this week..

Oh, this week. So many things have happened.

Monday was Test Day. Hard core. Physiology at 8, developmental anatomy at 10, gross written at 1, and gross practical at 3. Testing from 8-5 is no good. That morning between developmental and gross, I was sitting around with several people in the atrium between the hospital and Methodist Rehab eating lunch and "studying." Our conversations went mostly like this:

"Is the suprarenal gland innervated by preganglionic or postganglionic nerve fibers?"
"I have no idea."
*hysterical laughter*

Apparently delirium is not good for group studying. There was a sense of doom about the whole thing.

Tuesday we had a Gross lecture (I feel Gross needs to be capitalized so you don't think I mean the lecture was actually disgusting, although sometimes the two are interchangeable) that was really good. This was our first class with this professor and he turned out to be a great lecturer, but, unfortunately, it was about the pelvis and the perineum. Do not Google perineum at work.

It turns out that talking about genitalia can still elicit giggles from most of us, at least in the beginning. I managed to be all serious and professional for a little while, but then the professor decided to orient us on picture we were seeing. He proceeded to lie on the table and tell us, "Just imagine you're lying on this table and a naked person is standing over you with their legs spread." I was a goner. At least he didn't spread his legs for us like we all thought he was about to. I don't think I would have bounced back from that as quickly.

Today was filled with many interesting moments. First, I was studying in the atrium again, but there were multiple screaming children. I mean, screaming. It was awful. Then, I went up to histology lab and had an surreal pseudo-encounter.

The histo and gross labs are on the seventh floor, which is also home to the attached hospital's psychiatric unit. I can only assume this is so they can drag people who freak out in gross lab down the hall with minimal effort. As I got off the hospital elevators, there was a man sitting in one of the chairs in the hall. He was slouched down like he was asleep, and he had a hat and sunglasses on, so I assumed the very much awake preschooler next to him was unattended. I smile at Preschooler and start walking away. As I pass by him, I hear, quite loudly, "Mommy?" I didn't know what to do, so I just walked by. What was I supposed to say? "Sorry, sweetie, but your Mommy might be in a padded room 20 yards behind that large steel door"? I did not want to have the, No, I'm not your Mommy, conversation in front of this person who might be his father and who may or may not have been awake. The discomfort level was high, so I bailed and let "Dad" handle the situation. I hope I didn't scar that kid for life.

This afternoon we were shown how to do a pelvic exam. We get to practice next year on the models she had today, and I can't say I'm looking forward to doing them on a real person. The guest lecturer was really entertaining, though. You know how when the doctor looks in your ears he might say, "Looks good"? Apparently it is impolite to say, "Feels good," when your hand is inside a person's pelvis.

That is all the exciting news I have for the moment. I'm going to go eat some hummus before Grey's Night at Savannah's. If any other insane, child-related incidents or traumatizing mutilations occur tomorrow, I'll let you know.