Just what the (soon-to-be) doctor ordered

The last day I spent in the hospital, working as a medical student, was Wednesday November 2^nd. I’ve been off for interviews & winter break since then. I have not traveled much in the last 4 or 5 years so it was a lot of fun to get back out into the world. I love to travel. I love to be new places, even if I’m just there for 24 hours. 

I like the little pockets of self-care that you can get on a solo travel experience. I had a few hour layover late at night (after a day-long interview). I stopped and used a massage chair and got a hand-arm-shoulder massage. It was a decadent treat! The chair was a free while-you-wait sort of thing. Between the warm blanket, the amazing customizable features and the ability to put my bags behind me and really relax without worrying about someone stealing my laptop, I felt all kinds of rejuvenated!

I did a not-bad job of eating well but totally fell off the exercise bandwagon, especially on the longer trips. When staying in a hotel is a brief novelty, finding the gym and using strange equipment while jet-lagged and dehydrated is somehow easier. When it is one hotel after another, my instinct is to lay in bed and binge on Netflix (that might be my baseline instinct anyway).

There were some drawbacks to the travel as well. I spent election night across the country, watching in horror from a friend’s home. It was a time-zone challenge since I’m used to getting this sort of news on West coast time but the worst was that I was not at home for my daughter. As a queer teen, she found the idea of a Trump-Pence administration very scary. I would have really preferred to be home hugging my daughter that night. And I came home from one trip, just in time for a local interview & Thanksgiving, with a nasty cold. Plane travel is a marvel, but it is also an inevitable vector. 

As the weeks have gone on, interviews have made way for hunkering down with my family for winter break. I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to re-connect with my kids. The last year of med school has been nutty. Lots of stress, lots of crazy schedules and not a lot of time off. The last break I had that was longer than a few days was Spring break 2016.

So I’ve been a lay-about since the beginning of November. In that time, I’ve slept a LOT, gotten sick (twice), walked the dog, taken on more cooking & chauffer duties, played with my new coloring markers & blending pencils, started reading again (for fun!), found an easy, fun new crafting hobby (needle felting) and, of course, started this blog-cum-fundraising campaign.

The thing I’ve been the most grateful for is being able to spend some quality time taking care of my kids & getting re-acquainted with them. We are deep in the hinterlands of adolescence and medical school has not been easy on them either. These weeks have been so helpful in finding new ways to relate and stay connected to my kids. Ainsley cut over a foot off of her hair and got her braces off. Duncan & I spent a fantastic day together, just the 2 of us. We did a scavenger hunt, went out to lunch, played mini-golf and went out for dessert. They’re both taller than me now too.

Fantastic new look! 

Even the settlers take selfies! 

Pirate-themed blacklight mini-golf
Portland has its advantages

My first needlefelting
project

I’m happy to report that this break has been long enough that I’m actually looking forward to going back! I’ve been off for 10 solid weeks from the obligations of medical school. I will go back for a few days of training and then on to an ICU rotation on December 30^th.  This is the longest break I’ve had since starting medical school. It has been a long unwinding but I’m pleased with the results and feeling more whole and peaceful than I have in a long time.

Somehow I still haven’t found time to do that deep clean the bathrooms need. Alas, I still have the better part of 2 weeks…