Allyson: argh.

ION: Parenthood - is that it for the show? It seemed like it might be.

This is what I get for driving to the market this morning, isn't it? Because clearly I needed to walk somewhere today, so 3 miles it was?

Allyson,

good gravy. I'm sorry about that. Sounds like your healthcare experiences could rival ita's.

My doctors tell me to take peppermint oil and quit smoking.

Wow. For people with "MD" after their name, they're skating perilously close to the "witch doctor" line.

(I have no problem with natural remedies, and I don't actually think that people who recommend them are witch doctors. But if you practice Western medicine, which relies on diagnostic tests and actual goddamn pharmacotherapy, among other things, when your patient is clearly getting no relief from a persistent problem, then you fucking well PRACTICE MEDICINE, not recommend peppermint oil. Jesus H. Christ. [Was I going to start saying "Barack H. Obama!" after the inauguration? I feel like I was.])

Oh, man! My day has been going relatively well, considering I'm working and my developer is sulking (she's still not answering emails). You can have some of my energy if you promise to take care of it and feed it lemon squares before you send it back, Allyson and sarameg.

I'm trying to wear my reading glasses from 5 years ago, and there's no medicine in there. What the hell did I buy those for?

Kat, did I mention that my cousin Megan was totally enamoured of you? And Allyson, she pretty much didn't believe you existed. Well, she disbelieved in all of you, but when it came down to individuals, you were definitely impossible.

Hard shoulder "anecdote": One of the times I was in the ER where they didn't give me a room, but had me on a gurney in the hallway, I was in front of the trauma rooms. They wheeled in a woman whose face I couldn't see, but one foot, with some blood, was poking out from underneath the sheets.

Between hearing the case presented, eavesdropping on the working on her and gossiping afterwards, it turns out her car had stopped for some reason on the freeway, and she'd managed to get over to the shoulder, but for some reason was standing too close to the edge, and got clipped by a car. The words that stuck in my head were "Well, she might have a DP (I'm assuming distal pulse here), but she's going to lose the foot, no question." Which then segued into EMTs and nurses talking about getting out of cars on the passenger side, etc, etc.

MORAL: Be careful, guys! Please!.

There have actually been controlled randomized trials suggesting that peppermint oil can be an effective treatment for irritable bowel syndrome. (I Googled, for that is the kind of dork I am.)

I totally got out on the passenger side! There wasn't much of a soft shoulder before it dropped off, so traffic was damn close. The trooper actually closed off that lane when the tow guy went to work.

While I waited in the car, I was buckled in (if it weren't so fucking cold, I would have preferred to be on the hill outside the car, but it was below freezing and windy and I was down a layer of clothing.)

There have actually been controlled randomized trials suggesting that peppermint oil can be an effective treatment for irritable bowel syndrome. (I Googled, for that is the kind of dork I am.)

I should have clarified my rant: due to my own irritable bowel, I did know that peppermint oil can help with IBS. But when it's not enough (or when any other treatment isn't enough), then I feel like MDs need to do something else. I do jump to pharmacotherapy rather more quickly than a lot of people, but I also use natural remedies, too. If one doesn't work, try the other. Or both. But don't just suggest one thing and be done. Because that just makes me rant, and the Internet is full enough of rants as it is.

I am sorry about the drs, Allyson. And the car, Sara.

I just saw good things, and did Ellen really bring out a sloth for pregnant Kristen Bell !?!

There is no way your cousin should or could be enamored of me. I mean, I'm not enamored of me --- why would anyone else be.

So last night when I plugged Grace in, her pulse ox had her at high 70s/low 80s which is bad. No wonder she is tired and cranky and can't figure out math. I turned her 02 on and she was fine. Same thing today.

She's had all of her meds, including an antibio. She is no more congested than usual. WTF? I really don't want to go to the ER tomorrow but I'm freaking out. I mean, it's a quiet freakout.