Time has kinda got away from me this evening... mostly 'cause I was on call, and I got called in. Did a coupla interesting cases, too. Two very sweet little old ladies, one 84 and the other 82. One was really sick and it's gonna be quite a while before she goes home, if ever. The other one is probably gonna be OK with some meds... One aspect of my job that I haven't really talked about... people who come in for re-checks for cancer. They're all hopeful, it seems, and nervous. They are hoping hoping hoping that there is no metastasis... no spread of the cancer. But the first ones to know are the guys that are looking at the screen. That would be... me. And when I see that the bad shit has eaten chunks out of their liver, it's really hard to go back into the room and take the IV out and get them off of the table... but I do it. We all do it, and we try to act like we don't know. I think that I'm a pretty good actor... but do they pick up the vibes? Can they feel that my heart is about to burst for them? Do they know that I know their future and that I'm not gonna tell them? Sometimes, I know that they know that I know. I try to meet their eye like everything's OK, an innocent bravado, but my glance slides away to some minor task.... They know. They know, but they have to wait for the doctor to tell them. That part of my job is no fun, no fun at all. Anyway, today was pretty good, all in all. mildly busy day with some interesting points... and now I only have one day left. And, I have to go in to work early tomorrow... which might mean that I'll get off early... or maybe not, we'll see what the day brings.