Back In the Saddle Again...

And on call tonight.

After a rocky start, I'm getting back into the swing of things. Spent a good 90 minutes this morning trying to figure out a) how this backup call thing was going to work and b) where to meet the team that I hadn't been with for the last 3 weeks.

But once we'd met up, all was well. Once this kid comes back from the EEG lab, I'll be doing the admission. The orders are already in, and I have clinic this afternoon.

Medicine, as I'm noticing after a hiatus, is all about the hurry up and wait. I bumped around at loose ends this morning until almost 10, and now I'm running like mad to get all the things done that I need to DO before I go to St. Paul for my clinic this afternoon at 1.

Ah, well.

I'd Forgotten...

...how busy call can be.

I was anticipating a slow call; bad move. I should never have brought the latest F&SF with me. Nor should I have brought board review books, or stories that need revision.

Because the more stuff I bring to prepare for a slow night, the busier it is. Currently, I've finished one H&P and six sets of admit orders.

Five H&P's to go, and I just hope I keep them all straight in my mind. But on the plus side, I phoned up Lydy, out of the blue. Here's conversation + subtext-- or my side of it, anyway.

"Hi, Lydy! This is Stella!" (Yeah, you know, the total stranger who's calling you out of the blue and who geeked at you for a good hour in Uncle Hugo's about 3 weeks ago...)

"I was wondering if you'd like to go to the Noodle House with me for lunch tomorrow, my treat." (Fuck, it's called the Noodles & Company Restaurant, and it sounds like I'm asking her out on a date. Bwah, Stella, can you get any CREEPIER??)

"Okay, superlative! I'll swing by and get you around 11:45-- uh, I'm going to be stinky and post-call. You won't mind that will you? I mean, uh. We're going to the noodle house, so you probably won't be able to smell me..."

At which point my brain promptly shut down and a good thing too. I think my lips kept flapping for, oh, a good few minutes longer. Blargh. I also think it's because Lydy's so supremely cool and easy to talk to, and just plain fun. Like the rest of her family-- and Mike & I'd love to get to know them all better.

Of course, THEY probably have dozens of oodles of friends around here anyway, and don't need one more whack-job family with a demanding toddler taking up their time...