Ok,even if you didn't ask for it, here it is. Sooo...let's play the game. What two things does the man in the picture have in common with the skull in the window? Anyone can enter and I will be the judge. 

Blog Beautification? or Super Doc Makes Life Saving Diagnosis In Heavy Traffic.

There are 2 issues here. The first is that Joe is disgusted with the picture of the Decubitus ulcer and he is tired of looking at it. He has threatened to overtake the blog with a family vacation slide show if I don't take it off. So I am placing this picture partly to appease him. The second issue is that he and Brad challenged me to go see this billboard and make a diagnosis for this lovely lady. When I first saw it, I thought it was just going to be a joke about whether they were fake or real. Brad has since informed me that the question is: What is the "bump" in the middle of her chest? I think that it is at worst the result of a previous injury in the area of the costosternal articulation of the 2 rib, probably related to her intense workouts. More likely though I think it is just a normal variant that just looks strange due to the lighting, her position and excessive scrutiny.
Does anyone else have any ideas about this?

$9.95 purchase leads to $331.31 purchase

Well, an audible book for 9.95 has lead me to buy from Sam's an IPOD and accessories for 331.31.
Washington's book made me do it. And I still don't have everything set up.

Lebowski Fest

Check it out on NPR or their web site. Looks like some Dudes we might like to hang with.
Just missed the 3rd annual in L.A. but maybe next year.
The acheivers are interesting.

Movie Amnesia

Discover Magazine recently reported on the portrayal of amnesia in movies. This is frequently brought on by a knock on the head and memory is later recovered by another knock on the head. A recent study of amnesia in movie characters by Sallie Baxendale, a neuropsychologist at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in London, looked at 60 movies. She reported that only three of them had accurate portrayals of amnesia, two of which I have seen and enjoyed, the other I have never heard of. I would like for all visitors and members of the CC to reflect for a moment and list a couple of movies they think are the most accurate. I will update with the answer after I get a few guesses.

UPDATE!! Okay, I guess I will give the answer before even you, Joe, lose interest, if you haven't already. The three movies deemed to have accurately portrayed amnesia by Sallie Baxendale were: Finding Nemo (Dory), Memento and Se Quien Eres.

Complications of Living in a Vegetative State

This is the right buttocks of a 64 year old male who has been in a semi-vegetative state for over 10 years following several strokes. The ulcer was approximately 11 cm diameter. He has been receiving agressive surgical debridement and may soon have an amputation.

Here it is from NASA and we have already paid for and have free access to it. 

The Narcanotaur (aka Methadone Minotaur)

If you didn't bother to read the comments left by Joe's post of his depiction, the story goes like this:
A lady was admitted by Dr. Franklin after ingesting 30, 10 mg methadone and was unarousable (deep sleep and blue). Joe recommended that before Dr. Franklin tucked her in for her dirt nap, he might try some Narcan and he complied. He reported "she rose up like a bull". Thus the name The Methadone Minotaur. After hearing the story I wanted to put my own spin on it and recommended the name Narcanotaur which I feel is much catchier. Joe said he was going to make a drawing. While waiting for Joe to make his post, I drew my own rough draft. After seeing his however, I will not embarrass him further with any improvements to my rough draft.

Rather, I will embarrass him with a critique of his artistic and blogging skills.

First of all Joe, give the post a title, then put the story in the post where it can be seen rather than in the comments where it is hidden. Secondly did the Bull thing stuff his nose with hay instead of his mouth or what? And where is the hospital scene with the bed and all that? Get your daughter to help out or something, please.

I applaud your creative efforts.

If anyone would like to make an their own version of a Narcanotaur based on the above story leave a link in the comments and I will post it or make a link in the post for you. Apparently this is now a contest to be judged by the Iraqi detainees.

Here it is! 

Astronomy picture of the day

This is the way I feel many days when trying to make thoughtful insight into the world, the world of medicine, and life in general.

MY mother

HELLO,I have not posted because I didn't want to appear to TAKE OVER THE BLOG. And of course, YOUR mother thinks you are smarter than I. MY mother, if she could rise from the grave, would think that I am the wiser if not the more smart.
The difference between wisdon and intellect would be a nice debate between the two but is now a moot point.

I'm waiting......

...for the bossman's rendtition of the Methadone Minotaur which I am sure is no match for the Mythical Methicorn. Maybe he has commissioned the Flash for this masterpiece.

...for Brad to post the picture of the largest decubitus ulcer that I have ever seen.

...for someone to buck up use their turn to buy an audio book so I can get educated on my way to work.

...for someone besides me or joe to make a post on this here blog, I know he is a little gunshy after he almost smothered it with love a couple of weeks ago.

