Quaintr

I practically ran onto the ward, walked 5 yards to the left, turned, walked 5 yards back, turned again, walked 3 yards to the left, walked a yard to the right, looked around (a bit surprised) and stopped.

An old woman starts laughing and walks towards me: "You look like you've lost something..."

"Just the reason to visit this ward..."

"Shall I help you look?"

"You're looking stylish today... and fancy too."

"Thank you."

"Did you make that skirt yourself?"

"No madam, I didn't. I bought this skirt myself."

"Ohh... well, that's clever!"

Wondering when series three of bones would launch, I payed a visit the official bones website and clicked to watch some additional interviews with the cast... suddenly a deep male voice says:

"There's strong, and there's army strong. It's not just the strength to obay, but the strength to command. Not just the strength in numbers, the strength of brothers. Not just the strength to lift, the strength to raise. Not just to strength to get yourself over, the strength to get over yourself. It's more than physicial strength. It's emotional strength. There's nothing on this green earth stronger than the US army, because there's nothing on this green earth stronger than a US army soldier."

WTF? I was surprised totally flabbergasted to see every interview on the bones website presided by this "Army Strong" ad. I can only begin to imagine the cultural differences between the US and the Netherlands... they must be ocean-wide...

(Ps. I still recommend bones to everyone, just don't visit the website... )

"Sorry doctor, I've got to go. I promised madam I would help her in 5 minutes, 10 minutes ago."

An old man walks by and mumbles: "It doesn't matter, she doesn't remember anyway."

"People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. [...] When someone is in your life for a reason, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer/question you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on. Some people come into your life for a season, because your turn has come to share, grow or learn. They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. [...] It is real, but only for a season. Lifetime relationships teach you lifetime lessons, things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. [...] Thank all for being a part of my life, whether they were a reason, a season or a lifetime."

This beautiful text was send to me by a beautiful woman. But why do all the inspiratory emails in my inbox, have to come with a "send this to every friend that you have on-line, including the person who sent it to you. [...] Something wonderful is about to happen to you and your friends. [...] Please do not break it. Send it to at least 7 of your friends."?

"Doctor? Her urine: leuco 3+, nitrate +, glucose -, ery 2+."

"Does she have a catheter?"

"Yes."

"In that case her urine will always test positive for an urinarytractinfection, antibiotics are only indicated if there are symptoms. Does she have any complaints?"

She grins: "A cough..."

(Yep, I did ask for it... I know...)

I believe it was Hippocrates who once said: "Let food be your medicine, and let medicine be your food." Being on some kind of diet is normally related to loosing weight. Since i don't need to loose weight at all, people always look a bit funny when i mention i'm on a diet. But diets can have profound effects on the body. First and foremost: bowel function. But it also has powerful effects on the cardiovascular, immunological, gynaecological, actually all the other systems of the body. As my body moves through different states of health and disease, so does my diet. I find it a weird and wonderful challenge, although unfortunately a bit tiresome for others but me...

"You look beautiful this morning. Do you want to marry me?"

"Good morning to you too. The doctor is here, she want's to look at your longs."

"The doctor? ... You're a young doctor, do you want to marry me?"

"Good morning sir. Well, I would like to listen to your longs first. ... I'm going to lift up your shirt."

"Iehw... you've got cold hands! Cancel the wedding!"

Setting up business is quite a scary thing to do. Especially cos i believe only 'adults' are capable of doing something like that, since it comes with a lot of responsibilities. You might remember this post. So that's why i didn't start practicing last year. But i must admit, setting up business is back into my mind again, and this time i've started to arrange a practice room and am writing a business plan. Maybe it's the medicine, maybe it's the time of the year, or maybe, just maybe, i'm a grown up...

He was convinced my spending habits would change dramatically if I received my first salary… he was wrong. It changed even before I received my first salary…

My old and bland wardrobe had to be replaced with things suitable for a doctor, yet comfortable and suitable for me. In three weeks time I’ve bought three pants (green, bordeaux and purple), two blouses (black and brown), two short-sleeved shirts (off-white and black), two ¾ sleeved shirts with V-necks (black and purple), one high collared shirt (brown), three sweaters (orange, brown and black), a pair of boots (brown) and two watches (brown and black). And I still need a couple of skirts and a black pair of trousers…

I hope my salary matches my new spending habits...

It's the season of gathering berries and roots and stuff in order to prepare for winter. Since my 'new-academic-year' resolution is to stay in touch with the herbs, i've been gathering and preparing 'lots' of stuff lately. Till last night I had no clear idea when or where i would use them, but i came down with a sore throat. Suddenly the elderberry rob, the onion-thyme syrup, poke berry and lemon balm tincture found their use. Suddenly i realised yet again how wonderful nature is! She provides the remedies you need at the right time! So now i need to get out and gather more elderberries...

"Good afternoon."

"It’s still morning doctor."

"Good morning." 

Hmm, I wonder if M.Alzheimer is contagious…

I always want to dance, she wanted to dance the scottish, it was 11pm and we were having drinks in a regular 'normal' pub. It had a dance floor and very, very loud (not my kinda style) music. But the rhythm was right. So after we ordered some drinks, i jumped up and walked up to her. 

"You're not serious... are you?"

"Well, actually i am." Took her hand and dragged her to the empty dance floor.

We only danced for a couple of mins at most, but by that time a lot of other girls had joined us albeit looking funny at our 'style'. Then she'd enough, feeling a bit funny about it. So we did it her way (which was more suitable for the occasion anyway). Still, i always wonder which one of us is wearing the pants...

