There Are Chips, and Then There Are Chips …
The first time I ever saw my nephrologist, he told me: “No potato chips!” He also told me a lot of other “No’s!” Like - “No Chinese food!” … “No more than 12 ozs of coffee!” … “No … ” well, you get the idea!
Of course … I was always very careful to pay close attention to everything I was told. *cough* Until recently, that is …
Lately, I’ve been gobbling chips like there’s no tomorrow! (Actually, if I really were, that would be more likely than I’d like to consider! *LOL*) I’ve been crunching down info on BIOS chips, CMOS chips, North Bridge Chips and South Bridge Chips … CPU chips … and all of their little buddies, too - like IDEs, SCSIs, SATAs … PCIs and ISAs … and I’ve even had to learn about pins and volts and amps and … *pant pant* …
Well, to say the least, I’m far more knowledgeable about the difference in one type of chips (BBQ, Salt and Vinegar, Dill, Sour Cream and Onion, Ranch … *drool*) than and I am about BIOS and CMOS …
I remember when I took my first purely HIT course, and I had to memorize all of the acronyms - from HIPAA to AHIMA to AMRA and the AAMRL … I thought that I’d never seen so darn many acronyms! Little did I know! I now know that the CPU can have an L1, L2 and even L3 cache onboard - or discrete, and that it can reside on an AT or an ATX form factor, which comes complete with ISA slots (if it’s old) and PCI and USB ports if it’s new! Not only that, it also has IDE, SATA and/or SCSI connectors …
… if I have to get any more deeply involved in this, I’m going to have to get a six pack of THIS to go with my CHIPS!
Seriously though … I’m really enjoying this course. When I first looked at the text book and saw how technical it gets, I panicked … but as it turns out, it’s actually beginning to sink in, and is far more interesting than I expected it would be. My only idea was getting to Medical Informatics - by whatever route necessary … even if it meant meandering through ‘Puter Anatomy 101. Now I’m beginning to think that I’m actually going to enjoy the trip itself.
The only downside is that this isn’t coming intuitively for me. The anatomy, medical terminology … psych … and even a great deal of the HIT specific stuff (records, etc.,) was relatively simple. Much of it was a repeat of things I’d learned years ago. But this intensive computer system information is not intuitive for me. I’m having to apply myself to my studies in ways I’ve never done before! (Ack! Did I admit that out loud??? *blink!*) I’m going to be able to do this, but it’s going to take some serious time and attention.
I’m not going to stop blogging … but I’m going to have to stick to week ends until I’m more familiar with my course material. When I no longer have to struggle with what CMOS stands for … (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor, by the way) … you’ll see me in here and on your blogs more often. This is some pretty hairy stuff for an old lady like me … I’m trying to wrap my menopausal, short-circuiting brain around circuit boards and DIMM memory chips … and all I’m coming up with is a DIMMer brain with barely any memory at all! ;o)
So please bear with me! I’m not gone! I’ve just been KIDNAPPED by a ROM chip and I can find my way to the I/O port!
Defend your blog from theft!
January 19th, 2007 at 8:40 pm
ROLF only you could make studing sound funny;)… Did I mention this class is giving me a headache? I share your pain.. *hugs* though I think you will come out on the better end!! I have every confidence you will do well;).. I remember when I was in electronic it took a bit for my brain to wrap around that… well a long bit…I think I have figured out what I am going to do my final project on given it is the same type of project.. thanks for the head up!!! I am so very glad your enjoying your course!!! Take care and hugs
January 19th, 2007 at 9:00 pm
well THERE you are! oh i just love it when people talk all in letters. of course i have no earthly idea what you said, but i loved it nonetheless! glad to see you back….bee
January 20th, 2007 at 12:45 am
I truly understand what you’re saying…
It’s like I need a newer processor, or something, in my brain.
Actually, I think I need a dual processor.
Glad you are okay.
Be careful though and…
Make sure you don’t chip your brain.
=8+O
later…
January 20th, 2007 at 3:11 am
best wishes Moof…you are still to deal with MOSFETs…
BTW, if it is medical informatics taht you are eventually upto, I have a friend there in the US who is good in bio-informatics. will send his contacts thru email to you. should be useful…
January 20th, 2007 at 9:31 am
I think, I could understand greek better ….
January 20th, 2007 at 11:04 am
Ummmm….other than the salt and vinegar potato chips, I have NO idea what you are talking about!
*LOL*
Good luck, Moof…we’ll be around.
January 20th, 2007 at 11:38 am
But, have you ever had Maui Chips? Real Maui Chips made from real potatoes, not one of the facsimiles. You’ll never want to try any other brand after those. On the other hand, I have a soft spot for salt and vinegar. Nice to hear from you again, my friend.
Ian
January 20th, 2007 at 1:44 pm
My daughter & I have just discovered the joys of Pringles & Lays..
Are these chips of yours as good?? *blink*
Poor Moofie *comfort*
PS. Did I get the emotions right?? *evil grin*
January 21st, 2007 at 1:19 pm
Poor Moof! See, Classmate X would have had the opposite problem. He already knew all the computer acronyms (better than I do, and I’m no slouch), but your medical terminology would have been tough!
Fortunately, he didn’t change his route to a CIS major, so now we’re into programming (YUK!).
He also decided to change directions with his blog, you might want to check it out.
Love ya, don’t study TOO hard;
Shel
January 22nd, 2007 at 2:56 pm
Both chips seem harmful to me: one my health and the other my technical comprehension.
