Wet Friday…
Well, we have been having a rainy week, and I’m talking whole heap o rain with lightening and thunder….what they love to refer to as ’storms’ up so. Yesterday, it started to rain from about two in the afternoon, and continued intermittently through the night. At the moment, it is not actually raining, but it is quite reminiscent of a grey London morning. I would not be surprised if it continues to rain later in the day.
So, apart from the weather, what a gwaan? Well, I kinda tiyad, private practice was heavy last night. Even though I hit the sheets before ten last night, I could easily go back to sleep now. But alas, that is not to be.
Reading the Gleaner this morning, I see that the crime directed against the Police, continues! I don’t know what more to say but, Lord have mercy!
Secondly, I note that two of the spitting Immaculate girls will be doing their last term there. They will not be allowed to continue there after the upcoming summer holiday. I hope they will learn their lesson.
I keep mentioning how much I fret about the future of our country, as is few of our youths that seem to show any promise. This story just reinforces my thoughts about the yutes. As I say, there are no school children anymore. Is school man and school woman inna uniform now. Whether they learn anything at school….that’s a big IF!
Last night a sixteen year old comes to see me at private practice with a letter of referral. Girl in her school uniform. To my horror, she is being referred for management of genital warts…but then again, why am I surprised? Won’t be the first I have seen genital warts in this age group. It may sound crude, but I heard a woman say the other day….’Dem a tek man before dem even ripe!’ It is actually quite true. Anyhow, I believe I managed to get the message across to her that sex is not an activity that she ought to be involved with right now. Concentrate on you school work. (Whoever said that medicine is all about prescriptions? Nuff counselling gwaan!) The sex can come later. She only sixteen and have STD already. 
This week we were on a ‘break’ from teaching medical students, as the academic years are switching over. Is nutten to hurrah about still. See, the University has changed the medical curriculum. On the previous system (which we all liked better), we got a break of almost six weeks between years. Dat cut out. So, come next week, a new class again. Anywaaaaay! Let me look forward to this evening. Despite all the troubles in our island home, one still has to try to make the best of it, enjoy ourselves and do our part in making this a better place. For all practical purposes, seems like it may be a wet Friday nite…then again, that may not be a bad thing! 
Have a good one, you hear?
May 13th, 2005 at 9:25 am Re: 16 yr old with warts. I wonder if the sexual activity is really consensual.
May 13th, 2005 at 9:33 am Bwoy Doc them starting early fi real. then againn why am I not really surprised. Just have to be guides to the young people as best as possible and hope that they take something positive away.
May 13th, 2005 at 11:17 am glad to see you not only dispensing medical treatment but teaching the youth as well. nuff respect by the way re the light skin thing X had this blog the other day that was quite good I thought. read here
May 13th, 2005 at 12:21 pm Some younger than 12 already sexually active.From what I observed at my school most of these young girls not “dating” teenagers but late 20’s and up.They will continue getting STD’s (unfortunately) because they think they are immune.
May 13th, 2005 at 7:13 pm Just like those Immaculate girls. Andrews girls would not do that
May 13th, 2005 at 8:14 pm Itinerant…don’t know who you are, but I would respond by saying she told me she had one partner so far…she did not indicate whether it was consensual, but I get the impression it was. She also mentioned borrowing what she referred to as ’sex toys’ from friends at school which she used and asked me if I thought that could have been the cause of her warts. This is not the first teenage female I have seen with the problem. Believe me, sixteen is late now for them to be starting to have sex. Scratchie, we went to the same shcool and grew up under similar parental situations I believe. All I can recommed to you as Father is that you chat to the Tall One about serious business from early…and buy boots gie him. Is not a matter if, but when him start. Some may recommend preaching abstaining to him….I have seen it fail all too often. Nevertheless, do what you feel is appropriate. JDid, I would have failed as a medical practitioner if I did not give her some counselling….she probably is lacking for information (though all dem school pickney nowadays know about sex) and parental guidance is perhaps minimal (memba is not unlikeley that her parents are young ‘uns themselves). Will check up on the skin colour thing another time. Kami, inded nuff o dem tink seh dem cyaan ketch nutten..and nuff adults think so as well…especially males, the ones who feel that they have to investigate what unda every skirt tail dat pass dem way sans boots!
