Clinic
Monday, August 28, 2006
Ack – the quarterly report for AMSA is due in 2 days. I’ve whittled it down from 32 pages to 17 – however after I get up at the crack of dawn to add the 13 pin campaign summaries to the progress section and break them down by region it’ll be at least back up to 25. But it’s more concise. Not that anyone reading this cares (except maybe Tanya). The only satisfaction I have in turning in this behemoth is that the guy who formatted it last year - and made it have to be so freaking long - is in the position now where he has to read it (plus the other quarterly reports coming in).
Okay enough about that particular AMSA burden. Onto today’s excitement. I woke early and excited to start the day. Was grateful for my instant coffee (as nasty as it was) and even was able to eat what Suhani taught me was a One-Eyed Egyptian (though it sounds like code talk for penis, it’s actually an egg cooked inside a hole made in bread – quite yummy and, as I’ve just learned, was featured twice in the movie V for Vendetta).
I arrived in time for rounds which are usually between 8 and 8:30. That lasted about an hour. It was a large sit-down event with all the nurses, docs, PT’s, even the podiatrist was there. After that I got a walking tour of the place – the waiting room is really pretty with murals of dessert landscape and wooden carved pillars breaking up the usual industrial hospital-like architecture. Then I went to treadmill stress-test clinic (exercise treadmill testing or ETT for short) with one of my mentors and we made all these middle-aged overweight people run on treadmills all morning while we watched their EKG’s and took their vital signs every 2 minutes. Then I was able to saunter home for a few minutes to eat a yummy avocado with a potato and make a sandwich to take back with me to the hospital. Then afternoon clinic. I saw probably five or six patients in the afternoon. Notes were no biggie as they are all are paper and you can just jot down as you interview and leave it at that. Was very anxious to see patients by myself – so I just jumped in feet first and started seeing them. They all spoke English today and all had very typical medical issues. Really enjoyed talking to a giggly 13-year-old girl about safe sex (her 15-year-old sister has a baby and teen pregnancy is rampant here). Obesity is also a major issues along with alcohol abuse. I heard there was also a fatal stabbing on Friday – but violent crime like that is apparently rare.
Then clinic was over precisely at 5 PM -- because the double booked 4 PM patients didn’t show. Then it was pretty much exclusively catching up on email for the next two hours. Then home, rest of the avocado, some more instant coffee, and quarterly report. I do miss the TV. Staring at a computer screen makes my eyes hurt but it’s either that or stare at the stars and only one of those prevents my mind from running my to-do lists over and over again in my head. Emily and I always say that TV is one of the few things that can really just shut it all out. Though these days it’s becoming less and less true for me, at least TV is not work, it doesn’t hurt my eyes and I can put my feet up. This month will be good for me – maybe I’ll learn to better clear my mind without the boob tube (I can do it, it just takes more work).
So now I’m exhausted and ready for bed. I have to get up extra early anyway to get there in time to use the computer before rounds.
Oh, a small note, I really like one of the docs I work with, one of the two John’s. I like them both quite a lot but this one John is particularly interesting. He was a sociology major (go humanities!) and was working for social justice when he realized he wasn’t making any difference and wanted something bigger and better: a career where he can distinguish himself and make change (sound familiar to anyone?). Anyway, we talked a lot between stress test patients and have a lot to talk about over the next month. He also said I could house sit for him when he and his wife are out of town for a week meaning I don’t have to live in squalor! Plus, he might be able to arrange me a day at the uranium mining clinic (they made all these American Indians work the uranium mines around here and now they all are horribly ill so they have their own clinic: more info can be found at http://www.sonic.net/~kerry/uranium.html among other sites). It’s about 3 hours north but he says he’ll schedule it close to when I go see Jessica so I have a head start on the weekend. Awesome!
Okay, eyes falling out of head…. To bed….
but first... an old picture of the exact same view from my trailer.
