December 23rd, 2009 by Shadowfax in Better Health Network, True Stories
Tags: Blood Thinner, Cardiology, Coumadin, Emergency Medicine, Karate, Martial Arts, Sarfety, Shorin-Ryu, Warfarin
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I’ve not been blogging much lately because of work craziness and traveling. One of my recent travels, however, was not for work but for pleasure. I’ve been studying karate (a traditional Okinawan version called Shorin-Ryu) for over fifteen years. There’s a national federation to which I belong and there are seminars three or four times a year taught by some of our more senior instructors. This was one such seminar, and it focused on joint lock and grappling techniques, some of which our style shares in common with other martial arts such as Akido and Judo.
At one point I was working with a fifth-degree black belt instructor, “Bill.” Super nice guy, and absolutely amazing in his speed and techniques. He was also very kind in teaching me a number of useful tricks and nuances of the techniques we were working on. There was a sequence which culminated in a choke-hold, and he was unhappy with the manner in which I was choking him. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Movin' Meat*
December 23rd, 2009 by DrWes in Better Health Network, Opinion, True Stories
Tags: AHA, American Heart Association, Cardiac Electrophysiology, Cardiology, Industry, Meetings, Scientific Sessions, Unintended Consequences
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Are medical conferences becoming obsolete? I think so.
It was apparent to me at the Heart Rhythm Society Scientific Sessions meeting and now a similar trend was noticed by Dr. Steven Sedlis at this year’s American Heart Association meeting:
It felt like a ghost town. I ran into Ira Schulman, my medicine resident at Bellevue when I was a third year medical student; we looked at one another and simultaneously blurted out “where is everybody?”
. . .
There are probably numerous reasons for plummeting attendance at AHA. The economy, the on-line publication of trial results prior to presentation, the ubiquity of conference calls, e-mail strings and yes blogs that keep one in regular contact with colleagues throughout the country and the world without the need for face-to-face encounters are just some of the obvious causes.
Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Dr. Wes*
December 20th, 2009 by Dr. Val Jones in True Stories
Tags: DC, Frosty, Personal, Relationships, Snowman, snowstorm, Tomato
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Like a good Rochesterian (Rochester, NY that is), my husband decided to shovel the snow off our balcony after the 2-foot-deep deposits threatened to melt into our condo’s window cracks. I was comfortably blogging away in our living room when I looked up to find Mr. DrVal had built me a miniature snowman, complete with a heart made from the last tomato of our now fully dead Roma tomato plant.
A few amazing things about this photo: 1) How can ripe tomatoes still be growing at the end of December in Washington, DC? 2) How did he get Frosty’s hat to stay on his head? 3) How did he find my secret scrub stash and why did he wear them out to shovel snow?
Anyway – I’m sure you’ll agree that this is a rather charming and creative way to spend a Sunday after a snowstorm. But watch out, Frosty: I’d like to eat your heart out!
December 20th, 2009 by KerriSparling in Better Health Network, Humor, True Stories
Tags: Endocrinology, Food and Nutrition, Obstetrics And Gynecology, Pineapple, Pregnancy, Type 1 Diabetes
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Hi there. I’m addicted to pineapple.
This week, I’ll be five months pregnant, and it seems like the vitamin C cravings I had early on in my pregnancy are back with a vengeance. Orange juice (yes, with pulp), kiwi fruit, apples, raisins (even though they’re low in it, I still want them), and pineapple. To the point where Chris and I bought a pineapple at the grocery store last week and I ate half of it in two days time. What’s good is that, for whatever reason, my blood sugars aren’t rebelling against this fruit overload. (Different from cute overload, where hamsters play the trumpet.) Before the BSparl invasion, I had things like oatmeal timed out with precision, so that I could eat something with 30 grams of carbs in it without a spike, but just one apple could cause my numbers to go berserk. Now? Oatmeal is hard to predict, but I can nosh on a whole bowl of fruit salad, estimate the carbs, and coast in the low 100’s for NO REASON.
Pregnancy and type 1 diabetes is a very peculiar combination. /digression Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Six Until Me.*
December 19th, 2009 by Dr. Val Jones in True Stories
Tags: 2009, Avatar, DC, December 19, Personal, Photos, Politico, Snow Storm, snowstorm, Washington, Winter
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How deep is the snow? Judging by my balcony, at least a foot and a half. I asked Mr. DrVal to demonstrate for you with a tape measure – of course, our mischevious kitty, Ona (full name is Ona Riss Kitty) wanted to be in the photo as well.
I caught these guys (second photo) digging out a Politico newspaper vending machine. Seemed like a very DC thing to do.
Of course, having grown up in Canada, the snow storm didn’t faze me much. I ventured out to get a salad, some frozen yogurt, and to see the movie Avatar. That was well worth the walk to the theater (saw it in all its 3-D wonder)!
Mr. DrVal summed it up with his usual dry wit, “It’s The Lion King meets An Inconvenient Truth.”
Please go see it though – the effects are really amazing.
All in a winter’s day…
