FCM and Stem Cell/Bone Marrow Lab

Today was our last day of real FCM. We discussed the ethics of disconnecting the patient from last week's PBL case from life support. Basically we got into issues of informed consent, and what you do in a situation where the patient is unable to make his own decisions and it is not known what the patient would want. In the case of our PBL patient, he had not had any contact with his family in several decades. So the question then arises about whether it is reasonable to have his family members be his medical proxies and make his medical care decisions. Obviously this is a very difficult issue and underscores the importance of having a living will and designating someone to make decisions for you in case you become incapacitated. Not that I've done one for myself yet, mind you.

The stem cell seminar consisted of several cases. We were divided into small groups, and each group went through the cases individually. It was a pretty good seminar, and somehow the reading didn't seem so onerous even though it included a chapter out of the histo book. Maybe this is a sign that I should become a hematologist. There was some reading out of the path book we'll be using next year also, and I have to say that I actually like that path book, even if it IS over 1400 pages. Well, what's another 1400 pages? I can read it all, no problem!

I was supposed to have clinic this afternoon, but I'm going next week instead. So, that's it for me today. I need to go home and work on my portfolio anyway.