Week four of my internship was my vacation week. Dr. Baker went to Alaska to drop off Taco–the cat we were boarding while the owners moved. Dr. Favolaro was dropping his son off at college. Rhonda the manager told me on Monday that I should take the rest of the week off because both doctors were gone. 
Monday Dr. Baker brought in her cat that just had surgery due to a broken bone. The cat was 3 days post op. and the leg wasn’t healing. She applied a nonstick solution around the wound, followed by gauze and a pressure bandage. Dr. Baker will dress the wound everyday for the next two weeks hoping that the leg will heal properly.
Tuesday was a phenomenal last minute change. My uncle called up my cousin, Dr. Sean 
Hodson, asking if I could spend the day with him. Dr. Hodson is a podiatrist that owns many practices and does surgery at the local surgery center. I followed Dr. Hodson through three surgeries: one removing a spur and two that corrected arthritis in toes. He taught me what healthy cartilage looks like, the steps and amount of paper work that needs done before surgery. After observing his surgeries I then went to his clinic and shadowed him. Most of his patients were diabetics that needed their toes trimmed besides the occasional toenail removal.
Wednesday Dr. Hodson talked to his coworker Dr. Fox, an orthopedic doctor, that offered for me to observe his surgeries. I signed the HIPAA form the day before and I was allowed to take pictures as long as the patients information was not shown. Dr. Fox had a clavicle surgery, a rotators cuff surgery, and a torn achilles 
tendon. For the clavicle surgery Dr. Fox realigned the clavical and then screwed in a plate that looks like a chain–you can see the xray taken after the surgery to the right. The rotators cuff is four tendons that connect around the shoulder joint and in this case one of them was torn. The torn achillies is a tendon that fits in a certain spot within the knee, in this situation Dr. Fox’s PA 
could repair the tendon to fit in that spot after the doctor drills a series of holes. For the doctor to drill those holes he needs to see where he is drilling. He cannot open the entire knee to see so he uses probes that he inserts in the knee that contains a camera which projects an image on a screen. To the left is a picture 
of them inside the knee. Dr. Fox and all his staff were wonderful along with Dr. Hodson. I was very fortunate to observe their line of work. This opportunity did open my eyes to see other careers to pursue but I still have my eyes set on being a Veterinarian. Becoming a Vet means I wouldn’t have to deal with insurance followed by the paperwork and the red tape to wrap it all up.
Friday through Sunday I spent with my Aunt, Uncle, and my Cousins. We went shopping at local stores. Went to the fish market and went out for dinner some nice seafood restaurants. I got to meet and get to know my 2 year old cousin Charlie. Week four was full of joy and surprises. I was given a week to explore and have a great time and that is what I did.
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