https://ameblo.jp/domiblog/ Hungry medical student from New York ja
It has been a long time since I've done any kind of blog update.
I visited Ameba today to give some kind of basic update on my life...it took me a long time to figure out how to post on here again, since I don't know how to read Japanese.

Last time I gave some kind of update, I was going to leave for travels in Europe for a few weeks, last summer, before starting medical school. Since then, I feel like I have been swept up by a tornado, and traveled all this past year at the speed of light. I am just slowing down now, and getting some perspective on life.

Upon returning from Europe, I started my first year of medical school. This was a very challenging year. I feel like I learned a lot. I finished several courses, and definitely had both my strong points (Biochemistry, Physiology, and Intro to Clinical Practice), and my weak points (Anatomy, Neuroscience).

On a social level, I found medical school weird. Upon starting school, I noticed that many of my classmates seemed very competitive, but put on a fake friendly smile most of the time. Many people are absorbed completely in their work, and don't like to drink or have a conversation. I think working hard is great and everything, but do you really have to be a robot in order to achieve your goals?

After some time, I found some good friends. I just moved in with one of my good friends, Ladster, from medical school. The first time I ever spoke to Ladster, we were in anatomy lab and he was thinking of dropping out of medical school. I tried to convince him not to drop out.

My professors have generally been quite good and kind, and there is one elderly professor of biochemistry, Dr. Webler, who is a huge drinker, you know the type - a real good guy; we get along quite well, so we drink regularly. But I have not met anyone yet who drinks like Dr. Bermuda sensei.

I am glad I survived my first year. It felt sometimes like an uncontrollable vortex. I also lived in a bad environment, one of my roommates was a dentist with a drug problem.

I now am in a very good situation. Upon finishing my first year, I went to Barcelona, Spain with my buddy Ladster, and traveled around there for a while, seeing concerts in Europe. Wow, that was good fun. After I came back, I went camping for a while and went to a few music festivals and concerts, to relax my brain and evaluate the stresses of med school. I realized I was too stressed during the past year and in order to be more efficient, need to relax more. I recently joined the gym, and have been focusing on exercise, swimming, and relaxing in the sauna. I moved into a new apartment with my friend Ladster. The apartment is cheap, clean, close to the medical school, and most importantly, it is across the street from the beach and within walking distance to at least 5 bars, all of which are open late. I am drinking a beer right now.

I am working in research this summer. I was lucky enough to join the lab of a new professor at my school who recently came from another university. He is famous in his field and I am learning more in this lab than I could have ever imagined. Luckily for me, I was awarded some kind of research stipend by a foundation, so I don't need to worry about paying rent this summer and have enough money for drinks and concerts. I wonder what the foundation would think if they knew I liked drinks and concerts so much? If I was on the board of a foundation, I would probably support students in doing such activities, to maintain a healthy lifestyle. But some others may not agree, I guess.

It is amazing how quickly time passes, and to see ourselves change in front of our eyes.
Last time I wrote on this blog, I was a kid fresh out of college, working a research gig, waiting to go travel Europe and see the world before I started medical school. Now I have finished my first year, sometimes experiencing triumph, other times, barely surviving (sometimes quite literally).

All in all, life is good.
I wonder where life will take me, and where I'll be by the next time I update this blog...


]]> https://ameblo.jp/domiblog/entry-11313947937.html Sat, 28 Jul 2012 12:06:22 +0900 My boss, Dr. Bermuda, has demanded increasing visits to the bar,
and greater varieties and quantities of alcohol have been consumed,
even more-so than usual.
He is a fair mentor in all areas, but very tough in terms of drinking.
Really.
He must have abnormally high levels of alcohol dehydrogenase or something.
It will be many years before I can approach his level of expertise, if ever.

A week from Monday, I am flying to Paris.
I will travel around Europe for a few weeks.
]]> https://ameblo.jp/domiblog/entry-10890333049.html Fri, 13 May 2011 14:12:51 +0900 I'm left-handed, so its a pretty big deal to me!
Dr. Bermuda and Dr. Chen were performing an experimental liver surgery today as they taught me new techniques.

I was happy to participate, because I didn't think I would be able to do any work today,
on account of my injury.

Yesterday, I was in the University Hospital's emergency room.

. . .

As a patient.

-----------------

It all started yesterday morning.
I was in the animal housing facility on the top floor of our building.
I was putting a stupid rubber cap onto a glass bottle.

A mouse's water bottle.

Next thing I knew, the cap slid, the bottle shattered,
and my blood was spraying all over the floor.
My handsome new white lab coat stained red.

