I'm not alone in this journey. The first two days were tough and though I know I've already made more mistakes than I can count, it's reassuring to know there are so many people along side me. Thank the Lord I don't have to care for people all by myself. Nurses, attending physicians, fellow residents, medical students, even orderlies have been helpful in these first few days. I've had a three day weekend and I'm NOT READY to go back tomorrow. . . fear, not fatigue, is the culprit. I'm just so anxious but, this too shall pass.
It's such a mindset change. I was talking to my half sister tonight about the anxiety people feel when they're in a different country and they encounter culture shock. That's is exactly what this is like! There's a foreign language ("Doctor, can you sign this?"). There's a different currency (TIME, TIME, TIME). There are new sights (People turning to me to find out what I think!) There are new sounds (My heart racing as I enter an exam room). It's all so very strange. What a new world! I can only pray that I will learn to exist and flourish here!
Lord, help me to be better tomorrow, in every way. Continue to guide me and shape me into the person you have for me to be. Let me not be a burden on those around me, especially my patients and those who have to teach me. Help me to be quick to listen and fast to learn. Thank you for these first days. I offer all I have, even the not so pretty things, back to you in praise. Amen.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Day 1 - Day One of One Thousand Days
Well, actually, the countdown ticker on my Facebook page says one thousand and ninety five but one thousand is just easier to visualize (and more poetic - if we actually make it to day 1001, we'll address the issue then). I make no promises people but I'm going to attempt to blog almost every day of this journey. I feel called to take you all on this walk with me. There are just a few small points to address:
1. Vacations will not be blogged. I'll lump the dates and write about it AFTER.
2. At times there might not be anything much to say (or exhaustion will simply remove all directed thought from my head). I'll try to put SOMETHING. It might be short, it might be pointless, but it will be honest.
3. Sometimes I'll have to be really vague about situations (you know, patient privacy, HIPPA and all that). I'll do my best to protect the people involved but still try to paint a good picture of life as a resident for anyone out there who wants to read this. If I call a patient "S" - odds are their name doesn't begin with "S" - just to be clear.
4. Uhh, I think that's it. Let's get started!
Moses was in the desert for 14600 days. It took Noah 36500 days to build the ark. Nehemiah spent 52 days rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. I spent 2190 days as a medical student. God does things in His time. That much is apparent. If there is anything I learned in med school, it's that what I think is supposed to be 4 years, may turn out to be 6 and the things I imagine never happening could do so in the blink of an eye. Who knows what He has for me in the coming days but God is God. I step out my door with that in mind.
Here we go.
1. Vacations will not be blogged. I'll lump the dates and write about it AFTER.
2. At times there might not be anything much to say (or exhaustion will simply remove all directed thought from my head). I'll try to put SOMETHING. It might be short, it might be pointless, but it will be honest.
3. Sometimes I'll have to be really vague about situations (you know, patient privacy, HIPPA and all that). I'll do my best to protect the people involved but still try to paint a good picture of life as a resident for anyone out there who wants to read this. If I call a patient "S" - odds are their name doesn't begin with "S" - just to be clear.
4. Uhh, I think that's it. Let's get started!
Moses was in the desert for 14600 days. It took Noah 36500 days to build the ark. Nehemiah spent 52 days rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. I spent 2190 days as a medical student. God does things in His time. That much is apparent. If there is anything I learned in med school, it's that what I think is supposed to be 4 years, may turn out to be 6 and the things I imagine never happening could do so in the blink of an eye. Who knows what He has for me in the coming days but God is God. I step out my door with that in mind.
Here we go.
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