Average Day

The only thing that is certain is that you can expect the unexpected.  I've tried to get into a daily routine, but it's proven difficult.  On Wednesday of this week (28 Sept) we had 16 Trauma calls and I didn't leave the OR until 10pm.  However, the day before, we had 1 Trauma call and I was pulling my hair out.  Usually we go in two week periods were things happen at specific times.  There was a two week period in June when it was assured that we would get woken up at 6 am for a trauma.  Two weeks later is was a given that we would have a nooner.  Then, in August, it was always just after dusk -  Ramandan and all.  Now its usually a mid afternoon call combined with every other night midnight calls.  You just never know. 

We have a specific set of things we do every week as well.  Monday is Team Quiz night (think Trivial Pursuit except the questions are heavily British, for instance 'How many Prime Ministers have graduated from Eaton, my answer - 'Who gives a F^%$').  Tuesday is CME (continuing medical education where one of the Doctors gives a lecture - I did one in August entitled 'How Orthopaedics is cool and you're not').  Thursday is JTTS conference where we present the US casualties over teleconference to the US (pictured above, getting ready for the conference by reviewing patient charts - we basically laugh at everyone else talking with the phone on mute).  Friday is pizza night - where we all order pizzas from Pizza Hut and sit in the lounge and eat as quickly as possible as we are usually interrupted by casualties - followed quickly by indigestion.  Sunday is pancake day.  Not sure who came up with this but we have more pancake mix that Aunt Jamima herself.  One of the doctors gets up early and makes pancakes in the lounge on a griddle we stole from the Marines.  Its nice to have things to look forward to during the week and it helps to mark the passage of time.  As they say here - the days are long, but the weeks fly by.  

Here is what I did on a typical day when I was the Number 1 Ortho on call (it was a Thursday)

0640 - Wake up, shower, shave.

0720 - Drop off Laundry

0800 - ICU rounds with team

0810 - First Trauma call - IED.  Patient with open hand fracture and shoulder (scapula) fracture. Ordered CT. 

0830 - Sit down rounds for all inpatients (usually about 15-25 patients in hospital)

0845 - Director Rounds with every department in hospital - He starts out by giving a history lesson (usually about British War Heroes - apparently their were a lot ) and then we discuss disposition of all patients - again.

0900 - To OR to operate on first trauma call of the day.

0945-1045 - Back to room.  Sat outside reading a book before it gets too hot.

1100-1105 - Work out part I.  

1105 - Second Trauma call.  IED.  Patient with multiple frag wounds.  

1115-1210 - OR again for cleaning of wounds and removal of frags.

1215-1300 - Work out part II.

1305-1330 - Lunch in room.  See last post as I'm trying to eat all that beef jerky.

1330-1400 - Shower number 2 and relax.  

1400 - Trauma call number 3 - GSW to chest.  No Ortho role here, but have to show up anyway.

1420- Back to room to try and nap.

1500 - Head back to hospital to prepare for weekly trauma meeting, reviewing charts. (See photo above)

1630-1730 - Trauma meeting.

1735 - 4th Trauma call.  IED.  Double Amputation.

1800-1930 - Operating room.

1930-1950 - Run to cafeteria for unidentifiable British meal.

1950-2015 - Nightly Director Intel brief.

2015-2045 - Nightly ICU/Ward rounds

2110 - 5th Trauma Call.  MVA.  Open tibial fracture and facial wounds.  

2130-2230 - OR for external fixation and closure of face wounds.

2245 - Head back to room, forget to pick up laundry.

2245-2359 - Relax and read, watch episode of Dexter.  Daydream about having a Scotch.  Don't actually have Scotch.

0001 - Lights out.

All for now.