on my own

Yesterday I was just too tired to write anything. I barely slept 1.5h at night, because I was woken up by the noise the wind made and then couldn't go back to sleep. On top I also had to get up at 3.30 AM to make it to the hospital on time. Well I did not make it on time... -even though the roads were clear (right, who else is up and around that early...). I had trouble finding the parking lot I was supposed to go to and then ended up three blocks away from the hospital. Also before 6am all the entrances except for the Emergency entrance are closed... Well I found all that out and finally got to the floor to see patients. At 6.30 we had a quality improvement conference (for all the med students - an M&M) Those times are definetely not what I am used to. Well I am not much longer in the hospital than I was in Switzerland, but working hours were just different. And it makes you feel kind of weird, if you start feeling really tired at 10.30 in the morning.....Today was already a whole lot better, I had had 6hours of sleep and found the parking lot almost right away.... Tomorrow I might actually find it right away....

Yesterday I got to talk to a a few more people on the team, got to know the people and that made me feel much more comfortable. Being at the hospital was almost as much fun as usual (except for being really tired). Being in surgery was just great. Once I am in there and have to focus I do not feel any more how tired I really am. That's just great. After I got off I got my ID made, of course I look weird on the picture! I don't know how American's always manage to look good on those pictures..... It was the same with my High School ID! Anyway I got it know, I am official a med student at UofL.

On my way home I of course didn't find the right way right away... Even though I did have a GPS. But fortunately it told me how to get back to where I was supposed to be. Today I once again I did a whole lot better, driving around around Louisville on my own.

Now the most exciting thing about today was the special Christmas lunch for the employees! They had a choire seeing Christmas songs in the hall, Santa was sitting in a chair giving out candy to all the employees (he even had a Norton Hospital employee batch - unfortunately I did not have a Camera), people were thanking the employees for their work and then we all got so much food, two people could have eaten that: green beens, mashed potatoes, stuffing, two kinds of meat, and three deserts (fruitsalad, Pecan pie and a brownie!!!!) It was really great! But I couldn't eat it all! It was still a great gesture from the hospital!

Overall Today was once again a little better than yesterday. I am starting to feel more comfortable around the hospital. I don't get disoriented quite that often anymore. I also had to present during rounds for the first time today. I was really nervous before. It was ok, but definetely needs some improvement. The words don't come out quite as easily as they should!

Tomorrow will be by first night on call... I am excited to see how that will go and how much sleep I will get.....