Thoughts

Hello all my biggest fans!! So it looks like Blogger has some new templates out, which is awesome! That means no more Lebron, but what can you do, my blog looks tight!

So, life is good! I am struggling through some fairly boring material for school right now... it's pertinent and important, but not really basic science oriented and with boards coming up now in less than 3 months (which is absolutely crazy) I am not too excited about learning strictly clinical stuff that I can pick up in 3rd year when I have so much science to review (and frankly a lot to learn due to either my laziness or poor teaching or probably a combination of both). Clinic is great though! I feel confident with my oral presentations and confident seeing patients and getting historys and doing basic physicals, so that's good. I saw a wrist surgery in an orthopedic office yesterday too and man, that was an experience... just to see this old guy twitching on the table because the anesthesia wasn't quite strong enough and then having his wrist chopped open and seeing how the surgeon saws through the bone and then sets it back in place. Surgery is pretty cool, but crazy!

So I have been trying to look more into Obama's Health care plan and understand what it means to us and what I think about it and I am just pretty confused overall.  I mean, the plan doesn't introduce universal health care, and doesn't seem to even step in that direction, and it doesn't really expand coverage that much or make it easier for people to get coverage... it seems to just make it illegal for people not to have the horrible insurance that is out there right now.  There are some good things though, limiting insurance companies ability to drop people when they get sick, denying coverage for pre-existing conditions, and some other good things that I don't remember now.  Overall though, it seems like politics are at a point in this country where we are so divided over priorities that the only legislation that can pass is just an ugly hybrid of what the president wants and trying to please the opposition.

So, I think Obama genuinely wants what is best for this country, I am not sure that taxes and bigger government are the way to do it, but I do feel like he thinks he is doing what is best for the country... and I appreciate that.  Although I agree more with the conservative policies and practices of the republicans, I don't get that same feeling from them.  Bush, McCain, even Palin and Romney, I just feel like they are just after money or glory or respect or something other than the best interest of the American people... maybe i am way off, but that is the vibe I get from them... am I alone on that?

So, health care reform... good.  Was it done correctly?  I don't know.  Washington is SO bi-partisan right now that maybe the way they pushed the bill through was the only way to do anything.  I do think, though, that what this country needs is not increased taxes and extended coverage, but tort reform, increased competition across state lines for insurance companies, regulation of insurance companies as far as dropping people goes, and then for some of these conservative people to step and give the people a better option than private, for-profit insurance.  If they say the market can fix the problems we have right now, then show us how it will work.  Make it happen instead of standing on the sidelines and yelling at the Liberals while millions of people in this country (including illegals) suffer or cost the tax payer millions of dollars with unnecessary ER visits they can't pay for.  Let's extend primary care coverage and help people be healthy instead of treating disease.  Let's allow the market to take care of the problems with health insurance but take the steps necessary to facilitate that... I am Canadian, we have universal health care in Canada and I think it works amazing up there!  But this is not Canada and I just don't think the people here would benefit from that type of system, they are just different.

Anyway, those are my thoughts for now... I would appreciate any more thoughts on this stuff and clarification because I haven't really formed an opinion yet, I am just try to figure out what I think.

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Ever seen a horse power slide?

Ali G action

Oh, Life

Isn't life crazy sometimes!!  Yesterday was supposed to be my big study day.  I had to do a rotation with a nutritionist in the morning and then i was going to use the rest of the day to catch up on studying in the afternoon and then my mentor, Dr. Wu called ans aid, "Hey we have a first time mom in labor right now, can you come help with the delivery in about an hour?"  I was excited of course to be a "doctor" for my first delivery so I got to the hospital, hung out with the patient, translated for the nurse since she only spoke Spanish, tried to stop her from pushing until she was completely dilated, calmed the family down... and then watched as the baby was born and then helped deliver the placenta ( I messed up on that, but I won't go into details right now).  Anyway, it was a really good experience and, such an amazing thing to help bring a life into the world!!!

I teared up a couple times when the baby was crowing and when he was delivered and had to remind myself to be an objective viewer... how do I do that though, I how do I turn off my emotions and just watch and help without letting any emotional attachment happen?  I guess I need to find some sort of balance between being emotionally invested and still objective enough to do what is required.  I am just afraid of being one of those heartless or at least insensitive doctors that just do their job and don't care.  So ya, that's another one of those wonderful challenges of becoming a doctor!

So by the time that was done (and I am so glad that I was there to help and experience it) it was 4.  So I went home and some things happened so I wasn't able to leave and study or study at home... So we ate and then I started to study, but then Erin needed some help with the kids and then she had to go work on Relief Society things so I stayed to put the kids to bed, which is usually a pretty quick process... but for some reason yesterday it took forever!!  So basically, what I am saying is that I finally went to sleep at 11:30 patting Gracie's back... without studying at all.  I admit that I got frustrated and maybe punched the bed a couple of times (which really helped obviously) but anyway, it was rough because I was stressed about studying and everything else.  I wouldn't change anything about the night though.  Erin needed to go do her thing for relief society so I am glad she went and, anyway, the point it is, it was hard and I am really behind now.  But I prayed and woke up this morning and just felt like nothing had happened... so sleep is cool for that reason.

Anyway (and I realize that is like the hundredth time that I said that) life is just rough sometimes, especially with being busy for whatever reason we have to be super busy!  For me it's two great kids, a wonderful wife and her hobbies and activities, and medical school.  Everyone gets busy but putting first things first... scripture study, prayer, family, taking care of your body, etc. makes everything better somehow.  Heavenly Father loves us so much and I am always amazed at the mercy and love He shows to me and my family.  We are soo blessed!

I heard a song on the radio this morning that seems to fit my mood lately of really just plugging along and getting through and enjoying life's challenges.  It's the last song in the playlist at the bottom of the screen... there is a "D" right at the beginning so, sorry about that.  I'll have to talk to Kenny Chesney about his potty mouth.

Erin, could you maybe write up what we were talking about yesterday about the purpose of life here and in the eternities so I can post it here too??  LOVE YOU!

Another ridiculous video...

Funny because it's true

YouTube Contest Challenges Users To Make A 'Good' Video