Too busy trying to get my insurance claim in order to worry about you guys. So, here’s another old scheduling email to tide you over. Interestingly I never mentioned it was the day before my birthday.
From: Kirsty Jordan
Sent: Friday, 24 July 2015 10:30 AM
To: Wellington Anaesthesia All Staff
Subject: Smelling the roses; or: you think you’ve got time.
Hi All,
Apparently no one ever says on their deathbed that they wish they’d spent more time at the office. I’ve been thinking this week that I might be the exception to the rule. No OPD this week so it’s been a struggle getting the schedule out. Coming in on days off, leaving RMOs undersupervised, I’ve done it all to get this weeks roster to you. Chris may say it’s my own fault for going away all the time, but thoughts of mortality have led me to think that life is short, and you need to enjoy it while you can. Hence, I’m going to Australia again today, just for the weekend. I’m going with my dearest friend, to celebrate her birthday. We met during medical intermediate, regarding each other with suspicious rivalry all year until luckily we both got in. We are a form of twins, she is exactly five years older than me, although people often think she’s the youngest. I think it’s because she grew up in Manchester, where her English rose complexion wasn’t at risk of being spoiled by the sun. Of course, I’ve only just come back from Adelaide, where I spent the week on a houseboat on the Murray River. It was rainy and cold (coldest weather in 20 yrs, I was told), but I wasn’t eaten by a crocodile, so a success, overall.
A pretty well staffed week for anaesthetists, unfortunately the same can’t be said for our technician colleagues who are very thin on the ground. I’m expecting ugly scenes at production planning this morning, as Monday looks particularly awful and it seems a list or two will have to be sacrificed. I may need to buff up the schedule from the Koru lounge.
Monday
As of 1000hrs Friday (before PP):
ENT list replaced with an ABR (hearing test under GA for recalcitrant kiddies, I believe), followed by an extra gyne reg list.
Tuesday
Lots of proper complex upper GI cases today and tomorrow for Chris and Ben to get their teeth into. Of course, if ICU is full up with flu patients then they’ll end up with awful trauma or similar. C’est la vie.
No paeds Ortho list today, freeing up Chris H to do the MRI list before he takes over the ortho list in the pm (Did I tell you they’ve asked for a 5pm finish? No?)
The vascular list is likely to spend it’s day down in radiology with a splenic embolization. A restful day for the nurses, then, but no respite for team anaesthesia.
Thursday
All trauma, all the time in OT 7; and a scoli in OT 8.
OPD payback for Alan this morning, I would have given him all day but can’t guarantee Heike will be finished in time for the pm gen acutes list (bitter experience talking here).
No ECT or TOPs, and a quiet day at Kene (when we have lots of staff, even techs – natch).
Colin and Yvonne available in the morning and myself all day. I’ll be hiding in my office if you need me, Vicki, will try to remember to leave my phone on. If you’re nice I might start my evening session early.
Am going to send this out now, revisions likely later. Time pressured now, late for pp, please excuse errors.
Cheers,
Kirsty.