Almost

I'm not quite there. It takes experience, speed born of knowledge, and I am not quite there yet. I keep falling into the gaps. Which is hard for the nurses charged to train me. Hard to shut off the muscle memory and NOT do. I know how hard a thing I ask of them, because I still need them in the room for a little while more. Where is this, how do you do that? Less and less, but not quite at nothing. And I have to stumble, cope and get up again, but for a little while, I still need one who knows to be around to answer questions.

Today, well, today. A large number of minor hand surgeries, soft tissue stuff between two rooms. But S, though struggling, stayed with me, we laughed and I grasped every mistake, every task, as the last bit of chocolate. She laughed, and restrained herself, let herself be bored and sidelined, as I made my mistakes. The difference from when I was new, I always caught my deficits this time, usually shortly after I skipped a step. Missed this, missed that, will do that next time, had eight chances to try again. Stayed cheerful all day. Tired, but ebullient.

There is a procedure called a Bier Block, a regional anesthetic, that this surgeon wants on his hand cases. All day long, talking about Bier Blocks, and I kept complaining, "Oh, quit with the bier, makes me want one!" This is the university, not the mormon hospital, the joke goes down better here than it would have at Old Hospital. Feeling much more at home.

Tomorrow off, to take care of calls, groceries, veterinarian visit for Moby.