New Mr. Deity!

I LOVE Mr. Deity. And it has an excellent guest star this time around. Enjoy.

Surgery On A Scientist

So a big reason why I've not launched wholeheartedly into this blog just yet is because I've not been feeling too great. I went to the Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist yesterday, and was diagnosed with chronic tonsillitis. Between feeling like I have a low-grade flu pretty much constantly, not being able to breathe or swallow properly, and having quite sharp pains in my throat, I've not been having the best couple of weeks.

After a lot of consideration, I've decided to go ahead and schedule the tonsillectomy. The ENT says it is elective, but frankly, I can't disagree with him more.

And because I am who I am, I became fascinated with how they excise the tonsils and how the anaesthesia works. Here is an amazing video of excising the tonsil from the ligament. Notice as the surgeon pulls the tissue away how clean and smooth the surgical site is. That is where the scab forms. This is not for the squeamish, but it certainly isn't the worst surgery I've ever watched. ;)

I began this process nervously; I haven't had surgery in years, and certainly nothing was removed. But I find comfort in an understanding of the procedure and the recovery period. I also have found some good tips on keeping myself as pain-free and healthy as possible while I recover. From what I understand the recovery period is not fun. But then, surgery isn't all that fun either.



A side note: when obtaining medical information, I like the NIH website for information I can trust and verify, as well as clarity and organization. This is a pretty good article for general anesthesia. I studied anesthetics during my pharmacology class last semester, and while the drugs may be different depending on what the doctor likes to use and the patient's history, generally an injected anesthetic is used to sedate the patient and then inhalant anesthetic is used to maintain unconsciousness. The patient may also take an oral sedative or antipsychotic to calm themselves if they are experiencing anxiety before the operation.

By all accounts the average tonsillectomy is about 25 minutes. That's not too bad at all. Because we are such big animals, surgery can be a long and complicated process. But tonsillectomies are considered external surgeries, and so sutures aren't used and there is no need for 'closing up'.

Hopefully things will be a bit better soon. I am allotting 2 weeks for recovery time, because I am a wimp. We'll see how soon I can get in and hopefully I will be 100% before school starts.

A Word On The Oslo Bombings

It was horrible. Most of the people that died were children and teenagers. And people are using this sad, sick day to further their religious and political agendas. Not cool, Faux News. Not cool.

"Norway’s Prime Minister is a liberal atheist, they have one of the best economies in the world, they have universal health care, and subsidized education, it has had the highest Human Development Index 7 years in a row, and it’s never started a pointless war, given tax breaks to the richest, and created Jersey Shore — yet it’sAmerica that knows best."

— Matthew Trevithick, responding to this story, “Former Bush Official Places Blame For Oslo Attack On Norwegians For Not Being ‘Serious’ About Terrorism,” with a comment that wins the universe. (via cognitivedissonance)

Once again, from the wonderful blog of abaldwin. 

Plans? We Don't Need No Steenkin' Plans!

I totally stole this from Activate the Mechanism. By the way, go read his blog. He is awesome and sexy and hilarious. Enjoy.

Thanks, Tyler. This was too perfect not to share!

Summertime In The City

I very much want to dust off my blog and get back into the swing of things. The last several months have been both extremely busy and rather hard, and now that the dust and cat hair has settled I'd like to pick up where I left off. I know I owe you two further discussions on action potentials, and I'd like to do a regular reaction/debunking of the Dr. Oz show.

But let's catch up a bit, shall we? Have some wine and some cheese, get comfy. This is going to be a sweet, smooth return to being friends.

We'll only go as far as you're comfortable, baby. ;)

I finished my last semester at State in May. In a way, I'm a little maudlin. State gave me so much: new goals, new aspirations, departmental and faculty contacts, opportunities that I certainly lacked previously. I am deeply grateful to my friends and professors. I am so happy and excited about where my life is going next.

And boy is it going! I got into a graduate program at CSU East Bay, in the Biology Department. I have a whole field of research to look forward to, a TA position, possible papers that I can publish. It is a whirlwind and so thrilling. I get to do 2 years of bench research, and that is just precisely where I want my life to be.

And it opens up options. In a year I can decide whether or not to push on through to med school or find a program to obtain my PhD. If I get my PhD I will probably go get my PA license so that I can do clinical neurology research and I can still get my hands on patients. If I get my MD I won't need a PhD to do clinical research, just permission from the ethics and humanities board at my hospital. That is the norm for all clinical research.

And I am still looking at what the military can offer me in terms of benefits. The Air Force or Navy look very appealing, and not only are the medical and housing benefits nice, so is retirement. In addition, I can get my hands on the types of patients that I want to: patients suffering from percussion neuropathy or patients with phantom limb or other types of odd pain. I still want to look at the modulation of the nervous system by the endocrine systems, and I would still love to be a surgeon.

And what is most exciting about my acceptance by this program is that all of these options are laid out for me on the table. I just have to grab for them.

My completing GPA at State was 3.3. That is not half bad for all upper division pre-medical science courses.

I know I haven't been around much lately. But I'm hoping to change that.

Keep watching. There will be more new stuff coming up. Also, as I get into research and teaching, there will be more for me to talk about.

Stay reasonable,
-Reading Frame

The Freethinker's Pantheon

My husband and I were BSing in the car when I mentioned in passing that I'd be praying if I was on the back of a sports motorcycle that was going about 60mph, like the girl we'd just passed. My husband, also an atheist, grinned and asked who I'd be praying to.

Without missing a beat, I said "I'd be praying to our great Lord and Savior, Sagan. All hail his name."

Within seconds we'd put together an atheist pantheon, and I was so amused by the idea that I thought I'd share.

All hail the great and mighty Sagan.

All hail and worship the Son of Sagan, Neil Degrasse Tyson.

The saints of this pantheon would be Saint Dawkins, Saint Dennet, Saint Myers and Saint Harris for the multiple miracles performed in the name of skepticism and science. 

The two apologists for this particular religion (if you can call it such!) would be Hitch and Ophelia Benson.

We giggled all the way home on this. Pure gold.