Thanksgiving

As Dorothy said to Toto, "My, how things change so quickly around here!" Thanksgiving holiday is already upon us, and the Christmas blitz is already in the making. This weekend LaTonya and I went to a program for the Safe Schools Initiative at New Testament Central City Church. I got the chance to update the parents on immunization requirements, and to we spend quite a bit of time discussing and dispelling myths about H1N1 influenza. It is a "Healthy People 2010" goal that at least 90% of American children will have their primary immunizations completed by age 3. The state of Wisconsin has come close to reaching this goal, but it is hampered by the City of Milwaukee, where only 64% of kids have done so. It never ceases to amaze me the level of disparity we still see in Milwaukee. But it also reminds me of how much for which we have to be thankful. With all the problems we have, things are MUCH better here than they are in most of the world.



This morning my Community Medicine student I spend 0ver an hour with a patient discussing her social situation, the choices she has made, and how it affects her present health predicament. And without make excuses for bad choices, I have to acknowledge that there are SOOO many obsticles in her way. Her parents died when she was young, and so she and her siblings were raised by her older sister. She and her extended family are living off of 2 disabilty checks. She is addicted to her pain medications. Their environment is unsafe (she was raped in her home by her sister's drug-dealing boyfriend several months ago). They presently have NO electricty (her outstanding electric bill is $4000, and her sister's is $10000). They have no car, and usually do not have a telephone. Today I had to explain to her how her pulmonary hypertension is so bad that she probably has only several months to live. Maybe this time can be extended if she quits smoking. Even more importanly, maybe she can make her world better if she takes control of her life. Of course her problems are so insurmountable that she needs a whole different outlook on the world, that only comes by a complete psycho-spiritual regeneration. But I can only hope...



Anyway, make sure that you thank God as you engorge yourself with food this Thursday, and map out your plan for Black Friday deals. Thank God tonight its them instead of you.

Dr. Izard

GOOD SOLID ADVICE!!!!

Was just laughing to myself.... We were out at Clara Barton for our food tasting which is a part of the "FAN" club (Fitness and Nutrition). After sharing and tasting different things like pomegranate, papaya, spinach, organic cookies, and vegetable chips, I told the kids that Dr. Mike was kind of nervous because he had a BIG test (Step 3) on Wednesday. I wanted to know if any of the third graders had some words of advice for him...

A little boy very earnestly waved his hand and said, "Dr. Mike, be sure to read all of the questions carefully." The next young man, equally as eager to share his wisdom said, "Do your best." Last to speak up, another young boy added, "Just think positive!"

The genuine looks on their faces when they gifted these precious pieces of advice to Dr. Mike helped us understand that they were sharing these ideas as if they were some new found secrets to impart on their Dr. friend....

Truly priceless:)

What...it's November?????

October was SO full of "happenings" it literally flew right by!!! Much time was spent out in partner schools teaching topics including sickle cell anemia, safe boundaries (good touch, bad touch), nutrition, substance abuse, and sexual health.

I was so fortunate to have 2 excellent M-3s from MCW to teach with me for the month. We demonstrated a "pharm" party at Vincent HS passing out Dixie cups of colored candy from a large bowl which represents all the prescription drugs kids might collect from their homes to bring to a party. The students got to see the different combinations that each one had, but Chip and Mark also addressed the different effects medications can have on different people. Then, they didn't know we had mixed in 3 odd colored candies and when we asked who had those particular ones, we announced that sadly, they would have died....

That was pretty heavy but made an important point...on a lighter note (for an equally important topic) we took turns letting the students try to walk a straight line with the drunk driving goggles. We even had the real set of pig lungs from the American Lung Association to set up our discussion of smoking.

We fit home visits in with the health education and visited a patient struggling to take care of her mother who has lung cancer while managing her own schizophrenia. We also visited one of my favorite patients, an elderly woman with the weight of the world (and all her dysfunctional relatives) on her shoulders. The next day she called to tell me our visit had made her day and lifted her spirits commenting that she had bragged to her friends at her senior citizen group that "nurse Jenny brought 2 cute young med students over and they listened to all her troubles."

October also brought the first time that Dr. Izard and I got to visit a school together. We did a session of "Ask the Doctor" for a room full of teen girls at the Silver Spring school. They asked great questions about everything ranging from swine flu to the old favorite...sex...

The month ended with a new experience at the Hmong center for women where I was asked to speak about nutrition. They were part of a group of women who have experienced domestic violence and their bravery, resilience and strength was truly inspiring.

...wonder what November holds??? I will meet 2 new mcw students tomorrow AM and we will venture out on 3 home visits. I have so lucky to have LaTonya (an M4) doing a Community Medicine elective this month and her enthusiasm has already pumped me up for another month of new experiences!