I don't know if you caught the subsequent episode where the doctor in the ER had to answer questions about his actions before an arena of fellow physicians. Utterly brutal.
When everyone is well-rested and has 20/20 hindsight and insight, it's impossible to convey to the folks judging you that every minute, you see two roads ahead and, like Frost, you have to pick one not knowing where it will lead. Brutal is the right word.
A defining moment in med school was when the head of pediatrics got up and told us, basically, to do what's right, what you know, and it may not always work out. He told us, "I have to live with the knowledge that I, personally, blinded hundreds of children by giving them 100% O2 at birth, because that's what I was taught to do." Here's an exampleof how that went for one poor soul.
(Unrelated, I gave my first boy that kid's real first name, too.)
I've been thrown up against a wall, had a delirious patient rip his leather restraints and punch me in the chest, and one night I pushed an infinite amount of IV valium into some withdrawing guy (literally emptied the pharmacy) and he looked up at me, sweating, and said, "I killed my girlfriend, but I like you." This doesn't count the few times I got sprayed with blood from the homeless people I cared for - including once where the only thing protecting me was my spectacles - totally red face/mouth/nose. During the HIV epidemic.
It's hard for me to watch these very accurate shows, because when things go wrong - even for the guy who does it right - it's like reliving it. I almost lost my license about 25 years ago because someone had to be at fault of the three people involved, even though I was the one who figured it out and did the right stuff. Stanford head of cardiology came home early from his father's funeral to testify on my behalf - and it didn't help. (Fuck malpractice lawyers, BTW. They ruin professionals' lives then go home to a nice dinner with their family.) I was fined more than $250K, but fortunately insurance covered it. Took years to resolve.
Worst episode of "ER" ever: when our hero gets a woman who is about to deliver a baby. Then a little thing goes wrong, it gets worse. No one will come help. It gets worse. Eventually he's left there all alone trying to figure out how to do a C-section in an ER room or woman and baby die, and this was 30 years ago, with much less tech. I've been in spots like that before and you can see the end coming, and it's not good, no matter what you do. Last scene: everyone is mad at you for screwing up, including the patient's family and friends and lawyers, and - in my case - your name goes up on a public website labeled "BAD DOCTORS." I talked him out of it after a while.
And, while I'm indignant, a hearty fuck you to the folks who think they know medicine better than the epidemiologists and immunologists and virologists and everyone else who tried to SAVE YOUR LIVES when we were faced with an unknown infection that spread like wildfire and we're all damned lucky it only killed old people and not pregnant women and their unborn. Imagine people saying "It'll be gone by spring" or "it's like the flu." Idiot sheep. Idiot president.
God bless you, Steely_D. People like you are keeping us from complete national medical disaster. Talk about the Thin White Line...
"Worst episode of "ER" ever: when our hero gets a woman who is about to deliver a baby."
I didn't watch ER that much but saw that episode. It depicted pre-eclampsia as a mysterious, unpredictable condition. I asked an obstetrician about it, recounting for her the dramatized disaster. She didn't really answer my questions which puzzled the hell out of me.
I don't know if you caught the subsequent episode where the doctor in the ER had to answer questions about his actions before an arena of fellow physicians. Utterly brutal.
"And, while I'm indignant, a hearty fuck you to the folks who think they know medicine better than the epidemiologists and immunologists and virologists and everyone else"
One of the great failings of American culture these days is that we've made it acceptable, even comfortable, for idiots to hold public attention by claiming to "tell it like its" or "speak the truth." Joe Rogan comes to mind. Trump and his incessant lying is another.
People like that thrive because the average person freezes when faced with an intractable problem or complex situation without immediate solution. So yammerheads like Trump offer conspiracy theories that distort or telescope an issue into an "us vs. them" approach. The snotty fat cats and over-educated experts vs. commonsense, average Americans.
It's depressing how helpless and disengaged people seem to be about helping themselves and their country—unless they're motivated by FUD/hate. The only good thing that might come out of Trump's destructiveness is that his supporters will finally realize they're being screwed over...
According to a New York Times article, ER doctors say it's close to reality.
"...I appreciate the nod to trying to humanize and basically apologize for how some physicians just can't stop and say the right comforting words while someone next door is bleeding to death."
I spent a week in the hospital fairly recently and was overwhelmed by the kindness, respect and care my doctors and nurses gave me. During the Covid pandemic. They are my heroes.
Once or twice I noticed a normally cheerful nurse was ashen-faced and withdrawn. I realized then that other patients were far sicker, ruder and demanding. One specialist, a very kind and capable woman, recounted being yelled at regularly. It just hurts to hear that.
Pray for your doctors and nurses. We don't have many good guys left.
I've been thrown up against a wall, had a delirious patient rip his leather restraints and punch me in the chest, and one night I pushed an infinite amount of IV valium into some withdrawing guy (literally emptied the pharmacy) and he looked up at me, sweating, and said, "I killed my girlfriend, but I like you." This doesn't count the few times I got sprayed with blood from the homeless people I cared for - including once where the only thing protecting me was my spectacles - totally red face/mouth/nose. During the HIV epidemic.
