Grumpy but still loving peds!

The past few days have been a bit of a mess.  Yesterday, I managed to literally make a mess.  I had the brilliant idea to change my insulin pump right before starting a new pediatric service.  Within 3 hours of getting to work, I was ketonic due to a kinked site.  I caught on early, changed my site, and sincerely hoped that I was in the clear so that I could stay at work.  Bad decision.  I should have just gone home.  The embarrassment of looking like I can't control my diabetes is far better than the embarrassment that came from vomiting acidic-ketone-filled loveliness all over the house-staff bathroom.  The wonderful pediatrician & NP?  They looked at me with sympathy (instead of with disgust) and sent me home for self care, as well as for a shower.

Then, today, while pre-rounding on the newborn well baby service I managed to royally upset a grandmother.  We had been taught by the resident yesterday that gloves were not necessary for a well baby exam as long as we wash our hands well and work in a specific order (mouth first, diaper last).  The grandma came out to inquire why I wasn't wearing gloves and so I apologized profusely.  I refrained from mentioning that the resident and attending had both done the same thing during the exam yesterday.  The grandmother made sure to make her frustration with me known to everyone on the service.  I hadn't met today's attending before, so when she showed up I introduced myself and immediately informed her of the situation.   Her amazingly calm response?  She rolled her eyes, said not to worry about it, told me a few anecdotal stories about how she's upset caregivers in her career, and did proper damage control. 

Lastly, I had the astute realization this afternoon that the chagim [Jewish holidays] are a week away.  I'm anxious about how to balance the holidays with clerkship responsibilities.  However, I'm on peds!  People are being really great about honoring excused absences and letting me travel to my second home for sukkot.  While I very much wish that more of the chagim could be spent with friends and family, observing the holy days in proper form, it could be so much worse [if I was on surgery].