Oncology

Once again it is a new month. It's a little bit warmer outside, the sun is still up when Owen goes to bed, the grass is greener, the heater is off, and I find myself yet again on another new rotation. This month: Oncology.

The general chatter in the resident lounge on the first day of the month is figuring out what everyone else is doing. Most of the comments thrown my way were: "Susan, glad to be done with ICU?", "Susan, haven't see you in a while, when are you due?", "Oncology this month, huh? Sorry about that", but my favorite - and what says it all: "Oncology right after ICU. Who hates you? [pause] and your baby?!" If you can't tell, Oncology is not going to be a restful month. Today we got the talk by our supervisor (also known as our "fellow" in case I use that term later) that this rotation can be draining, not only physically and on our time, but also on our emotions. If ICU wasn't enough, here comes more bad-news-talks and more dying patients. Oddly enough, that isn't what I dread. (And actually, in some strange way I find that part satisfying. That is, helping people die gracefully - how and where they want. Honestly, my entire job, from PAP smears to doing CPR, is just delaying the inevitable and asking people to choose between quantity and quality of life. Anyway...) What I am dreading more than anything is another month filled with sleepless nights away from my family.

Thankfully, this should be the last worst month of residency. Next month, in June, I'll be doing Geriatrics and basically just taking care of nursing home patients. Honestly, it will probably be more dying patients, but it should be a lot less busy and lot less stressful. I hope. Then, after June, I'll be finished with internship. Can you believe it?! Woohoo! I think I can get through this month because I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.