Saturday, 23 April 2011
Friends
All my friends who I have regular contact with have problems they seem to like sharing with me. I am a good listener, I like to think. Also I make sure I come up with some sort of practical advice. I realise this might not help everyone, especially not in psychiatry, but I realise that this works for me so it's the advice I dish out. Sometimes I need some space to myself though- everyone has problems, either deal with them or learn to ignore them. Hmph.
French Pastries
Meant to be danish pastries... But had no recipe and imagination didn't quite turn out right.
Ready rolled puff pastry, cut into rounds and baked until risen. Unfortunately the edges were all stuck together because of the cutter, so they were puff pastry flying saucers instead. They did not sink in the middle and crumbled when I tried to split them to fill them with pre-bought creme patisserie.
I decided to practise my icing bag skills and made them look beautiful by icing the creme patisserie onto the top of them in rosettes and then dredging the whole lot in icing sugar.
They looked pretty and tasted good, probably a combination of the icing sugar and beautiful M&S vanilla creme patisserie. Mmm
Ready rolled puff pastry, cut into rounds and baked until risen. Unfortunately the edges were all stuck together because of the cutter, so they were puff pastry flying saucers instead. They did not sink in the middle and crumbled when I tried to split them to fill them with pre-bought creme patisserie.
I decided to practise my icing bag skills and made them look beautiful by icing the creme patisserie onto the top of them in rosettes and then dredging the whole lot in icing sugar.
They looked pretty and tasted good, probably a combination of the icing sugar and beautiful M&S vanilla creme patisserie. Mmm
Jam Tarts
Sweet shortcrust pastry, baked blind first.
This is a lot harder than anyone told me! I'm beginning to see why people would go and buy these ready made. I rolled out the pastry too thick and the rounds too big, and cooked them all too long. They were going to be egg custards but they were too cooked when I took them out of the oven so I had to improvise.
Putting a dollop of jam (nutella, marmalade, strawberry jam and lemon curd, I made a few of each) in the middle and whipping up a meringue topper actually meant they were quite cute and edible.
Next time I'll concentrate more on the pastry cases being the right size, shape etc.
This is a lot harder than anyone told me! I'm beginning to see why people would go and buy these ready made. I rolled out the pastry too thick and the rounds too big, and cooked them all too long. They were going to be egg custards but they were too cooked when I took them out of the oven so I had to improvise.
Putting a dollop of jam (nutella, marmalade, strawberry jam and lemon curd, I made a few of each) in the middle and whipping up a meringue topper actually meant they were quite cute and edible.
Next time I'll concentrate more on the pastry cases being the right size, shape etc.
Cupcakes
Simple victoria sponge mix, 4442, made 18 little cakes.
Mainly about the decoration:
Betty Crocker light and creamy frosting, piped in little rosettes covering the surface and decorated with pale pink glitter from asda.
Thought the icing was the best bit for me, apart from the appearance. Have had other people try them and they've commented how light the sponge was which is encouraging.
Looking forwards to when they're all gone so I can make more!
Mainly about the decoration:
Betty Crocker light and creamy frosting, piped in little rosettes covering the surface and decorated with pale pink glitter from asda.
Thought the icing was the best bit for me, apart from the appearance. Have had other people try them and they've commented how light the sponge was which is encouraging.
Looking forwards to when they're all gone so I can make more!
Monday, 18 April 2011
Anti Social
Sometimes I wonder whether I like spending time by myself because of my upbringing, in the countryside away from everyone. Other times I think it's because of my depression.
Today I have loved being out in the garden all by myself. I made an entire border and dug it over ready to plant up tomorrow. I put up trellis and did a little weeding.
I have also enjoyed watching tv alone. House programs mainly that give me inspiration for what one day I could live in.
I have washed up in silence with just the sound of my own thoughts and the birdsong outside. Bliss.
There must be an evolutionary reason for being nice to people and putting effort into spending time with them. I can't see it though. I do enough of that at work.
Today I have loved being out in the garden all by myself. I made an entire border and dug it over ready to plant up tomorrow. I put up trellis and did a little weeding.
