Mindful of our "many" epic threads and our goal of SDN post-padding dominance, I present to you:

Stuff that Sucks (TM).

So, there I was, minding my own damn unsuspecting intern bidness when along came Step III registration.

Why, on God's green earth, does this stupid, damn-near-pointless test have to cost so much?

Feel free to padd away. Lord knows, there isn't exactly a shortage of Stuff that Sucks (TM).

Oh yeah...off service rotations in general.

Take care,
Jeff

Step 2 CS... clearly sucks.. Rumor is that it will be made "optional" next yr. That thing sucks!

Rumor is that it will be made "optional" next yr. That thing sucks!
Dude - that would ROCK!

onto the stuff that sucks, though.

Unless you dropped $1000 this yr for it. I am 100% for dropping it though. What a waste of time and $$!

Having no hand surgeon on call sucks

Losing 3 kids in one night on a PICU rotation sucks

Having sore abs from doing compressions on said kids sucks

Being off-service sucks

I'm sure I'll think of more later

Having no hand surgeon on call sucks



especially for the 15 yo boy who comes in with chief complaint of left hand vs. M-80.

Is this medical stuff that sucks? If not.... haveing a foot and half of snow with no sleds, skis, snowboards, or even intertubes in sight sucks.

Ahh, my username has been changed I see (formerly stw2361)

SDN repeatedly crashing because someone linked another of our epic threads all over the internet sure does suck.....

The winter olympics. More importantly the lack of any new scrubs, my name is earl, the office, or er for the rest of the month.

Not being able to go to Starbucks for my once a week mocha. Was really looking forward to it.

Oh, and not having crackers or a baguette to go with the really good brie in my fridge!

Studying for the boards when you have a fever :-(

Inservice exam and being pressured to do well on it sucks.

you're pressured to do well? what is the PD expecting?

you're pressured to do well? what is the PD expecting?


Everyone is expected to do better than the national average. In the past certain privileges were taken away for poor performance. We have a new PD now, so we'll see if he's more reasonable.

Inservice exams in general.

Inservice exams in general.

Exams in general.

Technically it's an in-training exam. ;)

Shoveling snow. How many MIs do we think there were in the Northeast today as compared to usual?

The funeral service boards suck.

snow in alabama... people are going nuts!!!!

Rounding while on my IM rotation. Pts become very boring after HD #2
Another one is waiting on NH placement. Ugh can't wait till my EM month.

taking the inservice when you're a prelim in medicine at your future EM program's hospital (can't exactly say no when the PD asks if you "wanna").

hospital budget cuts that involve limiting food selection in the cafeteria (no tomatoes, WTF!!!)

spraining your SI joint falling off a horse during the first week of your one and only 4 week vacation of the year, while in another country (senor en el aeropuerto, yo no puedo mover mis malletas, yo me cae de un caballo!!!). tx = months of PT, px = lots of pain along the way.

Snow.

Inservice exam and being pressured to do well on it sucks.

Yep- I agree. If we aren't in the top half of the nation as interns, they take away our senior conference trip and send us to a board review in Wisconsin as a senior. Seriously. As interns. Ridiculous. Oh well. I hate ski trips to Colorado anyway. :cool:

Holy cow.. This is hard core stuff. I guess I should start studying now?

Not being 75F in February in Texas

Yep- I agree. If we aren't in the top half of the nation as interns, they take away our senior conference trip and send us to a board review in Wisconsin as a senior. Seriously. As interns. Ridiculous. Oh well. I hate ski trips to Colorado anyway. :cool:

That alone would be enough motivation for me :).

I cant believe the PDs are that insane about it.. Does the inservice give the program anything for your guys results? Whats the reason they care so much?

Doesn't it ever get ridiculous that we just have to continue "making the cut." I mean, for goodness sakes. I had to be screened to go to the KINDERGARTEN I went to (private school). Then I had to apply to high school (private school, again). Then I had to apply to COLLEGE, and in order to go to the college I went to I pretty much had to be in the top 20% of my graduating class. Then, to go to medical school I was expected to be near the top of my college class (which consisted of people who were mostly in the top 20% of THEIR high school classes).

