Anyway, yesterday was special in its own small way. A month or so back I signed up to take part in trying out 3D laparoscopy as part of research comparing it to conventional 2D laparoscopy. [Laparoscopy is basically key hole surgery, where a camera and various instruments are inserted into small holes in the body to minimise damage]. The research was conducted by a nice Omani lady, and pretty much all the researchers were Muslim (including a very friendly Algerian lady; yes I was surprised too, not because she was friendly, but that she was an aspiring surgeon; good on her). 5 tasks were to be completed; you had to reach 'proficiency' for each one to progress to the next task; so you had to complete the task within a certain time and with no 'errors'. Not a simple feat, especially when these times have been set by consultant surgeons. You had 80 attempts to reach proficiency before you move to the next task anyway. Oh and did I mention, you need to do it twice I a row? Yes, celebrations were short-lived when I found out.
The first task involved transferring rubber pegs using two instruments, and whilst I saw my 2D colleagues in the other room doing better with both this and the second task, reaching proficiency, I had to do mine in 80, spanning several sessions. On my 80th attempt, I got my best time, but still not good enough. Apparently 2D was supposed to be much easier for the 'non-medical' tasks, but this did not do my self-esteem any favours. The second task was probably the most frustrating, having to cut discs out of pieces of gauze, with only a 2mm error margin. So whilst I was still on the 2nd task, I saw my 2D friends whizz through to the 5th task. Around 6 hours of pointless cutting later, I reached 80 and I was glad to be rid of it.
The third task was using an 'endoloop' on a mock appendix, basically tying a knot around it, which I managed in a few attempts. The fourth task was 'extra-corporeal suturing' where you had to stitch up a small vessel, bring the needle out, and introduce external knots which you had to feed in. The 5th and final task was the same but you had to tie the knots inside the 'body', which was a bit fiddly with the instruments and on-screen. I managed to get proficiency on my second attempt, but couldn't get two in a row, and this continued several times. One of the researchers standing by told me to move aside and let him have a go, saying that I should never go into surgery. Ok then. The lady supervising me (and whose research this belonged to) said she was going to go home, and the guy who had just dashed any dream of me wanting to do surgery said he didn't mind supervising.
I couldn't have that. Just as she was getting ready to leave, I get it within the time, no errors. Come on, I need to do this! Start the clock. Pierce vessel through the dots twice with the needle, pull string through, now transfer to other instrument, wrap around twice, now pull tight. Transfer needle again, wrap once, tighten, and transfer a final time, wrap once, tighten, introduce scissors, snip. Stop the clock! Boom, 1 minute and 12 seconds, a new record for the task! I felt elated. No more sessions needed to be booked, I was free. And I learnt that sometimes harsh criticism is just what's needed to bring out the best in me. Either that, or just not wanting someone breathing down my neck all the time. :P
Yes, it's the small victories in life that matter the most.
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