What did I do?

Since the last bunch of text went online from yours truly, I have been on vacation. I was not saving the amputees of Darfur or making glass eyes in Nigeria. No, the perpetual pre-med was on a self indulgent vacation. The first part of this break was pretty much a sufferfest. Two friends, Chris and Seth (you made it into my blog!), our wives and I decided to bike the length of the Oregon coast. For the uninitiated, that's 360 miles of rugged hilly highway. Not a bad little road trip, until you considert he time constraint we had given ourselves. 3 days. 120 miles a day. That's pretty reasonable if you're on flat ground, but we werent. WE averaged 16 mph, climbed 15000 feet, and travelled a long way. WE eventually called it quits in Gold Beach, about 30 miles from the california border. I was so sore I could barely pedal, my triceps were so tired I could hardly stay upright on the bike. Stopping was a joy, but restarting was murder. I was sore for 3 days.
Part two of the vacation was a 3 day camping trip in Idaho at Bear Lake. Mindy and I covered 4 states in this vacation, Oregon, Idaho, Utah and small corner of Wyoming. WE could aslo see Washington as we drove downt the Gorge. After this we chilled at the in-laws for 3 days in Shelley Idaho. So, that is all and since I was out o f Email contact, no updation of the blog was possible. Todya I spent the afternoon working on the secondaries from Boston U and Penn State.

And cooler heads prevailed

Well, despite fear mongering from SDN, I don't think that adcoms are going to delve into the internet searching for yours truly's blog to see if I'm nice. Since there's no connection between my SDN, MDapplicants, AMCAS and Blogspot accounts, I think they'll be lucky to find me.

A penchant for fear mongering

So, after reading a bunch of paranoid pre-meds on SDN post about how adcoms read blogs, SDN posts, and MDapps profiles, I've decided to modify the blog a little. You'll notice that the name has changed, and I will, from henceforth, attemtp to reign in my comments about my co-workers. FORGIVE ME ADCOMS, For I meant only to garner laughs, not to defame others! ME SORRY.

You will die here

So, after swearing off knocking nurses, here I am, back at it. The following anecdote (antidote if you will) is hearsay, so give it what credence you will. Two days ago a nurse called from orthopedic wanting a drain. We don't have drains. Drains are in the stores closet. OML is a LABORATORY, just like it says in our name! She was somewhat mollified, but then called back several times wanting to know when we were going to come out and change the drain. YOU STUPID MORON! LAB ≠ NURSE OR DOCTOR. My advice, never leave a loved one alone. Never let them do anything to you. And above all, never let the lab change your wound drain. Let the doctor do it, it's his job anyway. (or the nurse).

They come dumber every day

I thought I was done ripping on co-workers, but sometimes they surpass themselves. So, late last week I was called into CSU (cardiac surgical unit- post open heart surgury unit) to do a critical CBC (blood count). Somebody thought this guy was bleeding and wanted to know NOW. I had drawn him several times in PCU and knew he had a PICC line (peripherally inserted central catheter) from which a nurse could draw blood, obviating the need for a stick. I asked the nurse if this was possible, she said 'no' because she didn't want to waste the 5mL of blood necessary before drawing the specimen. OK, since the guy's a bleeder, that's understandable. I'll stick him then. I walk into the room, sit down on a chair next to his bed, ID him, and start searching his hand for a vein. I found one, and began drawing blood slowly. Meanwhile, the nurse, anxious for her CBC, calls the lab for results. The lab passes on the love to me, thinking I haven't drawn this critical patient yet. After I finish I answer the phone, tell them I just did him , and ask what'sl the problem. The nurse wanted the results! Ummm Yeah, she could see me IN the room as she called the lab. We're fast but we still need to actually ANALYZE the blood before we can release results. Crikey! how do these people pass their board examinations! AAAUGH.