I've now been fingerprinted by the Federal government so I should probably rethink all my big bank robbery plans. Working at the VA hospital for my anesthesia rotation has definitely been a change of scenery. Out with the young pregnant ladies and in with the rough old veterans. But it's been good so far. And the hours have been heavenly.
One of my friends really wants to be an anesthesiologist. I can see the appeal but I don't really think it's for me. A lot of hurry up and wait...a lot of repeating the same exact thing over and over. I know anesthesiologists have to be ready for anything if something goes wrong, and it can all go horribly wrong, but mainly there's a lot of monitoring ("you've wired me for sound" as one patient put it), mixing and pushing drugs, and airway protecting. I did get to watch a carotid endarterectomy from a distance and today I saw a guy with a very large umbilical hernia. The anesthesiologist is important...but in many ways they play second fiddle to the surgeon.
It seems only fair that since I mentioned Michael Jackson's death in my very first post, I should follow up on the fact that it's now been ruled a homicide. What drugs were in his system? Propofol, diazepam, lorazepam, midazolam, lidocaine and ephedrine. I saw every single one of those administered today to prepare someone for surgery. In a controlled environment...when we were going to breath for them. It's like his doctor broke into the OR and sifted through the anesthesiologist's drawers of drugs. Scary. Once you're knocked out you do want a trained professional watching over you. Or else...
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