7 years

I had to renew my hospital ID the other day. And perhaps I just forgot about it, or was in denial, but I was kinda taken aback by the new photo ID on the left.

This, compared to the photo I took when I first started to work. Heh, I even had my braces on in the earlier picture.

My first reaction was, KNNCCB, WTF??!?

It looked like I've aged 20 years in the last 7. I'm still not sure what was to blame- genetics (after all, I remember dad's old pictures- long flowy hair until his early 40s when boom, it was suddenly gone), being married (heh, I don't think my wife reads my blog anymore), the kids, or just work.

And so, I'm still sometimes tickled by patients who ask to see an endocrinologist for premature balding, because they thought it was hormonal in nature (probably partially, but it's not something I treat)- and then I walk in the room and they take a look at my head and go "maybe I'm not seeing the right doctor...".

One of these days, when I'm gutsy enough, I'm just going to shave it all off.  

Someday.