Friends

Sometimes, I am so struck by how lucky I am to be surrounded by good, solid people that I can call friends.

I have been bothered that friends always comes and goes. After all, what is the meaning of a good friendship if you lose them after a while.

But I see that somehow life has it’s own plans – and while some friends go, others comes in. And I don’t believe that friends leave forever, not real friends anyway, but through the twists and turns, somehow we all get reconnected at some point.

Last night, I went to C|Prime Steakhouse with 2 other friends from pharmacy residency. We didn’t know each other from before, only really getting to know each other a year ago when they went through their residency.

The food was amazing, conversation candid. All in all a really good night.

 

Ethics at work

Ethical dilemmas

1. Smoking cessation post op – patient on triple therapy NRT, bupropion and champix. High risk of nausea with NRT and champix. Dr refused to change drug. I counselled patient and advise to reject champix if needed.
2. This is more tough – patient with brain injury with poor prognosis and unlikely chance to survive/return to baseline. Grew e.coli bacteremia in the blood on Tuesday. I recommended IV antibiotics. But doctor did not start despite code status DNR M3. Discrepancy between doctor and patient family wishes. What do I do? Should I honour the code, or let it go since I’m not the MRP.
   1. In the end, I discussed with doctor and started CTX 2g Daily x 7 days for GNB Bacteremia.

 

Getting lazy

Getting lazy today. Didn’t spin. cooked a really easy dinner breakfast food.

Played lots of video games.

Not motivated.

Could it be linked to PMO?

who knows.

Victory:

Finished Fantasie Impromptu from beginning to end.

Jan 19 Reflections

Yesterday was a bad day. Maybe it was “blue monday”. I didn’t know it was such a thing. I was restless at work, cranky, irritable and extremely impatient. Coincidentally, I also broke NF Sunday (the day before). Coincidence? No idea.

In any case, today is a much better day. Even though I MO last night, I woke up today not too tired, and feeling much more refreshed. Maybe because I hit the hay a lot earlier. Work was extremely productive for me and I accomplished a lot for my patients.

1. Rash consult – contact rash. not drug induced.
2. Phenytoin assessment – patient actually thanked me saying “its always good to see you”. I only saw him once. I guess I made a good impression!
3. Tube site infection – made assessment and recommended septra + keflex
4. Whole bunch of infections
5. Pancytopenia assessment
6. Daptomycin elevated CK assessment.

In all a good productive day.

I also took the time to dress nicely!

After work, I got a call from a friend asking for advice about her presentation. Now, I’m usually all about helping people the best I can, and I enjoy it. But sometimes, I just can’t stand pessimistic, negative people. Even after giving good advice – just excuse after excuse. It almost seems like she just wants to take the easy way out and is scared of adversity. In this case, there’s really nothing anyone can say or do to make her feel better. The pessimism isn’t coming from reality – its coming from her intrinsic character.

Man, I now realize how negativity in a person can really translate to other people. And I realized – I was just like that once. I used to see the glass as half empty. I’d point out all the flaws in every plan. I would worry and complain – fishing for comfort, encouragement and sympathy. In the end, I’d lose out on a lot of opportunities, or exaggerate a problem to much bigger than it is. No wonder I started to feel like my friends were abandoning me. They just couldn’t take my negativity. I probably couldn’t either.

Really trying to be positive. I still catch myself sometimes, rationalizing the negatives. Even just a off handed phrase like “I doubt that’ll ever happen”. It’s important to be realistic. But there must be a way to be realistic and optimistic at the same time.

I’m trying to find that balance.

On the other hand, I’m grateful my patients like me. I’m grateful that old friends reached out to me. I’m grateful I can stand taller now with better posture. I’m grateful to have a job and be alive today.

 

Meal Prepping

https://mealprepsunday.wordpress.com/2015/03/09/hello-world/

Great site for guide to meal prepping: Basically mass produce meals on one day of the week, so you don’t need to cook as much for the rest of the week.

I’ve definitely lost a lot of momentum trying to cook every night, and trying out different recipes. I mean, I still do try different recipes because I like variety and I want to expand the repertoire that I have. But I am getting more tired after work and just not as motivated to cook anymore. Furthermore, I am learning that to save money, the best way is to cook in bulk …. before I would be spending almost 10-20 for just 2-3 meals, which adds up in a week.

