Sunday, October 30, 2016

October

October has come and gone way too quickly and I do not know where the time went. This month I haven't been able to volunteer as much as the previous months because I have had a lot going on but the time I did get to volunteer, I enjoyed. I was able to see numerous diagnosis and different treatments for different patients. The more I learning in class about physiology and pharmacology, the more interesting it is to see what different regimens people are on. I'm very lucky that the staff I volunteer with are all very helpful and I feel free to ask clinical questions whenever I want. The hours I completed this month were earlier on so they have yet to actually see me walking so it is going to be fun to see their reactions. I am hoping that when I do return this week that I do not see any of the patients I have become familiar with because I hope they have all gotten well enough to be discharged from the abdominal transplant unit.
Since the hospital is undergoing renovations we actually have patients in the transplant unit that are from different areas like ICU, SICU, etc. so I have been able to see more clinical cases than before, and help more patients than I had been. Now that I am on my own two feet, I am excited to return because I feel as though I am going to be able to do more to help the staff and patients out, and expand the work that I am doing in the unit. I have noticed that the patients in the New Orleans area have many clinical issues in common and that hypertension, diabetes, and hepatic disorders are fairly common. Something tells me that the fact that there is a food festival almost every weekend doesn't help.
Aside from volunteering, I have been able to explore a lot more of NOLA now that I'm mobile again and I have to say, I'm falling in love with the city. There is so much culture, music, character, that it's hard to not love it here. The weather has been perfect these past few weeks, the humidity is low, it's high 70's and mid 60's in the evenings, there is no/little rain, so I have been attempting to do some studying outdoors and soak up the sun while I can. Meanwhile in NYC my friends and family are turning the heat on and wearing jackets and scarves already... can't say I envy them. I have the urge to go trick-or-treating tomorrow, but something tells me the med students/residents/grad students in Deming won't be humored by me knocking door to door in search of free candy. Alas, that is all I have to say for October. Till we meet again dear reader.

Hours completed: 4