The hospital is empty

It has been brought to my attention that my blogging frequency is abysmal. This is mostly due to the fact that I am on a string of tough rotations and my life is fairly out of control. I assure you that by the time you finish this blog you won't think I have taken to guns to vent my aggression towards the world. Here are some updates:

• The hospital is eerily empty as Clarian (the bureaucracy that owns several hospitals I work in) has closed its doors to all visitors except spouses/parents and chaplains because of the swine flu. It speeds rounds up as there are fewer people asking questions, but the waiting rooms sure are quiet.

• I'm not sure what to make of the swine flu. 35,000 people typically die from influenza every year and 20 people have died from H1N1 so far. Diverting planes when someone has "flu-like"symptoms and canceling schools/events seems a bit drastic, but if we're going to go to these extremes it seems like we should have more standardization.








• I think I'm going to Boston. That's right. After next year I am calling a "time-out" and taking 1 or 2 (likely 2) years "off". I'm hoping to get a Masters in Public Health degree from Harvard. Backup options include Hopkins (don't tell them that they are a back-up), Univ of Minnesota or IU. Concurrently I plan on participating in some meaningful transplant research through IU. The plans are all still in the making, but I am getting excited about the possibility. If all goes my way I'll be in Boston for 8-9 months to get the degree. Why Boston? For starters, it's a fantastic city. Two great friends will also be in the Boston area adding to the appeal. Harvard's program is specifically designed for individuals with a doctorate degree and so the whole program is accelerated which is nice. Most importantly though, Harvard is the place to get an MPH especially if I want an international concentration (which I do). The contacts and experiences I would have would help me be in a position to do anything from head up the CDC, be the Surgeon General, or start a transplant program in a developing country (which is ironically enough exactly what I dream of doing). This is all contigent on God as I am highly inadequate on my own, but we serve a big God who is capable of much more than I could ever ask or imagine.

• I am on a softball team made up of surgery residents. We're called the Big Whacks. Of course we are competitive. Our record is 1-1. The ortho team beat us in extra innings which was unfortunate. We're having a great time though and I am getting to see a lot of residents in a whole new light.
  
  


• This is an awkard transition, but I am a pretty impressive marksman. Tara and I went to Don's Guns yesterday ( a very "classy" establishment in Indy known for letting you rent and shoot their guns-you can even rent an uzi). We had a fun time learning to load and shoot a gun. Doesn't it look like I'm in the middle of a heist in the next picture? That employee in the background sure must have regretted teaching me to use a gun. My man is covered with holes in the chest and head and other potentially fatal areas (the spleen, aorta and other major vasculature...)- my anatomy knowledge has to pay off sometime. The employee said after inspecting my target, "You've got a helluva shot for someone who's never touched a gun". So watch out. I might start packing heat if this swine flu gets out of hand.