I have also enjoyed watching tv alone. House programs mainly that give me inspiration for what one day I could live in.
I have washed up in silence with just the sound of my own thoughts and the birdsong outside. Bliss.
There must be an evolutionary reason for being nice to people and putting effort into spending time with them. I can't see it though. I do enough of that at work.
Honeycomb Cupcakes
Normal cupcake mix and failed honeycomb mix from a month ago!
Mashed up the honeycomb and had in mind gorgous speckled cupcakes with a mild caramel taste.
Turned out as gooey sunken cupcakes with a layer of sugary goo at the bottom. Jon says they're delicious, and I suppose they do taste good as long as you don't see them. No decoration necessary.
Mashed up the honeycomb and had in mind gorgous speckled cupcakes with a mild caramel taste.
Turned out as gooey sunken cupcakes with a layer of sugary goo at the bottom. Jon says they're delicious, and I suppose they do taste good as long as you don't see them. No decoration necessary.
Cheating White Bread
Ingredients: 1 bag of pre-mixed stuff, warm water.
Every loaf I wver make is too heavy. Made the bread to go with the bacon. Tasted delicious, but even in bread roll form it was too heavy! Suggestions appreciated.
Every loaf I wver make is too heavy. Made the bread to go with the bacon. Tasted delicious, but even in bread roll form it was too heavy! Suggestions appreciated.
Tuesday, 12 April 2011
Speciality Cartoons
I love this. It makes me smile.
12 Specialist Stereotype Cartoons
So far, true about the neurosurgeons. Let's see about the psychiatrists.
12 Specialist Stereotype Cartoons
So far, true about the neurosurgeons. Let's see about the psychiatrists.
Monday, 11 April 2011
Cannulation Difficulty Link
I love scales in medicine. The "how hard was your last cannulation?" scale here.
Psychiatry
Loved my new job even before day 1 started. Woke up at 8, when I would previously have already battled the morning traffic and chased up bloods and be starting the ward round.
Not sure what I'm allowed to do yet. The first couple of days weren't really representitive I hope, because of the induction, meetings, teaching sessions etc. My third day was a bit strange, ward round in the morning without any patients, then a meeting where I sat and listened to people talking about whether they needed to bring people in from the community. Lunchtime I was told there wasn't a junior doctor in another unit so could I go and sign some paperwork? Had a lovely drive in the sunshine, stopped off for lunch and a browse around asda. Signed paperwork and went back to home unit.
As there didn't seem like anything else to do I wandered into the office and, having left before half 4 the previous days, thought I'd say farewell and head off to the sunny back garden for an ice cream. However, there was a new patient that needed clerking in and no other doctors around to do it.
First psychiatry clerking since finals went ok. I asked most of the right questions and got a lot of the answers without prompting. I thought the rapport was ok, even though the patient was psychotic with illusions, delusions, auditory and visual hallucinations! At one point she asked if I was laughing at her which makes me think that my ?finals remark about having a smile that was out of place might have been correct. I can't help it though, my smile is me.
I sometimes wonder whether when I'm mildly depressed I'm like other people normally. Unless I can give a big grin and mean it I don't think I'm happy. Maybe I'm "normally" in a hypomanic state. My last educational supervisor said I was "cheerful" on my report form, and everybody says how nice it is to see a smile in a morning. It's nice not to be depressed at the minute. Sunshine and prozac. Marvellous.
Not sure what I'm allowed to do yet. The first couple of days weren't really representitive I hope, because of the induction, meetings, teaching sessions etc. My third day was a bit strange, ward round in the morning without any patients, then a meeting where I sat and listened to people talking about whether they needed to bring people in from the community. Lunchtime I was told there wasn't a junior doctor in another unit so could I go and sign some paperwork? Had a lovely drive in the sunshine, stopped off for lunch and a browse around asda. Signed paperwork and went back to home unit.
As there didn't seem like anything else to do I wandered into the office and, having left before half 4 the previous days, thought I'd say farewell and head off to the sunny back garden for an ice cream. However, there was a new patient that needed clerking in and no other doctors around to do it.
