Break's over

A few weeks ago at Panera, I ran into the anesthesiologist/critical care specialist with whom I rotated in the ICU back in July. I asked if maybe I could do morning rounds with him at some point during my three week break.

What was I thinking asking to work over break? I am sort of wondering that myself. But, if I remember correctly, I think that I was thinking that I really like critical care, and that in less than a year I will be expected to decide what I'm going to do for residency, and that the more exposure I have to what I think I may want to do, the more likely I am to make a career choice I can happily live with. I think that is what I was thinking.

And, I really do like critical care. I like that the critical care team looks at the whole picture of the very sick patient. They are sort of like consultants in a huge Jenga game, telling others, You can move this and change that, but if you touch that one...this is all going to fall apart. (It's sort of interesting that I like critical care because I don't particularly enjoy Jenga. Huh.)

While I like critical care, what I meant when I said do morning rounds with you was spend the morning rounding with you. What he meant when he said sure was sure you can spend all day, every day with me. And, because I like you, tomorrow, you can follow the traumatic brain injury dude, the codes for no good reason man, and the I just had open heart surgery fella. Apparently, he and I had a bit of a miscommunication. Opps.

So, right now, part of me is wondering what the hell I was thinking. But, another part of me is thinking I'm going to learn a hell of a lot this week. And, all those procedures they let willing, attentive medical students do? Well, those will be coming to me...because I'm the only one around.