N Justin ® 徐旭隆
Never be erased ♥
Exciting? Disappointing?
9am-9pm in the hospital was really a long day. Having on call today from 5-9pm was a blessing. I thought it's gonna be another boring evening with boring clerking and teaching. Instead, it wasn't."Who wants to take his blood?"
"Me?" Surprisingly, I voluntereed to do something today. I gave myself a big fright coz I thought I was possessed by a devil. I's pretty sure it's not me. Impossible leh...
This guy was a huge man with veins twice the size of my veins. So I was pretty confident that it would be successful even thought it's my 1st time doing venepuncture on a real patient.
"Can I take ur blood?"
"Help yourself." That was the coolest consent I've ever got from a patient. So I helped myself, no hesitation. Anyone would get nervous when taking blood 4 d 1st time. I was trembling n having palpitation but I had 2 pretend that I'd done this procedure many times b4 n I had 2 act like I's more confident than anyone else in the ward. The main reason was that I didn't even tell him that it's my 1st time taking blood from a patient. Who the hell cares la...just poke la. I did it. I successfully took 5 bottles of blood specimen using vacutainer.
"Justin, go take Mr. H's blood." my regitrar told me.
What?Again?Not even 5 minutes of rest 4 my tremor 2 recover. But this time I's full of confidence. I was neither trembling nor having palpitation. Just poke la... but I failed this time. Why wasn't the blood coming out...Come out la, pls...
Finally I had 2 withdraw it n asked the nice friendly medical assistant to do it using cannula. It's really easy for him. I's impressed.
"Do you wanna do ABG, Justin?" my registrar asked me.
What... Unsuccessful venepuncture led to doing ABG (Arterial Blood Gas; where I had 2 withdraw blood from his radial artery) ? What a day I'm having...
"Er..."
"It's a fairly easy procedure. Have u seen anyone doing it b4?"
"Yea...I saw a F1 doing it but she failed."
He kindly showed me the procedure which I've only practised on manikin b4 n handed me the syringe.
"What if I can't get it?"
"Just go medially n u'll get it."
"If I still can't get it?"
"U will get it. I have faith in u. Now grab ur gloves n go." *A pat on my shoulder.
That was really comforting. He really boosted my confidence once more after I felt down for failing the 2nd venepuncture. But I still didn't know what I should do if I didn't hit the artery! What the heck la...just poke la.
So I grabbed my gloves without hesitating n poked Mr H again, in the wrist this time. Again, I forgot 2 tell him it's my 1st time...
Dun play with me la, God...No blood again? Ok, go medially... Still no? It took me 2 minutes 2 look for the bloody artery b4 I decided 2 give up n withdraw the syringe. Amazingly, Mr H didn't feel any pain at all. So I's relieved. I was expecting this from him after failing twice.
Instead, he gave me a smile n told me it's ok. Terima kasih, wahai Tuhan. I think he must have had paralysis on his hand that he didn't feel any pain. That's a good thing though.It was an exciting but disappointing evening. I got to assist in a lumbar puncture procedure n observe a drainage of abscess. Most importantly, I got to do 2 procedures that I'd never done b4, succeeded once but failed twice on 2 different procedures. Anyway, it's my 1st time. This is the only excuse I could give 2 make myself feel better. Every doctor had their 1st time. So did I. I'm sure 95% of guys experience premature ejaculation on their 1st sex. So, no worries, plenty of time for me 2 polish my skills b4 I start poking like a pro!
