Unwinding after intense days

[Sophie]

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I just had a really overwhelming day, mostly due to a new patient on the inpatient service with the most heartbreaking situation I've encountered yet. Between talking with the patient while she progressed from psychotic denial to sobbing self-blame, meeting with her family and friends, and fielding phone calls from other related parties, her case took up almost all of my day, and was a real gut-wrenching experience. I feel totally drained, to the point where I just had top ramen for dinner and have been vegging out on the couch mindlessly web-browsing.

So, out of curiosity, how do others deal with these kind of days?

 

[kugel]

Are you telling me there are days that aren't that bad?!

 

[Ibid]

Just googled Top Ramen and it looks quite disgusting. Eating reconstituted predigested calories swimming in salty water is the road to hell mentally and physically.

Tinned sardines on toast would be faster and much much better for you. You don't have to be Gordon Ramsey to eat properly.

Call it your own version of Bruschetta, see it even sounds sexy.🙂

 

[billypilgrim37]

 

[notdeadyet]

I'm a big proponent of don't go straight home.

I find that coming directly home from a hard/draining/battering day of work straight into my house isn't healthy. I'm still replaying my day and toying around with lessons learned while my wife is relating what she was up to while I'm half listening or asking me questions about how my day went while I'm still processing. Even if you live alone, home should be a place that work doesn't intrude.

On days like the ones you describe, I don't go straight home. I go for a long walk in the park or down interesting streets. I go to a neighborhood pub and have a beer while staring at the walls, talk bar-nonsense with locals, or read the newspaper. I go to a local soup kitchen and ladle out sustenance for the down-trodden.

All right, I've never done the last, but you get the idea. Figure out a way to do some processing and decompression before coming right home. I find it a good way to make home a lovely place where I can relax (or do husband-chores, damn them all). I try to do what I can to not bring work home and not bring home to work.

 

[digitlnoize]

Just googled Top Ramen ...

Really?!? You had to GOOGLE Ramen noodles?!?

How is it that you've made it through life (and college) without knowing what Ramen noodles are?

At one point, I was so poor that I was forced to subsist on Top Ramen for 2 weeks, simply because it was the only thing I could afford. My next two weeks were spent living on those 25 cent "Chicken" Burritos, which after 2 weeks of only Ramen seemed like a gourmet meal.

The social isolation of physicians still manages to astound me...

 

[notdeadyet]

Don't assume he's American...

 

[medium rare]

A dirty, Grey Goose martini straight up - or 2.

 

[BobA]

I'm a big proponent of don't go straight home.

I find that coming directly home from a hard/draining/battering day of work straight into my house isn't healthy. I'm still replaying my day and toying around with lessons learned while my wife is relating what she was up to while I'm half listening or asking me questions about how my day went while I'm still processing. Even if you live alone, home should be a place that work doesn't intrude.

On days like the ones you describe, I don't go straight home. I go for a long walk in the park or down interesting streets. I go to a neighborhood pub and have a beer while staring at the walls, talk bar-nonsense with locals, or read the newspaper. I go to a local soup kitchen and ladle out sustenance for the down-trodden.

All right, I've never done the last, but you get the idea. Figure out a way to do some processing and decompression before coming right home. I find it a good way to make home a lovely place where I can relax (or do husband-chores, damn them all). I try to do what I can to not bring work home and not bring home to work.

I completely agree. I go for a run - preferrably with someone else who I can chat with along the way. I may also work out at my gym and sit in the hot tub there afer that.

Also, I am in therapy myself as part of my training and I find it invaluable.

 

[Ibid]

Don't assume he's American...

Bingo

I was forced to subsist on Top Ramen for 2 weeks, simply because it was the only thing I could afford. My next two weeks were spent living on those 25 cent "Chicken" Burritos, which after 2 weeks of only Ramen seemed like a gourmet meal.

I understand, fast women and slow horses, say no more.

I've found these Top Ramen noodles for 24c if you buy a 48 pack. And Ive found 125 grams of tinned sardines for 25c as singles so you could probably get that down. If you went for a cheaper fish like pilchard the price would probably drop again.

The grand daddy of cheap and healthy living must be porridge oats. You can get Kilogram bags for an effective cost of 5.6 cents a portion. Other than dustbin picking and crime I think thats hard to beat.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5sO0HbB5WY[/YOUTUBE]

 

[billypilgrim37]

Don't assume he's American...

Or that he's a he?

(for some reason I feel like Ibid may have disclosed a feminine gender, though I might be hallucinating this, and if so, all apologies)

 

[digitlnoize]

Don't assume he's American...

good point...I thought ibid was around here, but guess I'm wrong.

Although my point may not apply to Ibid, I still stand by my "many doctors are disconnected" statement.

