A Little Snow

A Little Snow and Cancelled Church

So it is in this world that some things are inevitable. For instance death and taxes. One more may be added to the list in our little community, and that is if there is snow then everything will get cancelled.

In the morning it was clear. A little sleet was starting to fall as we made our way to church. Then it turned to snow. Well that was it. After sacrament meeting we were sent home. This was much to the chagrin of Charlotte who was devastated by the lack of nursery (nursery for the uninitiated is the study of molded plastic artifacts, simple gospel principles, sociology of and psychology of toddlers, and of course the consumption of health food items all rolled into one.) In my increasing knowledge of the toddler mind I was able to observe and recognize the response of devastation and disappointment by her emotional reaction. Nursery is a well earned reward after an hour of reverence in sacrament meeting. After wrestling her into the van we meandered home.

By Samuel Grindstaff

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Day in the Life of an Anesthesiologist

By Samuel Grindstaff

What a wonderful way to spend a day. We start out with our esteemed patient who is awaiting the cold knife of the surgeon and we stand to the side making sure the surgeon can do his bidding without the patient writhing in pain. That will happen after the anaesthesia wears off.

I stand by my colleague as he fills syringes full of fentanyl and versed. These medications will make the patient feel good as they are wheeled back to the dungeon of the OR. The OR itself is a cold box full of cold steal and a variety of monitors tubes and IV bags.

Without knocking the patient out this would make for a very affective form of torture. The patient is strapped to a table. Arms tied down. Then the body is contorted so the orifice that needs the slice is available for the slicing. Once positioned a cold iodine solution is washed over the naked skin, painting it a sickly yellow. Blue drapes are then prepared that cover all but what is necessary to be cut. Then with scalpel in hand, slice. The insides are pushed around. The smell of electrocartery poisons the air.

So it is that on the head of the table we sit. Watching the patient. Giving drugs to the point of cardiac and pulmonary depression. The patient cannot even manage a breath without the aid of the ventilator by our side. When the Holocaust is over the patient awakens and feels pain later.

So the next time you stop by your local OR to get rid of your spare parts (or just to fix the ones you've got) thank the men and women at the top of the table that make sure you don't remember any of it.

The World Is Really Flat

My observation of the little world we live in is that it is in reality flat. Not flat like we are floating on-top of a giant book, but the world in general is two dimensional.

Individuals are not two dimensional but have an infinite number of facets that shine and twinkle, and at other times are bitter and black. Joy is followed by pain. Sickness by surgery and then more pain. Individuals are generally good. Individuals want good things. Most of all people want to be happy. It is too bad that for most life is full of misery and pain.

In the eyes of the great philosophers happiness can not be realized unless we experience pain. The reality is that we judge our current state of happiness or misery based solely on our previous experiences. For some having a roof over head and a warm meal is happiness. Others are not happy with mansions, power, money, cars ext. As organisms we need so little to survive, and so little to be comfortable.

I have fallen into the trap of wanting more to be happy. In the process I am not enjoying the beauty that is around me every day. I have comfortable shoes, I live in a good apartment, I drive a Toyota Corolla, I have a beautiful wife, 2 kids, a laptop computer, a cell phone, clothes on my back, food in my mouth. I don't have cable television. Sometimes this makes me unhappy. Which gets to my point that the world is flat. We all have one goal: happiness. Yet in general we don't have a way of attaining true happiness. What is this life for: fast cars, fast women, thrills, and chills. This seems to be the goal of so many, and society as a whole idolizes these ideals on TV, and in the movies.

Individually we have ups and downs. Collectively we want happiness and peace. Yet the drive to always have more and collecting the objects of happiness that tomorrow will be garbage is not true happiness. Cheep thrills will always be cheep.

Maybe I can take it upon myself to be content with my lot in life and enjoy what really makes me happy: My God, My Religion, My Freedom and My Peace, My wife and My children. Please let me not be as flat as the world around me.

