From HeartBlog to CuttingBlog

From HeartBlog to CuttingBlog site has a few bugs that I could not fix without having to forgo all the comments that I received. So I decided to start this anew. So here we are at the Third Degree Heart Blog

I hope this works out ok.

I had a bad call on Friday. Ended up sleeping from 11 till 4 on Saturday and 12-3 today. Don't think I'll fall asleep till late tonight.

A patient recently came in with a heart attack. What is different (and thus made it surgical) about this one is that as the heart muscle died, a hole was made through the weakened dead muscle.

This condition poses a diffictul problem. How do you fix it? Can't put stitches through, they tear through the fragile muscles.

Some intelligent surgeon thought of a solution--crazy glue a felt patch on the hole. believe it or not, it works. Sure there is "medical grade" crazy glue, but the last 2 cases I saw, the crazy glue came from Home Depot. Not bad for a $5 product.

Cost of more than 15000 Iraqi lives--Worthless
Cost of 200 000 Tsunami casualties--350 million(so far)
Cost of 1332 US civilians and soldiers in Iraq--Priceless

I am sorry, this, together with the fact that remembering 1332 people dead in Iraq is getting as much coverage as the Tsunami, tell me there is something seriously wrong with the picture.

US claims to be the single most charitable country in response to the Tsunami. My response:
1. You'd (US) better be. You are the single richest country with the most resources.
2. I don't even know if it is really the most charitable. Show me your no. per capita.

As part of our Boxing day adventure we went to a Chinese Dim Sum place in Minneapolis, led by our friend from HK (who is a fellow also in Mayo). Then we went shopping, though disappointed, because boxing day is not nearly as big as Black Friday here! But most exciting of all was that our friends took us to this Chinese grocery place, really in the middle of a bunch of industrial-looking buildings, otherwise would not have been found.


Mandarin Kitchen


Nissin noodle found inside United noodles!

Finally, way overdue pictures from our wedding.

Scheduled maintenance is due for our car. I didn't want to do it, thinking it's not worth the money, but thought we'll just check how much it will cost. Back in Montreal it was about $200 CDN, a handsome amount for how little they would do (change oil, look at this look at that, rotate tires etc.)

$500+. $500! For what? installing gold panels? We decided against it, after talking to a local mechanic, who said that the list of things that they do is usu. looked at with an oil change, usually for about $20.

Fine. The next thing we find out, the "check engine" light came on, followed by complete failure of the indicator lights. I remember I have extended warranty bought, and surely they will cover it, I thought.

No, not one cent. $100 for 1.5 man-hour to diagnose that the "check-engine" light was for a "mis-firing" of the engine. $100 for diagnosing the indicator light switch was faulty. Now if we go ahead with the fixing of the indicator light, we would be given a "deal". They will have it fixed for $220 total. The cost of the switch was $20. So in essence they won't charge us any labour to change it. How nice.

Our hands are tied. It's fixed. $220.

Now that the light switch is fixed, the seat belt light is faulty.

What is this highway robbery? I have learned something though: when the "check engine" light comes on, it's VW reminding their drivers payment is due. I think it's a scheduled thing, rather than a real fault.

The United Church of Christ of America has recently launched a new TV campaign, which portrays people being marginalized and refused from entry to a what looks like traditional church premise. These people are: coloured, homosexual, single parents etc. And then after that they say that anyone is welcome in the United church.

I am glad that the united church cultivate an environment of acceptance to marginalized people in the society. However, I have to pick on them for implying that all other churches are discriminatory to the same groups.

It has always been very difficult for churches to balance discipline with acceptance. I wish there is an answer. Costly grace, as per Bonnehoeffer, is really not easy.

Way better than ER is this new show, House MD, about Dr. House, an eccentric guy who is extremely smart, but terrible in dealing with people. He gets away with the most politically incorrect demeanour and words, because of how smart he is.

I am starting to wonder why I like the show. I am not nearly as smart. Maybe I wish I was so I can do what he does! (I have a hard time believing he doesn't care. I'd like to think he does not know how to show his care. Afterall, how does one measure caring-ness?) Or maybe I can identify with the show because I work with people like Dr. House. There are a lot of those MDs I have worked with (or worked for). Smart, extremely talented, but not quite "normal". Of course, in Dr. House's eyes, I, instead of him, would be the mere mortal.

I have not missed one episode yet. Not if I can help it.

As many as there are pop-singers.

Christmas is my favourite time of the year, as it is for many people. One thing I cannot stand though, is how every pop-singer (or non-pop-singer) starts to sing overtly Christian carols this time of the year. For whatever reason, these carols are welcome by all, including those who eat Christians for lunch.

First of all, many different renditions SUCK. I presume these singers think Joy to the World after all is Joy to the World as it is traditionally known, so in order to be unique they started to sing it completely off the original beat, as if, the further off the better. They create silly nonsensical embellishments to mark their own version of the same song. There is nothing more irritating than walking through a shopping mall hearing these off-beat, weirdly arranged carols. I mean, why do singers even bother to try singing "Silent night holy night round yon virgin mother and child" with apparent expressiveness (a lot of times that means extreme vibrato--what does silent night holy night have to do with that!) when they would not care less about the Christian faith in real life?

And then there is the question of why these overtly Christian music is not only well-tolerated, but almost a must in private homes as much as they are in the retail/commercial world. Why the tolerance in only carols but not, for example, prayers in middle schools? Maybe it is the peacefulness that these carols convey, but the answer escapes me.

At any rate, Christians may also see the fact that carols are tolerated as a means to reach people. For most people though, carols are mere background music that is "nice". To start to talk about anything else beyond that nice-ness is still ways to go. I don't know how to do that.

Carols are very special. They tell the story. They help experience the occasion. They are magical. To have carols destroyed they way they are every Christmas is a pity. I just feel mad and violated.

I am looking for a new edition of a Cardiac Surgery Text. I have been looking for used ones, but I guess it's too new for any used books to show up on the internet.

I went to compareshopbooks.com to look for my text. To my surprise, WalMart not only carries the Cardiac Surgery text that I need, it's offering at one of the cheapest prices!

From Toothpaste to clothing to electronics to even professional and specialized products, WalMart has the answer.

One day WalMart will take over the world. I wonder if I can work for them as a cardiac surgeon.