Congratulations, it's a state in the USA...

Posted on Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Yep, now is a scary time to be a final year medical student in Queensland.
Those still in QLD will no doubt be sick of hearing about how the health system is in a sate of decay and disrepair. All I can say is I wish that I could refute it.
There is a bit of what we would call a doctor deficit in my hospital at the moment.
Things are that crazy here, I decided to shave off my monster mutton chops because I feel the need to be taken seriously by the expectant women I have been seeing in the antenatal clinc. I normally wouldn't care what they think, but seeing as I have been seeing them without a doctor, I want to at least give some impression of professionalism. I still double check everything with the doctors and midwives before I send them home, but I still find it sailing a bit too close to the wind.
I am also concerned for my poor shoes. A fact I had not known before starting this rotation; Amniotic fluid eats leather. I found out the hard way when assisting my first caeser, and got covered head to toe in blood. The mother is placed on the operating table tilted slightly to the left, and as first assistant, that is the side I have to stand on. The explaination the doctor will give is to avoid compression of the vena cava (main vein) by the baby in the womb. I think it's so all the blood and crap runs away from the doctor preforming the procedure. As such, I got soaked and my shoes drenched in amniotic fluid. The next day when I was putting them on, I noticed they were peppered with little holes.
Great.
Today, I was assisting again, and I was aware of the trick, so I jumped out of the way when the sack was popped.
Too slow of course.
At this rate I won't have any clincal shoes left at all by the end of the rotation. I am seriously considering buying some gum boots.
I was un-inspired by c-sections to begin with, because you are focused on the mother, and the baby is pulled out in the first 10-15 min. Then there is about a good half hours work stitching her up again. By that time the baby is gone to the paeds ward and long forgotten about.
Yesterday I witnessed my first vaginal delivery. We have to watch two and deliver four. I thought it went very well. Very little screaming, a slight bit of groaning and boom, a baby. The mum did extremely well actually, seeing as she was 18 and the baby was her first, with labour lasting about 8 hours. First babies take for ever apparently. Then she named the baby after an american state. But not Texas, as she wasn't that big (cheesy joke of the day achieved...)
There is definately something about the viginal deliveries that seems cooler though from a spectator's perspective. I think it has something to do with all the exhasting hard work and then massive relief and happiness when the baby arrives. Everyone in the rooms is happy and thankful, even to the dodgy med student standing in the corner who didn't do a thing but gawk.
I love being a med student.
Oh well, off to bed, Gynae clinic in the morning. Then antenatal... I hope we don't get hammered again...
*sigh*

Last sunset of 2005

Posted on Sunday, January 22, 2006


Last sunset of 2005
Originally uploaded by graum.
Sitting back, drinking cask wine from plastic cups, watching the sun set on the Island. Life is hard...

Another fine day at Fong On Bay


Another fine day at Fong On Bay
Originally uploaded by graum.
Yeah... Free campsite (cause there were no registrations forms left) on the shores of Tinaroo dam.

Xmas with the family


Xmas with the family
Originally uploaded by graum.
Me, Sister Jasmine, Cousin Micheal, Cousin Chantelle, Sister Charmaine

Is Rob in the bathroom?


Is Rob in the bathroom?
Originally uploaded by graum.
As Rob discovered, if you take too long in the shower, the troops get restless and start a prankin

Let's take Freddie for a ride


Let's take Freddie for a ride
Originally uploaded by graum.
Yep, I now have my motorbike licence. Freddie is Charmaine's bike, and I took him for a ride up Mt Stuart the day before I left Townsville.

Act one, Scene, I dunno, six yeah.

Posted on Thursday, January 19, 2006

Well here we are...
I just got back to Rocky early this morning, and I can assure you it is really starting to feel like the year is begining in earnest.
The train trip down was as usual fun. The good thing about business class on the tilt train is I got a seat by myself. No having to keep it a secret that I am a med student. No one trying to convince me that they cured cervical cancer by using panadol as a pessary.
So we have a fresh batch of 3rd years, only 18 now, not the 20 we were initially promissed. It seems a couple were scared off staying in case they were balloted to the RBH in Brisbane... Even though 10% of the year have to go rural anyway... Sorry, just med school politics frustrating me there.
So the start of year party circuit is about to commence. I'm hoping to slip in a Aus day hottest 100 party too, so hopefully, there will be more wonderfull pictures added to the fold soon.
Stay tuned ;)

Windfarm - Ravenshoe

Posted on Sunday, January 08, 2006


Windfarm - Ravenshoe
Originally uploaded by graum.
...And welcome to Sky Valley

Holiday doldrums

Hello everybody.
Not a lot is going on in Grim-world at the moment. You gottat love that about the student holiday time. All this spare time, and no money to spend it with.
Still, I did a road trip from Tvlle to Undara lava tubes and the Atherton tablelands with Charmaine and Todd last year before Xmas, which is where all the latest pics are from.
Xmas was with the family down in Mackay, and was not unlike every other xmas with the family. I'm back in tvlle now, at Char's place with the cat Missy. Char and Todd are in WA to see his family. I have been left in charge of the cat, flat and automobiles. I went up to the tablelands and Cairns yesterday, and drove back down this morning. I am considering going back up there on Friday as one of my friends starts doctoring at the Cairns Base A&E on Thursday. I on the other had and getting my motorbike license on Thurs.
Anyway, enjoy the pics, and hopefully I'll have some stories to tell in two weeks when I start my O&G rotation.
Baby-catching here i come!

Paronella Park


Paronella Park
Originally uploaded by graum.
The Big Sister, her Boyfriend and an ancient Spanish castle in the Australian rain forrest

Lake Echam


Lake Echam
Originally uploaded by graum.
A swim in the sunset