Absence

So it happened: I've missed a working (school) day!  The first day of my new placement. ( how bad is that?).
I'm still a student (preintern).  A horrible threat have been sent through one of my colleague. Was she exaggerating?
My new placement is in a place when one of the consultant think I crossed my line when I offer to look for financial help for a mother who wanted to take her child (not the consultant patient by the way) to a specialized center ( I asked another consultant first if that was ok I swear).

I am thinking have I been in a better state of mind when  I received the call I'll barely think of it. We see/interpret  things based on our prexistence state of mind and prejudgments. That is why, my dear self, keeping an optimistic cheerful attitude is the way to go.

Any way, I guess the right thing is not to catastrophize  and use the best of my negotiation skills and my character charm ( hey, I can see you rolling your eyes at me)
and my hard work to please who ever my absence had upset.
The Final MD exam is in two  months, I guess the right thing is to revise and chill. There is no place for worry and freaking out because that is a waste of life and time.

In a brighter side note: I had an interesting weekend.
Happy mother day by the way.

See you soon;)
Keep those finger crossed

Student intern

3 weeks!! Working as preintern is fun. Here is a glimpse:
Me:  Mrs S blood sugar yesterday were 1, 2, 3. Do we adjust her insulin or refer to endo?
Resident : how much were her blood sugar readings yesterday?
Consultant : what about her glycemic control ?

Mr H is on so and so1 medications
Registrar after she discovered later px is on drug so1. WHY haven't you told me px is on that drug? Who put him on that drug? ( worse yet if you repeat the drug list extra time for the attending and she took your written list and read it)
Ehh nothing personal, but it seems as you go up in the medical hierarchy your responsibilities gets bigger. I no longer feel upset when scolded for things I have no control on. I sympthies with my seniors, they are under a lot of pressure. Hey, if screaming at me make them feel better, I'm totally fine. ( I guess! )

This doesn't mean preinternship is awful, it is so beautiful thankfully. It is just we are working so close to the real doctors, we got to understand them more.
Bonus: lovely resident who gives revision sessions after we do ward work! Heaven.

 Preinternship is simply working as interns: you clerk patient, investigate them, discuss with seniors the plan and then follow them up and update the team in ward rounds about patient status , lab results  and response to treatment . And a few calls here and there ( we put a referral in the computer but follow that with a call : so we call anesthesia , physo, dietician ., and sometimes we go personally to ask for thier consult) and we document everything in the system.

It is really a good way to learn!

And one of the medical student ( ehhhmm , I know I know! I keep telling them I'm not a doctor yet) thanked me profusely today and  said I'm a very  helpful person ( yahhooooooo). Seriously I had to brag about it to you guys. I pray to be helpful and kind (dear lord please make me pass my MD , please , please , please and make me safe and excellent doctor)
I really do want to be a nice person.


P.S. In a revision session:
- so Peace, PatientX is post total thyroidectomy. The nurse calls telling you the patient is desaturating. What will you do ?
- I'll call my senior!  ( I have been told this and "check vitals" if within normal take hx and do brief exam" will help when in doubt ;)  ( oh, I know removing subcutical sutures when px is having trouble breathing because of neck hematoma post op is not fun) 

But you'll be doctor!

I guess it is not uncommon for medical students to be approached by people asking about various medical (and non medical) things.
A number of times now people asked me if I can measure their BP to make sure they are fine. I guess that is a privilege and part of preventive medicine. The problem is I don't have symphengomanometer! And I am quite sure those particular individuals will not go to a health center to do so for various reasons. (Money included)

Anyway, I am planing to buy one and just curious if anyone has other suggestion to things I can keep. I mean gauze, antiseptic swap, bandages, paracetamol, antihistamine , burn cream what else ? Any suggestions

Oh and the chest infection seems to settle thankfully. I slept most of the day and I feel human again. If everything is good I'll start revising my surgical notes, write some reflections tomorrow morning and will have a chilling afternoon.  That or I'll over sleep again. 

Sleeping in the OT!

