from head to toe

Yesterday turned out to be pretty good. One attending came to help out the residents, so I got to pick the OR I wanted to be in... Unfortunately my least favorite resident had to scurb in with one of my favorite attendings. So I didn't choose those surgeries. But I scrubbed in on a thyroid lobectomy, an inguinal hernia in a girl, a dialysis cath removal, a Nissen procedure (procedure for gastric reflux) and a laparoscopic cholezystectomy (gall blader). In the preop area I also saw a kid that had a cyst on his arm... So I got to see cases that involved almost every part of the body. That is really cool. They don't just focus on one part, but I get a great exposure to all kinds of cases... and body fluids..... Today I got sprayed with blood and unfortunately almost got hit by puss... I just got out of the OR where we did a ruptured appendizitis. The kid had already developed an abscess that contained 500ml of puss...... Well that was when I realized why I don't like abdominal surgeries.... but I manged to stay, didn't pass out or feel any signs of low blood pressure.... I also got to tie a few nods, which is so much more difficult with nylon and gloves on! Yesterday I did ask a nurse for some gloves so that I could practice with gloves on, but so far I have not had the time to do that.
Now we have one more cases. I saw the patient already on her birthday and examined her every morning since then. So I really know that patient this time and I know her history and how she did over the past days. She was born with an abdominal wall defect. All her bowel was outside and really big, so they coverd it in a little house and let it get used to being "inside" and reduced it a little every day and now she is ready for surgery and have her abdomal wall closed up! So that is really exciting and I am glad that I am on call tonight, cause otherwise they would have sent me home by now....
Yesterday I also got to have some social time. Barb invited me over for some closet shopping! that was really great and afterwards we went to have dinner at Qdoba!!! Afterwards I did not feel like studying much when I got back home... So when I walked by the really sad christmastree that felt cold and abandoned I decided to take a away his pain (that's what future doctors do ;)) and help him by putting up a few ornaments....
Now I am waiting for the next surgery to start. Since we are already down to the on call team and there is only one anesthesiologist, who now has to take care of a kid that decided to swallow a knife, we have to wait to go back to the OR and start with our case....