Check out there website here: http://blowny.com/index.php
Thursday, December 15, 2011
BLOW IT OUT
It is that time of year to treat yourself and your hair. If you make it out of the hospital for a holiday party, try and schedule an appointment at BLOW. This amazing blow dry bar in NYC will transform you into a scrub wearing slob to an urban sophisticate.
Check out there website here: http://blowny.com/index.php
Cheers to looking fabulous on your night out!
Check out there website here: http://blowny.com/index.php
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
A Doctor/Patient Relationship
Yesterday:
 |
| Tyler, Megan, Shane |
Doctor becomes Doctor.
Doctor meets Patient.
Patient waits for Doctor.
Doctor studies hard.
Doctor stays late.
Patient waits for Doctor.
Doctor sleeps at hospital.
Doctor helps Patient.
 |
| Dr. Pardee |
Doctor diagnoses Patient.
Doctor comforts Patient.
One Day:
Patient waits for Doctor.
Doctor goes to hospital.
Doctor now is Patient?
Patient waits for Doctor....
http://www.pardeetime.org/
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Amanda Russell Workout
If you are like me, your day off decision goes something like this... Exercise or catch up on sleep? Well now you can do BOTH, just take it from my dear friend (and former roommate) fitness guru Amanda Russell.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EVERYONE is busy right? Well, I've come to
learn that 'busy' is a very relative term.
You see, I had the
opportunity to live with my best friend while she was going through
medical school and later residency -- this has forever altered what I
call 'busy'.
I've seen firsthand what the medical community goes through
and how mentally and physically draining their hours of labor are (and
the respect I have for you is indescribable)! BUT, I think one of the BEST things you can
do for yourself is squeeze in a 'quickie' - a workout that is! All you
need is 15 minutes and yourself!
And yes with an intense workout like
this, it's better than most hour long workouts, plus it will rejuvenate
you and get you into stellar shape so you'll be the hottest doctor on
the floor :)
For more like these, SUBSCRIBE to my channel
and tune in for all kind of busy person workouts, recipes and tricks and
tips!
Trauma Experience Wanted
Whether you are at a Level 1 Trauma Center or at a community program there is always more to learn in the Trauma Bay. Each day our patients teach us how to be better people and better physicians.
There is a great list of international trauma electives on www.trauma.org
Make sure you book well in advance as these spots are snatched up early.
I will be heading to Cape Town, South Africa to work with their TRAUMA team at Tygerberg Hospital in the coming months and will keep you updated on the experience. In the meantime, check them out for yourself as your ADVENTURE in medicine continues...
There is a great list of international trauma electives on www.trauma.org
Make sure you book well in advance as these spots are snatched up early.
I will be heading to Cape Town, South Africa to work with their TRAUMA team at Tygerberg Hospital in the coming months and will keep you updated on the experience. In the meantime, check them out for yourself as your ADVENTURE in medicine continues...
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| Cape Town, South Africa |
 |
| Tygerberg Hospital |
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
DOCTOR made Halloween Costumes
HALLOWEEN is just around the corner.
If you are in a pinch for a costume here are some quick HOSPITALstyle worthy last minute costume ideas:
MAD SURGEON: crazy make-up. surgical gown and mask. walk around with shears
TRAUMA patient: use a patient gown, neck brace and some bandages and ketchup/red paint/lipstick for blood. You can even make a splint for yourself for one of your arms.
XRAY: most are now digitalized, but you can put a white sheet of paper or some sort of battery powered light behind an XRAY (old school) if there are any laying around and connect it over your shoulders to one in the back. Can even wear scrubs under this...
If you are in a pinch for a costume here are some quick HOSPITALstyle worthy last minute costume ideas:
MAD SURGEON: crazy make-up. surgical gown and mask. walk around with shears
TRAUMA patient: use a patient gown, neck brace and some bandages and ketchup/red paint/lipstick for blood. You can even make a splint for yourself for one of your arms.
XRAY: most are now digitalized, but you can put a white sheet of paper or some sort of battery powered light behind an XRAY (old school) if there are any laying around and connect it over your shoulders to one in the back. Can even wear scrubs under this...
The nurse costume is also a never fail option...
Or add your dog to the medical team.
When in doubt, just wear your scrubs.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN from HOSPITALstyle!
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Store your Bike with Style
Finding the perfect place for your bike is difficult. Especially when you live in New York City. Check out this fabulous way to store your bike in a stylish way.
The Bike Shelf: 300.00
http://www.theknifeandsaw.com/KSItemDetail.php?PC=2&II=2
The Bike Shelf: 300.00
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Fear of Needles?
We did not go into medicine to conquer our fear of needles. However, if you are like me somewhere along the way the fear develops. In caring for patients with HIV, Hep C and other blood borne illnesses there develops a certain level of risk when placing IV lines. We have all had co-workers who have suffered needle sticks. It does happen - and more often than we would like.