 

[Ibid]

Or that he's a he?

(for some reason I feel like Ibid may have disclosed a feminine gender, though I might be hallucinating this, and if so, all apologies)

Warning: Adult Content
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0u1HUlIE69c&feature=related[/YOUTUBE]

btw I will look out for that Bourbon. I am a big fan of anything from Laphroaig.

I thought ibid was around here, but guess I'm wrong.

Just to clear up one thing. I am here and it is you that is the one who is there.🙂 According to NASA Universal time starts in Greenwich. Everyone else is GMT + or -. Well sort of.

Girl with coincidently light coloured hair shouts across river. "How do I get to the other side?"

Girl also coincidently with light coloured hair shouts back. "You are on the other side."

 

[loveoforganic]

Just recently got a bottle of laphroaig 10. My unsophisticated palate says "tastes like campfire"

 

[billypilgrim37]

Just recently got a bottle of laphroaig 10. My unsophisticated palate says "tastes like campfire"

Ah, I see you have just entered the world of fine scotch, where quality is measured by how much it reminds you of things that are burnt vs the underside of a smelly scrotum.

My best friend is a scotch drinker, and I am a bourbon drinker. I find out debates of this kind are much more fruitful than most political debates.

I will see if I can obtain some of this while I'm visiting my wife in a state that has much cheaper liquor prices than the state where I currently live.

 

[notdeadyet]

Or that he's a he?

Touche, sir/ma'am, touche...

 

[loveoforganic]

Ah, I see you have just entered the world of fine scotch, where quality is measured by how much it reminds you of things that are burnt vs the underside of a smelly scrotum.

My best friend is a scotch drinker, and I am a bourbon drinker. I find out debates of this kind are much more fruitful than most political debates.

I will see if I can obtain some of this while I'm visiting my wife in a state that has much cheaper liquor prices than the state where I currently live.

It's pretty cheap where I am (50ish for a 5th iirc), and I can honestly say that I've never tasted anything like it. Now, to piss Ibid off, tastes much better with coke!

 

[Ibid]

, tastes much better with coke!

That is like being told it is your job to spend a relaxing evening by the fire rubbing baby oil into Miss Americas breasts and deciding to wear your woolly mittens. It's OK but it's not really the same thing.

 

[billypilgrim37]

That is like being told it is your job to spend a relaxing evening by the fire rubbing baby oil into Miss Americas breasts and deciding to wear your woolly mittens. It's OK but it's not really the same thing.

The degree to which you just won the thread is breathtaking.

In my bourbon world, Beam is for coking. Wild Turkey and Maker's Mark are good enough to drink on their own but are acceptable to drink with coke (Maker's and a&w cream soda was actually our drink of choice in college, but my friend's ferret kept getting into the cans and getting drunk anytime we'd leave the room to play Gamecube). Anything above that cannot be coked and is subject to perfect analogies as above.

 

[PETRAN]

This thread is full of unwinding

 

[Sophie]

This thread is full of unwinding

I agree.

I like the suggestions to not go straight home and go for a walk or to the gym. That probably would help immensely. I'm also going to start my own therapy soon.

Top Ramen is crap for sure, which is why I hadn't eaten it in years, but it's kind of nostalgically comforting in that it reminds me of college.

 

[OldPsychDoc]

As your moderator, I must strongly affirm those of you who are choosing to workout Aw gee honey, I'd love to go for a run with you, but my ankle's feeling kind of gimpy right now... after these tough days on service, and not resort to idle imbibement of fine wines and spirits. Say, while you're out, could you pick up a couple of limes? Oh never mind I see some olives here...oops that's the last of the Bombay. Oh well, I can switch to vodka if you're not back in time.
I applaud you for setting a good example for your juniors and society itself.
Bravo, young doctors, Bravo!

 

[surftheiop]

Ah, I see you have just entered the world of fine scotch, where quality is measured by how much it reminds you of things that are burnt vs the underside of a smelly scrotum.

My best friend is a scotch drinker, and I am a bourbon drinker. I find out debates of this kind are much more fruitful than most political debates.

I will see if I can obtain some of this while I'm visiting my wife in a state that has much cheaper liquor prices than the state where I currently live.

I tried some peat bog smoked barrel scotch or something a little while back, it literally tasted like a burning tire, acquired taste i guess?

 

[kugel]

So, out of curiosity, how do others deal with these kind of days?

SDN!

Honestly. Just knowing there's someone out there who get's it is helpful. Rarely do I write about a bad day. Knowing you guys (and gals) are out there generally means I don't have to. I can divert myself with learning something or some idle wordplay.

Almost as good as actual friends.

Hmmm...
Friends.
Yes, do that, too! Actual friends. As in, not co-workers.
Get a hobby and meet others with that interest.