I remember my vacations of not-so-long-ago, somewhere in between living at home with my parents and becoming a parent. Plenty of spontaneity, no catering to anyone else but me (and my husband after we got married), 100% pure relaxation. For me during this time, a vacation was a chance to experience something new, go somewhere really far away, and lose track of time.
Well, let me tell you something. Vacations change once you become a parent. I'd been told before that vacationing with kids was different, but I never really understood how until we had kids and took them on family vacations.
Vacations for us require a lot more planning now than just picking out a few outfits and coming up with a general plan for what to do when we get there. For our most recent road trip, it felt as if we had packed the whole house. Do we really need to bring the baby's bouncy seat AND bumbo seat? Do the older kids really each need a bag full of toys if we're going someplace fun? An entire duffel bag for diapers, wipes, and bibs? Yet you pack and pack and pack, with the hope of heading off any possible reason for a meltdown or expensive trip to the store.
Not to mention the lack of spontaneity once you get to your destination. Kids generally don't sleep in (well, mine did, but we had to keep them up very late every night), and there are naps, snacks, and diaper changes to mind. You can't just decide to go to the pool and then go. You decide to go to the pool, then wait until the kids wake up from their nap, give them a snack, apply sunscreen, wash sunscreen out of their eyes, reapply sunscreen since they cried it all off their face, find their shoes, find their floaties, find their sunglasses/goggles, and 3 hours after you decided to go to the pool you finally get to go. Once you get there, you relax in the cool water for about 6 seconds before you are up chasing them around.
But you never truly experience a vacation unless you see it through the eyes of your child. Young kids exhibit pure joy. They forget everything routine that is awaiting them back home. They soak in all the sights and sounds, and truly enjoy themselves. They run at full speed until they pass out from sheer exhaustion. Vacation becomes their reality, not some temporary event with an end in sight. While we intermittently remind ourselves about work or school or all of the money we are spending, the kids do not have a care in the world. It's pure bliss, something adults strive for when on vacation but can never seem to attain.
Maybe family vacations should be about acting less like adults and more like kids.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
My Daughter's Fascination with my New Career Path
My daughter is a vibrant young preschooler. To my excitement, she has become fascinated with my new career path. Here's a small sampling of things she says as she takes in our medical school experience.
(Now, I fully understand that my kids are not necessarily as charming to everyone else as they are to me, so perhaps this post is more for me so that I don't forget this precious aspect of my journey through med school. But I hope you enjoy and at least get a little chuckle.)
-When we're eating any type of meat, once she knows which animal it is from, she asks which body part it is. She then tells me the corresponding body part on her own body (her personal favorite is pork butt- such a comedian).
-"Mommy, are you going to wear your white doctor suit tomorrow?" There are some days when I must wear my short white coat and bring my stethoscope with me, whether I'm heading off to practice my skills with a community physician, volunteering in my school's free clinic, or participating in a learning activity in my school's clinical skills lab. I usually set it out the night before so I don't forget, and she calls it my "white doctor suit".
-"Mommy, can I read your body book?" The body book to which she is referring is my anatomy textbook, Gray's Anatomy for Students. She loves flipping through the book, periodically stopping to ask me to explain a picture to her. I tried explaining dermatomes once and afterwards she looked at me as if I were crazy and said "That man just has a rainbow on his body". Although she has learned that the "intestines make poop and the kidneys make pee". I guess that sums up the important stuff from my Gastrointestinal and Renal-Endocrine modules from first year.
-"Why does that man not have any skin?" A time or two she has caught glimpses of my computer screen as I watch an anatomy review podcast recorded in my school's cadaver lab. The first time I was expecting cries of terror, but she was surprisingly ok with it. I think it bothers me more than it bothers her, so now I try to wait until after she goes to bed to review those.
-"When my mommy becomes a doctor, we get to go to Disney World!" Our ideal plans include a big vacation to Disney World after graduation, before I start residency. She doesn't hesitate to tell this to anyone and everyone. Even random people at the store. Hmmm, I wonder if she is excited...
-"After preschool I'll go to high school, then college, then I'll be in med school like you!" If only it were that simple.
Fellow medical student mommies, do your kids ever entertain you with their own interpretations of your medical training?
(Now, I fully understand that my kids are not necessarily as charming to everyone else as they are to me, so perhaps this post is more for me so that I don't forget this precious aspect of my journey through med school. But I hope you enjoy and at least get a little chuckle.)
-When we're eating any type of meat, once she knows which animal it is from, she asks which body part it is. She then tells me the corresponding body part on her own body (her personal favorite is pork butt- such a comedian).
-"Mommy, are you going to wear your white doctor suit tomorrow?" There are some days when I must wear my short white coat and bring my stethoscope with me, whether I'm heading off to practice my skills with a community physician, volunteering in my school's free clinic, or participating in a learning activity in my school's clinical skills lab. I usually set it out the night before so I don't forget, and she calls it my "white doctor suit".
