Currently taking an exam prep course. Just took a practice exam. Got 72%. Not bad, but got to keep studying.

What they say about never changing an answer once you've put it down is true. I got four questions wrong simply because I didn't stick with my initial instinct.

OTOH, six years of clinical practice give me the knowledge to breeze through a number of the questions.

For anyone interested, I'll keep you posted...

Mourning the loss of Prince. What a strange, astonishing, puzzling gift he was...

Celebrating the possibility of a new start in clinic. The Powers That Be seem to have taken note of the many factors contributing to my burn-out, and have taken steps to rectify the situation. I see more patients than anyone else at the clinic; certainly more than the MD's see. Physician Assistant Power! And I'm at 97% of my productivity goals. So they have decided to grant me a third assistant to help ease the workload. It has already begun...

I stopped by the clinic today just to see how everything was going, and my in-box was empty! One of my intrepid assistants will be handling the bs from now on. Saving me days that start too early, and end too late... Thank God; I haven't slept in about six years...

I'm so buzzed I can scarcely see straight, so I'll take the opportunity to tell you: I love you all...

"Good night,
sweet prince,
And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest."

Hamlet, Act V, Scene 2, Lines 358-360.

Or just talk?

I did about three hours of paperwork at the clinic today (on my vacation; I've gone crazy, but it's the only way to get the pile of papers down a little without interruption), and received no notifications of any patient deaths. So that's good. It was pretty awful a few months ago.

Anyway, I could use some company...

If it helps, I'm sober...

Unbelievable. He wasn't even allowed to live into his late 60's, like David Bowie.

My favorite songs of his were not among his more popular. I like "Paisley Park" from Around The World In A Day best of all...

But now it's time for:

Just chillin' out right now. Not going to have a drink or anything. Just try to relax...

I treated a patient a few weeks ago for a pretty severe skin infection on his leg. He got it from injecting heroin with what I expect was a contaminated needle. There was some pretty thick, nasty eschar on the wound, preventing it from healing. I debrided the wound, got a specimen for culture, and put him on a pretty strong antibiotic regimen.

He came in to the clinic the other day for a follow up, and his leg was healing nicely. He told me he was grateful, because now he could get back to work. He's a server at a local Applebee's. It occurred to me that one never really knows what's going on in the lives of the people who serve us in restaurants and are obliged to be cheerful, friendly, attentive, and efficient. I always tip well under all but the most egregiously bad service, and I hope everyone treats wait-staff like the human beings they are.

Some ancient graybeard philosopher once said: "Be kind. Everyone you meet is fighting a great battle."

No, just kidding; don't want your responses to get alerted...

I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to the weekend.

As our beloved crim son used to say: "It's wine o'clock!"