Hi, funny thing happend yesterday. We finished the round very late and we had a couple of referrals so we got to run from place to another and finally landed in the OT. I was having the flu for a couple of days and my system was filled with antihistamine, ibuprofen and caffeine! I kept going. So today in the theater I was shivering , sweating and my legs were no more strong enough! I walked out of the OT fighting  an urge to throw up and just collapsed in the OT changing room. ( it seemed way too far at that time, and I just you know peacefully fainted). Any way after throwing up a couple of times I felt better. But was still dizzy and weak. So I decided to get a power nap in the changing room ( hey, no judgement I mean I wish I had a bed in my pocket).  A very sweat students came in and brought me juice ( oh I felt them checking out my pulse and calling my name asking if I was a live. Funny I know). anyway it seemed I looked so blue and they couldn't feel my faint pulse at that time (I guess my cold hand scared them, I am sure I have good pulse. My heart was going crazy) 

So I was escorted by group of happy students to the staff clinic. ( I know the feeling, hehe I will be happy too! I love escorting people. )

 Turn out I had pneumonia and dehydrated. Oh but I guess the reason I collapsed is because my beloved body was screaming for food. My morning start way to early and the intern is alone so I think it is unfair to ignore that even if it mean no break for us. I usually sleep once I get home and get up for a 3 hour or less study break then I sleep some more. I would drink coffee and some chocolate and it never occurred to me I am not actually eating! 

Oh, how humiliating collapsing like that. Let's hope it is the last time and that the bugs will give me my lungs back. 

As for those sweet students I can't thank them enough. 

They called back to check how Am I doing. So sweet of them. In such a horrible time they were a blessing. I know they will be great doctors and I'm honered to meet such people. 

As for going to work sick: the guilt was eating me. I was afraid of infecting people ( I could not get an N95 mask so used a regular mask) My college made it clear unless you are in the ICU you are not excused.

The idea of becoming a doctor is scarring me. My new mantra is " Lord please make me safe and excellent doctor"

Love you all

Blessing

Praise to God!
I've passed my finals. Yaaay. I didn't know one can be so excited to see a C+ .  Excited is an understatement I was ecstatic almost euphoric. Best yet: all my friends passed as well AND there was one friend who was a magent for bad examiners and who despite hard working ends up with bad marks because of the examiners. She finally got the grades she deserves. Happiness. Her sister called inviting me to a trip to Dubai. Joy.
I feel so blessed.

Thank you all

B plan

Hey, A plan is to pass my finals. B plan? I need your help with suggestions as what to do if - dear lord please forgive my self doubt- didn't. Any suggestions? What would you do with a Bhs in health science?

Study wise: done with some subjects.    Had lazy day yesterday.
Note to self : buy lovely friends something nice ( they keep helping  and supporting me). I had recieve so many chocolates and flower on the past couple of days. I feel blessed. Dear lord help me pass my finals.

Wish me luck 

end of year exam

 Hi

One week to end of year exam. I hadn’t blog for a long time, but I am planning to write about some rotations later on.

So 2014 ( happy new year by the way) was a rather interesting year, I visited 4 countries, was about to get married ( thanks lord I am still single), and it involved lots of new experiences and money expenditures.

Study wise, I am worried I could have done better. The most important thing I learnt ( though I knew/read it before) was to be careful with whom you spend your time with. This include your clinical partners. Last year I was with very enthusiastic students who I can easily engage in discussion and quick ward revision ( i.e. whenever we are waiting for a consultant or a procedure I'll open a page and we'll read it together or we will go through some topics and that really did enrich my learning).  This year …uhh  let's just pray I pass with good grades and be a safe doctor.

The written exam will be in blocks over  3 days, it'll cover:

-          Obs& gyn

-          Pediatrics

-          Medicine/hematology/emergency

-          Surgery/urology/ ENT

-          ICU

-          Therapeutics and labs!

-          FAMCO

-          Radiology

 

Many topics! I need to find a way to motivate myself and concentrate more.

Wish me luckJ