Intoducing The Fourth Edition of the Skeptics' Circle

From this edition's host, The Two Percent Company:

Welcome to the fourth edition of the Skeptics' Circle — a blog carnival aimed at gathering the best skeptical writing from around the blogosphere into a handy bi-weekly digest. In case you're just joining us, it's not too late to catch up by reading the first, second, and third editions — we highly recommend them! read on..

Incidentally, for the few of you who are regulars here, you may be wandering what happened to the ads at the top of the page. Since most of the ads were for the very medically bunk treaments being debunked by the Skeptic's Circle, I thought I should "clean up" for our "company".

word of the day

Ou et mon mot pour le jour?

Multicultural meal

Our evening repast included New Zealand lamb, Andes onions, Mexican blackberries, UK cheese, and Australian wine. Wish you all were here and leaving soon so I can go to bed!

Moot is a hoot !

Thank you for an interest in words and for correcting any misspelling and vague misinterpretation of their meanings. I am a little disappointed in the general noninterest in these matters by other members of the blog. It was good to know that moot was a LEGAL term and is DEBATABLE. I thought it was mute and no further discussion was needed or expected. So moot IS a hoot.

By the way my spell ck doesn't work and if you would tell me how to make it work it would save you untold hours of checking my compositons.

I must also note that George(not Patton) is on my mind tonight--not Jack but George.

New Link and Daily Updates

Take note of the new link I added to the "News and Daily Updates" section on the sidebar. It is to a site called Wordspy which is dedicated to finding new words and terms being used in newspapers, magazines and websites. They even include the citations. Also don't forget to see the 'Quotes of the Day' and 'Word of the Day' to help fulfull your educational needs.

Joe, you may also note that I added the Yahoo Dictionary for easy access. That was just for you.

Washingtion 2

Well, I have 1 cd copied out of about 15. I don't think this technology is going to be worth it timewise.
Clay, do you get the Daedalus Books catalog? It is great! Unfortunately sooo many books and so little time. I'll save it for you if you don't get it.

Washington

I downloaded Washington to my computer, now if I can fiqure out how to burn it to cds, you will have something to listen to on the way to WR.

Multimedia Rundown

First of all, I am finished with
My Life on 6 CDs.

It was okay, I like Bill alright, but I'm like Joe, I remember it too well, or at least the last half of it, to form any new or worthwhile opinions. Whoever wants it let me know or will just give it back to Brad.

Next is the movie Waking Life.

Joe is currently holding this one, he said he slept through most of it but he wants to try again. It is called a movie, but really it is more like a series of extreme philosophical rants, loosely tied together by a common character present througout, with a look that resembles a realistic cartoon or a painting in motion. I highly recommend this movie, Joe may give a different opinion.

Another DVD that I have for loan is Baraka

This is less of a movie than Waking Life so I may not be able to recommend it to Joe because he would probably sleep through it too. You'll have to read the reviews to get a better Idea of what it is about, but briefly, it is a bunch of great scenery, with time lapse photography of cities, skies, train stations and much more, with some good music. I think it was great but if you need a plot and some explosions, forget it.

The last DVD I am holding is called Tape

With Ethan Hawke, Robert Sean Leonard and Uma Thurman and thats it. In one hotel room, the whole time. Its full of good dialogue and suspense.

Whoever has some new material hurry and give it up, I need something to listen to on my way to work besides the F the Memphis Mayor campaign by Rock 103 (not that I don't enjoy it).

only 33

I'm only "33", I thought I would get close to 12, MA says consistently that I am pre-teen, so I guess I am mature for my age.

Do you act your age?

30 was my answer, not too bad.
Don't worry Joe, it doesn't ask about whether you cup your hands around your ears when listening to someone talk in a crowded room, so you may not do too badly.

You Are 30 Years Old

30 Under 12: You are a kid at heart. You still have an optimistic life view - and you look at the world with awe. 13-19: You are a teenager at heart. You question authority and are still trying to find your place in this world. 20-29: You are a twentysomething at heart. You feel excited about what's to come... love, work, and new experiences. 30-39: You are a thirtysomething at heart. You've had a taste of success and true love, but you want more! 40+: You are a mature adult. You've been through most of the ups and downs of life already. Now you get to sit back and relax.

What Age Do You Act?

EDTA Chelation Therapy and EneMan

I ran across this post on the bogus alternative medicine practice of EDTA Chelation Therapy from Respectful Insolence (aka Orac Knows). He discusses the many claims of its benefits such as treating atherosclerosis, claudication, diabetes, hyperlipidemia and many others, as well as its accepted uses such as treatment of heavy metal toxicity. If you haven't had patients ask you about this yet, you probably will.

On a more humorous note, when I got ready to post this I saw a very interesting picture on this post. Apparently Orac has developed a "strange obsession" with Eneman, the colon cancer screening superhero from Fleets. Be sure to click all the links in the post to see all the pics.