I've seen two circumcisions, one for medical reasons (phimose) and one for religious, on an 8 year old (I cried afterwards because the boy was such a sweetheart, making us laugh, and then, after, he was crying.)
Last OP of the day today was a 24 year old girl and though I've seen lots of GYN operations, I had an odd feeling about this one.
I asked, and found out it was an abortion.
I wonder about the legality of requiring me to participate in an abortion. I only assisted in anesthesia and intubation, but still.
Did you know, an abortion takes 10 minutes (not including induction)? That's the shortest OP I've ever observed.
The fetus was collected into a stainless steel basin and then every bit was picked up by tweezers and put into a jar with a label on it. The jar was 3 inches tall and 1 inch wide. The jar ended up in a large plastic bin headed for a lab. I couldn't help but wonder how the surgeon's assistant felt about doing that job, herself a young woman. Did she feel remorse or empowerment? Did she feel nothing?
I asked about stem cell research by no one knew.
***
Today was a good day - a sweet lady said good bye to me and wished me well in my endeavors. She never even told me her name, but she was one of the good ones.
I confided in Huriya, that the mean nurse made me cry yesterday, when Huriya brought up "the evil nurse" (I'd been publicly scolded unnecessarily and humiliated).
Tomorrow is my last day, thank God.
I love drawing up meds and administering them, and then documenting them, as well as tracking vitals. I love helping the process go smoothly so the nurses can relax a little (not enough though, ugh, those stressy nurses!). I like being trusted with larynx mask "intubation" and monitoring the pressure cuff. I really like Beatmung (manually breathing for a patient through a face mask), at least I did on the 24 year old girl, she was so easy.
I love those moments when I can get through to a patient and make them feel better. I'd surely be fired for a comment I made to a wonderful Morroccan man yesterday, but we were laughing so much, and Huriya joined us. I told him I will find him, cuz he told me where he works. We were three foreigners in Germany, finding common ground. (Huriya is Turkish.)
***
There was one patient with abdominal "stickiness" and the had to separate his organs. That one was the most magnificent of all. They pulled his intestines out of his body to get them out of the way, and two doctors had three hands deep into the space they had taken, as they burned away the connections. Amazing what people in sterile conditions can survive!
***
They say Vollnarkose (anesthesia) carries risks, but I never witnessed anything go awry - just the rare patient who needed a little more sleepiness. Today I saw a lady get her breast sampled for cancer and almost started to feel ill because she was awake the whole time, and SHE said she was feeling ill, and my face mask was so tight I almost couldn't breathe, ....and I've had a breast cancer scare myself.
"May I ask a stupid question?" I said to Frank. He said, "There are none." I I asked if they'd let me sleep through it, if I ever needed that particular procedure. He said yes but they'd give me all the warnings that come with anesthesia. Screw the risks, put me to sleep!
***
I wonder if abortion is covered by health insurance, in a country that pays every woman 400Euros per month for having a baby.
***
Yesterday a visiting anesthesiologist (inadvertently?) gave me a compliment. He asked me to draw some pain killer med and stick it in the infusion. His official assistant went to do it and he stopped him, "No, your colleague can do it." I know he knows I'm only an intern, not a "colleague" but it felt soooooo good, his "mistake." He chatted with me about my life, curious why I'm in Germany.
I appreciated that because, in contrast, that morning, the lead surgeon, when he introduced himself to me, and I answered, "I'm the intern" he just turned around and walked away. Remember how the android Data was treated on Star Trek? Most accepted him as human, but some saw him only as a robot, a tool to be commanded. I guess I'm Data.
***
One more day. I can make it!
I'm gonna have to treat myself to something nice after this week. I'll ask J if we can go out to eat, something we do very rarely.
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5 comments:
You have had a ton of experience in the placement. What happens next?
I want to know "what next" also!
Back to the ambulance?
Medicine is wonderful...but I'm glad I've needed so little "medical interfering" in my life thus far. Two hip surgeries, and I'm outta there, I hope. I agree with you re: anesthesia, I want to be OUT. Supposedly I was NOT entirely out for my hip replacements, but they give you the stuff so you don't remember, and wow magic, I don't remember any of it. Fine by me!
As for the abortion, there was a reason. Not maybe a reason that everyone agrees with, but I don't know anybody who takes that decision casually. I saw in the news today that drug-induced early-term abortion meds are becoming available in the US now (they've been available in other countries for years, especially where surgical abortion is not legal). This is so much safer now, and for women who do not have access (or insurance) it's so important.
Sorrowful~ You will find something that will bring you more joy in life.
Teresa & Aarene, Next I have to work as an intern yet again on the ambulance, then there is yet another class and then yet another test. Is it even legal in America to be an unpaid intern?
Oh, yes: unpaid internships are common, especially in business and politics. Medical internships, I'm not sure.
When I Google "internships Seattle" I get a bunch of hits and THEN a bunch titled "Paid Internships" so I guess the default is "unpaid."
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