Report of 29 May '05
Hello from the library!
Trust all are well. We in the United States had a long weekend, part of which we spent w/ my in-laws at their farm - and that was the usual fun event it always is. We also saw the Indy 500 parade, thanks to our hosts the Tabers, and rooted for Danica to win the race. She performed pretty creditably, we felt.
The week was good. Work is fine, getting busier as my patients return. I had treated a young woman w/ disabling abdominal pain for a condition called diverticulitis and she returned, feeling much better. Another woman came in complaining of dizziness when she did her laundry or housework and as I embarked on my path of trying to figure out the cause, she spoke and spoke. I waited. "Listen to your patient, she is giving you the diagnosis," said a famous physician. Out it came - lost 10 lbs in the last month, felt hot all the time and her heart was racing. I filled out the forms to get her thyroid tested and 2 days later, the diagnosis was confirmed: an overactive thyroid gland, which medication can help with.
Most patients are as above - upbeat, satisfying. There are a fair number of Vicodin seekers and a most memorable patient this week was a strapping young man who walked in to my exam room, spoke clearly and intelligibly, and told me he'd been in an accident a couple of years ago, the air bag had deployed and his right eye now had "a hole" in it, he was getting debilitating headaches and wanted me to fill out his lawyer's papers for disability. I know of the system of compensation for disability, know a couple of genuinely-disabled, deserving people on it, and think it is very well-intentioned. As with all such systems, the scope for abuse exists. I used to act (on stage) in much younger days, and it required much mustering of those skills for me to evince interest in my patient's claim when the greater instinct was to say, "Why can't you work? Esp in this country, where anyone can succeed." In contrast to this was the young usher at the $1 movie theater (a favorite haunt in my family), who was in a wheelchair (likely from birth); who appeared to have cerebral palsy; who reached for our ticket and couldn't tear it for the first movie and required help; who tore it for the 2nd movie. The latter process was a bit lengthy, but the result was a work of art for me - the torn ticket stub, produced by someone very disabled, but working in spite of it.
The boys spent an evening bonding w/ our former neighbors, the Everharts, and totally enjoyed it; Chelsea and Elisha tend to spoil them, and little Emma and Max were a treat also. We also got together w/ a former patient of mine who has since become a wonderful friend, Deepali Jani, and her family. We ate, laughed and reminisced, and my sons romped w/ her sons. Her in-laws were there, too, I know them (having gladly partaken of her mother-in-law's cooking on call when Deepali was hospitalised - it beat what I had to eat, let me assure you) and it was great seeing everyone again! Navin turned 12 recently and got to celebrate his b'day w/ relatives, which made him happy. Brenda and Jim Hillman had us over for a fabulous dinner, w/ the highlight of the evening being the gentle conversation they are renowned for and which all ages can enjoy; there were also presents for all, a giant ice-cream cake, and a very nice card. All of this made for a very memorable evening. The boys and I also saw "Revenge of the Sith," which they found sad, "Hitch" and "Are we there yet?" which were fluffy. There is more than 1 movie fan in the family.
We were delighted to receive cool clothes for the boys from our considerate friends, Tori, Jerry, Jordan and Caithn Scott. The boys are very happy w/ the clothes! We were also touched by the gift of clothes for my niece (who has 5 older male cousins and some - ahem - very boyish hand-me-downs) from our other thoughtful friends, Anita, Bryan, Krish and Priya Sigler. My niece will be very well turned-out w/ these gorgeous clothes. My in-laws, esp my m-i-l, loaded us w/ chocolate and what doesn't get eaten here will make it to Scott, who's likely to be as happy to snarf it as we are. There is also a generous donation for the work in India from Ann and Morris Taber, and one of their friends. A and M Taber's generosity of spirit and material is amazing.
Naren and Navin leave tomorrow, flying with the Unaccompanied Minor service. I hope for the best here. Scott will receive them in Chennai, having taken a temporary transfer there for the duration of my tour of duty here.
