Thoughts of the day

I just want to start this post with something that has had me very curious: why is everyone all of a sudden obsessed with PB&Js? In the past 3 days, I have had over 100 people find my blog and read my post on Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches, most all from searches related to “peanut butter” or “peanut butter sandwiches” or “peanut butter and jelly sandwiches”. What’s going on people? Did I miss something in the news recently? Did Oprah dedicate a show to the wonders of PB&Js last week? Did Sarah Palin admit to feeding her family PB&Js for dinner? I don’t know what it is, but it has me curious. Of course I won’t object to people reading my blog, that’s fine with me!

I had an enjoyable day at work today. Spent the morning in IBD clinic, and sat in on some interesting counseling sessions with patients with Crohn’s Disease. Poor people. That’s one disease I don’t want to have (not that I want to have any diseases… although some are pretty cool!). My big clinical case study for this semester is on a patient I found last week with Crohn’s, so I expect to be an expert by December 12th when it’s all said and done (my case study, not her Crohn’s… unfortunately). I also got a laugh out of a nurse who asked a patient what “May-yuds” she’s taking. That’s right, 2 syllables in meds. Helps me remember what part of the country I’m in :)

In the afternoon I was in the Center for Surgical Weight Loss, and was able to witness a ‘band fill’ for a patient who had the gastric banding surgery 3 months ago. (think lap band). OK, so this was totally not what I thought it would be like. Basically, they can tighten or loosen the band as they desire – giving your stomach more or less space. For this patient they were filling the band, to decrease the available space in her stomach. I was sent in the room after falsifying that I don’t freak out about needles. And this was not just your normal needle. No, this thing was huge! The surgeon let me feel the patient’s abdomen (I apologize for my cold hands!) for the port, that is placed just beneath the skin. And then… he stabbed that Texas-sized needle right in! Luckily, I found a chair to sink in, just in case my psycho-dizziness decided to kick in. But it was actually pretty interesting to watch – when he finally got the needle in the right place, he injected a few milliliters of saline into the band. Now, testing it out is the funny part – you have the patient sit up (with the giant needle and syringe still sticking out of her stomach!) and drink some water. If it doesn’t seem to be able to go down OK, then you’ve restricted too much, and you need to take some of the saline out of the band. This is repeated several times until the patient can gulp the tiny cup of water without problems. Of course by now we had filled her little stomach pouch full of water, so she started burping. And then the surgeon removes the giant needle and the patient goes home. How bizarre.

I also came across a man who lives in Hawaii, but commutes to Nashville for work. Don’t ask me to explain.

And.. another patient who was somehow taking HCG for weight loss. Referred to as “placenta pills”… this is just gross.

Oh, the things you come across working in a major teaching hospital/medical center. I love it :)