What My Colorectal Surgery Patients are teaching me.

Hello Friends,

I typically do posts about the things I'm learning in my rotations, and I'm two weeks in and ready to share.  So far my rotation has been great. I have learned a lot, gotten to participate in surgery which I always enjoy. If surgery had a better schedule I would want to do it hands down. I enjoy it. I enjoy that what should hurt someone- cutting, and cauterizing and removing tissue or parts of organs does the opposite: It heals and helps. It's such a beautiful paradox that I can't wrap my mind around and I love it. I love the cleanliness of the OR, and the structure. Somehow, poop is less disgusting in the OR. It's almost like stepping into another world when you go through the OR doors and I love that.

But I also love seeing the lady on the 3rd floor at 7 am. Talking to her and her husband and finding out how she is doing. I love being on the 14th floor at 6 am and getting to tell our patient from yesterday that she is NOT humpty dumpty as she so suggested but rather no matter what her abdomen looks like, she is beautiful. I like talking to the elderly woman who teared up after she was told she was having surgery. I liked encouraging the man afraid of a colonoscopy, and seeing him believe me and schedule one with the doctor not even indicating he was afraid to begin with. I enjoy talking to the gentlemen who needs surgery as I'm walking him to the waiting room and having him want to know my opinion on if the doctor is a good one. (which I was able to honestly assure him that he is). I like meeting people where they are and getting to talk to them, encourage them, and let them know they are seen.

What I have gotten to see most is that a situation is what you make it. You can choose to focus on the solution or the problem. I see it in our patients all the time. They focus on the pain of the operation rather than the cure to their cancer. They focus on the fear of the colonoscopy rather than the reassurance that they don't have cancer. The worst part: I do the same thing.

I focus on the lack of finding the perfect job, rather than seeing that there are thousands that don't have a job, or a home or food. I'm selfish at my core and it shows me that June is no different: God is still hammering thankfulness into me this year and while I would like to say I'm thankful in all circumstances reality is I'm not. And that breaks my heart. I'm sure it also breaks God's heart and but thankfully He is still working on me. :)

Hope your doing well. Let me know what your learning from the unlikely places :)

<3
Anita