My LONG morning and the Frontal Lobe...

Let me tell you about my morning...

First, my boys are gone (well, I have 4...the two human ones are gone and the two furry ones are huddled in the house with me, one buried far under the bed covers).  All week I have been solo and all week I have slept little - not because they are gone- but because my blasted weather radio keeps going off all night. 

This morning I found myself out of bed at 4:30 am moving my precious glazed ceramic pots under the porch so hail wouldn't harm them.  I caught a great snapshot of the front of the storm with the sunrise (unable to get from my phone to here) and I had plenty of time to make sure Rambo was inside and safe and sound before the storms hit. 


We were scheduled to get our storm shelter installed this morning and the crew was set to arrive at 7am.  I got the call a few minutes after 7 saying they were postponing the installation due to the torrential rains and flooding.  (sigh)  I was hoping I would have it 'just in case' the next 5 days brought any tornadoes. 

Good news...we still have power so there will be no sweating it out.  This is important since with my shoulder injury I don't think I could drag the large generator out of the shed to hook up...better hope we have multiple really long extension cords. 

On another note, let's talk about my 'Goodreads' currently reading shelf.  Suffice it to say that I love, love, love Goodreads.  I also tend to read multiple books at one time.  And I must admit that maybe, possibly, it could be that one of my books has been on the currently reading shelf for say, a couple of years.  I'll also admit that seems somewhat excessive.  It's just that I get very excited to read some things and they may be a greater priority.  I didn't give up though.  Giving up would mean that I marked the book as "did-not-finish."  I won't do it.  Only terrible books deserve that mark.  So, I am taking it back up to finish before I start devouring another. 

So, finally resuming reading "Another Day in the Frontal Lobe" by Katrina Firlik. 

 

One reason I chose to read this book is that I enjoy reminding myself of medical terminology.  It is difficult for the lay person to read words like neuropsychological, middle cerebral artery, and AVM (arteriovenous malformation).  I like that I can read the words and immediately have a picture of what she is describing.  Another thing I find fascinating, and always have, is that she talks about the personality of surgeons.  I was under the impression that I do not identify with that type of personality at all.  I am an internal medicine and research type all the way, even though I do surgery often I must admit that it's not my first love.  However, the book has made me realize that some aspects of a surgeon's personality I really do identify with. 

 

For example, Firlik says, "Knowledge is power, but it can also be fear.  Surgeons are obligated to educate a patient about their condition and treatment options, but then they are faced with managing the anxiety that goes hand in hand with that knowledge.  I have found that handling a patient's anxiety can be more complicated, and sometimes even more time-consuming, than the surgery itself.  Some surgeons loathe this part of the job.  It reminds them of all the reasons they didn't go into, say, psychiatry.  They prefer patients under anesthesia to patients wringing their hands, crying, and reading off a list of questions from everyone in their family, including their second cousin."

 

This I can totally relate to.  Veterinary medicine is more dealing with owners (clients) than it is with the pets.  And while I have some dear clients that I love to see and love to talk to, I also have some that make me cringe when I see them on the schedule.  Some I want to run away from.  Some that I feel like I need a biohazard suit for, or a suit of armor.  Some that seriously need a psychiatric evaluation and often I end up trying to get out of doing it...I mean I am NOT qualified for that.  Some that regale me with stories of the non-existent new Vietnamese tick that has raided their dog-- it's origin from the people across the street.  These things are why I gravitate toward solving problems or sitting in a room or cubicle by myself working on new discoveries far away from the more 'personal' side of the business. I am an introvert forced to be an extrovert and it takes every spare ounce of energy I have to deal with people! 

 

I also found very humorous her example of a particularly witty surgeon speaking with a patient and her very large extended Italian family.  "He was trying to get across the fact that the tumor at the base of her brain would be tricky to remove because of all the nerves draped across it.  After thinking about it for a few seconds, he explained, "It's like trying to get at a large meatball when there are strings of angelhair pasta in the way.""

 

Love it.  Sometimes you have to get creative. 

 

All in all, 1/3 of the way through this book, I still think it warrants finishing.  I will keep you posted.