It also happened to Dr. Douglas Dieterich (Director of Outpatient Hepatology) at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. Years ago, as a third year medical student he contracted Hepatitis C from a needle stick and subsequently made treating Hepatitis his life's passion. He has succeeded and has cured his own illness and countless others.
Check out the New York Times feature on him here:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/13/from-needle-stick-to-cure-for-hepatitis/?ref=health
Well done!
 |
| Dr.Dieterich |
Check out the New York Times feature on him here:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/13/from-needle-stick-to-cure-for-hepatitis/?ref=health
Well done!
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Savage Beauty: Alexander McQueen
In case you missed the amazing exhibit at the Met this Summer, you can still check out the Alexander McQueen exhibit that drew more than 660,000 visitors this summer. This turnout has made it one of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's 10 post popular exhibits.Curator Andrew Bolton created the exhibit to reveal the imagination and artistic dominance associated with fashion genius McQueen.
If your hospital call schedule did not allow for you to see the exhibit, check it out here:
The exhibit was utterly amazing. The lines were long. The people were many. The best museum exhibit I have ever seen. Cheers from HOSPITALstyle to McQueen and the amazing imagery and imagination he brought to the runway.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Favorite Travel Accessory: Nomad Scarf
If you are like me, then you always carry a jacket in case of cold temperatures, anywhere you go. In the heat of summer, all restaurants and office buildings and subways crank up the air conditioning to offset the elevated outdoor temperatures. I was recently given a FLUXUS. Nomad scarf as a gift (Thanks Aunt Mary) and am proclaiming it my favorite travel accessory.
Fluxux's tag line is There is life, there is art, and in between is fashion. Well I couldn't agree more. This fashionable scarf to be paired with any shirt/blazer, can be wrapped as a skirt and can even double as a picnic blanket. I love to use it for flights in defense of the cold air or as a soft pillow once on board. It is perfect for any season. Pair it with your scrubs on the way into the hospital for an added bit of style to your daily commute.
Nomad scarf
Price: 48.00
http://fluxusbrand.com/
It is a HOSPITALstyle approved accessory that is a must have for your wardrobe. Even Jude would agree.
 |
| Jude Law and his Nomad Scarf |
Nomad scarf
Price: 48.00
http://fluxusbrand.com/
It is a HOSPITALstyle approved accessory that is a must have for your wardrobe. Even Jude would agree.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Guide to Summer in New York City
A couple of my favorite spots that are MUST visits for Summer 2011:
The Peninsula Hotel Salon de Ning (700 5th avenue)
http://www.peninsula.com/New_York/en/Dining/Salon_de_Ning/default.aspx
The Standard Biergarten (848 Washington Street)
http://www.standardhotels.com/new-york-city/bars/biergarten/
The Frying Pan (W. 26th street @ Hudson River)
http://www.fryingpan.com/
La Birreria (200 5th Avenue) Mario Batali rooftop beer garden atop EATALY.
http://eatalyny.com/eat/birreria
Habana Outpost (757 Fulton Street Brooklyn, NY)
http://www.cafehabana.com/
** FEATURED SUMMER SPOT 2011
Willie Wall's
The “Honorable William Wall” is the floating clubhouse of Manhattan Sailing Club.
-Anchored in New York Harbor just and north of Ellis Island.
-Great views of the sailboat races and skyline.
-Transportation is provided by Admiral’s Launch. The launch departs from North Cove -Dock F every 1/2 hour. The departure times are: 5:30 p.m., 6:00, 6:30. 7:00, 7:30, etc. There is a $10 launch fee for guests (round trip).
For more Summer Fun check out:
and download their PDF Summer Guide 2011.
This summer bring your HOSPITALstyle outside to play...See you in the SUN!
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Stories from the ER: The Joplin Tornado Experience
Being from Kansas I grew up around Tornadoes. Now that I am a New York City gal, I seem so far from a world filled with basements and Tornado Sirens...
My heart goes out to all those affected.
Check out this amazing link where you can read about one ER doctor's experience during the Joplin Tornado. Well worth it!
http://www.mercy.net/joplin/stories-of-mercy/45-seconds
Congrats to Dr. Kevin Kitka for a job well done! HOSPITALstyle gives two thumbs up!
 |
| St. John's Regional Medical Center |
My heart goes out to all those affected.
Check out this amazing link where you can read about one ER doctor's experience during the Joplin Tornado. Well worth it!
http://www.mercy.net/joplin/stories-of-mercy/45-seconds
Congrats to Dr. Kevin Kitka for a job well done! HOSPITALstyle gives two thumbs up!
Monday, April 25, 2011
International Medical Elective In Thailand
My good friend and Chief Resident just did an elective in Bangkok, Thailand. She is someone who very much embodies what HOSPITALstyle is all about; class, professionalism, healthcare lifestyle, and all around good doctoring. She shares her amazing experiences with us. A bit longer than the usual post, but well worth the read! This is what she writes...
