In just over one week I will officially be... well, I will still be Dr. Tracy Susan Tylee. Yeah, the whole marriage thing is somewhat anti-climactic if you aren't changing your name. I play with the idea, as long as I get to keep my last name. I worked long and hard to be Dr. Tylee, and I am not ready to give that up. I am willing to consider Tracy Susan Silberfein Tylee however. It meets my requirements: 1. can still be Dr. Tylee, 2. can just leave off the Tylee if I want to be Mrs. Silberfein, and can have a secret life that my patients won't know about and 3. my initials would still be palindromic. Quite honestly, it really depends on how much of a hassle it is to legally change my name.
In other news, well, there is no other news. Programs are coming along. I sent Adam on a wedding favor errand today, so I'm putting those together now. While drinking margaritas. I do love me a good margarita. I'm getting more and more excited about the wedding as the day approaches. I look forward to the rehearsal dinner, and the chance to hang out with my original family and my new family, and for everyone to spend some time getting to know each other. I'm excited about breakfast with my bridesmaids (at least with Kate and Emily) and my day of pampering before the rehearsal dinner. I can't wait to see how the wedding goes, and can't wait for the after-party at Kate's where I can take off those stupid (although incredibly cute) shoes and hang out with everyone drinking ALL THAT BEER (we have ordered a lot of beer). And the brunch on Sunday will be fabulous because it will be my family and friends and Top Pot Donuts.
So those of you who will be there next weekend, I can't wait to see you! And those of you who won't, let me know and I'll send you pictures! My margarita awaits.... hmm... I think I need to send Adam to the store for more limes.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Monday, July 28, 2008
Home Again, Home Again
For those of you who have been on the edge of their seats... "did she make it? did she escape salt lake city? did she have to sleep in the airport?" ... I am home. I was #15 on the stand-by list with 16 available seats, and was actually lucky enough to score an exit row seat. Granted, it was a middle exit row seat, but after 8 hours in the SLC airport, I didn't care. I even made it home by midnight.
Today I've been trying to finish off the last of our wedding tasks. I just realized the final payments for all of our vendors were due last week. Oops. If they really wanted to be paid though, they should have contacted me, right? How am I expected to keep track of all these things? Luckily, Adam is between jobs right now (gave notice Thursday, was asked not to come back Friday, starts new job after the honeymoon) so I have him running all kinds of wedding errands. Tomorrow I am going to teach him how to make programs. So all compliments on the wedding programs should be directed towards him.
I did figure out how to get the pictures off my camera. Finally. Even though the cord is still MIA. So as promised, the blanket for Little Bear; it's super soft, and was really fun to make. I have enough yarn for another so first one to tell me they are pregnant, gets one:
Today I've been trying to finish off the last of our wedding tasks. I just realized the final payments for all of our vendors were due last week. Oops. If they really wanted to be paid though, they should have contacted me, right? How am I expected to keep track of all these things? Luckily, Adam is between jobs right now (gave notice Thursday, was asked not to come back Friday, starts new job after the honeymoon) so I have him running all kinds of wedding errands. Tomorrow I am going to teach him how to make programs. So all compliments on the wedding programs should be directed towards him.
I did figure out how to get the pictures off my camera. Finally. Even though the cord is still MIA. So as promised, the blanket for Little Bear; it's super soft, and was really fun to make. I have enough yarn for another so first one to tell me they are pregnant, gets one:
The kiddo, chillaxin':
And of course, the full album of Little Bear v.2.5.w:
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Weekend Standing By
I flew to Missoula this weekend to visit Tom, Kat and the baby. The rest of the Tylee clan (minus Kate) made the drive over from Seattle. I took advantage of having a family member who works for the airline and managed to get a very cheap ticket for what otherwise would have been a very expensive weekend trip. I had a very good time hanging out with everyone, I get very homesick whenever I return to the mountains. It is just so beautiful out here, I feel so much more at home in the northwest than I do anywhere else. Tom and Kat live in a great little house in a little town outside Missoula, complete with local malt shop. I got my pizza, I washed dishes for the new family, I admired the little baby.
