Has begun.
All day long, I kept thinking: One week from now. One week from now. On a plane to Peru. I don't think I'm going on vacation so much as I think I am escaping my current situation.
I don't mean to make it sounds all bad, but the past 2 weeks have just fucking sucked. I can't even sugar coat it for myself, let alone for you. Every 4th night for the past 2 months I have been on call. I have not worked less than 90 hours a week the past month.
I don't recall the last time I cooked an actual meal (I live off of oatmeal, yoghurt, cottage cheese, fruit, and a ton of fucking coffee!). I haven't written a proper email in months. Sometimes I can't even remember what I did 2 days ago.
I knew this was going to be the worst part of this year. I knew that 2 months of back-to-back call, let alone pediatrics in the busy season, was going to be tough. What has made this unbelievably tough was the recent death of my closest friend in residency. And that fucking sucks!
One more week...
Monday, March 27, 2006
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Keeping a low profile..
Lots of things going on these days, and I'm just doing what I can to keep a wee bit of sanity about me til I leave for Peru in 11 days. This month got wickedly long on Sunday, and I can say that it will be memorable; for the wrong reasons.
Lots to get done tonight.
b
Lots to get done tonight.
b
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
More shit you can't make up...
A few of us were in clinic way too late tonight trying to get caught up on mounds of paperwork, when a fellow resident called a patient. This in the conversation, as I overheard it.
"Hi, Mr. Smith? It's Doctor Bob. You left your blood pressure prescription in the clinic today. I know, but like I said in clinic, there are many ways to lower your blood pressure without medications. You could eat better, get some exercise, stop smoking crack, or take the prescription..."
I shit you not. Verbatim.
It' been a long month so far. Can't wait for peru.
Cheers,
B
"Hi, Mr. Smith? It's Doctor Bob. You left your blood pressure prescription in the clinic today. I know, but like I said in clinic, there are many ways to lower your blood pressure without medications. You could eat better, get some exercise, stop smoking crack, or take the prescription..."
I shit you not. Verbatim.
It' been a long month so far. Can't wait for peru.
Cheers,
B
Monday, March 13, 2006
Not Much Fun..
This job definitely sucks today.
I came to work 18 hours ago, and I have 12 hours left in my shift. This is the first time I have sat down since I showed up. I definitely have not had fun today. There's no point in even going to bed. I'm waiting for lab results in an hour...
Peru 21 days.
I came to work 18 hours ago, and I have 12 hours left in my shift. This is the first time I have sat down since I showed up. I definitely have not had fun today. There's no point in even going to bed. I'm waiting for lab results in an hour...
Peru 21 days.
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
The shit you can't make up...
Ok, just a funny story.
Early last week my final patient of the night shows up very late to clinic. I was about to walk out the door at 4:30 to an afternoon of freedom when I get the page that the guy showed up 40 minutes late. What to do. Leave. He's WAY LATE, not my problem. I review his chart, the guy hasn't seen me in 6 months, and missed a few appts. What the hell, I think, simple blood pressure check, adjust some meds, out the clinic in 20 minutes. I left at 6:30. The guy was kind of ill. Details not important. I specifically told him, in fact, wrote on his instruction sheet "DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL" (it wasn't helping his liver disease or his bleeding gut or his blood pressure), made him a few urgent appointments, and told him to take his blood pressure medication..
So, I see the guy back tonight. Can't for the life of me figure out why he's not taking the damn pills (actually, I know why, but it's not relevant), so I tell my preceptor the story, and he comes in to see the guy so we figure out why he's not taking his meds, discuss his alcohol use etc..
Punchline: we're talking about detox, high blood pressure, and NO SHIT THE GUY SAYS AS SERIOUS AS CAN BE:
"So, Doc, I can't take my blood pressure pills with beer?"
Priceless.
Priceless!
This guy presses the auto-destruct button regularly, but I'm determined to keep him going.
Early last week my final patient of the night shows up very late to clinic. I was about to walk out the door at 4:30 to an afternoon of freedom when I get the page that the guy showed up 40 minutes late. What to do. Leave. He's WAY LATE, not my problem. I review his chart, the guy hasn't seen me in 6 months, and missed a few appts. What the hell, I think, simple blood pressure check, adjust some meds, out the clinic in 20 minutes. I left at 6:30. The guy was kind of ill. Details not important. I specifically told him, in fact, wrote on his instruction sheet "DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL" (it wasn't helping his liver disease or his bleeding gut or his blood pressure), made him a few urgent appointments, and told him to take his blood pressure medication..
So, I see the guy back tonight. Can't for the life of me figure out why he's not taking the damn pills (actually, I know why, but it's not relevant), so I tell my preceptor the story, and he comes in to see the guy so we figure out why he's not taking his meds, discuss his alcohol use etc..
Punchline: we're talking about detox, high blood pressure, and NO SHIT THE GUY SAYS AS SERIOUS AS CAN BE:
"So, Doc, I can't take my blood pressure pills with beer?"
Priceless.
Priceless!
This guy presses the auto-destruct button regularly, but I'm determined to keep him going.
Sunday, March 05, 2006
When Things Click
5 am.
