Another City...

Hey girl!

   So much has happened since my return to the big city! I will admit- I spent the first few days moping around the city, missing home, and the endless supply of Little Debbie cakes in my mother’s cabinet (I don’t allow myself those little pieces of heaven up here), but last Wednesday, I got over myself and started another semester of grad school.  Don’t get me wrong, I was not looking forward to another semester of stress, work, long nights, and super early mornings; but, I was ready to get started and whittle down my remaining year. What I didn’t tell you over the break, is that by starting another semester I am actually getting to explore another city…. Camden, New Jersey. 

   Now, let me start at the beginning….. right before Christmas break, I received my first clinical assignment: Fast track ED in Camden, New Jersey.  I was immediately excited!  First of all, I think working in a fast track (the part of the Emergency Department where they send all those people with minor complaints….the things they should probably go to a primary care office for) would be a great learning experience.  Secondly, Camden is literally right across the river from Philly which meant I was going to be able to take public transportation instead of driving (my nonexistent car). 

   The excitement wore off a little when I would announce my site to others, and their faces would drop.  I heard, “Courtney, you know when they talk about Camden in rap songs, well that’s the Camden they are taking about”. When I told a guy at church where I was going, he asked, “Did you get a choice?” (insert look of disgust). Yes, little did I know, I was being sent to what us southerners call- the ghetto. If you google “Camden NJ” you will find all kinds of scary information, my personal favorite “Camden has been named the nation's most-dangerous city, snatching the top spot from Detroit”- oh yeah! But this was the hand I was dealt, so I was going to play it. 

   After tutorials from Susie like- keep your hair tucked in your coat, carry an umbrella as a weapon, don’t carry cash, look at peoples’ faces so they know you see them (and could recognize them in a line up), I figured I was ready… God bless me.  I did a couple of practice runs, taking the train, getting a train pass so I don’t have to carry cash, finding the hospital in day light so I am not wandering around in the dark…. and then it was my first day. Here’s the story.

   I was all excited for my first clinical day, that is, until I realized (while sitting on the train from Philly to Jersey) I had forgotten to apply deodorant.  You know, I am a sweater, not to mention crazy nervous for my first day. Let me put it this way- it was 26 degrees outside, and from underneath my white coat, I already had moist pits (haha, sorry if this is TMI).  Well, my predicament was made worse by the fact that I only had $2 on me (mugging prevention) and no clue where to find cheap deodorant in Jersey.  All I can say, is thank you God, and city planners, for placing a Rite Aid adjacent to the train station (because in the words of Jeff, "white girls like you better not wander around out there"), and for selling mini deodorants for $1.35! So now, clean and smelling fresh…. well, actually smelling like chicken- the Rite Aid is beside The Chicken Casino, which evidently starts frying up the good stuff at 9am (I cannot make this stuff up), I stroll into the hospital, through metal detectors, for my first day.

   {For privacy reasons I cannot share the details of my day, but I wanted to share a couple of clinical pearls I learned while working in Jersey- 1) it is easier to assess the patient if the cops are willing to take the cuffs off, 2) no matter what diagnosis I make, if I give a note to get out of work, then I am loved, 3) if you are treating someone with a bite, which they may or may not admit is a human bite,  just leave the wound open, no stitches, 4) if you order a spine xray for back pain, you may find a random bullet in someone’s back… he has no idea where that came from, and 5) I have a sexy voice and I am the best doctor in the entire world.}

   Fast forward 12 hrs of hard work… I head back to the train station to get home to Philly. Side note: my preceptor drove me to the train station, which is only 0.2 miles from the hospital, but the nurses took a vote and decided that I was absolutely not walking there alone at night (even if I took the needles and scalpel they wanted me to carry for protection). Now, the train station is divided by card access into the two parts- the upstairs area where anyone can stand and the downstairs where the trains come (you must pay to get downstairs). I had heard to wait upstairs, but there was around 40 homeless people up there (its warm) and downstairs didn’t look bad… so I went downstairs…. for about 5 minutes before I realized, I better head back upstairs. This was confirmed, when I got back up the stairs, a police officer walked by and said, “You stay right up here pretty girl”.  He then turned and walked away…. could he not here my inner voice saying “stay with me, stay with me, stay with me”….. guess not!  Well, 25 minutes of pacing later, with my finger on the mace in my pocket, the train arrived, and I rode safely back home. And that was my first day in Camden!  I only have about 16 more to go haha. 

   I truly do like it there, but the safety part is rough. I am not telling you this to scare you or make you worry- so don’t.  Madelyn and Tommy are worrying enough.  When I told my mom she actually said, out loud, “Oh my baby girl”. But through everything, I definitely feel like this is going to be a great place for me!

   Briefly back to Philly (to finish the book-of-a-post off).  It is COLD up here!  I know it has been cold down there too, but girl………. when it is 15 degrees, the two mile walk to school feels like 15 miles!  My face is getting a little tougher, after nearly freezing off one day.  But, I refuse to complain. I love cold weather, and will take it over the summer heat any day, so bring on the snow! (haha, now I am just pushing it).

Anyway, that’s all for now, my other clinical site may be in Delaware, so I will update you on another city soon.  I cannot wait to hear about your semester, those kids better be treating you nice!

Love and miss you!

Courtney