And now I am trying to get home. Dear lord. Remind me never to fly stand-by on a Sunday! Yes, I got a very good deal on my trip here this weekend, but the downside is that I have to fly stand by, and I have the lowest priority of everyone. Right now I am in Salt Lake City. I have thus far been bumped from two flights and there is only one flight left. This last flight seems to be running at least an hour late (although if you believe the flight status indicator on the computer, it is actually going to be 3 hours late and is currently somewhere over Michigan. This would of course be the one time I choose to travel without a book. I've managed to entertain myself through the brief wait at the Missoula airport and the very short flight to SLC. I had a beer once I got here, and then played solitaire for awhile. Then waited and waited and waited and hoped that that plane they were waiting for was going to be late and all 5 people were going to miss their connections... but no. They all came running at the last minute and I was bumped.
So now I wait again. And since I have used up all my entertainment tricks, I shelled out the $8 for internet access, because the internet can keep me busy for hours, which apparently I'm going to need. I actually wanted to buy the new David Sedaris book, because that too would keep me entertained, and I was trying to protest the idea of charging for internet access in airports. But no, the Salt Lake City airport bookstores do not stock David Sedaris (I checked 4 different stores) so I threw my priciples out the window and paid for the internet.
And I still don't have a cord for my camera, so still can't show you any new pictures. I did however take a picture of Little Bear on my cell phone, so for your viewing pleasure I give you "Blue Steel":
And now I am trying to get home. Dear lord. Remind me never to fly stand-by on a Sunday! Yes, I got a very good deal on my trip here this weekend, but the downside is that I have to fly stand by, and I have the lowest priority of everyone. Right now I am in Salt Lake City. I have thus far been bumped from two flights and there is only one flight left. This last flight seems to be running at least an hour late (although if you believe the flight status indicator on the computer, it is actually going to be 3 hours late and is currently somewhere over Michigan. This would of course be the one time I choose to travel without a book. I've managed to entertain myself through the brief wait at the Missoula airport and the very short flight to SLC. I had a beer once I got here, and then played solitaire for awhile. Then waited and waited and waited and hoped that that plane they were waiting for was going to be late and all 5 people were going to miss their connections... but no. They all came running at the last minute and I was bumped.
So now I wait again. And since I have used up all my entertainment tricks, I shelled out the $8 for internet access, because the internet can keep me busy for hours, which apparently I'm going to need. I actually wanted to buy the new David Sedaris book, because that too would keep me entertained, and I was trying to protest the idea of charging for internet access in airports. But no, the Salt Lake City airport bookstores do not stock David Sedaris (I checked 4 different stores) so I threw my priciples out the window and paid for the internet.
And I still don't have a cord for my camera, so still can't show you any new pictures. I did however take a picture of Little Bear on my cell phone, so for your viewing pleasure I give you "Blue Steel":
Friday, July 25, 2008
New Schedule
Today I start a new rotation. We normally change rotations every 2 weeks if we are on out-patient or consults, and every month if we are on in-patient. Luckily (for me at least) my last rotation--out-patient endocrine at Kaiser--was a full month. And I loved every minute of it. Today I start out-patient neurology. I am much less excited about this one, but it is required, so I have no choice. At least this year they have changed it to out-patient. Last year you had to take overnight call and see in-patient consults and from what I understand, it was an overall miserable experience. I can't really complain about the schedule. Clinic today is from 10 am to 3 pm, which means I should get to the airport in plenty of time to catch my flight to Missoula to meet my nephew, who we shall call Little Bear.
I have a lovely gift for him, perhaps my loveliest knitting project to date (I know! Knitting! Where has all the knitting gone? Someday it will return. Perhaps when I no longer spend my afternoons trying to figure out seating arrangement and appetizer menus?). I would show you a picture, but I can't find the cord to connect my camera to my computer. I know it is here somewhere, but I'm currently working with a lot of piles, my chosen organizational method, and I haven't sorted through it all yet. I also have pictures of Santa Barbara still to share (although Adam posted them to his blog, he was the last to use the camera cord, yet insists he does not have it. Hmm...).
The wedding is in two weeks. And then to Peru. I haven't had much time to think about the honeymoon. I have failed to get the recommended vaccinations, mainly because they are only recommended, not required. The hassle involved in trying to find a clinic that does Yellow Fever vaccines after hours or on weekends isn't worth it for the three days I will be in the jungle. I have DEET and I'm not afraid to use it.
That's it for now. Happy Friday. I will tell you all about my exciting Montana weekend when I return. Hopefully there will be some Mackenzie River Pizza in there somewhere. And perhaps some Moose Drool. I like Montana.