My goal is hopefully <100$ / week on groceries.

In any case, so far I’m starting to get the hang of meal prepping. Now I won’t be prepping meals just once a week, because the food will go stale and I like to eat fresh, and good tasting food.

One of the the things I’ve recently discovered is couscous – And you can get a great bag of pearl couscous mixed with quinoa and nuts at Costco for 10$. It’s really nutritious, tasty, and a great rice substitute. 1 Cup makes about 2 servings, so it’s definitely cost efficient. And it keeps well in the fridge.

I’m also trying to eat healthier as well. A lot of the foods I’m eating are the one’s I’ve previously posted about testosterone boosting foods – Eggs, milk, pomegranate juice, kale, tuna, beef, red grapes.

Jan 17 Gratitudes

1. Catching up with AA over brunch at Ask for Luigi’s and eating a delicious risotto dish.
2. Being able to share my 2016 resolutions with Angela and finding out that she has similar goals as well!
3. Following up with Jackson, my mentee, and see how he’s doing well at school. Being complimented as his “favourite mentor” really made my day.
4. Getting a kick ass hair cut at a much cheaper price.
5. Not having to cook dinner.

 

 

why no fap

Jan 9 Wins and Blessings

I got through a weekend clinical shift and solved a lot of different problems

• VPA with delirium –> checked ammonia level.
• Warfarin rash–> assessment and pruritus management
• vancomycin and pip/tazo AKI – left note.
• Good lunch with the tuna couscous salad and italian dressing
• Got complimented on my outfit today (new from BR)

 

Blessings

• Annual hot pot dinner tonight
• Good sleep
• Great breakfast this morning

 

 

Wins and blessings

Victories

• Wrote my blog on morning routines.
• Grocery shopping and spending on 84$ on a what is hopefully a weeks’ worth of groceries
• Still going to work out
• No fap day 2
• Tried meditation for the first time today
• Cook a new coucous recipe

Blessings

• A good trainer that is empathetic and listens to me
• A good stable job
• Being able blog on this computer
• Getting more in my paycheque than expected and paying off 80% of my visa bill
• Good coworkers

 

Notes:

Phenytoin and rivaroxaban interacts!

Morning routines

All successful people have routines that keep them grounded, disciplined, and improved productivity.

I started to think about my morning routines/evening routines.

In the past, I didn’t have a routine, in fact, I’d sleep in and wake up the latest I could. Then i’d take a quick shower, get dressed and run out the door. I didn’t even eat breakfast. That was my routine for many many years – as far as high school I can remember. I loved sleeping in.

I wonder now, perhaps a lot of the lethargy came from me PMO at night, every night, and just draining my energy and motivation the next day. Also, I had quite low self esteem and occasional depression that I had to struggle with as well.

Since moving out and living on my own, I’ve done a lot better. Perhaps psychologically, I also felt constrained by the constant watching of my parents.

I recently watched a video by Alpha M. about his morning routine. He recommends thinking about 5 areas for the routine:

1. Personal productivity
2. Nutrition
3. Happiness
4. Energize with physical activity
5. Emotional connection

So right now, my goal is to develop a routine that includes

1. Waking up and meditation to some youtube videos.
2. Stretching and rehab exercises
3. Cook breakfast
4. Shower
5. Get dressed and eat breakfast

Because I am a health care professional, I don’t really have that much time in the morning before I go to work. I think this routine hits – personal productivity, nutrition, and physical activity. I still don’t really know what “happiness” is, since I don’t think any of those things make me particularly happy. I guess knowing that I’m eating right and doing exercises to move forward with rehab makes me happy. Still missing the emotional connection.

Something that I’ve been trying to do, but failing, is to wake up everyday at 6:30 and do my routine. But I’ve been sleeping in until 7:15, which also limits a lot of my time.

If I succeed. No, When I succeed at this goal, I will try to adding blogging/watching a youtube video/reading then news – something more productive to the routine as well.

Alpha M mentioned that developing a new habit takes about 9 weeks. Thats so much longer than my 30 day no fap goal!

I think that starting a habit is just as hard as breaking a habit.

Alright, good luck to me!