Many Cuts Later – May 16th

I began this blog three years ago with a post entitled “First Cut (I mean draft).”  I now have well over 1,000  posts (cuts which I hope haven’t been torture to endure)  and many new friends.  

I have been interviewed because of my blog for both the  medical and quilting components.  I’ve even been interviewed by Dr. Anonymous (link removed 3/2017).

I have been included among the Better Health bloggers and gone to Las Vegas where I meet many of you in person.

Thank you all for including me in the blogging community. 

BlogWorld Expo 2009

Updated 3/2017-- all links (except to my own posts) removed as many no longer active. and it was easier than checking each one. 

A trip to Las Vegas to meet fellow medical bloggers in person.
Good panel presentations and discussions.
Great food, laughing, more discussions, karaoke.
Returning home with great memories to loving family
Priceless!

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Check out these great posts (have added more as I found them):

One for the Medical History Books (Emergiblog)

Going Virtual @ BlogWorld (Running a Hospital)

Dr. A Show 123: Live at BlogWorld Expo (Dr Anonymous)
In Case You Were Wondering (Dr Wes)
Blogworld 09 HIPAA and Blogging (Dr Anonymous)
Medbloggers at Blogworld (Dr Anonymous)
How Nurses Want Marketers To Talk To Them (Fresh Influence)
Scenes from Blog World Expo (Kevin, MD)
BlogWorldExpo: Medical Bloggers Make Their Debut (SixUntoMe)
MedBlogWorld In A Nutshell (Dr Anonymous)
The Rise Of The Medical Blogosphere (Dr Bryan Vartabedian)
Blog World Expo 2009 (Gina, CodeBlog)

Vegas Meets MedBlogging — What’s Next? (Marc at JNJ BTW)
ABC News Covers Medblogger Track At Blog World Expo (Dr Val)
More on that Medical Blogging Track at BlogWorld (Marc at JNJ BTW)
Paul Levy Phones It In - Literally! (Dr Anonymous)
Via BlogWorld Expo 09 in Las Vegas (Mother Jones)
Fabulous Las Vegas (Bongi)
BWE 09: Why Bongi Blogs  (Dr Anonymous)

Several Videos from Nursing Show TV, Jamie Davis – PodMedic

• Blogworld Expo – Jamie Interviews Dr A
• Blogworld Expo -Dr A Interviews Mother Jones RN
• Blogworld Expo – Dr A Interviews Bongi
• Blogworld Expo – Dr Wes and Dr Rob

Here is a photo of the comment section of Dr Rob’s T-shirt showing Dr Val’s artwork (notice Zippy)

And this one shows Dr Val's artwork on the back of Bongi's T-shirt. Check out the Hippo.

One for Emergiblog

I had this small “Rosie the Riveter” scrap of fabric which reminded me of Kim, Emergiblog.  She did so much to get the medical bloggers together at the Blog World Expo that I decided to make her a small quilt of thanks.  Here it is:

The quilt is machine pieced and quilted.  It is 25 in square.

Shout Outs

Updated 3/2017-- photos/video and all links (except to my own posts) removed as many no longer active. and it was easier than checking each one. 

Robin, Survive the Journey, is this week's host of Grand Rounds. Her theme is “Participatory Medicine”. You can read this week’s edition here.

When I chose the theme for this week's Grand Rounds, I chose it because it is near and dear to my heart. Before I knew what it was called, I was looking for a "participatory medicine" model. Long before I heard the term "ePatient", I was one.

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Geripal is the host of the  October's edition of Palliative Care Grand Rounds, the monthly best of the Palliative Care blogs.

Welcome to Palliative Care Grand Rounds! This monthly blog carnival highlights some of the best and most interesting blog posts related to palliative care. Grand Rounds are published on the first Wednesday of every month. As this month's host of Palliative Care Grand Rounds, we will give our own "GeriPal spin," incorporating posts that feature the intersection between geriatrics and palliative care. Topics are sorted by heading. Thanks to our readers for suggesting posts. Have fun reading!

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Congratulations to pediatric surgeon Dr Chris Coppola, Made a Difference, who made the following announcement this past week (photo credit):

I got some very exciting news this week; our book is now available for pre-order on Amazon!

I anticipate it will be released 1 NOV, and after that it should also be available at our publisher, NTI Upstream.

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There is a very nice article on proper care of surgical instruments in the “throw-away” publication Surgical Products, September 2009 issue, p 8-10: “In For the Long Haul by Derek Lashua.” This is just an example of the information in the article:

This trouble-shooting guide below will help determine the cause(s) of instrument staining problems.