I have a lovely gift for him, perhaps my loveliest knitting project to date (I know! Knitting! Where has all the knitting gone? Someday it will return. Perhaps when I no longer spend my afternoons trying to figure out seating arrangement and appetizer menus?). I would show you a picture, but I can't find the cord to connect my camera to my computer. I know it is here somewhere, but I'm currently working with a lot of piles, my chosen organizational method, and I haven't sorted through it all yet. I also have pictures of Santa Barbara still to share (although Adam posted them to his blog, he was the last to use the camera cord, yet insists he does not have it. Hmm...).
The wedding is in two weeks. And then to Peru. I haven't had much time to think about the honeymoon. I have failed to get the recommended vaccinations, mainly because they are only recommended, not required. The hassle involved in trying to find a clinic that does Yellow Fever vaccines after hours or on weekends isn't worth it for the three days I will be in the jungle. I have DEET and I'm not afraid to use it.
That's it for now. Happy Friday. I will tell you all about my exciting Montana weekend when I return. Hopefully there will be some Mackenzie River Pizza in there somewhere. And perhaps some Moose Drool. I like Montana.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
And I Will Be Back Soon...
I apologize for my absence.
This wedding thing? Kind of time consuming all of a sudden. We were in Seattle this weekend for a friend's wedding and to do a bit of wedding planning of our own. Now we are back and I have taken over the dining table with my sample programs, to do lists and place cards. I keep waiting for it to reach a point where I feel like I have it under control, but there is still just too much to get done for me to really be able to see the end. I haven't even come up with a work-able to do list yet. But we are getting there...
So I will return. Soon. Be patient. I know you miss me.
This wedding thing? Kind of time consuming all of a sudden. We were in Seattle this weekend for a friend's wedding and to do a bit of wedding planning of our own. Now we are back and I have taken over the dining table with my sample programs, to do lists and place cards. I keep waiting for it to reach a point where I feel like I have it under control, but there is still just too much to get done for me to really be able to see the end. I haven't even come up with a work-able to do list yet. But we are getting there...
So I will return. Soon. Be patient. I know you miss me.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Revelation #1
The number of calories burned in a 2 mile jog is equivalent to a yogurt, *not* a piece of cheesecake.
Apparently the justification I've been using for the last 10 years is a bit flawed.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Finding a Cause for Fat
One thing that I've been struck by during my week in endocrine clinic is the number of people who are looking for answers. They have varied complaints, and no one has been able to tie them together or determine the cause. Despite numerous tests and studies, they don't have an explanation. They have low energy levels, they are gaining weight, they just feel lousy. And they need answers! So they go to the endocrinologist, because of course, it must be due to the thyroid gland. That mysterious gland that is responsible for regulating weight, energy level and overall well-being. The problem is, most of these people have no evidence that their thyroid is not functioning as it should be. Their hormone levels are fine, their imaging is normal, there is nothing that we can find wrong with their thyroids. And without finding evidence that something is wrong, there is nothing that we can fix. I'm not saying that there isn't something missing, some element that we don't yet know how to identify, but with the knowledge that we currently have, there is no evidence that the thyroid is causing their problems.
So why are so many people overweight? Why do they have so much trouble losing weight? I don't have the answer, but I have ideas. When I talk with people in clinic, they are convinced they are overweight through no fault of their own. They eat right, they exercise. They are looking for some external explanation, something that can easily be fixed with a pill. I don't blame them, I would love a pill that would let me lost 15 lbs., but it doesn't work that way. There was a study recently published that shows weight loss is more successful if participants kept a food diary. When you think about, it makes sense. I don't think most people are really aware of what they are eating, when they are eating or how much they are eating. We want to think we are better than we are, we remember the carrot sticks and celery we ate with lunch, not the box of crackers we ate when we got home from work. But if you write down everything you eat, not only are you having to face the truth of your dietary indiscretions, but I think you are less likely to deviate from your diet. If you have to write down "three pieces of chocolate cake" you are not going to eat three pieces of chocolate cake.
I think if people are more aware of their own actions, they are better able to make changes. This may be why Weight Watchers is the most effective method for accomplishing weight loss (this may just be my opinion, I'm not sure if there is data to support this). Other programs may work, but if they are providing you with all your food, you aren't learning how to change your behavior. Someone else is doing it for you. What happens when you no longer get your week's worth of food in the mail? What happens when you want to start cooking for yourself again? With W.W., you have to keep track of everything you eat, and you can eat normal food. It is all about moderation. You learn to pay attention to what you are eating, you learn portion control, and you learn how to change your lifestyle.
