Pop Up Thoughts

Over the past two weeks and for the next couple of weeks, I have been and will be certified in several life saving courses. They include Basic Life Support (BLS) twice, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP), Advanced Pediatric Life Support (APLS--this is basically the same as PALS), and Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS).

By the second course it all starts to sound very similar. ABC--Airway, breathing and circulation, then do other stuff. That other stuff varies based on age and what the monitor says.

One of the "exciting" things in all of these courses is the idea of getting to do some procedures that I've wanted to get my hands on for awhile now. Putting in advanced lines, and intubating a patient. I know this will sound a bit off color, but I've decided that the human vocal chords really look like a very small vagina. I know I know, its bizarre. But here's a picture



And once this idea got into my mind I couldn't stop thinking about it each time I intubated. And now I think this might just be what I think of each time I intubate in the future. And maybe its not a bad thing because codes are a bit hectic, so to have a moment of lightness could be actually helpful.....

So if you see a flash of a grin while I intubate it may because this pop up thought has appeared. Or it may be because I still cannot believe I am intubating someone; that I have actually graduated from medical school and in residency.