Mid week Post

I decided to be more regular on my blog I'm gonna be posting twice a week, Mid week and Weekend post.. I hope I'm faithful to this..

So surgery.. hmmmm. Well I have started my surgery rotations and I'm three days into to It. Haven't done/seen anything out of the ordinary except watch surgeries. As medical students/interns your job in the OR is to retract during surgeries. Monday and Tuesday I wasn't scheduled for any surgery. Today however I was scheduled for an adrenal surgery. But the surgeon said he didn't need my help I could just stand and watch. In a way I was glad, because I was so sleepy and was wondering how I was gonna survive retracting. But at the same time I was disappointed. As an Intern all you always want to do is keep busy,you alway want to be given something to do. I wonder why?

Scrubbing in for surgery.

P.S
Retracting is basically holding open the body cavity during surgeries.

Love

Time off

What do you do when you have some time off those medical books? ?
I went on a road trip with some of my friends. We went to a nearby city about 19km from debrecen, Hadjuszoboszlo. They have one of the largest mineral water spa in Europe, and an awesome water park. I had an amazing time, went on all the rides in the park. I was like a 12yr old kid today, had a blast!!!

my friends

I really needed this in my life right now. Needed to get away from all this medicine stuffs and the city that reminds me of it all ;-)). 

P.S
The journey still continues. it must continue :-)

Love.

Done with Neurology

It was four weeks of hell in practice and studying, one week of full on studying like crazy, one day of the most intense exam I have ever done, 3 days post of constant sleep and I am finally done WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOO. But let me just say this I did learn a lot, about myself, about different places in the world and most of all I learnt neurology. Also I grew as a person, during this four weeks, made new friends and had a blast. My exam was a big success, *grateful!!!

I mention that I learnt a lot about different places in the world. Well during Neurology practise it wasn't all neuro. Each one of us doing the practise were given a research paper to present each moring during the morning meetings and also after your presentation you had to talk about were
you are from. It could be about places in your city, festivals, the food, the culture just any thing. And my Uni being one of the most international uni's I know, trust me it was 4 week of learning a lot from different places.

Here are some pictures I presented from Nigeria..

Yankari game reserve 

Calabar festival

Argungu fishing festival

 that's a pic of  my friend and I

Now on to the next rotation which is surgery. Will be doing two weeks of surgery in debrecen and four weeks in the UK. I'm excited and ready for the new challenges as I would be stepping out of my comfort zone, which is being here in debrecen, where I have been for over five years, to a totally new environment. Would I be welcomed? Would the people be nice? would I be able to handle life in a big city?  would I enjoy my time there? most of all would I learn? Stay with me on this Blog to find out. I promise much more blogging and pictures too, if I can.

P.S
Have you checked out my new feature?? get going http://www.fabladyh.com/p/featured.html

love,

One Week in the ICU

Image via Wikipedia

Just spent the past week in the intensive care unit in neurology. It was a heck of a week. So many ups and downs. But I survived it. What doesn't break you only makes you stronger, I guess.

Well I'll start with the Ups. We were all given patients on the first day in the ICU. We had to follow up their daily progress or decline..  I had a female patient and long story short by day four she was transferred to the female ward. This means she improved. Was so cool to be given your own patient and basically follow up. Everyday you walk into the ward with so much hope, hopping that your patient  has improved, and it gladden my heart when day in, each day I watched her improve. I can only Imagine how doctors feel when there patients get better. Trust me its one of the best feelings in the world.

I've also had so many downs this past week. I just got so fed up of everything that I just wanted to pack my things, quit and leave. I had, had enough of all the stress of reading (and not remembering most of what I read). It hasn't been easy juggling practice and reading.
On the other hand while my patient got better I also watch so many other patients deteriorate or show no improvement. It was too much dealing with this emotionally, having so much sympathy. Which I am not supposed to as a doctor. show empathy but not sympathy, that's the rule. But on the other hand I am human and I can't always numb my feelings.
Also dealing with being away from home. I miss my family so much and this is my first summer away from home ever. And since I had no break between my fifth year and beginning my 6th year I am physically exhausted. Plus the heat is blazing here.. wow!!!!

Well I had to deal with all this this past week. and It has been one of my most trying weeks yet in this Journey. But I'm still going, still pushing. If it takes hard work to get to the finish line then I'm gonna work hard.

I start my final week in Neuro tomorrow. I know its gonna be a less stressful week as I have completed all of my obligatory duties, ha ha. So more time to study. It also means  my exams are coming soon, scary..lol.

