First week of clinic

Today, we moved into our three room guesthouse plus bathroom and kitchenette. While this is a bit pricey, it is the only room available at Ban Thai Guesthouse for this week, so, we have to stay in the luxurious air con sweet for $25/night. It is probably the nicest place I have every stayed. It is our own little house surrounded by jungle. I could definitely do this.

Jamie and I have settled into a little routine consisting of waking up in the morning, eating breakfast consisting of milo (basically coco puffs), and then heading for our 15 minute walk to work. We get to the clinic about 8:30 and see patients with medics until about noon. Then we head to lunch at a local lunch stall usually costing 40-50 baht for the two of us (about $1.30-$1.50). We then have a fruit for dessert --- pineapple, watermelon, and we will start trying some new things (10 baht). Then back to the clinic until 4pm. At this point, it is kind of slow for the afternoon. I will see a couple of patients and then just hang out with the medics. After this, Jamie and I walk home. We have been taking a nap during the heat of the day and get up around 6:30 to go get some dinner either at the night market or at a more pricey restaurant. We then come home, do some work on the internet, watch a movie on the computer, and relax. This is definitely a lifestyle I like.

As for the clinic, I felt like I did something good today. I helped diagnose a tonsillitis that may have otherwise been missed. Although this is not too hard to diagnose, I was rather proud of myself given that I don’t speak the language and no one had mentioned anything about a sore throat. I asked the patient if she had a sore throat and when she said she did, I looked inside and saw white exudate all over the tonsils WITHOUT a light. Finally, I think I might have helped. I have also spent some time explaining that HPV and not PID causes cervical cancer and that IUDs alone do not cause PID. I also got to do a condom demo to a patient as well as a vaginal exam. I also explained that one could still ride a bicycle with an IUD. So, finally, I do feel as though I have some skills.

Today, I also got a bit more insight into the refugee situation here. Given that it was a quiet afternoon, I talked to the medic who has the best english speaking ability and discussed refugee issues. All the medics here, the medic students, and staff at the clinic are Burmese (mostly from Karen State) who are here in Thailand illegally. Thai police will stop them at will and threaten jail or sending them back to Burma. Most have lived in refugee camps. Most fear both the Burmese Army and the Karen Army as these soldiers have burned their villages in Burma, beaten them, and worse. The secretive Burmese government keeps this out of the news. Not that anyone would probably care anyways.

First day at the clinic! It has been both an okay day and a bad day. Okay, it wasn't that bad. But, I'm pretty tired. First, Jamie and I were thinking, we can stay at this place. Yes, there are holes in the walls and the beds are hard as rocks, but it is in a nice locations, quiet, big kitchen, on a beautiful rice paddy. This isn't so bad. That was until 2am when we were woken up by roosters and dogs next door for the next fives hours. Blah. That was the one thing neither of us was willing to deal with. So, we are staying at a local guesthouse that is really cute. Only problem is that we have to change rooms three times. It won't be bad though.

As for the clinic, I am starting in the women's health outpatient clinic and Jamie is in the children's outpatient area. I spent my day working with a medic who is doing 3 weeks of each department at the clinic (surgery/trauma, women's health outpt, reproductive health inpt, adults outpt, adults inpt, child inpt, child outpt). We were measuring fundal heights, listening to heartbeats (thru stethescopes, not U/S), doing leopold manuevers to figure out where the babies head was, and going through the woman's history. For lunch, we quickly moved all of our stuff. That was pretty exhausting. I came back and was explaining that HPV caused cervical cancer and not PID and how IUDs do NOT increase risk of infection depening on the style of string, when things went bad. And I almost cried!

This awful white lady from Vienna starting tearing me a new one on how it was so horrible, disrespectful, and rude that I was wearing scrubs. I needed to donate these scrubs and wear my other clothes. When I said I didn't bring that much of other clothes, she told me I should buy some. When I told her I didn't have a ton of money, she said I should go back to the U.S. Then she yelled at me for Bush's taking away reproductive health money and how they haven't seen Obama's money yet. I was like, sorry, I don't agree with it, but Austria isn't donating any money either. It's not like I am a huge fan of the U.S., but at least we are trying. Anyway, I talked to the coordinator at the Thai clinic and she said this woman was crazy an I shouldn't be too upset. So, I'm working on getting over it. I think Jamie and I might just wear the same outfit everyother day so we don't have any more run in's with her.