20 hours down.
3 to go.
Wait, that math doesn't add up. I'm guessing it is 21 hours down, cause I know it's at least 3 to go. Saturday on-call on the pedi ward. And things clicked today. Somewhere, a magical switch was flipped, and things made sense. I didn't get that twinge in my stomach when the pager went off while my senior resident is asleep. I told the attending what I wanted to do for the kids I am taking care of. I had 11 kids to round on today, and have admitted 5 more. I didn't view the admission as "more work" or bullshit dumps from the ED, but as a chance for more fun. What the hell, I'm up to 13 kiddos on my team. I kind of like the idea of having a ward full of kids. So far, they are all cool kids, nice parents. Lots of bread a butter admits-it's RSV bronchiolitis season. But also a few kids on chemo. When I had a sick 5 day old to admit, it was nuttin after a month in the NICU. Just been one of those days where being a resident is fun...
I had grandiose plans to finish my move after work this morning, go for a run, unpack at my new place, get groceries, but all I can think about it crawling into bed. Oh wait.. my bed is still in the old flat. Damn.
Cheers,
B
20 hours down.
3 to go.
Wait, that math doesn't add up. I'm guessing it is 21 hours down, cause I know it's at least 3 to go. Saturday on-call on the pedi ward. And things clicked today. Somewhere, a magical switch was flipped, and things made sense. I didn't get that twinge in my stomach when the pager went off while my senior resident is asleep. I told the attending what I wanted to do for the kids I am taking care of. I had 11 kids to round on today, and have admitted 5 more. I didn't view the admission as "more work" or bullshit dumps from the ED, but as a chance for more fun. What the hell, I'm up to 13 kiddos on my team. I kind of like the idea of having a ward full of kids. So far, they are all cool kids, nice parents. Lots of bread a butter admits-it's RSV bronchiolitis season. But also a few kids on chemo. When I had a sick 5 day old to admit, it was nuttin after a month in the NICU. Just been one of those days where being a resident is fun...
I had grandiose plans to finish my move after work this morning, go for a run, unpack at my new place, get groceries, but all I can think about it crawling into bed. Oh wait.. my bed is still in the old flat. Damn.
Cheers,
B
Friday, March 03, 2006
Moving On..
Moving On #1
So, I'm back on the pedi ward as of today. It's like a homecoming. This is where I started my residency, back in July. JULY. Holy Shit! That was 8 months ago. EIGHT MONTHS AGO. Where did January go? Blink. Gone. February? Blink. Gone. Lots of thoughts. First, I can remember back to what July was like. The uncertainty constantly. Can I stop this patients IV fluids? The nurse wants more pain meds. This kid has a fever. Asking my senior resident what I should do. Today, telling my senior resident I was going to stop IV fluids, telling my senior that I didn't want a kiddo sent home in the morning, that I wanted to wait til afternoon. Finally, a familiarity to my job.
My last shift in the NICU (for this year, will be back for a month years 2 and 3), I was writing summary notes for my kiddos. I was reviewing my daily progress notes while doing this. It was approximately mid-February when I seemed to have slightly figured out what the hell I was doing. It shows in my notes. CLUELESS the first week, week-and-a-half. That's the crazy thing about residency so far. Every month, new ward. New team. But this month, am back to the pedi ward. I'm looking forward to it.
Moving On #2
In the new apartment now. Well, still have my bed, couch and cups at the old place. God knows when I'll have time to get those over here. Am missing my coffee mug. It's a starbucks (surprise) mug that I've had since Dublin Days.. It's nice to be in the new apartment. It's warm. Quiet. It's huge.
Aside from work, and moving not much else is going on. March 11th is my next day off, and I'm looking forward to it...
Cheers,
B
So, I'm back on the pedi ward as of today. It's like a homecoming. This is where I started my residency, back in July. JULY. Holy Shit! That was 8 months ago. EIGHT MONTHS AGO. Where did January go? Blink. Gone. February? Blink. Gone. Lots of thoughts. First, I can remember back to what July was like. The uncertainty constantly. Can I stop this patients IV fluids? The nurse wants more pain meds. This kid has a fever. Asking my senior resident what I should do. Today, telling my senior resident I was going to stop IV fluids, telling my senior that I didn't want a kiddo sent home in the morning, that I wanted to wait til afternoon. Finally, a familiarity to my job.
My last shift in the NICU (for this year, will be back for a month years 2 and 3), I was writing summary notes for my kiddos. I was reviewing my daily progress notes while doing this. It was approximately mid-February when I seemed to have slightly figured out what the hell I was doing. It shows in my notes. CLUELESS the first week, week-and-a-half. That's the crazy thing about residency so far. Every month, new ward. New team. But this month, am back to the pedi ward. I'm looking forward to it.
Moving On #2
In the new apartment now. Well, still have my bed, couch and cups at the old place. God knows when I'll have time to get those over here. Am missing my coffee mug. It's a starbucks (surprise) mug that I've had since Dublin Days.. It's nice to be in the new apartment. It's warm. Quiet. It's huge.
Aside from work, and moving not much else is going on. March 11th is my next day off, and I'm looking forward to it...
Cheers,
B
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