Summer is Slipping Away...

Hello! Gosh, it's been two months since my last post. There has been a lot going on, so I'd better start at the beginning. Last time I checked in, I had just started my third year of medical school. Now, it's been three months, not three days!!

In May, I was just getting started, going to clinics, and meeting my preceptors. I had only a few patients. Now, I have done 2 weeks of inpatient surgery, during which I got to suture a huge abdominal wound closed using subcuticular stitches, I got to drive the camera during a laparoscopic surgery, I got to ablate (laser out) part of a liver, and I got to talk about poop a lot with some amazing and wonderful patients (it was a colorectal surgery service). There is something convenient and reassuring about being able to be frank about people's bodily functions without them running out the door. It's scary to talk about, but it's so important. I know it can be hard to trust a perfect stranger with information about your body, but it makes a huge, huge difference. And I did find that patients were, for the most part, totally blase about their symptoms.

Then there was my first delivery ever, in mid-July. As in, I helped catch. I was following Mom as one of my patients, and I got paged to the hospital. I stayed up all night while we induced labor due to a liver condition, but still no baby. She came in on Friday, and at the stroke of midnight on Sunday, I helped catch a beautiful baby girl. The mom was so brave and working so hard. And she did it! Normal vaginal delivery. Mom and baby had some trouble at first, but I am happy to report that they are now doing well. The baby is over a month old now! They named her after a Roman goddess. And I got to do her first newborn exam as well, and do mom's postnatal exam (with supervision, of course, don't be scared). Awesome. One of the most awesome experiences ever.

My patient list has grown from six to thirty over the past three months, and I hope to acquire about sixty by December. I am surprised that people do, in fact, contact me with questions. The silly medical center voicemail system is NOT user-friendly, however. Grrrr. I missed a call from a lady who had had a stroke the other day, and I was very displeased. So I have to fix that. But patients email me, too. Especially the pregnant ones! I am supposed to deliver 10 ladies of their babies by the end of the year. Here's hoping!

Speaking of strokes, I was allowed to do a neurology consultation to the ER alone. The ER doc said, "Are you from neuro?" and I realized the answer was yes. I diagnosed and admitted a lady with a stroke! It was somewhat harrowing. My supervising resident was very careful and thorough and checked everything I did, but I was able to do it and that was a huge high. It was a sad story, though -- the lady didn't trust the hospital, and so didn't come in until more than 24 hrs after her stroke. By which time it is too late to stop the symptoms from becoming permanent. It was a small stroke, though, and she will be fine with some care and therapy. She will have a permanent slur to her voice, and a facial droop. But she's alive. And she's such an amazing, brave person. She raised an entire family of children and grandchildren by herself. She is so inspiring.

I love, love, love my life. It is hard, it's stressful, it can make you want to cry. It's scary; it can be daunting every single day, but I wouldn't do anything else for the world.

In other news, B was here all summer. That was very cool, even though we were both working the whole time. We stayed at E's place for two months, which was fun. It was a shame that we couldn't hang out with E & R more, but it was a somewhat family-focused time (my dad is moving back to the US from Japan at long, long last). Now B has gone to The Hague. He will be helping to prosecute international criminals! How incredible. Wedding plans are starting to take shape, and I'm getting excited. We are hoping for next spring. It will be a small wedding (very, very small by Indian standards), but it will be our loved ones watching us start our lives together, and therefore excellent. We are going to have a multicultural ceremony, which I hope will not offend anyone belonging to the respective cultures involved! Hopefully we can have a reception for our friends later on. I have to say that I am very lucky to have such amazing parents, such an amazing brother, and such amazing in-laws-to-be. And then there's B. Who makes me happier than I can write on such a blog.

My school program had a light schedule this past week, so I have been getting chores done. I cut my hair, cleaned my room, played with my cat, and talked with B on the phone a lot. I also did do a little schoolwork, because, as always, there are things to catch up on. Speaking of which, I have to e-mail a patient.

TTYS!

Love,
Niya