ENTER DR. JULIA SUN LEE-
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Being in a four year emergency medicine residency program has its benefits, despite what naysayers might have to offer. One of those benefits is being able to schedule electives into your curriculum that are catered to your interests. Luckily, for me, I was able to set up an international emergency medicine rotation in Bangkok, Thailand at Mahidol University, Ramathibodi Hospital during my PGY-IV year. This came as a follow-up to my PGY-III year elective rotation at Nahr-Bita Hospital in Ghana, West Africa.
Having a background in Public Health with a focus on Global Environmental Health, I felt that taking the opportunity to schedule a few international electives during my residency training would afford me an invaluable resource in allowing me to connect clinical pathology with what I had learned in my textbooks. Not only that, but I was able to travel halfway around the world to practice medicine, interact with the locals and cultivate my experiences with the cultures I had previously only read about.
It was truly a life-changing experience, and one that I would recommend to all who have the chance to do so.
This past April, I spent a month working in the Accident and Emergency Center at Ramathibodi Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand. The purpose of my elective was to witness the development and advances of the Thai emergency medicine residency program, which is only 5 years old, and to learn about the patient population & pathology that fills their ED.
After a very long flight with very little sleep, I ventured into the wards of the unfamiliar hospital, confused by the writing and the dialect that awaited me.
I was surprised to find out that most of the Thai residents and attendings spoke English of varying aptitude, and every single one of them were willing to translate or explain the Thai charting/documentation and presentations to me. Lectures were often presented in Thai, but written in English allowing me to follow the topics easily.
The hospitality of the residents and staff was almost overwhelming: from taking me to pray at the Buddhist Temples in the city of Ayyuthaya, to a night time venture in Yaowarat (the Bangkok China Town), to the numerous medical procedures done in the ED – everyone was always helping me to understand their approach and keep me a part of the team.
I was able to attend their Simulation Labs, perform bedside procedures, run microscopy tests, visit the Thailand Red Cross Center and Queen Saowapha Memorial Institute, (formerly the Pasteur Institute) Snake Farm where anti-venin is harvested.
I experienced the Thai culture, not as a tourist, but from a Thai native’s perspective and in this setting, it was quite easy to form friendships quickly in such an environment. After only 2 weeks, a first year resident invited me to her moonlighting job on the weekend where she worked as a single coverage physician at a beach hospital in Koh Larn, an island off the coast of Pattaya. I was also able to visit another hospital in the southern region of Thailand on the island of Koh Phi Phi off the coast of Phuket right after the major flooding in South Thailand.
I met residents and medical students from all over Thailand as well as Japan. I learned about their medical system and pathway of medical education and was invited to share with them a presentation on the US structure of emergency medicine residency and delve a bit into fellowships offered in our specialty.
The experience I had during my overseas travel was absolutely incredible. It allowed me to see how emergency medicine is practiced in different settings around the world, often in areas of diminished resources and funding as compared to the US.
It also allowed to me to appreciate the quick availability of our resources that we have here, but causes me to step back a bit when approaching my patients. “Is that CT scan really necessary?”, or “What will that blood test tell me that I can’t already determine from the physical exam and history?”, I’ll find myself thinking. Of course, ours is a different setting and the dynamics of our approach to each patient is subject for another article.
What I got from Thailand was for greater than what I gave. I travelled across the world to help people, but I believe I was the one who received the most.
I had an invaluable experience that enables me to catch a glimpse into lives that are so different than mine, but share in the same basic needs and emotions, which define the human condition. It gave me the chance to reconnect with the reasons why I went into medicine in the first place…something that often seemed remote back in Brooklyn when I was seeing the patient brought in for alcohol intoxication the third time that month complaining of leg pain and demanding a sandwich.
Having done my overseas electives, I now know that travelling abroad and providing medical care to those in need outside of the US will be a integrated part of my stateside medical practice in the future. Being able to incorporate international settings into your medical education broadens your mindset and allows you to cater your residency experience to what you are most interested in.
You’ll be able to form life-long friendships and expand your global network. Not to mention, the food, travel and stories you collect along the way are major bonuses – something you keep with you for life!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
EXIT DR. JULIA SUN LEE
Julia- Thank you so much for sharing your amazing experience on HOSPITALstyle.
If you would like more information about setting up a Thailand elective, send and email to HOSPITALstyle@gmail.com.
ENTER DR. JULIA SUN LEE-
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 |
| Buddha at Ayyuthaya |
Having a background in Public Health with a focus on Global Environmental Health, I felt that taking the opportunity to schedule a few international electives during my residency training would afford me an invaluable resource in allowing me to connect clinical pathology with what I had learned in my textbooks. Not only that, but I was able to travel halfway around the world to practice medicine, interact with the locals and cultivate my experiences with the cultures I had previously only read about.
