lately, i have felt like i've been juggling about 5 different things and that if i looked away for even for a second, everything would crash, unceremoniously, to the floor.
this illusion of self-importance was the thing that came crashing, mercifully, to the floor. i left for 6 whole days. i went to a land without internet (and, therefore, without email), without reliable cell coverage, without reliable electricity for that matter. i played in the snow. i went for long walks with my dog. i baked cookies. i tried out the ice cream maker that my brother got for me for christmas. i spent 5 blissful days with my family, whom i haven't seen since july.
i came back to the hospital yesterday and found everything just as i had left it.
i guess i can look away after all.
this is an object lesson in humility that i think all residents must learn. i'm just glad i learned it while i still have 174 days left to enjoy it.
4 comments:
I envy you. I wish I had a place like where you spent your "six whole days". I'd go there and stay.
Can you tell I am more than a little sick and tired of humanity? I think the human race is a virus to this planet and one day the planet will figure out how to eradicate all of us if we don't do it to ourselves first.
One can only hope right?
Happy New Year!
Welcome back.
Your lesson is one we can never learn too many times!
i'm glad you were able to take a much deserved break. i just finished residency myself (in IM), and i realize that i should have done what you did a lot earlier - would have felt a lot less burned out. thankfully, my batchmates in residency were a great support crew, and we helped carry each other through even if we didn't get so many long uninterrupted days off.
Good luck!
True enough what you say. But on the flip side, some day years down the road you're going to run into some kid (or parent of a kid) who you think you did absolutely nothing for, but remembers you with eternal gratitude.
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