Haven’t written anything new recently. It is hard for me to write when the weather is good. Summer is a season I long to be outdoors, active, and spending time with family and friends. Been very busy enjoying all of that the past few months, along with my love of (or addiction to!) ballroom dance!
But I woke this morning knowing I needed to share my voice on this blog once again, however, with a different slant on things…
Personally and professionally I have always believed that the details of my life need to be relatively private, yet, there is a part of my life that I keep to myself, that perhaps should be shared. Too much is at stake to remain silent — for me, my family, and you and those you love. Part of my life indirectly affects yours. Here goes…
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My husband has devoted his career to heath care, and I have as well, in different ways. My role has morphed into a small scale marriage and family therapy private practice.
I enjoy working with my clients. They are great people, working on a variety of issues that complicate their lives. They, like me, want the quality of their lives to be the best it can be. We all do the best we can to make the most of what life presents…
But my husband has been on a rather long and intense clinical, academic, and administrative path. He could retire, but knowing him as I do, never will. That is great for him in many ways, and I am very proud of all of his impressive accomplishments over the years, but it isn’t necessarily best for me, our marriage, or our family. We’ve make the best of it for nearly 40 years. Not always easy… Thankfully our relationship is durable, although not always the best it could be. Some of that we can control, but a good bit is not so easy to control.
We have just spent the past three months in a “regrouping” phase as a couple and family. The goal has been to figure out why we are getting off-track again, but more importantly, how to get back on track. It has been a good season complete with watching one grand-daughter taking her first jump off the diving board and the little one celebrating her very first sleepover at her aunt’s apartment! Life is good…
The beginning of July brings a new academic cycle of work responsibilities for my husband. It is a mixed-bag of excitement about new experiences and relationships, but also a guarantee for intensified demands and responsibilities that quickly erode family life.
This year it hit July 5th, last Monday. I knew the week would be hard for my husband. Always is. This year was no different. If anything, worse. Add to that weekend call and no sleep… Again, nothing out-of-the-ordinary given the role and expectations and his natural work ethic… But there have been added changes in his work environment that leave me questioning how long it is going to be before our health care system totally implodes…. Professionals and their families can no longer survive given the current demands and expectations that are placed on them. We are all, frankly, well below empty in terms of energy, stamina, and emotional and physical reserve. It can’t continue like this folks…
Here is the week in a nutshell…
July 5th — First day of hospital in-patient service. 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Inhale lunch sandwich at computer doing chart work. Late dinner at 9:30 p.m. Fell asleep on sofa at 10:00 p.m.
July 6th — Second day of hospital service. Call day. 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. No lunch. No dinner. Call night has changed from every 4th night to every 3rd night effective July 1, 2016. New students and staff, new process and procedures. Much confusion and chaos.
July 7th — Third day of hospital service. 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. No lunch. Late dinner at 9:30 p.m. Computer work till who knows what time. I fell asleep at 11 p.m.
July 8th — Fourth day of hospital service. 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. No lunch. Hubby rushed home to celebrate my birthday with me. We went out for my favorite pizza which didn’t get on the table until 9:30 p.m. It was yummy, and we had fun, but both of us had indigestion and didn’t sleep well simply because we ate too late. Seems we may have to give up celebrating little things like birthday pizzas just to make sure we can get rest for the next day… 🙁
July 9th — Fifth day of hospital service. 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Rushed lunch. Hospital EMR system down all day. Late dinner. Computer work till midnight to complete EMR charts as system finally was up and running. I fell asleep by 11 p.m.
July 10th — Sixth day of hospital service. Call day. 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. Rushed lunch at computer. No shared dinner. Never saw each other.
July 11th — Scheduled “off work” day for my husband as he rolls off the hospital service to pick up clinical rotations in the office for this week. But the day off was simply up at 8 a.m. to spend 30 minutes “signing off” the hospital service patients to the person taking over. (Forget sleeping in on your day off. Doesn’t happen in our world. No such thing as a day off, unless you leave town for a couple of weeks and forget your phone and computer.)
But, we were lucky to have time to share breakfast. 🙂
Next step on the “day off” is sitting at the computer to work on EMRs, e-mails, medication refills, administrative work, etc. That will be the “day off” in our household until dinner hour at least. Then we break for food and the work pattern resumes into the evening. The “day off” is simply a “catch up on all your other work” day… Silly me to even think that I might be able to take a walk in the park with the guy I married…
Oh, there was no “weekend” this week. 🙁
Me, I am going to the grocery store. Then for a swim. Love to swim outdoors in the summer! Maybe grab a friend for some dance practice? Probably check in with one of our daughters or my sister or my mom at some point this evening…
What is my vote on all this? Retire. Yesterday. The function of the health care system is emotionally abusing health care workers on all levels… We don’t deserve this… Amen.