Presumably, EM takes "above average" medical students - be it based on test scores, clinical grades, whatever. And then you have to be in the top 1/2 of THAT GROUP???

Grrr...this is getting old, and I'm only a first year!

Its fun SoCute.. Real fun.. the rat race continues...:thumbdown:

Vacuum Cleaners.... ok, stupid I know, but noone's done it yet..

Waiting with this completely impotent feeling for match results in about 12 hours (AOA match..)

Doesn't it ever get ridiculous that we just have to continue "making the cut." I mean, for goodness sakes. I had to be screened to go to the KINDERGARTEN I went to (private school). Then I had to apply to high school (private school, again). Then I had to apply to COLLEGE, and in order to go to the college I went to I pretty much had to be in the top 20% of my graduating class. Then, to go to medical school I was expected to be near the top of my college class (which consisted of people who were mostly in the top 20% of THEIR high school classes).

Presumably, EM takes "above average" medical students - be it based on test scores, clinical grades, whatever. And then you have to be in the top 1/2 of THAT GROUP???

Grrr...this is getting old, and I'm only a first year!


I agree entirely with what you say. Unfortunately we will be constantly judged until the day we die (and afterwards for those who are religious).

One thing in my favour is that most programs don't put any emphasis on the inservice, and therefore the residents don't study specifically for it. Since it's graded on a curve it gives those of us who are forced to do well a slight advantage.

I had to be screened to go to the KINDERGARTEN I went to (private school). Then I had to apply to high school (private school, again).
Wow.. now THAT is a gunner - from kindergarten straight to high school!!!

socute is the official M1 EM bound gunner!

a) Not a gunner. At least not that anybody can tell. :meanie:

b) I went to a school that was K-8, so I didn't have to switch until it was time for high school.

a) Not a gunner. At least not that anybody can tell. :meanie:



We call people like that "snipers" :D +pad+

Doesn't it ever get ridiculous that we just have to continue "making the cut." I mean, for goodness sakes. I had to be screened to go to the KINDERGARTEN I went to (private school). Then I had to apply to high school (private school, again). Then I had to apply to COLLEGE, and in order to go to the college I went to I pretty much had to be in the top 20% of my graduating class. Then, to go to medical school I was expected to be near the top of my college class (which consisted of people who were mostly in the top 20% of THEIR high school classes).

Presumably, EM takes "above average" medical students - be it based on test scores, clinical grades, whatever. And then you have to be in the top 1/2 of THAT GROUP???

Grrr...this is getting old, and I'm only a first year!


I know I'll be sorry that I got into this, but what the hey. socute and EF, it probably doesn't seem likely from your viewpoint sitting at front of your computer and studying, but it's possible to get along in residency without cracking a book. It's easy in fact, since you're so busy with patient care. When you're not on duty, it's really easy to relax and have a "regular" life.

The problem with that is that you are not really in competiton with others anymore. That stopped when you got into med school. Now you are in competition with yourself to be the best doctor you possibly can. You owe it to your patients to do that, particularly if you're going to be an EP and have to have an enormous mass of material readily available on instant notice.

Wh would a PD place emphasis on Inservice?

1. It's the only nationally standardized method to follow progress.
2. Low scores predict higher probability of failure on the ABEM written exam.
3. If a lot of your graduates fail the ABEM exam, the RRC will be giving you trouble.
4. Most importantly I think, and most PDs would agree, that if your Insevice scores are very low, it's likely that you don't have the groceries to make the meal.

The good news, is that if you apply yourself, you'll do fine. You're right, you are members of a very select group.

BTW I did residency in another era. Worked more than 100 hours each week. I doubt that I read 500 pages in the whole time. I learned a whole lot, but I had to catch up on the didactics in the following 4 years. It never ends, and that's the good news. How boring would it be to know everything you needed at the end of training? 40 years of doing the same old thing? You might as well be a surgeon. :( :laugh:

OK, hit me with your best.

