The Surgery Rotation

Continuing on in the 3rd year of med school update...

Surgery: that's what we're doing now, and it is, in a word: crazy!  We were determined not to repeat the 1st 2 weeks of July, so our approach has been much different this month.  We've purposed not to compare our situation to anyone else's, nor to even compare our own experiences from month to month (as we did July to August).  We knew surgery would be crazy, so we've both tried incredibly hard to keep a positive attitude about it and to cover it all in prayer.

This first month of surgery, Ryan is doing Surgical Oncology in Gastro/Intestinal (basically, removing cancerous tumors in/around the GI tract).  He leaves for the hospital each day at 4:45 AM.  He usually comes home around 7:30 PM.  A few days, he's been home at 5:30, other days not until 8:30, but he usually averages a 7:30 arrive home time which has been great.  On days he has call, he works a 28-30 hour shift but then is home mid-morning after rounds on the following day.  Obviously working for 28 hours means he sleeps quite a bit when he gets home, depending on how much sleep he was able to get at the hospital.  Generally, he works 12 days and then gets a day or two off.

Obviously, those hours are pretty long, but this has actually been a really good experience.  Medically speaking, Ryan has loved surgery.  When he's in the OR, it's like there is nothing more incredible!  To open the human body and discover the beauty of how it works up close and personal is such an amazing thing.  He's gotten to open several times, close up a lot of times (and is getting better at his suturing skills!) and lots of lending a hand to the surgeons.  The surgeons can be tough on the students and have very high expectations (and in a sense, rightfully so, as their field does demand perfection), so he's learned to get thick skin and to prepare thoroughly in anticipation for their questions.  Getting up at 4 AM can be wearing, and he is tired a lot.  But for the most part, Ryan has enjoyed his team and the overall experience.  Next month, he switches to minimally invasive surgery.

Through the craziness, it really has been a lot of fun.  Each thing we experience is just all part of this journey (of medical school, yes, but also the very journey of our life).  I don't want to just trudge through these years, longing for graduation day (though believe me, I'm incredibly excited for that day!).  What a waste if I didn't seek the blessings that God gives each and every day!  I want to live with my eyes open and not miss anything.  I knew that at home, I would be doing a lot of caring for the boys solo, but I hadn't thought about how much I would miss my husband.  My love for him has grown just over the past few months, and for that I am immensely thankful.

And thus ends the 3rd year update...thanks for reading!