1/
#InternReflections, Day 6
*tap, tap, tap*
Me: *startling awake* “What? Huh?” *looking all around*
Suddenly, he came into focus. It was one of our hospital security officers.
He gestured for me to roll down the window.
Me: “Huh? Oh. Uh okay.”
I tried but couldn’t move.
#InternReflections, Day 6
*tap, tap, tap*
Me: *startling awake* “What? Huh?” *looking all around*
Suddenly, he came into focus. It was one of our hospital security officers.
He gestured for me to roll down the window.
Me: “Huh? Oh. Uh okay.”
I tried but couldn’t move.
2/
I remembered then that I’d tucked and folded my arms beneath my scrub top just after reclining my car seat.
It was now dark outside. I was so disoriented.
And . . . cold. Like freezing cold.
*tap, tap, tap*
He gave his finger a more exaggerated roll down motion.
I remembered then that I’d tucked and folded my arms beneath my scrub top just after reclining my car seat.
It was now dark outside. I was so disoriented.
And . . . cold. Like freezing cold.
*tap, tap, tap*
He gave his finger a more exaggerated roll down motion.
3/
When I lowered the window, I noticed his eyes dart to my left shoulder. I registered the fleeting look of disgust and then disbelief on his face.
Him: “Were you out here, like, taking a nap . . . on purpose?”
Me: *placing my hand over the giant slobber stain* “Uhhh. . .what?”
When I lowered the window, I noticed his eyes dart to my left shoulder. I registered the fleeting look of disgust and then disbelief on his face.
Him: “Were you out here, like, taking a nap . . . on purpose?”
Me: *placing my hand over the giant slobber stain* “Uhhh. . .what?”
4/
Him: *shakes head* “This is Cleveland. And this is WINTER.”
Me: *still looking disoriented*
Him: “You could freeze to death out here!”
I tried my best to replay the events preceding this encounter. But he interrupted my thoughts.
Him: “Where is your coat? Or your sleeves?”
Him: *shakes head* “This is Cleveland. And this is WINTER.”
Me: *still looking disoriented*
Him: “You could freeze to death out here!”
I tried my best to replay the events preceding this encounter. But he interrupted my thoughts.
Him: “Where is your coat? Or your sleeves?”
5/
Now this? I knew an answer for this.
Me: “I left it. There’s no where to put a heavy coat so I just make a break for it.”
Him: *staring at me*
*silence*
Him: “A BREAK for it?”
Me: *nodding*
Him: “It’s 25 DEGREES. And SNOWING.”
I mean. When he put it that way. . .
Now this? I knew an answer for this.
Me: “I left it. There’s no where to put a heavy coat so I just make a break for it.”
Him: *staring at me*
*silence*
Him: “A BREAK for it?”
Me: *nodding*
Him: “It’s 25 DEGREES. And SNOWING.”
I mean. When he put it that way. . .
6/
Him: “Don’t y’all have lockers?”
Me: “Yeah. But they’re first come, first serve.”
Him: *still staring incredulously*
Me: “So I just make a break for it so I don’t need one.”
Him: *mumbling* “A break for it.”
He let out a big sigh.
Him: “So back to you sleeping in this car.”
Him: “Don’t y’all have lockers?”
Me: “Yeah. But they’re first come, first serve.”
Him: *still staring incredulously*
Me: “So I just make a break for it so I don’t need one.”
Him: *mumbling* “A break for it.”
He let out a big sigh.
Him: “So back to you sleeping in this car.”
7/
Now I remembered. Toward the end of the day I could barely keep my eyes open. After making the break for my car, the exhaustion overwhelmed me.
Me: “Okay. I’m gonna take a power nap right quick and then head home.”
No one: “That’s a great idea!”
Now I remembered. Toward the end of the day I could barely keep my eyes open. After making the break for my car, the exhaustion overwhelmed me.
Me: “Okay. I’m gonna take a power nap right quick and then head home.”
No one: “That’s a great idea!”
8/
I explained that I was an intern and I was tired. Like, too tired to drive.
Him: “But don’t you have call rooms?”
Me: “Yeah but those are for the people on call.”
*silence*
Me: “Plus I’m post-post call. On call not yesterday but the night before that.”
Him: “Post-post?”
I explained that I was an intern and I was tired. Like, too tired to drive.
Him: “But don’t you have call rooms?”
Me: “Yeah but those are for the people on call.”
*silence*
Me: “Plus I’m post-post call. On call not yesterday but the night before that.”
Him: “Post-post?”
9/
And so. Through my window in 25 degree weather with clouds of condensation coming from my mouth, I explained.
Me: “I get a second wind post call. So I go do something fun. But then it leaves me hella tired the following day.”
Him: “Sounds like you needed to sleep.”
And so. Through my window in 25 degree weather with clouds of condensation coming from my mouth, I explained.
Me: “I get a second wind post call. So I go do something fun. But then it leaves me hella tired the following day.”
Him: “Sounds like you needed to sleep.”
10/
Me: “Well. I mean I would if there was another time I could do something fun. Post call is the only day I get out early.”
He shook his head again.
Him: “Like—people DIE in the cold here. You CAN’T nap in a car in a Cleveland winter.”
Me: “It wasn’t a regular nap, though.”
Me: “Well. I mean I would if there was another time I could do something fun. Post call is the only day I get out early.”
He shook his head again.
