Pink Power: A Victory for Women through Social Media

Last week, Komen for the Cure, an organization raising money for breast cancer research, screening, and treatment, stopped funding Planned Parenthood, stating their grant regulations forbade them from funding an organization that was actively being investigated.  In the time since I started writing this blog post and now, Komen has reinstated the funding and its vice president Karen Handel has resigned.  This was a great win for social media demonstrating that we, as a people, really have a voice!

Planned Parenthood was being investigated by Congress in September for allegations that federal funds were being used to fund abortions.  Although the money provided from Komen was going towards providing breast exams, they used the excuse that the investigation prevented them from providing any more funding.  Mind you, this investigation was going on for six months before Komen made this decision.  Incidentally, Komen VP Handel previously ran for GA governor with the stance that she would cut funding to Planned Parenthood. She was not elected.

Response to this was immense, especially on facebook, where women shared stories of how Planned Parenthood is the only location where they can receive care and it may be the only place where they can obtain an appropriate breast exam from a health care provider.  Within a week, the outrage was immense and the decision was reversed.  

Considering how many items, especially around October, are pink and designed to donate funds automatically to Komen, it's important that they did reverse this decision, effectively listening to the public who buys their products and supports their organization.  Also, using the excuse of "federal investigations" as a means to cut funding was a very passive aggressive way to skirt around their beliefs.  

Reinstating the funds was the right choice.  Breast exams can save a life! 

New Year's Resolutions

1. Write More Reviews - I will become a Yelp Duchess!

I've been to some great (and some not so great) restaurants, stores, etc. in the last year and feel like I should share my suggestions and some of the great foodie pics I've taken. Also I plan to become the "duchess" somewhere on yelp. This also goes to show that I'm not always studying or at least I'm studying somewhere really cool!

2. To Do Lists - Sticking to Sticky Notes

I have tons of stickie notes and love writing on them but I definitely don't complete all of the to-dos I set out to. I plan to write those. Do them. And get the gratification of throwing stickies away.

3. Running - Around in Circles

I started this year by running a half marathon the first week of January. Plan to do another one by the end of this year. Using map my run

is making it so much easier since it actually updates me every 10 minutes with how far I've run and what my current pace is.

4. Sailing - by myself

Yup, my dad is a sailor, even teaches sailing.

I also took a semester course at USC on how to sail. Still haven't obtained my sailing license- apparently I need to capsize a boat in order to do this. I plan to capsize and then tack and jibe my way to Catalina Island, on a (sail)boat.

5. Cleaning - my apartment, more frequently.

I keep my apartment relatively clean. I never want to use the excuse, "Sorry I haven't cleaned my apartment recently" or "It's been a crazy month" again.

6. Gifting - even if just a card or baked goods

I haven't reached an age where my friends are getting married yet, thankfully. But I have reached this age where they are moving in together or at least moving into homes or new apartments. I realized that when I do go to someone else's house, especially for the first time, I should bring a gift. Being a broke medical student means baking or helping them move are acceptable gifts.

Hallelujah for Hallelujah

In the days leading up to Christmas, I have spent many hours drowning in the green and red of Starbucks. Therefore, I have had the pleasure of listening to their annual Christmas soundtrack on repeat. This means hearing one of my favorites, Hallelujah, q3h.

I used to live alone before I knew you. There are probably no words in this song that actually have anything to do with Christmas--or are there? I really got to thinking where all the verses of this song came from instead of reviewing the numerous etiologies of jaundice in neonates while studying for my peds shelf. And of course, why is this part of most Christmas soundtracks?

The history of this song is just as intricate as its lyrics. Written by Canadian Leonard Cohen in 1984, it achieved very little success. Probably because it sounded nothing like its popularized version and because Leonard Cohen didn't bear the charming James Dean/JamesFranco-ness of Jeff Buckley. John Cale covered it first in 1991, where it showed up in Scrubs and Shrek. Jeff Bucklety heard that, loved it I'm sure, and covered it in 1994. For reasons stated above plus magic, this is the song that stuck on most Christmas albums. It's listed as one of the greatest songs of all time--although not in Buckley's time. He died in 1997 after an accidental drowning, before his version appeared on The West Wing, The OC, House, ER, etc. Rufus Wainwright, having met Jeff Buckley, did a cover of the song to tribute Buckley's death, which eventually made the soundtrack for Shrek (although Cale is still on the film) and eventually performed the song for Leonard Cohen's film. The song definitely came full circle.

