Medicine at the VA - AKA the veteran's administration

Ok, so I'm not sure how to post this without coming across as a bit of a nagger.

I occasionally have to work at the VA in the emergency room for some extra cash here in the glorious midwest USA.

Did I mention I hate the VA?

Yes I am grateful for my job.  But some patients man... just press your buttons

This morning, in the little check box thingy on my computer, I almost filled in the "Reason for admission" as:  Malingering.

Then I thought, no wait I can't do that, try again.  Ok, how about: "Factitious disorder".

Nope, they probably wouldn't like that one either...

Ok, how about: "Antisocial personality disorder", nope can't put that...

Ok, I know:  discharge patient to self.

Good Job me.

J

Today I am grateful that I don't want to be admitted to a hospital and unlike most of my patients I have a home I can go home to.








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Trying to get into the present

And failing to get out of it at the same time. 

I'm so in the present with things at work that I can't think of anything else but work.  I suppose that's normal.  Work sucks.  I'd really like to quit my job and write full time.  Maybe some self help books, fantasy, or scifi. 

This is a fairly useless post today I know.

I'm sober today, which is a good thing.  I'm fairly certain my anniversery was 9/3/15, which makes it nine years sober!  Wow, that is amazing.

If there is anything I can say today is that you can live a normal life sober. 

You can do great things sober.

In fact, you'd probably find that getting sober is the single most important thing you  could do in your life.  I was unhappy before.  I've been happy for the last 9 years and have done things and accomplished things beyond my wildest expectations. 

Go get sober people.

Today I am grateful:

For my cat
My dog, damn dog jumped over the fence yesterday :)
My wife
My baby
My wife's mom:  thanks for helping out with the baby
And everyone else.


























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Headed to Wisconsin today

Driving to Wisconsin today which reminded me of Robert Frost for some reason... so here is one of my favorite poems:


Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening
By Robert Frost 1874–1963
     

Whose woods these are I think I know.   

His house is in the village though;   

He will not see me stopping here   

To watch his woods fill up with snow.   

My little horse must think it queer   

To stop without a farmhouse near   

Between the woods and frozen lake   

The darkest evening of the year.   

He gives his harness bells a shake   

To ask if there is some mistake.   

The only other sound’s the sweep   

Of easy wind and downy flake.   

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,   

But I have promises to keep,   

And miles to go before I sleep,   

And miles to go before I sleep.

So pretty, I love Robert Frost.  Makes me want to move to New Hampshire.

Today I am thankful for poetry

Jonathan

Good morning.

I was just talking to a patient this morning regarding his chronic back pain which lead me to think to myself how thankful and grateful I am for my current health.  It's funny how life is, we go about our daily lives, work work work, go home, hang out with family, take care of our kids, the dogs, the wife, go to sleep, get up, rinse and repeat.


I've got really nothing to complain about today.


Life is good. 


It sucks sometimes, but it gets better.


Did I mention the week my son was born, I had to put down one of our pets who died from cancer?


Yes, that sucked. 


But amazing how life goes on and no one is the wiser. 


Don't dwell on the past folks.  Always look forward. 


Jonathan

I'm officially back

Just wanted to give everyone a quick update, not that you care.  For those of you who don't know me, my name is Jon, I live in the Midwest where I am a resident physician at a hospital.  I have 9 years sober tomorrow!

A little about me...  I got sober 9 years ago in Tampa, hence the blog name.  I spent 4 years getting sober going to AA, then I decided to go to medical school in a small Midwestern State.  After medical school I completed one year of residency and will be graduating from that in a few years.  A lot of things have happened over the last 5 years, one of those being that I haven't been to an AA meeting  in about 4 years.  I stopped going because I don't have time.

I don't however want to be completely disconnected so I've decided to continue my work online, read blogs, talk about sobriety, and just lend a helping hand if my blog helps anyone... its a plus right?

So that's me.

Today I am grateful:

For my wife
My son,
My mom,
My dogs,
My cats,
My residency
My friends
The beautiful weather in the Midwest today.

Jonathan

What is up...

Been a little while since I wrote. Let's see... update: I got straight A's in all of my classes. I went to Baltimore for a few days to visit with my family.  

Moved

It has been quite a while, I apologize about that.

I just republished all my old blog postings, I figured they actually helped a few people in the past, so maybe some others will find some help in them.

Enjoy and hopefully I can gain back some readership as I did have a few people following me in the past... very few.  lol.

Peace