When things go well...

...it may still seem like you got run over by a train.
In the room early to look over things and to make sure I can go see the patient as soon as I clock on. Get to the induction room and I am too late. Anesthesia is talking to the patient, not noticing me, and discussing an epidural. I wait a few more minutes to see if they will notice me and let me have a few minutes. Then the surgeon walks in. Well, I am not going to be talking to the patient any time soon and there is lots to do in the room still. I go back to the room and help my stressed out scrub start getting the room open. She's stressed because they put her in the room at the last minute and it's a big set-up with lots too do. I tell her to relax. The patient is getting an epidural so she has time to set up. I also am willing to let them know we can't bring the patient back until we are ready. Get more equipment and supplies and we get her scrubbed in. Others who don't have cases in their room, or they are are turn-over team or the induction room nurse help. I go to interview the patient. The family is outside the patient area waiting. They are taking pictures of everyone who is helping, including me. I take a few minutes to talk to the family about what I will do for them (call every couple hours with an update). I also let them know that even if they leave the waiting area, messages will be communicated when they return.
Anesthesia is done and I let them know that we can't go back until I talk to the patient. And yes, we are ready to go to the room.
That was the easy part. The start of cases can be very busy for the circulator, today was no exception. It was worse than usual because once we finished one part I had to move equipment out of the room. Then there was the pagers. Oh my goodness I hate doctor pagers! I would answer one page and sit down to do charges or charting and another pager would go off.
Well, by the time this case finished I was tired. So even when things go well, sometimes you are exhausted by the end of the case.