First psychiatry clerking since finals went ok. I asked most of the right questions and got a lot of the answers without prompting. I thought the rapport was ok, even though the patient was psychotic with illusions, delusions, auditory and visual hallucinations! At one point she asked if I was laughing at her which makes me think that my ?finals remark about having a smile that was out of place might have been correct. I can't help it though, my smile is me.
I sometimes wonder whether when I'm mildly depressed I'm like other people normally. Unless I can give a big grin and mean it I don't think I'm happy. Maybe I'm "normally" in a hypomanic state. My last educational supervisor said I was "cheerful" on my report form, and everybody says how nice it is to see a smile in a morning. It's nice not to be depressed at the minute. Sunshine and prozac. Marvellous.
Bell Ringing
Latest on the bell ringing: I can just about set the bell now unaided. I've started to try the lengthening and shortening of handstrokes so hopefully not long till I can understand a tune. Some of the phrases are becoming a bit more familiar. I now understand a "course of" something compared to a "touch of" something. I thought they were just the Yorkshire dialect way of saying "we'll have a got at" something, but they have actual meanings! Course is played from beginning to end until you end up doing rounds again, and a touch is when someone can say something (maybe touch or bob?) at a certain point and everybody jumps backwards a few bits so it just keeps going and going.
I still have to learn how to shorten and lengthen my backstrokes, but if it's anything like as much hard work as the handstroke ones then I can wait! I was sweating buckets and my arms ached for days after the last session!
Still not ringing open.
I still have to learn how to shorten and lengthen my backstrokes, but if it's anything like as much hard work as the handstroke ones then I can wait! I was sweating buckets and my arms ached for days after the last session!
Still not ringing open.
Chocolate Cookies
8oz Self Raising Flour
8oz butter
5oz caster sugar
2oz cocoa powder
1 egg
Saw this recipe at work in the little book club bit. Thought I'd memorised it and it was all looking great until I realised the biscuit dough was too sticky to roll out. Tasted delicious raw though
Waste not, want not however. Baking session was rescued: rolled into golf-ball sized balls, baked at 180C for about15 minutes. Still a bit doughy in the middle, sort of a cross between a cake and a bisuit. Lots of cocoa made them delicious. Possible improvement with white chocolate chips next time.
8oz butter
5oz caster sugar
2oz cocoa powder
1 egg
Saw this recipe at work in the little book club bit. Thought I'd memorised it and it was all looking great until I realised the biscuit dough was too sticky to roll out. Tasted delicious raw though
Waste not, want not however. Baking session was rescued: rolled into golf-ball sized balls, baked at 180C for about15 minutes. Still a bit doughy in the middle, sort of a cross between a cake and a bisuit. Lots of cocoa made them delicious. Possible improvement with white chocolate chips next time.
Monday, 4 April 2011
Mothers Day
Went to church yesterday. Service was good, but the curate's growing a beard and looks funny so was trying not to giggle. I like my church, one of the vicars walks around playing the guitar - it's a bit of a hippy church I think but it suits me.
The curate found me afterwards and we chatted for a bit. I'm having a bit of an unstable time at the minute mood-wise (worried that it'll be a third april/may in a row I've spent depressed, it's like SAD but when the sun comes out!) and I said I was ok when he asked. He said "you can fool some people some of the time but you can't fool all of the people all of the time" or something like that. He often gives me that knowing look, even when I'm having a good time and life is running smoothly. Sometimes it's nice to think someone can read my mood, other times I just want a bit of space. Anyway, he asked me to give him a call about meeting up to talk about confirmation classes. I'm not sure if I want to commit to all that just yet - I have plenty of time in the rest of my life to do that. Might give him a call.
Rushed to get mum last minute mothers day gift after church - M&S and the works. Brill. Nice flowers and a few art supplies in a pretty bag (recycled from the drawer) and a handmade card from the night before. Couldn't see a mothers day card I liked so I got a birthday card and chopped it up, made a stand out bit, stuck it onto black card and decorated it with a silver gel pen. It looked fab, even if I do say so myself.
