I believe God makes things happen for a reason. Several months ago, the CT tech and I had a patient whose orders read: CT chest and abdomen. We must have overlooked the order, because we did a chest, abdomen, and pelvis. The radiologist called shortly after we finished the exam and asked for the patients doctors name and number, because the patient had bone cancer in the pelvis.

I hear about stories like these all the time. One time a patient came in to get a CT head following a car accident and a tumor was found in his brain. It is amazing to me how these things just happen. There is someone looking out....

Needles

Yesterday I was starting an IV on a patient to inject contrast and I had to use an 18 gauge needle. I got blood return, but I must have went through the vein, because the blood stopped. I tried to fix the problem, but it didn't work. It happened a second time later on that day. I am just wondering if there is a certain technique I can try when using a larger needle. I really don't have a problem with the smaller IV needles.

The CT tech that works with me says that it is just my nerves, because I get so anxious when I have to use a larger needle.

8/1/09

I was studying MRI physics during clinicals the other day and wanted to pull out my hair. It is so difficult to understand without working on the MRI scanner. I wish all the information could just magically appear in my brain.

In regards to CT, I assisted in scanning a patient who had a brain tumor. It is very fascinating to see the problems that could happen in the human body, but it is also so sad to see something on a scan. It is especially hard when the patient asks if I saw anything wrong and I have to lie and say I'm not sure what I'm looking at and I just take the pictures, the doctor will read them.