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[dear_tiger]

Well, OB wasn't quite vile enough to deserve a Fuckunicorn, but I'm still happy that it's over. Coming up is internal medicine for 12 weeks. I hear good things about the rotation, except that I worked in one of the best cardiology centers in the country before med school, and the preview of what cardiology is like in this hospital has me shivering

Comments

[ash48]

*nods* I've been having mixed feeling about that also (the requests fro donations). I've also started to become wary and I hate feeling like that. In most cases I do believe the stories and it's horrible to think that people get so desperate that they need to ask for money. And I often wonder how hard it is for people to actually manage their lives like grownups? I mean, I wonder if it's easy to think that (like I do I admit) when you are actually able to do it. Perhaps for some, they just can't. I dunno. It's difficult.

Though, can I say that this troubled me on first reading College is a privilege, not a necessity and not a right. I was going to argue that education is most definitely a right and necessity, but I think you mean in terms of begging for money, that's not something that's appropriate? - especially if you've made a choice to go to college. Personally. I think its sad that anyone has to pay for higher education but that's a different matter …;)

[dear_tiger]

I can definitely believe that it's not easy for people to ask for money - but then again, I don't believe that it's easy being a highway bum. I mostly believe the stories, just like you. But then again, did we have some terrible trend before this year of fangirls starving, going homeless and dying of untreated diseases before this wave started? No, I don't think so. So people must've handled their problems somehow, because problems happen all the time. I just feel that people now see this as an easy way out, and I hate it.

I agree with you that education is a right, but not higher education, not in this country. Would be nice if it was, but it's not, and that's just the reality we live with. I'll admit to being biased here, because I worked nights for eight years to put myself through college and then had to kiss US med schools goodbye for being a responsible adult (and a non-traditional student). Silly me, should've panhandled instead.

[ash48]

but not higher education, not in this country

Yeah. I admit to not really giving much thought to how the US system works in the past but have become interested lately because our current government wants our system to be the same (in Australia). I absolutely believe that some people can do everything it takes to make it - but I also believe that some just can't (for whatever reason) and end up being disadvantaged. But yeah, that's the reality for sure (though I am hoping it doesn't become the reality here, but I think it will one day).

The Go Fund Me option has certainly brought about the recent change. I suppose we hear about all those stories now simply because of that. In the past people did not think about asking people to deposit money directly into their accounts or send cheques. Though I have also liked fandom's ability to offer support to those who need it - and not just financially. In fact, mostly not financially.

[dear_tiger]

Oh hey, I somehow forgot or didn't know that you were in Australia! I hope they don't follow our example over there. This system blows. At least if your 18-year-olds enroll in college and get some silly but fun degree that will never get them a job, they end up educated and jobless, not educated, jobless and in debt up to their ass. I hated college. It was appalling how many families were dishing out the money for their kids to "find themselves" in music, literature, classics, philosophy, anthropology or Japanese.

And you're right that some people can make it anyway but most can't. And all I can say is, life isn't fair and we need to deal with it anyway. Fandom is great in providing support! But this tide of telling LJ your problem and asking for money needs to stop.

[ephermeralk]

Yay! I hope you enjoy internal medicine, even if its not up to previous standards.

And O.o, dammit, does this mean that you re not going to pay for my giant ass student loans?? Which, you know I actually work to pay off instead of going to cons and buying SPN memoribilia??

:D

[dear_tiger]

Gurl, they had this lady on my last day whose pule ox showed jumps in heart rate up to 190, like arrhythmias like to do. They brought an EKG machine, took a baseline, and I convinced them to sit on it until she has one of those events, so we could see it on EKG. Nothing. Still her baseline sinus tach, which her pulse confirmed, while the pulse ox was reading 190. The sensor is misreading, right? Nope. They called cards consult. Cards wouldn't come because they're a bunch of lazy bums and pansies. She was kept overnight for a malfunctioning pulse ox. I moaned and groaned. In the morning, this dick of a resident is like, Well, she should've been on tele. Riiiiight. I told him that would've been even sillier. Just fucking watch them discharge her with a diagnosis of SVT.

Well, shit, I was going to pay off your student loans but then you went and got a boyfriend!

[ephermeralk]

Ok, but why would you trust a pulse ox over listening?? Like your pulse ox goes that crazy the first thing you do is listen apically to see if its correct.

Dammit! He doesn't want to pay for my student loans either, but he does like to take me places and pay for my food/drinks, so I guess that will have to do.

They called for references yesterday for PCU/ICU :D

[dear_tiger]

Not only over listening, but over EKG as well. My attending was like, I'm a vagina doctor, don't talk to me about EKGs! *in a strong Russian accent* Which, okay, fair enough, but this to too much silliness.

That's okay, though/. He buys you cool shirts and sends you puppy pictures. He's good people. I guess you'll just have to work! :D

Eeeeeeeeee! Speaking of working! Hey, what does the P stand for?

[tsuki_no_bara]

you're done with ob! how does it feel? does it feel good? how long before you're all caught up on your sleep? :D

[dear_tiger]

\o/ it feels amazing! I slept for almost a full day straight, no kidding. I took a "yay, i'm so ridiculously happy to be in bed!" photo, to document the feeling

[amberdreams]

You are voicing something I've been feeling lately, and been too much of a wuss to say myself. I think Ash has hit the nail on the head - Go-fund-me and the like have made it easy for people to receive money, and also made it easier to ask. This fandom is renowned for its generosity and for being a family. And families support each other through difficult times, right? Right

[dear_tiger]

Damn right you should spend some of your savings on conventions and photo ops!

I like the point that you bring up: that the overflow of these requests has been obscuring those cases where people really are in desperate situations. I say quit contributing. There are tons of worthy causes, and "my shithead son crashed my car and I have no money to fix it" is not one, imo. There really is no end to them. And there never will be, because shit will keep happening to people, that's just life, and people need to stop panhandling every time it does. Like Indiachick pointed out below, we're actually incredibly privileged in this country, and I'm ashamed for my countrymen who will ask for money to help them keep their first world privileges.

[cassiopeia7]

Congrats on escaping the horrors of obstetrics, Doc!

Regarding the spate of "please donate" that's been going on lately . . . well, let's just say that I've become increasingly wary of them all, but especially of the ballsy repeat offenders who keep returning to the well, over and over and over again. Alas, as long as there are pigeons willing to keep on forking over the cash, it'll keep on happening.

I've possibly reached the age where I don't give a fuck anymore.

Congratulations, Doc! Feels good, doesn't it?

[dear_tiger]

\o/ Thank you! No more vagina-diving!

The sad part is, I know exactly who you mean by "repeat offenders".

:D It does feel good to just not give a fuck anymore. A few years ago there'd be panic and hyperventilation. Now it's like, Eh.

[cassiopeia7]

No more vagina-diving!

Could be worse -- you could have a proctology rotation. :D And if something grabs your finger while you're rooting around in there, I'm fairly sure that SOP really IS to run like your ass was on fire. O_O

Hey, I'm just happy that you hit your "don't give a fuck" tolerance relatively early. It took me decades to get to that level. /o\

[dear_tiger]

Yup! Run like my ass was on fire is about what I'd do if something grabbed me from inside the ass. Thankfully, proctology would be considered an elective, so I'll be avoiding that altogether, thank you.

Hey, you did get there :D