Island Med Student

Taken on my way to work.

“Yo Brooklyn, Fuhgeddaboudit” Photo Series

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Check out my post on Medscape that I wrote about my first week of surgery.

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I just responded to one of the billion emails in my inbox, and I thought I’d go ahead and post my response, as it might be helpful for all you first semester Rossies right now. I wrote another post about surviving your first semester at Ross, but here are some tips on staying positive. The writer specifically asked how to stay positive, and what to do about the scary upperclassmen who say that it’s impossible to make it.

Dear Writer,

Congrats on making it through your first day! Actually, looking back, I can say that the first few weeks were the toughest. There isn’t much you can do to avoid that. It’s just going to be hard, no matter what!

As for keeping positive, here are some tips:

1) Ignore EVERYONE who has bad things to say. Whether they are complaining about the study load, or Ross, or Dominicans, or the food. Just ignore them. Seriously, don’t listen to them!

2) Find some extracurricular activities. Whether it’s going for a walk, or run (my personal fave!), or picking avocados, or just having a beer at Tomato’s. Just find something. Don’t believe the people who say you have to study every second. You don’t. And you will explode if you try…not to mention the fact that you’ll probably do poorly on exams. Study your ass off, but take time off to have fun. It’s imperative!

3) Try writing down your thoughts (obviously, this worked well for me!) Sometimes, just putting all your stress into words can be incredibly cathartic.

4) Remember why you want to be a doctor. Figure out why you wanted to take this plunge. Write it down, if you have to, and post it over your study area. Whenever you feel like crap, think back to the reasons that made you come to Dominica.

5) Make friends. Try to find the cool folks. Like I said, ignore the complainers! Surround yourself with positive folks, and you’ll find that you end up being much more positive yourself!

Ignore those silly older semester students. They suck! Just worry about yourself, and try to make the best out of a very tough situation.

I wish you the very best! Try and keep a smile on your face, no matter what. A little smile can go a long way.

Cheers,
Kendra

Note: In true doctor form I am, of course, way better at dishing out advice than taking it.

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First of all I just want to give a big “THANKS!” to all the readers of my blog. It’s amazing that so many people have any interest in reading my random musings. Secondly, I wanted to thank you all for the kind emails and comments that you’ve sent over the past two years. While it sometimes takes me a million years to respond, please know that I read them all and do my best to respond to every email. Speaking of, if you’ve sent me an email and are awaiting a response, please do wait patiently. I promise to respond to all of you in my “spare” time.

My last post was particularly weepy, and I really wanted to thank all you commenters. It seems like I get a comment just when I need it the most. And when I read your words, I am touched. It’s so damn kind of you to send good wishes to a total stranger (and some not strangers). Seriously, it means so much to me, you could never imagine!

Also, I wanted to give an update on my current situation. I have good news to share. Today’s work at the wound care clinic was SO MUCH better. The shift was only 11 hours long, and I had time to eat, pee, and even sit down. I also had some lectures and actually learned a few things. Looking back, I am realizing that night call is very taxing. Combine that with the fact that I had no idea what I was doing, or how to get around the hospital, and a heavy patient load, and you have my pity party story of a hard time.

While I’m still not 100% in love with this rotation, I at least think I can get by. I still don’t think surgery is for me, but I’m at least having a little more fun. Also, before I forget, I will list some of the things I learned today.

But again, thank you everyone! I hope to return the favor someday.

1) How to evaluate a wound (size, color, type, characteristics, etc.)

2) All about PSA, and how to evaluate a person with urinary complaints.

3) How to evaluate and manage a patient with an electrolyte or pH imbalance.

4) Stage 4 sacral decubitus ulcers are horrific and incredibly sad.

5) I am goddamn lucky to be in good health.

6) I am lucky that nurses exist and are willing to clean up a patient’s bowel movement so that I can clean their wounds.

7) How to use a vacuum to suck out all the pus and badness from an ulcer.

8 ) Wearing a plastic gown, face mask, and double gloves can make for one hot Kendra…especially when I am also lifting a very heavy patient at the same time!

9) I have a very strong stomach for grossness, and my extensive experience with poop is a blessing in med school!

