Saturday, April 24, 2010

The organization of an Anesthesia educational event

I am organizing a "mini conference" for next weekend. It is an educational day that is put on annually in Saskatchewan and rotates between Regina and Saskatoon. We used to attend every year as residents. Last year it was in Saskatoon, and being the first year as a staff person, I did not attend. The people at the annual business meeting (which happens after the conference) decided that this year it should be in Regina, and that I should be the one organizging it. So, I was "voluntold" to do it. I originally was a bit put off that they did this to me, but in the end I agreed to it.
So, since last year, I have been working on this. I, luckily, have had some help from a couple of the other gals. One, in particular, has been super helpful. Unfortunately (or not!), she has just given birth to a beautiful baby girl and will not be around to help me on the actual weekend. The other gal has agreed to help me on the actual day, so that is good.
Our topic for the year is Neuroanesthesia. I feel proud that we have such a renowned speaker (Dr. Arthur Lam) coming all the way from Seattle, Washington. In addition, we have two neurosurgeons, another neuroanesthesiologist, and a patient speaking. It should be interesting.
We have over 60 people coming to the event. However, over half of those people are residents, who have to come. That part kind of sucks. I realy wish there were a few more people coming. Alas, what can you do.
The other stress are the residents themselves. The district is hosting a "meet and greet" for the residents. This is an event to introduce the residents to some of the Regina Attendings, allowing for networking. We have decided to have appys in a nice restaurant to allow people to mingle a bit. Again, I really hope people decide to attend. I sort of feel like after paying for a hotel room for two nights and comping the registration fee for the conference, the least the residents could to would be to come to the "meet and greet" (again free). And again, you can lead a horse to water, but can't make it drink.
I will be happy when next weekend is over, and it has been a huge and fun venture that I can put on my CV! I am sure it will be a success. It will just take a bit more work.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Work hard and the Rewards will be Great!

We are off to the lake today for the first time this year. They have promised the weather to be warm, and so we thought we would take advantage of it and get out there. As much as I love the lake, today I have mixed feelings. My hubby warned me this would happen, and I hate it when he is right! It is just a lot of WORK, and I am feeling lazy. We need to put the dock together, put it in the water, put the track together, put it in the water, open up the cabin, clean the entire cabin, rake and cut the lawn, go through the bedding plants, take the boat out, launch the boat, put the seadoo lift in, take the seadoo out, launch the seadoo, set out the chairs, get rid of the garbagefrom last year....... So, you can see my reservation. As much as I have been tellling my husband that it is no big deal (he was really stressing about it the other day), I need to take my own advice. Once it is all done, and the cabin is back to being a usable space, it will be great. I love our cabin, I just hate all the work. I guess that is like everything in life - work hard, and the rewards will be great!

Monday, April 12, 2010

Mind your own business

Even though I am starting to get wrinkles on my face, people must think I still look young. They must. Or, why else would they still treat me like I am 3 years old?! Or, maybe they are the children - feeling the need to "tattle" on me to my superior.
I am an adult who is very conscientious of what I do for my patients. I take great care in how I treat them and giving them the proper care that they deserve. I would never do anything that I thought would put my patients in jeopardy. So, if I do something that doesn't sit comepletely right with someone (something so minor, it is ridiculous), they should mind their own business! Just because something is used a bit "off label", it doesn't mean it isn't safe. As I said, I try to do everything in my power to keep my patients safe, comfortable, and as healthy as possible (although I can't make them better than they originally came in). It offends me that someone would think otherwise.
I am tired of being pushed around. I am tired of not being treated approriately. If that person has something to say to me, they should say it.
So, I will take my own advice, I am going to tell that person exactly how I feel! Don't treat me like I am stupid or young, because I am neither!

Sunday, April 11, 2010

show me the evidence!

