Just been out for dinner by myself to celebrate a very successful day, and also my liver was getting bored and needed something to do.
(My Airbnb host just knocked on my door – I thought for sure I was going to get told off for using all their data watching Netflix while on call, but no, she was offering me another duvet because it’s been so cold. Sweet.)
Awake craniotomy count – 3
I love brain surgery. Shame so much of what we operate on has a terrible prognosis.
This should impress any anaesthetists amongst you. This is my supervisor reintubating our patient after the awake part of his brain tumour surgery is over.
Thormbectomy count – 5
Turns out strokes are like busses – you wait around days for one, and then two come along at once. We were doing one under GA this afternoon when another patient arrived, a delightful 98 year old man. What a waste of resources you may say, but he’s been well and living independently at home up to now. When he arrived he was completely paralyzed down one side. We whisked him into the second angio theatre (sigh), got the second radiology team together (double sigh – and this is a week when half of the radiologists including the Prof are away on holiday), and got started, under LA. 15 minutes later, they suck the clot out of his carotid artery, and when the drapes are off, boom! He can move both sides again. Nifty. This has to be one of the most worthwhile things that we can do in a hospital – way more useful than coronary angioplasty, which is standard of care everywhere now. And that’s all I’m going to say about that.
I’ve really enjoyed working here the last couple of weeks. I’ve been making myself useful, too. Not in any way that would make MPS nervous (unlike in Addenbrookes), but just simple things like moving patients, attaching monitoring, that sort of thing. Much better than just standing by the wall, watching. It’s odd knowing what’s going on most of the time, but only understanding about 50% of people’s conversations. I imagine it’s what it’s like being very stupid.
I’m told Arron Cruden is playing rugby here in Montpellier? I’m not going to fact check this, though, as I don’t care enough.