Imitation is said to be a form of flattery. Our nursing instructors must have felt proud by the constant array of compared symptoms and concerns we developed as we studied each body system. My hormonal headaches meant I had a massive pituitary tumor. My roommate, Debbie imagined she had bladder cancer while we studied Urology, then in Neurology she developed Brain Cancer. Girls across the hall cornered the market on gastrointestinal and respiratory issues. . . They even practiced talking as though trached.
I successfully avoided TB but did commission a hand-tooled fringed jacket from a long term TB veteran while on Pulmonary. Diane explored GYN issues when she seriously considered going out with a guy she met in the STD clinic. Ok, in truth many of us sought birth control at the student health clinic, in addition to valium, or a myriad of pain pills for sundry aches and pains. During Rehab the use of braces, crutches and therapy sessions always increased among our ranks.
I learned to speak in tongues during Psych rotation and enlarge my array of multiple personalities. Continue reading →