Thursday, February 2, 2012

Ascension In The Operating Room 2012



There is a pre-conceived notion that surgery, because it is complex, has to be serious. On the T.V. you hear the surgeon say, 'scalpel' and the scrub hands it to him and says, 'scalpel'. 

Forceps.
Forceps.

Suture....and so on. 

You might like to think that, while you are having an operation, the rest of the world stops along with your consciousness.

Let me tell you something. It doesn't.

There is only ONE surgeon who is not approachable in the O.R. He is in his late sixties, the son of a surgeon, and a writer who is published. He is Jewish, irritable, and cranky. Everything he does is fast and serious. Let me say this again, everything he does is fast (Hurry! Hurry! Let me get this case to the O.R.!) and serious (You can't take a break and switch scrubs while I am on this case! It breaks the continuity.).  Although we like him, nobody likes working with him. He is out-of-date.

His vibration is so low. How does stressing the team out help the patient? How does yelling, cursing, swearing and throwing instruments heal anything?

A day working with him means no breaks. I am starving and holding my pee just to keep up with him. My patients go in the room without premedication for anxiety, because the nurses sometimes bring them back before I get to say hello. That is how I eat a few graham crackers between cases.

Ever see the movie The Green Mile? You know that big black guy? We have one. He is different.We'll call him Sam, although that isn't his real name. Sam  is Registry. He works for us, but at a higher rate. We are short staffed. He is a surgical technician, or, a scrub tech as we would call him. Sam is a hard worker, a team player, and very evolved metaphysically. He has learned, from  his past, how to raise his vibration, or in lay terms, 'to rise above'. He is single, wants no children, and enjoys a good life. He is polite to everyone, patient, doctor, nurse, cleaning person. Sometimes I wonder if he is for real.

Yesterday the subject of the OR main receptionist came up. The entire team, surgeon, circulating nurse, and scrub had gotten in trouble with the receptionist complaining they were having too much fun in the O.R. There was too much singing and laughing and music. In a word, too much JOY.  Our team was laughing so much, we were afraid we were going to get in trouble with her again. 

Let me describe the energy in the room: the patient wanted to hear ABBA when she was going to sleep, just like she did the last time. I set the music up, and the surgeon started to dance. The patient LOVED it. As the mask was on and the propofol going in, she was singing loud and bopping her head from side to side to the music. I do not like ABBA that much, but I knew it was important to her, so ABBA it went, the entire case. The case was quick. There was no tumor where we were checking. She woke up peacefully as the surgeon told me a funny story that was real. A teacher she knew was listening to a first grader's report. It was about a fricken' elephant! A fricken? How did he learn to use that word? Her child protective services mode started to kick in. Honey? How did you learn to use that word and why did you choose it?

Oh no teacher, see? It's here: AFRICAN!

I was laughing so hard I doubled over. The joy in that room was palpable. I actually spent some time in recovery room with this patient. There was a delay of an hour before the next case would start anyway. She and the nurse and I chatted about children in general. She was a grandmother, and the RN was a new mom. 

So why the conflict?

Sam told me OR Receptionist has it out for him. A coworker asked him, 'you want some ice cream?' There was a big tub of it in the freezer. He took some. OR Receptionist confronted him, 'You food stealer! That is FOR STAFF!'. She had brought it in. 

I asked, 'does she want segregation?'

He said he took out his wallet and started putting bills one by one in her hand. 'You want more ice cream? Here--take this and go buy yourself more!'

'I don't want you money!'

'Then, what do you want?'

He was clearly upset when he shared that story. I encouraged him to stay calm, and if he could, send love to her with his mind. That is taking it to the next level, 'love thy enemy'. (It heals the disharmony).

Later, it hit me, psychically: the receptionist thought we were showing the patient disrespect by having fun. She is a negative thinker, and very set in her ways. Not only is the fun uncomfortable for her on an energetic level (positive, high vibrations are 'different' from her normal state) but uncomfortable because of her concept that surgery in 2012 should be like on T.V. 

That makes sense. When does she actually GO in the O.R.? Never. She answers phones and coordinates. Our noise across the hall probably makes it hard for her to concentrate at her desk. How is she to learn about the military style discipline in O.R. culture, that, like the military, has some fun in it when it's not that serious?(when a patient is dying, everyone helps, RUNS, and gets what is necessary and is very focused.) 

 She probably is afraid of having surgery, and thinks we might be making fun of her.

This can happen in the workplace. Anywhere.

It is your vibration. Raise it. Raise it about you, everywhere you go. When you encounter resistance, offer Unconditional Love. Even if they fight it, it will raise theirs by the interaction of both of your auras.

Love Reiki. Those are the best words and things ever!

Namaste,

Reiki Doc