What did I do? Part-I
Yesterday was the Gujju New Year and I remember mummy always told me to study or do nice things on new years day because then you would do that the whole year. The whole family had loads of fun and tried to be happy because according to mom, dad, grandpa, and grandma, doing nice things on new years meant nice things throughout the year. So what did I do at this new year?
Woke up at 6:30am and got dressed in scrubs to go to the hospital. No, no I was not sick or anything, but I had my rotations at the hospital this past few weeks and yesterday was my very first day in the OR (operating room), more commonly known as OT(operation theatre) in India. Now what would a dental team do in OR? I wondered that too until recently. Usually there are patients that have profound mental rretardation or are auttistic and cannot take good care of their teeth. These patients have to be put to sleep and operated on. During this time, the dental team accomplishes a lot of things like fillings, cleaning, debridement, extractions, surgery, all kinds of stuff.
It was my first time and I was pretty excited. The whole scene of being in the hospital near different ORs, seeing surgeons in their green scrubs, gowns, masks, hairnets, shoecovers..it was all pretty exciting to my soul. The doc I was working with, DrH was nowhere to be seen and our first patient for the day was a fourteen yr old and I went into his pre-op and talked to his parents. The mother asked me, “So is this your first time in the OR?” The shy me said, “actually yes it is.” — mother: “well I hope it is pretty exciting for you”–”thanks, have done it a bunch of times but just not in the OR”
The nurse anesthetist walked in followed by Dr. H.
DrH: “Hey girl, whats up…ready to roll?”
Me: “uh huh”
DrH: “allright then we get started soon, go around the corner to rm blah blah”
Me: “thanks”
DrH was pretty good to work with he was a resident and should be around 26-27….twas great to be working with a young tall handsome doc 
I walk around the surgery rooms and feel oh so important that I was going to be in one of them. I walked into room bb and as soon as I walk in, the surgery assistant goes “mask mask mask!!!” ME:”huh? where? I dont see one in here.” SA: “thats coz you gotta have the mask on before you get in here. Walk out and its on the right. Make sure you get one with eye-shields”
I walk out and pick up a mask and walk in. Remember those rooms you always see in TVs and in surgeries shown on movies…huge lights on the top, lots of wires, and medical equipment, a huge sterile bed, people in green overalls! It was all there. I felt pretty overwhelmed because everyone knew what they were doing. The assstant was setting tables up, Dr. P who was the attending surgeon was setting up the movable cart, the anesthesiologist(who was Indian by the way) was checking the settings on this huge machine that I later realized would be connected to the patient’s IV and to monitor the patient’s vital signs. I just stood there with my mask on and took everything in. DrH walked in and said, “are we ready to go?” He got thumbs up signs from all the other three in the room. He looked at me and said, “you ready for this?” Me: “yep!” DrH: “allright then, its showtime!”
“showtime?” I think it takes only special people to say “showtime” before a surgery when you don’t know how long its gonna run, or how the patient is going to be, or what the whole deal entails. Showtime it was.
I waited with bated breath as they rolled the patient in. Four nurses followed by the nurse anesthetist walked in pushing a wheeled bed/chair. The patient’s mother was in the chair all dressed up in a gown and hat with her son in her lap, holding him tight. They aligned the chair next to the operating bed and everyone put gloves on. I followed suit.
The four nurses, three of whom were male, picked the son up, and put him on the bed. He started struggling and soon all of us were scrambling to calm him down. I was at the end of the table and pinned his feet down to the bed. The nurse anesthetist put a mask on his face to start the sedation while the anesthesiologist put in the IV. Soon, he calmed down and slowly very slowly his eyes shut. We released him and pretty soon he was on his way to some land that I have never known.
It was showtime.
….to be continued
hmm…wondering abt whats coming next. I hope to God its something pleasant!
Started your new year with entry into OR ….. Still its not clear for me on what does dentists do in a General surgeory ….. But it must really thrilling to be part of a team doing surgeory …
A page right off a Robin Cook..lol, I have quite a number of Dentist friends and none have been able to make my teeth close-up white despite several grinds… They say I don’t have that kind of teeth that teeth comes in variety.. But I am still hoping.. I am a tooth fetish who thinks manufacturing and selling any tobacco products is a Crime
hi Kaush, that was a cool narrations and do I see a making of a medical novel. but dentists in OR is difficult to understand, does that happen only in ummerica or what? waiting for the next part. Hope you had a great Diwali and Sal mubarak too. Now your whole year will pass in OR.
looks like you had quite an eventful day!
Hi Kaush,
Congratulations for joining the elite club of the most noble profession in the world.
I am sure your presence would only add up to its nobility and grace.
Hmm… showtime… :))
So tell me when is the next time I can come in seeking some more entertainment, and needless to say some smooth sweet narration about an operation?
Wow great
Loved reading it….
I remembered the time, when in my life, many years ago, I had to dissect a dead body.. It was pretty hell of an experience.. & with the smell.. its beyond explaination…
Waiting for your part - 2
By the way dd u ever got to dissect a body?