Nah, it's ok BKN. I just like to whine. I actually enjoy learning, even just for learning's sake. I was really talking about the poor soul who was going to be denied his senior conference trip if he didn't meet the national average on his inservice as an intern. Right now I am studying hard because I actually (gasp!) find physiology relevant to, like, medicine and stuff.

BTW I did residency in another era. Worked more than 100 hours each week. I doubt that I read 500 pages in the whole time. I learned a whole lot, but I had to catch up on the didactics in the following 4 years. It never ends, and that's the good news. How boring would it be to know everything you needed at the end of training? 40 years of doing the same old thing? You might as well be a surgeon. :( :laugh:

OK, hit me with your best.

By the way - did you walk uphill both ways to get to the hospital at which you did your residency? Or did you guys ride dinosaurs to work? :laugh:

Yeah BKN my question is less about why there is a test and why you get a score but rather why would a PD (as generalVeers stated) basically say that you have to do above the average or you lose certain privileges. IIRC it is a scaled test so by definition if there is a perfect bell curve 1/2 of the people will score below the mean. Thats kind of what I guess. It just seems a little nuts..Is this something a little more common or is this at a few programs? The place I will rank #1 basically stated (after I asked) that they score in the top 10-15% or so in the nation.. Does this really matter? Most others stated they score around guess? yep.. the national average..Im just curious..

Oh BTW BKN, the competition certainly DOES NOT end when you get in med school. Terms like Gunner are there for a reason. Most classes are graded on a curve and then in the 3rd yr it is the butt kissers who are the gunners.. Just my $0.02

If you look in the ACGME and SAEM residency lists, you will see which programs use your in-training exams for judging your eligibility for promotion.

I have a feeling that 50% of the programs think they are in the top 10-15%.

Being a military residency, I thinnk that our PD's have a chip on their shoulders to prove that we are as good as everyone else. We have been nationally top 5% ALOT on the exam ( we have a 100% written ABEM pass rate and only one person has ever failed the orals in the program's history), and they mean to keep it that way. We look good then they look good to the brass, and maybe they can get one of those eagles or stars on their shoulder. I think they pick and choose us a lot for our test taking ability as well as personality. I got pretty huge scores on steps 1 and 2, (even managed to get a P on the CS :D )
and as far as I know am average for the air force side of our combined army af program. Oh well. It is a good program, I just don't enjoy the constantly in your face about the damn score. We were forced to add a mandatory Tuesday night Review session for the exam since September, in addition to our 5 didactic hours per week Good luck to all the takers coming up. :luck:
Steve

By the way - did you walk uphill both ways to get to the hospital at which you did your residency? Or did you guys ride dinosaurs to work? :laugh:

No, we were the dinosaurs. :D

I actually did walk five miles from Hopkins to what was then Baltimore City after a blizzard and back again to see my patients. And every step of the way I was thinking "I'm gonna throw this in the face of all my residents some day. Woo-Hoo!" :laugh:

Yeah BKN my question is less about why there is a test and why you get a score but rather why would a PD (as generalVeers stated) basically say that you have to do above the average or you lose certain privileges. IIRC it is a scaled test so by definition if there is a perfect bell curve 1/2 of the people will score below the mean. Thats kind of what I guess. It just seems a little nuts..Is this something a little more common or is this at a few programs? The place I will rank #1 basically stated (after I asked) that they score in the top 10-15% or so in the nation.. Does this really matter? Most others stated they score around guess? yep.. the national average..Im just curious..



Well above the 50th seems a little tough, but I suspect it depends on what you're getting at entry. A program that matches mostly AOA types should expect that level of achievment, I guess. For most of us, I think it would be a little less. But Southerndoc has it right. All of us PDs live in Lake Wobegone where the women are strong, the men are good-lookin' and all the children are above average.

Anyway for me, it's not about the score. It's about whether in the faculty's collective judgment a resident is going to be a safe, careful physician and if not whether they can fix their problem with guidance. I set my standards by the scores that predict a 1.5x greater chance of failure on the ABEM written. That's an actual score rather than a percentile. The results of the exam include the chart. Those folks get a remediation program. Those who score above that but below the 25th percentile get a less stringent remdiation program. And I have other remediation plans for other problems. A resident may do well on the tests, but the faculty may feel he/she can't synthesize to the right diagnosis or plan. That needs a completely different approach.