Acronyms have been my enemies for ages; every single specialist in any science or occupation uses acronyms. The speaker (or at times the writer) uses terms that are familiar to themselves but not the listeners or readers. It makes the user uncomfortable, presuming that you are stupid when the term is obvious to the provider.
On many occasions I’ve begged professors to not use acronyms (or at least to use synonyms) of what the words actually mean.
January 22nd, 2007 at 3:44 pm
*Shhhh!* Don’t tell! I shouldn’t be in here right now! *LOL*
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Wolfbaby - I’m sure that you’re going to do FINE in your COMP course. And don’t forget, if you get stuck, holler … and I’ll see if I can help in some way, okies? :o)
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Bee! Good to see you! My Red Hat friends here at home just look at me as if I sprouted another head when I talk about that sort of thing … and that’s without using all of the “letters!” Really though - I still have to look many of them each time I run across them. I think it’s going to be a minute before it actually becomes a part of my everyday understanding.
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T.J. …. my dear friend - I “chipped my brain” a long time ago! *LOL* You are doing the same kind of thing, though! Look at you! You’re a college student too … :o)
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Arunn! Hello! MOSFET? Yes, you’re right … that one’s still Greek to me. I would love the information for your bio-informatics friend! Yes indeed, that is where I’m headed … any information and “head’s up” I can get would be appreciated!
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Pk … I can’t get past the Greek Alphabet … *blink* ;o)
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Pattie … Salt and Vinegar are my absolute favorite. (They would be, considering I can’t have salt! *LOL* Thanks for the understanding my friend … it’s appreciated! I’m not gone … well, not all of me, anyway … *blink*
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Ian, my dear Ian, Maui chips … *sigh* … you tell me about Maui chips, and how good they are, and I have no way of getting my hot little hands on any! No fair! >;o)
Salt and Vinegar though … soft spot doesn’t even begin to cover it, on my end. I could eat a bag of those at one sitting. Mmmm. They’re my absolute favorites. I had my first bag in 1970 in New Brunswick … long before we could find them in the stores here in the states.
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Vijay! Pringles! I love Pringles. I especially like the Ranch flavored ones. They’re very different than other chips, though … do you have regular chips over there?
Bad thing about the Pringles … it looks like there’s a lot in that little container, but they’re gone in a heart beat … *evil grin*
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Shel, Classmate X and I need to trade brains for a wee little while! :o)
Went over to see his new blog, and loved it! I tried to leave a comment, but ended up sending him an email instead. I wonder if we’ll run across each other again now that I’m in CIS?
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Dr. Engel, I agree. When people rattle acronyms off at you, especially when it’s part of a specific jargon - medical, technological, or some other - it can quickly become difficult, if not impossible, to follow. You end up 5 paragraphs behind them, still trying to figure out what they said way back in the beginning. Acronyms are only good when used in their own media … considering that the idea behind using them is to facilitate conversation. *cough*
January 26th, 2007 at 2:55 pm
I can relate to the whole, you can’t have this, you can’t have that.
January 30th, 2007 at 1:20 am
Goodness Me!! I don’t eve know what medical INFORMATICS is (are)??,
much less all that stuff you were saying!!. Maybe you were talking
computer chips of some sort? Clever….
Hey, Moof, I keep running into you all over the place on my computer.
Is there not one main site where I can read all the stuff you
write?
Sound to me like YOU are a lady who should be writing a book, My
life absolutely pales in comparison, thank the good Lord. Some
of the stuff you have lived thru is scarey enough to make me feel
like crying for you. But, I can tell you have it ALL together
now.
Also noted you like to eat wild stuff - so do I. HEre in Texas
there are several things that I eat, and more that I could if pushed
into it by famine. Pokesalad is ok, but lambsquarter much better.
We have edible wild onions, dandelion, wild plums, persimmons, wild
berries (2 kinds), native pecans, hickory nuts, grapes.My favorite
is lambsquarter, and I even ordered seed for a kind that is not native here. It grows very well here, reseeding profusely all over
the place. It is also very beautiful with large purple and green
leaves.
February 1st, 2007 at 1:47 pm
I’m here for ya on the tech end, kiddo; ask away. In fact I’m thinking about starting a Q & A thing on my page for general computer-related questions; direct all related correspondence to my page, and I’ll send all the medical questions your way. Programming is driving me nuts, not because I don’t get it but because I’m not really interested in that aspect. I’m getting a high B in C# which, being 35, is the only “high B” I’ll ever hit again (though I could still do a fair-to-middling Geoff Tate on a good day). Stay in touch-
February 3rd, 2007 at 9:53 pm
Hey…you really made me laugh with your comments about the computer problem in regards to all the newfangled stuff you have to know in HIM. I have so totally been there…and what I discovered when doing the internships part of my degree was that there are many healthcare systems that are in flux regarding the level of computerization of medical records. One spot I was in had almost no computerized records and a ton of “old” (i.e., paper) style charts; the other had some computerization but still had some charts, too. As a student I was forced to learn both. Like you, I had an easy time with the other stuff; I have my hesitations about fully computerized records, however…seems like even with HIPAA, privacy laws, etc., etc. there is too much potential for abuse, misuse, and loss of information.
And taking the certification exam for my RHIT on the computer was no piece of cake, either. I would have much preferred paper and pencil because in many ways they are more “reliable”. Not that I don’t like computers…they do some useful things and can be quite entertaining. But there are just some contexts in which I question their safety and privacy regarding access to information. (Be it in a medical record or otherwise.)