I know what to do at home

So I've had a hard time describing what's been going on lately. Really, I've been too tired to go into the everyday struggle and have just posting pictures because it's easier. Also, I've suffered from becoming too hopeful about the patients because it's too painful if they do poorly. Let me catch you up. Several days ago a patient that almost every doctor and nurse worked with at Saint Barnabas, including myself, was extubated. He was a relatively young man, in his thirties, that was critically ill. His wife was expected to give birth within the month. He is currently doing well. I could not bring myself to be hopeful about this patient because it is too painful. However, he is now been doing well for multiple days and I feel able to allow myself to be hopeful. Another woman that I had exchanged her endotraceal tube a week ago, it was a nightmare, not sure I shared it with you. Her tube was clogged with secretions. We had pulmonary do a bronchoscopy, looking down her tube into her lungs. They determined there were secretions in her tube preventing her from being able to adequately ventilate. I changed her endotracheal tube. It was not easy and I was worried I would not get another tube in, but thankfully did. She was extubated today and seems to be doing well. But the other thing I want to share with you is how hard it is to do things in a unfamiliar hospital. In my home hospital, I know who to call to get things done. If I have a problem, I know who to call. I often have these doctors phone numbers in my cell phone. That is such an advantage. Here I know no-one. People come into the ICU wearing protective gear, with no badges visible, I'm not sure if they're with nursing, respiratory, medicine, infectious disease, nephrology, cardiology, etc. No one knows me of course and so I struggle to provide continuity of care. Of course there are notes written in the electronic record, but it's not the same as speaking with a colleague and discussing a course of care. I look forward to returning to my home hospital where I know people and know who to call to get things done. There is something so comforting about the familiar, I never really appreciated it until now. So, to my friends and colleagues, I can't tell you how comforting it is to know you are there at my disposal should I need you. I will never underestimate your value to my practice. I look forward to working with you again. That's all for now.