At the Outpatient Dept
Dr: Hm, i am sure u have an ACL tear. And probably a meniscus tear too. I'll arrange an emergency MRI for you tmr and if u call into my office later that evening, i'll tell u if u've gotta go for a surgery on tuesday.
Me: Ar.. Ok..
At the MRI Dept
Nurse: Right, just straighten ur leg and dont move. we'll give u music to listen to as the machine is really noisy. this is going to take 20 mins
1/2 way thru..
Me: This hurts this hurts...when is it going to end?!?!?! As Christina Aguilera and Sugababes roar in my ear - i'm battling with my pain receptors to keep my leg straight as it hurts horribly when its in that position.
At 4 pm the same day
On the phone
Dr : Yeah, u've got an ACL tear with a bucket handle meniscus tear. We are operating on tues. come into day surgery centre at 7.30 am
Tuesday, Surgery day, 7.30 am
Nurse : Kar Hung please. Well, as my english name is behind my chinese name, they naturally take the first part of my chinese name. sigh. talks me thru the anaesthetic regime. something about general anaesthetic and a femoral nerve block.
SHO : Kar Hung please.
Looks thru my notes
SHO : Huh, u've got an MRI?? Usually takes 4 months to be arranged! Huh, u just saw the consultant last week and u'r having ur surgery today?? that's fast!
Turns d page in my notes and comes to the typed up case notes which says..
This 21 year old 3rd year medical student doing the Locomotor Rotation presented with a....
SHO : Right..
Figures. I love being a medical student.
On the anaesthetic table
Anaesthetist : Alright, we are gonna but a cannula here. ties a glove around my arm. Make a fist for me please., and repeat. Right, its gonna be an ant prick. sticks a needle into my vein on my wrist. This is something that will make u go to sleep..
Anaesthetist 2 sticks pads over my body and i can see my heart beat on the ECG monitor... perfectly fine heart i reckon..
Me : Yeah. I can't open my eyes..
Nurse : On the scale of 1-10?
Me : 5. And i Still dont know who i'm speaking to..
Nurse injects some morphine in. Repeats the above conversation another 3-4 times and continues injecting morphine.
I begin to shiver and nurse 2 puts a blanket over me with hot air blown in. The best ever feeling even though i was still heavily sedated...
I'm wheeled out to the day surgery ward.
Tuesday, Surgery Day, 4 pm
Dr : Hi Rachel, we've repaired ur ACL, and managed to sew back ur meniscus as it was in a particularly well blood supplied area. U shouldn't weight bear for at least 3 weeks on that leg as u might rerupture d stitches.
Tuesday, Surgery Day, 6pm
Physiotherapist : Right, we've arranged a physio appointment for u next week. on Weds. Usually, patients come in before the surgery and we have a proper talk thru and all the appointments are made beforehand. but u came in real quick so i just did it for u..
See, told u its great being a medical student.
At 7 pm, two of my flatmates turn up as the nurse was explaining when to take my pills and also how to change my dressings should i need to. I nod in and out of consciousness as she speaks and remained like that the whole time til i finally tumbled into bed at 8 pm..
Love the anaesthetics.
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