Of all the diseases, I am most terrified of dementia. Senile dementia is a gradual deterioration of memory, movement, and other mental capacities. It’s extremely common (especially Alzheimer’s the most prevalent etiology). It steals the very essence of your mind. Unfortunately, with no known palliation or treatment, the disease is relentless. I’ve read about the condition, but on Friday I had my first close encounter with dementia in the healthcare setting: Mrs. A, a kind 88-year-old black lady living in the city with end-stage dementia. Continue reading Not Treating Dementia
All posts by ravenguild08
Perfect Pitch on Superhuman?
I got a funny email this weekend. It’s about taking perfect pitch onto a TV show featuring weird abilities. Here, just read it. Continue reading Perfect Pitch on Superhuman?
Macro Study: Blossoms
The rough-hewn urban surfaces of New York City don’t appeal to my eye or my camera. However, when natural phenomena happen — the changing of autumn, dramatic snowstorms, spring’s fist bloom — that’s when my camera has its fun. Continue reading Macro Study: Blossoms
One Vote of Confidence
This weekend is Cornell’s Accepted Students Weekend, when we invite in all the students who earned our school’s stamp of approval and try to convince them to choose Cornell. We bribe them with lavish food, enthusiastic current students touting their extracurriculars (hi), and NYC excursions such comedy clubs and museums and bars. They also get to meet their fellow prospective students and decide if they are people they can befriend for the next four years. It’s a wonderful two-day ordeal. Continue reading One Vote of Confidence
GERD is hungry
Today in the OR, I had a crummy revelation. As you might know, I have GERD (aka reflux, aka heartburn). It’s been developing for years, but I was officially diagnosed in December; since then, I’ve been treating it diligently with medication and avoiding things like eating too late, eating before exercise, or eating spicy or drinking hot foods. It’s been going well, but I just learned that my GERD has a new enemy now: hunger. Continue reading GERD is hungry
Music, Fire, Cancer
This is a post about music, fire, and cancer. Here, listen to this while reading if you can. Continue reading Music, Fire, Cancer
Cesarean Section
An obstetrician can extract a baby by C-section in a matter of seconds. It’s an unexpectedly rapid and brutal surgery even when medically indicated and scheduled, like for this mother. She had the time to have an epidural line placed into her spinal canal so she could remain awake during the procedure. They checked by ultrasound the baby was head-down, laid the mom down gingerly, doused her abdomen in brown betadine cleaning solution, and draped her in blue. They invited in the husband, dressed in an absurd blue-scrub jumpsuit, and he stood on the other side of the drapes with the anesthesiologist to hold his wife’s hand during the surgery. He seemed anxious, but the mom seemed quite at ease lying on the table considering what was about to transpire. Continue reading Cesarean Section
Operating Room Conduct Hints
The OR is a sensitive place filled with so many unspoken rules, ranging from blatant to subtle, that you must follow. During this week, my first actually being part of the OR team, I’ve received guidance from surgeons, residents, and scrub techs in the form of helpful suggestions and gentle scoldings. First, the basics: Continue reading Operating Room Conduct Hints