Surgery: The Second and Third Week

Now that I’m used to the questions (though there are a few of his partners that ask “guess what I’m thinking” questions—the ones where the question is so vague there could be multiple correct answers), the rotation has been a lot better. I still don’t always know the answers, but I find it to be challenging rather than discouraging. I know what is expected of me, I know my way around the hospital, I know some of the staff’s names, and so I feel comfortable doing things without constantly following Dr. B.

Things that I have seen (and participated in): gallbladder, appendix, ovary removals, lumpectemoies, mastectomies (some with the first stage of plastic surgery reconstruction), bowel reconstruction, varicose vein ablation, hemorrhoid and cyst removals, colonscopies and upper intestinal endoscopy, port insertions (for chemotherapy), ostomy placements (the intestine is connected to the skin and so the contents go into a bag rather than regularly going to the bathroom).

Schedule: I normally have surgery from 7:30 in the morning to 6:30/7:30 at night (some days I get off earlier, but those are rare). I get to eat lunch, but I rarely have dinner because I’m exhausted and it takes time to cook.

Call: at first I felt official getting called in for surgery, but it normally takes a minimum of 3-4 hours each time you get called in and by the third time I got called last Sunday, I could tell Jeff wasn’t so happy that I spent most of my weekend at the hospital. Thankfully the other day I was supposed to be on call, it was my birthday, so I got to leave at 6:30 (Dr. B stayed until 2:30 the next morning performing surgeries!)

So now surgery is going well. I love the people, I like assisting with surgery and doing the stitches/staples, hospital rounds, everything. I really don’t want this rotation to end! Only one week left!