Many people have been asking me about the music lately…

You can download it from here: http://www.artistlaunch.com/richie

So yesterday morning, I rolled out of bed and went to do rounds. There was no one to round on that morning (a rare occurance indeed) so I informed Dr. Todd that I would be helping my best friend, Jade, move. I spent the morning moving assorted heavy items into a big UHaul. When additional help arrived (AFTER we had moved all of the heavy stuff already…of course) I showered, put my scrubs back on and headed back to the clinic to see patients.

We had a young female patient who presented with Diplopia (double vision), secondary ammenorrhea (absent periods), headache, and extremity motor weakness (unable to push against resistance like normal). Of course, the wheels started turning and my differential diagnoses came pouring out of the head. “What could cause Cranial Nerve III problems, ammenorrhea, motor weakness and headache?” I thought…well maybe a pituitary adenoma (tumor in the pituitary gland), Myathesnia Gravis or a brain stem lesion of some sort. Well the MRI showed nothing but unilateral mastoiditis…hmmmmm. Medicine is such a humbling experience because as soon as you think you have your diagnosis nailed down with Board-like precision, something out of the ordinary comes around. Nevertheless, it’s an interesting case indeed.

After seeing patients, the surgeons and the internal medicine guys (and then me, the lowly medical student) went to play golf at Pipestem resort! We played captains choice and ended up in a tie in the end. I hit a couple decent shots including a 40 yard sand wedge, 2 feet from the pin to win the hole. Sank a 25 ft. putt on another hole. Unfortunately, my long irons were shanktastic Oh well! Dr. Remines played real well though, as he was 2 under par on the front 9! Wednesday afternoons rock, at least for this rotation…

My weight has plateaued again Even with good exercise, as such I have cut back on carbs greatly. Eating brown rice, wheat pasta and drinking diet soda almost exclusively now.

Ok…off to see another patient. Mind and body strong grasshoppers!

Live from the clinic -Richie

So here I am on a sunny Tuesday morning in between seeing patients here at Blue Ridge Internal Medicine.  My parents came into town this weekend for two reasons, the first being to see me and the second, to meet the future in-laws! 

 Everything went off without a hitch though my wallet was a casualty when my mom accidently washed it (I have a bad habit of leaving my wallet in my pants when I take them off hehe.)  Dad and I played golf at fountain springs on Monday.  We were able to get the round in, in less than 4 hours.  It was awesome and very well maintained this time around.  Dad shot an 85 and I shot an 87.  I putted better than I have in the past couple years but I had a nasty tail on all of my iron shots that made them space out about 15 yard to the right of my target. 

My dad also started his golf website this weekend.  Check out http://www.thegolfdad.com for his insights on his life and golfing.

I’m working on getting my two other projects:  www.brokemedicalstudents.com and www.brokedoctor.com off the ground this week.   I have a new tool which I will review soon that is helping immensly.  I’ll let you all know how it goes when I get a few sites up with the tool. 

Anyway, I need to jet, more patients to see!

-Much love, Richie

Ok ok, so not really but here is another video clip. I loved  this one!

Kung Fu Fighting to Suck up to your attending physician.

Finally, I got a new website up and coming. I’ll be working on converting the old content while adding the new stuff. This format will allow me to make updates on the fly too when I am not at the computer. Much needed! So go ahead and register if you like. Good things are coming! Wootage!

-Richie

On March 31st, I asked my girlfriend Patty to marry me. I waited near sunset to pop the question. She said yes! Though,
I think she was totally expecting it! However I think she was still super happy! I mean look at that 3rd picture! That’s the
face of a girl who knows she’s totally loved We are shooting for a wedding date in late spring of 2008, right around my graduation from medical school. Anyway here are the pictures! Enjoy!

Otherwise things are going well! I’ll write more about rotations soon. I am currently on psychiatry rotation so expect many stories
to materialize from that!

…and it doesn’t smell like fermented Taco Bell for once!

My
inpatient hospitalist rotation ended last week. I enjoy the thought process behind internal medicine but it just doesn’t
quite grab me the same way Urology does. Why urology you say? That’s an entirely different update altogether! Maybe I just
enjoy pee and restoring people’s sex lives with the assistance of that lovely little blue pill. Regardless, I’ve been a good
little H&P scut monkey for the past few weeks and I’ve gotten the hang of writing solid patient notes. I started Pediatrics
today. It made me realize how thankful I am for people that sacrificed to go into Pediatrics as their specialty. At one
time (as some of you long time fans remember years back) I worked at a pediatrics clinic as a volunteer and loved it. Now, I’ve
gotten to the point where I need more than just colds, flu, stomach viruses and strep throat cases to keep me enthralled.
I guess all specialties have their saturation point but doggonit, urology seems to be the soggiest, most pee-soaked specialty
of them all to me.

Things are going quite well between Patty and I. We’ve gone thru the whole “Meet the Parents” ritual and seem
to have done well on both sides! I was worried that I was going to have to take a polygraph test when I met her family but it
all went off without a hitch pun heavily intended there. Anyway, I am falling asleep. Patty wants me to update this site
more because I have been a slacker on it. Anyway, I’ll reward you all with a picture. Here is Patty and myself

Time for Richie to get his sleep so he can get up and make rounds on time tomorrow.