-"Mommy, can I read your body book?" The body book to which she is referring is my anatomy textbook, Gray's Anatomy for Students. She loves flipping through the book, periodically stopping to ask me to explain a picture to her. I tried explaining dermatomes once and afterwards she looked at me as if I were crazy and said "That man just has a rainbow on his body". Although she has learned that the "intestines make poop and the kidneys make pee". I guess that sums up the important stuff from my Gastrointestinal and Renal-Endocrine modules from first year.
-"Why does that man not have any skin?" A time or two she has caught glimpses of my computer screen as I watch an anatomy review podcast recorded in my school's cadaver lab. The first time I was expecting cries of terror, but she was surprisingly ok with it. I think it bothers me more than it bothers her, so now I try to wait until after she goes to bed to review those.
-"When my mommy becomes a doctor, we get to go to Disney World!" Our ideal plans include a big vacation to Disney World after graduation, before I start residency. She doesn't hesitate to tell this to anyone and everyone. Even random people at the store. Hmmm, I wonder if she is excited...
-"After preschool I'll go to high school, then college, then I'll be in med school like you!" If only it were that simple.
Fellow medical student mommies, do your kids ever entertain you with their own interpretations of your medical training?
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Miles and Miles Apart
When I began medical school in July of 2010, my husband and I had every intention of living apart for two years. At my school the first two years must be spent on the main campus, and for the last two you could remain there or switch to a smaller campus in a different city (which happens to be where I'm from). My husband and the kids would maintain their stability in our old city, and I would only move away for the first two years, coming back to be with them for the last two. Sure, we knew it would be rough only seeing each other on the weekends and getting by with "skyping" during the week. But they would have plenty of help with extended family who lived nearby, and I would have the entire week to myself to study. I could spend the weekends just being "mommy". I even had a friend who had done the same thing a few years ago, and it worked out in the end for her and her family.
Well, that plan was much better in theory than in practice. Yes, I did have loads of study time during the week. I was satisfied with my academic performance, so I was able to study very little on the weekends and focus on the family, giving my husband a much-needed break. I spent those weekends caring for the kids, doing laundry, and cooking meals for an entire week or two at a time. But when it was time to make my 5 am drive back to school every Monday morning, I was exhausted.
There is something special about the entire family being together every day. Seeing your smiling sleepy-eyed kids every morning. Having dinner together every night. Spending time with your husband every night after the kids go to bed, even if you are making flash cards at the same time. Not feeling like you have to cram an entire week of togetherness into two short days, on top of the laundry and the cooking. I was jealous of my married classmates who complained that their spouses weren't giving them enough space so they could study. You have to be with your spouse every day in order to have that problem.
We knew we wanted to have our third child during medical school, but when we found out we were expecting, we realized that we were not as okay with living apart as we thought we would be. How would I finish the school year by myself with a newborn? While my husband did an amazing job with the kids by himself, how would he be able to take care of two young kids and an infant by himself the following year without going crazy?
In the end, our prayers were answered. My husband found a great job, and we found a wonderful daycare for the kids. After a few stressful weeks of packing, moving day finally came. The entire family was together again, for good, just before Valentine's Day. In my opinion, it was the best Valentine's Day ever.
So how does the story end? The baby was born 4 weeks early but perfectly healthy. My test scores fell slightly but it was worth the extra time spent with my family. We finally got the stacks of boxes unpacked. I survived my first year of medical school and overall I did much better than I had expected.
I have to keep telling myself that, while it feels like I just finished running a marathon, it's only the beginning. Second year is a whole new race. And board exams and clinical rotations are looming on the horizon.
Runners, take your mark.
Well, that plan was much better in theory than in practice. Yes, I did have loads of study time during the week. I was satisfied with my academic performance, so I was able to study very little on the weekends and focus on the family, giving my husband a much-needed break. I spent those weekends caring for the kids, doing laundry, and cooking meals for an entire week or two at a time. But when it was time to make my 5 am drive back to school every Monday morning, I was exhausted.
There is something special about the entire family being together every day. Seeing your smiling sleepy-eyed kids every morning. Having dinner together every night. Spending time with your husband every night after the kids go to bed, even if you are making flash cards at the same time. Not feeling like you have to cram an entire week of togetherness into two short days, on top of the laundry and the cooking. I was jealous of my married classmates who complained that their spouses weren't giving them enough space so they could study. You have to be with your spouse every day in order to have that problem.
We knew we wanted to have our third child during medical school, but when we found out we were expecting, we realized that we were not as okay with living apart as we thought we would be. How would I finish the school year by myself with a newborn? While my husband did an amazing job with the kids by himself, how would he be able to take care of two young kids and an infant by himself the following year without going crazy?
In the end, our prayers were answered. My husband found a great job, and we found a wonderful daycare for the kids. After a few stressful weeks of packing, moving day finally came. The entire family was together again, for good, just before Valentine's Day. In my opinion, it was the best Valentine's Day ever.
So how does the story end? The baby was born 4 weeks early but perfectly healthy. My test scores fell slightly but it was worth the extra time spent with my family. We finally got the stacks of boxes unpacked. I survived my first year of medical school and overall I did much better than I had expected.
