our lives

"I haven't watched tv since last summer." Really Olympic athlete? We should do one for med school. "I eat lunch each day in earshot of retching" or "I put my finger in a bum....everyday." Psssssh."

-Nikki

Surgery is so unpredictable

A case that started this morning at 7:30am did not end until 3pm. It was supposed to be a 2 hour case. It was a double procedure and started with taking out the ovaries of a women.

 It was being done laparoscopically and as I watched the screen I gasped when i saw what looked like a big hairball next to the ovary. Well, it WAS a big hairball. It was a teratoma, a benign tumor that is from several different tissues and can range from anything like hair, teeth, endocrine tissue, etc.  Gross.

After that, we closed her up and repositioned her. We had to take out one of her kidneys because it was non functional and was getting severely infected. This was only supposed to take a couple hours but things did not go according to plan. The patient received several blood transfusion during the surgery and after calling a couple surgeons in to help, everything was repaired and the patient did fine. Just goes to show you how in one second, things can change. Episodes like this help us to remember that things dont always go perfectly and though each day things may go smoothly, it just one second someone who potentially die.

Pimping

Dr. G and I standing at bedside checking if an epidural is placed properly because the women in labor is still in pain. Multiple family members and nurse in the room:

"What is the biggest concern I have right now in this situation?" -Dr. G
"umm, i dont know... [thinking Dr. G is talking to her, looks at me with confusion]"
"Oh no honey, he is testing me. Trying to put me on the spot in front of all of you." -me

happy to say i got the question right.

20+ years of school to figure out what the hell this all means...

Step 2

I forgot how much studying for boards SUCKS. I take my Step 2 COMLEX on Aug 20 and USMLE on the 22nd. Until then, I am working...and studying...and taking a lot of naps again.

A quote from my favorite Board Prep man Dr. BJ
"and if you have a headache after you have been binge drinking just FYI the drug of choice is not tylenol. that is not going to be good to give your fatty liver after you have been binge drinking."

he knows us med students all to well....

Blood

Watched a double IJ central line procedure and swan ganze catheter placement. Then a TEE to confirm. Soooo cool.

Playing video games

Glendale Adventist has a Da Vinci minimally invasive surgery robot. It is worth millions and is incredible. after putting in the ports and docking the robot over the patient, the surgeon scrubs out and using his own lil chair to operate. Today we did the anesthesia for a hysterectomy and the doc let me sit next to him and explained everything he was doing. pretty rad.

A new 3rd year

"Some strange events today:

-I got excited about new shoes for work that are more comfortable.
-When I heard 8:30PM to hang out, I thought, "man that is late"
-I watched Wheel of Fortune


Anyone know of any openings at Leisure World?"


-Chris D