"Doc meets Dorf" Day 3, Throw back Thursday old-school style

So I really thought I had this morning commute thing down.

After having forgotten my tea and my jacket yesterday, I managed to have those with me today. I really dislike looking like a tourist or someone who doesn't know what she is doing. So when I am traveling I try to hide my map as much as possible or memorize as much of the map and route as I can and just take quick glances. In the case of my morning commute, I got to the train station (rather early, not so professional commuter of me) and bought some breakfast and headed to the platform. I was surprised to see the train pull in already and was a bit irritated that it said "Fulda" on it (for a second I thought it might be coming from there and would move on to "Kassel".) Without verifying this (remember, I'm a cool morning commuter, I don't need to look at information signs) I hopped on and sat down. This was at about 7:00. My train to Kassel doesn't leave until 7:14. You can imagine my confusion when the train started moving at 7:02. Luckily, I remembered looking at one of those information posters on Tuesday and seeing that the train to Fulda and Kassel had the same first stop. Thank god!

My unexpected stop.

I had left so early to make sure I don't miss my train (I don't trust my bike) and then it all could have been ruined because I thought I was too cool for school.

Good morning, sunshine!

So I ended up in Friedland. It was a rather chilly morning with a lot of fog and the sun started coming up. It was relaxing and actually quite nice in comparison to the Göttinger train station.

I was able to catch the right train a few minutes later and got out a stop before the usual. There, Dr.D picked me up and we went to do house visits for blood draws.

The first lady was a sweet older lady. I quite liked her apartment actually and instantly imagined the lay out with my stuff. She is almost blind but the things she is still able to make with her hands crocheting and knitting is amazing.

The second lady was also very sweet. She kept thanking doc for all the wonderful help he gives her. She kept saying that I probably think she is crazy. But I don't. These doctors are so important in these patient's lives. If they didn't do their job and drive to visit these people, they might never see a doctor. Her husband was also very caring and it is great to see such a loving couple. He himself is already old but puts all his energy into helping his sick wife.

We stopped by two nursing homes as well to check on a few more women.

Cute entrace at the Hedemünden Trainstation

What I ended up observing in the different rooms and apartments of these ladies is that almost all of them have some sort of glamor shot on the wall of themselves (be it a school picture, professional portrait or something like it). The old school version of today's "Throw back Thursday" I guess. They were all beautiful in their own way and that is still true for how they are today. I am a huge fan of wrinkles. I think its terrible that people make them disappear with Botox. Wrinkles show you've lived and seen something. I think they make you look wise.

It is crazy to think about how their lives must have been and how they got to the point they are now. The pictures on the walls and memorabilia on the shelves show moments from their lives.

All these ladies also really seem to like doc. They almost begin blushing when he walks into the room.

He really is great with his patients though. Me and him get along just wonderfully as well. He reminds me of the caring feature in my dad. I feel comfortable in the environment. To the point where I could see myself being a general practitioner and doing my job well and liking it. It's a bit crazy because it makes me rethink my going into a specialty for a second (then I remember how much I love to operate and I'm back on the Urology mindset). I think I can probably have a bit of both worlds if after having worked in the hospital for many years, eventually relocating to a more rural area. Maybe I'm just living in nostalgia as well and will get over it once the two weeks are done.

But jokes aside, general practitioners are seen as the lesser doctors a lot of the time in med school (or the not so cool ones anyways) but I beg to differ strongly. They are the only kind of doctor that really know what's going on in the patients life over a long period of time. They aren't just a symptom or an easy case to earn some money, they are people with a history of disease that this one doctor has the overview of while specialists only have a snap shot of their life (unless of course they have a chronic illness and then even the specialists know what the patient's neighbor and cat are up to ;) ) General practitioners are also more likely to be the ones receiving Christmas cookies than any other specialty I'd say.

Back at the office we had appointments and walk-ins to attend to. Again, a mix of all kinds of things. I even got to examine another patient. Symptoms: weakness and constantly being tired (well I know that feeling) I wasn't expecting to find anything with the physical exam and I didn't. I'm interested to see what her blood work shows, particularly her hemoglobin level and her thyroid hormones.

Around 2PM we headed out for more house visits.

Dr.D knew that I had to work a night shift today so he asked me when I wanted to leave. Nice thought, but unfortunately he asked me about 5 minutes after my train had left. So I told him I'd leave like I did the last few days and would return to the office first and see patients until I had to leave.

I was home by 5, took a 2 hour nap (well, on and off nap I guess) and am now in the hospital watching two patients. It looks like it should be a relatively calm night and I should be able to get a few things done. After work I will only have time for a shower and breakfast before it is off to the train station and off to work. I'm hoping Dr.W (since I'll be working with him again) will be sympathetic to my lack of sleep and will let me go early.

Baci, V