Conversing with Life

The List

In the surgical disciplines, the 'list' is the most important thing in the world.

At least for the houseman.

The 'list' is the first thing I see when I come to work and the last thing I do when I go off work.

Everything I do revolves around the 'list'.

And the aim of the house officer is to make sure everything on the 'list' is done, every patient on the 'list' is well taken care off.

And that the 'list' is short. Or as short as can be.

And that's when the MOs start saying that discharge planning is very important.

So we work hard and try to shorten the 'list' as much as we can. And when the list is sub-ten, we look at it with pride.

But come take-day, and the 'list' will be long again. The depressed look on the houseman is indicative of how long the 'list' is.

Almost like building a sandcastle, all the efforts will disappear when the waves come in.

We just have to enjoy building sandcastles over and over again.

Wei Qiang converses @ 22:00