| | Sorry it's been so long! I am currently on my surgery rotation, which is centered around pediatric otolaryngology (ENT - ear, nose, throat); so, I typically go to clinic and the OR where I see lots of tubes places, tonsils removed, tracheas examined, and lymph nodes/facial masses removed. It's been really good. I'm getting an idea of what an effusion looks like, when to refer a child for tubes or tonsillectomy, and how to get kids to let me look in their ears!
One experience I've had that I totally did NOT expect was being there when we made the diagnosis of probably cancer. A little girl had come to clinic because she had a lymph node that was enlarged and not getting better on antibiotics. The doctor said that when he saw her he though it might be a brachial cleft cyst, though I immediately thought, "this is not good." Well, upon physical exam, we found MULTIPLE lymph nodes in her neck area (you generally aren't supposed to feel lymph nodes, though children can have small moveable ones, as can adults...I do, but they have been there for years and aren't changing) as well as supraclavicularly (above the clavicle (collar bone) - these are almost ALWAYS pathologic (there because something is wrong). The supraclavicular ones were particularly large and tender to touch. We immediately called radiology to see if they could scan her NOW! They got her in and even before she returned, the radiologist called the clinic to give us his quick opinion...even before an official read was done. This is unusual. Well, sure enough, she had tons of enlarged nodes in her neck as well as a large mass in her chest, located in the mediastinum, which is the area the heard occupies. The mass was not obstructing her airway (GOOD!) but was pushing things out of their ordinary position. I was given the job of entertaining her while Dr. R talked to her parents. She was very inquisitive. We had already told her that she was going to have surgery to test one of the nodes and see exactly what it was. Then I got to learn all about what she's interested in, etc. What a job! Obviously, her parents were upset but when I saw them later that week for surgery, they were better. The pathology came back as Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Now, no cancer is good...but if you had to choose one, HL is one of the ones to choose (especially as a child). It has a cure rate of 85-95% depending on the stage. I think her stage is Stage II...she's already gotten a round of chemo and her mediastinal mass (the one in the chest) has shrunk probably in half. Amazing! Going into her node biopsy, that was the most fearful I've been so far in medicine...the anesthesiologists were really concerned about her airway and kept saying that if she stops spontaneously breathing, it could collapse and we could lose her airway...they even brought in the chief of anesthesia and one of the general peds surgeons to look at the scan. They were less concerned, so I felt better...but you better believe I was praying going in and during that surgery! She's doing well and seems to still be pretty spunky! What a great learning experience for me.
Most recently, we had our Match Day festivities. Match day is the day where all medical students who are entering residency next year find out WHERE they will be doing residency. It is a very complicated procedure. Starting in October, we interview at different locations for a position. Then in February, we have to submit a rank order list, saying the places we would want to go and in what order we prefer; the programs do this as well with the candidates. A complicated computer program ensues (it's kind of like sorority rush!). Then, at the same time across the country, everyone finds out where they go. Quite exciting! This year we had a pre-match party at a local pizza place. I had lots of fun and enjoyed hanging out with friends. 
This is me and Sarah waiting of some good pizza...never came so I settled for plain old supreme! The next morning the alumni council sponsored a breakfast for us. It was at a really nice country club. 
My dad came with me. Then we went to the student union and had the ceremony. Quite exciting to find out where people went. We had people go as far west as Utah, as far North as New York (this girl was the most excited), and west as Massechusetts. I am going to be staying at UMC to work in our pediatric hospital, Blair E. Batson Children's Hospital! It will be great. Three other people from my class stayed here... 
Sarah, me, Yakela, and Josh (who is soon to be a father of TRIPLETS!!! After the ceremony, my family and I went to a local "drive-in." It's really a pretty nice restaurant, especially at dinnertime. I got a grilled chicken salad, daddy got a redfish sandwich (SO good), mama a turkey sandwich, and Philip and Kenna got a hamburger. We really enjoyed eating outside and visiting!
Such a fun day! Now I've only got two months until I graduate. I've been trying on long white coats, making out my schedule for next year, and looking at houses. Lots of changes coming! I'm so grateful for the direction God has given me, the friends I have, and to see what He has planned!!!
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| | Posted 3/20/2009 10:30 PM - 6 Views - 0 eProps - 0 comments
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