Today sunset & sunrise occur along Manhattan's street grid center line

Well, inspired by the written words and worldly insights of a friend of mine, I've decided to join the world of blogging. I'm just beginning year 3 of 5 of a residency training program in Chicago. Those that have experienced it know that surgical residency induces some strong feelings (both good and bad) in people who are, by nature, not the most expressive. There's something cathartic about expressing one's thoughts in a public forum (albeit in semi-anonymous form), so here goes...

Today has been a good day...I'm 12 hours into a 30-hour "day" of being on-call. My hospital is located in a less-than-afluent area of town, and our population of patients tend to be a little rough, sometimes frustrating, and less than appreciative. However, the three patients I have seen and treated in the ER today, have all said "thank you." Amazing what that does to a person's attitude, and somewhat depressing that it's more the exception than the rule to hear an expression of gratitude.

One of today's patients, a city worker who had the misfortune of dislocating his thumb after falling in a sewer, gave me a hug when I reduced (popped back into place) his thumb. Now call me a cynic for being skeptical that the grime-encrusted, semi-edentulous (toothless), but very endearing character lying on the gurney with multiple lacerations and a big cast on his newly-reduced thumb was telling the truth when he told me he was a "PHD." He quickly clarified that he was a "Pot Hole Doctor." The world needs more of those kind of doctors I thought as I strode out of the ER with a smile.