The Doctor Life Begins

John takes a moment this morning before leaving to spend a few minutes with Twain and Monet.

I have come to realize a few things during the last two weeks:

• Up until this point medical school has not been that bad (for me).
• I ate very well during JB's research rotation.
• If you don't attempt to line up your sleep with your busy spouse, you will really never see each other.
• JB is able to get ready for work in 10 minutes flat. This includes shower and breakfast.
• It is quite possible to wear nothing but scrubs for five days straight.
• Our birds do not like me nearly as much as they like JB.
• Pancakes are a good dinner.

JB's cake-walk through his three months of research are over. Gone are the days that he is home more than I am and has time to scan through Netflix, make huge dinners for me and groups of people, work on redoing our bathroom, and browse the afternoon away at the local pet store or Barnes & Noble. JB is on six weeks of his surgery rotation and life has definitely changed.

Each day this week John gets up around 5:00-5:30. He is out the door no later than 6:30 (sometimes closer to 5:45). Each evening he returns home sometime after 7:00. He is wearing the same thing he left in. Here is a photo of exactly how he looks each morning when I say good bye (on the mornings I get up with him or shortly thereafter).

This is how JB is dressed each morning and how he comes home each evening. This includes scrubs, "crocks" (these comfortable shoes everyone wears), and stethoscope (doctors are very attached to their own personal stethoscope.)

John is actually on a week of critical care. He is dealing with very sick people pre- or post-surgery. Not only is this physically taxing but it is emotionally taxing as well.

For the few weeks leading up to his surgery rotation, John decided to make twice as much food when he cooked and freeze the meals. For dinner, we either eat one of those meals, or I attempt to make dinner (hence the pancake bullet above). On Thursday nights we attend a Medical/Dental Bible Study that includes dinner. Last night I made him a plate in case he didn't make it, but he managed to get in on the last 15 minutes of the study.

Not that he is the only one dealing with this of course. It all depends on what rotation you are on. Two nights ago Lesley was in until midnight. Last night we missed Dave at the Bible Study as he was gone until midnight.

What amazes me is that while John is doing this for six weeks (upon which he will change to a different rotation), the residents and fellows he is working with are doing this for, like, four years! The one guy he worked with yesterday had been doing these 13-14 hour days for TWENTY-ONE days in a row. IN A ROW!

Those of you who are in medical school are reading this, I am sure, and nodding your head enthusiastically. Those of you who are not in medical school (and like me have no interest in going to medical school) are shaking your head in complete bewilderment. Who would do this?! I mean, it's great because we need doctors, but who the heck wants to go to medical school and deal with gross and sad stuff while not sleeping at all.

I read a great book the other day that I have to recommend. It is called Hot lights, Cold Steel: Death and Sleepless Nights in a Surgeon's First Years. It is about a Mayo Clinic Resident in surgery. It's really fascinating if you want to understand what these guys go through. John isn't going into surgery, but you still get a great appreciation for what this journey is like (and what Rochester, MN is like). Thanks for that recommendation Rachel!