Death,Southpaws and "The Jab"

above- October sunrise, home in Ireland

Dr Hooke is full of interesting historical information. He says that surgeons are addressed as "Mr." instead of "Dr." here. This is because, historically, surgeons were barbers. When you needed surgery, they would do it. Then they would hang their bloody white rags outside their shop, to dry out. Somehow, those red and white rags became the genesis of the red and white barber pole. Anyway, the surgeons are quite happy to be addressed as "Mr." I would not try that with my surgical colleagues in the states.

Deaths are a big event here. The body will first travel to Galway for embalming, then back to Carna, to the person or relatives house. Most of the town will go to visit, and pay their respect. Dr. Hooke counselled me it is appropriate to say "I'm sorry for your troubles", to the relatives. There will be a large crowd, jamming the house, and parked for blocks up and down the road. Everyone will visit, remarking how the person who has passed looks well now, and is better off. The priest will come and say the rosaries. Then, typically the next day, there is the funeral, again attended by most of the town, and the subsequent reception. My duties include pronouncing a patient who has expired, and unfortunately I have had to do that more times than I have done in the states all my career. There are also anniversary events recognizing a death, sometimes more frequently than annually, involving a service.

I am a southpaw. I have always thought that southpaws have had it bad. In school, the desk would be built to support the right hand when writing. I can give many examples about how we southpaws are discriminated against in the world. The elderly Irish often notice and comment when they see me writing with my left hand. They are all right handed. They tell stories about how as a child they would have their left hand tied behind their back, forcing them to use only their right hand. One patient even showed me her left thumb, broken from a ruler strike, so she would not use her left thumb. After hearing that, I have nothing to complain about.

Everyone here is quite compliant in getting their flu shot. They ask for the "flu injection" or "the injection" or they saw "I need the jab". It is a quick visit, so I get to socialize, and learn about their trade, their political opinions and about where they live. Their home location prepares me for home visits at night, as there are no streetlights or street signs.

My driving skills have really improved since arriving. I still feel like I am driving on a race track, on the narrow, curvy roads here. There is little margin for error, you really have to pay attention, getting tense as a bus or big tractor goes by, with minimal margin for error. In order to get an Irish driver's licence, you have to know, and be able to demonstrate how to change the oil in your car. Traffic jams are called "tail backs". Cars are taxed based on engine size, and emissions.