This is what happens when I take away their subscription to People magazine.

The dogs are hot after some neighborhood gossip. Our (incredibly nice and not prone to loudness) next door neighbors are having a very animated discussion outside. They aren't yelling but they're really INTO whatever it is they're talking about. The dogs are as well. Both of them are staring at the neighbors' house and making question mark sounds and running around in circles trying to get my attention to let them out so they can stand at the edge of our fence and stare at the neighbors on their porch.
Way to be subtle, dogs.

Thanks for the reminder

One of the things that has impressed me most in these initial weeks of my residency is how much the non-elected healthcare decision makers in South Carolina (DHEC employees, doctors, hospital executives) truly do care about maternal and child health and health disparities. They work hard on shoestring budgets to make sure every woman and child is safe, healthy and educated. There is no politics, no religion, no divisive, antagonistic thinking. It's heartening to read emails and attend meetings with people who are passionate about the same things I am.

AND THEN at a DHEC meeting today I heard something that made my jaw drop. South Carolina passed a law in June called "Women's Right to Know", which essentially says that when a woman gets an abortion that is not medically necessary she needs to review certain information and sign and date a form stating that she reviewed that information 24 hours before she can get an abortion. The information is online and at doctor's offices. It is only available in English. People both in and out of DHEC have acknowledged that it needs to be available in Spanish. At a DHEC meeting today a DHEC employee scoffed, "They don't get them.", implying that Hispanic women don't get abortions.

OH. OK. Since "They don't get them", we certainly don't need to provide legal information about a safe and legal medical procedure in a language they can understand. My eyes bugged out of my head. We still have so far to go...

Stuff that message boards have taught me

One, people still can't spot a scam. I mean, WOW. Yeah, the buyer from Craigslist who wants to send you an international cashier's check for like $3000 more than your old pillows cost if you would please just cash it in your name and send him the money is a SCAM. Holy fudge.
Two, planning a wedding has to mean that the world revolves around you and everyone must be happy for you and give you lots and lots of attention.

FU Ovarian Cyst

Today I did about 2 hours of really intense yard work, which made my side HURT hurt hurt. Fine, I took some Tylenol. About 4 hours passes. Within an hour I ate a heavy meal, had sex, and did Kenpo from p90x. Now I'm sitting in the dark crying. I hate you SO MUCH, cyst.
Here's hoping alcohol and a hydrocodone I had left over from when I had swine flu make this go away. I have a high pain tolerance but I had to take a minute in the car to get myself together I was crying from pain so much.

Chicken Necker

One of these things is not like the other...

Cookie Cutter emergency

From 8 pm last night till about 8:15 this morning my MiL, SiL and aunt bombarded me with demands for cookie cutters. At a little after 8 this morning I met my aunt at a midpoint between our houses and gave her some cookie cutters. This was such a DIRE situation that she didn't even get out of her car and barely slowed down to get them from me.
Basically, if it turns out that there was some Armegeddon type disaster that was prevented by a middle aged lady from SC MacGuyvering some weird contraption, I gave her the cookie cutters to do it.

A first for womankind!

I think I am the first woman of the facebook generation to get an ultrasound and not post the pictures online.
SOOOO CUUUUTE! Look at that ruptured ovarian cyst! I can see it so clearly! ADORABLE!!! I just can't wait till it's fully expelled in 2-3 menstrual cycles! Oooooh I just can't wait!