We've learned

I'm terrible at consistent blogging.

Other than that, we've learned almost 100 different bugs (bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa that infect the human body) and more than 50 drugs (antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals....) to treat those infections.

If you have a UTI, it's either E. coli, E. coli or E. coli. If you have a fever and you are a returned traveler, it's malaria until further testing is done. If your infant eats natural honey or home canned fruits or veggies, they are at risk for botulism. (This is because the spore of the bacteria is found in nature, accidentally put into the honey jars and ingested.. The still developing immune system of the baby can't deal with it like adult immune systems can.)

Last night 4 of us went across town to the other med school to participate in their Family Medicine Interest Group Procedures Night. We don't have a Family Medicine department, which is strange, so the awesome group across town includes us in their activities. I learned how to put on splints and casts and draw blood. We practiced on each other. :) I was all ready to break out my plaster of Paris, rip up some newspaper strips and dip them in the paper mache goop, and practice my pinata making skills from 3rd grade... but you should know, as I learned last night, this is not at all how you make a cast. Instead, you use this nifty foam/mesh product that hardens as it is exposed to air. It comes like an ace bandage and after positioning the joint and bones, you just start wrapping. Ok, it's a little more complicated than that, but I assure you, there are no liquid glues involved.

They say the third time's a charm... and that's about how my technique drawing blood went. :( I felt so very bad for my partner, but she assured me that skilled professionals have trouble finding her veins. She found my vein on the first try... and we both decided that was because I'm so white my skin in see though.

To Do: Get outside into the sun.