Doctor Psychobabble

“Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.”

― John Lennon

The psychiatry consultation liaison service has been kicking my butt as of late. I have not the time to do much else. My life has become dominated by psychiatry. I have meetings and clinics and lectures and endless plans. I feel like I barely have time to catch my breath. Don’t misunderstand, I do love me some psychiatry. But I hear that there is also a whole other world out there, and I’m fantasizing about joining it again. It’s a good thing that I don’t have to concentrate on living to be alive (an obsession one of my patients has). But luckily, life has been filling in all the cracks in the woodwork.

This rambling was brought to you by my I-only-ate-a-cookie-and-a-banana-today brain. Now back to your regularly scheduled programming….

Photo: Taken on my walk home from work. Awesomeness.

Part of My “Trash Talkin” Photo Series

Please check out my latest post on “The Ink Blot” at Medscape/WebMD to read about my first, and somewhat frightening experience in outpatient therapy.

Click Here to View the Original Post on Medscape

“Mine, immaculate dream made breath and skin
I’ve been waiting for you
Signed, with a home tattoo,
Happy birthday to you was created for you

(can not forgive from falling apart at the seams
Can not believe you’re taking my heart to pieces)

Oh, it’ll take a little time,
Might take a little crime
To come undone now”

- Lyrics to “Come Undone” by Duran Duran

Soooooooo incredibly tired right now. The consultation liaison service is kicking my butt. Non-stop pages. Running around the hospital like superwoman on speed. Yet I still love my job.

Lesson learned from today: TRUST MY GUT!

I am too tired and hungry to share the fascinating stories which are stored in my brain.

G’nite world.

Photo: Me and my fellow psych “Modes” pondering the meaning of life.

I just got home from a long day of psychiatric consults at the hospital. For one reason or another, I was massively swamped with work today. Non-stop pager explosion. Could most definitely have something to do with today being Valentine’s Day. Sadly ironic that many psychiatric complaints were filed on this day.

I am tired. I am hungry. I will leave the rest to your imagination.

Favorite interaction today from a delirious patient I was called to evaluate:

Me: “What is today’s date?”
Blind and Demented Patient: “Ooooooooh, baby, I should have bought you flowers!”
Me: “Wait, what do you mean?”
Blind and Demented Patient: “It’s Valentine’s day, baby, and I want you to be my Valentine!”

LOVE my job!

Photo: My doggy Molly in her uber sexy Valentines’s Day pose.

Part of My “Doggy Doos” Photo Collection

“I just realized that I’m cognitively promiscuous.”

- Dr. Psychobabble

Life has been busy but incredibly awesome as of late. Yesterday, I went to see Phantom of the Opera on Broadway with my fellow “psychos.” I realized that I’m not a huge fan of the Phantom, per se, but I am a huge fan of Broadway shows, especially when the tickets are complimentary.

Today was the first day of a new rotation for me. I am still rotating in consultation liaison psychiatry, but I’m at a different hospital, so it’s added a new perspective and spice. I was then on call at another hospital and just arrived home a few minutes ago.

I had a ridiculously silly consult tonight, and would kill to provide the details, but the damn HIPAA prevents me from doing so. What I can say is that it involved a Ouija board and a misunderstanding. I have the funnest job in the entire universe. Seriously. And you could never make up the things I see. They are simply larger than life.

Time to order some sushi and chow down. I realized today that I am not alone in my sushi addiction, and that makes me happy. It’s good to not be alone.

Here is a random list of stuff “learned” today:

1. Trash makes me happy.

2. Cognitive promiscuity makes me happy.

3. I have the best job there is.

4. Just because a hospitalist thinks a patient has decision making capacity doesn’t make it so.

5. I’m not half bad at reading brain MRIs.

6. When the nurses don’t know me at a hospital, they are at first confused as to why some crazy looking chick is walking around asking questions and talking to patients, but they then become excited to know that I’m a doctor and psychiatrist-in-training.

7. I “get” non-verbal communication on a profoundly deep level.

8. Having an easily accessible fridge at work is a good thing.

9. Haldol is a darn amazing medication.

10. Mostly, people just want someone to talk to.

11. I don’t even want to attempt to imagine life without dogs.

Photo: Taken in Times Square last night after enjoying the Phantom.

“I think life’s an irrational obsession.”

- Sean Penn

I am currently home and post-call for the day. A long, but wonderful day performing psychiatric consults.

I have an obsessive personality. Sometimes this is a good thing and sometimes it’s bad. I realized just now that I was obsessing about the last consult that I saw today. I forgot to ask a few questions that might have been pertinent. Probably not, but still I should have asked. So I continue to review the “what ifs” in my mind, but try to comfort myself with the idea that I still did a good job.

