first week back to St Paul's

My first week back in Saskatoon has been an exciting and exhilarating one. I was worried about coming back, but worried specifically about being at SPH. It is different there, more surgeon driven, often anesthesia unfriendly. I have had some bad experiences there before.

This week was different. I don't know whether it is this new attitude I am attempting to adopt, or what, but even though I did some scary stuff, I felt it went well. Tuesday, I heard through the grapevine that there was a patient with a ruptured AAA (the biggest artery in the body) coming in. Now normally they have a mortality rate of almost 100%, some don't even make it to hosptial. This guy did, and I wanted to be there. I asked the attending (who is not always the nicest person) if I could stay (as it was at the end of the day) to help. He agreed, and it turned out really well. He was good to me, I was helpful, I feel like I learned a lot, and I wasn't 100% overwhelmed. It is always comforting to see people whom you respect struggle with the same things that you do. God was on our side that night. We made it off the table, made it to ICU, and they are planning on taking his breathing tube out today!! I would like to think that I helped make a difference and even aided in saving this man's life (even if others are not as impressed as all that).

I then stayed to do another case with this attending. A case that we don't get to see very often, but not as scary. I think he was impressed that I was showing initiative. Makes me happy that I may be able to handle some of that stuff as well now. I didn't get home until 9pm (having been there since 7am), and was exhausted after, but it was definately worth it.

Wednesday was Pain Clinic. Makes me realize that I don't want to do that full time, but it could potentially be a nice break from the OR, at least I would get to look nice once in awhile (instead of just in PJs all the time). The patients are, however, a bit nuts.

Finally, Thursday was a great day with an attending who is super nice and basically let me run the room and do my own thing. Today, Friday is a "bank day" at SPH and so I didn't have to go. Gave me some time to study, Blog, and get organized. I still have to go back for "half day", but that is always enjoyable.

All in all, a good week to start of with.