Process of Elimination

I’ve spent way too much of my 29 years in medical facilities. I’ve broken 4 bones, dislocated more knee caps than I can count, been hospitalized at least 5 (if not more) times and I’ve had two organs removed. The gall bladder was earlier this year and I had my appendix taken out on my 16th birthday. I’m fairly certain that but for the talents of various medical professionals, natural selection should have already taken care of me.

I’m spending today going to doctor’s appointments with my mother. Her medical adventures are more than I can chronicle here. I’ve been with her for a good portion of those, too. I can’t even begin to spell most of the problems that she’s had, so I won’t try to enumerate them. I’ve been to surgeries, tests, appointments and I’ve learned enough medical jargon that I’m conversant with the various medical professionals we encounter.

There was certainly a time where I thought that I might want to do something in the medical field. The thought of being able to help someone else through the various travails that I’ve been through seems like a rewarding career. I actually talked with a PA once and for about a week looked into going back to school for that.

Then I remembered that I’m horrible at everything science related.

I only went into the Science building in college when it was absolutely mandatory. I didn’t like the smell. I didn’t like the students that were always stuck inside their books having to memorize the names of muscle groups and the difference between blood types. I was the only guy who didn’t believe in evolution in my Biology class at a Baptist college. (It’s nothing religious, I just can’t get the fish to fish with legs to fish with legs in trees to monkey to people thing. It makes no sense to me.) Instead, I spent my time reading William Blake and Wordsworth. “The Waste Land” actually changed my life and I wrote my big freshman English “defend a position” paper on what makes something a work of art.

So, while I ponder what direction I want to head with my life. I think I can officially rule out everything in the “medical field.”