Racing through these old emails, nice to be making progress with something in my life!
From: Kirsty Jordan
Sent: Friday, 26 May 2017 2:25 PM
To: Wellington Anaesthesia All Staff
Subject: Risky
Hi All,
I just sent out the weekly raft of surgical alerts, and what really struck me (apart from the sheer volume – because no one is straightforward anymore it seems), is how unfairly they are distributed throughout the department. There seems to be quite a small pool of people who get multiple alerts for all different lists. Just lucky, I guess? Anyway, a bumper week ahead for Nick, Phil, and Chris H it seems!
I have a patient from my elective list yesterday who is currently dying in ICU ( yes, I got a surgical alert about her). It’s bad enough when an acutely sick person dies, but there is something particularly confronting to have someone who walked into the hospital just that morning, who would still be alive if you hadn’t gone ahead, do so very poorly. Also, even though we aren’t (usually) the doctor these patients have had the most to do with, we are the ones who are looking after them in what turns out to be the last few awake moments of their lives. It’s us saying “ok, we’re going to gently start to drift you off to sleep now, what are you going to be dreaming about?…” Our relationship with patients is often fleeting but can be quite intense. And all this is even before the guilt kicks in.
I almost had a short but intense relationship with a lady this morning who tried to crush me with her car. I can’t understand how close some drivers are happy to get to me when I’m on my bicycle. I’m guessing it’s something to do with the fact that all cyclists are drivers too but most car drivers never try cycling on the roads. OK, I might be slowing you down slightly, but you’ll just need to suck it up I’m afraid. What would be better for society in every way: if we all drove cars or if we all cycled? Exactly.
…..
Thursday
End of run dinner at the Bresolin, all welcome. Except me, of course, because I’m working the evening session. Coincidence?
……
And that’s it for another week!
Kirsty
Ps. A woman just stopped me in the corridor to say my boots were funky (take that, Dr T!)