I continue to love psychiatric consults. I must admit that I do love catching problems overlooked by the medical team and enjoy educating the requesting docs on how something is “not psychiatric but medical.”

I also continue to also be obsessed with all things canine, especially my lover, see above photo.

I realize that this post is completely jumbled and stream of consciousness. But this is where my mind takes me tonight.

Time to assemble a hummus platter and catch up on my sleep before tomorrow….

Part of My “Doggy Doos” Photo Collection

Please check out my latest post on “The Ink Blot” at Medscape/WebMD to read reasons to reconsider calling a psychiatric consult.

Click Here to View the Original Post on Medscape

“You start a conversation you can’t even finish it.
You’re talkin’ a lot, but you’re not sayin’ anything.
When I have nothing to say, my lips are sealed.
Say something once, why say it again?

Psycho Killer,
Qu’est-ce que c’est
fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa far better
Run run run run run run run away
Psycho Killer
Qu’est-ce que c’est
fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa far better
Run run run run run run run away”

- Lyrics to “Psycho Killer” by the Talking Heads

Today was an epic day. I mean, really great. I just got home from the hospital. It was a 15-hour day. Was on call. Not horrible. Speaking in short sentences because that works with my brain.

My day went something like this. Walked to the hospital. Got sign out. Had a philosophical conversation with my attending about achieving one’s purpose in life and subatomic particles and such. Saw an interesting consult where I really connected with the patient. Did some other things. Went to an residency applicant lunch where I got to answer some questions. Went to a great Grand Rounds on the subject of violence in first break psychosis (hence the quote above). Followed up on some patients. Consoled a family and obtained information from them. Did some teaching in between. Went on call. Saw another interesting case and possibly even did some good. Was asked by my patient if I could be her out-patient doc. Taught a medical student. Took a strange phone call. Made a strange phone call. Did some faxing. Did some follow ups. Walked home.

Yes, I’m talking a lot but not saying much.

I’m sorry, but all the good stuff is in between the lines.

Time to eat!

Part of My “Yo Brooklyn, Fuhgeddaboudit” Photo Series

Part of My “Trash Talkin” Photo Series

“And for the few that only lend their ear, That few is all the world.”

- Samuel Daniel

I just got home from a somewhat long but definitely tiring day of work at the hospital on the psychiatry consultation liaison service. I feel as though lately I have a million awesome thoughts flying through my mind during the day but by the time I get home and sit down in front of my computer, I forget most of them. Since making lists always seems to inspire me, here is a random list of thoughts from this week:

1. I am happy to be walking to work again. I was forced to drive to work last month, and I think it destroyed a part of me. Hitting the pavement again makes me happy.

2. One of the attendings that I work with is simply too amazing to put into words. She’s brilliant and creative and never hesitates to dive headfirst into a deep philosophical conversation.

3. I love working with medical students and teaching. I’m lucky to have 2 med students with me this month. They keep me honest, keep me on my toes, and keep me thinking.

4. Psychiatry remains the coolest field out there. If only HIPAA weren’t in my way…I have SO MANY fascinating patient stories to share.

5. Cheap happy hour drinks with my fellow “psychos” is something wonderful to look forward to every week.

6. If I don’t run soon, I will implode. (Have been resting my injured ankle but hoping to give it a spin this weekend.)

7. Calming an agitated patient with words instead of medications is good for the patient, and the doctor.

8. I think my doggies get me better than any humans ever will.

9. The clothes don’t make the person, the person makes the clothes.

10. Sometimes I feel bad for using my blog to get things off of my chest. But the world makes for such a lovely bended ear.

I’m on call tomorrow, so it’s time for me to discover some leftovers in my fridge and subdue my brain with some non-intellectual Netflix watchin!

Photo: Taken a few doors down from my new office.

Today was my first day on my consultation liaison psychiatry rotation. What the heck is that, you ask? Here is a quick and dirty description from Wikipedia:

Liaison psychiatry, also known as consultative psychiatry or consultation-liaison psychiatry is the branch of psychiatry that specialises in the interface between medicine and psychiatry, usually taking place in a hospital or medical setting. Liaison psychiatry has areas of overlap with other distinct disciplines including psychosomatic medicine, health psychology and neuropsychiatry. The role of the consultation-liaison psychiatrist is to see patients currently admitted as general medical inpatients at the request of the treating medical or surgical consultant or team. This is known as a ‘consult’ and constitutes the consultation facet of the role.

I’ve worked on the “CL” service as it’s known while on call, but this is my first time working during regular hours. It was an interesting day. However, I am very tired for some not entirely known reason. Perhaps it’s the frigid weather and limited amount of daylight.

Anyway, more to come. Promise.

In the meantime, please enjoy the “trashy” photos in this post. All taken on my walk to the hospital.

Part of My “Trash Talkin” Photo Series