Adapting

I'm surprised my previous post made sense... I did that during one of my half awake-half asleep states. lol.

Today I got home at 8 PM... which is a small miracle, it seems so surreal. Got to sleep for 6 whole hours! I feel so refreshed. I guess we're learning to adapt... we can manage to sneak an hour or two of sleep each day, unless we're on duty on weekends when everyone seems to have an urge to be violent. On weekends, there's a never ending line of patients with stab wounds, gunshot wounds... and yeah, a lot of vehicular accidents. The drivers always deny that they're under the influence of alcohol, even though you can smell alcohol from their breath. On weekends, we're lucky if there's are minutes when we're not doing anything.

During the first two weeks of January, we didn't go home until 11 PM at the earliest, because when we're we are the ones on "off" duty, we help the others in their work. Now we want to go home early when we're off, if it's possible. We'd rather not receive help when we're on duty knowing that we'll have a day of rest, than getting help during our duties yet there's no real "rest" day because we'd still have to work late even on that one day that we're not on duty.

One month is almost over. It doesn't seem that hard now that I'm getting used to my unphysiologic schedule. working for 72 straight hours, with or without sleep in between those hours doesn't seem too long... Especially when you don't sleep, 3 days seem just like one long day. You'd be surprised that it's the fourth day already and you can go home in a few hours. I can't believe it's almost February. Time moves so fast, In a few months i will be saying I can't believe it's December already.

One good thing about residency training--- I get to appreciate the simple things. I get contented with just a few hours of sleep... just let me sleep and i'll be happy. I can't help but smile when I see my bed at home, seemingly waiting for me with open arms. For one night i'll get to sleep for a few hours, actually lying down, and not sitting on a chair at some random ward unaware that I'm slowly dozing off... Just give me a decent meal and I'll be happy also. Each day I look forward to our occasional lunch or dinner outside... even if it's at some nearby fastfood joint, take me out of the hospital for a few minutes and I'll feel rejuvenated. There's no real urge to go out and party. The absence of social life isn't really a big deal, except during those times when I talk to friends in the outside world who are just bumming around, or who's work schedules allow them to have real breaks from work. Not that I 'd really want to go out and party, I'd rather sleep during my free time.

I'm getting used to the routine. Im starting to realize that it's actually possible to get through this. Just like when I finished high school, college, and med school... 4-5 years doesn't seem like long time.