Day 51 - Patient education material

Today, for the first time, the finality of what these last two weeks will bring began to sink in. I realized that I can't put off research for another day, or decide to go hiking instead of making a few extra phone calls - it's time to bear down and finish what I have started. While this may take a bit of the "fun" aspect out of my summer project, I have also started to realize how much I have taken on and how happy I will be with my finished product. And, like most, I do better when the end is in sight and the pressure of meeting a deadline grows stronger and stronger.

I began to outline the six month cycle for my patient education material today. Once I compiled all of the research data I began to summarize and recount all that had gone into compiling the data, why I felt it was important, etc. This report will eventually go to Dr. Bornstein for approval (hopefully by Wednesday afternoon) and editing to make sure the things we want to do will not be considered too radical or unacceptable by SEARHC standards.

On Sunday night at the Hort's somebody mused that Alaska had not been hit too hard by the economic recession and that the housing market had actually thrived in the past few years. I joked that the reason Alaska had remained unscathed is because everything in this state is 10 years behind the continental United States. So at some point in 2020 we will all be thriving again while Alaska will be hit with this sudden economic downturn...

On a serious note, a lot of what SEARHC has given to their patients in the past is very old fashioned and uniformed. A tri-fold brochure, an 8" x 10" poster - things that do not take into account the ever growing influence technology has on our society. My proposal contains a lot of technological integration - recognizing that the patient base is constantly connected on their cell phones or their computers. I'm hoping that our ideas will be accepted as the evolution of patient education and not as a knock against the conservative Tlingit culture.

After lunch, I spent the afternoon continuing to make my patient phone calls. I can continue the telephone survey through the end of the week and compile that data over the weekend. As I look back at where I started 7 weeks ago it is hard to believe that I have dialed over 300 numbers in the past few weeks.

I have definitely had better nights than I had tonight. Between the Cardinals 9th inning implosion (and the stampede of nasty text messages from my friends that quickly followed) and my mysterious Alaskan rash, I am just about ready for bed. The rash is nothing too serious. I spoke with Dr. Bornstein and he said the only rash I would have gotten from Alaska is if I was running through the brush without a shirt on and happened to stumble upon some nettles. Since I tip toe through the brush, fully-clothed because of my fear of bears that could not be the cause of the rash. I took some Benedryl and am hoping a good night of sleep will do the trick.

Off to bed and ready for a busy day tomorrow...