Mikala Albertson MD

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I remember once in middle school Computers Class learning about this great new thing called ‘the internet’. 

I remember getting my first ’email address’.  And when I was in college no one owned a laptop.  There was this little room on the bottom floor of my dorm and in the basement of my sorority called a ‘computer lab’ that had 10 or 12 gigantic computers and printers set up for everyone who lived there to use.  The paper had those hole-punched perforated sides that I’d tear off before ripping each paper from the next, stapling, and handing it all in.  Remember those?  I got my first cell phone at age 22…a flip phone without texting capability.  Even during my medical training, I was never one of the spoiled kids who carried a Palm Pilot to look up what in the world we were supposed to do and what doses to give and instead stuffed my long white coat pockets with loads of reference books and manuals (which I to this day believe is the cause of my chronic neck and shoulder pain!).

Let’s just say I may be a little behind the times in the area of technology.

One time at work IN MY DOCTOR’S OFFICE I needed to do some required continuing medical education which included a short video and I was having trouble getting any sound.  I turned up the volume by the little megaphone icon.  I checked the settings.  I tried restarting my computer (because everyone knows that is the cure-all).  But I just couldn’t get it figured out and had to call our tech support guy from the other building.  He walked right in and TURNED ON my speakers!!!  MY SPEAKERS WEREN’T ON!!!!  And this dubbed me a ‘technological wizard’ from that day forward!

Anyway, my point is…this blog????  It is way out of my comfort zone.  I have no idea what I’m doing.  I’m thrilled just to have my own little corner of ‘the internet’ where I can share my stories!  I recently joined this mom blogger group where the members take turns looking at and following one another’s blogs.  I thought it might be good support.  Today, however, I received a note pointing out that a few people were having trouble finding my Follow button and I’m all  Oh great.  They’re on to me.  It’s true.  I have no idea how to install a Follow button.  I’ve tried.  I’ve searched.  And I’m stumped.  I was sort of hoping no one would notice!

But you know what??

I didn’t give up.  I googled.  I watched a Youtube video.  I was initially a little tripped up by the instructions “after connecting Jetpack to WordPress.com visit Appearance and go to Widgets then drag and drop Blog Subscriptions to a sidebar and save blah, blah, blah” but you guys…I did it!!!

This week at work I took care of a lady who came in dizzy and a little short of breath.  Her blood pressure was through the roof and I noticed some ST changes on her electrocardiogram.  I had to send her to the emergency room by squad to make sure she wasn’t having a heart attack.  I diagnosed and treated a Morton’s Neuroma and started someone on antidepressants and treated an acute sinusitis and discussed grief counseling for a woman who’d lost her daughter this past weekend and so on and so on.  Just another day at the office.

My proudest moment of the week????

That Follow button.

You guys we can do hard things.  We can bend and stretch and grow and learn.  And when we put our minds to something we’ll get there, even if we almost throw our laptops on the floor.  Can we just start celebrating our progress and stop expecting perfection????

Today my little blog has a Follow button and I didn’t even have to call the tech guy.  I am truly a technological wizard!!