Just Do It

As any of you who are reading this know, I don't understand finance or government.  Put these together (kind of) and you'll have something I don't understand even more: The Economy.  The rock I live under isn't all that huge though...I know enough to know that the US economy isn't doing so hot.  Imagine my shock when my preceptor shared an article with me today detailing how much the top ten causes of death cost America.  1.1 TRILLION DOLLARS.  TRILLION!   US dollars... Not rials.  1.1 trillion of the one dollar bills we waste every day.  I can't even count that high....and I'm smart!  ish. 

If you're interested in reading the whole article you can access it here, but for those who want to hear me complain a little bit, feel free to read on about theme right here and now....

Top Ten Causes of Death in the United States

1.  Heart Disease - $190 BILLION spent annually.
2 . Cancer - $227 BILLION annually
3.  Chronic Lung Disease - $65 billion annually
4.  Strokes  - $34 billion annually
5.  Accidents - $308 BILLION annually
6.  Alzheimer's - $70 billion annually
7.  Diabetes Mellitus - $112 billion annually
8.  Renal Disease - $61 billion annually
9.  Pneumonia and the Flu - $40 billion annually
10.  Suicide - $36 billion annually annually

Now, from a medical standpoint, that rank doesn't surprise me.  What does is the fact that MANY of them are at least somewhat preventable.  I know what a lot of you will say:  "Well, med student, not everyone can afford health care and education."  True story.  However, can everyone afford to get off their lazy butts and go for a walk 30 minutes a day?  Yes.  Yes they can.  Unless they have no legs...they are exempt from my rant.  (In fact, they probably support my rant bc I can almost guarantee that they would love to run on a nice healthy pair of legs should they become available.)

Ok so let's think about this:  Heart Disease, Chronic Lung Disease, Cancer, Strokes, Diabetes Mellitus.....these are 4 out of the 10 causes of death.  The incidence of these diseases in our population is rising annually, thanks to fast food convenience and the invention of the comfy couch.  I'll admit that all 4 of those could be an idiopathic or an inherited disease in a patient, however that's not usually the case.  It's the patient who doesn't know what a vegetable is or who has never gone for a walk to anywhere but the fridge.  There is something we can do about this, people!  Let's move!

A little more on strokes.  If I have to hear about 1 more woman of child bearing age who is on OCPs (birth control) and SMOKING one more time...I'm gonna.....ROLL MY EYES SUPER FREAKIN HARD since there's nothing else I can do.  The sad truth is you tell the patient, you will get a blood clot and it can kill you if it dislodges and that doesn't speak louder than the addiction.  It's chemical...I understand it's hard, but it's been done.  Freakin do it.

Pneumonia/flu, Alzheimer's, and Renal Disease....  Ok, I'll leave them alone...

The one that surprised me the most was suicide.  Suicides cost the US Economy $36 billion dollars.  Seriously?  Honestly, suicide is a very sensitive topic for me, but I'm gonna get out of my comfort zone for a second to talk about it because this is just ridiculous.  I know, life is hard and people may not understand what any one person is going through at a certain point in their life.  However, I want to challenge any of you to try and find just one person who doesn't care enough to try and help you through your problem.  Sometimes all it take is you saying you problem out loud to realize that the solution isn't taking yourself away from the world and the people who love you.  Anyone who reads this, I welcome comments and if you want to talk, leave your email address and I'll get in touch with you...  Or if it's not me you want to talk to, I have extensive access to resources for someone who can help you.  

I'm not trying to say that every person who has ever died has done something wrong.  All I'm suggesting is that we help ourselves, each other, and I guess the economy by encouraging each other to practice good preventative medicine:  eat well, exercise hard, sleep, talk, and love.  I know I have room to grow in this....hope some of you will join me!

Shit med students say...

The Bride to Be (in response to me telling her that my cough STILL isn't better): Didn't they give you antibiotics?
Me: They did.  Didn't work.
The Bride to Be: Oh then go back!
Me: I will. On  Monday.  I'm partially benig stupid for not going now, but I'm like 60% afraid they'll put mme in the hospital, say I have pneumonia, and not let me take the test on Monday.  There's no way I'm taking this test any way other than multiple choice.
The Bride to Be: Shit med students say.

Here's the quick and dirty version of what's going on right now....  Wherever I'm at in 10 minutes is where I'm stopping to get back to studying...so if there's an abrupt cut off, you know why.

First of all, I should let you all know that I've never had a problem with anyone saying "quick and dirty" before.  It's usually said during med school reviews and in class when teachers or course coordinators are about to give us some high yield material to study for exams.  Ex) Quick and Dirty Metabolic Acidosis/Alkalosis....means that we're gonna learn that real well in 5 minutes or less.  A very good thing.  HOWEVER, one of my favorite professors used it this week in such a way that I can never look at the phrase the same way again.  "The quick and dirty pelvis."  *blank stare....giggle....vomit*  (Unfortunately for society, a bunch of my female classmates can relate to this ailment...OHHHHHHHH! snap. jk)

Anyway, school is meh.  I have been coughing up a storm for the last 2 -2.5 weeks.  I was told I have post nasal drip at a CVS minute clinic, but $90 later, it turns out I have bronchitis.  This does not bode well for focused studying or deep sleep, sadly.  Also, I have a boy on the brain (more on that later...).  Long story short, I've lost all sense of focus and discipline and I feel screwed.  I'm gonna probably go to the doctor again tomorrow and see if we can nip this in the bud. Afterwards I'm gonna have to kick it into high gear to make up for the atrocity that will be tomorrow's exams.  I was talking to a classmate today though and I feel a little less concerned bc apparently non-medically sick and non-lovesick people are in the same predicament that I'm in .  I hate that other people feel this way too, but at least it's good to not feel alone in this.  In any case, I'm totally prepared to kick some serious renal/endo/neuro butt for the finals to salvage my grades if need be.

It's good to be in love.  It really does suit me.  For those of you who I haven't spoken to (or who have gotten sick of listening to me), I met a guy...who we will call "lefty"...  (For you medical nerds who want to know what a lovesick loser I am....lefty is for left ventricle.  You figure out the rest and feel free to make fun of me at your leisure.)    I met him at a bar in the NY, NY in Las Vegas.  (A story that we will undoubtedly have to change when we have kids...)  He was the cute guy at the bar who I had to meet.  Once I did we danced and talked for hours.  (Mostly talking, but still a lot of dancing.)  By the end of the night it came up that he works in LA (where I would be for the following few days) and he asked me to lunch for the following Monday.  Turned out, he was able to take off work for the day and show me around LA.  We went to Santa Monica Pier, got Thai food (bc I told him it was my favorite), toured UCLA's campus and botanical gardens, walked around Westwood and then caught the new Sherlock Holmes flick.  It was AMAZING.  It was so chill, yet so exciting.  Of course there were a couple of embarrassing moments, as there should be for any first date.  There was the part where I joked that this SUV was gonna hit his car in its attempt to parallel park....and it did.  There was another time when I found out that I didn't know that "prawn" is another name for shrimp.  *Face palm*  All in all, it was a great day.  The day didn't end there though bc for the rest of the night he hung out with me and my LA loves.  I was glad to see them get along.  It was most important to me that my graphic designer and le director like him and they really seem to so that's great.  Long story short....we spent most of the rest of the week together, I bawled my eyes out at the airport when I left, and then a few days after I left, we decided we were gonna give this a shot.  I'm so glad we did.  He came down last weekend to see me and it was just wonderful.  I can't wait to see him again...just 6 more days!  Yep.  It's good to be in love.

Okay ten minutes up.  Miss you guys!  I'll be better about writing again now!  muah!