Let's recap:
I finished my time in the pediatric ICU. While controversial, I still maintain the idea that sometimes just because we can do something to prolong life doesn't mean we should. Also, I did get to see one child placed on ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxidation); sort of a mini-heart/lung bypass machine but not within the sterile confines of the O.R. Big and scary.
I completed my month-long rotation at the main hospital BGH. This time, not so bad. If you remember back to last year, I was rating my days in the number of beers I needed to get over the shift. This time, I don't know... maybe it was the responsibility. Maybe it was knowing more than I did last year. I actually sort of enjoyed it. And, I learned a lot. Maybe I'm just growing up academically.
After three weeks at the "General", I took my vacation, and tonight just returned from the Miami area of Florida were I spent the last week. A couple of things that I learned: the Everglades are awesome, alligators are an important part of the ecosystem of the Everglades, I continue to not like foreigners who travel because they're just rude, and I think I would be suicidal on a cruise if I had to be on the boat for longer than a day.
Oh, yeah, and Key Lime Pie... tasty! So, tomorrow I start my two months on the Orthopedics' service. It starts with two weeks of Hand Surgery. I'll have a better idea in the morning of what that entails. Hopefully, something new and interesting to blog about. It will take some time to catch up with everyone else's blogs, so forgive me if I haven't posted recently.
2 comments:
I agree, just because we can save them...., Just sad what we put some children and adults through.
Key lime pie, yummy
I have to agree with you on your comment about life. Most of the health care dollars are spent on the last few months of life. People who say "do every thing you can" either have guild feeling about how they treated mom or dad, or if they had to pay for the treatment would say "no,mom has had a good life" We could better use the money on people who will survive not be in a vegitative state.
That is the problem with health care is everyone thinks that if someone dies it is because someone did something wrong.....People are not allowed to die anymore. Neither of my parents wanted resusitation and I stood by that. My mother died at home surrounded by her husband and children. And my dad died peacefully in the hosptal with his children. Years ago my father watch a program on nursing homes and said "If those people knew they were like that they would not want it."
When it is my time, I do not want resusitated if I will not survive. No peg tube,no trach and no vent, no dialysis. I want to live not to exist.
Glad you're back....
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