My Surgical Debut! Part II

Bam! The patient's hospital bed bangs through the metal doors and my stomach drops. I peer around the crowd of people to try and make out what is nestled within the peach hospital sheets. The patient is loudly whimpering and rolling her head around as if it weren't attached to her heavily-sedated body. I'm seriously freaking out because although I can only see the top of her head, I assume that she's some little, old lady begging for her rosary beads or something and I feel helpless and deeply sad.

All I want to do is dive into her bodily fluids-stained bed and spoon the poor lady. To just stroke her hair and tell her that everything will be okay. Instead, a fat, overworked nurse harshly pats her IV-laden hand and tells her to just calm down. Her voice has the warmth of an ice pick. Then the nurse anesthetist casually rolls her chair over to the top of the patient's head and tells her to think of somewhere nice that she'd like to be. The patient is still visibly upset as the nurse shoots what looks like milk into her vein. The air is thick with silence as the woman drifts off to Never Never Land...

Nighty-night! Enjoy your trip!

Within seconds, the patient's mewling has ceased and the rock music is resumed. Finally! That was getting far too emotional and such. A physician assistant comes in (yay) to assist the surgeon so I excitedly watch him and the rest of the team set up.

[Background...The patient had been in an auto accident and was in the hospital for the past six months, going in and out of intense surgeries. *If blood and stuff bothers you, do not read next part. But, if you're like me and want an accurate depiction of life in the O.R., then read on!*]

After gowning and isolating the patient's leg, the PA and tech start to unwrap the woman's leg from its mummy-like wrappings. Blood squeezes out between the dressings and onto the table like thick syrup. I could not believe the amount of blood. I was in such shock that I hadn't realized the 6'7", handsome, ortho surgeon come into the room. He looked like a blonde, Viking God.

But less hairy and a much smaller scalpel...

The patient's entire leg was skinless and, due to the atrophy of her muscles, her calf area looked like a bloody, shriveled raisin.

[arghh, sorry, but that's the best way to illustrate it!]

The doctor carefully washed the area with saline and then proceeded to unpack and repack a deep laceration that was located in...a...private area? Her leg is carefully re-wrapped and my first time in the O.R. is finished. Wow, is all I can say!

I also got to watch a splenectomy (spleen removal) done laparoscopically for my last 30 minutes with another surgeon. [Laparoscopic surgery is when small incisions are made into the abdomen and cameras are inserted and then manipulated by the surgeon to perform surgery. The surgeon is able to watch what she/he is doing on a screen.] That was SO awesome because I was actually able to watch what was going on via the screen. The funny thing was that the surgeon was black and had T.I rap music blasting through his speakers...

Haha, I'm beginning to see a *stereotypical* pattern, but I enjoyed both musical choices of the day. And, I saw someone's spleen! Cool! Here's a video I found if you're interested about that surgery...or not...

All in all, great first day! I can't wait to actually be useful in the O.R. rather than standing there with my eyes bulging.

My face in the O.R....

Now I just have to get through two months of straight didactic/classroom/lecture stuff before I can get back in there. BUT at least I have something to work towards. Yesterday I learned how to correctly wash my hands, tomorrow brain surgery :)