spread your wings

Spent yesterday morning doing weapons of mass destruction decontamination drills with the local urban search and rescue team. I left with an extraordinary increase in my level of trust in our government. The resources committed to saving lives in the event of any kind of disaster- the thought, planning, training, equipment: just unbelievable. We really have a warehouse filled with enough medical and rescue equipment to save thousands of lives. And it can be deployed within hours. It was really awe-inspiring. And it's always fun to dress up in a uniform and play with heavy equipment in the company of local firefighters.

Then last night was my first Lifeflight shift. We ride fixed wing flights and effect hospital transports for patients too sick to be treated out in the community hospitals who wouldn't tolerate an ambulance ride to the capital. Neither of my patients were really sick or exciting but they definitely wouldn't have done well on a three hour car ride. It was absolutely beautiful flying over New Mexico as the sun came up. And again, got to wear a jumpsuit which is always a bonus. The EMS crews have taken to calling us me a "baby doc." (Code for med student) Very cute, although I do worry that some of the patients may have gotten the false impression that I'm a neonatologist.

This week has been a crazy one in the hospital. Insane trauma after insane trauma, the capstone of which came in last night while the trauma bay was already completely filled. A young yard worker came in with a tree branch through his heart. We wandered through the trauma bay on our way back from delivering a patient upstairs and the ED looked like a full on war zone.

Something in the water? Full moon spillover? Well, wish me luck on my shift tonight. . .