I have to keep telling myself that, while it feels like I just finished running a marathon, it's only the beginning. Second year is a whole new race. And board exams and clinical rotations are looming on the horizon.
Runners, take your mark.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Banana Oatmeal Pancakes
All my friends who know me well enough will not be surprised to know that the first subject I am writing about is food!
I created these one day after coming across a recipe for banana pancakes using banana-flavored instant oatmeal packets. Now, I love the occasional bowl of pre-flavored instant oatmeal, but the packets contain too much sugar to be incorporated into a food that is traditionally covered in additional sugar before eating.
While I prefer to make pancakes from scratch, I've found that a good instant pancake mix to which you just have to add water can be a lifesaver. Especially on those weekend mornings when I open the refrigerator and realize that we are completely out of eggs. These were perfectly light but dense pillows of banana goodness that my kids and husband, well, went bananas for. Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures before we devoured them (I'm new to this blogging thing, remember?) but I will try to remember to post a picture the next time I make them. I hope you like them!
Banana Oatmeal Pancakes
1-2 very ripe bananas, peeled
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
2 tb brown sugar
2 c instant pancake mix
1 c old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats
2 c water
Mash the bananas with a fork in a large bowl. Add the cinnamon, vanilla, and brown sugar and continue to stir and mash, until you have a delicious, smooth banana goo. Add the pancake mix, oats, and water and stir just to combine.
Preheat a nonstick skillet or griddle to medium and coat with vegetable oil or spray. Scoop out batter using a 1/3 cup measure and pour onto hot surface. Cook until the top surface of pancake appears dry, then gently flip. If you have trouble lifting them out you may need to let them cook an additional minute or so; the banana makes these pretty delicate. Cook until the other side is browned and the pancakes are no longer gooey in the center. This makes about 12 pancakes.
Serve warm with syrup, Nutella, peanut butter, whipped cream, or any combination of the above. My personal favorite topping is Nutella, but my husband happily ate them unadorned.
I created these one day after coming across a recipe for banana pancakes using banana-flavored instant oatmeal packets. Now, I love the occasional bowl of pre-flavored instant oatmeal, but the packets contain too much sugar to be incorporated into a food that is traditionally covered in additional sugar before eating.
While I prefer to make pancakes from scratch, I've found that a good instant pancake mix to which you just have to add water can be a lifesaver. Especially on those weekend mornings when I open the refrigerator and realize that we are completely out of eggs. These were perfectly light but dense pillows of banana goodness that my kids and husband, well, went bananas for. Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures before we devoured them (I'm new to this blogging thing, remember?) but I will try to remember to post a picture the next time I make them. I hope you like them!
Banana Oatmeal Pancakes
1-2 very ripe bananas, peeled
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
2 tb brown sugar
2 c instant pancake mix
1 c old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats
2 c water
Mash the bananas with a fork in a large bowl. Add the cinnamon, vanilla, and brown sugar and continue to stir and mash, until you have a delicious, smooth banana goo. Add the pancake mix, oats, and water and stir just to combine.
Preheat a nonstick skillet or griddle to medium and coat with vegetable oil or spray. Scoop out batter using a 1/3 cup measure and pour onto hot surface. Cook until the top surface of pancake appears dry, then gently flip. If you have trouble lifting them out you may need to let them cook an additional minute or so; the banana makes these pretty delicate. Cook until the other side is browned and the pancakes are no longer gooey in the center. This makes about 12 pancakes.
Serve warm with syrup, Nutella, peanut butter, whipped cream, or any combination of the above. My personal favorite topping is Nutella, but my husband happily ate them unadorned.
My Very First Post!
Well, I took my husband's advice and finally started my blog. For a while now I had been lamenting the fact that I could find no bloggers in my situation already writing. I guess there just aren't that many older medical students out there who are also moms to multiple young children. They exist, but as I already know it's very difficult to squeeze much of anything else onto our already full plates. But I'm going to try, maybe not for my own reasons but for my kids, who can someday read these musings and know (if not remember; they're very young now) what these crazy medical school days were like. Hopefully along the way someone else in my situation, looking for support and affirmation among like peers, will relate to my experiences and appreciate our journey that much more.
So what am I doing? Well, I hope to write equally about all the interesting facets of my journey: marriage, motherhood, food, and medicine. However, I'm sure the distribution may not be as equal as I want because school will inevitably take over my brain here in about a month. I'll be starting my second year of medical school and will be immersed in a new level of craziness, learning at a quicker pace than first year while keeping the USMLE Step 1 board examination in the back of my mind (I take that monster of an exam at the end of second year).
Here goes. Buckle up kids, it's going to be a wild ride!
So what am I doing? Well, I hope to write equally about all the interesting facets of my journey: marriage, motherhood, food, and medicine. However, I'm sure the distribution may not be as equal as I want because school will inevitably take over my brain here in about a month. I'll be starting my second year of medical school and will be immersed in a new level of craziness, learning at a quicker pace than first year while keeping the USMLE Step 1 board examination in the back of my mind (I take that monster of an exam at the end of second year).
Here goes. Buckle up kids, it's going to be a wild ride!
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