I think I am funny. No, not HAHA funny, although maybe a bit of that too, but the other kind. Despite being trained in the sciences and taught to question (which is maybe why I have such a hard time with a true ipso-facto belief in religion), I am a bit gullible. I see something on TV or in a magazine and think, "hey, that sounds really cool! I wonder if it works?".
For example, I bought these "Miracle Noodles". They are developed in Japan and are gluten free, carb free, and even calorie free. So, what are they then? Apparently, they are made of some insoluble fibre (so you just poop them out because you can't digest them), and absorb the flavour of any sauce you put with them. Well, I thought I would try them. So, I went on-line and bought 10 packs of them (that was the least you could buy). They finally came in the mail the other day, so I made some. I have to admit, they are really weird. They come in some kind of water, and you have to rinse them for 3-5 minutes with hot water, and then they are ready to eat. They do taste like nothing, but the texture is a bit weird. I guess the question really is: How much pasta do I actually eat, and is this worth it? Probably not.
I was just curious. That is what it boils down to - curiosity. Maybe not gullibility, I don't know. I guess I should think of myself as inquisitive, and that really is a sign of being trained in the sciences. Someone tells me something and I think, Hmmm, and have to see it for myself. I am willing to try almost anything once (I have Green Tea drink crystals that are supposed to boost metabolism, and melatonin for sleep), but I have to see it for myself to believe it works. Show me the evidence, but please allow me to try it.

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Whining

Warning: The following post contains vast amounts of whining!

So tired today. This is the longest weekend of the whole year, Easter weekend which includes Good Friday all the way to Eater Monday. I had the misfortune of "taking one for the team" and being on call for a large portion of it. Yesturday, Good Friday, I was on call. When I got to the OR there were only 4 cases, none of which seemed like they would take super long. Knowing how things sometimes progress slowly in the OR, I thought I would probably be finished around supper time. Somehow, none of those cases turned out to be the straight forward cases they were booked as - for example, a half hour tracheostomy turned into a 3 hour fiasco. Then, we were blessed with 3 more actually straight forward cases and I was finished by 11pm.
OK, so now you are thinking, that doesn't sound bad. Why is she so tired? Well, as luck, or unluck, would have it, it didn't end there.
No sooner was I tucked into my bed, cuddled with my kitties fast asleep, then does my pager go off! An emergency case to come back for, and the surgeon warns me that she probably has another one after that. Long story short, I was home for an hour and a half, and then worked straight until 8 am. That means I worked almost 24 hours completely solid! Yuck!
Normally, I would take today and recoup. Sleep in really late knowing that I had the next day as well to return to normal. Alas, not on this long weekend. I have less than 24 hours before I am back at it again doing a Labour and Delivery shift for 24 hours. Again, yuck.
Yes, I am whining. But, sometimes I feel like people (especially the nurses) don't care. I worked with two different groups of nurses (one for 8 hours, the other for 16). They don't care that I worked through lunch, and barely had time for dinner. They don't care that my cases are continuing, and continuing. They have someone to relieve them for coffee, and lunch, and coffee, and dinner, and coffee. And, when they are done their shift (at most 16 hours) they know someone is there to take over for them. Not so for me. I feel like when I tell them I want to stop for something to eat, they look at me like I am lazy. It drives me nuts.
Most the time I love my job. I get along great with all the nurses and surgeons (with a couple of exceptions). I find my job stimulating and enjoyable. I just don't like call. No, not true. I don't mind the usual call when I just work until midnight or even until 2 am. I just don't like never going home or working for 24 hours straight. Yes, whining again. It does pay off, though. I must remember that. How can I afford to go to Greece for 3 weeks in June? I work my butt off once in awhile to pay for it!
Well, I am making a home made sticky toffee pudding to take to the pot luck Easter family dinner we were invited to attend tonight. At least it smells good in here, is lovely outside, and in 24 more hours I will be finished this stretch of call. I can do it. I just need a little more chocolate to tied me over! And, maybe a nap in the afternoon tomorrow if it isn't busy (in the call room, not at home). The good always comes with the bad.