Since we last spoke...

[elizabethoshea]

I've had more minor illnesses this term than in the whole of last year. One of the perils of paediatrics: all those children with their eager young germs just dying to cross the generation gap. This week it's a chesty cold, so I'm living off paracetamol and decongestants (whoever invented Night Nurse deserves a Nobel prize) and sounding like I've

Comments

[msmoat]

Swabian mercenaries! You do meet the most interesting people, don't you? And I have to say, that school sounds cool.

Your cold, however, doesn't--I hope you get over that soon. (Although, yes, I would actually like to hear you in Minnie Mouse mode.... *g*)

Good luck with all that you're facing! Keep the lads in the back of your mind, as reward just for surviving. Hey, at least you're not being shot at! *g*

[elizabethoshea]

He's only a Swabian mercenary half the time - the rest of the time he moonlights as a Saxon foot soldier (he fought in this year's reconstruction of the Battle of Hastings where the cavalry got sent off - they have a yellow and red card system that probably isn't entirely authentic - for getting carried away and nearly trampling a pile of 'dead' Saxons who had to leap to their feet and scatter to avoid losing their quotation marks). He was quite impressive - taller than me and in full 4th century battle gear, with a long pony tail (all his own hair!). Good warrior material

[byslantedlight]

We had to learn tables and spelling and stuff at that age; they just play
Good gawd, don't let the government hear you say that! (Or maybe the teachers either?!) Besides, those kids presumably know more than me - I had to go google to find out where Swabia was *g*

It all sounds really interesting though - do you mind if I ask what year you're in?

*headdesk* - I managed to miss out half my quote, so had to edit this - ack!

[elizabethoshea]

Not at all *g*. I'm in the fourth year - one more to go (which is sometimes encouraging and mostly terrifying). This year's paediatrics and obs & gynae (which I'm dreading with every fibre of my being) then the elective. Next year's A&E, psychiatry and a long stint of shadowing this year's PRHOs so we're (theoretically) better prepared and a little less likely to kill too many people when we start the job for real the following August. So if you're planning to get ill or injured in East Anglia at any point, try to fit it in before August '08!

And I'm probably maligning the school - there was talk of reading being done the next day (with books from the travelling library - it's a proper village school). And sums. The food (always top of my priorities) was good, too, and the children were very cheerful and well-behaved.

[metabolick]

Hi! I just discovered that you (the author of one of my fave Pros stories - Voice Over) have started a LJ, so I have friended you. I hope that's all right.

I am quite interested in what you have to say about your training because one of my near and dear ones is training to be an A&E physician (emergency room here in the US). She is in her 2nd year of residency (post medical school). So I am quite intrigued by the differences between programs in our 2 countries.

I do hope you're feeling better now.

[elizabethoshea]

Hello

[metabolick]

Friend away! And thank you!

No, don't think about the future. That will take care of itself.

She is definitely not enjoying herself. Part of the problem is that she is on the other side of the country from her family and most of her friends, and she is quite homesick. She does plan to return when she finishes the program. But the hours are brutal. This month it is a 30-hour shift every 3 days! (in Trauma). She is at an insanely busy hospital, and the pace is very trying. Hopefully she will have a different outlook when she is around family and friends again and working at a non-killing pace. But she is determined to see it through.

[elizabethoshea]

Yikes! She has my sympathy. Exhaustion's bad enough, but being off away from everyone like that must make it so much harder. I think she's very brave.

We tend to have to move around a lot here as well during the course of training, but of course the distances are so much smaller you don't get that same feeling of isolation (I hope!).

How much longer does she have to go before she can come back closer to home and start working slightly less brutal hours?