The end of residency is all but here (only 10 more days!!!!!!!!!!), but it still seems to be light years away! There are parties planned, dinners to attend, boxes and boxes and boxes to pack, and a house to clean. (It helps that I have an over-abundance of things to do, really.) But, as much as I’m trying to enjoy this time, all I can do is think about how much time is left! Almost all of my friends are on vacation right now, so there’s no one to chat with or meet for lunch or roam around Target with me.
**Although last night my one in-town friend and I discovered a new restaurant called Crums on Central. If you’re in the area, it’s over on Central(duh) where Cafe du Teau used to be. The chef is formerly of Takosushi, but it’s not Takosushi-ish food at all. It’s southern comfort food with a fancy flair, and it’s quite delicious!**
Anyway, back to the “Poor Marsh…” part of my ramble. He is aware of how much he works…and he hates it. He hates that he’s gone from the house so often. He hates that he frequently misses bed time. And he hates that on call nights leave him so exhausted that he’s not worth much the whole next day, even after a nap. But, as we keep telling each other, it’s almost over! But he tries so hard to make up for his absence when he is around. He gives baths, does bedtime, plays at the park, reads books, acts like a monster, plays train and tea party, all the things the kids love! So I know that-since he can’t help it, and since he tries so hard to make up for his time away-it really hurts when the kids seem to notice that he’s away so much. The hardest part is that Emmie has started to make little comments. Ones that are kind of cute, but heart-crushing for him. Poor Marsh… A few weeks ago the kids woke up and Tucker asked if Daddy was at home. Emmie said, “No…Daddy at woah-k(read: work). Daddy a-ways at woah-k.” Poor Marsh… Then today we were headed up to the hospital to have lunch with him. As we pulled into view of the hospital, Emmie squealed, “We going to Daddy’s house!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!! We going see Daddy at Daddy’s house!!!!!” No, he doesn’t live at the hospital, but it does sometime seem like it, sweet pea! Poor Marsh…
So, to Marshall(I know you read this), I just want to say: We love you. And although we do miss you when you’re not here, we appreciate all you do to make time for us.
- We love coming to eat lunch with you. I assure you that it’s not the cafeteria food that brings us back again and again.
- We love post-call days when you can nap with us. There are very few things more wonderful than all piling in the bed and taking a nap together.
- We will miss coming up to visit you in the resident’s lounge when you’re on call. Once again, it’s not the box of toys which are missing half of their parts or the huge TV or the free drinks from McDonald’s; it’s fun to see you in your element. You are a good doctor. Not that I should be surprised, but it always makes me proud to see how awesome you are.
- Thanks for napping with the kids post-call so that I can run child-free errands. I know you work hard when you’re on call, but it leaves me as a single parent for 2 days(how do single parents do it????). And I appreciate that you understand that after 2 days I need a break from being a mommy, just like you need a break from being a doctor. You nap, the kids nap, I get errands done-it’s a win-win situation! Thanks for doing it so often!!
- And the best part: You only have TWO MORE CALLS after tonight!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hurray!!!
