Brian Visits the Operating Room and I Visit the School

Today Brian visited the operating room for the first time. Our first patient was a 55-year-old woman with a 12 cm ovarian cyst. We opened up her abdomen and removed the large mass that was causing her a lot of pain. I asked Brian if he wanted to observe the surgery. He was very interested; so before school started, he dressed in scrubs, and joined us. I warned him that if he felt sick, he should be sure and speak up or sit down on the floor. As it turned out, he did great, and was fascinated to see the cantaloupe-sized mass come out of the patient's abdomen. Hopefully, she will have a good recovery and be relieved of her pain, and--who knows--maybe we have a budding surgeon: Brian!

Later in the day between surgeries, I visited the school where some surplus Beanie Babies found a new home, thanks to Brian. As he presented the toys to the children, he quizzed them on the names of all the animals, as they are all learning English. He also played kickball with the kids today.