Now, where was I?

I had intended to have the rest of the vacation posts written by now, but dear old lappy broke. With much joy I can report there is life in her yet! We're also running windows 7 which I am still, mere hours later, undecided about. But it's a change. I feel like an old mare set in her ways, unable (more likely, unwilling) to change. I'm sure that my computer usage can be as adaptive as the rest of me. (but why can't I make my start bar anything but blue!?)
I've also found, after trying hard to get into it, that I am having a hard time getting out of vacation mode. My mood probably has something to do with feeling in the home stretch of this WAP which truly fills me with mixed emotions. In the last two days I have felt appallingly sorry for myself (again!) watched too much TV and ate just enough ice cream.
Also in this time I have had the first glimmer of communication from my dissertation supervisor. After three emails of increasing irritation and panic, I received a two sentence email suggesting that we meet (for the first time) in early August. Oh, what a laugh I had! Then I realized he was serious. So I am still a bit in the weeds, but not stupid enough to wait to do anything until 5 weeks before it's due. Seriously, August?!
Stupidly, I have been struggling for a topic that meets all my needs of interesting, having plenty of associated resources, and might fill even a minute hole in this very broad discipline. I always believed it should have to do with medicine, of course. A few months ago I found a book in our library that had a chapter in it written by one of my old professors at UMBC. It turns out that I should have stopped exclaiming my disbelief and pride and actually read it thoroughly. It was about what I had already noticed here, a palpable disconnect between emergency planning and the health sector (whether it be public health, epidemiology, or EMS/hospitals). How intriguing, I thought to myself. So I started flipping through all of our books claiming to be 'Everything one could possible need to know about emergency management' and found, happily, very little mention of bringing the medical people in on the planning or preparation phases of emergency planning.
Anyway, I'm sure no one is still reading at this point, but there it is basically. Why is there such a gap between these disciplines that to me, should go hand in hand? Why was our 'managing health in emergencies' module so disappointing and pointless when medicine is such an essential facet of disaster management? Because emergency managers don't talk to health people. And, if I can find, (I'd be happy with two) experts on the subject who independently agree on (I'd be happy with one) potential solution to this problem, I will be ecstatic.
With renewed interest, (and growing panic) I am finally happy with my topic and truly believe it is achievable and could shed some light on a real issue.
So, let's get cracking! (as soon as I finish the rest of these holiday posts)

Comments

Anonymous said…
I am not sure that this is relevant to your topic, but maybe it is.
Last summer, away from home, in the middle of the night, I went to the ER with a sudden onslaught heavy duty UTI, thinking that I didn't know any local doctor, and the sooner I could start an antibiotic, the better. There was everything in the ER, from babies with ear infections to traffic accident victims.

It seems to me that ER should have an Urgent Care office separate from the broken/bleeding/heart issues patients with life-threatening needs and issues. It could deal with worried parents of newborns, UTI's, simple fractures, etc. I'd think it would be easier on everybody and maybe lead to fewer hospital-induced infections.

Pat
Mother said…
Sounds good to me! Glad you are working on something concrete at last, but meeting with you in August is not very helpful! Obviously, it has been a while since he had to write a paper with a deadline.

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