What have I been up to you ask?! A lot. (Which funny enough sometimes doesn't suffice as an answer for my friends as too why I haven't seen them in a while.)
We just had 5 weeks of classes. They were split up for neurology (the study of the brain and nerves) and psychiatry and psychosomatic medicine.
I tried to study as much as possible along the way because I knew I didn't want to have to cram too much knowing my weekends were booked.
First, I went to a Jay Z concert in Hamburg and a lil'Wayne concert the next day in Frankfurt. The following weekend was my annual Halloween party. The one after that, I had a Volkswagen movie job. The one after that, I was in Berlin the whole weekend watching my god child. This past one, aftert he exam I was on Sylt, a German island, with a friend. None of those weekends were all too relaxing.
All of last week was spent in class and then in the library until about midnight and then repeat. The exam was Friday and I think it went well.
Now, I have my Neurology practical week. (aka I get to hang out with Neurosurgeons and Neurologist who obviously all have the charm and looks of one Derek Shepherd.........sadly not.)
Today, a neurosurgeon from a nearby city came and examined and discussed patients with us all day. He did a really good job with the set up. In the morning, groups of two had a patient to take history on, examine and then present in the rounds with the others.
My first patient had a subarchnoid cyst between his posterior fossa. It caused him to feel dizzy, have visual problems and an unsturdy gait. We talked to him about how he started noticing the signs and his long journey to where he was now. He had a fairly large operation wound on the back side of his head. The neurosurgeon came with the rest of the students and my friend and I had to present our patient to him. The others did the same with their patients and then we discussed the MRIs and CTs before lunch.
After lunch, we saw another patient. This time, our patient had a chronic subepidural bleeding. This is not uncommon with elderly patients. The veins of the brain rupture even after slight falls or even coughing too hard if they take anticoagulants. She was a bit confused about it all still which made taking her history quite a challenge. She was very sweet and gave us life lessons along the way. Gotta love that.
I was quite exhausted today (and still am). I got little sleep last night because after getting back from Sylt, I decided to see some friends I haven't seen in a while. (They were the ones who didn't find my schedule a valid excuse for seeing me so little. Oh geez.)
I've heard from the other groups that their day wasn't as nice as mine so I'm excited to see what happens tomorrow.
To be honest, neurology isn't my most favorite specialty. I think it's because they don't operate (unless they are neurosurgeons), a lot of the patients are more or less hard to diagnose and even harder to treat with very satisfying results. To unfairly reduce it, it's like being able to tell the patient exactly what he has but following that with saying no sufficient therapy exists. (That of course isn't completely true but still.)
Next week, I have two days of psychosomatic medicine in a hospital an hour away from here (doing that with my two friends) and then the rest of the week psychiatry.
Let's see what happens!
Baci, V
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