Him: “Like—people DIE in the cold here. You CAN’T nap in a car in a Cleveland winter.”
Me: “It wasn’t a regular nap, though.”
11/
Me: “It was a #powernap.”
Him: “A who?” *waves hand* “Don’t answer that. Listen. I can’t let you drive. So you’ve got to get out and come back in.”
Me: “Say what? Oh, I appreciate you saying that, sir, but I’m good.”
I turned the key in the ignition and the car came alive.
Me: “It was a #powernap.”
Him: “A who?” *waves hand* “Don’t answer that. Listen. I can’t let you drive. So you’ve got to get out and come back in.”
Me: “Say what? Oh, I appreciate you saying that, sir, but I’m good.”
I turned the key in the ignition and the car came alive.
12/
Him: “Oh, I ain’t joking. Turn that off. You ain’t driving out of here.”
Me: “What?”
Him: “I mean you need someone come to get you or stay.”
I laughed out loud.
He did not.
Him: “Is there anyone you can call to get you?”
He was dead serious. I felt my pulse quicken.
Him: “Oh, I ain’t joking. Turn that off. You ain’t driving out of here.”
Me: “What?”
Him: “I mean you need someone come to get you or stay.”
I laughed out loud.
He did not.
Him: “Is there anyone you can call to get you?”
He was dead serious. I felt my pulse quicken.
13/
The thought of calling anyone on my team was too mortifying. Plus I knew that they were all exhausted, too.
A boo or romantic partner? Well. Seeing as I didn’t have one of those for most of my residency, that was out, too.
I also knew I had to work the next day.
Uggh.
The thought of calling anyone on my team was too mortifying. Plus I knew that they were all exhausted, too.
A boo or romantic partner? Well. Seeing as I didn’t have one of those for most of my residency, that was out, too.
I also knew I had to work the next day.
Uggh.
14/
Me: “What time even is it?”
Him: *looking at watch* “It’s about 8PM.”
Me: *groan* “Seriously?”
He wasn’t budging. And I was getting cold.
Him: “Let’s figure out a plan.”
I opened the car door, stepped out, and bristled from the cold.
Then I made a break for it.
Me: “What time even is it?”
Him: *looking at watch* “It’s about 8PM.”
Me: *groan* “Seriously?”
He wasn’t budging. And I was getting cold.
Him: “Let’s figure out a plan.”
I opened the car door, stepped out, and bristled from the cold.
Then I made a break for it.
15/
Once I got through the hospital doors, I felt the tired coming back. A few moments later, the officer caught up with me and pointed to the phone on the wall.
Him: “Who you calling?”
Me: *sighs*
That’s when I heard a familiar voice.
Them: “KD? Why are you still here?”
Once I got through the hospital doors, I felt the tired coming back. A few moments later, the officer caught up with me and pointed to the phone on the wall.
Him: “Who you calling?”
Me: *sighs*
That’s when I heard a familiar voice.
Them: “KD? Why are you still here?”
16/
It was a fellow #MedPeds classmate who was heading out.
I gave the security officer a sheepish glance. He just shook his head.
Them: “What?”
I wasn’t even halfway through the story when my classmate started laughing.
Them: “Hold up—what the hell even is a ‘power nap?’”
It was a fellow #MedPeds classmate who was heading out.
I gave the security officer a sheepish glance. He just shook his head.
Them: “What?”
I wasn’t even halfway through the story when my classmate started laughing.
Them: “Hold up—what the hell even is a ‘power nap?’”
17/
Me: “It’s like the jumper cables of naps.”
Everyone froze. Then erupted in laughter. But I wasn’t really joking.
I wasn’t.
Our #MedPeds crew was close knit. Fortunately, that meant I’d have a ride home and back again the next morning.
Yup.
Me: “It’s like the jumper cables of naps.”
Everyone froze. Then erupted in laughter. But I wasn’t really joking.
I wasn’t.
Our #MedPeds crew was close knit. Fortunately, that meant I’d have a ride home and back again the next morning.
Yup.
18/
This mostly became a funny resident lore:
That one time when that intern from California made the decision to take a #powernap in the hospital parking lot during a Cleveland winter—and without a coat because, well, lockers were first come first serve.
Yeah. Ha ha ha.
This mostly became a funny resident lore:
That one time when that intern from California made the decision to take a #powernap in the hospital parking lot during a Cleveland winter—and without a coat because, well, lockers were first come first serve.
Yeah. Ha ha ha.
19/
For the record:
That officer saved my life. I was so tired that I could have died that night. Either from hypothermia or impaired driving.
It took me several years to finally realize that. And that near death as an intern isn’t funny.
At all.
For the record:
That officer saved my life. I was so tired that I could have died that night. Either from hypothermia or impaired driving.
It took me several years to finally realize that. And that near death as an intern isn’t funny.
At all.
20/
What I know now:
*Restorative rest is very necessary.
*Duty hours reform was a good idea.
*Building relationships with colleagues and making time for wellness are crucial.
*Oh—and security officers secure waaay more stuff than we realize.
Yeah.👊🏽
#getrest #inyourbed
What I know now:
*Restorative rest is very necessary.
*Duty hours reform was a good idea.
*Building relationships with colleagues and making time for wellness are crucial.
*Oh—and security officers secure waaay more stuff than we realize.
Yeah.👊🏽
#getrest #inyourbed
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