Through the Mill....

My day yesterday....

Up at 05.30, stumble about sorting coffee (must haaaave coffeeee) and porridge. 

leave the house at 6.30 and drive to Chester. Drive for an hour in the dark howling rain. Arrive 07.30 and change into theatre blues.

Fortunately, a trusted colleague had left my anaesthetic room in good order.

Set up all the equipment, check the machines, sort the table attachments, check the drugs, sort the sending paperwork.

Wait about for first surgeon to arrive. Have pre op meeting, and send for  first patient.

We have NO porter today, so sort it out and collect patient myself.

Once patient safe, set up for next one double quick. Do not forget to write controlled drugs up in book! Watch interesting foot surgery, removal of a very unusual large bursar, with ganglion, full of clear jelly (actually jellified synovial fluid, about a dessert spoonful!) Finish 3 orthopaedic cases.

Finish morning list, grab a bit of lunch quickly before afternoon list. Set up shoulder table. Check in, anaesthetize patient, do regional block, position on table. Finish about 16.30. Start plastics cases. Only 2 cases, but the second, blephs and rhinoplasty, do not leave theatre until 20.30 hours. Bleed a bit on extubation.

Sort my anaesthetic room out, stock up, clean table, get out stuff for colleague on morning shift. I make sure it is all in tip top condition as it is someone I know ho has done the same for me.

Go into recovery to help out with patient. We send everyone else home, and finally take patient up to ward, and hand over.

Finally get into car, drive home, and get in at about 23.00.

Very very tired now. Back and knee very very sore. Skin in a state too, dry and horrid.

So there you are, a very brief idea of my Friday. I am getting a bit long in the tooth for 14 hour shifts these days. It is totally knackering, physically and mentally, and you are fit for nothing  the next day.