Surgical AHEC: Day 6

Was in on Monday from 7a-1:15p. We did 3 laparoscopic cholecystectomies and a sigmoidectomy (removed the sigmoid colon and reattached the loose ends after taking it out). I'm getting more comfortable with throwing stitches, and I am really enjoying being able to participate in the surgeries. I'm the attending's cameraman during the surgeries, and I also got to put a gallbladder into a sac before we removed it from the belly thru a small incision. Pretty cool. After that, we went over some info regarding colorectal cancer and other topics that would be on my oral exam. Then the attending taught me how to throw one-handed left knots, one-handed right knots, two-handed knots. I'm best with my one-handed left knots, but instrument tying is still stronger than hand thrown at the moment. I'm hoping to fix this before I throw another stitch on Thursday morning!

Some One-Handed Left Knots on a Vicryl Suture:

Surgical AHEC: Day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Phew, what a week! I started my final rotation in surgery. It's away from my apartment, so I've been staying with my family near to where I am currently rotating. I am having a great time here...I follow the attending around, so I am there when he is there...which is not nearly as long as a resident is there. So, I've been working "normal" hours this whole week! Monday 9-3, Tuesday 7-1, Wednesday 8-3, Thursday 7-1, Friday 8-1. I am loving the extra time I get to spend actually studying or spending time with my family, not to mention the time I spend each day learning from the attending surgeon! It has been such a great experience so far. Oh, and did I mention that I get free, unlimited food from the hospital cafeteria!? SOooo I can work on gaining back some of those pounds I've lost from missing breakfast/lunch/dinner as a med student at the college of medicine's hospital...! ;)

Had a great weekend, too.. I'll try and fill you in after I finish my oral exams this Tuesday...which reminds me, I should probably start to prepare for those...! Ahhhh where has the time gone?!

The "Golden Weekend"

I got to enjoy my very first "golden weekend"...it started from the moment I finished my on-call shift early Friday morning and it will end when I go into work early Monday morning...It's a resident's version of a normal working person's weekend - when you are off for an entire 48 hours straight! It is a very rare event, so they call it the "Golden Weekend".

So, what have I done with my Golden Weekend???... not much! Friday afternoon and evening was spent cleaning the house, cooking dinner, and laying out by the pool. Saturday we went for a walk at a park for a few hours, went to eat at a Mediterranean restaurant, then watched a film together, and today we went to the grocery, played a footy game, I studied and packed for my upcoming week away, and finally we went on another long walk. It sounds like a pretty average weekend, but you know what? I don't get these "normal" weekends often any more, so it felt amazing to be at home for so many hours straight. I even remember what it is like to have a boyfriend again! My house is clean, I got to walk my dog, my refrigerator is full, laundry is done, and I'm caught up on what's going on in my fiance's life...this has been the most successful weekend that I have had since I started third year! ...only in medicine would you highly anticipate and subsequently celebrate the mundane and average 2-day weekend at home!

At the Park with Mike & Marley:

Out to Eat at Byblos

 Kebab combo + Tabbouleh = yummmmmmmy

 ...what a gentleman, paying for my meal ;)