Symptoms

Just once I want the doctors to actually be concerned about what I am concerned about, when I am concerned about it. Last night my patient became tachypnic (pronounced "tah-kip-nic", a word that's more fun to use instead of "rapidly breathing") and tachycardic (also a superb replacement for a racing heart). Using these big medical terms I was sure would reach to the brain of the neurosurgeon. My mind is already rapidly racing (um..tachycerebral?) through all the possibilities (or differential diagnosis). PE? Mucous plug? MI? Well, as is always the case, the Doc comes to check my patient out and all of a sudden these symptoms resolve. I swear, this happens to me all the time!! So, because he didn't witness it then it's not a big deal. Well, when the team came to round in the morning I did describe my little episode (well, the pt's episode, not mine...I'm more professional than that. I had my episode at home.) These symptoms seemed to stump even the team, even while using their collective brain powers. Then tests were ordered just to rule out any of the aforementioned conditions. I am however glad it was stumping the MDs and not just myself. Is this trivial of me? Most likely, that's why I love medicine so much, so many mysteries...

Dreams...?

Now that it's daylight, I'm trying to figure out if what happened last night actually happened. This occurs occasionally while working the night shift...it's almost like you're in a surreal state with a foggy sense of reality. You're body is telling you over and over again you should be sleeping and dreaming, and so sometimes what happens over the night feels like a dream. I was sitting at my station, minding my own business, writing some numbers down, prioritizing for the rest of my shift. Then a fellow (male) co-worker comes up to me. I give him a glance and ask “what's up?” He says to me, "let me preclude this comment I'm about to make by saying it's not a come-on or anything." "ooookay" I respond, not quite sure what this is about.
"I have to tell you, you are absolutely gorgeous."
Ummm, even with the scaly skin, bags under my eyes and stylish scrubs?
"Well, thank you very much," I manage to get out. I would not have expected this comment from this particular co-worker. I'm a bit stunned.
"I wanted to tell you yesterday, I thought you should know." He walks away. Um...
"It's a good thing you started this conversation out the way you did, or I would've wondered," I quip, trying to make light of a situation that's very quickly making me feel very awkward. He laughs, I laugh and then no more is said about the matter.
Yet, it's amazing how a compliment like that can make you feel. I have to say I was flattered, a little creeped out, but still flattered. And my mom thinks I should curl my hair for work! Imagine the comments I might get then....

Cooking 101

Eggs are definitely an important part of a brownie recipe. Salt...you can most likely do without. Vanilla too, if you're really hard up. But eggs, well, eggs are very necessary. Otherwise you're left with something that is trying really hard to resemble brownies, but looks and tastes more like chocolate sand. And not very good chocolate sand either. So let this be a lesson to you all, if you're going to make brownies, and you're going to forget an ingredient, make sure it's not the eggs.

Skin

I think my skin is confused with my new schedule. Since I'm awake mostly when it's dark out, and winter is usually dark, my skin believes it is winter. And thus, my eczema is slowly turning me into the lizard lady. Seriously, I could be part of the freak show at the circus. I am a scaly beast. Normally, summer humidity soothes the skin, it's the dry winter that cracks the already dry parts and I start flaking my own snow everywhere. Now, both of my inner elbow creases, my temples, my right cheek (facial), the back of my neck, my left eyelid...all have scales. I was reading a book about these people who associated with dragons and because of that contact started growing scales themselves. That's how I feel. Except these aren't "bejeweled scales that glisten in the sun", these are white and flaky patches that shed in the sun. Time to crank out the thick as butter hand cream and slather it on. I will not let it get the best of me! Did I mention my hands are scaly and nasty too? There is no hope...