Last day of residency- old post never published

Started at 3am with another laboring patient. We delivered a tiny (5lb6oz) baby boy who seemed to come a bit early. Two days later I still feel very sleep deprived but man it was an awesome way to begin the final day of this chapter of my life that started in 2005. Crazy. 9+ years and two degrees, a kid and a family medicine board certification later... A chapter closes. Pretty excited about the next bit too. Excited to be able to spend more time with my daughter, have more flexibility to continue to serve in Haiti and thrilled to discover what happens next!

The rest of the day proved to be awesome as well. Clinic with a variety of diagnoses including my very last clinic patient, a seven year old girl who was yellow.

To celebrate, Mackenzie baked me a cake and took me out to dinner. I had some of the most delicious soup I've ever tasted in my life.

Woman laboring with twins!

Pray for a healthy and safe delivery! They are vertex vertex and Mackenzie just ruptured her with half of some instrument not intended for that purpose. (But we couldn't find what we would normally use.) No epidurals and no fentanyl here. This woman is a champ and I'm super excited for her. :)

Code Blue

After showering and starting in on breakfast, that was the first thing that happened this morning. A call over the radio from the ER about a code blue. We all rushed down to the hospital. But we don't really know how long she was dead before arriving to the ER. Mark was performing chest compressions. Mackenzie took over. I grabbed an ultrasound to make sure there was no cardiac activity. There wasn't. The day went on. I actually haven't thought about it again until now. She had many people there who obviously loved her. We prayed at the end of code and so did the family. Honestly, there was nothing else we could do but it reminded me that this is the first thing that I personally want to remember to do. Later I saw the coffin being rolled out of another room, I'm guessing with her body inside. Praying for her family and that death never becomes easy for me.

Utila for the weekend

Time to refresh on my scuba and spend some more time in the sun and sand. Mackenzie and I are here in Utila for the weekend staying at the Pirates inn and diving with Captain Morgan's. It's gorgeous here! We came over on the ferry from La Ceiba, otherwise known as the vomit comet. I puked everywhere while Mackenzie read a book.

Dr. Williams would be proud

It's a good thing I paid attention in lump and bump clinic with Dr. Williams and Elida. The person who usually does wound care wasn't around this particular day so Mackenzie and I did the leg wrapping ourselves and were able to discharge this particular patient home after a few days in the hospital. I guess residency was important. :)

Mackenzie's place

Check out this view! Definitely can't complain about these last three weeks of residency. Spending it with a cool person in a beautiful place. The Spanish language itself is definitely out of my comfort zone but I suppose that's good for me. Wouldn't want to get too comfortable. Got thrown into clinic today and on 24 hour call but doctora Mackenzie is my backup and really just doing everything with me as I learn the system and can't understand half of what is going on. :) It's humbling to feel as useless as a medical student again. At least I can use an ultrasound and contribute maybe useful ideas and knowledge. Maybe.

Ferry Terminal

So far so good!

Heading to Honduras

I usually try to write, mostly for myself and to let everyone who cares that I'm still alive and well, whenever I travel and have internet access. So Grandma, Gammie, Mama, Daddy... This is for you. I'm waiting to board my plane in RDU, heading for Miami and then on to Roatan. Taxi to ferry. Ferry to car. Car to Mackenzie. First though, they have to board first class, platinum, ruby, gold, emerald, silver, other priority access, group 1, those requiring special assistance... See you in Honduras.