little update

So I worked with Dr. X. a couple of nights ago. Despite being on the mend from a bad cold and nearly having a full-on panic attack just prior to the shift, it actually went reasonably well. I’m not saying that I saved any lives or anything, but at least I did not want to run out of the emergency department crying. So that’s progress.

I’m working with him again this evening, probably for the last time. Tanks God (as my mum would say). It occurred to me during our last shift that I don’t think we operate at all on the same plane of existence. For example, our senses of humour could not be more discordant, and I think this man has a difficult time laughing at himself or accepting criticism (the latter characteristic can be attributed to most of us I suppose).

At one point in the shift, he referred to a situation as “gay”, as in “I know. It’s pretty gay”. I (who just can’t keep my mouth shut when I sometimes should), replied by saying “I can’t believe you just said that”.

He said “what?”

I said, “did you really just refer to an uncomfortable situation as ‘gay’? I would not expect that from you”. If looks could kill my friends, I would’ve been decapitated. Why did I have to choose this moment to educate my superior about appropriate/sensitive use of language?

He exacted his revenge at the end of our shift when he told me that he had Habs tickets for last night’s game that he was likely not going to use. My eyes popped out of my head and I told him that was a shame. He asked me if I wanted them, and I excited replied “Yes! Really?”

He turned away, laughed in a sinister fashion and said “no, not really”. I resisted the urge to swat him across the back of the head.

I think he was disappointed that I had not been horrified when he asked me to see a 24 year old male with possible testicular torsion. As if I would freak out about examining some guy’s nads. Funnily enough my preceptor from Ob\Gyn was in emerg for a consult and we were able to share some laughs at expense of peni.

The truck is in the shop getting a new transmission. When I pulled up to the garage yesterday, Pat (my mechanic) said "it sounds like the clutch is going on your standard transmission". He did not believe me when I assured him it was automatic. He said the gears were in pieces. So was my heart.

Anyway, those are the highlights.

t