Day fourty-four - Tuesday

Spent the morning sorting out admin stuff, cancelling bills on the flat and trying to get my deposit back - landlord being a bit slow but should defo get it all back after buying a new oven and repainting the entire flat for him!

Into A&E shortly after midday, first patient had unfortunately been hit in the eye by an object, so took history, had a go at an eye examination before dropping some proxymetacaine/fluoroscein in - a mixture of anaesthetic to numb the eye and a dye to show up any abrasions/defects on the cornea. Then the ENP got the slit lamp out and we studied the cornea - fairly obvious abrasion just above the pupil, shown up really clearly by the dye. Quick xray to confirm no foreign body and then they were discharged with some eye drops. Next we prepared for a 999 ambulance call of a chest pain/collapse, doctors came down, nurses prepped the resus room, everyone on edge - that was until the patient was wheeled in smilling and talking to everyone. Stand down!

After sorting that all out it was a bit slow until the end of the afternoon when the orthopod came down and sorted out two patients, the first an ongoing knee problem which was diagnosed as soft tissue injury. The second was much more interesting, a fracture-dislocation of a finger - fairly easy spot diagnosis as the finger was pointing a different way to all the other ones. Xray, then saw the orthopod do a ring block on the finger before manipulating it back into place, on the second go there was an audible snap sound as the joint relocated. Quick xray to confirm and then discharge with buddy strapping/splint and review in a week at fracture clinic. Great to see the ring block and manipulation, must be really satisfying to perform. The neurovascular status of the finger was ok before hand, had capillary refill and sensation, but immediately after relocation the finger did turn a darker shade of red as blood rushed back in so obviously some of the vessels had been occluded.

Left back to the flat for a quick bite to eat before heading down to the pool again for a few lengths of front crawl - doing 2 lengths consistently and starting to get a rolling feeling going in the stroke. Good fun but tiring! 10mins in the sauna (this leisure centre is awesome) and back via Co-Op to pick up some food. Dinner of bangers/mash with double cream in the mash = calorie replacement! Lovely.