I'm well aware that people gun in medical school. My point was that it's plain silly so to do. You're in and your chances of gettin out are very high unless you make an active attempt to screw up. Rather I was suggesting that the goals should change to:
1. Being sane and well adjusted,
2. Develop strong interpersonal skills and
3. to pour as much information into your database as you can accomplish.
That's what I meant when I said your in competition with yourself and you owe it to your patients.

OK, enough preaching. :rolleyes:

So here's a question for you guys. Since this thread seems to have taken a tangent. Some of the programs seem to have BIG BLOCKS of time (like 5 hours at a time!) set aside for didactic stuff each week. I personally don't deal well with auditory instruction. I have to be involved and doing something to learn (my personality test actually says that I have to make learning a "multi-sensory" experience). Do those 5 hours feel like 5 hours spent in med school lectures ('cause, uh, I'm sorta the homeschool type these days...)?

Do those 5 hours feel like 5 hours spent in med school lectures ('cause, uh, I'm sorta the homeschool type these days...)?

Yes, the RRC-EM requires that residencies have at least 5 hours of didactics weekly, that residents must be released form clinical duties to attend and that residents must attend 70%.

I don't think you'll mind them. Clinical is an entirely different world from MS1 and 2. The chance to sit in a room and talk and think will probably seem a diversion from constant patient care. The subject matter of the lectures will seem more relevant since you'll be applying it every day.

And even if you do mind it, it's what you have to do.

Yes, the RRC-EM requires that residencies have at least 5 hours of didactics weekly, that residents must be released form clinical duties to attend and that residents must attend 70%.

I don't think you'll mind them. Clinical is an entirely different world from MS1 and 2. The chance to sit in a room and talk and think will probably seem a diversion from constant patient care. The subject matter of the lectures will seem more relevant since you'll be applying it every day.

And even if you do mind it, it's what you have to do.
As long as thinking is encouraged, I'm happy!

Yes, the RRC-EM requires that residencies have at least 5 hours of didactics weekly, that residents must be released form clinical duties to attend and that residents must attend 70%.

I don't think you'll mind them. Clinical is an entirely different world from MS1 and 2. The chance to sit in a room and talk and think will probably seem a diversion from constant patient care. The subject matter of the lectures will seem more relevant since you'll be applying it every day.

And even if you do mind it, it's what you have to do.


The didactics are a necessary evil. When I'm on off-service rotations I love our didactic day! It gets me out of 6 hours of rounding on medicine/ICU, and it doesn't count as my day off.

Unfortunately we have a serious problem with attendence, which will be resolved.....one way or another.

We do all 5 hours at once on Friday mornings at 0700. After the first one of the day, they feel like med school all over again, except we aren't allowed to skip. Granted, good when you are off-service because anything beats rounding, and you can zone out in peace. I have never been the lecture type. I only went to required ones in med school.

Steve

Step 2 CS... clearly sucks.. Rumor is that it will be made "optional" next yr. That thing sucks!

OPTIONAL...YOU WROTE OPTIONAL :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

They may offer 16,000 4th years at US Allopathic schools the option of taking the ~$1000 exam? That stands to reason... I mean why require the exam and rake in ~$16,000,000 when we could make it optional. LOL... YOU WROTE OPTIONAL :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

They are going to give up ~$16,000,000 like Jack Bauer is going to give up nuclear launch codes. :cool: :cool: NEVER!!!

OPTIONAL...YOU WROTE OPTIONAL :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

They may offer 16,000 4th years at US Allopathic schools the option of taking the ~$1000 exam? That stands to reason... I mean why require the exam and rake in ~$16,000,000 when we could make it optional. LOL... YOU WROTE OPTIONAL :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

They are going to give up ~$16,000,000 like Jack Bauer is going to give up nuclear launch codes. :cool: :cool: NEVER!!!

I agree about jack bauer. NEVER.