All of this is a long way of saying that I realize I spend a lot of my time lecturing my patients on the importance of diet and exercise. I recommend they do 30 minutes of exercise per day most days of the week. I tell them it is all about portion control. I tell them if they want to diet, they should try Weight Watchers. Because I understand all of these to be good things. Then I come home, eat a box of crackers and half a brick of cheese while sitting on the couch. Most definitely not doing 30 minutes of exercise. Today I decided I need to practice what I preach. Who am I to tell people struggling to lose weight how easy it is without the magic pill, if I can't/won't even do it myself? So here's what I've decided... I'm keeping a food journal (and am a bit surprised I haven't gained much weight over the years given the crap I eat!). I'm going to exercise 5 days a week. Even if I just walk for 30 minutes, it is better than sitting on the couch, right? And I joined Weight Watchers. Let's see how good they really are. I could stand to lose 15 lbs (but hopefully not before the wedding, because my dress barely stays up as it is).
This may not help me figure out why people are fat, or figure out the elusive thyroid gland, but at least it will give me some insight into just how hard it can be to implement all this advice I keep handing out. All in the name of science.
So why are so many people overweight? Why do they have so much trouble losing weight? I don't have the answer, but I have ideas. When I talk with people in clinic, they are convinced they are overweight through no fault of their own. They eat right, they exercise. They are looking for some external explanation, something that can easily be fixed with a pill. I don't blame them, I would love a pill that would let me lost 15 lbs., but it doesn't work that way. There was a study recently published that shows weight loss is more successful if participants kept a food diary. When you think about, it makes sense. I don't think most people are really aware of what they are eating, when they are eating or how much they are eating. We want to think we are better than we are, we remember the carrot sticks and celery we ate with lunch, not the box of crackers we ate when we got home from work. But if you write down everything you eat, not only are you having to face the truth of your dietary indiscretions, but I think you are less likely to deviate from your diet. If you have to write down "three pieces of chocolate cake" you are not going to eat three pieces of chocolate cake.
I think if people are more aware of their own actions, they are better able to make changes. This may be why Weight Watchers is the most effective method for accomplishing weight loss (this may just be my opinion, I'm not sure if there is data to support this). Other programs may work, but if they are providing you with all your food, you aren't learning how to change your behavior. Someone else is doing it for you. What happens when you no longer get your week's worth of food in the mail? What happens when you want to start cooking for yourself again? With W.W., you have to keep track of everything you eat, and you can eat normal food. It is all about moderation. You learn to pay attention to what you are eating, you learn portion control, and you learn how to change your lifestyle.
All of this is a long way of saying that I realize I spend a lot of my time lecturing my patients on the importance of diet and exercise. I recommend they do 30 minutes of exercise per day most days of the week. I tell them it is all about portion control. I tell them if they want to diet, they should try Weight Watchers. Because I understand all of these to be good things. Then I come home, eat a box of crackers and half a brick of cheese while sitting on the couch. Most definitely not doing 30 minutes of exercise. Today I decided I need to practice what I preach. Who am I to tell people struggling to lose weight how easy it is without the magic pill, if I can't/won't even do it myself? So here's what I've decided... I'm keeping a food journal (and am a bit surprised I haven't gained much weight over the years given the crap I eat!). I'm going to exercise 5 days a week. Even if I just walk for 30 minutes, it is better than sitting on the couch, right? And I joined Weight Watchers. Let's see how good they really are. I could stand to lose 15 lbs (but hopefully not before the wedding, because my dress barely stays up as it is).
This may not help me figure out why people are fat, or figure out the elusive thyroid gland, but at least it will give me some insight into just how hard it can be to implement all this advice I keep handing out. All in the name of science.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Happy (Belated) 4th
I was going to tell you all about my weekend in Santa Barbara. How Adam and I had a lovely road trip up the coast. How we stopped at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley and learned all about Reagan's early years. How we spent the night in Santa Barbara and drove up to wine country the next morning, unaffected by the fires just north of town. How we spent the morning strolling around Solvang, a quaint Danish village in the hills, then stopped at 4 different vineyards as we drove through the canyons. How we went berry picking on a farm. How it was a beautiful trip, with some delicious wine. How we drove down Hwy 1 for a very scenic trip home, stopping for seafood in Malibu as we watched the dolphins swim by. And yes, it was a beautiful weekend. But then at 5:55 am today, this happened:
Allow me to introduce Barrett James Tylee (whose parents hopefully will not mind my posting his photo to the internet for all to see). My nephew. Who looks remarkably like my brother which is funny, because my brother looks nothing like a newborn. I think it is the blond hair.
