Life of a Medical Intern

Chapter 8

Sunday morning found me in a good mood. Despite the ruckus that happened last week, I was determined to prove to everyone that I'm really committed to my job and not just some Spoiled brat as Dr. Marwan referred in the previous meeting.

I had written my schedule during the weekend on a stick-it note and hung it on my mirror, so I wouldn't forget it. On Mondays I had the major round and also I was on-call. Wednesdays had operations and Thursdays had outpatient clinics. Friday on-calls were rotated between the units, considering it a weekend, so we practically had a Friday on-call every 5 weeks. The rest of the working days I had nothing but to attend the world-famous morning meeting and check on my patients. Since today was Sunday, I only have the meeting to attend and one patient to check on, hopefully to be discharged tomorrow.

I arrived to the meeting room 15 minutes earlier, leaving no chance to any mistakes whatsoever. There were a few interns already sitting in their places chattering about their daily routine. I greeted them and went to sit in the corner. After I made myself comfortable in my chair, I boringly started roaming through my phone till everyone arrived. In the meeting, we go through the on-call report of the day before, and since it was Sunday, aka the beginning of the week, we had to go through all the reports regarding Thursday, Friday and Saturday. In other words, it was agonizing, but I had to behave.

After we were done, the chief talked briefly about the strike and that we shouldn't be sloppy because there are consequences, blah blah blah, and the same story again. The only good news was that they were assigning police force residents to fill in during the on-calls. That means I would have someone to actually guide me if anything I couldn't handle happened. God forbid.

In the end we signed our names in the infamous and my no.1 enemy; the attendance sheet and off the room we went to start our work. Since I don't have any friends to stay and chit chat with, I went to check on my patient, renewed her instructions and went straight home.

*****

The next day was the major round and my on-call. As soon as the morning meeting ended and we signed our names, our unit gathered outside the room to begin the rounds. We started from the critical patients near the labor room then we crossed the yard to the other side of the hospital to a large building were all the wards were placed then we ended our trip by visiting patients with high ranks in the force which were placed in a whole different building. It was painful.

During the rounds there was a fellow intern who looked somehow exhausted. He kept yawning and slumping the whole time and in the end I found myself yawning too. I couldn't fight it no matter how I tried. Nearing the end of the rounds, I was getting tired as well and kept shifting my weight from one leg to another to hold it together in front of the attendings. On our last stop I found myself standing in the back of the group next to the guy with the contagious yawns. He suddenly turned towards me and caught me in a middle of a yawn. By the time I realized that, I made that awkward face when you try to yawn with your mouth closed. Yeah! That's the one.

"Hey, can I ask you a favor?" My eyes were teary and my mouth hurt from my persistent yawning attacks, so I just nodded and gave a little umm-hmm with it.

"I was on-call last night and I'm exhausted, I can't even stand straight, and I'm supposed to fill a file for this new patient whom we admitted yesterday, but I'm too tired to do that..."

I knew exactly what he was asking me to do.

"... so can you fill the file for me?" He asked watching my expressions expectantly behind his sleepy eyes and hardly smiling.

My brain worked quickly for a proper answer. I wanted to quickly accept at first but then I stopped myself. What if he was the sloppy type who always takes advantage of others? Maybe If I said yes now he would load me with all kinds of work for the rest of my shift. If I refused now I would show him that I'm not a feeble prey to feed on. But on the other hand, what would I lose? He really seemed tired, so maybe he truly can't do it. Besides, I don't know anyone here and I should make some friends, not more enemies. But I'm sleepy and I need to go home... ughh!

"Ok!" I blurted out surprisingly and smiled, "I'll do it." His face lit up like a boy who just received a present for his birthday. "Thank you, thank you, thank you so much." He beamed. "I'll never forget this. I owe you one."

I put my hand on my mouth and tried to suppress a giggle so we won't get caught by our attending. "It's ok." I replied, pleased by the decision I took. "It's really isn't that much of a work. Just give me her name and you go get some rest. We're done here anyway". He gave me what I needed to know about the patient, thanked me again and scurried happily. Lucky him!

The truth is, I hated clerking patients. You don't always receive the expected answers for your asked questions. They always deviate from the main point and tell you a long story of a whole different one. You end up lost in tales of previous wars and historical events and maybe even irrelevant ones about the neighbor's private concerns, unless you're a skillful doctor who could navigate the ship to its rightful dock, then you would survive. I totally lack this particular skill.

But a promise is a promise. I took the file and went to do my job making sure that everything would be perfect and not to miss a note for his sake. It was that moment when I realized that we didn't even know each other's names.

*****

It was noon when I finished clerking. I went to the cafeteria to get something to eat so I would be prepared to the battle ahead. I was expecting to be alone again during the duty and I won't be able to leave for any circumstances. So I filled my bag with additional snacks and drinks and then marched to the labor room to start my shift.

As soon as I entered through the door I was met by screaming moms and running midwives. It was hectic. All the rooms were occupied and they all needed attention. Tamara noticed me standing "Hey, don't just stand there. Come on. We need all the help we can get." I snapped out and immediately delved into action.

It wasn't till the sun had set down when the chaos finally calmed. Tamara and I sat on our chairs exhausted. It was an amazing day nonetheless. We delivered 4 boys and a girl. As soon as I saw them I knew that each one of them was worth every punch, every kick, and every slap I took from the moms today. They still hurt, but I guess that's the price of being an ObGyn.

When the clock turned 8 pm Tamara suggested that we divide the time between us two. She would take the shift from 8 to 2am and then I would cover till 8 in the morning. That means I get to rest for 4 solid hours. As happy as I was with this decision, I also felt guilty for leaving her alone. But she assured me that she would call me if anything came and she needed help.

"Besides, we would collapse of exhaustion if wekept working like this." She commented. "Believe me this is the best way, so goon and don't waste your time. Napping hours are precious" She snickered and Icouldn't help but join her. I bid my goodbyes and went to the on-call roomupstairs thinking how glad am I to stumble upon good co-workers like Tamara. Ibarely found an empty bed and as soon as my head hit the pillow I was out.

A/N

This chapter is dedicated to the most talented writer I've ever met tamoja

Please vote and comment. I'd love to know your thoughts

<3