Oye teri to! This sounds like some Ram Gopal Verma thriller! :O) And this piece also that knack of Ekta Kapoor who’ll leave you curious at the end of the soap episode… so much so that the female members of the house would do anything not too miss the next episode! Ahem… looks like your fan club (read us) is gonna wait for the next episode with bated breath! Phewwwww…
Jalsi jaldi likhoooo!!
so u hoping the year coming ahead to be a “showtime”.. ? coooool.. and yeah waiting for the remaining part.
haha, yes yes it is pleasant Chips..nothing is ever bad..and even if it is bad, i wont tell ya ;);)
Arre PV, like I said, when there is a patient with profound mental retaardation or autismm, he/she is incapable of taking good care of teeth. Over years, they develop lots of cavities and might need fillings, extractions or surgeries which they wont allow the dentist to do in a regular office. SO we have to bring them to the OR to get it done..:):)
Robin Cook Tony? I am unworthy of that
but am very glad you liked it. and hey! why worry so much about white teeth? How much white do you want them? Surf excel ka kamaal chahiye kya? hehe I am sure your teeth are very very white.,,and also remember..important to have healthy teeth 
Hey Priyangini, thanks for liking the narration..and LOL medical novel? Do you really think the gemini in me can stick to something as big as writing a novel? but you know maybe someday will compile all these little blog posts and make one
you can be the editor 
and same thing I told PV about dental in OR. waise I am not sure if it happens in India. I was unaware it happened anywhereuntil recently…will have tofind that out about india., and yes nava varsh no pehlo diwas to bauj saras gayo..and lol..yep yep..ih ope i am in OR often this year 
I very much did Anks
it was great!
Thanks so much Hari for the kind words. I am not sure I am so worthy though. How are you? Its been quite a long time. I have been pretty busy but shall be over to your blog soon. Hope you had a nice diwali and are well :)Good to see you here again.
yes ITNL, it was indeed showtime. Haha, the next time should be pretty soon. As soon as I finish my work for the day and get down to writing that
thanks for liking the narration.
Thanks for liking the narration Navjot. Actually yes, I have dissected a human body once, and it was the most interesting thing at that point in my life. I remember I was so gung-ho and excited about being there and I remember coming home and telling my parents that for the first time I had held an actual human heart and an actual human brain in my hand..haha. The human body and its science, and the field of medicine are all too interesting
Btw, in what program did you do the dissection? You a doc too kya? i though human body was only done in certain educational programs..amm very curiousnow.
haha Fundoo..i shall take all that as a huge compliment. Waise Ekta Kapoor also has a knack of running looooooooong suspenses and bringing dead people to life..hmmm maybe I should do that too./.hhee..anyways thanks so much for liking it~! and i have a dfan club? hahah..i thought you all took pity on me and read my stuff..bah!
Mehul, I only hope the year is half as good and exciting as the first day! the remaining part shall be up soon
Sounds like a great experience! I wonder if there was a specific reason why “rretardation or are auttistic” are spelt with an extra ‘r’ and ‘t’ ?! Very curious to hear about your complete experience on working in the OR. Just wondering how the patient lying sedated would take all that ’stuff’ that dentists use to clean the teeth. Usually patients are asked to spit and cleanse.. so just curious!
hmmm. You were gung-ho about disecting a body? Kamaal hai…I was tetrified, burretted and pipetted at the same time. It’s not an easy thing to open up a human being and take out all his parts as if you were cutting tomatoes and potatoes in your kitchen.
I had forgotten all that, your post reminded me. No, I am not a Doc. I did MBBS for just 45 days. After that I went to PEC for my engineering.
hmm……now post wat happened naah!
hope u had a good diwali n new years day……
happy new year!
TC,
Divs
And I do hope as well that its something pleasant…… coz only last night before the bloggerrati - in a desparate attempt to keep myself awake, I was watching a medical documentary on TV about the most hidious medical cases and the first one was of a indian girl in a village in Punjab whose whole face gets peeled off!
Achha achha…. I wont dampen the mood. But nicely written - I have to tell you somethingt tho’ I am really scared of hospitals!!! Would never go on my own free-will.
wow… true.. as Nupur said, its like am reading a medical thriller book :))
Hope u had a very gud experience and also education…
Hmm, now waiting for the next part..
boy! that sounds too interesting!!! it must feel great to do something of this nature!
y dont u write a post someday on good dental care habits?!
First up, my belated Diwali Wishes to your entire family, the ‘punjus’ included. :-)).
This is indeed a mast post. I am not sure whether it is your writing … but you seemed quite an eager OR participant.
I have had many ocassions of being inside an OR .. and fortunately … of being neither the operator or the operatee. I do enjoy the experience EVERY TIME. :-)).
And ohh, your mask comment reminds me … I have seen surgeons go beserk over ‘watchers’ as much as touching the sides of the instrument drape. The one on which all the sterile instruments are kept. One such ocassion, an eager viewer touched the sides of the cloth - with these instruments. And the surgeon doc just threw the drape and all instruments on it, on the floor. And ordered for a fresh sterile set.
