medical moments 2--- surgery

                                                                    Studying in a major government teaching hospital during MBBS is good in many ways and bad in many ways how you look at it  .. For example my visiting relative found a running rat in the department while i didnt "notice " it  because i was engrossed in other things .   But other than learning how to treat (not rats of course:)   )  this living lab gives you the experiences which makes you realise what "being human " is all about  ..

Being a studious student and hardly bunked classes there was one place i used to bunk as much as reasonably possible . That was the operation theatre .  As  often was feasible i used to put on the surgical gown and then spend a half an hour seeing some surgery then bunking into the coffee shop inside the theatre . For one thing watching something without a commentary and that too competing with a large group peering into an incision of 4x 5 cm is not my idea of learning  . And i had decided anyway that i am not interested in becoming a surgeon .  Inspite of my great respect of surgeons , i was very clear that i am more interested in non surgical things  .

But inspite of this i was filled with awe seeing the heart lying still in the cardiothoracic surgery theatre . The organ which beats from the moment even before you are born to the moment you die whoever you are (in that humans are similar )  was seen in a bloodless field still while surgeons were repairing it .  The hearts function meanwhile was taken up by the heart lung machine .  And it was nice to watch the team coordination in making this medical miracle happen .

Next stop was the neurosurgery theatre .  Again silent ...except for the constant bleeps . Being the most complex organ and if any smallest mistake is irreparable the surgery takes 8-12 hrs slowly  . But for me that slowness and their patience filled me with awe at the great work they do  .  But again it was very clear it was not for me because my strengths lay at different things ( not coffee drinking of course )  .  Even with major radiological advances which can even see the tracts near the tumor in colour neurosurgery is still a highly complicated surgery because the room for error is not there because we still dont know how to repair neurons .

Inspite of all the bunking i was favorite of one of the general surgeons and he gave me the opportunity to tie the purse string suture of appendicitis repair  . My hands were steady and having done many sutures for patients in surgical casualty (for common injuries )  under his guidance i did that suture for appendicitis  .  That was my first and last suture in a major surgery.  (that was a successful surgery  ....)

I admire  good surgeons . And its clear that some people are cut out for it .And since there are 20 + specialties in the profession and the long years to be put in establishing in a surgical career only those who like it should go for it  ..(this applies to anything ).

A good surgeon has an eagle’s eye, a lion’s heart, and a lady’s hand

I have a leopards heart :)