Mum came over yesterday afternoon in her brand new camper van. It's a citroen something, quite cute looking but posh inside. We chatted, she cleaned the kitchen, we chatted some more and went out for dinner at an amazing pub nearby. It's cheap but the portion sizes are perfect and the atmosphere is good. You can tell we've moved to a nicer area when the pubs have a bring and buy book service in one of the alcoves.
The curate found me afterwards and we chatted for a bit. I'm having a bit of an unstable time at the minute mood-wise (worried that it'll be a third april/may in a row I've spent depressed, it's like SAD but when the sun comes out!) and I said I was ok when he asked. He said "you can fool some people some of the time but you can't fool all of the people all of the time" or something like that. He often gives me that knowing look, even when I'm having a good time and life is running smoothly. Sometimes it's nice to think someone can read my mood, other times I just want a bit of space. Anyway, he asked me to give him a call about meeting up to talk about confirmation classes. I'm not sure if I want to commit to all that just yet - I have plenty of time in the rest of my life to do that. Might give him a call.
Rushed to get mum last minute mothers day gift after church - M&S and the works. Brill. Nice flowers and a few art supplies in a pretty bag (recycled from the drawer) and a handmade card from the night before. Couldn't see a mothers day card I liked so I got a birthday card and chopped it up, made a stand out bit, stuck it onto black card and decorated it with a silver gel pen. It looked fab, even if I do say so myself.
Mum came over yesterday afternoon in her brand new camper van. It's a citroen something, quite cute looking but posh inside. We chatted, she cleaned the kitchen, we chatted some more and went out for dinner at an amazing pub nearby. It's cheap but the portion sizes are perfect and the atmosphere is good. You can tell we've moved to a nicer area when the pubs have a bring and buy book service in one of the alcoves.
Friday, 1 April 2011
Neighbours
Met a lot of neighbours tonight whilst getting rid of an apparent paedophile living across the road.
Claire, number ?14 with the trampoline, plumber partner and 3 (+1) children.
?Julie at number 20
Michelle - nice blonde one next door.
Gavin -loud mouth with the motorbike
Todd
Lots of community spirit - as the riot van was leaving even I got caught up in the moment shouting "paedo" at him. Doubt he'll be back any time soon.
Claire, number ?14 with the trampoline, plumber partner and 3 (+1) children.
?Julie at number 20
Michelle - nice blonde one next door.
Gavin -loud mouth with the motorbike
Todd
Lots of community spirit - as the riot van was leaving even I got caught up in the moment shouting "paedo" at him. Doubt he'll be back any time soon.
Cinnamon Swirls
1 roll puff pastry, pre-rolled.
2 handfuls light brown sugar
2tspn cinnamon
handful sultanas
Sprinkle everything evenly over puff pastry up to edges, roll up LOOSELY and cut into slices. Bake at 180 for 20 mins ish. Leave to cool before drizzling thick icing over. Makes approx 18 thin/12 thick.
Note to self: if caremelised sultana is too hot to handle, it will be too hot to eat.
2 handfuls light brown sugar
2tspn cinnamon
handful sultanas
Sprinkle everything evenly over puff pastry up to edges, roll up LOOSELY and cut into slices. Bake at 180 for 20 mins ish. Leave to cool before drizzling thick icing over. Makes approx 18 thin/12 thick.
Note to self: if caremelised sultana is too hot to handle, it will be too hot to eat.
Work
I have just finished my first 8 month rotation. I loved it and will miss it a lot, mainly the staff. Mainly the nursing staff.
Being part-time I work 24 hours a week on average. This means 2 days some weeks, 3 others. After 4 months I got a job share locum which means my days are more regular now - it actually matters which days I turn up. There are pros and cons of being part time. The major downside I found was that I didn't know as many of my patients as I'd have liked. Those that were in long-term I got to know but day case or 2 day patients - more than likely I'd only be there for one of those days so didn't really follow their management plan. Not that that would have changed, neurosurgery being way over my head! The pros meant that thanks to a good deanery manager I do 8 month rotations instead of 4. Getting to know the nursing staff and the consultants was much easier, and I got to witness 2 lots of SHOs changing round which was beneficial
I was the most junior doctor on a neurosurgical unit. I learnt how to cannulate properly (first night shift, very steep learning curve), how to catheterise quickly and that most of the job is paperwork. I also learnt how to take samples of brain juice, how to comfort a patient with a brain tumour diagnosis and how not to piss off the nurses.
