If you’ve been reading this blog on a regular basis, you already know that I’m a big fan of the blog, Dr. Val and the Voice of Reason. Well, long story short, she was on vacation a couple of weeks ago in California and while there took the opportunity to enjoy a nice massage.

She relates the experience in her post entitled, Conversations at the Spa. (While you read this, keep in mind that she is a medical doctor.)

Those of you with healthcare backgrounds may especially appreciate this dialog:

Therapist (scrutinizing my back as I’m face down on a table): have you seen a chiropractor recently?

Dr. Val: Um, no. Why?

Therapist: Well, two of your ribs are out.

Dr. Val: They’re ‘out?’ Where did they go?

Therapist: A chiropractor can put them back for you so your muscles won’t pull in the wrong direction.

Dr. Val: Will a chiropractor be able to fix this permanently?

Therapist: No, you’ll have to keep going.

Are you starting to get the drift? Well, it only gets better. Here’s another little sample:

Therapist: I’m using my elbows to stimulate repair cells.

Dr. Val: Ahum…

Therapist: You have lactic acid build up in your shoulders so we have to flush the toxins out with special oils. You should also drink a lot of water.

Dr. Val: What sort of toxins?

Therapist: Like, dirt and metals and stuff that you’ve been exposed to.

[Snip]

Dr. Val: How do I know how many toxins I have in my body?

Therapist: Well, your shoulders are really tight and your ribs are out so I think you probably have a lot. You’ll need a lot of massage and you need to see a chiropractor. The oils I used on you will have a calming effect, though. You’ll probably sleep really well tonight.

Dr. Val: I see (inhaling, exhaling). I hope I do.

Yikes! Makes you wonder where massage therapists get their education.

Be sure to head over and read the whole post. It’s a stitch. And be sure to check out the rest of Dr. Val’s blog. She always has lots of good information for health conscious consumers.

– Dean

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If you like watching ER you’ll love reading The Surgeon’s Blog. It’s fast paced, intense, dramatic, thoughtful, on the edge of gut-wrenching, funny… I’m running out of adjectives.
[sitethumb://surgeonsblog.blogspot.com/]
Here are some snippets from one called, Traumadramarama:

For sheer speed, you cut between the ribs and then, at the end near the sternum, where cartilage takes the place of bone, you turn the knife northward and chunk through a few of those soft ends. It makes an ugly, L-shaped scar, but it’s quick, and you can reach in as if through a trapdoor. It eliminates the need for finding, opening, inserting, and cranking a rib-spreader, breaking a couple of ribs in the process.

[snip]

…to get blood circulating you hold that heart and work it, even as it’s still beating. And you can feel the engorgement, the ventricles filling more of your hand, the more powerful squirt in response to your grasp as the blood volume is restored. Carefully, with hope, you can begin to relax your grip, keeping your hand near, sensing the more effective beats; and finally, extract your hand from the chest, while realizing for the first time how awkwardly it’s been bent, reaching in from the side of the patient, through a small, tight, and bony hole. As circulation returns to the patient (at least his upper body!), so it does to your hand.

[snip]

It’s not over. Even with the aorta clamped, opening the belly releases the bled blood, and it gushes out under pressure as the belly deflates.

Like I said, this one will keep you on the edge of your seat. Very entertaining. Often funny. You’re going to like Dr. Sid Schwab’s writing style.

He’s definitely one of my new favorites.

While you’re there, be sure to leave a comment to let Dr. Schwab know you stopped by.

- Dean

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Grand Rounds is up at Vitum Medicinus and as usual there are some very interesting posts for medblog enthusiasts including one from yours truly. Yes, this is my first submission to the medblog carnival and I consider it quite a privilege to have my post listed alongside such an illustrious collection of talented bloggers.

Be sure to check it out… just don’t tell ‘em I’m not a doctor.
(They let you in?)
(Yeah… go figure.)

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