Final Week

It is with mixed emotions I write this last blog post.  New York City has been my enjoyable and energetic home for these past couple months, however I now have to return to Ithaca.  While I will miss many of the amenities and constant activity of the big apple, Ithaca has a relaxing pace of life that gives me the energy I need to thrive at research and live a healthy lifestyle.  New York has such a fast paced mentality that I felt like I haven't slept this entire trip, as I was trying to cram in as many research and New York experiences as possible in the short seven weeks.  While in Ithaca I would allow myself to recoup and sleep in on the weekends, this summer I have been on a tight schedule, trying to rush to places like Brooklyn early in the morning to get to scenes before they are mobbed by the New York public.

This past week I shadowed one last surgery, to give my brain something to chew on for the trip home.  While the scheduled surgery was something I had witnessed many times prior, the case itself was unique and even the surgeon claimed he had never seen anatomy as we saw in the patient.  The patient was undergoing a laminectomy and transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) to treat spinal stenosis by decompressing nerve roots and then fusing relevant vertebrae.  Once enough bone and soft tissue was removed to visualize the nerve roots, we noticed there were more than 2 nerve roots at the L5/S1 spine level, crossing in a tangled mess that made it impossible to implant an interbody cage that would normally help stabilize the spine during fusion.  Due to this complication, Dr. Hartl had to implant autologous bone and bone graft material to fill the disc space after discectomy.  While radiology is important to help diagnose ailments and prepare for surgery, on the spot decisions must be made in surgery to ensure the best outcome for the patient.  It is understandable why surgeons need to go through long durations of schooling and training; they need to be prepared to deal with the vast array of anatomical or unexpected complications without second guessing their instinct.

The weather for my departure today is fitting; there is heavy downpour with thick cloud cover that makes the city thick with humidity.  Had there been bright sun with a nice breeze, I would've rather skipped the packing and scurried to central park for a long run through the endless expanse of grass and gardens.  I cannot feel too meloncholy, I know the city will always be here and there are jobs aplenty.  I will soon be back, breathing the air where citizens from the far ends of the earth travel to see glimpses of our great American city and begin new lives in search of the American Dream.

Thank you for everything New York, it has been a pleasure.

View of the New York Skyline

 Empire State Building (Left) and Chrysler Building (Right)