Mind Body and Trauma

[oak]

Agreed with SnoringDog: thank you for posting.

I hope you have happy dreams soon, or at least not bad dreams.

Also, I hope the pie you baked turned out well. Keep us posted.

[Mental Fairy]

Hi Peps

Well i have had an odd few days. I used to run with a dear friend Les. He is on the beautiful spectrum of something and he doesn't want to be labeled. However he can tell you everything you need to know about the most amazing things, from fungus to trees, birds to bugs and everything in between the sky and solid earth. I first got to meet him on my lap! He was a patient and i had the joy of rebuilding his smile and confidence. He learnt i was a runner and low and behold one day i went to the mailbox and he ran past. We live only two streets apart. Anywho, he whatsapped me on Monday asking if i would go to a running race with him in August, the run is based in Rotorua. This is in the central part of the north island. Very volcanic area, also a nice place to go for wile activities. When the message came through i immediately said no thanks in my head. This means i'm running with him for 21km and around a lot of people. Something Les struggles with also. I gave it a few hours and i kept thinking about it, all of a sudden i asked myself.....what if i said yes? How would i feel? what would i miss out on?

So.....i said yes, i will go. So the two of us very introvert people will be leaving August 11th in the early hours to make away to the central north island. We should be there by lunch where we will check into a fancy accommodation, go do the hedge maze and night walks in the treetops. Saturday is our run which will take up most of the day, in the avo we hope to head to the buried village and blue and green lakes. We will come back to New Plymouth on the Sunday at some stage, maybe pass through Taupo on the way. After i said yes and without letting my brain talk me out of it i bought my ticket for the race non refundable so i won't back out! I kid you not yesterday i felt so excited to go on this trip, i have never done this before with anyone other than the boys. I am somewhat nervous also but i am sure with having someone who is a little like me we can get through it. We used to take his daughter geocaching with Matt for a couple of years. I honestly feel like this is a big leap for me.

Work has been testing and i did have a meltdown over some cases we are doing, i spoke to the boss and we smoothed things over.

Back soon, i have to grab some lunch.

[snoringdog]

Hello Mental Fairy

After i said yes and without letting my brain talk me out of it i bought my ticket for the race non refundable so i won't back out!

Yes! That's the way to do it.

I kid you not yesterday i felt so excited to go on this trip, i have never done this before with anyone other than the boys.

You should be excited! Sounds like a fun trip.

I honestly feel like this is a big leap for me.

We'd have to agree!

[Mental Fairy]

Hi Team

So i am somewhat surprising myself this week. I am still excited about the upcoming trip in August....https://www.runtheforest.co.nz/
Making some little plans to attend fun things on the side. I am unsure why my response has been inviting. I think since the passing of our patient i have looked at things from a far different perspective. I have become more aware of my surroundings as well as my internal struggles. Last night i did have an emotional eruption as i was tired from training, i was emotional from our last patient who is facing ovarian cancer at 43. I got home late and my meal preparation was lacking a little. Joe made a comment and i just erupted and then shut down completely. He retreated to the bedroom for sleep, i retreated to my yoga mat for solace. After around 30min of stretching and going inwards i felt composed enough to go to sleep. However it was later than normal, this i was not comfortable with so i slept an extra 30min this morning to make up for it. I will run this avo in the bush away from people.

I got an email from our local book store saying a book i ordered has arrived, i was not aware i ordered a book so looked back on my e-mails and sure enough i had. I don't remember doing this. I looked up the book and recall only faintly that i heard about it through a podcast. I then noted i run on autopilot a lot more than i thought i did. I have managed to keep my annoying neighbour at bay so far, avoid contact as much as possible. My boss and i have come to an agreement that we both struggle through weeks when there is tough cases and we tend to take it out on each other. Something we both need to work on i think. I need to make more of an effort to open up with her at times.

I worry about rivergirl and hope she is going ok, i fear things with mum are not going so well. I worry about all of you really! how odd is that!

Joe pointed out i am having little panics, i have made a list for the upcoming run and will arrange some new kit, shoes, socks, wet weather gear and head gear. I tend to over prep for events. Especially with it being a huge public event and in a very volcanically active location.

Better get back to work, Friday is finally here and no plans for the weekend. Yay

[oak]

Mental Fairy, I watched the video about the run, and it is beautiful scenery. And the runners looked so fit: the brothers looked vibrant, so many fit and attractive women. Once I change careers I'll come marry a proper Kiwi young lady.

And, as I mentioned in my PM, thank for sharing about your clients. They show considerable courage and dignity in the most difficult of situations. And you and colleagues are doing excellent work as you stand by them.

I hope your weekend is going well, Mental Fairy. Keep us posted!

[Mental Fairy]

You’re welcome Oak, you’re far stronger than you give yourself credit for, just like all of you on here.

I will post soon about an incredible case we have with an 8 year old. She has a rare condition that is so interesting. We only cracked it because of the size of her feet.

It’s 6am and I’m off to get on the bike. Sun is still down, take advantage of it.

[manuel_moe_g]

You are simply the best, Mental Fairy

[oak]

You are simply the best, Mental Fairy

Word.