Keep smiling and always stay positive, love

Two weeks in what I would like to call Hell.. Neurology

Seeing that I have been quite absent on blog ville, you will agree with me I've been in hell.. Its been 2 weeks of waking up 6:30am, walking 25-30mins to get to neurology department, morning meetings 8:15am, Ward rounds 9:15am consultations/labs from 11am till 3 or 4pm, call days stay late. go to the library afterward till about 9:30pm, get home around 10pm, so tired can't do anything not even face book. lol. sleep off by 10:30 or 11pm, this has been my week days. And weekends spending my whole time studying morning till late.Plus it like 40degrees here, seriously the heat is killing.

Ask me where is the time for family and friends. I feel like I don't have a life anymore, I feel I am changing into a doctor. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO  I don't want this kind of life. I want a life where I have time for my family and friends (I have lots of unanswered mails) and time for me. Keeps me wondering is this what life as a doctor entails??? Because If it is well I didn't sign up for this. If I knew no way I would be here. But we're doing this to save lives, or at least so they say.

Well let me gist you of what life in the Neurology ward is like. 1st of all you have to know that the majority of the patients are elderly people. And the commonest condition I've seen is Stroke.

Some few words about stroke: well stroke, know as cerebrovascular disease is a disease of circulation in which blood flow to the brain is decrease or stopped and since blood carries nutrients to the brain a decrease in  flow or cessation of flow will cause decrease function of brain or death of brain and is the reasons for all the symptoms we see. While age is the most common risk factor there are many other risk factors.The old adage we all know PREVENTION IS BETTER THAT CURE, stands so true for stroke. Knowing this risk factors and preventing them will be of great benefit to you and reduce the risk of developing stroke. Some of the risk factors include smoking, diabetics, gender (women, we are at a greater risk, well I know we can't prevent being female but since we know we stand a greater chance why don't we take extra precaution like hitting the gym, eating healthy and so on), cardiac diseases, drug abuse (cocaine), family history, alcohol, obesity, hypertension, heyperlipdemia, oral contraceptives.. the list goes on.

Oh got carried away talking about stroke, other conditions I have seen includes: Parkinson, MS, some cases as mild as headache, tumors so many other stuffs. I even had the opportunity on one of my calls to watch the examination of a patient confirming brain death, tests to perform, the protocol and calling time of death. 1st time in this kind of situation. What can I say, I'm learning, I'm learning each day each day.


P.S
Its time for me to do another Feature, anyone interested, Hit me up, mee@fabladyh.com.


Keep smiling guys, positive energy takes you far. Much love

Update; Now in Neurology

Hey guys, my God its been more than a week I did a post.. well I have been super busy with my practise. I started Neurology practise still here in debrecen, and its been fire..lol. This is my second week and it is a four week practice. I have to get up 6.30am every morning and never come back home before 8.00pm. And when I do I am so tired I don't even switch on my computer some days. Was planning to blog all weekend, but how pathetic is this guys, I had to study all weekend :-( Usually I had Sundays off to relax and play but this weekend was different. Just stole some time this evening to blog.

Neuro is great, I am really learning a lot. Doing the most crappiest things some times like measuring ABI for all the patients..lol.  But guys honestly I am learning soo much there, the teaching there is quality and quantity. Wish I could write more details but honestly I am so tired now. All I can say is if you are ever looking for somewhere to do a neurology practice hit debrecen :-) But how cool is this, there is a massage chair in one of the lounge in neuro so almost every day I steal about 15mins to get a massage, its really great and I look forward to it everyday..lol. At least some relaxation.

It's really so hot now, summer is full blow and some days the heat is really unbearable, making it quite hard to study. honestly all I think about now is a vacation. I really need one.

That's it for now. Thank you anyone who ever bothered to stop by and read this blog and comment. I heart you all. will blog more soon.


keep smiling, love

More from the Psychiatric Ward

Sorry Should have posted this two weeks ago.. but here goes

Like I did from the chronic ward am gonna talk about some of the conditions I saw while i was in the acute ward. (please note that I am not trying to make my blog monotonous, its gonna take different forms of blogging).

The acute ward to sum it up was the place were patients who didn't want to be in the hospital were kept, as it is a close ward, they can't leave. also those who had no motivation or needed close supervision were kept there. They were patients who came in one there own, those who were referred by another physicians, some by family and friends, some were found on the streets and brought in by the police and they were those who came in handcuffs with the police.