Cats and Birds and Brains and Things

It's Multi-Discipline Time!

A little bit of everything means a whole lot of nothing. This next month I will practice a little bit of psychology, a little bit of ophthalmology, a little bit of ear, nose, and throat, and I would, were I not taking leave, also practice a little bit of orthopedics but ah shucks I just won't have the time. Practically speaking, however, no one really wants to orient and integrate someone into a team who will only be with you for a week so I will spend most the next 28 days ignored while fondly staring off into the distance.

Even better, though, no pages!

And what's better than that?

No call!

And what could possibly be better than no call you ask?

Two day weekends!

Fantastic. Morale is much improved.

So the Snow Birds are finally making their way south. "Snow Birds," for those of you not fortunate enough to live south enough in this fine country of ours to be familiar with the term, are elderly folk who migrate with the seasons. Generally they only stop through San Antonio along their way further down into the Valley, but some do stay awhile. What that means for us at the hospital, practically speaking, is an influx in patients who have half their medical records inaccessible in the great barren, frozen North. Not terribly convenient. Medical care aside the Snow Birds are remarkable for their migratory habits and ability to always return home regardless what obstacles may come their way. Some say they follow the stars, some say the have an innate ability to tract the global electromagnetic field, others say it has something to do with all the hardware in their knees and hips , but whatever the reason it's pretty impressive. Sometimes we affix clinic notes to their legs with TED hose when the server's down. It's almost as efficient as electronic medical records.

And lastly a cat update. Despite repeated application of moth balls the cat problem has not changed significantly. An opossum has joined their ranks oddly enough -- I would have figured cats eat opossums or vice versa -- but by and large they still generally do as they please. What is new is that the they seem to have taken to the trees. Whether for nesting or roosting or the simple fact that there is simply not enough space for them any longer on the ground, every tree on the street seems to have a cat or two in it. Whenever I come home from work one will inevitably jump down and scurry away for whatever crazy cat reason they have in mind. I would like to shake the trees and see what comes out, but the last thing I need is a cat on my head so for now I will tolerate them. Soon they will move into the attic and under the furniture. At that point hopefully my apartment will be done; I don't expect Laura to make it through the year.

Catz!