It was truly a life-changing experience, and one that I would recommend to all who have the chance to do so.
 |
| Ramathibodi Hospital |
After a very long flight with very little sleep, I ventured into the wards of the unfamiliar hospital, confused by the writing and the dialect that awaited me.
I was surprised to find out that most of the Thai residents and attendings spoke English of varying aptitude, and every single one of them were willing to translate or explain the Thai charting/documentation and presentations to me. Lectures were often presented in Thai, but written in English allowing me to follow the topics easily.
 |
| Ramathibodi Hospital |
I was able to attend their Simulation Labs, perform bedside procedures, run microscopy tests, visit the Thailand Red Cross Center and Queen Saowapha Memorial Institute, (formerly the Pasteur Institute) Snake Farm where anti-venin is harvested.
 |
| Dr. Julia Sun Lee (third from left) |
I met residents and medical students from all over Thailand as well as Japan. I learned about their medical system and pathway of medical education and was invited to share with them a presentation on the US structure of emergency medicine residency and delve a bit into fellowships offered in our specialty.
The experience I had during my overseas travel was absolutely incredible. It allowed me to see how emergency medicine is practiced in different settings around the world, often in areas of diminished resources and funding as compared to the US.
It also allowed to me to appreciate the quick availability of our resources that we have here, but causes me to step back a bit when approaching my patients. “Is that CT scan really necessary?”, or “What will that blood test tell me that I can’t already determine from the physical exam and history?”, I’ll find myself thinking. Of course, ours is a different setting and the dynamics of our approach to each patient is subject for another article.
 |
| Ramathibodi Hospital. Bangkok, Thailand |
I had an invaluable experience that enables me to catch a glimpse into lives that are so different than mine, but share in the same basic needs and emotions, which define the human condition. It gave me the chance to reconnect with the reasons why I went into medicine in the first place…something that often seemed remote back in Brooklyn when I was seeing the patient brought in for alcohol intoxication the third time that month complaining of leg pain and demanding a sandwich.
Having done my overseas electives, I now know that travelling abroad and providing medical care to those in need outside of the US will be a integrated part of my stateside medical practice in the future. Being able to incorporate international settings into your medical education broadens your mindset and allows you to cater your residency experience to what you are most interested in.
You’ll be able to form life-long friendships and expand your global network. Not to mention, the food, travel and stories you collect along the way are major bonuses – something you keep with you for life!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
EXIT DR. JULIA SUN LEE
Julia- Thank you so much for sharing your amazing experience on HOSPITALstyle.
If you would like more information about setting up a Thailand elective, send and email to HOSPITALstyle@gmail.com.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Redefine your coffee break with.... The Mocha Club
In keeping with this week's theme on the BEST WAYS TO GIVE IN 2011, today HOSPITALstyle is highlighting The Mocha Club.
Give up 2 drinks a week at your coffee shop of choice to promote clean water, disease prevention, education and care for orphans.
We drink so much coffee in the HOSPITAL to probably support an entire village.
Find out more @ www.themochaclub.org
Give up 2 drinks a week at your coffee shop of choice to promote clean water, disease prevention, education and care for orphans.
We drink so much coffee in the HOSPITAL to probably support an entire village.
Find out more @ www.themochaclub.org
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Great Ways to Give in 2011: Heart to Heart International
"We must be the change we wish to see in the world". -Gandhi
This is one of my favorite quotes, and this week HOSPITALstyle is highlighting some ways in which we can do just that. On a daily basis we help our patients within the hospital, but what about those we do not come in contact with? They need our help too! Get your altruistic nature into gear and check out these ways you can be a part of something great.
Here are some great ways you can give in 2011. Take some of that Tax return and make a difference for someone else. I dare you!
A Great Way to Give #1:
HEART TO HEART INTERNATIONAL www.hearttoheart.org
Named as one of FORBES top non-profits. http://www.forbes.com/2010/11/17/charity-10-personal-finance-philanthropy-10-most-efficient-charities_slide_11.html
An exclusive agreement with FED EX helps them to get medical supplies to the most remote and disaster stricken areas.
Heart to Heart annually promotes health and responds to crises in nearly 60 countries, including the United States. On average, HHI can transform every $1 donation into $25 worth of aid—mainly through utilization of thousands of volunteers and high-profile relationships with industry-leading pharmaceutical and transportation companies.
Historically, they operate on less than a 2% overhead—meaning that more than 98% of contributions go straight to global humanitarian operations.
I have been involved with HHI since medical school. They hail from my home state of Kansas. Visit their website for more information on volunteer opportunities and ways to give.
www.hearttoheart.org
This is one of my favorite quotes, and this week HOSPITALstyle is highlighting some ways in which we can do just that. On a daily basis we help our patients within the hospital, but what about those we do not come in contact with? They need our help too! Get your altruistic nature into gear and check out these ways you can be a part of something great.Here are some great ways you can give in 2011. Take some of that Tax return and make a difference for someone else. I dare you!
