List of things to do!

I wont describe myself as solely a lists person, because I do not necessarily write a list of things I need to do. Depending on my mood, I write them down or I carry a mental note of things I need to do. I remember having a small pocket book as an intern where I wrote out all the things I needed to do. Anyone outside the hospital reading through the book would have considered it indecipherable but I could not do without it.

Entries like the list below filled my small jotter and it gave me no small measure of satisfaction when I had done my days work and crossed out all the things I had done. I miss those days when I had something to do.

1. short cast RL msw 31 (Translation put a short cast on the right leg of the patient in bed 31 on the male surgical word)
2. CBC msw 2 (Take a blood sample for a complete blood count for the patient on bed 2)
3. d/c summary fsw 1 (Write the discharge summary for the patient on the first bed in the female surgical ward)
4. Prv 3 d/c traction/ FL pop (For the patient in room 3 in the private ward, discontinue the traction and put on a full length Plaster of paris cast)

Today my list would probably be filled with things like...............

1. Take French lessons for the umpteenth and last time and speak it:)I have spent the last few weeks watching french films with english subscripts and I can tell that not everything being said is translated :) Im that good!

2. Become a professional arabic speaker (Yes I am learning to speak arabic and though I find the class fast paced, I can read the previously indecipherable script yipeee! My accent and pronunciation is probably no where near the real thing.

3. Start that great job that is waiting for me, or more accurately Start the great job I am waiting for.
4. Travel, travel and travel by road- I have my eye fixed on a number of states and I would love to go on a road trip but I do not have a car, nor the piece of plastic that permits me to drive one.:)The most important question is do I know how to drive? Anyway I have this huge booklet that Im supposed to be reading for a test to obtain my drivers permit:) Shameful I know but at least Im trying!:)

5. Write everyday. I want to practice and keep on improving my writing skills. I read Uwem Akpans 'Say you are one of them' and I laughed, cried, shook my head in disbelief and was moved. I want to write like that. I also read his short story 'Baptizing the gun' which was featured in the New Yorker and I laughed myself silly. He writes so well and I have added him to my list of favorite writers which includes Wole Soyinka, James Herriot and Thomas Hale M.D.

6. Try to say hello to everyone who I pass by on the road (Im only kidding) but I try it from time to time and Ill tell you the lack of a response is a bit discouraging. I wonder if its the surprise of being greeted that stumps them or they just dont think its a good morning. I have also been pleasantly surprised by greetings from people that I do not expect a hello from and I always break into a smile and reply. Its amazing what a good morning greeting does to the body.

7. Read some more great books, Im currently reading 'The immortal life of Henrietta Lacks' and its interesting how things were done so long ago. Cervical Cancer was treated with little pieces of radium sewn unto the cervix!!!! and removed after a few days! Thank God for advancements in the field of science, I cant imagine practicing medicine like that. I would probably have been confined to treating black patients in the 'Hospital for Coloreds' as they were called, if I had been allowed to read Medicine at all in that era! There are many things I am happy have changed, really happy about.

8. Write and practice my next speech for my Toastmasters club. I'll be giving my seventh speech out of ten speeches for the first project and Im excited! As usual I am running through in my head so many probable topics. The speech is supposed to focus on a topic you did some research on. I hope I can choose quickly, I will post the speech once Im through with writing and delivering it. I have progressed a lot before I had terrible jitters days before giving my speech but before my last speech I was able not to worry about it.

9. To help people more. I do not yet know how I want to do this but I aim to stop looking at my own woes (which others see as a blessing, isnt the grass always greener on the other side of the fence) and begin to actively help people. But I have to figure out how I can ask to help without offending the other party. That gives me plenty to think about.

10. Ah! I have reached the last item on the list. Hmmmmm what more can I write? I know, Ill draw a big line through the other items on the list as I run through them and hopefully they wont take a year to accomplish!