quickie

...quick update! so i finally discovered the main mount sinai campus and the wonderful libary, coffee shop and sitting area, all under this beautiful atrium- basically a huge lobby where the roof and walls are all glass so you feel like you're outside. i think i'm part plant, because i really need sunlight i've realized. i need it during the day to sleep at night, and also just to feel normal. i feel like a vampire or a night hawk, since i leave my apartment and it's dark and leave the hospital and it's dark. i guess this is what residecny is going to be like no matter where i go.
anyway, yesterday...i woke up late again!!! my alarm clock went off at 5:45 am, and i really could NOT be late this time, since we had grand rounds. i literally threw some clothes on, threw my bag together, brushed my teeth, skipped the makeup and forgot my watch, threw on the coat and sprinted to the shuttle, my lungs burned with the ice cold air. and fuck i'm so glad i made it. i realized i had turned down the volume of my phone the other day to avoid having it talk to me - 'your cell phone now had coverage'- in the middle of the OR. embarassing as hell.

i scrubbed into the coolest case yesterday! it was a laparascopic low anterior resection for benign polyps in the rectosigmoid- aka putting a few small holes in the belly, and taking out part of the intestine using small instruments with long handles, then reconnecting the intestine through both the ass and a bit larger hole in the belly. and it was for a non-cancerous stalk of tissue, which had the potential to lead to cancer but wasn't yet cancer. all the sewing of the bowel was done with instruments- gone are the days of hand sewn stitches apparently. anyway, the beginning of the case was tough for me- as the camera holder and as the med student, i had to fight to 1) stay awake and 2) not retaliate against the constant commentary about how my camera holding was NEVER correct. after that part, the case was great. since i've had a track record of not being able to do anything in these cases, including closing, i figured i'd ask if i could close- nothing to lose, right?all they can say is no. and yup they let me close. at least i was doing something! dont' get me wrong, i'm learning tons by watching but also learning how to stay awake by watching. i stay awake by doing. anyway...

last night i took the 6 train to 33rd and met my high school friend, eun ju, for yummy haole style bbq. buffalo wings and corn on the cob!! mmm... it was good to catch up with her and reminisce about care-free, problem-free high school days. traded updates on everyone in our class...she then walked me back to the subway, and we got off at 59th, where i headed to urban outfitters and wandered. dope (but expensive) store. i saw tons of things i wanted to give as gifts, but since the store was closing, i decided to think about it, make a list and go back later.

i got back to my apartment and called one of my mentors back in Hawaii to chat about my interview trail. it was good to talk to him. it's easy to get one-track minded on this whole process of deciding where to go for residency, so i appreciated his perspective.

anyway! can't write much now. will write more later;) haane