A Great Way to Give #1:
HEART TO HEART INTERNATIONAL www.hearttoheart.org
Named as one of FORBES top non-profits. http://www.forbes.com/2010/11/17/charity-10-personal-finance-philanthropy-10-most-efficient-charities_slide_11.html
An exclusive agreement with FED EX helps them to get medical supplies to the most remote and disaster stricken areas.
Heart to Heart annually promotes health and responds to crises in nearly 60 countries, including the United States. On average, HHI can transform every $1 donation into $25 worth of aid—mainly through utilization of thousands of volunteers and high-profile relationships with industry-leading pharmaceutical and transportation companies.
Historically, they operate on less than a 2% overhead—meaning that more than 98% of contributions go straight to global humanitarian operations.
I have been involved with HHI since medical school. They hail from my home state of Kansas. Visit their website for more information on volunteer opportunities and ways to give.
www.hearttoheart.org
Thursday, March 17, 2011
When you aren't a Chef
Our daily lives are full of books, patients, and eating in hospital cafeterias. If you are like me, unless you have a huge passion for cooking, it does not happen that often. I buy groceries and then find them weeks later when I emerge from a string of night shifts in the Emergency Dept. The milk is usually past expiration date and the fruit beginning to go bad. A lot of times it makes more sense to just order take out.
This past week I had some extra time and decided that I was going to cook a great meal one night. I perused cookbooks and recipes to no avail. Until I came upon Jessica Seinfeld's website www.doitdelicious.com . It is comprised of simple recipes and videos giving step by step instructions for easy meals.
Check out this video on HOW TO MAKE HALIBUT:
One of the reasons I went into medicine is because I love procedures. Preparing a meal is just like a procedure. However, I found that the thing that is missing in most cookbooks is visual stimuli. I found the videos made by Jessica Seinfeld to be just what I needed to bring the fun into cooking.
My Meal: Chilean Sea Bass (they were out of Halibut), Sweet Potato Coins, Green Beans with Toasted Almonds
Cost: 45 dollars
Time: 1 hour
I was so shocked at how well it came out! Give it a try...
This past week I had some extra time and decided that I was going to cook a great meal one night. I perused cookbooks and recipes to no avail. Until I came upon Jessica Seinfeld's website www.doitdelicious.com . It is comprised of simple recipes and videos giving step by step instructions for easy meals.Check out this video on HOW TO MAKE HALIBUT:
One of the reasons I went into medicine is because I love procedures. Preparing a meal is just like a procedure. However, I found that the thing that is missing in most cookbooks is visual stimuli. I found the videos made by Jessica Seinfeld to be just what I needed to bring the fun into cooking.
My Meal: Chilean Sea Bass (they were out of Halibut), Sweet Potato Coins, Green Beans with Toasted Almonds
Cost: 45 dollars
Time: 1 hour
I was so shocked at how well it came out! Give it a try...
Thursday, March 10, 2011
A Caribbean Adventure
A few short weeks ago I was in desperate need of a vacation and I posted an article about how to escape the HOSPITAL by planning a week aboard a yacht in the Caribbean. I am back this week, refreshed, and well-tanned.
A special Thanks goes out to Bruce and Laura (The owners of Amaryllis) for making it a week to remember!! And to Kevin at Mainsail Yacht Charters for helping me organize amidst a very busy schedule in the hospital.
Our Itinerary:
Friday Feb 25: Flight to San Juan
Saturday Feb 26: Jeep rental, drive through rainforest, surfing in Rincon (on the west coast), salsa dancing
Sunday Feb 27: Flight to Saint Thomas, lounge by pool, nap, fancy dinner @ Havana Blue
Monday Feb 28: Board Amaryllis @ noon. Meet friends on board. Unpack. Sail to St. John
Tuesday March 1: Run on St. John. Sail to Tortola and then to Norman Island.
Wednesday March 2: Scuba dive in Norman Island. ( Saw a shark!). Boat to Cooper's Island with Dinner ashore.
Thursday March 3:Run/ Explore Virgin Gorda.
Friday March 4:Virgin Gorda. Dock in Tortola. Dinner & Live Music ashore.
Saturday March 5: Morning Yoga on the boat (Thanks Steph!). Jost Van Dyke. Snorkel with sea turtles. Dinner and live music @ FOXY's.
Sunday March 6: Morning swim. Clear customs in St. John. Sail to St. Thomas. Bid farewell to Amaryllis. Fly back to NYC.
This was a vacation that surpassed expectations. Having lived and traveled extensively in the Caribbean, this is by far the best way to see and explore the islands. There are many options to consider when planning such an adventure. To see my earlier post about how to plan your own click the following link:
http://hospitalstyle.blogspot.com/2011/02/sail-away-with-hospitalstyle.html
As Healthcare professionals we are always taking care of everyone else and their needs are before our own. Take time to travel, to explore, and to marvel in the beauty of something outside of the operating room. It makes us better for our patients, our families, and our friends. Take your HOSPITALstyle outside to play!