Seeing the SHOs rotate meant I could teach them some of the specialist tasks I'd learnt - changing EVD bags, taking CSF samples, treating SAH principles. I may never need these skills again but I like to think that learning new skills has kept my brain active.
In the next rotation which I start next week I would like to revise some proper medicine, as I think during 8 months prescribing analgesia, fluids and laxatives I've forgotten a lot of the theory.
Being part-time I work 24 hours a week on average. This means 2 days some weeks, 3 others. After 4 months I got a job share locum which means my days are more regular now - it actually matters which days I turn up. There are pros and cons of being part time. The major downside I found was that I didn't know as many of my patients as I'd have liked. Those that were in long-term I got to know but day case or 2 day patients - more than likely I'd only be there for one of those days so didn't really follow their management plan. Not that that would have changed, neurosurgery being way over my head! The pros meant that thanks to a good deanery manager I do 8 month rotations instead of 4. Getting to know the nursing staff and the consultants was much easier, and I got to witness 2 lots of SHOs changing round which was beneficial
I was the most junior doctor on a neurosurgical unit. I learnt how to cannulate properly (first night shift, very steep learning curve), how to catheterise quickly and that most of the job is paperwork. I also learnt how to take samples of brain juice, how to comfort a patient with a brain tumour diagnosis and how not to piss off the nurses.
Seeing the SHOs rotate meant I could teach them some of the specialist tasks I'd learnt - changing EVD bags, taking CSF samples, treating SAH principles. I may never need these skills again but I like to think that learning new skills has kept my brain active.
In the next rotation which I start next week I would like to revise some proper medicine, as I think during 8 months prescribing analgesia, fluids and laxatives I've forgotten a lot of the theory.
Current Philomath Hobbies
Knitting. I am knitting a bag made out of 3 grey rectangles. I am knitting the flowers to decorate it. I am knitting bits to go on a hoodie I am making.
Sewing. I got a Cath Kidston sewing book for christmas. As soon as I get chance I will sew the patterns in there. I made amazing Dinosaur hoodies for me and boyfiend for comic relief and now have one commissioned. It's going to look amazing. Pic to follow.
Bell ringing. I am learning to ring church bells. It is harder than it looks, but apparently I am doing well. Not allowed to make a noise yet but learning to control the bell.
Church. I go once every 2 weeks. After going on the alpha course I met a great new friend who I go with. They serve free tea and coffee at the end of the services, have powerpoint in a lot of services and a cool vicar who used to do armed robbery and drugs.
Crochet. This does not come under knitting. It is different. I am just learning to do basic crochet with a view to making a granny blanket over the summer.
Sewing. I got a Cath Kidston sewing book for christmas. As soon as I get chance I will sew the patterns in there. I made amazing Dinosaur hoodies for me and boyfiend for comic relief and now have one commissioned. It's going to look amazing. Pic to follow.
Bell ringing. I am learning to ring church bells. It is harder than it looks, but apparently I am doing well. Not allowed to make a noise yet but learning to control the bell.
Church. I go once every 2 weeks. After going on the alpha course I met a great new friend who I go with. They serve free tea and coffee at the end of the services, have powerpoint in a lot of services and a cool vicar who used to do armed robbery and drugs.
Crochet. This does not come under knitting. It is different. I am just learning to do basic crochet with a view to making a granny blanket over the summer.
Introducing... Me.
Part time junior doctor, doing my finals this time last year. During finals had a great big nervous breakdown and decided there was more to life than work. Luckily passed finals and now working part time (less than full time) because it will (hopefully) help me beat my depression long term. Also it lets me enjoy the money I earn, have a social life and be the philomath I am.
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