Having another wine-buzz night, because why the hell not?

I had a clinic visit yesterday that should serve as atonement for my sins.

First of all, it was a pediatric visit. I'm not a big fan of pediatrics. But our pediatrician left, and we're still looking to hire another.

Second, it was a two-fer. In the interests of efficient time-use, the parents bring every one in and say: "Just get 'em all done at once."

Third, they were sports physicals. It's back-to-school time again, and every parent with NFL-stars in their eyes wants their little quarterback cleared to train and compete.

Fourth, the 'parent' was a guardian, the patients' mother's boyfriend. His knowledge of my patients' medical history was sketchy, at best. And he brought the youngest child with him. Still in diapers; messy, smelly diapers.

It was as hot as fuck outside, and we're in a small exam room with six people in it. The temperature starts to approach erupting-Mount Doom levels.

The boyfriend still hasn't changed the baby's dirty diaper.

Sports physicals are routine, and usually boring. But I check every boy going out for football for risk factors for sudden cardiac death. That means getting an EKG. The younger brother's EKG was clear. The older brother had some worrying abnormalities on his. So I drew up a referral for an echocardiogram. If that too is abnormal, I will be referring him to a pediatric cardiologist before final approval for play.

The heat is becoming overpowering, and mixed with the aroma of dirty diaper, nauseating. My lab coat has become the world's smallest, hottest prison. But if I take if off now, they'll see me, my shirt, and tie drenched in sweat.

The boyfriend finally decides to go out to the lobby restroom to change the baby's diaper, so I step out to my office for a breath of cool air, and to keep from collapsing.

When he gets back, I have to explain to him and to my patient the meaning of the EKG results, and the process of follow-up. And to assure them both that whatever the trouble might be, it's probably treatable, but I can't give approval for play until the pedes cardiologist weighs in.

When it was all over, I still had to go back to my office and chart both physicals. And then go visit with the four patients who had been out in the waiting room this whole time, tapping their feet and looking at their watches.

In conclusion: I don't know what sins I may have had to atone for, but I can assure you that, whatever they were, they have been amply atoned for by this clinic visit.

Friday Night Wine-Buzz. Wishing every Lounger a great evening and relaxing weekend...

I saw a motorcycle yesterday with a license plate frame that read "Harley-Davidson - Lawless".

It had valid registration and tags. Since the owner complied meticulously with vehicle registration requirements, I had to wonder what kind of outlaw he was...

Interesting cameo that I don't think anyone has ever spotted. "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome."

Early in the film, just as Max is being taken out of the Underworld back to Auntie Entity, the camera focusses for just a second on a character who looks remarkably like the young cop from "Mad Max", the one who suffered a throat injury in a collision and had to use a throat mic to talk for the rest of the film.

I'm 99% sure it was the same actor, or else the resemblance was uncanny. But I don't remember ever seeing a mention of this in any of the "Making of..." features regarding MMBT. If it is the same character, I would have liked to hear his story arc, from the young Bronze in the crumbling world of MM to the Underworld prisoner in post-apocalyptic MMBT.

Anyone else notice this?

I might be getting the homeless clinic back!

The manager of our mainstream clinic told me that the civic organization who contracted us to provide medical care at their homeless facility wants us back.

They refused to renew our contract back in 2014. They hired their own provider, and I went over to our mainstream clinic full-time, instead of once a week. They must have been having difficulty keeping a medical provider. I heard they went through a string of nurse practitioners, with no success. And I'm pretty certain they couldn't find an MD who wanted the job.

I imagine they focussed on nurse practitioners, because ARNP's can practice independently, whereas Physician Assistants like me are required to practice under the supervision of an MD. 'Supervision' is a pretty loosely-applied term. When I worked at the homeless clinic, I saw my supervising physician in person only every couple of months. Every few weeks, I might do a phone consult. But that was it. I had a lot of autonomy.

Anyway, I had a great relationship with the facility manager, and the vice president of the civic organization that runs it is a good friend of mine. Apparently, they want me back.

I'm so happy. Every day I worked there was a privilege. I really felt like I was making a difference. Long-time Loungers who follow my posts know that there were days of incredible stress, and sometimes I would get notice that one of my patients had died; in the hospital, at the shelter, on the street, etc. But I really loved working there. The rewards were very uplifting.

This is the best news I've had in weeks...

Tuesday Night Wine-Buzz because fuck it; I saw twenty-four goddamned patients today...

Hillary impressed the HELL out of Mrs. Aristus -R- Washington!

Yes, my wife, the Republican, loved Hillary's acceptance speech. (Except the part about a woman's right to choose - that probably won't change...)

When Hillary walked out, dressed head-to-toe in white, Mrs. Aristus remarked: "She looks lovely."

And every time HRC stuck it to the Trumpster, Mrs. Aristus looked over at me, smiled, and said "She's brutal!"

This will be the second election in a row in which she votes for the Democratic candidate. May it not be the last!