post call mom – Page 4

January 1, 2017

The Abundance of “No”

Across my desk, sat the Vice Chair of Surgical Education. She was debriefing with me after an observation of my interactions with the residents and students I have the honor of teaching and mentoring in my new job. She offered some kind and complimentary words followed by a few pieces of advice to make me a better teacher. The interaction was comfortable, but matter-of-fact and compulsory as part of my role as academic faculty. But just as she was getting...

October 1, 2016

Mission Critical

Scott has been out of town on business. And while I miss him terribly, we are doing fine. We really are. As far as I am aware, the kids ate every meal this week. Some on the go, some with friends, and some standing around the kitchen, but they ate. And they bathed. At least a few times. They made it to school. And practices and games. The laundry is done. The dishwasher run. I was on call twice this...

September 13, 2016

It’s not what I have…but what I do with it

I have a confession to make. While I am posting pictures of sunsets and palm trees on my social media accounts, deep down in my heart, I feel a little guilty for being here. I mean, I have to be here. I am presenting our research at this meeting, the most prestigious trauma surgical society in the world. It’s an honor to have the 4′ x 6′ space to display a poster and have 5 minutes of time to discuss our...

August 6, 2016

Real Deadlines

I have had just about enough of this week. Getting four kids ready for school, in a new school, is wearing me out. That sucking sound? Yeah, that’s the audible hemorrhage from our checkbook…new clothes, shoes, and backpacks; computers, pencils, and Kleenex tissues…yes it specified Kleenex tissues. By Monday night, I could be heard saying, “Is this week over yet?” My car was at the dealer for an oil change, the dog was incarcerated at the vet for the weekend so we could go to...

July 18, 2016

The Fullness of Silence

“Why do I always feel like I am being interrupted? I can’t even finish a sentence?!?” The response: “Because you are always talking. No one can get a word in!” Scott, spoken in his best, I love you and I’ll always love you and I can be honest with you because I know you want me to be voice. Dang! He. Is. Right. With social media, we all have a voice about everything. And we keep “talking” and tweeting and blogging. We don’t...

June 21, 2016

These (weary) feet were made for walking

These feet were made for walking…12,234 steps on call last night, all after a painful 5 mile walk/run in the scorching heat yesterday morning. (Touché: Both Jack and Scott told me not to run at 11am.) Taking the stairs more often than not; walking the long, long underground corridor from my office building to the ED; to the OR-for a somewhat intense case; to the call room. And back to my office this morning. I didn’t mean to be so...

May 24, 2016

The Choice of Hope

We powered through rounds this morning, knowing we needed to see all of our patients and carry out most of the work of the day before 1pm, so we could turn our attention to the outpatient trauma clinic. My team did a great job, changing dressings, ordering tests, talking with families, writing notes. Folks who were ready to go home had discharge instructions written and prescriptions printed in record time. And our hard working intern even found the time to...

May 8, 2016

Momma Connection

After I finished an operation yesterday, I went to speak to the patient’s mom. (Well, his dad and brother were there, too, but you know, us moms have the connection; I totally got the terrified look on her face, anxiously waiting to hear about her son.) He was fine. Some scrapes and bruises. Nothing that can’t heal up and get him ship shape in a matter of a few weeks. And….exhale. Momma relaxed. And so did I. We chatted for a minute,...

May 3, 2016

The Faces of Fear

Fear is an emotion that grows and matures with us. It starts with the monsters and the neighborhood bully, then becomes sitting the bench and never going to the dance. And when we are all grown up, it slithers around as failure and loss. It lurks around with many faces, changing with our moods and our location; the company we keep and the moments we are living in. Fear has faces. Fear has a face…and it is called anxiety. That face spins my...

April 24, 2016

Don’t Miss the Blessing

If you want to know what kind of night you will have on trauma call, you need only look to the skies. Warm, clear, sunny…there will be no rest. It will be busy, steady. And if there is a full moon…brew an extra pot of coffee. You. Will. Get. Crushed. Yesterday was warm and sunny. But the day was not too busy. Surely, the night will not remain calm, I thought. I laid in the bed in the call room, lights...