In the hospital

We finally have hot weather- the kind where you stay damp and everything sticks to you. The kind where you take off your shirt and can’t believe your collar is that color because you did bathe in the morning. I do not expect sympathy because I am sure that would feel really good to you about now.
It was a pretty good day today. The hospital had a population explosion over the weekend and in the surgical unit, they have added beds in the center where they did the physical therapy last week. The child I saw resuscitated last week has improved enough to get off the ventilator and today I saw a repeat of that scenario with a new baby brought in with sepsis. We did rounds in the surgical unit and saw children with chronic osteomyelitis ( a recurrent infection in the bone) who were brought in because of a visiting orthopedic surgeon. This surgeon grafted bone from the child into the place where healing has not occurred which is a pretty sophisticated surgery. So we saw a lot of casts and a child with oeteogenesis imperfect which is a horrible condition- it is sometimes known as “glass bones” because the bones break so easily. As long as the orthopedist is here he should see the child I saw in the clinic today with six fingers on her left hand. Often the extra digit doesn’t move but she could move all 6. In some cultures that is considered lucky but I am not about how it is perceived here.
I was asked many questions about our politics and how Obama, as a black man, was elected instead of Hillary a white woman. They also asked me why John McCain chose Sarah Palin. I did a bit of “tap dancing“ on this.
We did our second journal club today- this time on infection. The article was review but we did generate a lot of discussion and even got them thinking about a possible research project they could do. We were to have 2 more talks but we have had to cancel the kidney talk due to a staffing shortage. There just are not enough nurses to staff the hospital, have time off and attend lectures. We will deliver the nursing process talk again on Thursday afternoon but tomorrow we go with home care again. And tonight we will see as much of the inauguration as possible.