. . .

I put the bottle down.

. . .

Where the hell is the ethanol??!!?
No ethanol?!!

Bleach!
I wrap my hand in paper towels.

Down the stairs seven floors, back to my lab.
I begin disinfecting the wound with ethanol.

Dr. Chen and Dr. Xong notice the blood flow and immediately. begin to help me.

. . .

"You need to go to the Emergency room!"

"I'm okay, I was bleeding much more before, most of it has stopped,
I don't think its such a big deal."

"You're still bleeding a LOT! Your cut is almost to the bone!"

. . .

I felt the wisdom in their words and we departed for the ER,
adjacent to the laboratory building.

We enter.
The secretary asks, "Name please."
I give it to her.
"Age please."
I tell her.

"Please wait for your name to be called for triage.

. . .

"What the hell is this?" asks Dr. Chen.

"We wait now to see a nurse," I answer.

"I see, but you're bleeding, you're here with two doctors, you're a student of this place, we're all wearing white coats for goodness' sake! You're an employee! They should rush you ahead of the line!"

"They never do that unless you're dying, Dr. Chen, I use to work in one of these places. We have to wait. Everyone waits," I say.

"Ridiculous! This would never happen in China! You would be rushed ahead of the line! You're an injured medical student dammit !!!"

"Thanks Dr. Chen, but here, we wait."

. . .

And so we waited.

Then -
The doors labeled "TREATMENT CENTER" swing open.
Dr. Bermuda strolls out, looking sly.

"I heard there was a problem, Domi."

"I'm okay Dr. Bermuda. Just waiting."

"I see".

"Do patients wait a long time in Japan too?"

"Yeah. They wait."

. . .

We continue to wait.

-----

My name is called.
I am triaged.

"Tell me the truth, nurse. I'm gonna wait a long time today, aren't I?"

"There's a waiting period at each step of this process. Insurance desk next."

-----

I proceed to the insurance desk.

"Hey, I work here. I have sustained a workplace injury. If I don't recieve prompt and adequate treatment, I can sue this place, right?"

The insurance officer takes me by the arm.
"Come with me Sir."

We walk into the doors labeled TREATMENT FACILITY.

I am taken to a patient's room.
A physician's assistant starts cleaning my wounded left hand immediately as a nurse simultaneously injects a tetanus vaccine into my right arm.

Attacked from both sides.

My hand is anesthetized with lidocaine, sutured, and treated with antibiotic ointment in a manner of minutes.
An x-ray is taken as a precautionary measure, no wait time.
I am given a complimentary lunch to take away with me.

-----

Back in the lab,
I tell my labmates about the great care I received.

Dr. Xong, who is a very nice lady, has already bought me a salad and a bowl of fruits and melons.

Dr. Bermuda suggests we go drink to relieve the pain.
I quietly doubt the analgesic properties of alcohol, but proceed anyway.
Who am I to question a doctor?


]]> https://ameblo.jp/domiblog/entry-10846805157.html Thu, 31 Mar 2011 11:42:02 +0900
"Before of course."

I was standing in front of a long table, behind which were standing approximately 12 volunteers - and they were selling cookies, cakes, origami, and other niceties - with all proceeds going to support the struggling communities of Japan's earthquake victims.

The volunteers and those that donated did well, raising thousands in a day, with plans to repeat the event soon hopefully.

The fundraiser event gained a mention on the university's website.
Those with a good eye may be able to spot Bamyu-sensei.
]]> https://ameblo.jp/domiblog/entry-10838882146.html Wed, 23 Mar 2011 13:43:03 +0900 My thoughts and wishes are with the victims of the quake and their families.

News of the nuclear instability resulting from the malfunction of power plants has also been very concerning.
Much of the research that my laboratory performs centers around helping treat victims of radiation exposure.
We have been working in recent days with great vigor,
unfortunately, I fear many of the recent developments in this field will not reach recent victims in time.

I sincerely hope all readers and their families are safe,
and offer my deepest condolences to the people of Japan.

Please send news of your status.



]]> https://ameblo.jp/domiblog/entry-10830380684.html Mon, 14 Mar 2011 12:08:47 +0900 X-rays, CT scans, and related equipment.

In this, one of the most bureaucratic and paperwork-heavy countries in the world,
where all medical details are regulated to such extremes that even physicians find it difficult to navigate the tremendous quantity of rules imposed on their practice,
it seems that any idiot with a basic amount of training can become qualified to operate dangerous radiological equipment.

