Category Archives: rural doctor

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ring

For the Ragtag Daily Prompt: ring.

We hiked the Tunnel Creek trail yesterday, about 4 miles up and back. Much of it was in shadow at the start, with sun up in the tops of the trees. We reached areas with sun and then it followed us back down the valley. Not all the way, the end was in the dark trees and wet.

We were mushrooming. We saw many more mushrooms than ones that we knew were ok, but it was so beautiful and healing. I love to hike.

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early

Driving to work yesterday, I pulled over and took this photograph. It was so beautiful in the early morning.

Yesterday evening I walked downtown after work. Our local Kiwanis is working on a memorial for all those lost at sea. I started thinking and wondering if we have a memorial for those lost to drug addiction, lost to domestic violence, for lost innocence.

This photograph is for all those losses.

 

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Mordechai on fleek

For the Ragtag Daily Prompt: fleek.

In October, Mordechai the plastic skeleton hangs out in the Quimper Family Medicine waiting room. She changes outfits. We had a 10 year old visitor who rearranged everything and now Mordechai is on fleek. She is holding out emergency preparedness pamphlets.

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nana rat

Happy Friday! And back to the Kinetic Sculpture Festival!

I took a photograph of this delightful rat and her ride:

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I decided to name it a Banana Rat, but there actually ARE Banana Rats. Images. They are also called hutia and live in the Caribbean Islands. I have never heard of hutia before.

I learn wonderful new things every day!

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Herd

For the Ragtag Daily Prompt: herd.

I am reading Dopesick, newly out this year, by Beth Macy. I am wondering what make people try addictive substances. At what age and why? To be popular? Herd mentality?

I’ve interviewed my older smokers for years, asking what age they started. Most of them say they tried cigarettes at age 9. Nine, you say? Yes. Parents then look horrified when I say that they should start talking about drugs and alcohol and tobacco by the time their child is in third grade. Recently a woman told me that she tried cigarettes at age 7.

It’s not just talking to your kids, either. It’s modeling as well. What do you model for tobacco, for alcohol, for prescription medicines, supplements and over the counter medicines? Do you say one thing but do another?

I am 100 pages in to Dopesick. The most horrifying new information is that more people under age 50 have died from opioid overdose then died in the 1990s from HIV and AIDS. Also the failure of history: we have had morphine available over the counter until addiction swept the country. Then heroin. This round is oxycontin. And I checked the index: no mention of kratom, sold from southeast asia. It is related to the coffee plant but it works as an opioid. It has been illegal in Thailand since 1943. I think they figured out that it too is addictive a long time ago.

I was an introvert, a smart girl, a geek before there was a word. I did not party and was not invited. I went to Denmark as an exchange student. I tried a cigarette there and decided that I couldn’t afford it and it tasted awful. I drank beer there, but was careful. I did go to a party where I was offered a bowl of pills: no. I was cautious and became even more cautious when I returned to the US.

When and what did you try first? And WHY? What makes us try these addictive substances? The evidence is piling up that the younger we try them, the more chance of addiction. And certain substances addict very very quickly.

Who chooses not to be part of the herd and why?

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Kudos to Kops

The Kinetic Kops do krowd kontrol for the Kinetic Sculpture Race. Mostly to keep spectators, especially spectators with cameras, from being run over. Some of these machines are large and heavy and may not stop on a dime. Some of them went down to the water fast, gathering momentum, with spectators lining the way. People get distracted by the costumes and glitter and forget that these are built to climb hills, go through mud, go on water, human powered.

So Kudos to Kinetic Kops for protecting us all!