When it rains...

You would think that one broken appliance flooding the kitchen floor would be enough. You would be wrong. I guess it's a good thing I decided to run the dishwasher tonight instead of on my way out the door tomorrow so I was around when the water started pouring out. Also good thing that my complex recently decided to get the handy men a cell phone instead of a pager, cause then they get here faster. Also a good thing it was just a busted valve instead of a busted pipe. Still, it would be EVEN BETTER if the rest of my appliances decided to behave from now on...my kitchen floor would prefer to stay dry from now on.

Residency 1.7: Red Team

The end of another month. I must admit that I was not so much looking forward to this month. Part of that was the string of 30-hour calls at the beginning of the month which comprised my "Holiday Block"--okay, that was ROUGH. The body was not meant to work every other night overnight, and it took its toll by the end.

That part notwithstanding, this was still one of the busiest months so far. Bronchiolitis season hit in full force, and we were a revolving door of admissions (record belongs to Andie and Brian for 10 admissions and 10 discharges in one day; separate record belongs to me and Christina for admitting and discharging a patient all within 3 hours and 10 minutes).

This month I had many occasions to realize how blessed I am to be a part of this program. Laughing during lunches, happy hours, getting support in tough situations at work, good friends, awesome chiefs--if I've got to be slammed, I'd rather be slammed here. Though I will say, I am SO looking forward to PCC (clinic) next month, and rolling into work about 8:30. Hopefully I can also motivate myself to study for Step 3. Until next time...

Good deal, McNeal

Things I'll miss about Mimi...
-the freezer stocked with Gold Medal Ribbon
-all the green on St. Paddy's Day
-getting scolded for wearing socks on the wood floors
-messy sundaes
-sitting on the porch with a book and a glass of iced tea
-goulash, coffee cake, and brie cheese
-the candy drawer
-her laugh
-the way she always hung the IU ornament on the back of the tree
-the flowery birthday cards
-her impeccable taste
-sneaking Squeeze-its at the lake
-the way she looked at me the last time I saw her and she said, "tell your Dad hi, all you girls..."

All heaven sighs and angels dance

I found out over the New Year's block that one of my patients from last month had passed away. She had been very sick with a known fatal disease and our goal had been to keep her alive until the family could arrange hospice care and then get her well enough to go home. After a couple of sleepless nights worrying whether she was going to make it, and some tireless work on the part of the day team, we succeeded in getting her out just before Christmas. Her pediatrician called us last week to say that she had spent her last day out at the park with her parents and her sister in the gorgeous sunshine (what I'm sure was a freak weather day for KC in the middle of winter), and then they took her home and held her while she slipped away. Even though we knew it was coming, it still hit me, in a really good way. To know that however small, I played a part in getting her home to spend her last days with her family. And to know that, even though we run around necessarily detached at times, that it's still a beautiful thing to be able to celebrate a life and to feel a little grief as well. Go with God, baby girl.