Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Fitness


1.5 miles, push-ups, sit-ups and waist circumference.  The PT test.  One extra hoop to jump through during residency.  Not only do I have to find time to take the test, I have to find time to train for it.  If I don't pass the test there are some mandatory workouts that I don't have time for!  And any advancements are placed on hold until I do pass.  If you pass you push the next test off for 6 months.  If I get an excellent I push the next test off for an entire year.  

Last year I got an excellent so I didn't have to take the test for another year.  That year came up fast and happened to come up during a rotation when I was working 80-90 hours a week.  The last thing I had time for was working out.  I had to go take my test when I had worked a 28 hour shift - luckily it was slow at work and I had about 6 hours of sleep!  I was able to push the next test off for one more year!

It is nice to have an excuse to stay physically fit enough to complete this annual annoyance.  It's nice that my job cares enough about my physical fitness to make it a priority.  I hope to always be able to run 1.5 miles without dying.  I'm not sure if it gets any easier after residency, but right now it is hard to find time to work out every day.  It's just a part of becoming a doctor I guess.

Monday, August 20, 2012

Kitty Cat and other musings

The other day Ike was asking me to get him a kitty cat.  I couldn't figure out why he suddenly wanted a pet so badly.  He was jumping up and down he was so persistently demanding I provide this cat.  I asked Leisy if he had been playing with cats recently or if they had been talking about pets.  She was as confused as I was.
It took me awhile to realize that he was asking for and demanding that I go get him a Kit Kat candy bar!! He is such a sweet tooth it's ridiculous.  I'm not really sure what made him suddenly think of a Kit Kat.  Maybe he was thinking of the week his Grandpa Oswald came to visit.

Zeb is starting school this week! He is so excited he can hardly contain himself.  He is a little smarty pants and will have a blast in school.  He is growing up, always willing to help and be the best big brother ever.  This week Metta was crying in her car seat and Zeb piped up from the back seat, "Mom! I have a solution to this problem - we need Metta's bottle from your purse"!


And little Metta is turning into a full-on little girl.  She will catch my eye from across the room and start to smile to draw me closer.  She giggles and giggles when I play with her - sometimes they sound like courtesy giggles.  She knows if she stops giggling, I'll stop playing.  She is a fast learner and is going to be mobile before we know it.  She already wants to keep up with the boys.

Sunday, August 12, 2012

On Call

Since starting my second year in residency I am now free from the intern work hour restrictions.  Last year I couldn't work more than 80 hours per week and my shifts couldn't be longer than 16 hours.  Now that I am a Senior Resident I work 28 hour shifts every 4th day.  Somehow seeing the sun come up, set and then come up again makes me feel like a real doctor.  So far it hasn't been too shabby either.  I've been able to get several hours of sleep at the hospital and have my pager next to me to answer any calls through the night.  It has been relatively quiet at the hospital at night so the next morning I'm not exhausted.  I'll enjoy it while it lasts because I'm sure the days are coming when sleep will be limited and I'll go home exhausted.  My shift ends at 11 AM when I am "post call".  We have been taking full advantage of those post call days!