I just finished a fairly grueling rotation admitting patients to the hospital from the ED and foolishly decided to follow with 20 hours of extra weekend coursework "for fun." After too much fun, I've slept 27 hours in the past two days, winning the latest battle between PGYx vs sleep deprivation. I envy the people who say (and truly believe) they'll sleep when they're dead because I must have signed some kind of pre-birth deal that ensures I'll spend at least a third of my life in dreamland. While I felt hungover after waking from my two sleep mini-marathons, by mid-today I felt strangely human for the first time in a while.
When I got home at 7 after an hour in traffic, I didn't feel the post-work sleepiness I've come to accept as my standard(!) so I got to work in a fit of wonderful productivity. Is this what life could be like if I weren't jonesing for sleep all the freaking time? A med student who lives thousands of miles away helpfully reminded me via Twitter that I have a treadmill in my very own apartment (hint, hint) after I ate half a pack of Trader Joe's chocolate dipped oat cookies. I don't even like cookies. Or chocolate. Damned oats drew me in.
Sadly, it didn't even occur to me to exercise until jjoh jokingly suggested I could safely eat the cookies while on the treadmill. And just today I counseled two patients about how to fit exercise into their busy schedules. After a good bit of self-flagellation for my own hypocrisy I got off my proverbial ass and walked/ran on my heretofore ignored treadmill. I feel really good.
I also called my mom to wish her a happy birthday, paid all my bills, baked some yams, took a relaxing bath, drank a veggie smoothie to balance the cookies, and devoted 30 minutes to straightening my apartment. I have a semi-irrational fear that my landlord will have some reason to need to get into my apartment (e.g., a space heater fire or me getting hit by a car & needing friends to get into my apartment to bring me a few essentials from home) and see what a slob I have become. Hell, I already totaled my car in a blaze of glory that left me and others miraculously untouched, so is my worry so farfetched? Ok, it is, but I think we can all agree that I need to clean & organize in the name of feng shui, at least.
So yeah, it was a good day. Wish I could have done more but am really glad to have accomplished more than my usual weeknight regimen of zombified blah. I plan to wrap it up with some meditation before I rest my head on my pillow secure in the knowledge that even we interns can take good care of ourselves some of the time. Maybe even a little bit every day.
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4 comments:
I'm so glad you got to catch up a little! You seem to really be thriving. We're getting close to match day around here, and I'm seriously losing sleep over it myself. How on earth did you not drive yourself crazy over it!?
Once my rank order list was finalized I just trusted that the right thing would happen. I'd done all I could and wanted to bask in the relief I felt when the bustle of interview season was over. I definitely did not know in advance that I would end up at my first choice program.
After reading how much you love your intended field, I'm certain your spot at the right place is secure! Enjoy the free time that the rest of 4th year should bring -- you deserve this time to rest, have fun, and enjoy J & your little one!
It's certainly not bad that sleep is your favorite. I think I used it have it listed as my #1 hobby/interest on facebook. I consider it valuable, and it's definitely my favorite way to pass time...especially if it means more time to cuddle with my mutt!
-PGY2 in General Surgery in Dallas :)
drbculp: I really REALLY want a dog. My childhood dog died 8 years ago and I still find myself missing her after all this time.
Does anyone else help to take care of your dogs? I'm eager to get one soon but would guess I'll be away from home too much to be a good dog mom until, say, PGY3.
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