Calling Dr. Dave to the ER

This weekend was absolutely lovely. On Saturday night, my friend G and I went go see Frankie Valli sans the Four Seasons at the Hatch shell. It was one of those free summer outdoor concerts. We brought a picnic and watched the children, bikers, geriatrics, etc. do that thing they do. And who doesn't love the oldies, you can sing along to all the songs swqy ans sanp your fingees. On Sunday night, A and I went to go see a lab mate play at the Middle East. It was a very hip event, listening to indie/folk rock with a beer in hand. Two very different musical events, but both fantastic.

So like most things in life, the good is balanced out with the bad. On Sunday night, after returning from our concert I decided I wanted to try a little of the lemonade pie I made earlier. It would be cool and refreshing after walking in the muggy night. Attempting to get throughout the graham cracker crust was slightly challenging and the knife I used pierced through the tin cut my finger. "F@#$" I thought or actually must of screamed as A came running into the kitchen to see what was wrong. While A thought I should go to the emergency room, I thought I would be fine.

This morning I went to Health Services and they were shocked at the cut and its depth. They sent me to ER to get it sutured. Well, alright if I had gone last night I could have saved myself some time, but really how important is the index finger on your non-dominant hand. I waited for hours in the ER waiting room when finally I was called to enter the double doors with the hallowed examining rooms. Actually, my examining room was a gurny in the hallway. I waited for another thirty minutes before someone came up and said "Um ...Hi my name is Dr. Dave..Ummm What seems to be the problem?"

I looked up and to my dismay I saw a clean shaven boy perhaps no older than 26. Since he really did refer to himself as "Dr. Dave," my apprehension about being there expolded. "Crap. Its June," I thought or actually said outloud because he replied. " Oh don't worry the change over is on June 24th so I've been a surgical intern for a year now. trust me I now what I am doing."

I felt kind of bad so I kept my mouth shut and let him examine my finger. Dr. Dave then explained how he was going to numb my finger and put in some stitches. He went back to consult the attending doctor and the two of them came out to talk to me. (BTW I heard their conversation in full and really when you hear some one say 29 year old female presents with deep laceration in 2nd digit due to cutting a pie. It is kind of funny.)

The attending informed me that there was nothing they could do, I should have come earlier to the ER. (For instance, when A told me to) So for now I had to take a course of antibiotics and get it looked at by a surgeon in two days. Essentially the whole morning was waste of my time.

The two disappeared and 5 minutes later Dr. Dave popped his head back in and asked if I rather codeine or percoset. To which I replied, "For a finger. Don't be ridiculous."

I heard more rumblings as Dr. Dave talked to the attending and said " I know this is only a laceration, but what else should I do?"

The attending seemed to be fed up as snapped, "Listen, you should not even go back there just get a nurse to dress the wound and release the patient."

Dr. Dave replied, "Oh, I'll dress it myself, I owe her that."

Dr. Dave returned to the gurny with some tape and gauze and papers. I signed the release papers and said " Sorry, I got you busted."

He replied, " No, no. That's okay I 'm just not used to doing nothing."

Poor Dr. Dave. I'm sure he is great in a trauma, but he was totally traumatized by a small cut on Evil Twin #1's hand.