Email me HOSPITALstyle@gmail.com for more information on setting up your own Caribbean adventure.
 |
| British Virgin Islands |
Friday Feb 25: Flight to San Juan
Saturday Feb 26: Jeep rental, drive through rainforest, surfing in Rincon (on the west coast), salsa dancing
Sunday Feb 27: Flight to Saint Thomas, lounge by pool, nap, fancy dinner @ Havana Blue
Monday Feb 28: Board Amaryllis @ noon. Meet friends on board. Unpack. Sail to St. John
Tuesday March 1: Run on St. John. Sail to Tortola and then to Norman Island.
Wednesday March 2: Scuba dive in Norman Island. ( Saw a shark!). Boat to Cooper's Island with Dinner ashore.
Thursday March 3:Run/ Explore Virgin Gorda.
Friday March 4:Virgin Gorda. Dock in Tortola. Dinner & Live Music ashore.
Saturday March 5: Morning Yoga on the boat (Thanks Steph!). Jost Van Dyke. Snorkel with sea turtles. Dinner and live music @ FOXY's.
Sunday March 6: Morning swim. Clear customs in St. John. Sail to St. Thomas. Bid farewell to Amaryllis. Fly back to NYC.
This was a vacation that surpassed expectations. Having lived and traveled extensively in the Caribbean, this is by far the best way to see and explore the islands. There are many options to consider when planning such an adventure. To see my earlier post about how to plan your own click the following link:
http://hospitalstyle.blogspot.com/2011/02/sail-away-with-hospitalstyle.html
 |
| Neil, Eric, Me, Steph, Courtney, Matt |
 |
| Virgin Gorda |
 |
| Aboard Amaryllis |
Email me HOSPITALstyle@gmail.com for more information on setting up your own Caribbean adventure.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
When "the patient" is a member of your family
Every day we step into the hospital and we experience the realities of life. The rawness of human emotion, of pain, of joy, of family, of living, of dying. We have endured years of training in able to cope with these complexities of the human condition. With more experience we learn what to say and how to act. This is how we daily participate in the lives of others, our patients.
My goal as a physician is treat each one of my patient's as if they were someone in my family. This ensures that for each new person that I greet I do so at my very best. The bottom line though is that my patients are not really members of my family. What happens when the patient is? When someone of utmost significance in your life is the one in the gown?
I have seen it in medical school and in residency where colleagues of mine have had to very impressively push through the academic rigor while going through personal devastation with a sick/dying relative. This has happened to me as well. We, as doctors (along with our families), are NOT immune to the very thing that we spend our careers chasing after (PERFECT HEALTH). Where in all of our training are we prepared to deal with that?
This past week I lost my grandmother to COPD. She was such an example of strength and all that is good in this world. She was an accomplished nurse (trained during world war II) and one of the reasons that I went into medicine in the first place. My mother is also an AMAZING nurse practitioner and human being. These two women have taught me more in my life than most. It is through watching them, that I have become who I am.
My mother really deserves all of the credit of what I am about to say, because she has lived it these past few months/weeks. As she demonstrated, we as healthcare practitioners, have an advantage for ourselves and our families in that we TRULY understand what is going on. We are realistic and accustomed to facing grave issues of life and death and prognosis and hospitalizations.
However, what I have learned in the past few weeks is that first and foremost you must be there for your loved one as FAMILY. You must remove your MD/RN title and way of being. Listen. Care. Laugh. Cry. Help. Contribute. Ask questions. Be a part of the healthcare decisions, but know when to step back.
When the patient was my grandmother, all she really needed was for me to put ICY HOT on her legs, and I did just that.
My dear Grandma,
Thank you for your kindness, love, patience, and all the things that you have taught me. You will be missed! XO
I will forever greet each new patient as if they were you...
I have seen it in medical school and in residency where colleagues of mine have had to very impressively push through the academic rigor while going through personal devastation with a sick/dying relative. This has happened to me as well. We, as doctors (along with our families), are NOT immune to the very thing that we spend our careers chasing after (PERFECT HEALTH). Where in all of our training are we prepared to deal with that?
This past week I lost my grandmother to COPD. She was such an example of strength and all that is good in this world. She was an accomplished nurse (trained during world war II) and one of the reasons that I went into medicine in the first place. My mother is also an AMAZING nurse practitioner and human being. These two women have taught me more in my life than most. It is through watching them, that I have become who I am.
My mother really deserves all of the credit of what I am about to say, because she has lived it these past few months/weeks. As she demonstrated, we as healthcare practitioners, have an advantage for ourselves and our families in that we TRULY understand what is going on. We are realistic and accustomed to facing grave issues of life and death and prognosis and hospitalizations.