Hence the quotes.. Clearly, NO ONE will take it.. Our school has a required one we had to take and it was supposed to simulate a 1/2 day at the CS our class avg was like 83 and I got like an 89... I will say though I will be a little nervous until I get that "pass" in the mail..

I have been to didactics for about 8 different programs and many times for some of them. Only 1 programs conferences felt like medical school and that program is suffering on my ROL because of this (and other reasons) Most of the time the material is relevant, the presenters funny/entertaining, and best of all reguardless of if it is supposed to be an interactive session (many are) the cracks from the peanut gallery often make it hilarious. I am sure after 3-4 years of it I won't find it QUITE so entertaining but to say it's like medical school lectures is just not true.

I have been to didactics for about 8 different programs and many times for some of them. Only 1 programs conferences felt like medical school and that program is suffering on my ROL because of this (and other reasons) Most of the time the material is relevant, the presenters funny/entertaining, and best of all reguardless of if it is supposed to be an interactive session (many are) the cracks from the peanut gallery often make it hilarious. I am sure after 3-4 years of it I won't find it QUITE so entertaining but to say it's like medical school lectures is just not true.

You are probably right. We usually do have good lectures. My ass and in a seat for 5 hours at a time don't mix well though, no matter how relevant. Steve

"scores that predict a 1.5x greater chance of failure on the ABEM written. That's an actual score rather than a percentile."

-What score is that exactly?
-What score is passing on the real thing?

Thanks!

Learning how to do a pelvic on V-day. How inappropriate is that? :laugh: :cry:

Learning how to do a pelvic on V-day. How inappropriate is that? :laugh: :cry:
Did you read White Coat by Ellen (?) Rothman? I think she talked about learning the pelvic and the prostate exams on V-day.

For me today is the same as yesterday and tomorrow, so it really wouldn't matter!

No, that's what I had to do today :( . I swear, our "clinical skills" course coordinators have a sick sense of humor...

I knew you meant that you had to do that, I was just pointing out the irony. Hope you have a good night to make up for it!

And I'll add: Having your fiancee all the way across the country on V-day (and having not seen him in six weeks...). Ok, time to go eat some chocolate :D

At least you HAVE a fiance!!

Did you read White Coat by Ellen (?) Rothman? I think she talked about learning the pelvic and the prostate exams on V-day.

For me today is the same as yesterday and tomorrow, so it really wouldn't matter!

Reminds me of when I was a student (oh, so many years ago!!) on my surgery rotation as an MS3 - it was one of the first days of the rotation, and the director had a very dry sense of humor. We we scrubbed into a hemorrhoidectomy, and the rectal speculum had just been placed, and he says, as he grabs one of the 'roids with a clamp, "Happy Valentie's day, everyone".

Hell, it was funnier to be there, 'cause this pt's 'roids were HUGE.

Today I had two run-ins of something that sucks:

People with small cars that park way into the space, creating the illusion that a space for my SUV is available. When attempting to go in, you see it is a small car, making you reverse and go look for another one.

Yes, the RRC-EM requires that residencies have at least 5 hours of didactics weekly, that residents must be released form clinical duties to attend and that residents must attend 70%.

Stuff that sucks...conflicting rules.

I just love the part where the 70% rule conflicts with the work hours rules. If I'm post-call during conference the work hours rule says I can't attend (assuming it would put me past the 24+6 hours which it would, of course). I end up being required to take vacation in order to maintain my 70%. Either that or just go to conference and overlook the work hours violation.

Fortunately, this is only an issue during intern year for us and hasn't come up for me yet. Since I'll finish the last call night of my ENTIRE CAREER in April, it probably won't.

Take care,
Jeff

People with small cars that park way into the space, creating the illusion that a space for my SUV is available.

Speaking of parking suckiness...

The geniuses in Austin decided many years ago that they wanted to foster conservation and felt they should creative incentives for people to drive small (presumably more fuel efficient) cars. They past an ordenance that required all new buildings to make some huge percentage of their parking spots, and all of the up close spots, micro-sized.

