I do enjoy email.  I really get a kick out of reading other’s mistakes.  I enjoy reading what my students and their parents write.  When I get in a hurry there’s no telling what I may write, or what letters I’ll neglect to write.  And while it makes sense in my head, often times, when I go back and reread what I have written I am embarrassed and amused.  It’s nice to know I’m not the only one that does that, on the other hand, it concerns me that when other people do it (namely people in the medical profession), it could lead to many bad things.  Enjoy!

Hospital chart notes

Actual writings!----makes you wonder why some people think DR & NURSES are smart or actually pay attention to what they are writing?

1. The patient refused autopsy.

2. The patient has no previous history of suicides.

3. Patient has left white blood cells at another hospital.

4. Note: patient here-recovering from forehead cut. Patient became very angry when given an enema by mistake.

5. Patient has chest pain if she lies on her left side for over a year.

6. On the second day the knee was better, and on the third day it disappeared.

7. The patient is tearful and crying constantly. She also appears to be depressed.

8. The patient has been depressed since she began seeing me in 1993.

9. Discharge status: Alive but without permission

10. Healthy appearing decrepit 69-year old male, mentally alert but forgetful.

11. Patient had waffles for breakfast and anorexia for lunch.

12. She is numb from her toes down.

13. While in ER, she was examined, x-rated and sent home.

14. The skin was moist and dry.

15. Occasional, constant infrequent headaches.

16. Patient was alert and unresponsive.

17. Rectal examination revealed a normal size thyroid.

18. She stated that she had been constipated for most of her life, until she got a divorce.

19. I saw your patient today, who is still under our car for physical therapy.

20. Examination of genitalia reveals that he is circus sized.

21. The lab test indicated abnormal lover function.

22. Skin: somewhat pale but present.

23. Patient has two teenage children, but no other abnormalities.

The sun fell

Winter took over

Dreary cold darkness blinded us all

A match illuminated much of what once was

This small light was the hope of man

People shared the light from one person to the next

Eventually the light burned bright

Winter was not yet ready to leave

It felt its job was not yet done

Darkness must prevail

So Winter enlisted the help of Wind

Many lights blew out

Some were protected

Wind could not be everywhere at once

So again the people began to share the light

And again the darkness did not want to leave

Try as it might, the darkness could not overpower the light

And the light burned on

Illuminating everything

Everything hidden was revealed

Everything ugly was healed

One light made a difference

Don't follow the path. Go off the path and create your own trail.
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

I wish I were one of those people who could go off and just do something.  I always wanted to travel.  I wanted to go off to Japan or some other foreign land and teach English for a year.

I got married instead.  Now, I am not begrudging being married.  I am happy.  I didn't want to leave my then fiance for a year to indulge my curiosity about other cultures.  Interestingly enough, another culture has come to me.

I am thoroughly enjoying myself.  I enjoy tutoring.  I still wonder what it would be like to travel the world.  Right now it is not an option, but one day I will do it.  I will go off the path and just do it.  I will have a mighty adventure.

Most major companies either have or will soon move a majority of their operations overseas.  As a consumer, I always look for a good deal, so for the company financially it makes good sense as the company itself will save big money.  It bothers me.  I understand the need for the companies to save money.  I understand that other countries need the money that these jobs provide overseas as they are impoverished nations.  But, if we keep sending all of our businesses overseas because they can save money what is that going to do to our economy?  Our people won't have jobs.

It also bothers me to think that these companies who are saving money by sending our jobs overseas are paying their executives grand sums of money.  I think every person is entitled to a good paycheck, but, oh my goodness, to think of what some of these people makes astounds me.  If I had one year's worth of salary taxes and all taken out from one executive, I could pay off my house, my car, go on an extraordinary vacation, and have all my other incidental bills paid.  I might even could go to the dentist, get my eye fixed and get all other incidental repairs done around the house and still have money left over for investing.

And to think of what people do with some of their money.  I like animals, but if I had an enormous paycheck do you think Fido or Fifi would have a diamond studded collar or that I'd sleep on expensive one million thread count sheets? ABSOLUTELY NOT! 

I get excited if I get to spend $50 at the grocery store.

Don't get me wrong.  I have nice things.  I have more things now than I have ever had in my life.  Things are just expensive, and keeping things repaired and in good condition takes a fair amount of money.  I am thankful I have a good job.  I am thankful I have a nice home.  I am thankful I have a reliable automobile.  I am thankful I am healthy.  I am thankful that I have a wonderful husband who loves me.

I just feel sorry for the people out there who can't find a job because they all went to India or Pakistan or wherever they go.

I had to call an 800 number the other day.  Imagine my surprise when an actual human answered the phone on the second ring and that the accent was mid-American.  I told the lady on the phone how happy I was that I was talking to a real person that I could understand.  I love accents, I love people, but sometimes it can be very frustrating when someone cannot effectively communicate information because of a language barrier.

I don't think we, as Americans, are doing all that we can do to keep these companies here.  I don't think we think past ourselves long enough to consider the ramifications of all these companies leaving our shores.  I don't personally know what to do about it, but surely there is something.

That's it, I'm done.

So to recap:

• We need to keep jobs here.
• I want an executive paycheck for one year.
• I will not buy stupid expensive items.
• Accents are good, but please have a clear one.
• We need to do something to keep businesses and jobs in the U.S.

A few weeks ago the man and his friend went wandering about location scouting.  On their travels they came upon a mass of birds.  Not just a few birds, but enough birds to fill the sky.  I believe they wondered if Alfred Hitchcock was nearby or perhaps he had been raised from the dead.  The sky was black with birds.

I recall a similar instance a few years ago, where I looked outside and the neighborhood was covered for a whole block with birds on the ground.  It was amazing, beautiful and creepy all at the same time.  I, myself, have never seen Hitchcock's The Birds, but I've always wanted to.

Birds fascinate me.  Individual birds are interesting, but have you ever watched a large number of birds when they fly together?  It is amazing, they move to and fro and they don't run into each other.  They go up and down and decide to land and no one get's hurt (or do they?).

Imagine, if you will, a bird has a bad day, he's flying at the front of the pack, gaggle, herd, (I don't know what it's called, he's at the front of the flying triangle) and he's having one of those days.  You know, those days where you drop things, or anything you do just doesn't turn out quite right.  "OH MY GOSH!  YOU NEED TO MAKE A LEFT TURN," only OOPS YOU WENT RIGHT INSTEAD!  The whole group of birds would run into each other and you'd have aerial flying dominoe birds dropping from the sky.

No, I'm not having a bad day.  No, I didn't run anyone over, and no, a whole groupe of flying domino birds did not land in my yard.  I was just thinking about how birds are so cool in their flying.  I was also thinking about how tough the leader bird must be.  He's flying and everyone else is in the tail wind.  Working, but not as hard as the leader bird.

This entry didn't end up at all like I thought it would.  It reads really odd to me.  I think it is because I don't have any terminology. If I've lost you, I don't know what to say other than I think it's neat that birds can fly in sync without running each other over and that they must have really good communication skills, and follow the leader can be a good thing.

~~~~~~~~~

Update: It's a flock.  The man straightened me out.  Oddly enough, I knew that, but the word just wasn't coming to me.  And yes, he thinks this is an odd entry.