January 28, 2012

Hand Me Tha' Scalpel


Back to some hospital lovin' stuff, I'm already on my third week in Surgery. This would be our second to the last major rotation, we still have one month remaining at Pedia after ORL and Ophtha. This is my second most loved rotation next to Pediatrics, perhaps because I've had too much amazement of the subject back when I was a clinical clerk. I also see surgeons as the COOLEST people in the medical field, they're neither the nerds nor the laid back guys. They're just awesome! As it turns out, I have a thing for Surgeons rather than Surgery itself. LOL! Kidding! Seriously, I am enjoying every single moment in this rotation just like when I was a clerk. 

On our first two weeks, we manned the Surgery-ER where we did wound suturing and inserting IV lines, the usual stuff. There were less suturing here as compared to when I was a clerk, that's because of the existence of hierarchy (residents > interns) and there are separate Trauma interns to share the job with us. Reminds me of my good ol' clerkship days where I had seen practically ALL kinds of TRAUMA cases and had to suture ALL kinds of avulsed or lacerated wounds. Kanya kanyang style ng pagtatahi! The good thing about our first two weeks was how we are entrusted to do our own operations at the Minor OR. I never had that experience---breast fibroadenoma and polyp excision! Awesome! I thought I couldn't do it, but hey, I DID! High five for that! :) I was really nervous on the first day. My resident just made me palpate the mass and verbally instructed me how to do it. I figured it in my mind and continued with the surgery squeezing out all that confidence in me. I succeed with the first patient and the others except on our last day when a a certain patient's mass was so deep and quite large (~3 x 4 cm) and I kept hitting on arteries which bled quite profusely! I was so scared I had to seek my resident's help! She controlled the first bleeder by ligating the bleeding artery using cotton tie and came my lightbulb moment. Aha! Oo nga 'noh, bakit nga ba hindi ko naisipan yun. I am such a panic. So there, I used the same technique for the rest of those lecheng bleeders I encountered. 

Five days later, one of those patients followed-up at the OPD and I was thankful she had no complications. Haha! Otherwise, I don't think I can forgive myself.

Surgery is one helluva coolest and tough field! That's why I don't blame Surgery residents who feel so astig  even if they don't look like one! Haha! Peace yo! :) 

We are currently at the Wards under the GS2/3 services. That's the Colorectal and Hepatobiliary services. Good thing about Surgery here at PGH is that we are given the option which field we might wanna take. So I took GS2/3 rather than GS1/Trauma. GS1 comprises of head, neck and gastric cases. I avoided Trauma simply because with all conviction, I would explicitly say I loathe Trauma. I don't like the subject and I don't like the patients. Most often than not, they are those who are brought to the hospital because of their own fault. Usually vehicular crashes and/or stab wounds are the cases. These are the social liabilities that I feel like they don't deserve my time and energy. I am so mean at that, but I just feel exactly that way towards Trauma.

On our last week, we would be exposed to subspecialty fields however we are only to choose one among the four subspecs (Plastic Surgery, Thoracocardiovascular Surgery, Pediatric Surgery and Urology). I chose Pediatric Surgery. :)

I don't see myself as a Surgeon one day but I am happy that I'm enjoying this rotation. 

Plus, I always wear an extra smile on my face pa everyday. :)




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