For medical practitioners only...

So clearly this is terrible. And obviously me finding this even a little bit funny means I am a terrible person. But, I mean, _come ON_!!!

Emergency response pendant implicated in cases of strangulation, FDA warns.
MedPage Today (9/23, Petrochko) reported, "The Philips Lifeline brand of emergency response pendant may strangle its wearer if it becomes snagged, the FDA cautioned." This holds especially true for "patients who use wheelchairs, walkers, beds with guardrails, or other objects that could entangle the object." Already, "at least six occurrences of serious injury or death have occurred since 1998 when the device's cord became caught on something."


Sigh...

Merrily We Go Along...

Huh. Not much to tell recently. Working a lot because several of the other Registrars have asked to switch shifts w/ me to take exams and so on. I've been doing a few things, including my first solo Bier's block the other day. Getting the system down at work. To be honest it's still a little odd to me. “Bacteremic dialysis patient? Sure, give him some vanco and I'll follow it up in my office.” I guess you can handle it that way... And mental health services in Tassie are just beyond my understanding. Oh, the view from the hospital toward my house...

Let's see-- what else? The Daily Show is back on the web; every few days I watch an episode of Battlestar Galactica on mail-order DVDs. Finished a book a friend gave me about an emotionally distant physician who can't make a romantic commitment and then contracts TB (yeah, some people are hysterical). Made it to lesson 7 on “Introducing Guitar: Book 1,” which is just beyond “Mary had a little lamb,” though here the tune is called "Merrily We Go Along." The cold/swine flu/pneumonia complex has gone, and I'm now no longer short of breath walking to and from work, so I'll start exercising again (goal: 9:00 min mile for ½ marathon...). The ants have been subdued and a study schedule posted. Plans have been made for my first trip to Melbourne for a medical procedures seminar. Now, time to get a car to see about doing some hiking here in Tassie-- already marked some trails.

Attached are a few pictures of the environment. Many houses have this elaborate trim which is apparently typical of Victorian architecture (and knowing is half the battle). What I love is the one for sale sign that mentions the benefits of "Inner City Living." That's awesome.

All's well so far. There are definitely some frustrations at work, battles that should've been fought, etc. But all in all it's not too bad. Now that I'm feeling a bit better, it's time to do some exploring.

For those who don't know, a little wisdom from Queen and Bowie...

'Cause love's such an old fashioned word

And love dares you to care for

The people on the edge of the night

And love dares you to change our way of

Caring about ourselves

This is our last dance

This is our last dance

This is ourselves

Under pressure

Cheers,
--aws

Down time

So, still under the weather in Launceston. Not so good. Being sick sort takes the wind not only from your lungs, but also from your sails... The good part is that sleeping all day is easier in Lonnie than in NYC. No one's jack-hammering or refurbishing next door, so that's good.

As a result of not feeling all that well, been spending a lot of time on the internet at my favorite sites. For those interested, I've copied the links of a few of my favorite TED talks below. Don't know TED? Seriously, check it out. It's part of why having an internet make sense!

Also, in keeping w/ my first post ("Questions of Travel"), I've copied Robert Service's "The Men That Don't Fit In" below as well.

In terms of work, I guess I really do like the procedures and so on better than the rest. We (finally!) had an intubation the other day and I was so happy! Unfortunately, because the closest required specialist a 2-hour ambu ride away, it may have been simply a prolongation of the inevitable. Still, it kind of balanced out some terrific misses I've been making recently. Sigh. Anyway, hope all's well.

--aws

There's a race of men that don't fit in,

A race that can't stay still;

So they break the hearts of kith and kin,

And they roam the world at will.

They range the field and they rove the flood,

And they climb the mountain's crest;

Theirs is the curse of the gypsy blood,

And they don't know how to rest.

If they just went straight they might go far;

They are strong and brave and true;

But they're always tired of the things that are,

And they want the strange and new.

They say: "Could I find my proper groove,

What a deep mark I would make!"

So they chop and change, and each fresh move

Is only a fresh mistake.

And each forgets, as he strips and runs

With a brilliant, fitful pace,

It's the steady, quiet, plodding ones

Who win in the lifelong race.

And each forgets that his youth has fled,

Forgets that his prime is past,

Till he stands one day, with a hope that's dead,

In the glare of the truth at last.

He has failed, he has failed; he has missed his chance;

He has just done things by half.

Life's been a jolly good joke on him,

And now is the time to laugh.

Ha, ha! He is one of the Legion Lost;

He was never meant to win;

He's a rolling stone, and it's bred in the bone;

He's a man who won't fit in.

http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html

http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_gilbert_asks_why_are_we_happy.html

http://www.ted.com/talks/barry_schwartz_on_our_loss_of_wisdom.html

http://www.ted.com/talks/benjamin_zander_on_music_and_passion.html

http://www.ted.com/talks/malcolm_gladwell_on_spaghetti_sauce.html

http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=2539741

http://www.glumbert.com/media/everydaynormalguy (ribald lyrics)

http://www.ted.com/talks/vusi_mahlasela_sings_thula_mama.html

http://plagiarist.com/poetry/

and of course http://www.theonion.com/ and http://www.thedailyshow.com/