The result? SUVs parked across three micro-sized spots. Like any Texan would give up our SUV for something so silly as a parking spot. Hell, we bougth the damn things so we could drive over small buildings (just in case, mind you), what makes 'em thing the silly little yellow lines would bother us?

Take care,
Jeff

Insomnia.

"scores that predict a 1.5x greater chance of failure on the ABEM written. That's an actual score rather than a percentile."

-What score is that exactly?
-What score is passing on the real thing?

Thanks!

I forget, but the results that the program gets includes a chart showing the proportion passing their part 1 based on scores at EM1-3 in training based on the previous 10 years' results. It's something like 60-65 at EM1 and somewhat higher in later years.

The score for passing the Boards part 1 is 75. Pass rate for residency trained candidates has been about 90% for a long time.

Pass rate for residency trained candidates has been about 90% for a long time.

Who else has been taking it since the 'practice track' closed years ago?

Take care,
Jeff

Take a look in the back of this week's JAMA.

There is a recruitment ad for an ED medical director for a small East Texas community hospital (one that I've worked in during my family medicine rotations in school). It says this person will be practicing EM and overseeing the EM mid-levels.

Requirements?

An MD degree and completion of an INTERNAL MEDICINE residency.

WTF? We're not talking about settling for a non-EM trained person here. They're specifically recruiting them to the exclusion of physicians specifically trained in the specialty.

Talk about Stuff that Sucks!

BTW, also in that edition is a largely positive review of Dr. Zink's book on the history of EM. Maybe this last part should go in the Stuff that Doesn't Suck thread.

Take care,
Jeff

Returning to the topic of stuff that sucks:

PMS

Oh, and to add to the list.

I have a sneaking suspicion that the family I babysit for fired me or found another sitter or something. I don't even care about the loss of income (ok, I do, that money helped a lot). I adored the whole family and especially the kids. The kids (3 of them) were the absolute perfect ages and the mom made things so easy for me. She was always so complimentary of me and how I handled the kids, I really didn't see this coming. The dad was cool too, and we bonded over sports! I always gave the kids 100% of my attention and tried to put any negative feelings from the other parts of my life aside when I was there.

:(

Who else has been taking it since the 'practice track' closed years ago?

Take care,
Jeff

People who never passed from practice track :mad: Also, I believe there was a way for academic internists to do it for a while. I think that closed also.

Oh, and to add to the list.

I have a sneaking suspicion that the family I babysit for fired me or found another sitter or something. I don't even care about the loss of income (ok, I do, that money helped a lot). I adored the whole family and especially the kids. The kids (3 of them) were the absolute perfect ages and the mom made things so easy for me. She was always so complimentary of me and how I handled the kids, I really didn't see this coming. The dad was cool too, and we bonded over sports! I always gave the kids 100% of my attention and tried to put any negative feelings from the other parts of my life aside when I was there.

:(

The mom called me today. All is well :).

Soooo relieved, they really are like my extended family!

Seeing 26 patients in 7 hours plus supervising the 10 my intern saw. Did I mention it was an overnight????????????????

Standardized patients!
where do they get these people??? I was asked what palpation and auscultation were by my "patient" as they read off a list. :rolleyes:

I also had one tell me she didn't think I did a good job explaining bipolar symptoms (specifically talking fast and staying up for days on end) becasue she is from "up north and we all talk fast" and she "stayed up like that all the time in high school." Than I believe YOU ARE BIPOLAR MA'AM! now go back, yankee!
:meanie:

Arbitrary "competency curriculum" in medical school sucked. We had 9 competencies, each of which required some extra project or assignment to pass, yet contributed nothing to my medical training.

Everytime I read the title of this thread I have flashbacks of something that happened some time ago...

Getting smacked squarely in the right gonad with a paintball going over 200 mph is most certainly in the category of "things that suck".

Getting smacked squarely in the right gonad with a paintball going over 200 mph is most certainly in the category of "things that suck".

Here I was about to mention how much it sucks that my bank account is now $635 lighter after registering for Step III finally. Then I read your post.

My friend, you have officially taken the "stuff that sucks" lead with that story. I'm feeling slightly sick even reading it.

