3 rants a charm

My surgery rotation is intense. I spend at least 12 hours in the hospital, running around, accomplishing essentially nothing. All I do is observe or help with busy work. I mean, rotations are important but every hospital is designed to run without third year medical students.

I observed 2 mastectomies and breast resconstructions today. They were cool and gross, but standing for hours on end is a serious back killer. If I was actually performing the surgery I bet my back would be fine.

The chief residents are actually great teachers, but they have a tendency to order us around. The interns don't know what to do with us. They are the true bitches in the hierarchy, and I feel bad for them... but send us home or let us go read instead of stringing us along.

And when I'm finally dismissed for the day, exhausted, excited to go home and relax, I still practice courtesy and respect for everyone around me and keep the bitching for all of you.

This brings me to my next rant. I know some people hate it when people are walking and talking on their cell phones, but it's 2007 so deal. I'm on the phone, calling Roomate to see how her first day at her internship went, and I enter the round-a-bout door. A woman on the other side was about to get in, so I didn't push and waved her in. My plan was to push her through out of kindness and common courtesy. She refuses, so I go ahead and push my way out. As I exit, she says "why don't you stop yapping away and push through!" Normally I would have written her off, but after 13 hours running around, I was on a high so I yelled back that I was trying to be nice and push her through. I was good, though. I didn't call her a bitch.

But there is someone I am getting closer to calling a bitch, and that person happens to be Roomate. Imagine someone you consider one of your best friends goes away for a little over a month. You've barely spoken because she doesn't respond to emails or instant messages. She finally gets home. You're excited to see her, but with your ridiculous hours in say... the operating room... you really don't get the opportunity.

Imagine you put a post-it note saying Welcome Back on her door the following morning and later that day after hours of working you get a text message from your friend and it says, "Please get toilet paper. We are out."

How would that make you feel?

It made me feel awful. I know she doesn't know what my days are like, but how about a Hello?

I called her back because I hate texting and it went to voicemail. I'm not sure how my voicemail sounded, but I basically told her my schedule was ridiculous. I would try to get some toilet paper, but don't count on me.

She didn't call back. The next day when I'm on 24 hour call, I get another text telling me she's going home to start her internship and she might not be back the following weekend. I leave a friendly message wishing her good luck. Again nothing.

I tried calling again tonight and again nothing. I'm sure she is not mad at me and is just very excited to be hanging out with her boyfriend or family, but things still feel off. I was worried going into my third year I wouldn't be able to balance friends, family and work... but I know I can.

I didn't expect others would not to be able to balance me.