Tuesday - getting into a pattern now, so feeling more comfortable about being here a while. As seems wont to happen around here though, it didn't go quite to the plan of "normal day, go home, bum around".
Remember all that paperwork I had to fill out last week? Naturally, it came round to bite me in the arse today. I say arse, I mean arm. Apparently, my safely being a medical student for 5 years, free of diseases and up to date with all appropriate jabs, doesn't count when it comes to Aussie hospital admin, because I couldn't remember dates of confirmation of various serology tests off the top of my head when I was filling out the forms. Nor could I quickly just check. I should have just guessed, in hindsight, and they wouldn't have been able to do a thing. But they were asking for some odd ones that I've definitely not been vaccinated against or had serology done, but I know I'm immune - varicella (chickenpox) for instance, I had when I was little. I'm immune. No, I haven't had serology to prove it, cos I don't need it!
However, as it was, they wanted proof of freedom from a remarkably long list of diseases, so the Occupational Health nurse sent me trotting off to the vampires (the blood takers).
It's worth noting that I'm not great at having blood taken. I don't like the idea of it much, nobody does I guess, but it's not like I'm scared or needle-phobic. I'm absolutely fine with injections and local anaesthetic to the face and being awake for a minor op (all past experiences). In my head, I'm even ok with blood being taken, really, as I know exactly how to do it myself and how it all works and how little is taken for these tests, and have done it to plenty of other people already.
My body disagrees. It thinks that anything in my veins is actually a secret signal to massively fire off a nerve called the vagus nerve, and dilate all my blood vessels. The vagus nerve is essentially a "brake" for your heart, and when triggered, slows your heart rate down. This is good for a lot of reasons in many situations. In this situation however, it causes something called "vasovagal syncope" which is a posh way of saying - a trigger can cause you to pass out. It causes you to pass out from a combination of two factors:
1) When your heart slows down, your blood pressure drops, and then you faint as your blood can't reach your head.
2) Your blood pressure also drops due to blood vessel dilation. We don't know why certain triggers cause the response - that's just 'odd wiring'.
I have a low blood pressure normally anyway, and sometimes get postural hypotension when I stand up too quickly from a funny position (I stand up, and feel faint because my blood pressure can't adapt to force the blood up to my head fast enough). So, it doesn't take very long with a needle in my arm before I start to feel myself go.
I only had my first (self-aware) blood test when I started medschool, so had no idea what to expect, but found out that I pass out. Which was fun. Anyway, I now know that it's worth pointing out to blood takers if you do have episodes like this. You get to have a lie down, for a start, and they do it all while you lie there. Helps the blood get to my head even when my pressure plummets. It's weird being awake for actually - I knew exactly what was going on, but my body responded against my control anyway, and I could feel my heart thumping - wasn't sure if slow, my body get sweaty, and my breaths get deeper as I unconsciously tried to compensate.
He needed a fair few vials, but once the needle was out of my vein, I was back to normal in seconds. I should add that he was very good - not a mark on me afterwards, and very little pain.
So results of those tests are on Friday morning - no clinical stuff until then, I've been warned. Finals and FPAS are Friday afternoon and evening. Fantastic day that's going to be :/
I went back to the office to do more Science. Played another table tennis match and lost again, 21-16, but was much improved this time! The score doesn't accurately reflect how close it was for most of the match, with each of us pulling ahead in turn. I just made a few mistakes that I know I can improve. Getting there. Got my serving eye back in though, which is good - nice to have their eyes widen a bit when it streaks off to one side. Lots of 'aces' had. My returns need more work!
Wednesday - Normal working day. More Science done. Introduced to a working ophthalmologist fellow who I'll be meeting with tomorrow morning at 7 am (what, an actual early morning start?!) for a team meeting and potentially some "off the books" theatre observation, although I can't condone that sort of behaviour and it's unlikely to happen, etc, etc.
Watched the Game of Thrones Season 3 trailer and contained a potentially embarrassing squeal of excitement that threatened to be let loose, by biting my fist in a manly fashion and clearing my throat. Watched the first of Tor's video blog. Skyped Tor before heading home, which was nice.
Friday looms. I can't shift it out of my head.
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