Proconsul Report

2007/02/08, 9:34 PM, Proconsul - Clan Tarentum

It is difficult, to work in and with the medical community. Not because of the stress and intense demands of caring for the medical needs of another human being. That isn't the hard part. The hard part is dealing with the patients. You have to keep yourself detached, but interested enough to care for their well being. If you're too aloof, you screw up. Your judgment calls won't be made with their comfort in mind. At the same time if you're too attached, you will make poor choices that will only see to the patient's comfort instead of treating their affliction and getting them on the road to recovery.

I do rounds at UCSF medical center with our team's physician twice a week. During it, people in our test sample come in and we discuss their treatment and course of treatment. I am not a physician. Not yet, at any rate. And, I notice new residents, interns and young doctors making the same mistake over and over and over. They care too much. I'm not saying they shouldn't, but the same thing happens. They get too close and too involved in a patient. They are no longer treating the disease, disorder or other affliction and instead trying to make the patient comfortable. This is bad, because the patient can die for the improper attention. And when the patient does die, the doctor is out. They're useless. They're now emotionally invested in grieving and second guessing themselves, trying to figure out what they did wrong, why did such a good person have to die, etc.

I'm not saying that your doctor or nurse should be emotionally distant, or god forbid like House or myself, but they shouldn't try to be your best friend. That isn't what they're there for. That's why so many physicians recuse themselves from an operation or treatment when it is a family member or close friend. They won't be thinking right, and they know this. They know that the person holding the knife or writing out the order for another drug to be added to the drip MUST be at the top of their game mentally and emotionally.

And that doesn't mean we don't get attached to patients. We do, but we must make sure we don't get too close. It sucks, but it is necessary to make sure everyone gets the care they both deserve and require. I have it easier than the doctors, though. I'm not in their shoes yet. Right now, I'm in the lab. The virus we study, I look at through an electron microscope. It resides in a petri dish or a PCR plate. Still deadly, but I don't see the wake of its pillaging the body until I walk into the hospital with Dr. Chan. My job is to figure out if the drugs and chemicals we use interact or react with existing medication that could have adverse affects. I do this by reading over Dr. Chan's notes, and the notes of other doctors and by recreating conditions in the blood stream, the stomach, the lower digestive tract, the liver and/or the kidneys in the lab. Monitor pH levels, effects of temperature, salinity and osmosis. All the dry stuff.

I have, in my office, a very morbid reminder for myself and others in lab that what we're dealing with is very real. It's a simple score sheet. HIV - 46,000,000. Vaccine - 0.

On to the Clan stuff...

Sato has recently stepped down as Quaestor of House Gladius. In his place, Munesanzun Mitsukai Isradia will take the reigns of House Gladius. Mune was picked by Sato for his activity and willingness, and Bloodfyre and I both agree that Mune will make a more than fine addition to the Summits of Clan Tarentum. If you haven't done so already, congratulate and/or introduce yourself to Mune.

Crescents were awarded recently for the Tar Name That Town Competition. What follows are the people who submitted names that I used, and the names they suggested. For each name used, one Crescent with Quartz Star was awarded.

Windos - Ahuriri, Aoraki, Rakiura, Te Wairoa, Te Kopuke, Te Oreore

Karel - Saveny, Dej, Stej, Solka

Dock - Car-Iduna

Droveth - Yridian Virtus, Acies, Proeliator Velox

Devor - Tinoga, Tarentelam, Obeno

Sergeant - Undicies, Negalmuur, Scryon, Spearnth

In addition to these awards, the following members have earned Clusters of Fire since my report last week - Melkor, Odin, Welshman, Storm, Kazarelth, Dox and Karel. Kazarelth also picked up two Crescents with Topaz Stars, Levathan picked up one with an Emerald Star and Katarzyna picked up one with a Topaz Star.

Wargames are also going on. Tridens picks up the early lead with the XWA Elites competition closed. Merlance took 1st, netting himself and his House 100 points, and Welshman took second, taking 75 for himself and Tridens. Merlance also has the distinction of being declared Prefect of Tarentum with his 1st place win. I should note that every person netting themselves first place in each portion of the competition has the chance to earn for themselves the title of Prefect of Tarentum. With the top 3 overall scorers walking away with the title of Knight of Tarentum, in addition to the normal crescents.

The overall scores for both Houses are thus : Gladius has 8 points / Tridens has 180 points. It is still early, and Gladius can still catch up and overtake Tridens.