The last few weeks of school were literally a flurry of multi-colored pens on paper for me. Writing notes, then writing notes about my notes, then organizing my information differently, and taking notes on those notes. And I must say, I noticed a change in my writing style. I could easily get through a page of notes conveying facts and concepts without using verbs, and shortening nouns into abbreviations, acronyms, or just pulling out all the vowels from the word.

bq(quote). HCTZ -> ↑ Ca ²⁺ ↓ Na ⁺ H ⁺ K ⁺ @ distal CT; Tx: HTN; Tox: HyperGLUC

actually means

bq(quote). Hydrochlorothiazide increases calcium blood levels, but decreases sodium, hydrogen (acid), and potassium levels. It acts at the distal convoluted tubule, and it’s used to treat hypertension. It has a number of toxicities/side effects: hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, hyperuricemia, and hypercalcemia.

I can go on for pages and pages, with arrows, letters with circles around them. And anytime you see an “x,” it’s usually just an abbreviation for some word we have to write all the time, and prefer not to:

* Dx = diagnosis
* Rx = prescription
* Tx = treatment
* Cx = complications
* Chx = characterized by
* Sx = symptoms
* SFx = Side effects
* Bx = biopsy

And on, and on. I’m sure I’ve just barely touched the surface.

2 Comments »