However, what I have learned in the past few weeks is that first and foremost you must be there for your loved one as FAMILY. You must remove your MD/RN title and way of being. Listen. Care. Laugh. Cry. Help. Contribute. Ask questions. Be a part of the healthcare decisions, but know when to step back.
When the patient was my grandmother, all she really needed was for me to put ICY HOT on her legs, and I did just that.
My dear Grandma,
Thank you for your kindness, love, patience, and all the things that you have taught me. You will be missed! XO
I will forever greet each new patient as if they were you...
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Sail Away with HOSPITALstyle
If you are in medicine you are likely in need of a vacation, desperately! Some time away from the constant buzz of cardiac monitors and IV fluids, the demands/pain/and high emotions of your patients, and the realities of life/sickness/and death that we deal with on a daily basis.
A HOSPITALstyle approved vacation idea is a week aboard your own YACHT in the caribbean.
This is a great idea because it is an easy destination to get to from all airports in the US, it can be done in a cost effective manner, you can spend quality time with people you rarely see, you may have your own captain and cook aboard in order to maximize your rest and relaxation.
The good news is...that I am leaving for my sailing vacation aboard AMARYLLIS in less than 2 weeks and having organized this trip in the midst of intensive care rotations I can attest to the ease of making this dream vacation a reality.
http://www.mainsailcharters.com/ (kevin@mainsailcharters.com)
http://www.bvicrewedyachts.com/ (cysofbvi@surfbvi.com)
They will email boats who have availability during your dates and then it is up to you to decide.
I booked our boat through Mainsail Yacht Charters and Kevin ( a former airline pilot) as been an amazing guide through this process. He is highly recommended. Contact him Kevin@mainsailcharters.com or me @ HOSPITALstyle@gmail.com with any questions.
I set sail on February 28th and will be sure to tell you all about it when I return. Can't wait to escape the Hospital!
A HOSPITALstyle approved vacation idea is a week aboard your own YACHT in the caribbean.
 |
| Amaryllis |
The good news is...that I am leaving for my sailing vacation aboard AMARYLLIS in less than 2 weeks and having organized this trip in the midst of intensive care rotations I can attest to the ease of making this dream vacation a reality.
- Step 1: Decide when you can escape the hospital
- Step 2: Stir up some interest with friends/family
- Step 3: Set aside some money
- Step 4: Contact the following people with your price range and your dates
http://www.mainsailcharters.com/ (kevin@mainsailcharters.com)
http://www.bvicrewedyachts.com/ (cysofbvi@surfbvi.com)
They will email boats who have availability during your dates and then it is up to you to decide.
- Step 5: Send out an email to your friends recruiting them for a week aboard a yacht in the Caribbean (believe me this adventure sells itself).
- Step 6: Decide where you want to sail (British Virgin Islands is recommended for first time sailors. The islands are closer together and the water is calm. I have also sailed in The Grenadines, which are further apart, less populated and more exotic)
- Step 7: Place a deposit, and iron out details on MENU/PRICES/FLIGHTS
I booked our boat through Mainsail Yacht Charters and Kevin ( a former airline pilot) as been an amazing guide through this process. He is highly recommended. Contact him Kevin@mainsailcharters.com or me @ HOSPITALstyle@gmail.com with any questions.I set sail on February 28th and will be sure to tell you all about it when I return. Can't wait to escape the Hospital!
Monday, January 31, 2011
HOSPITALstyle Feature: Winter Accessories
It is that time of year when the winter is starting to sink in. Lots of snow on the ground. Less daylight. Lots of fractures seen in the ER secondary to slippery ice. Winter is one of my favorite seasons for fashion. Here are a few winter fashion finds that make the cold a bit more bearable.
I am obsessed with the open finger gloves.
These are from American Apparel (12.00).
http://store.americanapparel.net/
UGG Lynnea clog boots.
Great for navigating snow-laden sidewalks in comfort. (180.00)
http://www.uggaustralia.com/womens/index.aspx
Kenneth Lane Jewelry.
Perfect for adding some color to a dreary day.
http://kennethjaylanesales.com/kjl-the-story/
Stay warm. Stay safe. Stay fashionable.
I am obsessed with the open finger gloves.These are from American Apparel (12.00).
http://store.americanapparel.net/
UGG Lynnea clog boots.
Great for navigating snow-laden sidewalks in comfort. (180.00)
http://www.uggaustralia.com/womens/index.aspx
Kenneth Lane Jewelry.
Perfect for adding some color to a dreary day.http://kennethjaylanesales.com/kjl-the-story/
Stay warm. Stay safe. Stay fashionable.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
2011: A New Year for HOSPITALstyle.
Happy New Year from HOSPITALstyle!
I ended 2010 with two months in the ICU. This meant that I had to create a miracle to get time off for Christmas. In the world of medicine, especially during residency, making it home for the holidays is quite a daunting task. With that said, let me tell you why.
