http://davidgraff.com Today with Dave, Downunder Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:35:48 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en With the end of rotation coming up, I am starting to get a little frazzled... There has been a lot happen in the last few weeks, and it has been a trying but good experience.  I am looking forward to completing this whole thing and hopefully doing ok.  I have ... http://davidgraff.com/2010/03/09/frazzled/ On Thursday and Friday my preceptor and I drive 1.5 hours east to a small town called Alpha, to work at the hospital and clinic there.  We have done so for the last five weeks.  this time however, I sutured a lady's leg.  The other day I did cut someone, ... http://davidgraff.com/2010/03/05/alpha-the-beginning-of-my-suturing-career/ The last few days have been pretty good, getting into doing things a little more.  I have admitted a few patients, done a few canulas and even written a referral letter to Rockhampton for a Royal Flying Doctors extraction of a patient.  It feels pretty good to know what goes ... http://davidgraff.com/2010/03/03/a-few-good-days/ For the first time, I put a scalpel to someone's skin today, and cut them.  It was actually really cool, I did the local, excision and dressing... did everything.  Some people might not think this is a big deal, but there was a time when I thought I shouldn't do ... http://davidgraff.com/2010/03/01/i-cut-someone-today/ I am in my new home, which feels great, and I am looking forward to getting everything set up.  I'm here for a little bit this weekend, and then I am headed back to the bush for another few weeks!  I won't be setting everything up, because I won't be ... http://davidgraff.com/2010/02/21/new-home/ Believe it or not, at the last minute I decided to hop on a Greyhound bus, ride 16 hours through the outback over night and arrive back in Brisbane this weekend.  I am here for a couple reasons, including "Sports Day" which is the biggest cross-class get together of the ... http://davidgraff.com/2010/02/19/back-in-the-big-smoke/ Here I am, sitting here in the middle of the outback, watching the start of the Vancouver Olympics.  I see the Canadiana on the TV, but when I look outside it's a completely different vista.  I went for a walk today, just to get out of the house.  I walked ... http://davidgraff.com/2010/02/13/what-a-weird-day/ Today something happened that is hard to get used to.  Someone used the phrase "because we're doctors" to me.  Directly to me.  Now, usually when this happens I feel a real obligation to say, "Well, I'm still just a student."  But there was literally nobody else around, and the speaker ... http://davidgraff.com/2010/02/12/because-were-doctors/ So the first week of rural is over, and it was a pretty neat experience.  As I mentioned earlier that on Monday we spent some time excising and chatting.  Tuesday and Wednesday were a mix of hospital and clinic (which Aussies call "surgery", very confusing).  Thursday and Friday were spent ... http://davidgraff.com/2010/02/07/end-of-the-first-week/ I am in Barcaldine, Qld, and it seems like it's going to be great.  The town is tiny, as predicted and the people are very friendly.  It has rained nearly 140 mm over the last 36 hours, and the town is officially shut off from the outside by the police.  ... http://davidgraff.com/2010/02/01/barcaldine/