Baby trumps wine tasting any day. Happy Birthday Barrett!
Allow me to introduce Barrett James Tylee (whose parents hopefully will not mind my posting his photo to the internet for all to see). My nephew. Who looks remarkably like my brother which is funny, because my brother looks nothing like a newborn. I think it is the blond hair.
Baby trumps wine tasting any day. Happy Birthday Barrett!
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Happy Days Are Here Again
Yesterday at 9 am, I walked in the door after a very long night in the CCU, went to sleep and woke up 4 hours later with the happy (very happy!) thought that I NEVER HAVE TO GO BACK.
This weekend I get a 3-day weekend. Three day weekends are always great, but keep in mind: in the last two months, the longest stretch that I have been away from the hospital is 42 hours. Having 3 full days, from Thursday 5 pm until Monday 8 am, all to myself, with nothing to do is going to be like a full fledged vacation! Adam and I are going to take a road trip to Santa Barabara on Saturday. The rest of the time... who knows. Maybe I will finally get around to delegating wedding tasks. Or maybe I will sleep. The world is my oyster (where does that saying come from anyway?)
Today I went running. This is the first exercise I have had in a month. I'm pretty sure my wedding dress no longer fits. I feel like a slug. But I can still run 2 miles. Very very slowly. One of my hopes in moving back to Seattle is that Candace will motivate me to do a triathlon again, and help kick my ass into shape. I need a little motivation. While I'm good at motivating myself to watch a lot of PBS and learn about the lodges of America's national parks, I'm not so good at motivating myself to be athletic. I miss that. What I need is someone who will work out with me, and then go get a drink with me. That I could get motivated for.
So what else is upcoming in the life of Tracy?
This weekend I get a 3-day weekend. Three day weekends are always great, but keep in mind: in the last two months, the longest stretch that I have been away from the hospital is 42 hours. Having 3 full days, from Thursday 5 pm until Monday 8 am, all to myself, with nothing to do is going to be like a full fledged vacation! Adam and I are going to take a road trip to Santa Barabara on Saturday. The rest of the time... who knows. Maybe I will finally get around to delegating wedding tasks. Or maybe I will sleep. The world is my oyster (where does that saying come from anyway?)
Today I went running. This is the first exercise I have had in a month. I'm pretty sure my wedding dress no longer fits. I feel like a slug. But I can still run 2 miles. Very very slowly. One of my hopes in moving back to Seattle is that Candace will motivate me to do a triathlon again, and help kick my ass into shape. I need a little motivation. While I'm good at motivating myself to watch a lot of PBS and learn about the lodges of America's national parks, I'm not so good at motivating myself to be athletic. I miss that. What I need is someone who will work out with me, and then go get a drink with me. That I could get motivated for.
So what else is upcoming in the life of Tracy?
- Three weeks of outpatient endocrine at Kaiser, I could get used to the life of a private practice endocrinologist!
- Weekend in Santa Barbara. I'm going to try to get Adam to go wine tasting, he's going to try to get me to go hiking. Perhaps we can find a winery you have to hike to?
- VH1 the Who tribute concert. Apparently Adam bought me a ticket, so we are going to L.A. next weekend.
- Wedding in Seattle. Not mine. But Adam and I will be in town the weekend of July 18th, so if anyone wants to meet up for breakfast or lunch on Saturday, let me know!
- Wedding in Seattle. Mine. Still not ready for this one, so those who have offered, I will be assigning you tasks soon now that I have time to recreate the to-do list that disappeared when we reinstalled my operating system.
- Honeymoon! This I am ready for. Except for the fact that I still can't speak Spanish. I've been trying to learn with CDs in my car to and from work, but my commute is only 7 minutes. Can't learn much Spanish in 7 minutes.
- And I'm sure there will be much more that I will feel compelled to share. I am also open to requests. So if you start to get bored with my content, you only have yourself to blame.
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