Ouch.

Take care,
Jeff

Stuff that sucks: Any obese intoxicated homeless patient complaining of blood in stool. You know what has to follow......

Stuff that sucks: Any obese intoxicated homeless patient complaining of blood in stool. You know what has to follow......

Nope, Paintball to the testicle still has the lead in my books too. good try though, even if its coming at you at 50 mph...

Nope, Paintball to the testicle still has the lead in my books too. good try though, even if its coming at you at 50 mph...


I can beat that. Not matching last year. Seriously contemplated suicide until I got the scramble phone call.

I'd much rather have 100 paintballs to the nuts, than not match.

I can beat that. Not matching last year. Seriously contemplated suicide until I got the scramble phone call.

I'd much rather have 100 paintballs to the nuts, than not match.
Is that an option? SIGN ME UP!

Veers was it because you didnt rank enough places?

I can beat that. Not matching last year. Seriously contemplated suicide until I got the scramble phone call.

I'd much rather have 100 paintballs to the nuts, than not match.

that would not be fun either....

Not getting into medical school the first time I applied sucked.

deuist.. i agree.. what sux even more is having to basically end up in ONE city the 2nd time you applied.. but it worked out..:D

Vomiting up about 100cc of blood and then getting rushed to the hospital by ambulance (staffed by an EMT-P whose Basic EMT class you helped teach), then getting a blood transfusion in the ER after your Hgb comes back at a healthy 6.9, and an immediate GI consult for endoscopy sucks. Bleeding ulcers really blow.

What a lousy night.....last night at around 9:15 pm; they finally let me come home around 2 today after two units of blood.

Jesus how did you get the ulcer?

How do you think? :laugh:

How do you think? :laugh:

In Singapore, Indians have a higher prevalence of H. pylori antibodies but a lower frequency of peptic ulcer than the Chinese .

Isnt' that AMAZING.

Vomiting up about 100cc of blood and then getting rushed to the hospital by ambulance (staffed by an EMT-P whose Basic EMT class you helped teach), then getting a blood transfusion in the ER after your Hgb comes back at a healthy 6.9, and an immediate GI consult for endoscopy sucks. Bleeding ulcers really blow.

What a lousy night.....last night at around 9:15 pm; they finally let me come home around 2 today after two units of blood.

Glad you made it. Take it easy.

How do you think? :laugh:
Women? Stress?

I guess # 1.. Jeesh.. Good luck.. take care of yourself..

I'd guess both of the above. Although my addiction to spicy foods probably didn't help.

Thanks for the well wishes BKN.

Women? Stress?


Is there a difference?

Ok, so color me clueless, but I thought the point of that whole Nobel Prize (this year?) was that women/stress don't cause ulcers - H. pylori does?

house cases

Ok, so color me clueless, but I thought the point of that whole Nobel Prize (this year?) was that women/stress don't cause ulcers - H. pylori does?


Once again someone comes along and tries to destroy a beautiful theory with an ugly little fact...sheesh. Do you think a tiny little bacterium can do something that a woman can't? I didn't think so... :laugh:

This is true. I should not underestimate my own gender :).

I'd guess both of the above. Although my addiction to spicy foods probably didn't help.

Thanks for the well wishes BKN.

spicy food is good for your stomach, see:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=7895549&query_hl=1&itool=pubmed_docsum

We actually see very few ulcers here in North Mexico. Gall bladder disease is huge.

I'm printing that out and showing it to my gastroenterologist. He told me today that I was on a bland diet for an indeterminate amount of time. I told him that he should just go ahead and shoot me in the head.

God bless you BKN.....PM me your address- you're on my Christmas card list from here on out :laugh:

That Sucks:

Telling a confused and terrified little old lady that her husband is dead and having to use the telephone translator to do it. :(

Just throwing in that the CS exam sucks the sweat off a camels butt. That exam is a complete joke.

That Sucks:

Telling a confused and terrified little old lady that her husband is dead and having to use the telephone translator to do it. :(

OMG. or telling the woman who backed over her kid's head.