Thanks for the support about my OR issues. I think one of my favorite supportive comments made to me today was a friend who actually knew a general surgeon who once threw up inside of the patient.
Nothing better than a quick round of “Could’ve been worse” to make you feel 100% better about vomiting in the corner of an OR, right? I mean, I don’t even want to think about what would be going through my mind if I were that surgeon. (Or that surgeon’s lawyer.) (Or that patient.)
Monday is my histo/pathology test. I should be fine. However, the Monday after that is my head & neck anatomy test, which… eurgh. Listen, the sum total of my knowledge for that unit is something like:
- The twelve cranial nerves and their foramina of choice.
- The knowledge that apparently that’s not even close to enough and I need to know actions and branches.*
- A vague suspicion that at least 80% of these branches are invisible.
- The head bone’s connected to the neck bone.
So that’s, you know, coming along.
Action Potential 
head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.
eyes and ears and mouth and nose!
head, shoulders knees and toes, knees and toes.
–that should be enough to get me through med school, right? haha
Yep, you’re all set! I think you have to learn a second verse if you go into surgery, though.
I almost fainted the first time I saw at autopsy at work. And on my second day of gross anatomy lab. I’m TERRIFIED of my surgery rotation third year.
Good luck with anatomy- head and neck was actually my favorite part. ten zebras bit my cap for the facial nerve- mneumonics are key.
Thanks for the mnemonic! Yeah, I have a history of almost fainting, too… my physician told me that salt pills might be a good last resort, and I think I’ll look into that for 3rd year!
Oh my God. What did the team do after the surgeon threw up into the patient!
Haha, that’s what I asked! Apparently they had to wash the patient’s thoracic cavity out with some kind of fluid (don’t remember) four times. The surgeon owned up to the patient about it, and amazingly, between their good doc/patient relationship and the patient’s easygoing nature, there was no lawsuit.