A "real" post

This whole intern year thing has certainly cut into my posts! If it wasn't for Amanda's Weekend Exposure project, you would have no idea whether I was living or dead. I am, in fact, living, and doing relatively well. I am a little worn out from such a busy year, but compared to other interns in this country, I count myself lucky, and I have little about which I can truly complain.

I must say that when it comes to this profession that I have chosen; sometimes the weight of the responsibility is more substantial than I could have imagined. I have literally let myself get weighed down, and I'm striving now create new ways of dealing with the pressure without letting it weigh me down. I have had to learn, time and again, that I don't get to control everything, and that no matter how much I learn, and how strongly I feel, people are going to make their own decisions, and they may not be what I would want for them as their physician. Most of the time I can just remind myself that I am "pro-choice" in the broadest sense of the term, and that I believe that people get to choose what they want for their own lives and bodies. This is a little harder for me when it is parents who are choosing for their children. It is harder for me to see a child suffering because of the choices that the parents have made. I don't know if I can say that it outrages me, but close. I am too chicken-shit to be outraged. I get enraged instead, I guess. I tell myself that the parents are only doing what they think is best for their children, but that is little consolation when you see what I have seen, and know that following medical recommendations would have prevented these tragedies. This issue is especially important to me when it comes to choosing how to bring a child into this world (hospital birth vs. home birth) and choosing whether or not to vaccinate children. I'll spare you the rest of this rant. I'm either preaching to the choir or making enemies whenever I go into it. Please: Have your babies in a hospital, and vaccinate your kids. I'm not saying everything goes right 100% of the time when you follow these recommendations (trust me, I have had a very recent experience that proves to me that I can do everything "right" and things can still go wrong), but there is so much more that can go wrong if you don't. End of rant.

On a lighter note, I have recently been able to take a short vacation, and I spent that time in Michigan visiting SSFB. I haven't seen her or her hubby since we started residency, and it was a sweet reunion. Here are a few pictures from our visit.

This is SSFB's house in Canton.

Here are some pics from a successful day of lighthouse hunting:
Me (and SSFB) in front of the
William Livingstone Memorial Light

Windmill Point Light in Detroit


Port Sanilac Light


White Rock Light


Steve with the Harbor Beach Light


Pointe Aux Barques Light


SSFB and Donny


Steve and me.

We had a lovely time, and I wish the get-away could have been longer.

Finally, I think this is great. The embed option is disabled, so I can't post the video here, but here is the youtube link to see Susan Boyle on Britain's Got Talent.

Anyway, I guess this post is quite long enough.
Cheers!