For this reason, scans often come back incomplete, or poorly performed, requiring more time and stress from the patient, and holding back doctors from performing their diagnosis and applying treatments. Worse yet, radiation technologists can easily miscalibrate equipment, administering inappropriate doses of radiation to vulnerable patients.

The education requirement for the technicians who administer radiation is extremely low, and unlike physicians, there is no requirement for continuing medical education while in practice. There are multiple ranks for radiation technologists, with "Medical Physicist" typically being the highest: these are people with Master's degrees or higher who have an actual understanding of the risks and dangers associated with radiation, most of the other operators do not know what they are doing.

An example is provided in a New York Times article from this weekend, where premature babies were irradiated with full-body x-ray scans when only simple chest scans were requested. To further exacerbate the issue, proper radiation shielding was not implemented for radiosensitive organs:

The Radiation Boom: XRays and Unshielded Infants


Completely unacceptable.

]]> https://ameblo.jp/domiblog/entry-10815913430.html Mon, 28 Feb 2011 14:26:17 +0900 I'm a rookie so I make mistakes like these sometimes.

The vapors are not harmful but they are unpleasant,
I become drowsy and developed a slight headache.

Bermuda sensei said I looked like some kind of junkie,
stumbling around with my eyes half-closed.

. . .


I left work and headed to the nearest bar.
A few beers and a burger later, I felt much better.

On my way home,
the beer and anesthetic had a synergistic effect,
making me even more sleepy.

I struggled to stay awake on the subway,
(pickpockets are always watching for sleepy commuters).
I took out Ryu Murakami's "Coin Locker Babies",
which never fails to keep me interested and awake.

. . .

Exiting the subway,
I inhaled fresh air.
A small drizzle descended from the rainclouds above,
combining with a refreshing breeze.

It was chilly today,
but not cold enough to be painful,
which lately has been the most we can hope for.

. . .

I need to be more careful with the anesthesia...



]]> https://ameblo.jp/domiblog/entry-10812665593.html Fri, 25 Feb 2011 13:10:31 +0900
I have been working on several projects,
its enough to make me confused at times.
Timing is everything.

I have been repeating a certain experimental procedure many times,
with limited success,
while other experiments succeed almost immediately.
Predicting what will come easily and what will come with difficulty,
is not a simple task.

I am interested in performing some flow cytometry experiments next.
I become dazzled,
looking at a screen with vast amounts of technical graphs and data.
(Though I understand little of what I see, I need to study more and more.)


That will have to wait till next week perhaps,
this weekend I am drinking with some friends from the army.

Soldiers are very hardcore drinkers.
I must not fail the medical profession.
I must keep up.

And I will.
That I am confident of.
My experiments, less so.
]]> https://ameblo.jp/domiblog/entry-10811629373.html Thu, 24 Feb 2011 11:08:34 +0900 very unstable.

Friday was beautiful, sunny, and warm.
Saturday was ridiculously windy.
Sunday cold.
Today, it snows.

I can't make sense of what season it is.
One can never predict what type of clothing is appropriate.


]]> https://ameblo.jp/domiblog/entry-10809418635.html Tue, 22 Feb 2011 11:45:26 +0900 it blew off my hat,
as I was walking this afternoon,
cake and flowers in hand,
to visit an elderly relative.

Luckily, I retrieved it.

I sat inside and drank tea for a very long time,
not wanting to leave,
walking through the wind towards the subway.

Finally, I left.

My brother's apartment is nearby,
so I thought,
"maybe I'll visit my brother before I take the subway home."

I call him,
"Hey, I am in the area and was going to go home soon,
I thought I might drop by and visit for a few short minutes,
before I head back home,
is that okay?"

My brother replies,
"Sure, you still have the backup keys to my apartment right?
Just go ahead and let yourself in."

I enter the building with my key,
take the elevator up to my brothers apartment.
I knock on the door of the apartment.

I knock again,
this time ringing the bell.

"He must have music on or something,
or perhaps he is very busy."

I use my key to enter.

My brother is nowhere to be found.

I call him,
"Hey, where the hell are you???"

He replies,
"Oh, I'm not home,
I thought you just wanted to drop by and relax in the apartment,
sorry."

"You fool! Why would I want to visit an empty apartment !?"

"I don't know, I was wondering the same thing.
Thought you were tired or something.
Either way, I'm not home.
See you next time!"

------------------

What the hell was I supposed to do?
I walked in and turned on the radio.
]]> https://ameblo.jp/domiblog/entry-10807483266.html Sun, 20 Feb 2011 15:15:20 +0900