Laughing Matters #5- "Incarnate"

We just returned from a weekend in San Antonio to visit my nieces and brother and sister-in-law. It was a fun time and I will try to post some pics/video(s) shortly.

Until then, I wanted to share a "funny funny".

We were driving past the U. of the Incarnate Word on our way to the botanical gardens. I asked Nate if "Incarnate Word" always referred to a Catholic affiliation. He wasn't sure but guessed that it did. The Word made flesh, he said.

And then, he said... (drumroll please)...

OR it could also mean what I'm doing right now. In-car-Nate!

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Happy New Year!

On Day 11 of the New Year, here are a few random stats for 2010:

- We traveled to Dallas for the wedding of a good friend of mine from High School. Finally had the chance to see my parents for the "holidays"!
- Cheyenne has recovered from a cold... a sneezing cat can be quite entertaining.
- Low in Houston: 22 degrees F/ Low in Euless: 13 degrees F/ Low in Grand Junction: -4 degrees F
- I accidentally threw away a house key after a morning run. Had to scavenge for it.
- Miles logged: 20
- Meals not cooked: 1 (and no meals to cook all week-- Thanks, Nate! More time to blog!) Clam Chowder last night; Chicken stir-fry tonight. Yum!

And finally, I'll leave you with a photo of our abundant wall o' cards!

Brrrr!

When I woke up this morning the Houston forecast on the radio was a high of 32 with a windchill of 12; lows in the 20s. This is supposed to continue through the weekend. I thought I was leaving the cold weather behind in Colorado, but it has followed us here!

Here are some awesome photos of the water wall-- frozen solid-- in the TMC Commons just across from my office: http://www.bcm.edu/news/slideshow/cold010810/

Thoughts for today

Working as a medical professional is not easy. I obviously can’t say that from personal experience, but only from working alongside others who treat patients on a daily basis.

I attended a seminar this morning on palliative care for patients. Basically this means making a patient feel “better” without attempting to fight the disease or illness.

At what point do you make the choice to choose this option for a loved one; especially a small child? How do you tell a child’s family that there is nothing you can do to save the child’s life—that the child will soon die no matter the treatment, and that the next best alternative is to let the child die with as little pain as possible through palliative care? And how does a family accept this option?

About 70 children die every year--- averaging about 5-6 per month--- at Texas Children’s Cancer Center. This is not due to a lack of quality care or innovative treatments, but rather to a deadly disease called cancer which oftentimes is simply uncontrollable and for which no cure yet exists.

Pediatric oncologists not only have to know their medicine, but they also face the challenges of interacting with families who are devastated because their child will not live a normal childhood, and suffers from the effects of cancer. Worse yet, their child may not survive long. These oncologists are responsible for having the “end-of-life” talk with the patients and families… I am not strong enough to do such a thing, and am glad that there are others who are capable.

Being in the midst of the largest medical center in the world, I am daily surrounded not only by medical staff and researchers, but also by patients, families, and friends visiting their loved ones. Because I never quite know what these people have been through or are going through, I am particularly humbled. I am thankful to not be in their shoes, but know that it could be me or anyone in my family, at any moment.

I hope I never have to be in a hospital bed other than to have children (I even don’t want to be in one for that)--- just being in a patient wing makes me sick to my stomach. But in light of what others go through, I know that this is a trifling desire.