May 13th, 2005 at 10:30 pm Did you remove those or do you refer her to Gyn? I have never heard of derm removing genital warts. How do you do it? Acid, freezing or laser? Just curious.
May 13th, 2005 at 10:58 pm First, Doc, let me ask, though you may not answer… when did you start your sexual activities, and if it was younger than the daughter, why go on and lament. Its just the same shyte we used to do. Sixteen is quite old actually, she sound like an old maid. Next up… I agree with Itinerant, many of these young uns are forced into sex, so we shouldn’t be too ruff pon dem. It people like us (re age) phucking up di pickney dem future. Re the Andrews vs. Immaculate thing, Stu, I think you must be tripping! Immaculate has the best diciplinary record of all schools in the enmtire island! I am pretty sure about that.
May 14th, 2005 at 7:26 am Hi Dr. D. Late again. 16 years old with genital warts-rasta george. Borrowing sex toys! I would say that our teenagers are being exposed to so much informtion inappropriate for their age. When me was growing up it was all innocent partying and going to session. Attitudes towards sex wasn’t like this. Out in the open and just like any other activity. Damien Marly on one of his tracks on Half Way Tree states-there was a time if you wanted to date a young lady, you’d have to know de two grandmothers. Young women need to realize today that they shouldn’t “give it away” to anyone unless it is a truly committed relationship. Call me ideal, call me old fashion but I still believe that a young woman should think of herself with more value than just having sex to have sex. We as parents must be open and honest about this with our children and hope they make the right decisions. Support out police force monetarily. I commend our police men and women for the very difficult and dangerous job they have. Immaculate girls being expelled is a good thing. Have a great weekend.
May 14th, 2005 at 2:09 pm Michelle, dermatologists deal with genital warts here and abroad. Not very pleasant stuff to take on because of the nature of it, and the high level of recurrence. Patients often want to know ‘who gave it to me’ (very touchy issue in the case of people in relationships) and we can’t answer those questions….simply because we don’t know. Anyhow, I find females tolerate freezing with liquid nitrogen very poorly…too painful, though a cheap and good method of treating warts. Better tolerated by males. I don’t use acid and have no laser (too costly). There are other modalities of therapy including use of Podophyllin topically, Imiquimod cream (Aldara) topically….very expensive, and electrocautery. I started her on treatment with Podophyllin, we will see how it goes. I refer all female patients with warts to a Gynaecologist to have an internal examination as well as a Pap smear and if necessary colposcopy. MB, to answer your question, I had my first experience as a teen…15. However, nutten took place after that for years..trust me, NADA. “She sound like an old maid?” Can’t say I agree with you there at all. The point I was trying to make, is that lots of these children nowadays are sexually ACTIVE…having regular intercourse, from an early age. Not just an occasional thing out of teenage curiosity or experimentation. Certainly, that wasn’t the case with me. Or maybe I was rather inexperienced…who knows? I think the point is quite valid, these youngsters do much more and start earlier. Anyway, so be it. Re your comment about Immaculate girls being well behaved, I have to support you there…at least that is how it used to be. In fact, some educator who visited the school after the spitting incident mentioned that the students seemed like some ‘goodie two shoes’. But, things may well change. Our alma mater was pretty well disciplined in our time…but we have lived to see that decay…most likely because so few Priests there teaching anymore.
May 14th, 2005 at 2:20 pm At 16, I didnt even know what a penis was! Much less looked like
May 17th, 2005 at 4:48 pm Speakin of schooldaze…bwoooooy my yute…..mi naw try change di subjick…but….. mi dehya a romanticize….yes…I jus come across some news pon a hottie from back in the day…Sita Dixon - memba she? HEADACHE my yute - an it wasnt di regular headache either….she did meck nuff man haffi drop towel ova dem pants front…seeeen…..weh she deh now Faada? Mi woulda love fi see how she age…she mussi inna her 40’s yah now…..
May 17th, 2005 at 6:23 pm duttyhead…I know the woman you chatting about. I know she got married, haven’t seen all like she for years…but yes, she was a wonderful sight for sore eyes.