November Reflection: Orange Pumpkins & Chocolate Spiders - Community Service 9/28 Anna’s Place [6.25 hours]

Edible Art: Orange Pumpkins

November Reflection:  9/28 Anna’s Place 6.25 hours

Service Hours: 6.25

Cumulative Hours:  16.5 hours

Today was my return to Anna’s Place, the non-profit youth program affiliated with St. Anna’s Episcopal Church.  First, I assisted with the initial setup.  I cleaned the tables and then swept the floors.  I arranged the cups in numerical and color order.  Then, the kids arrived.  I took over the distribution of cereal bowls for the latecomers.  

I was officially assigned a group this time, the Green Group.  This group consists of S. the charismatic guy who will continue to serve as the witty commentator.  First session consisted of games.  

I was informed by Ms. T that that day was going to be low key and had fewer formal programmed events.  First session consisted of games.  Then, I participated in another art project consisted of chocolate donut spiders and mandarin orange pumpkins.  

 

I helped peel oranges for S.  “I want to sit next to her, “ he said.

He is kind and generous and offered the art supplies, chocolate donuts, pretzel sticks, M&Ms, and  celery.  He offered the celery.  I refused.  The kids pleaded to watch the movie Coraline. I nominated Ratatouille.

Then, the kids participated in their usual art class, which today consists of collages.  They glued pieces of colored paper.  A the drawing pro showed two drawings she completed.  

“C’mon, A” I said, “It’s Art class, your favorite,” I said, encouraging her to get in line to walk to Art class.  Conform.  

E.  was in my group.  He is so energetic, always beating on tables.  He cannot sit still for long periods of time.  Still, he was able to complete his collage.  I asked him to please stop tilting the tables.  For energetic E, every hard surface is an experimental drum that requires testing out the rhythm in his heart. 

The experience was helpful to a future provider dealing with young patients and families.  The female children demonstrated adult activities such as bullying and gossiping, which was not pleasant to observe. Female Passive-aggression starts young.  They gave each other mean looks and “she said …. To me.”  I didn’t want to depress them to let them know this will never end. It’s about being professional: there will always be mean people saying mean things about you.  But remember Eleanor Roosevelt’s adage, No one can or should make you feel inferior without your permission.  

Photo link

Word Count: 280+ words

November 2019: Cardiovascular + Professionalism

Cardiovascular Module

Dr. G returned for another retelling of an anecdote  of purchasing an autographed cookbook for his beloved spouse which ended with him threatening the chef who signed it, told during the P450 lecture from a prior module. He then confessed a personal account of patient non-compliance even as an educator of disregarding the doctor's advice on diet control.  Self control is dismissed when provided with the opportunity of an All you can eat/drink cheese and wine, guaranteeing the omniscience of statins.  

Narrowing on the organ of ANS,  the overview of heart diseases was covered.    There are multiple varieties Angina, Heart Failure, and Atrial Fib. There are multi strategies like rate control and rhythm control. 

Another interesting note was about diastolic heart failure, the problem with ventricular filling.  The diastole is important as Dr. Vivek Murthy, the former Surgeon General, stated as a metaphor in his speech at the University of Arizona.

Beta blockers, water pills, and Amlodipine were encountered previously while completing clinical pracuticim with a cardiologist. One patient was cautioned about the water content in fruits.  Dr. M. always commented about the ejection fraction as he looked over the ECG printout.  Heart failure was a common diagnosis.  

Professionalism.

Dr. K. addressed the students after the renal lecture.  He encouraged the students to not be discouraged.  “How do you deal with stress?” is one of the criteria of admission. What did you overcome?  

Did you have to work three jobs to support your family?  Did you take a three-hour bus ride because you needed that special chemistry class that worked with your work schedule?  

Despite the prestige and necessity of medicine, the profession is cursed with high rates of burnout and depression.  

Notable example of those who flourished under stress include the athlete Kobe Bryant.  He played with great finesse even though the tabloids already condemned him as a rapist.  When her husband’s infidelity became national news, Hillary Clinton still managed to get of bed and continue to work in advocacy for all her causes, including healthcare reform.  However, examples of those who did not survive the untruthful gossip of the masses include Marie Antoinette and Leo Frank, a Jew,  who was murdered by the masses based on a false accusation.  Those who are still quiet or too weird or misunderstood like Dr. Boltzmann will always be easy targets for the masses to scapegoat.  

People will challenge you and treat you with unkindness and gratuitous condemnation, as Dr. Randle Adair illustrated.  His expertise was belittled when he was labeled as a “not a real doctor” when he was still a titled Ph.D.  Dr. Adair shared his unconventional journey to medicine.  He was 45 years old when he matriculated.  

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Word Count: 500+ words