesomely busy day today. It again reminded me how much I love to work. And I had some fascinating cases, including a patient with severe PTSD with psychosis.

It is good to be needed and to work.

I just treated myself by ordering sushi delivery (hey, I have a sprained ankle, I deserve it!)

Time to eat and be grateful for my job.

Photo: “Couch Surfin” Taken on my hobble to the hospital this morning. Part of My “Trash Talkin” Photo Series