Swamp Chicks

Today a group of my pals from Asheville are headed down south to spend 3 or 4 days in the Okefenokee Swamp. I've never been, but I have the T shirt, as they say. Actually, I don't have the T shirt, but my good friend Susan, the photographer, has given me a number of her cards and reprinted pictures from past trips. I really wanted to go this time, but I just couldn't see asking for the time off after recently starting back to work after my cancer. Though it feels like I've been back for a while now, it's really only been a little over 2 months. I'll be thinking of them this week though as they paddle around, taking in the mossy environs. Hope to get another good picture or card out of it at least.

I was going through my Duke Medical School alumni magazine last week, and I noted their article on liquid tumors. That is what they call leukemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma since they are all tumors of blood products and/or the immune system. The article was talking about all of the headway that is being made in these cancers, especially now that more immune system research is paying dividends and stem cell transplants are more common. A few of my doctors commented on their research and work with patients, which is always good to see.

At the back of the magazine, they have a section that announces new faculty members, profiling them with a photo and their educational background. I noticed that one of the guys from my gross anatomy dissection group was just hired by the surgery department. Eric took a detour from our class to get a PhD in genetics and then finished medical school in 2003. After that, he did the interminable Duke surgery residency and just got his first non-training job. He and I started medical school in 1993 so getting your first real job in 2009 is quite a long time to delay gratification, if you know what I mean (only in medicine can you train and train and train like this). I had to smile a little when I read about his appointment to the surgery department because he was rather squeemish about cutting our cadaver when we were in class together. At one point, we had to do a "Bobbitt" cut of the penis, named after the woman who cut off the penis of her husband way back. He couldn't watch while I did the maneuver and seemed pretty queasy about dissecting the organ after I had removed it from the cadaver. Imagine my surprise to see him smiling up at me from the magazine, having completed his surgery residency & training. It just goes to show you, you never know about people. We can all be whatever we want. It's a good thing too.

Today's photo: an interesting sculpture in the Wedge brewery taproom on a recent visit with Susan and Donna.