One more week of surgery done....as well as one more call night

Well, week #7 is done. I spent the entire week in Orthopedics. I had a really, really great time. Bones are fun, especially when they are broken and shattered and you get to use various tools that one could find in Lowe's or Home Depot to fix your patients. This week I saw a total knee replacement, a total hip replacement, a hardware change of an infected hip replacement, and the start of an I and D on a knee (incision and drainage). In clinic, I saw multiple patients for follow-up on broken bones. I also got to experience (several times) the following: the patient with severe arthritis in the knee who is experiencing difficulties in walking and excruciating pain, yet does not want the only treatment option, surgery. As explained by the doctor, there is nothing else but a knee replacement, yet the patients refuse. One of these patients happened to see Dr. H, who proceeded to say "Okay, well continue to take ibuprofen and come back to see me in 3 months. Hopefully, by that time you will be in such excruciating pain that you will consent to the surgery instead of wasting my time here in clinic." I also had a rather hilarious experience with Dr. W and a 79 year old woman. While looking at her X-ray of the titanium rod that was placed in her femur, the woman says "Wow, that is a big rod in me!!" Dr. W broke out in hysterical laughter as did I :)

My call night was friday. It started off really, really slow but picked up around 11pm. I had the pleasure of seeing a 12 year old boy with abdominal pain. It was my first time examining anyone under the age of 18. I asked all of my relevant questions about history to the parents and then examined the patient. Soon after, I had my diagnosis...Acute Appendicitis. Of course, I had my differentials too (gastroenteritis, Meckel's diverticulitis, testicular torsion, cystitis, pyelonephritis). A ct scan was ordered and because there was what appeared to be an abscess, surgery was not performed. I did get to present this patient as well as my findings to my preceptor the next morning. I did fairly well, except I did forget to perform a few tests to rule out my differentials. But overall, my presenting skills were pretty good :)

Yesterday I slept all day :). Today I did laundry and ran in the park. And, for the first time in my life, I went tanning.....in a tanning bed. It was interesting. Only 10 minutes. It got really hot under the lamps. I decided to go completely naked, because I had that option and if you know me you know that naky-ness should be my middle name! Why am I tanning?? Well, I have a wedding to go to in August, and my date is a tan-a-holic. She looks like she walked off a beach....year round!! So as to not look pasty white next to her in any photos, I decided that i must do some tanning. If I wasn't spending so much time in the hospital, I would try to lay out. But that is not an option, so fake and bake I must. Hopefully, I get a nice color!!

Okay, time to do some studying. This week I do anesthesia. Hopefully, I get to intubate someone!! Everyone have a great night!