This week, Owen and I were in Orthopedics. Right off the bat we were able to see two surgeries. Being in the operating room is a completely different experience than I thought it would be. We were able to stand right behind the surgeons and see what they were doing during the surgeries. Some of them were laparoscopic, so we could clearly see inside the joints on a screen. As I was watching them, I was amazed at the skill surgeons must have. I can't imagine how difficult it must be to make intricate cuts and stitches, all while looking at a screen. It got me thinking about whether or not I am able to perform surgery. I don't know if I would be coordinated enough to be precise with both of my hands while working through a camera. If I practice enough though, I might be able to improve and prove myself wrong.
Our second day on Orthopedics was a long one. We only watched one surgery, but it was almost five hours long. Dr. Antonio was removing a hip spacer from a patient and then placing a prosthetic hip instead. It was only supposed to be a 2 1/2 hour surgery, but the spacer was stuck in with surgical cement. It took 1 1/2 hours to just remove the spacer. The rest of the surgery went almost as planned. I started to get really tired of standing for so long. My legs started to tingle and my feet started to go numb. I don't know how the surgeons stand there for that long. There are surgeries that go even longer, which to me sounds crazy. I work at a hospital, so sometimes I don't sit down for 12 hours, however, I am also walking around and keeping busy the entire time. It is different when you are just standing there and not moving. It is so much harder to stand for a long period of time. I'm sure it takes a lot of stamina to be so focused and steady.
Our last day of surgery was all about the knee. We saw a ACL repair that didn't go as planned. The patient had too much scar tissue so they were unable to repair the ACL until the patient could fully extend his knee. The second surgery was a knee replacement. It was interesting to see this surgery because I take care of patients who had knee replacements at work. I'm grateful that I was able to see it so I know what the patients go through. I might be able to help them understand their surgeries better and empathize with them. This would make me a better caregiver.
I am so grateful that I was able to see surgeries up close this week. Back in the United States, I would not be able to be in the room while the surgery was going on. This opportunity only happens once in a life time. I still can't believe I am here in Portugal shadowing doctors, even though I've been here for four weeks already. I am so lucky I met these amazing group of students. We all connected with each other very quickly. Because of this internship, we will be friends for a long time.
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