[Mental Fairy]

Howdee Team

The winter is starting to embrace the skies today. I feel humbled by this. Sitting outside with my cuppa this morning with my bare feet tingling in the cold. I heard my alarm go off and i gently said, 'google stop'. I laid there for an extra five minutes, upon which Mazie decided five minutes was too long to wait for breakfast and steadily made her way to my face and put her warm fluffy paw in my mouth. I believe this is feline face punch minus the impact. The emotional impact is harder than the physical, she knows what she is doing.

Ok, so as i promised back to the interesting case. A women came in for her check over and during casual banter at the desk she mentioned something about her 8 year old girl. A little flag went up in my brain and i asked some further questions. Something in my gut felt off about what this mother has noted about some medical changers so i brought the specialist into the reception area and asked her to repeat what she told me. I booked the little girl in but the problem is we are booked for four months in advance. After the mum left a lady rung cancelling the following days appointment so me being me, ignored the waiting list of people and got this little girl in the next day.

Thursday afternoon the girl came in and i noted as soon as i saw her how small she is for her age, her feet were far to big for a child her size, her jaw also was odd. After an interesting examination and unable to locate any form of uterus or ovaries we became concerned. The young girl age just 8 has been have bleeding every two weeks for the past several months. There is no uterus to be found unless the bowel was blocking the scan view. So we have ordered a MRI and CT to have a look for the missing organs. Upon leaving the clinic we started talking as they live across the road from the clinic, the young girl had noticed i sometimes have ducks at work with me. I told her the story of my ducks, my cat and the little adventures i take to the hills. She was such a gem and loved the photos. I observed her talking and noted some teeth were missing when she laughed, her jaw line was very different, she also still had all her mamelons on her teeth, and when i say all i mean all. Her teeth have a really interesting cross bite and no contact at all in the front due to large narrow bite. Again alarm bells started ringing.

Both myself and my boss went to work on finding possibilities of what this young girl might be experiencing. Long into the night we located McCune Albright syndrome. We looked up her medical data on the database and sure enough she has been having many x-rays due to bone fractures, hip dysplasia and density concerns. No one has ever looked into the big picture. Further into her file there was notes on skin spots, birth mark looking by comes and goes. We are running a lot of bloods currently and it looks like we are onto something. The only way of knowing is taking some skin and doing genetic testing as it is a mutation.

The feeling of coming across something so rare and so interesting got my brain going a million miles and hour. This is the part of medicine i truly love. The investigation side of things. The only issue is no one takes the time to fully assess the patient in the public sector. How many things get missed and how many people get left untreated?

It made me think about the mental health side of things. The trauma response and lack of education around this also. How patients who need to be listened too fall through the cracks, get put into the corner or locked away. Cast aside and filled full of medication.

So anywho, i have taking a leap of faith and joined a martial arts class with my old work colleague Lee who was a police officer for many years. I will try attend at least twice a week as of July to help build up fitness and resilience. There is a method to my madness, i have been looking at other work options outside of medical as i am aware my employer will be retiring sometime soon. I am at a good age to make a change, and very much about my fitness and abilities to push through. When i left dental i felt like i left a massive part of my identity at the door. I was so well known for dental i became the dental fairy of the town. It took two years to feel the grief of leaving that behind me to subside. I loved my patients and my emergency work. Working with the police and customs for the couple of years before stepping into medicine again i felt free and about to build on myself. I have done the most healing on here with you all than any therapy office. I do love my therapist however. Seeing him next week. I have reopened my case file at the police and have a meeting on Wednesday with the senior team to discuss if i can re enter later next year. This gives me time to wrap up at the clinic and get my push ups in order. I am 42, i have no idea what length of life i will have. I need to take some risks. If i lay the foundations now i can set myself up for the 50's onwards. I am enjoying looking ahead more than looking behind. I do however look in the revision more from time to time when the mood is low. I think that is because i am looking for something to blame!

Thank you all for being there for me. You are all loved so very much.

[oak]

After the mum left a lady rung cancelling the following days appointment so me being me, ignored the waiting list of people and got this little girl in the next day.

Well done. Sometimes being a professional, especially a good professional, means doing exactly this. I am proud of you.

So anywho, i have taking a leap of faith and joined a martial arts class with my old work colleague Lee who was a police officer for many years.

Awesome! I'll be very interested to hear how you do.

And remember: most fights end up on the ground.

I told her the story of my ducks, my cat and the little adventures i take to the hills. She was such a gem and loved the photos.

This situation is difficult. You handled it well: children love stories, especially stories where lost/lonely animals find a new home and family.

The feeling of coming across something so rare and so interesting got my brain going a million miles and hour. This is the part of medicine i truly love. The investigation side of things.

An idea to consider: what about blending your love of medical investigation with police work?

I know your father was a coroner. Something to consider

This gives me time to wrap up at the clinic and get my push ups in order.

In addition to pushups, don't forget core. Barre can help with that.

Long into the night we located McCune Albright syndrome.

If you don't mind, Mental Fairy, I might send you a PM about McCune Albright.

Thanks for sharing, my friend!