• Brown/Orange Stains: Most brown/orange stains are not rust. This stain color is the result of high use of chlorhexidine, improper soaps and detergents, baked-on blood or soaking in saline.
• Dark Brown/Black Stains: Low pH (less than 6) acid stain. May be caused by improper detergents and soaps and /or dried on blood.
• Bluish-Black Stains: Reverse plating may occur when two different types of metals are ultrasonically processed together. For example, stainless steel instruments processed with chrome instruments may cause a stain color reaction. Exposure to saline, blood or potassium chloride can also cause this bluish-black stain to occur.
• Multi-Color Stains: Excessive heat caused by a localized “hot spot” in the autoclave.
• Light and Dark Spots: Water spots from allowing instruments to air-dry. With slow evaporation, minerals from water are left on the instrument’s surface.
• Black Stains: Possible exposure to ammonia.

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I very much enjoyed this inspirational article by Matt Damon in this past Sunday’s Parade Magazine:  “We Can Move Mountains” (photo credit)

When I was a boy, my mom had a magnet on the refrigerator with a little picture of Gandhi along with a quote from him. It said: “No matter how insignificant what you do may seem, it is important that you do it.” As a child, I was raised to believe that, and to this day I do my best to live it.

The above article is part of the Make Your Giving Count! Join America's Giving Challenge 2009.  Every little bit counts, like Intueri’s raising money for the MS Society or my small part in helping her or Dr Rob & Zippy raising money to “Stamp out Children’s Brain Cancer!”

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H/T to @murzee for the link (via twitter) to this absolutely wonderful essay on Joy! I hope you’ll read the entire essay.

What does it mean to be commanded to be joyful?…….It seems to me that joy is something different. Joy can be cultivated. And joy can coexist with sorrow……..Joy is deeper than happiness.

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Thanks to @Geek2Nurse

Smart mama--she knew just what to do! RT @dreamingspires: WOW video footage of Elephant giving birth http://bit.ly/46smpU

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Tonight Dr Anonymous will have a pre-BlogWorld Expo Show. Come join us. The show starts at 10 pm EST.

Upcoming Dr. A Shows

10/16: Live from BlogWorldExpo (5 pm ET)
10/17: Dr. A Show: Sat Nite (9 pm ET)
10/22: Dr. A Show: Post BlogWorld Expo

I Registered!

Updated 3/2017--all links (except to my own posts) removed as many no longer active. and it was easier than checking each one. 

I have registered to attend the Blog World Expo.  At this time I am only registered for the Med Bloggers Panel on Thursday, but am looking forward to meeting all of you.  I have word from Dr Sid Schwab that he too is registered.  If his Visa comes through, then Bongi will be attending.  Those two alone should encourage the rest of you to attend.

Not enough.  Then check out the list of panelists from Dr Rob’s post, Blogworld Expo invaded by Medical Bloggers!!!

The following is a list of distinguished bloggers (and me) and the topics they are covering:
Panel #1 The State of the Health Blogosphere: We’ve Come A Long Way, Baby
Moderator: Kim McAllister, Emergiblog
Panelist: Kevin Pho, Kevin MD
Panelist: Nick Genes, Blogborygmi
Panelist: Kerri Sparling, SixUntilMe
Panel #2 Staying On The Good Side of HIPAA: Safe and Ethical Blogging Practices
Moderator: Mike Sevilla, Doctor Anonymous
Panelist: Rob Lamberts, Musings of a Distractible Mind
Panelist: Debra Farber, IBM
Panelist: Bob Coffield, Health Care Law Blog
Panel #3 Blogging For Change: How To Influence Healthcare Through Blogging
Moderator: Val Jones, Better Health
Panelist: Gary Schwitzer, Schwitzer Health News Blog
Panelist: Terri Polick, Nurse Ratched’s Place
Panelist: Gene Ostrovsky, Medgadget
Panel #4 The Value of Blogs To Hospitals, Industry, and News Organizations
Moderator: Gary Schwitzer, Health News Review
Panelist: Marc Monseau, Johnson & Johnson ’s JNJBTW Blog
Panelist: Bob Stern, MedPageToday
Panelist: Paul Levy, Running A Hospital

If you are a medical blogger, contact Kim (Emergiblog)  for information on registering.  You want to be sure you actually register for the Med Blog Panel.