The mysterious domain of the gut

The science of the gut. Most of take our digestion for granted, yet it's like a wild and unexplored jungle, massively influencing our homeostasis.

The GI Tract
Is a mysterious place,
Trillions of organisms
All in a race,
It contains the Microbiome
'Tis a considerable size,
How it influences
That's the surprise;
Overall well-being
And auto-immune,
Far more complicated
Than a trip to the moon,
Influences our thoughts
And can be damaged by emotion,
There are as many moving parts
As the Atlantic ocean;
Teaming with bacteria
And viruses too,
Fungi and spores
And prions, to name a few,
And the multiple constituents
Of the hematological domain,
It could be argued, it is more complex
Than the average human brain.

Not so Basic EKG

Since 2002, I have been teaching Basic Cardiac Monitoring, which is essentially basic EKG. Since some of our students might go on to acquire a Monitor Tech position, we differentiate the actions for the RN and the Monitor Tech. Essentially, we take into account only 2-Leads, of the standard EKG.
There are a couple more advanced classes in our curriculum, but unfortunately, they are not well attended. Perhaps the Critical Care Educators at the hospitals, offer classes of this sort; I don't know.

I'm not on the job
But I am teaching,
Basic EKG
That's what we're preaching,
Laying a strong foundation
Of the standard beginners stuff,
Although, for some of our students
Even the basics are tough.

Our class is comprised
Of new nurses and old,
Echo techs and Sleep Lab
Housekeepers who are bold,
Because they want to change jobs
And Monitor Tech sure looks fun,
Understand, this is a new language
And it will feel like a hit-and-run.

Most of the students
Do pass the exam,
It's comprehensive and detailed
Without a hint of spam,
Phones are not allowed
And calipers are advised,
And the ones that fail
We are sometimes surprised.

They get a second chance
To do it over,
This class was all RN's
A new Tele Unit, fresh as clover,
Enthusiastic students
For most, a review,
They have to be certified
To be a part of the crew.

Almost a Trauma Victim

Retirement: more time for biking; that was what I was thinking. But wait, although the city leaders here claim they are trying to help make biking safe, their traffic calming measures are anything but calming. Anyway, just like my almost terrible accident of three years ago, when I was biking to work, an almost identical event happened yesterday. Yup, a driver staring directly at me, yet not seeing me. Look, I wasn't wearing my Zebra suit this time, OK? Time seemed to slow down, unlike that driver gunning the engine. I ditched and chose the pavement and although I get to grow new skin, I didn't become a Trauma patient with multiple broken bones. Whoopee!


Uncle Razmus

I've really been a slug today
I freely admit it,
Because I crashed my bike yesterday
And that’s what did it.

Uncle Razmus, and his wife
Sure, they looked both ways,
Then he gunned the engine
And I saw the end of my days,
I slammed on my brakes
Because they did not,
I took a header to the pavement
And I’m glad it wasn’t hot

I landed on my left side
In the usual fashion,
That’s my modus operandi
Whenever I’m crashin’,
It’s like I’m on a three year cycle
Where I end up on the street,
Lose some skin and bruise some muscles
Wait another three years; then repeat.