Normally I leave this blog to light hearted topics of bike racing and other silly bullshit. Today I had an experience at a clinic, and I want to vent about it. Luckily, I have this little outlet for just that.

Mental health is under represented in medical education. I watched two 4th year medical students and an MD "treat" a bipolar schizophrenic heroin addict looking for help with detox today. After worthless exhaustive interviewing, he realized that we could do nothing to help him, so he left, irritated. After he left, his irritation was written off as "paranoid/schizoid behavior".

I agreed with the poor man's stance: why should we (the doctor) get paid by the government (medicaid) to do nothing for him? Why was he not sent to the detox program from the beginning? Why did we bring up painful memories of the deaths of all of his loved ones so we could just send him on his merry way?

His view (and my accompanying view) was not popular in the clinic.

"There are procedures we have to follow"
-"Why"
"We don't want to be sued"

Do you really think this homeless heroin addict has a lawyer? Or, are you making sure you have enough shite in your notes to have a billable encounter?

Even more frustrating is the fact that I sat there watching it all, despite knowing immediately that we were not a facility for detox. While watching the man twitch and writhe in the misery of withdrawl ... I should have interjected and said, "We can not help, we are worthless medical students just hoping to hear S1 and S2 (Bike racers: S1/2 = heart sounds). Leave for the detox program now."

Frustrating. Just because some MD diagnosed him as schizophrenic, or because he uses heroin, does not mean we should just write him off. The man knew the year he first started smoking, the date he used heroin first, the names of and dosages of all the (medical) drugs he was on. Shit, if half the patients I interact with remember the names of ANY of their medications, I'm happy. Usually it's just "the purple one". He knew specifically what each of his parents died from. He was as intellectual (or more) than anyone I've ever interacted with, but because he had the title "schizophrenic heroin user" he was immediately written off.

It's these people that need the most help. If you can dramatically improve the lives of the very bottom of society, it has a greater effect than say, slightly improving the lives in the middle. If you help this man with his addiction--maybe he won't rob your Mom on the way to grocery store. Maybe he'll convince his buddy to get clean too.

I think this man's problems were more important than the man before him--who had acid reflux from eating like shit, and wanted a prescription for Cialis. And yet, the man before him got way better care.

WTF Mate?

Ok, done venting.

Hillsboro this weekend. 87 miles of pain.

Yessss....

First time I've ever seen a P/1/2 race fill up this early in the season. This usually only ever happens at big cash/prestige events--Elk Grove, Downers ProAm.

It's like that one time I sold tickets to my bedroom. 125 brazilian super-models lined up with their $50 in hand to get a piece of the prize. I made an exception and increased the field size though.

So, it's been a while. Medical School is fun, lots of work, but fun. Chicago is getting better, but the riding still sucks. I plan to do some research this summer to... FUND MY TRIP TO FRANCE IN JULY.

Only one thing going on in France in July that is worth sitting in an economy airline seat for hours and hours and hours... I'll let you all ponder what that could be. I will say, I already have at least one plan for getting my scrawny self on Versus. I'm going to try real hard to get on TV without being "That Guy". But if push comes to shove and I have to run across the Champs Elysee naked with yellow streamers in my hair and a picture of Lance tattooed on my ass.. I will do it.

Meanwhile, I'm sloooowly dragging myself back into shape. In two weeks I'll be in Bloomington. To all the people who I used to pummel at the early season races and rides: here is your chance. Pretty much everyone of you Cat 1/2 guys that I used to half wheel to death could drop me in my current form.

So, bring it. It's payback time...for you.

Top Ten Terms You Don't Expect To Hear During a Medical School Interview...

10. Robocop
9. Kankle
8. 1337
7. Dingleberry
6. BAMF
5. Bromance
4. Feminazi
3. Cunnilingus
2. Tramp Stamp
1. Bike Porn


Some of you know, some of you don't. I'm applying to medical school, and it's a lengthy process. Lot's of essays, interviews and... waiting, are involved. I recently went up to Rush University Medical College for an interview. They have a top 10 orthopedic surgery program, and it is generally a sweet-ass school.

So I'm interviewing with this doctor, and it seems like it's going well. Nothing too out of the ordinary. All of a sudden, he slips in "Saving weight on a bike for a 250 lb guy" and "I'd never heard of the term bike-porn before".

Holy shit. The guy read my blog.

I've never been so flabbergasted in my life. Of all the expected topics, I'd never thought about my weblog coming up in a medical school interview.

Long story short, the man had a good sense of humor, and didn't rag on me too much about this silly little page on the interweb.

Goes to show, watch what you put on the internet.

I usually keep the irritable, cranky side of John Meyers off the internets. Today, I'm particularly cranky, and went to one of my favorite bike porn sites and found this. For those too lazy to click, I'll summarize.

"Hello, I'm a complete fatass. I ride a size 49 and weigh 250 lbs. I'm looking for ways to save several hundred grams from my $5000 bicycle. I'm too lazy to read or search the internet to find this information, and would rather have someone else tell me how to best waste my money on carbon fiber bicycle parts."

I'd suggest: A diet.


Ok, I'm done now. Thanks for reading.