Happy Birthday Charlotte

The Grindstaff family moves steadily on its way as we come up to the celebration of Charlottes birthday. It will be a fabulous day, as it is also on a Saturday which means that the esteemed leader of the clan will be home to celebrate. This is a fabulous treat indeed. Pink is her favorite color and purple comes in a close second, so you can imagine the decor will be sparkling.

A day in the Life of a Urologist

The hospital is a thriving place. Today was no exception to the rule. People come in with interesting stories to tell, and to have all sorts of wild things happen to them. Today we attacked the death star that was located in the bladder of our patient. It measured 3 cm and was literally blasted into oblivion with a laser. The space ship was loaded and slid neatly into place where the monstrous stone was lying. The stone put up a valiant effort, but after 3 hours of pulverization it was nothing but powder within the cavity of the bladder.

The actual attack was rather daunting, and as a mere spectator, without any refreshment, I was famished by the end. I was glad that the enemy was gone, and all that was left were chucks in the specimen jar.

The next attack was against the black evil of enlarged prostate. It was attack with electrode that shaved off the excess debri to make it possible for the waters of life to flow freely again. The evil was spotted within the confines of the prostatic urethra. It was dark and loathsome. This attack was more primitive, but more graceful. The attack was meticulous and in the end nothing was left to put up a fight. Another day was won.

So it is in the field of medicine. It may not be a spectator sport for the world but in the eyes of the enlightened student it is full of drama, both pain and joy. In the end of the day we celebrated by treating the most troubling of disorders. And the profits for Phizer will once again rule the day, and sildenafil for rule the nights. Maybe one day I too will be the reining urologist.

This is the beginning of the development of what will be the premier Grindstaff family blog spot. As all of you are aware Sam and Emily Grindstaff made their union for eternity in AD 2001. This family is one of the elite in the world. Conceit, I think not. Just a mere statement of fact that will resound in the eyes and ears of all those who read onward and pursue the meaning of what it is to belong to the Sam and Emily Grindstaff family.

The characters are few, but we do have a whopping good time.

First there is Sam, A lieutenant in the United States Army. Currently attending the Uniformed Services University medical school in Bethesda MD. He is currently in his 3rd year of training to become a doctor of medicine. He is an esteemed graduate of Snow College and Brigham Young University. He made a name for himself in the laboratory of Dr Breakwell where he did groundbreaking work in the study of microbial flora in the soil in specially protected enclosures in the Manti Lasalle National Forest. He used DGGE technology to show specific differences between microbial flora between the enclosures and the surrounding area. This research was presented as a poster at the 2003 national meeting for the American Society of Microbiologist in Washington DC.

The second player is Emily Grindstaff. She is an esteemed graduate of Snow College, attaining an associates of arts and MRS degrees. She became a mother in 2002 and again in 2004. She stays at home with her two brilliant children. She happens to be drop dead gorgeous besides. She hails from Moroni Utah and enjoys traveling throughout the United States. She also has the ability to make Mozart flow from the ivory keys of our piano. The music she produces is at such a caliber that even our neighbors complement her on her performances. She holds a public performance weekly at our local church where she entertains the children with her magic.

Caleb Grindstaff is a mere 4 years old and yet he is starting to read, he can count to 100. He also has an interest in creatures great and small. He has studied the life cycle of the common honey bee and enjoys the study of arachnids as well. He will be starting his educational career at a local elementary school in the fall where his studies will include advanced training in reading, writing and arithmetic. He will also enjoy producing extensive pieces of art that are of the same caliber as Jackson Pollock. His curiosity has led to personal injury at times but he is still upbeat.

Charlotte Grindstaff is celebrating her third birthday and is beginning to make advances in language. She is also astute at studying the aspects of electromagnetic radiation within the visible spectrum especially wavelengths of ~650 nm and ~400 nm. She also is studying geometry and especially likes abstract shapes such as hearts and stars.

As you can appreciate this is a remarkable family with much to give. Of course they are far from superstars. However you can change that by visiting us here often, and of course contributing to the Grindstaff Family Spectacular Fund. Its uses will be to help promote the Grindstaff Family's inner workings. Thank you for your support.