I had requested the December 24, 25, and 26th off in order to fly home to be with the people I care about. The ICU schedule was to come out December 15th and flight prices were climbing steadily so I preemptively purchased a flight for December 24 in hopes that a miracle would take place. Miracle = post-call on Christmas Eve.
When the ICU schedule arrived, I had been granted the 23-25th. In order to make XMAS flight I switched 7 days of my schedule with another resident (Thanks Alex!). This is how it played out..
Thursday Dec. 23rd: Arrive @ hospital 7 am, work all day, on call overnight.
Friday Dec. 24th: Sign out patients early @ 6:30 am, rush to La Guardia to make 9 am flight.
Sat Dec. 25th: Celebrate XMAS.
Sun Dec. 26th: Blizzard in NYC. Flight canceled. Spend night in airport hotel.
Mon Dec. 27th: Supposed to be back in ICU. Rescheduled flight again canceled. Unable to fly into New York City until Thursday December 30th. Fly into D.C. arriving @ Midnight. Take overnight train @ 3 AM into NYC. Arrive in city @ 7 AM. Go directly to hospital with luggage.
Tues Dec. 28th: Work Full day in ICU. Public transport delayed. Walk to 1.5 miles to subway station in 6 feet of snow (uphill..just kidding) with luggage for a 2 hour commute to my apartment (not kidding).
This example is a quick snapshot of my 2010. If you are like me, we are so busy taking care of our patients that there is little time to take care of ourselves. My goal for 2011 is more sleep, more exercise, more balance. When we are able to take better care of ourselves, we are able to better care for our patients.
More sleep: Most important time spent outside of the hospital. Get a sound/white noise machine. Invest in a new bed. Set a schedule as if you were still in grade school (8:30 pm lights out).
More exercise: Keep your cardiovascular pump in shape. Quality over quantity. Try and integrate a 30 minute workout/run into your routine at least 3-4 times a week. Mix it up. Go dancing. Go skiing/snowboarding. Try and pick activities to do with your friends outside of the hospital that require activity.
More balance: Less street corner Gyros on your 15 min break during your day. More salads and making healthy meals ahead of time to bring to the hospital. Leave 10 minutes earlier than normal in order to avoid commuter stress. Plan ahead. Take vacation. Avoid being entirely consumed by hospital happenings.
Let's get 2011 started the right way. The HOSPITALstyle way.
I ended 2010 with two months in the ICU. This meant that I had to create a miracle to get time off for Christmas. In the world of medicine, especially during residency, making it home for the holidays is quite a daunting task. With that said, let me tell you why.
I had requested the December 24, 25, and 26th off in order to fly home to be with the people I care about. The ICU schedule was to come out December 15th and flight prices were climbing steadily so I preemptively purchased a flight for December 24 in hopes that a miracle would take place. Miracle = post-call on Christmas Eve.
When the ICU schedule arrived, I had been granted the 23-25th. In order to make XMAS flight I switched 7 days of my schedule with another resident (Thanks Alex!). This is how it played out..
Thursday Dec. 23rd: Arrive @ hospital 7 am, work all day, on call overnight.
Friday Dec. 24th: Sign out patients early @ 6:30 am, rush to La Guardia to make 9 am flight.
Sat Dec. 25th: Celebrate XMAS.
Sun Dec. 26th: Blizzard in NYC. Flight canceled. Spend night in airport hotel.
Mon Dec. 27th: Supposed to be back in ICU. Rescheduled flight again canceled. Unable to fly into New York City until Thursday December 30th. Fly into D.C. arriving @ Midnight. Take overnight train @ 3 AM into NYC. Arrive in city @ 7 AM. Go directly to hospital with luggage.
Tues Dec. 28th: Work Full day in ICU. Public transport delayed. Walk to 1.5 miles to subway station in 6 feet of snow (uphill..just kidding) with luggage for a 2 hour commute to my apartment (not kidding).
This example is a quick snapshot of my 2010. If you are like me, we are so busy taking care of our patients that there is little time to take care of ourselves. My goal for 2011 is more sleep, more exercise, more balance. When we are able to take better care of ourselves, we are able to better care for our patients.
More sleep: Most important time spent outside of the hospital. Get a sound/white noise machine. Invest in a new bed. Set a schedule as if you were still in grade school (8:30 pm lights out).
More exercise: Keep your cardiovascular pump in shape. Quality over quantity. Try and integrate a 30 minute workout/run into your routine at least 3-4 times a week. Mix it up. Go dancing. Go skiing/snowboarding. Try and pick activities to do with your friends outside of the hospital that require activity.More balance: Less street corner Gyros on your 15 min break during your day. More salads and making healthy meals ahead of time to bring to the hospital. Leave 10 minutes earlier than normal in order to avoid commuter stress. Plan ahead. Take vacation. Avoid being entirely consumed by hospital happenings.
Let's get 2011 started the right way. The HOSPITALstyle way.
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