Hope all are well. Until next week -
Renu
Trust all are well. We in the United States had a long weekend, part of which we spent w/ my in-laws at their farm - and that was the usual fun event it always is. We also saw the Indy 500 parade, thanks to our hosts the Tabers, and rooted for Danica to win the race. She performed pretty creditably, we felt.
The week was good. Work is fine, getting busier as my patients return. I had treated a young woman w/ disabling abdominal pain for a condition called diverticulitis and she returned, feeling much better. Another woman came in complaining of dizziness when she did her laundry or housework and as I embarked on my path of trying to figure out the cause, she spoke and spoke. I waited. "Listen to your patient, she is giving you the diagnosis," said a famous physician. Out it came - lost 10 lbs in the last month, felt hot all the time and her heart was racing. I filled out the forms to get her thyroid tested and 2 days later, the diagnosis was confirmed: an overactive thyroid gland, which medication can help with.
Most patients are as above - upbeat, satisfying. There are a fair number of Vicodin seekers and a most memorable patient this week was a strapping young man who walked in to my exam room, spoke clearly and intelligibly, and told me he'd been in an accident a couple of years ago, the air bag had deployed and his right eye now had "a hole" in it, he was getting debilitating headaches and wanted me to fill out his lawyer's papers for disability. I know of the system of compensation for disability, know a couple of genuinely-disabled, deserving people on it, and think it is very well-intentioned. As with all such systems, the scope for abuse exists. I used to act (on stage) in much younger days, and it required much mustering of those skills for me to evince interest in my patient's claim when the greater instinct was to say, "Why can't you work? Esp in this country, where anyone can succeed." In contrast to this was the young usher at the $1 movie theater (a favorite haunt in my family), who was in a wheelchair (likely from birth); who appeared to have cerebral palsy; who reached for our ticket and couldn't tear it for the first movie and required help; who tore it for the 2nd movie. The latter process was a bit lengthy, but the result was a work of art for me - the torn ticket stub, produced by someone very disabled, but working in spite of it.
The boys spent an evening bonding w/ our former neighbors, the Everharts, and totally enjoyed it; Chelsea and Elisha tend to spoil them, and little Emma and Max were a treat also. We also got together w/ a former patient of mine who has since become a wonderful friend, Deepali Jani, and her family. We ate, laughed and reminisced, and my sons romped w/ her sons. Her in-laws were there, too, I know them (having gladly partaken of her mother-in-law's cooking on call when Deepali was hospitalised - it beat what I had to eat, let me assure you) and it was great seeing everyone again! Navin turned 12 recently and got to celebrate his b'day w/ relatives, which made him happy. Brenda and Jim Hillman had us over for a fabulous dinner, w/ the highlight of the evening being the gentle conversation they are renowned for and which all ages can enjoy; there were also presents for all, a giant ice-cream cake, and a very nice card. All of this made for a very memorable evening. The boys and I also saw "Revenge of the Sith," which they found sad, "Hitch" and "Are we there yet?" which were fluffy. There is more than 1 movie fan in the family.
We were delighted to receive cool clothes for the boys from our considerate friends, Tori, Jerry, Jordan and Caithn Scott. The boys are very happy w/ the clothes! We were also touched by the gift of clothes for my niece (who has 5 older male cousins and some - ahem - very boyish hand-me-downs) from our other thoughtful friends, Anita, Bryan, Krish and Priya Sigler. My niece will be very well turned-out w/ these gorgeous clothes. My in-laws, esp my m-i-l, loaded us w/ chocolate and what doesn't get eaten here will make it to Scott, who's likely to be as happy to snarf it as we are. There is also a generous donation for the work in India from Ann and Morris Taber, and one of their friends. A and M Taber's generosity of spirit and material is amazing.
Naren and Navin leave tomorrow, flying with the Unaccompanied Minor service. I hope for the best here. Scott will receive them in Chennai, having taken a temporary transfer there for the duration of my tour of duty here.
Hope all are well. Until next week -
Renu
posted by Renu Weiss at
9:21 AM
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