First Day of School

29/11/12

It has happened.  We have started work again.  Granted the first three days of this week have been orientation.  The most important thing Dan learnt was to ask for the big portion of food.   Having been asked what size he wanted by the canteen staff the first time, the second he was just automatically given a small portion.  It was roast Tuesdays and Dan was mortified to only get one roast potato (won’t be making that mistake again).  He contemplated going back for seconds but decided against it.  You also get free coffee which is great however I didn’t anticipate the strength of this coffee and had two (one at home and one at work) on the first day and experienced all the side effects associated with caffeine, the worst being the diuretic effect (it made me pee a lot)! 

Yesterday we went on a mini road trip with Carole the Chief Medical Officer.  The aim was to show us some of the rural practices.  We met at 7.15, piled into her people carrier and off we went.  At 1600 we arrived back in Greymouth.  We visited rural centres where GPs run small community hospitals.  This is Dan’s dream job, being GP one minute, A&E Dr the next and then the anaesthetist as you intubate a patient ready for helicopter transfer.   I did not share his enthusiasm for the rural GP career but enjoyed the scenic drives.  I also proved to be in the minority of those who could handle the back seats without getting travel sick.  Dan and Katie had to rotate the front seat!  At one point in the trip it did occur to us that had we had a crash or accident that it would have put all RMOs (junior Doctors) on the west coast of New Zealand out of action...

On the recreational side Dan and I had a bake off one evening.  Dan make a victoria sponge and I made brownies.  Both were moderatley successful which is a great result!  Dan has joined a gym called Fat Max's- excellent!  This evening we went out for drinks with some Greybase peeps.  Dan's planning to run a hospital comedy review which our new friend Holly is very excited about.  Two words to describe Holly- Jazz hands!  We went to a baptist church at the weekend.  The pastor was really cool, great movember effort.

Today was our first day on the wards.  It reminds me so much of my first week as a HO in England.  It’s the first time I have done general surgery since then and the first time I have had to work independently since then as well.  I don’t relish the idea but one hopes the experience will be valuable and helpful.

Dan had a crazy day having to transfer three patients by air to Christchurch and one to the high(ish) dependency unit.  Baptism of fire!

Keep smiling

S x