The bright side

Inspired by 1000awesomethings.com (check it out, it's...well, awesome), and looking to brighten a kind of drab day, I present Laura's 8awesomethings from the last few days:

1. Making a new recipe and nothing goes wrong, and having enough for leftovers
2. Winning a freaking fondue set at Housestaff (and I never win ANYTHING)
3. NO traffic on the way to work because it's a "holiday" (and that was a serious one, not an "I'm bitter because I had to work and no one else did" one)
4. Having the attendings tell me, twice in one week, that I'm doing a good job
5. Getting to wake up without the alarm clock, make whatever I want for breakfast, and finish all the Sunday puzzles
6. Having time to read THREE books this weekend just because I could
7. Boulevard for the price of Bud Light (thanks, Kelly, my new favorite bartender)
8. Greek food for lunch! And Steak'n'Shake for dinner!

See, life's not so bad. Try it for yourself.

Stick your tongue out and say...

I'm dubbing today "Strep Throat Wednesday." The three of us in clinic this afternoon (plus some help from the attendings) cranked through 16 (16!) patients whose chief complaint was "fever, sore throat" (plus the rest of the kiddos). Actually, there was usually some variation in how the clerks entered it: "fever and throat hurts" or "possible strep throat" or "temp and sore throat" or my favorite, which showed that even they thought it was getting to be a little much for one afternoon: "ANOTHER STREP TEST".

We started making bets on everything: whose strep test would come back first, whether it would positive, and whether the mom would opt for the 10 day course of amoxicillin or the one-time penicillin shot. I was only 4/6 on whether mine would be positive, but 2/2 on choice of antibiotic route. Anything to pass the time waiting for that result to pop up in the computer.

I'm just glad those two kids who coughed straight in my face were the strep negative ones. So, just a reminder to all you germ-harboring mongrels out there--WASH YOUR HANDS (please?). And for Pete's sake, teach your kids to cover their mouths. Only YOU can prevent the spread of infection.

Until next time...