GUTS!

yes, i do look pretty ridiculous

This past Wednesday, I saw some surgeries for the first time. I borrowed a pair of scrubs from one of my housemates, unfortunately they were the wrong color blue but I think I need to get over the rivalry at this point. You also have to wear rubber boots into the OR. Two UNC surgeons came for the week so I was able to see some procedures up close. I was able to stand in on 3 surgeries, all pediatric. I saw two colostomy take downs where they cut out a section of the bowel and then sew the 2 pieces together. Lots of GUTS! I also saw a procedure on a kid probably about 5 years old who had a trach in because papilloma scarring in his trachea caused the airway to close off. He was really scared before they gave him drugs, it was pretty sad I felt really bad for him. The surgeon attempted to clear out the scar tissue but by the time she got in, it had already sealed off so the poor kid will probably have a tube sticking out of his neck for the rest of his life. Although I didn’t scrub in on any of the surgeries, I did get a really good view (and didn’t feel nauseous at all!) and made myself useful by fetching sutures and such.

The ORs at KCH are pretty pitiful though I haven’t seen one in the US… Surgery seems pretty cool but I think it would be better to see one when I actually know what the anatomy is and can understand why they are doing what they do.