Ack – the quarterly report for AMSA is due in 2 days. I’ve whittled it down from 32 pages to 17 – however after I get up at the crack of dawn to add the 13 pin campaign summaries to the progress section and break them down by region it’ll be at least back up to 25. But it’s more concise. Not that anyone reading this cares (except maybe Tanya). The only satisfaction I have in turning in this behemoth is that the guy who formatted it last year - and made it have to be so freaking long - is in the position now where he has to read it (plus the other quarterly reports coming in).
Okay enough about that particular AMSA burden. Onto today’s excitement. I woke early and excited to start the day. Was grateful for my instant coffee (as nasty as it was) and even was able to eat what Suhani taught me was a One-Eyed Egyptian (though it sounds like code talk for penis, it’s actually an egg cooked inside a hole made in bread – quite yummy and, as I’ve just learned, was featured twice in the movie V for Vendetta).
I arrived in time for rounds which are usually between 8 and 8:30. That lasted about an hour. It was a large sit-down event with all the nurses, docs, PT’s, even the podiatrist was there. After that I got a walking tour of the place – the waiting room is really pretty with murals of dessert landscape and wooden carved pillars breaking up the usual industrial hospital-like architecture. Then I went to treadmill stress-test clinic (exercise treadmill testing or ETT for short) with one of my mentors and we made all these middle-aged overweight people run on treadmills all morning while we watched their EKG’s and took their vital signs every 2 minutes. Then I was able to saunter home for a few minutes to eat a yummy avocado with a potato and make a sandwich to take back with me to the hospital. Then afternoon clinic. I saw probably five or six patients in the afternoon. Notes were no biggie as they are all are paper and you can just jot down as you interview and leave it at that. Was very anxious to see patients by myself – so I just jumped in feet first and started seeing them. They all spoke English today and all had very typical medical issues. Really enjoyed talking to a giggly 13-year-old girl about safe sex (her 15-year-old sister has a baby and teen pregnancy is rampant here). Obesity is also a major issues along with alcohol abuse. I heard there was also a fatal stabbing on Friday – but violent crime like that is apparently rare.
Then clinic was over precisely at 5 PM -- because the double booked 4 PM patients didn’t show. Then it was pretty much exclusively catching up on email for the next two hours. Then home, rest of the avocado, some more instant coffee, and quarterly report. I do miss the TV. Staring at a computer screen makes my eyes hurt but it’s either that or stare at the stars and only one of those prevents my mind from running my to-do lists over and over again in my head. Emily and I always say that TV is one of the few things that can really just shut it all out. Though these days it’s becoming less and less true for me, at least TV is not work, it doesn’t hurt my eyes and I can put my feet up. This month will be good for me – maybe I’ll learn to better clear my mind without the boob tube (I can do it, it just takes more work).
So now I’m exhausted and ready for bed. I have to get up extra early anyway to get there in time to use the computer before rounds.
Oh, a small note, I really like one of the docs I work with, one of the two John’s. I like them both quite a lot but this one John is particularly interesting. He was a sociology major (go humanities!) and was working for social justice when he realized he wasn’t making any difference and wanted something bigger and better: a career where he can distinguish himself and make change (sound familiar to anyone?). Anyway, we talked a lot between stress test patients and have a lot to talk about over the next month. He also said I could house sit for him when he and his wife are out of town for a week meaning I don’t have to live in squalor! Plus, he might be able to arrange me a day at the uranium mining clinic (they made all these American Indians work the uranium mines around here and now they all are horribly ill so they have their own clinic: more info can be found at http://www.sonic.net/~kerry/uranium.html among other sites). It’s about 3 hours north but he says he’ll schedule it close to when I go see Jessica so I have a head start on the weekend. Awesome!
Okay, eyes falling out of head…. To bed….
but first... an old picture of the exact same view from my trailer.
Labels: AMSA, medical school, Zuni
posted by Beta at 1:39 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home