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I’m not feeling particularly happy at the moment. I finished my first week of surgery (all on-call nights), and I have to admit that it was particularly bad. I worked long hours, was swamped with work, did TONS of clerical work, got yelled at, and learned very little about medicine. This week I am assigned to the wound care clinic, so I’m anxious to see if it’s any better. I can’t imagine that it could be worse. All day I’ve been thinking about my decision to become a doctor. Right now, I don’t feel like I made the right decision. I just feel like it’s a horrible field, and there is very little that you actually do to help. Honestly, if I wasn’t 8 gazillion dollars in debt right now, I’d be quite seriously entertaining the thought of dropping out. There are so many other things that I could do, and they might be so much more enjoyable, rewarding, and allow me to have a life outside of work. Anyway, I guess I just really had a bad week. Hopefully, tomorrow will change my outlook on things…

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Today’s pic was taken on a sidewalk a block away from the hospital. I almost stepped on the poor critter! Also, why do people always give me strange looks when I take pictures of trash and dead animals?

“Yo Brooklyn, Fuhgeddaboudit” Photo Series

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Yes, every ounce of my brain, willpower, and now bubble bath has been drained from my life. I. am. so. tired.

Hmmm, stuff learned, this will be hard to do, but I promised myself I’d do it.

1) What a Jackson Pratt drain is, and how to use it.

2) How scary, shocking, and sad a three inch deep, 10 inch long, 4 inch across infected abdominal wound is. I can’t even imagine how it would feel to be able to look inside your own abdomen.

3) That I thought I couldn’t remember any Spanish until I had to ask a non-English-speaking woman if she’d had a bowel movement, and I suddenly remembered the word “kaka” and she understood enough to respond, “dos!”

4) It can be difficult to tell a drunken patient from one with brain trauma. At least it is for my untrained self. (It turns out he was both drunk and had neurological deficits due to the trauma.)

5) Residents can be evil, mean people and their meanness sometimes does more harm than good (more on this later).

6) The steps in pronouncing someone brain dead.

7) Before turning the hospital upside down looking for a patient, it’s a good idea to first check with the nurses to make sure they have not been discharged moments earlier.

8 ) Taking the time to help a bed ridden patient find her am/fm radio is a good way to break the ice.

9) If someone tells you that a patient has been discharged, but you insist that you just interviewed and examined them in bed, you should always stand your ground.

10) Paper work sucks. Again.

That’s all I can ‘member for now. Time to saw some logs…..

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Last Sunday, my sister Bruce (her real name is Briana, but we call her Bruce…long story, and my nickname is Kev/Kevvy/Kevvy G) and her friend Rick came up to Brooklyn to visit Micah and me. It was her first time in NYC, so we decided to go to Manhattan for the day. We first went to Five Points in Greenwich Village for lunch. Then we went to Times Square, Central Park, and then to the Empire State Building. We ended up in the West Village for dinner, after stopping at a few other places in between. Everyone had an awesome time (except for the obscene line at the Empire State Building). Bruce, come back and visit me soon!

Thanks to Micah for taking all the pics, viewed here.

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Check out my post on Medscape about an incident that happened a few weeks ago.

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I am tireder than tired right now. I just got home from my second night of surgery on call. That’s right, I just worked an 18 hour shift. It actually wouldn’t have been that bad, had I had time to eat, drink water, or pee. I didn’t have time for any of those things. I also never got to sit down. Anyway, I’ll stop bitching now and give you my list of “stuff learned.” Also, please enjoy my new before, during and after pics!

1) How to apply point pressure to an arterial bleed, and what it’s like to get squirted with blood when you don’t do a good job.

2) I thought I’d never have to make obscene numbers of photocopies ever again after quitting my job in an office. I was wrong.

3) What a pilonidal abscess looks (and smells!) like.

4) How important it is to do a full physical exam, no matter what the complaint. (I could have missed the very large inguinal hernia in a scrotum.)

5) Did I mention that photocopying sucks?!

6) How to perform a stool guaiac test.

Okay, I’m seriously falling asleep right now, and hence can’t recall the other stuff I learned, so I’ll save that for later. Can’t. Type. Anymore. Good night.

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