All throughout the summer immersion, I was craving for an OR experience. Finally, I got one this week! And what an experience. It was a complicated case lasting 5 hours. It all started with JH emailing me about the surgery days i.e., Tuesday and Thursday. I quickly went to meet him asking the location and time. He also shared his experience and answered my questions on do's and don'ts. Can I ask the doctor to move aside so that I can see the surgery? Where can I throw up if the need arises? Can I use my smartphone in the OR? These were some questions which JH answered in a calm and composed manner. His recommendations were also valuable.
And finally my tryst with destiny arrived on Tuesday. The operation was scheduled at noon. As I mentioned in my first blog, finding a location in the Weill Medical College can be a daunting task, requiring a GPS. I therefore left an hour early. Surprisingly, on my way, I came to know that Obama is visiting the hospital. I was feeling sorry for him as he would not be able to meet me! The previous Saturday, he came to Times Square, but it was too late as I already left to watch the movie "Bajrangi Bhaijaan". His administration should have told him about my schedule!
Gladly, I reached my destination at once without wandering and detours. I received scrub, cap, and mask from the counter desk. Men's locker room seemed a fancy place to change clothes and get rid of all the belongings. It was a great experience until I realized in the OR that scrubs have pockets and I could have brought my phone, wallet, and pen and paper!
The preparation for the surgery started at noon with residents and nurses setting up and taking the first steps of the procedure. The patient seemed anxious. The anesthetist was on the top of her job. I was overwhelmed by the professionalism and synchrony of the people involved. The residents were excited because the patient had some cool problem and required a rare complicated procedure. After the initial steps, the person in the limelight arrived. That person was not the patient, but the surgeon.
Dr. Schwartz immediately got to his job, removing the required portion of skull and observing the brain parts. The patient was awake and talking. I came to know about her first date and other milestones in her life. Being an expert and adept in surgery, Dr. Schwartz located the tumor with the help of the MRI images. Removing it successfully revealed his true skill. Everyone was elated, including the patient. Soon after removing the tumor, Dr. Schwartz left, and junior doctors and residents took the job of closing up. The way the removed skull part was put back and the number of screws inserted to join it with the remaining skull reminded me of carpentry. The art of rough cutting and stitching in both the professions is the same. It is kind of sad to see carpentry stuff happening to people, but it's effective. Maybe, in the future, there will be non-invasive techniques to perform neurosurgery. Till then enjoy the surgery.
And finally my tryst with destiny arrived on Tuesday. The operation was scheduled at noon. As I mentioned in my first blog, finding a location in the Weill Medical College can be a daunting task, requiring a GPS. I therefore left an hour early. Surprisingly, on my way, I came to know that Obama is visiting the hospital. I was feeling sorry for him as he would not be able to meet me! The previous Saturday, he came to Times Square, but it was too late as I already left to watch the movie "Bajrangi Bhaijaan". His administration should have told him about my schedule!
Gladly, I reached my destination at once without wandering and detours. I received scrub, cap, and mask from the counter desk. Men's locker room seemed a fancy place to change clothes and get rid of all the belongings. It was a great experience until I realized in the OR that scrubs have pockets and I could have brought my phone, wallet, and pen and paper!
The preparation for the surgery started at noon with residents and nurses setting up and taking the first steps of the procedure. The patient seemed anxious. The anesthetist was on the top of her job. I was overwhelmed by the professionalism and synchrony of the people involved. The residents were excited because the patient had some cool problem and required a rare complicated procedure. After the initial steps, the person in the limelight arrived. That person was not the patient, but the surgeon.
Dr. Schwartz immediately got to his job, removing the required portion of skull and observing the brain parts. The patient was awake and talking. I came to know about her first date and other milestones in her life. Being an expert and adept in surgery, Dr. Schwartz located the tumor with the help of the MRI images. Removing it successfully revealed his true skill. Everyone was elated, including the patient. Soon after removing the tumor, Dr. Schwartz left, and junior doctors and residents took the job of closing up. The way the removed skull part was put back and the number of screws inserted to join it with the remaining skull reminded me of carpentry. The art of rough cutting and stitching in both the professions is the same. It is kind of sad to see carpentry stuff happening to people, but it's effective. Maybe, in the future, there will be non-invasive techniques to perform neurosurgery. Till then enjoy the surgery.
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