Day 3

Uneventful.


Ok, maybe this isn't exactly the best word I could come up with to describe the entire day, but in my head it was--sorta.


I didn't see any stimulating procedures, for the most part the cases included amenorrhea.


One highlight of the day though was, I got to interview patients.


Using the template, I asked away. I enjoyed that part. I can say it was a bit awkward at first, asking strangers their 'coital frequency' (how many times a week they have sex). But overall it was educational.


Another short day, nothing traumatic enough to report to House or Grey, but just another stepping stone to the M.D.

Day 2

Hysteroscopy and Sonograms and a Pap Smear. It was Day 2 and I was looking up more cervixes than I'd ever imagine my eyes would see. 

At first I cringed at the thought and felt just a bit overwhelmed. I can't even stand to see much pain, and hysteroscopies can be a wince painful. So, I buffed myself up and watched the first one. The patient screamed at the pain, when the doctor suctioned out a small sample of tissue to be analyzed at the Pathology lab.

The next patient, I feared for. A slender, young Pakistani women who was unable to get pregnant. She spoke no English and had her husband translate the procedure for her. We went into the room--myself, the doctor, a med intern, the nurse, and a nurse practitioner. 

Initially, I couldn't figure out the beautiful dialect rolling off her tongue as the patient spoke to her husband. Later, in the treatment room, I learned it was Ordu; the native tongue of Pakistan. Coincidentally, the N.P. was Pakistani and gracefully translated the procedure and results to the trembling Pakistani patient. As the camera and tubes went up her cervix, her legs trembled. Surprisingly, there were no shouts or screams. She did let a few tears out, but she endured the procedure.

Other patients included severe cases of endometriosis, benign tumors blocking the cervix, and high-risk pregnancy candidates. 

It's hard to tell someone that they can't get pregnant--ever. It's sad to see 40 something old women come in with all sorts of medical issues of their own, only hoping to be able to get enough hormones to make them fertile then conceive. 

One case was a woman with two kidney transplants and underlying lupus. But she wanted a child of her own. What do you say? It's sad, and hard.

Day 2 was fulfilling and exhausting all at once. Let's see what Day 3 has in store.

Day 1

White Lab Coat and it felt great. Walking through the hospital doors, I felt as if I had already finished my Boards and had been in practice for years. The reality, I'm still in Undergrad with just one year to go and the MCAT is in sight, just merely haunting me.


The patient I remember the most from this day was a man, possibly infertile. The only infertility male patient that day. I wasn't aware of the intensity an observship entailed. Naively, I wasn't aware of the outright exposure patients must undergo in order to be treated.


"Here's a blue gown, take everything off"
"Even the underwear?"
"Everything"


This would soon be a clip of the words that would familiarly roll off my tongue all day.


The man, obviously uncomfortable avoided eye contact as the doctor, a med student, and myself peered on intrigued. His sheer uncomfortableness was making me uncomfortable, so I looked away as the doctor measured his testes, then felt his genitals for any signs of a hernia.


The next patients weren't as intense. I like the word intense, it seems to characterize hospital experiences.
Anyway, this was a female patient, also infertile and suffering from endometriosis. Prior to working at the hospital, I hadn't realized how common endometriosis cases are. I am blessed to not have any such complications, because it is painful. And I'm a sucker for pain.


My favorite part of this particular day was a phone encounter I had with one of the doctor's patients. These were the Nurse Receptionist words as she handed me the phone:


"I have a patient on the phone, she speaks 90% Spanish"


I love Spanish. Am I fluent? No. But I love every bit of it. So I offered my assistance.


"I can try, I speak a little Spanish"


Before my mind could process, I was on the phone asking the lady on the other line to "habla mas gradualmente por favor". To my surprise after endless pauses and "ah's" and all the snippets of miscommunication, I was able to communicate to her in a strong Spanglish that she needed to contact the Gynecologist office in order to get fertility hormones ahora.


The lesson of day? Learn Spanish! I am praying and praying that God gives me an opportunity to learn to speak Spanish fluently soon and for free.