Pull don't push!

My second time in the operation room. It was grand, no fancy cases. All of them were only extractions.

BUT, I get to extract 5 teeth today! Just this 1 day can beat the amount of teeth I have been extracting last semester. Last semester we had this extraction course where everyone would be in the Oral Surgery every Monday. There are 10 people in my group, and in most afternoons there would be only 3-4 cases. So we don't really get that many of chance to extract teeth. As far as I can remember I only did 2. 3 la maybe at most.

Today I was given the chance by Prof S to extract 5 teeth from this old man. He needed what they call "clearance"; ie all teeth must be out! Poor old guy how is he going to eat now? Kantoi budak gemuk pikir makan je (English translation in case Michele is reading : "oh I'm such a fatass all I think about is eating" lol it sounded harsh in English) I did extractions on his lower right 3,4,5,2 and 1 (Incisor - 2nd premolar) You really need a lot of energy when you extract teeth. A lot of time, Prof S would be shouting "strongerrrrrr, pull strongerrrrrrrr" to my ears.Heh.

It is a lot easier to do extractions when the patient is unconscious because well, the thing that makes extraction harder is when the patient moans and groans, complaints of pain etc. Since the patient was under GA I can do however I want. Terkoyak gusi ke apeadehal nanti jahit je balik~

Today there was also a photographer for Iri*sh Den*tal Association Journal who came to take pictures for the journal. Actually we already took a class picture with him last Friday but today he came to take the picture of the operation room. He said he wanted to capture the day-to-day things around Cork Dental School and Hospital or something like that la. So I got 2 pictures of mine! Heheheh...tahpape ni pun nak bangge.

2 conclusions that I got today :

1. I love oral surgery. I *think* I want to be an oral surgeon. But do I have what it takes to be one? Iono. I guess I'll just have to go with the flow, no?

2. I wish I'm taller. Standing on tiptoe for about 2-3 hours to get a good view of the mouth isn't really a pleasant thing to do. Maybe I should put insoles in my shoes. Maybe I should get a taller shoes.

Next Monday is my last day for oral surgery rotation. Sobs..I'll be back around April or so. Next up I will be at Radiology Department. Let's get ready to be "roasted" by Dr McD shall we?