I am currently doing my Obstetrics and Gynecology block at Toowoomba base Hospital, about 2 hours drive west of Brisbane. I am very much enjoying it. One of the great things about being here is that I am that much closer to Stanthorpe, which has become a favourite destination for Rob and I. Stanthorpe has the record of being the coldest place in Queensland, and
can easily dip into the minus figures during winter season (which the
locals have renamed "Brass Monkey season") It also has some of the best
fruit, wine and cheese in Queensland. Rob managed to come out for the
weekend, so we took a day trip out.
First stop was Sutton's apple orchard and cidery, to have their amazing apple pie for breakfast (Sometimes being an adult is awesome). Then, because the main apple picking season had ended, we could head out to the orchard and pick a bag of tree ripened apples. The price was a donation to the local carer's association. These apples are the most apple-y smelling and tasting fruit you've ever had. They've never seen the inside of a truck, and go straight from tree to mouth. Yum!
Next stop was the Granite Belt Dairy to sample their cheese and pick up some for the way home. Our favourite is a variety called Thulimba, almost like a butter cheese. They also make a "Brass Monkey Blue", but Rob is not a fan of blue cheese (he says it's the crunchy bits that throw him off it)
Then we headed over to Ballandean Estate Winery. We first encountered the place when we came with TROHPIQ (rural health club from UQ). We were supposed to go to the races, but they had been rained out. Quick as a wink, our host, Dr. Dan Halliday arranged a winery tour instead. We saw and tasted at about 4 wineries, and Ballandean has brought us back over and over since then. They have a lovely shop filled with local gourmet goodies, and a chance to taste their lovely wines. I also love the Barrel Room Cafe. The barrels, which are still filled with aging port, were originally imported early last century from Germany. The food is such a delight! I had a seafood creation and Rob had cannelloni filled with beef stripthat fell apart with a fork. Sooooo good.
Of course, no trip to Stanthorpe is complete without a stop at the Bramble Patch for fresh ice cream and fruit and the Quart Pot Bakery for pies to take home. We made one last stop at a fruit stand to pick up pears and yet more apples. It was a lovely day!
Yesterday Rob and I went to the Brisbane Bookfest. The rule was don't buy more than you can carry.
Fun was had by all, and I was reminded how eclectic my taste in music is (The Carpenters, Big Band music of the '40's, Destiny's Child, Best of Beethoven, Dance Mix, City on a Hill). The best part was getting CDs at a tenth of the retail price. Or finding a 1910 translation of "the Imitation of Christ" by Thomas A Kempis.
The money goes to support the Lifeline charity, and we get new books to read. YAY!
But I have become a used item shopper on a wider scale in the last couple years. Not just because my "perpetual student" budget demands it, but often you can find real gems at thrift stores (or "Op shops" as they're called in Oz) I have managed to shrink about 8 sizes over the last year, and I have found that op shopping is the best way to deal with the transitions. As I undergrow something, if it's still in good shape, I can donate it back. Our car is second hand, as is the kitchen table set. I am becoming increasingly intolerant of paying "new" sticker price.
Major exceptions are of course underwear and swimwear. New or none in that category.
A aptitude test is floating around among my Facebook medical buddies, with 130 questions which will help slot you into the specialty where you think like the average consultant of that ilk. My top 10 were definitely not what I was expecting:
The test is mostly mostly horsefeathers, in my opinion. Children are probably my least favourite patients. Bears are more predictable. And population health (needed to do preventative med) makes me want to gouge my eyes out with a pickle fork. OK, if you can't stand interruptions in your schedule, emergency medicine may feel a bit grating. Or if you can't abide with the thought of your patients dying regularly, oncology and palliative care are probably not for you. Or you'll get used to it. It's amazing the things we learn to accept and work with as we are transformed from lay people into doctors:
High caffeine levels and minimal sleep.
Asking awkward questions non-awkwardly, and keeping a poker face regardless of the answer.
Living under bureaucracy that tells us when and where to show up (if we're lucky), but demands we be flexible lest they change it all at the last minute.
Consuming and regurgitating stacks of information and theory, and learning how to synthesize it together to make decisions on the spot.
And then have patients not fit the textbook. Ever.
So in the end, we need to find out what we want to be when we grow up by experience, not tendency. It would be sad if all oncologists thought the same. Or every surgeon fit the stereotype. Thanks goodness we are all different.
Can you name the smallest muscle in your body? It's the stapedius, and it's actually in your head. Thus you can go around knowing you are a musclehead, regardless of your level of fitness. You are also a fathead and a bonehead at the same time, but those are different stories. The stapedius works together with the tensor tympani muscle to dampen sudden loud noises, dropping the intensity by 20Db! This protective mechanism is called the acoustic reflex.
On Thursday night, we gave those muscles a mighty workout by going to a concert at The Zoo (Fortitude Valley) with Mutemath. The band is a new favourite of ours, and when they came to town, we saw them live in their first Australian concert of their Odd Soul tour. They put on a fantastic show, and despite being severely jetlagged were enthusiastically thrashing and jumping all over the place. The drummer actually taped his earphones to his head as he was so exuberant!
Rob had an app that measured sound amplitude on his phone, so we checked- the average was around 82Db. That is actually enough to cause gradual hearing loss after prolonged exposure- which probably explained why all the staff there were wearing earplugs!
We enjoyed the concert immensely. My current favourite is "Blood Pressure" (yah, I know- no surprise there.) It is a brilliant video:
And one of the more interesting videos around:
This segment makes the drums and bass players some of my musical heros:
