Woo. I managed to go through my first week in Obs and Gynae (O&G) without missing any session. How good am I? -considering all morning sessions start at 8.30am- which is a big scam as first patient is usually scheduled at 9.00am. Which means half an hour of useless waiting. I am not gonna go in for half eight anymore.
For many nights I went to sleep dreading of waking up. It was obviously difficult for me to get out of bed. Even with 3 alarms (and snoozing each of them for about 2-3 times), I still need HM#2 to wake me up for the final round. And that is usually 10mins before I have to leave. Talk about breakfast on the move, I eat everything while standing/walking. Surely that cant be good for my digestion.
Anyways, here are some snippets from my first week in O&G.
In the morning antenatal clinic, I saw many patients with interesting condition. Talking to few of my colleagues afterwards, I found out that their antenatal clinic was rather boring as most of the patients are normal. Not that I'm wishing for abnormal patients but seeing complicated cases is way more exciting! I saw and talked to:-
i) a patient with hyperemesis gravidum. Poor girl, she's only 19.
ii) an Asian patient with two stillbirths and a miscarriage, now in her 4th pregnancy. On further questioning, she is actually married to her first cousin. Genetic problem due to consanguinity anyone?
iii) HIV +ve patient (African) who came in to book for her elective Caesarean section. I asked why as part of Hx taking, she answered because consultant said so. It was such a complicated matter, confidentially and all. She did not mention even once (in my presence) the fact that she is HIV. Her blood result was not available on the system and the midwife that I'm shadowing had to put a call through to the GUM clinic. But GUM clinic couldnt give her the result without patient's consent. HIV +ve patient are advised to have Ceasarean section to reduce chance of vertical transmission to the baby. Mental note: read about viral load (CD4+) and write a reflective piece for this.
iv) an Asian patient with Hx of two small babies (low birth weight). Now the same thing is happening to her 3rd pregnancy. IUGR I was told.
I assisted in Gynae Theatre. Yeay! Most interesting patient on the theatre list was a 17y-o girl who is in her second trimester with 20cm ovarian cyst. Bloody hell. When the cyst was taken out, there was a collective awe from me, the anaesthetist and the nurses. The patient's uterus is still small so after the doctor finished stitching up, her abdomen is flat. So the baby bump that everyone's talking about was actually the cyst.
Gynae OPD was much fun. The sizes of ring pessaries. Dear God!
I like the team I'm attached to.
I met up with few people to discuss about my O&G's fear. And they were all very very supportive.
Additional points from Drug Awareness Training session:
i) Fact 6: Alcohol is the most widely abused substance. More mortality and morbidity are associated with alcohol compared to any other substance. Trend of use is becoming worse in teenagers with the average first time for having alcoholic drink reduce down to 6-7year-old. How scary. I've seen a lot of road traffic accidents, broken marriages and child abuse cases associated to alcohol.
ii) Fact 7: Reiki can be used as one of modalities to treat dependency. (Editor's note: p53 thought that it is a complete bollock. What? Channeling good 'chi' to the soul when trying to come off the dependency? wth? NHS should really put their money for better use, she thinks)
iii) Fact 8: Magic mushroom looks like mushroom. Haha. I thought it is just a special name. It is actually legal to possess it. But processing it into secondary form that can be taken is ILLEGAL.
iv) Fact 9: Injecting can be one of the most dangerous ways of taking drugs. Increase risk of infections (locally and systemically) and transmission of diseases (AIDS, Hepatitis).
v) Fact 10: Most dependent patients will try to get their hands on codeine/diazepam/etc from GP by putting the prescribing pressure to GPs by turning up at 5 to 5 on Friday afternoon. Remember that they wont die. Be stern and say if thing turns worse got to the PCT out of hour service.
So there you go!
PS: Have I mention that I have an exam on Tuesday the 15th? Yeah, all this business of attending ungodly-hour-sessions, doing PBL works, seeing various therapies for my phobia PLUS REVISING FOR EXAM. All in one week. Joy! NOT!
For many nights I went to sleep dreading of waking up. It was obviously difficult for me to get out of bed. Even with 3 alarms (and snoozing each of them for about 2-3 times), I still need HM#2 to wake me up for the final round. And that is usually 10mins before I have to leave. Talk about breakfast on the move, I eat everything while standing/walking. Surely that cant be good for my digestion.
Anyways, here are some snippets from my first week in O&G.
In the morning antenatal clinic, I saw many patients with interesting condition. Talking to few of my colleagues afterwards, I found out that their antenatal clinic was rather boring as most of the patients are normal. Not that I'm wishing for abnormal patients but seeing complicated cases is way more exciting! I saw and talked to:-
i) a patient with hyperemesis gravidum. Poor girl, she's only 19.
ii) an Asian patient with two stillbirths and a miscarriage, now in her 4th pregnancy. On further questioning, she is actually married to her first cousin. Genetic problem due to consanguinity anyone?
iii) HIV +ve patient (African) who came in to book for her elective Caesarean section. I asked why as part of Hx taking, she answered because consultant said so. It was such a complicated matter, confidentially and all. She did not mention even once (in my presence) the fact that she is HIV. Her blood result was not available on the system and the midwife that I'm shadowing had to put a call through to the GUM clinic. But GUM clinic couldnt give her the result without patient's consent. HIV +ve patient are advised to have Ceasarean section to reduce chance of vertical transmission to the baby. Mental note: read about viral load (CD4+) and write a reflective piece for this.
iv) an Asian patient with Hx of two small babies (low birth weight). Now the same thing is happening to her 3rd pregnancy. IUGR I was told.
I assisted in Gynae Theatre. Yeay! Most interesting patient on the theatre list was a 17y-o girl who is in her second trimester with 20cm ovarian cyst. Bloody hell. When the cyst was taken out, there was a collective awe from me, the anaesthetist and the nurses. The patient's uterus is still small so after the doctor finished stitching up, her abdomen is flat. So the baby bump that everyone's talking about was actually the cyst.
Gynae OPD was much fun. The sizes of ring pessaries. Dear God!
I like the team I'm attached to.
I met up with few people to discuss about my O&G's fear. And they were all very very supportive.
Additional points from Drug Awareness Training session:
i) Fact 6: Alcohol is the most widely abused substance. More mortality and morbidity are associated with alcohol compared to any other substance. Trend of use is becoming worse in teenagers with the average first time for having alcoholic drink reduce down to 6-7year-old. How scary. I've seen a lot of road traffic accidents, broken marriages and child abuse cases associated to alcohol.
ii) Fact 7: Reiki can be used as one of modalities to treat dependency. (Editor's note: p53 thought that it is a complete bollock. What? Channeling good 'chi' to the soul when trying to come off the dependency? wth? NHS should really put their money for better use, she thinks)
iii) Fact 8: Magic mushroom looks like mushroom. Haha. I thought it is just a special name. It is actually legal to possess it. But processing it into secondary form that can be taken is ILLEGAL.
iv) Fact 9: Injecting can be one of the most dangerous ways of taking drugs. Increase risk of infections (locally and systemically) and transmission of diseases (AIDS, Hepatitis).
v) Fact 10: Most dependent patients will try to get their hands on codeine/diazepam/etc from GP by putting the prescribing pressure to GPs by turning up at 5 to 5 on Friday afternoon. Remember that they wont die. Be stern and say if thing turns worse got to the PCT out of hour service.
So there you go!
PS: Have I mention that I have an exam on Tuesday the 15th? Yeah, all this business of attending ungodly-hour-sessions, doing PBL works, seeing various therapies for my phobia PLUS REVISING FOR EXAM. All in one week. Joy! NOT!
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