Sunday, January 18, 2015

top three [1.18.2015]

medicine
  • It's never lupus! When people first starting noticing what we now know as lupus, they though it was caused by the bite of a wolf because the rash that is characteristic apparently looks like a bite mark (lupus is wolf in latin). I personally feel you would remember getting bit by a wolf...
  • Chimney sweeps in the 18th century used to work naked so they wouldn't get their clothes dirty. Many young chimney sweeps ended up developing squamous cell carcinoma of the scrotal skin from the soot that would lodge in the scrotum - this was one of the first cases documented of an occupational carcinogen. 
  • There are several viruses (like rubella and cytomegalovirus)  that can cause babies to come out looking like blueberry muffins - so much so that they are know as blueberry muffin babies. 
  • (P.S. Remember how last Sunday I talked about the guy who invented cleanliness standards? On Monday, NPR ran a whole story on him! Definitely worth a quick 7 minute listen. Thank you Mia for letting me know on facebook!)

spotted

on the internet
  • I'm so happy Alissa is back to blogging - we could all learn a few things from her.
  • Would you travel for 2 weeks with only a backpack? I'm tempted to find out the next time I go on a trip! Now to find some of those packing cubes...
  • So proud of Miss Grace for launching her new site, The Stripe. Can't wait to see all the great things you have planned, Grace! 

notable sales

on franish

personal
  • I've been playing the comparison game a lot lately - that person did better on that test than I did even though I studied more, that person seems to have everything going right in their personal life, look how cute that persons baby is, look at that person's new house even though they are only 22 - and reading Laura's recent post really has made me try to put a halt to it (even though her life is definitely one I compare myself to!).  I can only do the best I can do. So if I didn't do that well on a test, maybe this is a chance to try something new when it comes to studying because what I thought was working isn't anymore. Sure, people my age are on to their second child and brand new home, but I chose medicine and chose this life, and so for me, those things are going to have to wait a bit longer. I really need to work on that in all aspects of my life, from school to my personal life to blogging. 
  • Yesterday we spent 7 hours learning how to do "sensitive patient exams" aka the female pelvic exam and male genitalia exam. While getting up at 6:30 on Saturday morning to learn how to touch naked people isn't at the top of my list of favorite things, it was a really great experience! It also made me realize that in just a few short months, I'll be in a real hospital/clinic working with patients. That's crazy. 
  • With everything going on between school and board studying, I rarely see my girlfriends anymore except when we are sitting next to each other for hours at the library. Thursday night after our first heme-onc exam, we all went out for dinner and a drink and it was exactly what we all needed. I don't know what I'm going to do without them starting in June :(