FIRST WEEK
Despite the odds against me, including three layovers and two hours in the Milan airport running around trying to find customs, the train station and a single soul that spoke English, I made it to Pavia! After walking through the cobblestone streets lined with high colorful buildings that conceal its pedestrians to the outside world, I can safely say I feel like I belong here.
This week began with an introduction to the hospital we will be working at: Maugeri. It is one of the leading research hospitals in Italy with several experts in the field of Nephrology, Cardiology and Pain Medicine. Their presentations were fascinating, and I am sure I would have learned a lot more if I hadn’t dozed off a few times due to my two hours of sleep over a 48-hour period. I did, however, have dreams of Steve Carrell speaking in an Italian accent (I blame my binge watching of “The Office” on the plane) so I think that means I was subconsciously absorbing what they were saying.
I was assigned to shadow the rehabilitation unit this week. Italy is interesting in the fact that they have Rehabilitation doctors who went through medical school and they are assisted by PT’s and OT’s who only need a bachelors to practice. All the work is done in the hospital, so outpatients come in for their therapy. It was fascinating to see so many patients with a variety of disabilities and what is done to meet their specific needs. Each unit has its own rehab gym with specific activities and there is a larger one on the ground floor.
One patient that stood out to me in particular was a quadriplegic in his 50s. He was a practicing dentist when he had a stroke that left him physically handicapped with only the ability to blink and move the pointer finger of his right hand, which is how he communicated. There is no way to measure how sentient he is so no one knows how aware he is of his past and current situation. They move his arms and legs daily to avoid spasticity pains and to keep up circulation. What struck me was when his wife came in to take him home. She was also in her 50s when her husband had this stroke, yet she had on a bright smile and tender care for the man she loved. It reminded me that these are real people with real lives that were disrupted when they grew ill. The point of the medical field is to help patients heal so they can continue connecting with others and bettering the world
This week began with an introduction to the hospital we will be working at: Maugeri. It is one of the leading research hospitals in Italy with several experts in the field of Nephrology, Cardiology and Pain Medicine. Their presentations were fascinating, and I am sure I would have learned a lot more if I hadn’t dozed off a few times due to my two hours of sleep over a 48-hour period. I did, however, have dreams of Steve Carrell speaking in an Italian accent (I blame my binge watching of “The Office” on the plane) so I think that means I was subconsciously absorbing what they were saying.
I was assigned to shadow the rehabilitation unit this week. Italy is interesting in the fact that they have Rehabilitation doctors who went through medical school and they are assisted by PT’s and OT’s who only need a bachelors to practice. All the work is done in the hospital, so outpatients come in for their therapy. It was fascinating to see so many patients with a variety of disabilities and what is done to meet their specific needs. Each unit has its own rehab gym with specific activities and there is a larger one on the ground floor.
One patient that stood out to me in particular was a quadriplegic in his 50s. He was a practicing dentist when he had a stroke that left him physically handicapped with only the ability to blink and move the pointer finger of his right hand, which is how he communicated. There is no way to measure how sentient he is so no one knows how aware he is of his past and current situation. They move his arms and legs daily to avoid spasticity pains and to keep up circulation. What struck me was when his wife came in to take him home. She was also in her 50s when her husband had this stroke, yet she had on a bright smile and tender care for the man she loved. It reminded me that these are real people with real lives that were disrupted when they grew ill. The point of the medical field is to help patients heal so they can continue connecting with others and bettering the world
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