Circ du Soleil

What do you think this is for?

Yesterday, I performed my third circumcision, this time under the direction of my senior resident (my first was supervised by the Attending and a senior who served as my assistant but who had to help after the adhesions I broke turned out to be between the prepuce and the mucosal layer; the second was supervised by the Attending who had to glove up to make my cut a bit longer). This time, I required no extra hands to help; the senior just stood at the ready and offered feedback. My adhesion-breaking technique is getting better and I’m a little more dexterous with the tools but ever since I saw an Attending perform a practically bloodless procedure in less than 15 mins during which the patient peacefully sucked away on sucrose and made nary a complaint, I’ve been on a quest to perform the perfect circ.

Plan Building

Although I failed to adhere completely to my lofty list of resolutions for 2012, I have to say it turned out to be a red letter year for me anyway. There were certainly highs and lows and things I wish I could have (or should have) done differently but 2012 was probably one of the most significant years of my life. Let’s recap, shall we?

13 Awesome Things That Happened in 2012
1. I graduated from med school
2. I turned 30
3. I survived the match and was chosen for a pediatric residency
4. I became a homeowner
5. I leased my first car
6. I performed my first lumbar puncture (actually, 2 so far)
7. I performed my first circumcision
8. President Obama was re-elected
9. The crazy night shift at the end of which I was told by our neurosurgery attending that I’d helped save a patient’s life
10. I got a MacBook Pro
11. I finally ended a relationship that was right on paper but wasn’t right for me
12. I saw Paris for the first time (and introduced my family to Barcelona)
13. I reached a new level of independence

It’s going to be hard to top all of that this year.