A new address

All my thoughts about the work I do are being posted "In the belly of the big house." I have not found a way to move them here without destroying "the local MD." I can leave that blog totally since the physician in the big house is the local MD. To continue reading you will have to look here: http://inthebellyofthebighouse.blogspot.com/ at least for now.

The next moment

Looking in amazement at scores of New Year's resolutions, I realize that each moment of life is a chance to resolve to do better. Why do we wait until the calender rolls over to a new year? Why not constantly resolve to be kinder, fitter, smarter on a moment by moment basis?

With that in mind, I am going to be blogging from a new place in 2011. I am no longer "the local MD." I am a hospitalist. For the most part, I take care of those patients who have no physician. These patients have fallen through the cracks, usually of society first and the health care system second. Many are homeless, several are addicted to one substance or another, some are in this country illegally.

So, a new blog, possibly a new address, and yes, it is about to be a new year but where medicine, and life really, are concerned, I believe the goal is always the same: To do better. I tell my residents it is why we call it "practicing medicine." We may be perfect for a moment but in the next there is a new problem and a new challenge.

To the challenge of 01/01/11 00:01.

Sports and politics

I dressed in black this morning. At first I thought this was in mourning for my favorite baseball team, beaten in the World Series last night by a superior team. Then I realized it is election day. Oh, don't get me wrong. I have waited for this day for months. I cast my ballot weeks ago when early voting opened. I can't wait for all the yard signs to disappear and the negative ads to be gone from television and radio. Yet, in a moment of reality this morning, I realize that, just like the baseball game last night, this election cycle is another lost opportunity.

Going back to baseball, I liked the San Francisco Giants. I rooted for them against Atlanta and the Philles. They were the National League team I wanted to see in the World Series. I was surprised at myself when I began to feel something akin to hate in game 1. However, I think I can like them again, those young, quirky pitchers, that awesome catcher, who I don't think shaves every day, and a bunch of ol' guys who already have World Series rings from by gone eras on other teams. As I pulled on my black shirt, I realized they are just like my team in that they had hope and heart and they wanted to win. Really it was just the bounce of a ball back in San Francisco that gave them the momentum to do just that.

The change, the anger, rage really, that is sweeping this country is much different from fan excitement in sports. I have listened carefully to Mr. Boehner, who in all likelihood will be the next speaker of the House, for the past two years. He has been on a mission to discredit everything the current administration has tried to do. It is clear that Mr. Boehner cares about one thing - winning. If gridlocking Congress will accomplish that goal, then by all means, he and his colleagues were happy to do it.

Just as my Rangers made some errors, the other side carries some responsibility for their plight at the end of this day. From where I sit as the local MD, government has done little to help any of us through this quagmire that is the healthcare system. Yet, I am hear to tell you that our emergency rooms cannot continue to be the front line for care for what are ever increasing scores of uninsured people. It is an impossible task and it is also bad business and bad medicine.