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Aristus

Aristus's Journal
Aristus's Journal
January 30, 2018

"Trump became President tonight!"

Anyone want to take bets on how many Fox News fuckbrains are going to be saying that after the SOTU tonight?

Especially if he doesn't soil himself or eat a puppy?

January 27, 2018

Friday Night Wine-Buzz. Ask me anything.

Enjoying a nice, unprententious Zinfandel tonight.

January 19, 2018

Linger...

January 16, 2018

Non-compliance is killing my patients.

I had a patient come in today with severe gangrene on his right hand, secondary to frostbite he suffered on New Year's Day. He's been shuttling back and forth between emergency rooms, and resolutely refusing to comply with their recommended treatment plans. He was referred to ortho surgery for amputation of the affected fingers, and he didn't follow-up. He went to a hospital across town. Same thing: he refused to follow their recommended treatment plan. Finally, he came in to the clinic today with his hand looking like a claw from a monster movie. I read the reports from every medical facility he visited, and implored him to present to the orthopedist for treatment.

He refused.

Just now, I found out that an old patient of mine with a history of colon cancer and a colectomy has been diagnosed with a recurrence of the cancer. It's pretty bad and he's passing whole blood all the time. His care coordinator confirms that the hospital referred him to oncology, and that he refuses to go. He's walking around in an uncommunicative daze. He wouldn't even talk to me; he just wandered out of the clinic even after I begged him to stay.

Today is not going well...

January 13, 2018

Friday Night Wine-Buzz. Ask me anything...

I love you all...

January 7, 2018

'Darkest Hour' - incredible film. No Spoilers.

But seriously, if you know what the film is about, you already know the outcome.

Astonishingly good film. Calling it a two-hour episode of 'The Crown' would be largely accurate, but a gross oversimplification. It shares with 'The Crown' the idiosyncracy of always having a veil of pallid, misty light spilling into every window in the building.

Gary Oldman proves yet again what a gifted actor he is. Having studied Churchill for years, I can tell you that Oldman absolutely nails the role. Every tic, every mannerism is down perfect; even the angle at which Churchill allowed his cigar to dangle when he was lost in thought, and on the correct side of his mouth (the left).

Additional plaudits should go to the makeup artists who transformed the handsome Steven Dillane into the dull and unappealing Lord Halifax.

Ronald Pickup gives a heartbreaking portrayal as Neville Chamberlain. Chamberlain, with his policy of appeasement, is rarely spoken of with respect anymore. But here, desire to make peace with Hitler or not, one feels one's heart breaking for the tragic and doomed figure.

I have to offer applause to Ben Mendelssohn, an actor I had never heard of before, for his portrayal of 'Bertie', King George VI. We Americans know this underrated British King primarily through his portrayal by Colin Firth in The King's Speech, and by Jared Harris in 'The Crown'. Neither actor resembled King George in the slightest. But Mendelssohn bears an eerie resemblance to him. And he got the famous stammer down flawlessly.

Great film. Total Oscar bait, but great film anyway.



January 7, 2018

I may never get back the abs I had when I was 26.

But my serratus anterior muscles are looking pretty good!...



January 6, 2018

Friday Night Vodka Buzz. Ask me anything...

Three shots, plus two glasses of wine on top of it.



It was a short week; four days; but I'm beat; hella day today...

I love you all...

Hi, ailsagirl!



January 5, 2018

One of our patients had a psychotic break about an hour ago.

Yelling, screaming, throwing things. She trashed our food pantry, started spitting at people, and using every profanity I've ever heard (and a few that I hadn't).

We called the police, and she is being admitted to an in-patient care facility. Thank God they took her there and not to a 'treat-'em-and-street-'em hospital, or to jail.


Our mental health provider never flinched. She's a treasure.


My staff showed the kind of courage you usually see in TV series starring David Boreanaz.


I made sure the rest of our patients in the waiting room were in no danger, and then evacuated the building.


I think I'm just about ready for the weekend...


Profile Information

Gender: Male
Hometown: Puyallup, Washington
Member since: 2001
Number of posts: 66,327

About Aristus

I truly believe that we will all live in peace and brotherhood someday. And so that I don't lose my faith in humanity, I will live my life as if that day had already happened.
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