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a 3-time hot dog-eating champion.
On the 4th day of Christmas my OR gave to me … 4 nasty podiatry
cases starting at 1700. Why at 1700? Yes, I know we stay open until
2100. But they're also posted after his office hours. They aren't emer-
gencies. All 4 waited months too late to fix those fat little piggies, and
now it's time to cut off their heads? I mean, what's one day more? Yes,
I know we're busy tomorrow. Nooooo, please don't flip rooms. You
only have one team. There will still be the same turnover time or
worse.
On the 5th day of Christmas my OR gave to me … 5 different proce-
dures with the same surgeon, and there are no pull sheets for any of
these cases. That's 5 case carts of emptiness.
On the 6th day of Christmas my OR gave to me … a gain of about 6
pounds a week. Well, what do you expect? I didn't give myself ade-
quate time to take breaks or lunches. I'd clock out and then catch up
on charting. I missed meals. Then I'd go home exhausted and stress-
eat like a champ, mostly pint-size containers of Haagen-Dazs vanilla ice
cream. Wearing scrubs and those stretchy workout pants with an XXL
t-shirt, you just don't realize you're packing on the pounds.
On the 7th day of Christmas my OR gave to me … 7 days off for
Christmas! Well, technically 4 days. The facility is closed for
Christmas Day and the weekend. But I did get Christmas Eve, and the
2 days after Christmas off. Plus, the following Monday (I asked for it
last March).
On the 8th day of Christmas my OR gave to me … 8 hours being the
Behind Closed Doors
CD
