First week at Arrowhead

It's only Thursday afternoon, but I've completed three 12-hour shifts and four hours of didactic lectures. Now I'm off until I start two weeks of night shifts (seven 12-hour 7p - 7a) next Friday.

Arrowhead is definitely busier than Ft. Wayne and right up their with St. Vincent's in Toledo. I've been working in Pod D which is unmonitored, so the patients are typically abdominal pain, OB/Gyn, Peds, inmates, fractures and that sort of thing. I've seen a lot of very interesting cases and got to do a ton. I see all the patients first, write up the H&P on the charts and then present it to the Attending. The Attendings have been pretty good and had some time to teach Monday and Tuesday. Yesterday was just too crazy though with no time rest at all.

Monday I did an adult lumbar puncture (LP) with a little assistance and a reduced a dislocated toe. Tuesday I did an infant LP and had some good cases, but the day was slower so I also got in a little reading. Wednesday I did an I&D. We had 3+ appies, several kidney stones, a guy with face kicked bloody and an assortment of infections and fractures.

Overall there's been a good variety of pathology and I've been learning a lot. However, I don't think this program will be my first choice. One thing that irritated me was that the Nutrition Dept(?) decided to end the $9 per day food allowance without informing us, so I was embarrassed as the cashregister with food for my Attending and myself but no cash.

I am still considering the program because the Attendings seem good, there's of good learning cases and it looks like EM is getting very competitive. As a four year osteopathic program, Arrowhead should be easier to get into than the allopathic programs that I like better, at least on paper. Becky is driving over this weekend to spend a few days with me at Lake Arrowhead (and no kids!), then we'll spend a day looking at neighborhoods. My father would love to see us here as it would give me much more time and access to the kids.

Speaking of the kids, they seem to having a great time in Seattle with gandmothers, cousins and aunts/uncles. I've had a few minutes to talk with Gregor, Krintina, my neice Jane and nephews Cooper and Oliver. It's been nice, but brief given twelve hour days. I even spent one evening at an informal journal club with the residents and another swimming at an LA Fitness nearby.

This afternoon has been all about updating flight plans, tickets, rental cars and Outlook with the latest plans. Luckily Christiana has free housing to offset the cost of canceling the flight to Carolinas and buying a new ticket to Wilmington, DE. In case I didn't mention it earlier, I canceled Carolinas because of all the trouble (obstacles) UNC was giving me to confirm the rotation and the fact that they have never a DO resident. Christiana looks every bit as good, has DOs in the program now and it much easier to work with. Free housing doesn't hurt either!

Well, I plan to study my new EM books most of the day tomorrow and get in a swim. However, tonight I'm going to relax and maybe catch a movie. It's going to be an enjoyable week before I hit two long weeks of 12-hour night shifts. I'm not even sure that I will have time to drive back to Phoenix to see the boys :(. Speaking of which, I need to call them now and see how they are enjoying camping with their cousins.