Today was our "two hour residency" in neurology. The lecture began by our teacher reading aloud a description of an illness from a psychiatric diagnostic manual. They were all pretty general psychiatric symptoms that could have fit any number of illnesses. He then proceeded to tell us that it was a description of someone suffering from syphilis. It turns out, that at one point about half of the individuals in mental institutions actually had syphilis - not psychosis or a mood disorder. At that time, no one knew that syphilis could masquerade as a mental illness because of it's wide array of psychiatric symptoms.
So why am I writing about an STD?
Well, I had a really hard time containing my laughter for the first 15 minutes of class.
No I don't think that syphilis or any other sexually transmitted disease is a joke. I don't think that psychiatric hospitalization is humorous at all. No. . . learning about syphilis triggered a funny memory from my past (not having anything to do with Mr. McNab's sex ed class. . . don't worry)
So for the first part of my life, my parents raised pigs on our farm (they now just work themselves to the bone on their very large crop operation). This is probably why I so desperately want a pet pig. They are my favorite animals. Well, believe it or not I was quite a talker while I was younger. I remember one time when I was "informing" some guests or a salesman all about our livestock operation and proclaimed, "some of the pigs have syphilis." (or something to that effect . . .it may have been that "we" were vaccinating FOR erysipelas.) My mom got a bit of a horrified look on her face and quickly corrected me, "ERYSIPELAS. . . not syphilis." When you're like seven (and don't know what an STD even is) it's close enough. . . At the time I didn't understand why it was such a big deal. Now that I know what syphilis is, it makes sense that my mother preferred that I not go around shouting fictitious news of that nature on the rooftops. So as the lecture began today all I could think of is little big-mouth Joy blurting out "THE PIGS HAVE SYPHILIS!".
FYI: erysipelas is a condition both humans and animals can get - in animals it's really serious - it starts with skin lesions and can lead to death :(
erysipelas pig :( sad - poor guy
happy, healthy, cute pig. . . kind of like the one Philip needs to buy Joy for Christmas :)
sad erysipelas person. . . :(
There is your veterinary science / dermatology lesson for the day.
So another good blast from the past is something I must share from my mom's facebook (as you are not all her friend)
My mom posts on her status: been shampooing carpets and cleaning corners here. Look out dust bunnies!! When I told Josh, he said he wished he could come home and sleep on his bed out in the living room. (He and Joy, when they were "kids," thought it was a blast to have their bed in the living room while their room was dismantled).
!!"
My mother-in-love posts: Connie, how can we possibly compete with you, my kids never got to have their beds in the living room, they have been deprived! ...could it be because I never cleaned their rooms?
My mom posts: Laura - no, it's probably my kids who were deprived. Think about it - they got super excited sleeping a night in the living room, and now as adults, they vividly recall the experience.
I laugh.
There's a snapshot of my childhood: pigs,
2 comments:
I bet I laughed harder reading this than you laughed in class or writing the blog or reading Facebook. Laughter doeth good like a medicine, the good book says. And besides medicating with laughter, your blogs educate us on psychology, human behavior, swine diseases, dermatology, common photography techniques, goings on with the Leres, history of your unusual childhood, and so much more.
I've been thinking about the lazy eye thing with Philip. This goes back to your genetics post. Philip's grandfather, my dad, had a lazy eye in pictures, we always attributed it the polio he had as a child. Maybe it's something Philip got from me. Of course it could also be his super fast reaction times which would be his preferred reason I'm sure. I'd rather not take responsibility for the 80% of photos that have to be thrown out!
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