So what was that secret chord the David played that pleased the Lord? No one is really sure, but besides being the ruler of all the tribes of Israel, David (of David and Goliath and the Star of David) was known to be a musician. Hence the String Bridge in Jerusalem.

David was also known to see married women. You saw her bathing on the roof...her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you. was in reference to seeing Bathseba "bath"ing on the roof, the end result of which was Solomon. Quite controversial for a Christmas song considering Bathseba was married to Uriah the Hittite at the time.

She tied you to the kitchen chair, she broke your thrown and cut your hair. Sounds painful and yet very biblical as well. This is in reference to when Samson was tied with ropes by Delilah, when he didn't reveal his secret--that his hair was his strength and without it he would have none. She later cut his hair. Ouch.

There's definitely more to this song than I'm even touching. Many are biblical references mixed with verses that just struck a chord. It definitely makes you listen to the song in a whole new way and regard Bible verses differently, when you realize that some of those stories are not just about prophets, but also about people, with weakness, who often make mistakes.

There was a time when I moved in you and the Holy Dove was moving too. Alas, the one lyric of this song that probably references the Immaculate Conception, which of course brings us to the Christmas song this is. Maybe it's just played more during this season to allow us to reflect on the year--filled with minor falls and major lifts.

Panckaes: How Medical School Relates to the Health Care Debate

Since starting medical school it has become increasingly difficult for me to post on my blog. I apologize for this and plan to make it a priority to post more regularly, in this most interesting time. Not only is it my first year of medical school, it is the first year that health care reform has become a top priority for our government. As a result of this it has also become more complicated to understand. Just like medical school, of which I will be blogging about as well, health care reform is like eating "pancakes every morning." As "topher" suggests in his blog, The Rumors Were True, "Medical school is like trying to eat five pancakes every morning for breakfast. Every day you show up with your first-year optimism and your annoying hunger for learning and you clean that plate (just kidding, it’s adorable). But you begin to notice that those pancakes are slowing you down a little each day and the sugar highs and lows are screwing with your sleep. Smart person that you are, you decide to pass on the flapjacks one day. You think to yourself, “Self, I’m going to eat ten pancakes tomorrow so that I don’t have to eat any today.”

I have found this metaphor to be so true. At least I love pancakes.

I must disclose the following. My blogs will not be as lengthy as before due to time constraints, which is an issue I will surely address in different posts, as they relate to health care practice. However, having gained a deeper perspective of what the other side is like, I will definitely have a deeper analysis of health care.

A Fractured Leg: How One Article Chose to Hit the Wrong Bone

I was appalled to find an article suggesting that Sonia Sotomayor's injury makes her unable to perform functions required as a potential Supreme Court Justice. Last I check, the position did not require any feats of extraordinary strength. In fact, sitting at the bench would entail her doing one thing: sitting. To somehow suggest that a disability impairs you from a high level position is completely ridiculous, especially when the only thing that job demands is the ability to judge fairly and in accordance with the constitution. Unless her disability affects her ability to judge (which neither a broken leg or arm, hearing or visual impairment, nor diabetes impairs) then she would have no problem doing her job. This claim and the following article by Sarah K. Smith brings up bone density scans and her Sotomayor's apparent clumsiness, however accidents are seldom preventable. My comment on her article is displayed below and reflects my position that anyone with a disability is able to accomplish anything they set their mind to.

Comment to "Sotomaor May Be Too Clumsy to Serve"

For you to suggest that a broken leg somehow makes a Judge unable to perform her duties is completely absurd. Furthermore, your call for bone density scans is unnecessary and infringes' on any patients' privacy. I'm not sure if you are aware of how many successful people in politics, the justice system, or any other field have disabilities, but your claim that that her fracture somehow makes her lesser candidate for the position reflects poor journalism. You may criticize where she stands on certain issues or the comments that she has said, but to recommend that her broken leg makes her unfit is simply hitting the wrong bone.