My first week of medicine is going well so far. Monday I was cautious and only took one case. It was a kidney patient and I got to do cystocentesis! For those not fluent in the language of medicine, this involves poking a needle in the dogs abdomen to obtain a sterile urine sample... and I got it in first try! Vaguely remember trying to do this with Anna on an obese little dog back in Denmark and not having any luck.

Yesterday I decided to be more adventurous and see two patients, this ended in disaster, running around the corridors in a mad frenzy trying to submit all my urine and blood samples, as well as having both patients ultrasounded. This resulted in lunch being eaten at 3:30 in the afternoon, no dinner, finally came home at 11:15, exhausted. One patient, a diabetic cat was admitted, and put on IV fluids for the night, with corresponding paperwork and total confusion for me, trying to figure out how the bl..*&%. IV machine works, had to make several trips downstairs to the supply store to get more supplies, tubing and such. Fortunately everyone has been very helpful and I can ask anyone for help. I ask millions of questions every day....

Then I had to be here at 7 am this morning to submit more blood samples and administer insulin to my patient before 8. Today has been better though, did not have to see more patients, concentrate on my diabetic cat. A rare event: got to have lunch at actual luch time! Lots of coce as I am very sleepy from busy day yesterday, as well as only 6 hours of sleep. This morning at 8 I attended "grand rounds" where lots of students and doctors from all the medicine groups gather to talk about interesting cases, very nice, although I hope I will not be made to do a presentation in front of all these people, apparently the lucky student who had the interesting case gets the privilege of presenting it! After that we had our regular rounds with my group: 6 students and 3 teachers. In the morning we discuss the progress of our hospitalized patients and in the afternoon we discuss any patients that came in for treatment and went home the same day. Then we may have discussions and questions from the doctors on various topics. Which reminds me that afternoon rounds are eminent...