Cold, wet, windy and generally horrible outside. I’ve got an old scheduling email to share. I’m going to keep going with these until someone tells me to stop. I do try to leave out the dull bits (although that may seem hard to believe).
From: Kirsty Jordan
Sent: Friday, 31 October 2014 1:27 p.m.
To: Wellington Anaesthesia All Staff
Subject: 100 years of scheduling
Hi All,
Plenty of you have asked me about my recent holiday, and I can say unreservedly that I had a fantastic time, and I highly recommend cruising as a holiday option. I thought the ship would be full old people playing shuffleboard, but it was nothing like that. The conference I went to in Dingle ( County Kerry, Eire ) was also great. It was a small conference, only one lecture stream, with wide ranging content, loosely on the topic of perioperative medicine. Any conference where the lectures don’t start until 11 o’clock the morning after the conference dinner, and when even then the first few lecturers complain about doing their talks in the graveyard shift, obviously has more than it’s share of good craic.
Chris T is having a much more patriotic holiday next week – who needs the Greek Islands when you’ve got our very own South Island to see? Don’t leave town ‘til you’ve seen the country, and all that.
La dia de los muertos today. Although celebrating death may be taking things a bit far, in the spirit of embracing our mistakes, we are to be encouraged to continue reporting adverse outcomes, even though there’s a risk of appearing on the front page of the Dom Post. I know some of you are a little Bah Humbug when it comes to Halloween, but with three daughters ( who appear to have Satan on speed dial, as those with any experience of teenaged girls will attest ) , on a street with high foot traffic, and a healthy fear of getting egged, we are decorating our house in fine style, with plenty of lollies available, especially for those trick or treaters who have put a little effort into their costumes. Other events this weekend are the Wairarapa A and P show, at which the little Ure children will be introduced to a little retro kiwiana experience. Not to be outdone, Pauatahanui primary are having their annual calf day. I don’t want to brag, but when it comes to livestock, Waikanae is the clear winner – we’ve had a humpback whale on our beach this week. Sadly, we aren’t going to see it as it’s already been buried. Maybe not so sadly as I gather it was already smelling pretty ripe.
What I’m really looking forward to is my new Iphone 6 plus. I’m on the waiting list but there’s none in the country and no delivery date in sight. To paraphrase Monty Python – “ I don’t care how f***ing bendy it is, hand it over with all speed! “ Lizzie is luckier – her new scooter arrives today. Welcome to the two wheeled club, although I’m sure Derek would like to remind you to take care on the roads. Hoping your new purchase will bring our netball team some much needed luck – we play “fumblers in the dark” in the season finale on Sunday. They have a better name than us but I’m hoping we have the edge in talent.
Finally, lots of exam success throughout the department in the last month – well done to you all.
Now, down to business:
Tuesday
There may or may not be a liver resection in OT 5. WY rostered in here just in case, to provide moral support/comfort/a familiar face for the surgeon.
MW getting OPD payback this morning. NM happy to replace her in ortho trauma as apparently it’s going to be raining.
Wednesday
Complicated renal transplant arrangements today: we are taking out two kidneys, one of which is flying to Auckland, and the other is going into a patient in OT 9 in the afternoon. There have been many emails and meetings in an attempt to avoid a cock up here. As long as they don’t accidentally take out someone’s kidney in a fit of enthusiasm up in Auckland, all should go well. MJ has a hand picked team helping her out in OT 4, with a very early start planned. DW and TK get to sleep in before their part of the job starts in OT 9, but it may drag on a little depending on AKS’s ability to rattle his dags.
Guy Fawkes today! Luckily burns go to Hutt.
Thursday
First Thursday of the month means a renal vascular list in the afternoon in OT 9. Julia could auction off this list if she wanted as these cases are in high demand as a VOP requirement, as deemed by our College, for some reason. Hence why Joseph is out at Kene to watch vascular Wicks do some of these under local this afternoon. Hope having an anaesthetist present doesn’t make him nervous ( alternatively, we don’t want him to get too used to the idea! ).
The usual first Thursday paeds urology list has been snaffled by gyne onc; does this mean Mr W will finally be able to start his pm ENT list on time? (Hint: I don’t think so! ).
No ortho at Kene today or tomorrow, replaced by all day extra preassessment. We have such a backlog of preassessment, they are going to be farmed out to private. Many of these cases are going to be done in private, too – could this be by surgeons who are cancelling their lists at Kene? I couldn’t possibly comment.
Yikes, this could be a record for the longest scheduler email. Hope it’s quicker to read than to write. I’m starving, time for lunch.