It was quite a sight - the instruments strewn on the floor … and the face of the errant perprator, fallen just as low. :-).
This is indeed a racy piece kaush - waiting very much for the sequel. Great work.
kaisi ho kaush?
hey kaush.. i dono what happnd to my previous comment posted 2 days back!hmm so we need to believe that u r younger than the DOC!.. ahem!way to reveal ur age ;)so 1st day on new year went for operation.. so all the days in the year.. god..chave the pool pachenchs
Lovely post, Belated Wishes…
…so it was all a filmi scene ( how come u end up in all these filmi scenes in real life?) , and u were pretty much as useless as the myriad Madhuris and Dimples we see pretending to be doctors ;-P *ducking*
Part Two kabhi?
totally robin cook…wow…waiting for part 2.
-RS
Nahin yaar, I just thought it would be nice to have tohse teeth that commercials of close up shows.. I am not discriminating LOL
I hope you do not take this much break in between these operations…LOL. Good description but surgeries just make me cringe. Also, like Nupur I don’t like going to Doctors too…avoid them untill its really necessary…
Long time huh..
No reply-sheply … no Part II. Kahan hain? Sab khairiyat ??
Great post…I can’t wait for the remaining part…post it soon!!
time for the next part now!!!!!!!!!! what say Kaush ?
WE WANT IT NOW!! WE WANT IT NOW!! WE WANT IT NOW!!WE WANT IT NOW!! WE WANT IT NOW!! WE WANT IT NOW!!WE WANT IT NOW!! WE WANT IT NOW!! WE WANT IT NOW!!WE WANT IT NOW!! WE WANT IT NOW!! WE WANT IT NOW!!WE WANT IT NOW!! WE WANT IT NOW!! WE WANT IT NOW!!WE WANT IT NOW!! WE WANT IT NOW!! WE WANT IT NOW!!WE WANT IT NOW!! WE WANT IT NOW!! WE WANT IT NOW!!WE WANT IT NOW!! WE WANT IT NOW!! WE WANT IT NOW!!
copy & paste Mehul’s previous msg here
come back kaushie
still no signs of u!!! kya hogaya???
Hellloooo…. high time you came up with part 2. Busy n all fine, but so long???
Encrypted—-dentist ke paas last time kab gayee the? The spitting and cleansing days have long been gone! Actually, I have NEVER asked a patient to spit or cleanse in my life! The new buzz word is saliva ejector and suction tips! Just like dentits used to have pipes that sprayed water, we now have pipes that eject and suction everything out of the mouth, much like a vaccuum cleaner so the patients never have to spit or throw up in a sink next to them! Pretty good stuff! easy on the dentist and in the OR!:)
Navjot, acha? you opted out of MBBS? hmmmm….waise just like I cannot understand people sitting in an office working in front of a computer all day..i guess it is the same way for me and healthcare! Its the most interesting thing knowing what is actually inside you and actually looking at those organs that make you function! I would take a dissection anyday over opening up a computer!
thanks Divs, had a great diwali and a new years! and finaly phew! the second part is up!
Nupur! thanks for the wonderful compliment! and haha you scared of hospitals? the best thing to do is become a doc thenheheh no fear then! you will be forced to go into one
buhaha!
Prasad! thrilling and great education! I had the best time ever! and the second part is up now
Vidhi — it does indeed feel awesome to be able to do something of thisnature..and yes a post on dental habits sounds like a great idea! shall get down to it once I have free time
ahahha..and waaah! you have been inside these ORs now have you? I dont understand when and how? if you were not hte operator or the operatee? do they allow volunteers or observers aise hi? but nevertheless its a pretty amazing experience!
Hmmm Ashtrix, aap is blog pe aaye….is blog ki kismat khul gai
Oh and yes! I can so see surgeons doing that..especially those that are real picky and precise! but then its only for the patients good! i mean if i were the patient, I would be glad to know that my surgeon was careful about infection control! imagine someone eating their food, touching thousands of things and then operating on your wiht bare hands! uuuurgh!
bilkul theek hoon, redji
Chandu chandu…ofcourse I am younger than the doc…eighteen till I die ;);) and yes..great new years day!
Deepak! I just happen to end up in the most interesting situations…and grrrrr! no no I was no usless madhuri or wahtevr it is you call them! brrrrr! I was angelina jolie in lara croft — involved in the action! waittill ya read part two! buhaha! and you better duck! i see a HUGE rock coming your way.
thanks RS–thats a great compliment!
and phew finally i have put up part two…am not sure if it is as intriguing as the first one.
thanks ricky! appreciate it…..and tell you what…doctors are not that bad
Welcome Sudarshan to the blog! next part is up now..
Everyeon who kept visiting and asking for part two (mehul ahem ahem)tsorry for the long wait but was tied up immensely in a lot of stuff lately! part two is up now
hope it was worth the wait..or even readable ..sigh