the end of medicine

I’m back! Here’s a quick little life update: I treated myself to a sleep-in this morning since I’m on evenings for this week’s clinical, so for what feels like the first time in forever I have a couple hours of just me-time. Me and Timber.

I finished up with my psysch rotation after 5 weeks and am now coming to the last week of my medicine rotation at a different hospital. It’s been a very challenging and different experience, because I’ve had patients from one end of the ‘illess’ spectrum to the other–from palliative to essentially healthy except for some psychological illness. It’s been an opportunity for me to see some great inter-disciplinary collaboration, as nurses work with doctors, with social workers, chaplains, wound care specialists, porters, family, EMS, and more. I’m relieved to be coming to the end of another rotation, because once again, my brain and body are exhausted and I’m looking forward to a 6-day break in a week! I’ve rarely been so stretched as I have in this rotation. Going in, I thought it’d be a grand time, having no lectures to go to, no midterms or finals to write, no long papers, and just hours of “fun” clinical experience. But there is still a seminar on Mondays, hours of daily patient research and care plan assignments that must be completed after each 8+ hour day in the hospital. And the early starts and late nights… My body rebels! For someone who likes to get up at a nice 6:30 or 7 and go to bed at 10:00, waking up at 5:30 and sleeping often around 12:00 is really rough. BUT the clinical experience is good. I’ve managed to get down medication administration, including some heavy, high alert meds like morphine, various kinds of injections, complex dressing changes, preparing a body for the morgue (another mini-rant I could go on. I’ll just say it wasn’t pleasant), so many vital signs and assessments (I heard my first apical pulse in this roatation!!) and preparing IV lines. And so much poop. SO. MUCH. POOP. As usual in all of these rotations, I am coming to the end of it EXTREMELY grateful for health! As much as I feel like a worn-down zombie half the time, I know I’m actually ok. My digestion works, I can walk and exercise, I can breathe on my own, I can bathe myself, I can sleep in my own bed. I’m alive! I don’t thank God enough for the precious gift of life. Also I must acknowledge the fact that having Frank here in Edmonton with me is doing wonders for my often-messy  emotional health. I’m lucky to have someone so patient and kind, and willing to hug me while I cry over whatever happens to be the tipping point at the time. Next up: surgery!