It's hard for me to watch these very accurate shows, because when things go wrong - even for the guy who does it right - it's like reliving it. I almost lost my license about 25 years ago because someone had to be at fault of the three people involved, even though I was the one who figured it out and did the right stuff. Stanford head of cardiology came home early from his father's funeral to testify on my behalf - and it didn't help. (Fuck malpractice lawyers, BTW. They ruin professionals' lives then go home to a nice dinner with their family.) I was fined more than $250K, but fortunately insurance covered it. That automatically triggers a review by the CA State board to prove your competence via ten oral questions in front of a three-person board. Took years to resolve.
Worst episode of "ER" ever: when our hero gets a woman who is about to deliver a baby. Then a little thing goes wrong, it gets worse. No one will come help. It gets worse. Eventually he's left there all alone trying to figure out how to do a C-section in an ER room or woman and baby die, and this was 30 years ago, with much less tech. I've been in spots like that before and you can see the end coming, and it's not good, no matter what you do. Last scene: everyone is mad at you for screwing up, including the patient's family and friends and lawyers, and - in my case - your name goes up on a public website labeled "BAD DOCTORS." I talked him out of it after a while.
And, while I'm indignant, a hearty fuck you to the folks who think they know medicine better than the epidemiologists and immunologists and virologists and everyone else who tried to SAVE YOUR LIVES when we were faced with an unknown infection that spread like wildfire and we're all damned lucky it only killed old people and not pregnant women and their unborn. Imagine people saying "It'll be gone by spring" or "it's like the flu." Idiot sheep. Idiot president.
The damned thing feels like an ongoing pop quiz (and I get almost everything right!) but it doesn't slow down, and is pretty accurate. Except that there's a few inserts of hand holding that a truly overwhelmed trauma center can't get away with - but I appreciate the nod to trying to humanize and basically apologize for how some physicians just can't stop and say the right comforting words while someone next door is bleeding to death.
Anyway, this is basically ER meets 24. If you don't mind some difficult, anatomically-correct realism (full on vaginal view of a baby being delivered, etc) then you might like.
According to a New York Times article, ER doctors say it's close to reality.
"...I appreciate the nod to trying to humanize and basically apologize for how some physicians just can't stop and say the right comforting words while someone next door is bleeding to death."
I spent a week in the hospital fairly recently and was overwhelmed by the kindness, respect and care my doctors and nurses gave me. During the Covid pandemic. They are my heroes.
Once or twice I noticed a normally cheerful nurse was ashen-faced and withdrawn. I realized then that other patients were far sicker, ruder and demanding. One specialist, a very kind and capable woman, recounted being yelled at regularly. It just hurts to hear that.
Pray for your doctors and nurses. We don't have many good guys left.
The damned thing feels like an ongoing pop quiz (and I get almost everything right!) but it doesn't slow down, and is pretty accurate. Except that there's a few inserts of hand holding that a truly overwhelmed trauma center can't get away with - but I appreciate the nod to trying to humanize and basically apologize for how some physicians just can't stop and say the right comforting words while someone next door is bleeding to death.
Anyway, this is basically ER meets 24. If you don't mind some difficult, anatomically-correct realism (full on vaginal view of a baby being delivered, etc) then you might like.
"Brassic" on Amazon. Small-town British misfits/casual thieves and their misadventures. Dominic West has a small role as a largely useless GP and therapist with some odd fetishes.
If you like Guy Ritchie's work (his "The Gentlemen" series on Netflix was amazing), you'll love Brassic.
Location: Blinding You With Library Science! Gender:
Posted:
Feb 22, 2025 - 9:24am
It's a little long in the tooth (ran 2016-20), but we just got BritBox and are loving Upstart Crow. If you're a fan of Blackadder, I think you'll enjoy it too! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
Catching the beginning of the second season of this. These geezers (Lithgow and Bridges) are so incredibly comfortable in their complex and intertwined roles. Strong recommendation.
edit: holy crap this is good.
One of my favs. Already watched season 2! Jeff Bridges is an amazing actor, Iâve seen everything heâs done.
Catching the beginning of the second season of this. These geezers (Lithgow and Bridges) are so incredibly comfortable in their complex and intertwined roles. Strong recommendation.
edit: holy crap this is good.
Just binged the first five eps of The Day of The Jackal thanks to my friendly neighbourhood torrent deliveries.
If you're a fan of the novel, you should check this out. Reimagined into modern political times - and you don't have to look too closely to see the parallels with today's political landscape - including the Jackal's targets. Though there is some unnecessary and soon annoying domestic drama by one of the primary characters, it remains enjoyable. So far.
In the US, on NBC's streaming platform Peacock, it premieres on Nov 14.