"Oh, you ain't feeling well darling? Let me make you something..."

"Mum... what is this?"

"Only some milk boiled with red onion, cardemom pots, nutmeg, cinnamon, fennel seeds."

I will feel so sorry for them, if i ever may have kids... On the other hand: the remedy did work...

"Nurse?"

"Nurse?"

"Nurse?"

"Nurse!"

"Goodmorning. Sorry, but I'm the doctor. Shall I fetch you a nurse?"

"Pardon. No it's okay. I'll find one myself."

Just 30 seconds later...

"Nurse!"

"Sorry mrs, but I'm the doctor. Shall we look for a nurse together?"

"Pardon, it's okay, I'll find one myself," she walks away and mumbles: "Another doctor... I had already found one of those."

It had been a long time since i had worn that dress. It's a very plain, dark blue, dress with long sleeves just long enough to cover my knees. It closes at the back with a piece of normal kitchen string, which is more or less the same colour as the belt i once knotted. It had also been a while since i had walked bare feet to the shops around the corner, but the rays of the autumn sun were shining brightly, warming the pavement.

She (my mom) is a senior health care manager, who just started in a nursing home for the elderly about 100 km south of here. I'm (almost) a MD, in training to become a nursing home physician. We both have gotten a tour at our new jobs, and both were struggling with the layout of the homes. As it turns out, we both work in the same building... the architect has sold it twice...

"Good morning, my name is Queck, I'm the doctor. How are y…"

"Who's doctor?"

"I'm your doctor."

"Aren’t you a bit young to be a doctor?"

"I’ve just graduated, so I am indeed a young doctor. …"

At this moment I hear my name and turn around and the lady whispers "you have got a nice ass though."

As usual, he got ill the week after his vacation. This time it was avery agressive cold, binding him to (our) bed for three days. He was coughing his lungs out, and his body ached with every sneeze. Since hugging him didn't sooth his pain, and an extra hug didn't help either, I decided to make lemon-and-thyme-syrup (the usual recipe: thyme and water on the stove, simmer for fifteen minutes, sive, reduce by half and double the volume again by adding honey and some lemon juice, take a spoonfull to sooth the troat) and placed the cup of warm syrup, and a spoon, on his nightstand. When I returned from work, I found him watching tv in (our) bed, with an empty cup... The week supply of lemon-and-thyme-syrup had dissapeared in two large gulps! He had wandered why the cup came with a spoon...

(It did help though...)

After writing my previous post, I suffered a small (but unmistaken) nervous breakdown... the whole weekend I managed to not think about today (which was, at that time, still called tomorrow), my first day at work as a MD. (Or actually a semi-MD, I have graduated, but I'm not yet registered... so I can't prove I'm a MD yet.) But after a short talk to him and a longer talk to her, I was feeling a bit more at ease and slept like a baby.

This morning, everything seemed to go as planned... I was awake, showered, fed, completely packed, at the right time at the correct busstop. I got on the right bus, listened to Mika on my i-pod, read a newspaper, said some nice words to a seventeen yr old with pimples and long hair, and jumped out a stop to early... d*mn nerves...

When she made me the remedy and went over the actions i was almost convinced i didn't need it. I had already been going over the 'old stuff' in my head and had the feeling i'd passed the hardest bits, so why would i need support? Her only reply was that i might just need it since i probably hadn't completely finished yet.

I could have never guessed that the remedy would have such a profound effect on me. I'm not going through a lot of stuff in my head, but i'm finally clearing out the last boxes! and i'm finally busy with starting up my practice! Okay i must admit i had the same energy going through me last year so it might also have something to do with the season. But still... and the great thing is: it actually feels a bit like St. Nick's.

As someone once so wonderfully described: i apparently 'have got a thing for old gnomes'. Or maybe it should actually be: i've got a thing for old stuff. For the past few days i've been watching Robin of Sherwood and Floris, whilst making clothes (and doing other stuff). Really hilarious to see the way the fights are staged, but lovely costumes and even more wonderful legs *grin*. And to be honest, you won't find them on old gnomes (no offence). So maybe guys, one day...

Three weeks of vacation, among which were a four day trip to Lowlands and a four day stay at a spa, did not do it for me. My mind was still preoccupied with all the things that needed to be done... graduate, get a job, start a new study, finish the house or buy a new one, take care of the financials, let my friends know I'm still alive, visit relatives (same reason), eat properly, and more. This week, the introduction-week (at least I've managed to start a new study), did not do it either... so I hoped to short my to-do-list this weekend, to empty my head a little. Instead, I picked up a book (not a study book, not a book to prepare myself for my first day at work, but the latest (and last) Harry Potter) and started reading, all 607 pages in a little over 9 hours. I didn't think of working, of studing, of DIY, of doing anything... I thought of Harry, Hermione and Ron (and a bunch of others). This weekend was utterly unproductive and completely useless, but I haven't felt this relaxed in months.

"Hi John, it's Eddy... I'm looking for Jim, can you put me through?"

"Hi Tim, it's Eddy... I'm looking for Jim, uhuh, he's not around. Any idea's...? Okay, I'll try."

"Hi Tony, it's Eddy... I'm looking for Jim... he just left? I'll try his cell."

"Hi Jim, it's Eddy... I thought you called me...? Ohh (said in a very dissapointed manner)... okay. Bye."

Don't worry, won't stop learning until I stop living. Just started studying for Queck, nursing home physician (a medical specialist and a cross between a General Practitioner and Geriatric Medicine), planning for Queck, MSc (in Nutrition, Herbal Medicine, Business Administration or Research, or all) and hoping for dr.Queck.