July 7, 2002
Hello all,
My peds rotation started off with a bang Monday. After the morning orientation I was in the pediatric emergency department at LeBonheur Children's Hospital. We saw a lot of very interesting and unfortunately very ill children. I was able to help apply two splints, inject lidocaine to numb a laceration, and do an incision and drainage on a spider bite.
Upon reflection I now realize that over the past two years I have been in the process of developing an elaborate belief system. For example I have the belief that dull periumbilical pain followed by anorexia and nausea with the pain then localizing to the right lower quadrant is appendicitis until proven otherwise. Now in the next two years I will gain experience in recognizing and exercising my beliefs. For instance, on Monday I saw a young girl with a past history of diffuse periumbilical pain followed by anorexia and nausea who presented with a very tender lower right quadrant. You guessed it, appendicitis.
Physician's are valued not only for their knowledge but also for their experience and it seems to me that Christianity is very similar. I have a very elaborate belief system but without any experience it is practically useless. I believe that Christ took the punishment we deserved so that you and I can be free of the penalty of sin. However, until I have experienced the thrill of Christ in my own life the belief itself will be as useless as a physician who knows everything about appendicitis except for how to recognize it.
These are my musings, have a great week and God bless,
Brenton Reading
