First week of Critical Care

After the excitement and emotional exhaustion of Match week I barely managed to study for my IM shelf test at all. I rested and started to get back into an exercise, but didn't even want to think about school.

Monday I made my way to Banner Good Samaritan hospital at the appointed hour of 8:30a hoping that the folks there knew we fourth year students just wanted a pass at this point. Senioritis had hit me strong. I soon learned that Trauma Critical Care is not the place to expect leniency.

First, I was frustrated with the amount of running around for badges and paperwork. Then my Resident had no idea was coming. Oh, the schedule is basically 6am every morning but Monday and Friday when it starts at 5am. Thursday are Grand Rounds, so coat and tie are required. Moreover, Friday we are on call, so I will be spending the night and doing rounds in the morning. In other words, Friday's shift is from 4am when I wake up until Saturday around noon when I can go home!

The PGY-2 surgical Resident and I are on different planets but I'm trying to be nice to her. And I am learning stuff. It's just that she's young, strong-willed and extremely confident. No life experience, lots of book knowledge and ambition. As the week progressed, I proved I do the work, write good notes and even perform procedures adequately so I earned some respect.

I was able to do my first central line (left subclavian) , suture a big laceration and do an I & D. I also learned quite a bit from the Resident and our Attending on rounds. Didactics were pretty poor this week, but the PD was on vacation so we'll see how this week goes.

So I'm already tired and dreading my Friday night, expecting no sleep and lots of scut work. The evening started with me fetching dinner, paid for by the Attending, and charting a couple minor traumas. Then I got to sleep in my own immaculate call room. I was woken up once for minor call and then went back to sleep. My Resident even sent me home in the morning saying she would round on my patients! It was like being gifted a day in your life you nevre expected to have.

I was fairly rested and got home before 9am. I took a long nap and got a lot of home stuff done. It was great. I know Residency is coming and won't be nearly so forgiving, but as a fourth year with about 70 days until graduation, I really want to slack and enjoy myself.

Tomorrow starts at 4am, in five hours so time for a little sleep before another long day. I hope to get the OK for a house hunting trip back to Hartford that will take a few CC days and one Friday night call. That would make this month a little less painful.

Finally, no one came through the house this weekend, even after lowering the price to $249,000. Looks like we won't have the cash to go to Europe before graduation and will have to scrape by to pay for the move to Connecticut. Becky is starting to job hunt and we're hoping for a good bump in her salary. So both the house and the job are hanging over our heads at the moment.