Cutting and stitching

This past week, I started my rotation at an ER in the greater Milwaukee area. It's a bit terrifying. Naturally it is a high stress, fast paced environment. Very different from where I've mostly been the last few months. Fortunately,  a lot of what we do has been urgent care type things that I feel like I have a fairly decent handle on. Granted I still feel like I don't have a clue most of the time, but it's nice when I feel confident enough to diagnose and treat something straightforward like an ear infection.

 The fun aspect of the job are the procedures - getting to physically help someone right then and there. We saw quite a few abscess and wounds that needed cutting, draining, and stitching. I need to practice my sewing skills. It seems a bit strange that cutting and needles - physically injuring the patient by causing more pain and discomfort for a time - benefits them in the long run. So often in life we seek what is comfortable, what is safe, what feels good - but the things that cause us pain and discomfort are still good for us - better even, because they make us grow.

The much less fun aspects of the job are dealing with troublesome patients. This week we had a few people who were intoxicated, substance abusers looking for more drugs, and homeless. My heart rolls through many emotions when dealing with said patients. Part of me is frustrated because they can't give a straight answer and that much of their predicament is fixable if they could only stop their toxic behaviors. Part of me is sad because we can't offer them something better than a band aid.

With thanksgiving this week, it makes me even more grateful for what I have. So often - particularly with the Black Friday push - we focus on what we lack - what we don't have - what we "need" rather than all the blessings we have. Simple things like a roof over our heads, a car that runs, food stocked in the frig and pantry, warm running water, a closet full of clothes. We could be much worse off.