Told you so.

I knew this blog was gonna be hard to keep up with. haha My lovely friend Chanel reminded me to make an update. I don't really know what to put on here this time. If I hadn't met a few great people, I would say this summer has been completely uneventful. I've been working, getting back in shape, reading... The book I'm reading is David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens. It's widely known as a literary masterpiece, and I have to agree, though sometimes it's hard for me to understand the grandiose mid-18th century language. Charles Dickens' vocabulary is impressive, to say the least. OH, I've started to create my own collection of outdoors stuff. So far I have a 65L backpack, a 3.5lb tent, a tarp, a +15 degree sleeping bag(mummy style), a 2 liter hydration bladder, and a cool water bottle. It's expensive. Some buddies and I have planned a 3 day backpacking trip for the end of September. Hopefully the summer holds out until then. The hike is up near Stanley, Idaho. It's 20miles round trip, and the first 8 miles of the hike is a 2,000 foot elevation gain(yikes!) but the last couple of miles is a mellow descent to a beautiful lake, loaded with trout or something. We can(and will) fish. The trail is located in prime grizzly country:) Can't wait to wrastle me a bar. haha or just hope it doesn't eat me. It is also in a gorgeous alpine setting, and throughout the hike we will pass granite cliffs, waterfalls, hot pools, maybe a geyser, and the wildlife is abundant. I am so stoked to be out there and away of civilization. On another note, Jenessa is an amazing good friend of mine, and she will be serving her mission in Edmonton, Canada, starting on October 26th.

Soon to come...

a post about my trip home to Anaheim, California... the happiest place on earth. And for those of you who don't know, that is a picture of something called the beach... Huntington Beach, to be exact. I got to see my lovely Pacific coast again. It's the best. :)

It doesn't cost one cent to be polite

Medicine

I've decided to include a quote in each of my posts, preferably a positive one that will lift those who read it. They won't always have to do with my blog topic. So, here's the first: "The more mindful we become, the more we increase our capacity for action that is stripped of pretense and duplicity." - Some Blogger

Healthcare in the U.S. is flawed. Obvious enough. Is universal healthcare the answer? I don't really know, but I would venture to say that it is not the ideal option. Regardless of the reform, healthcare still has countless problems. When you can't get the treatment that you need, or doctors seem to beat around the bush, it isn't always the doctor's fault. Doctors must practice defensive medicine to avoid getting sued, and they are often restricted by insurance practices, such as what tests can be ordered. So, as I said, doctors aren't always to blame. But, sometimes they are. Sometimes, when a matter has been brought to their attention, and they assume and form conjectures about what is likely to be, fail to take preventative action, and are dead wrong, the blame is entirely theirs to carry. I'm not saying there aren't mistakes. I dislocated my ankle over 3 years ago. During physical therapy I experienced sharp pains I knew were not natural to healing. When I brought my concerns to the doc, he simply told me the pain was caused by tissues that were rigid because of their lack of use, and that they would soon be back to normal. I seriously doubted his diagnosis. Fast-forward about a year and a half, and I'm on the operating table, due for a bone transplant that I believe could have been avoided had the doctor addressed my concern. Following surgery and therapy, I began to experience a pain identical to the pain I felt before the surgery. Again, when I voiced my concern, I was doubted, corrected(incorrectly), and sent on my way. Fast forward another year, and that brings us to now. My ankle is in the same condition it was before the surgery: always hurting, and sometimes debilitating. I left work early today because I couldn't walk. I don't have the time or money to get surgery if need be. I'm supposed to start classes in 2 and a half months(which I'm really looking forward to), I am finally exercising and getting back into shape, and now walking is becoming a struggle. Thanks Doc. I feel like my life is finally starting to move again, and I'm faced with the possibility of more complications. The medical world is severely lacking the altruism that once was at it's core. My roommate Kirk and I are motivated by these misfortunes and we are hoping that when we join the medical field we can put our complex aside and show people some consideration and truly appreciate their opinion. Enough rant for one blog. Having to leave work early really irked me. I do have hope, though. We'll see what the Lord has in mind for me.