It's the Most Ex*haus*ting Time of the Year

Ah, yes, OtherDoc's vacation is once again upon us. My days are spent running frenetically back and forth between labor and delivery and the office (seeing mostly his 4 billion prenatal patients), trying to figure out what the hell is going on with any problem patients (he doesn't chart a freaking thing), and deflecting pain medicine requests and ridiculous after hours calls (such as last night 11:40pm "*giggle* I don't know if this is an emergency, but I have a rash and it is getting itchy! Can you tell me what it is? I know I'm not due for two weeks, but can't I just be induced tonight?") My nights are peppered with pages from triage, roughly every 2-3 hours, with patients in labor, hoping to be in labor, who have a hangnail, or nothing better to do at 3 am, and if I'm really lucky, a dash to the hospital for a c-section or a delivery. I've delivered 9 babies since Monday, and there is one in early labor right now. I think I have had at least one delivery every single day except for Friday.

Also, dumbass that I am, I have decided to chose this same 2 week period to attempt a no carb diet, as a "jump start" to losing weight. I'm not very sure if I have made it clear in the past, but I freaking adore carbs. Were it up to me, I would never eat meat again. I would eat spaghetti every single night if it were socially acceptable and Mr. Whoo would let me. I'm going through withdrwal like a proper junkie, headaches, shaking, terrible cravings, etc. , and even though I have lost 6 pounds (and holding at this point) I am in such need of food comfort that it is a struggle to stay on the wagon. I would also like to drink a couple of gallons of wine, but, since I'm running to the hospital all hours of the night, definitely not a good plan, plus, not low carb, either.

I am also in the process of weaning. Bean has become less and less interested in nursing of late. I can only get him to really focus early in the mornings, and even that is inconsistent. I cut my AM pumping session first, followed by my pre-bed pumping session last week, and I am down to only pumping at work during lunchtime. I'll probably drop that session this week. I've survived so far with only a mild case of mastitis. Part of me is sad to let it go, but Bean seems really ready, and I don't mourn the loss of pumping sessions for certain. I always had a goal to make it for a year, and Bean's birthday is on Saturday (can you believe it??)

The job hunt is still on (especially after putting up with all of the BS this week). We are actually considering moving closer to family and friends, to a place we would never have considered in the past, but now it seems to be all that we are thinking about. I've had a few promising leads and conversations, but any interviewing will have to wait until this crazy month is over.

Last but not least, I'm spending any spare time completing my case list for Oral Boards. I have all of my OB and GYN cases entered, but am struggling to get the office cases picked out and entered (too indecisive). I have my case list construction seminar this week, and it will be a welcomed break from all the insanity. I hope that they don't expect the entire list to be finished! I'm a little worried about the breadth of my case list (92 GYN cases, 110 OB cases) because I had a 7-8 week maternity leave in this last year, and I had also cut my patient load before delivery, so I was only getting back to full speed on OB for the second half of the year. The list is due on August 1, so I want it to be done quickly after I return from the seminar.

Well, enough whining for one post! Mr. Bean just crawled into my lap to snuggle. Aw. Hope you are having a wonderful Sunday!

Is there life out there?

Wow, has it really been a month already? June was a veritable whirlwind. I finished out that last call and then embarked on a 3 week "tour of duty," visiting friends that we hadn't the opportunity to see for 2 years (eek) and also doing some interviewing. I wish that I could say that I've found the perfect job and everything is going to be happily ever after, but so far that hasn't happened. All of the interviews that I have had have gone wonderfully well, but it seems that I just can't find the dream combination. For example, I interviewed at a rather prestigious "big city hospital" and loved all of the aspects of the job. The facility, the physicians, the work schedule and call schedule were all great. The compensation was good, and, as cities go, the city was really nice. But....it is still a city. The housing prices, property taxes, and available homes are a little less than desirable, and while there are good schools there, I worry about raising my children in a larger city. At least there, I would have better chance of participating in their lives. I am moving forward with the next steps to see if this position is the right fit for us.

I also interviewed at another practice, in an area of the country where Mr. Whoo and I have always wanted to live. The practice was nice, hospital was beautiful, and, of course, the area was everything we wanted, but I sensed an underlying air of malignancy amongst the physicians working there. I could sense that they really were not friendly outside of work, there were several family member with controlling shares of the practice, and there were a few warning flags raised when discussing the financial aspects of the practice. So, while the area was perfect, the job was not. If anything, the visit cemented in our minds our desire to one day live in this area. We are continuing to look for other practices there, but so far, nothing has panned out.

I do know, as I've gone through this process, that there *is* life out there. Every day that I spend in this particular position, I am missing out on a better lifestyle. It gives me a lot of hope to see that I can still do the job that I love while simultaneously enjoying my life and family. It is just a matter now of finding the best fit.

In other news, it is crunch time for finishing my case list (due August 1!), and I find myself once again in the midst of 18 days straight of call (boo). My little baby Bean will be one year old on the 19th of this month (impossible). I am also very honored join a new blogging group of physician-mothers, Mothers in Medicine. This is an amazing group of women (regular posters and guest posters alike), and what they write hits home with me so much, I find it difficult not to comment on every post..."Me too!" "Oh, that's exactly how I feel!" etc. Check them out! I hope everyone is having a great weekend, and for my readers here in the US, I hope you are having a great time celebrating our country's birthday!