poop beetle: swan-ganz 10.2005 I have a badge that is supposed to keep track of how much radiation I'm exposed to, but I couldn't find it and lots of people went way out of their way to get me into watch the Swan Ganz procedure and I accidently washed the thing anyway and I don't know if it will work after going through the washing machine and in fact these radio-isotope releasing things are not done that often.
Besides that, I was wearing a lead apron and a lead collar to protect my thyroid gland.
They handed me the syringe that squeezes in the air that floats the balloon from the patient's right atrium to her right ventricle up into the pulmonary artery where they want it to hang out for a while.
It was strange and intense and lots of people were huddled together breathing one another's air. I caught a whiff of the new Fellow of the month's breath. It smelled metallic, which makes me think he's not eating enough- which made me feel slightly sorry for him. I'd about decided he was a poor replacement for last month's fellow, but that metal from his gut stench made me realize how much stress he must be under.
I chewed gum throughout the procedure. Certainly the gum thing can be annoying, but nerves can create some much more annoying smells.
One of the nurses who is experienced and funny, cracked jokes. Another one responded in kind. I wish I could do that, but I have an attention span problem. I have an extraordinarily difficult time joking it up and thinking at the same time.
I have to work on that. I'm turning 36 next month and I've got to get in the game already.