After that, Jamie and I came back to our new guesthouse and chilled for awhile. We went down to the night market and got some DELICIOUS noodles, pork/chicken, basil for 40 baht (equal to about $1.30). That was for the two of us! 20 baht each! and it was super yummy. We are both exhausted from a long day. Our goal is to stay up to nine. I'm tired already and it is 7:45.

state of the union

So, I don't think I can say anything super intelligent about the state of the union or politics in general, but I can say that I love Obama. I love listening to him. He makes SO much sense. It is like he is intelligent and has really thought about these things. He makes hard decisions and is actually doing a pretty good job (I can't imagine anyone else would do better). My other favorite parts of the state of the union.

1. I really like Biden's goofy smile all the time. HEHEHE. I think his head is full of air and dancing ponies.

2. The standing/applauding drama is huge. I wonder how people decide when to sit. I imagine the democrats have it easy. Just stand all the time. Republicans, that's where it gets tricky. You have to stand when it's something pro america, pro kids, or pro michelle obama. and not stand most other times, but sometimes. i think they probably just have one guy up in front that has half a brain and knows which times to stand and they just follow him.

3. I'll be honest, I don't really have much pride in America. But, every time I listen to Obama, I get this giddy pride that america stands for freedom, free thinking, compassion for the poor, opportunity and it teleports me to a time when I was seven and learning about the revoloutionary war. Nowadays, I really hate all wars, but I was really proud back then. It is nice to feel a little pride for my country. It will be gone soon I'm sure and I will probably live my life in canada or australia or hawaii (okay, i know hawaii is in the U.S., but I won't care about politics, I'll be in Hawaii :-)

Okay. So, enough of Obama. I am getting ready for my trip in three days! Jamie and I are going to Thailand on Saturday morning. Woohoo! I just watched Beyond Rangoon. You should see it and learn some more about the history of the conflict in Burma and the Karen people. I have a couple more things to do and pack, but then I will be off on my next adventure! I haven't been on an adventure in a long time. The only sad part is leaving my baby kitty rambo (see pictures).

As for my medical school life, match list is basically done with a few tweaks probably happening on Friday.

the beginning

As I sit here very bored waiting for another flight for another residency interview, I decided it would be a good time to start my blog that I have been planning to do during my travels to Thailand and Lesotho this year for medical rotations.

First, I would like to say that I am really really sick of traveling. I used to find it exciting. I don't anymore. At least not this boring crap of flying into a city, interviewing and exiting the city. I guess that really isn't traveling so I should really say I am sick of the hassle of interviewing in new places. It costs a lot of money, you don't really do anything fun, and you have to talk about yourself FOREVER. I am so sick of saying how interested I am with blah blah blah (I can't even right it because it would make me sick). It's all true, I'm just sick of repeating the same bullshit.

Second, I would like to explain the title of my blog. Although probably self explanatory, these are my favorite things. So, I might as well write about all of them, right? Okay, now you are probably thinking, you just said you hate travel. I know, ridiculous. But, I don't really hate travel. I'm just sick of the hassle. I am really excited about going to Thailand and Lesotho this year. I am also totally obsessed with my kitty. His name is Rambo. I got him when he was about 9 months with my boyfriend Jamie. He is the sweetest, friendliest cat with a slightly vindictive side. If you fuck with him, he fucks with you right back. This comes in the form of batting you with two of his paws, an occassional bite, and then he runs away far enough to be a safe distance and then glares you down. This happens more with Jamie and Rambo than me and Rambo. Jamie attributes this to Rambo's trying to usurp him as master of the household to win my affections. That sounds a little too anthropomorphic...even for me.

Then comes the wine. I really love wine. I've been doing a lot of wine tastings recently and I really love it. I've been drinking a lot more sweet wine (more of Jamie's influence) and so it satisfies both my sweet tooth (okay, teeth) as well as my alcohol tooth. Life can't get much better than that. I have a bunch of really yummy sweet wines all waiting for me at home (away from where I am going :-( But, that is half the fun in going away on travels, you get to come home.

Flight to NC should be taking off soon, so I should get ready to bored.