Please Forgive Me!

I just had a realization.

I haven't written anything on this blog in almost 2 months. Where did the time go? How is it possible that time moves so slowly in my life but so quickly on this blog? Why have I had such writer's block lately? I can't answer these questions but I promise to be better about it.  This blog has been a major stress outlet for me over the course of this deployment.  I've felt very agitated lately and I think it has to do with my lack of writing.  Deployment weighs heavily on my shoulders every minute of the day and  this feeling of dread won't go away until he's home.   It's incredibly difficult for me to separate these emotions out of the workplace and I think that sometimes my mood can carry over.   Writing on this blog helps me to release some of these emotions.  So.......I'm back.

What have I been doing over the last two months?  Well, there's a very simple answer to that question.
 
I've been sticking my hand in many, many vaginas.  

Yes, you read that right. 

I spent a month working on the labor and delivery floor.  I can now say that my hands were the first to touch the heads of 38 new human beings (or little goats as I like to call them).  I was so happy to end the month but it is pretty cool to think about that little fact. 

The actual act of delivering babies is fun and it's usually not even that hard.  Not dropping them on the floor is the most difficult part.  They are slippery little buggers!

Now I'm back in the Emergency Department and it feels good to be home.

Stay tuned for the regular return of Dr. Army Wife's blog!

Inspiring

I may not be blogging very much over the next week or two - please bear with me.  I'm trying to cherish those last moments before my husband leaves. 

I did want to share this incredibly inspiring blog post.  Click here, sit back, and prepare to be moved to tears.

Thanks to Consider the Lilies for sharing this.

Different Perspectives

There are so many paths that we all take in our military-affiliated lives.  Some of us are Army spouses. Some are Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, or Marines. Some are Active duty and some are Reserves or National guard.  There are girlfriends among us and spouses who service members themselves.  There are Wounded Warrior spouses and Gold Star spouses.  It goes on and on. We all have different and valuable perspectives on this crazy life.

To Love a Soldier  recently added a "Different Perspectives" tab to her blog.  She highlights military spouse/girlfriend bloggers from all the various lifestyles.  Her goal is to help people find others with whom they can relate and connect.

She so kindly listed my blog for the Reserve/Guard spouse category.  Go check it out - she has an amazing blog over there!

The End of the Interview Trail...And An Award!

I drove down the highway singing as loudly as I could.  As soon as I got home, I threw down my luggage, tossed off my heels, practically ripped off my suit, and plopped myself down on the couch.

I'm done with residency interviews.

It has been a long and tiring process and to be honest I didn't even have it that bad.    Most people spend weeks going from hotel to hotel and program to program.   They miss trains, deal with lost luggage, and end up sleeping in airports.  Because of his job at the fire department, my husband and I are geographically limited for my residency search. Therefore it only made sense for me to interview at places within driving distance.  I never paid for airfare, never got stuck in an airport, and never had to sleep on someone else's futon.  I only stayed at a hotel for a couple nights.  While some of my colleagues probably spent over $2000.00 on the interview trail, I spent a whopping $282.00.

Regardless, I'm tired. 

I'm tired of wearing a suit when I will be wearing scrubs for the rest of my life.
I'm tired of small talk.
I'm tired of smiling and faking enthusiasm for every program even if I hate it.
I'm tired of asking questions for the sake of asking questions.
I'm tired of describing myself, voicing my strengths and weaknesses, and explaining why I chose emergency medicine.
I'm tired of awkward interview silences.
I'm tired of trudging through hospitals in uncomfortable heels.
I'm tired of pre-interview social events during which I nurse my one drink the entire evening as not to appear intoxicated but also not to appear a total prude.
I'm tired of listening to program directors recite the same statistics and describe the same thing at every program I visit.
I'm tired of sitting next to other applicants who hum "hmm mmm mmm" every three seconds.
I'm tired of trying to navigate my way through new cities and strange hospitals, all the while panicking that if I get lost I might be late.

I'm just plain tired and I'm so happy it's over.  

Now comes the fun part - making a decision.  No big deal, it's just the next 3-4 years of my life.


                                                              ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On another note, I was given my very first blog award! Beckie over at He's Taken a Turn for the Nurse gave me the Versatile Blogger Award and I'm flattered.  Definitely stop by her amazing blog and follow along with her adventures.  Thank you, Beckie!

Now for the "rules" of this award:

1. Thank and link back to the person who gave you the award

2. Answer 10 questions

3. Pass it along to 7 blogs you've recently discovered and enjoy

4. Leave your recipients a note, telling them about the award

The 10 Questions...

1. Why did you create this blog?

I kept the knowledge of my husband's upcoming deployment a secret for several months.  We told virtually no one for a long time.  After I let people know, I realized that I was having trouble talking about it and sharing my emotions and feelings.  This blog is cathartic.  It allows me to vent, share, celebrate, and reflect.  Most importantly, it has helped me find other military spouses with whom I can relate.  

2. What kinds of blogs do you follow?

At this point, mostly military spouse blogs. I'd love to follow more blogs from medically oriented folks as well.   

3. Favorite make-up brand?

To be honest, I'm not much of a make-up person. I buy whatever my friends tell me to buy and I don't really wear much of it on a daily basis.

4. Favorite clothing brand?

Banana Republic & Ann Taylor are my go-to stores right now (mostly because my day-time attire ends up being "professional clothes" if not scrubs).

5. Indispensable makeup product?

Mascara is the only thing I wear on a somewhat regular daily basis. 

6. Favorite color?

Blue

7. Favorite perfume?

It bothers patients so I don't really wear it.

8. Favorite film?

I really like Juno

9. What country would you like to visit and why?

Greece because it seems like such an amazing and beautiful place.  

10. Would you rather forget to put mascara on one eye or forget blush on one side of your face?

 I suppose blush on one side of my face.  I don't wear blush so it's not really much of an issue!

Wait, I thought interviews were over!

Ok, here are my 7 Versatile Blogger Choices (no particular order):
1. Tangerine Monday
2. Stethoscopes and Dog Tags
3. My Goal Is Simple
4. Stackett
5. Oh! Apostrophe
6. Consider the Lilies
7. FallonElla's Almost Fairytale

Blizzard Bloghop 2011

Hi there everyone, this is Dr. Army Wife and I'm participating in the Blizzard Bloghop 2011 hosted by Household 6 Diva. To join, go link up & write an introduction post and then grab some tea (or wine) and blog-hop the weekend away!




While I'm just starting out with this whole blogging business, it's been an incredible experience for me.  It allows me an outlet for my feelings, a way to meet new people (especially other military spouses), and it makes me stop and think about the good, bad, and crazy things happening in my busy life.

A little about Dr. Army Wife:  I have chosen to keep this blog semi-anonymous given the fact that I'd rather not be recognized by patients or residency programs right now.  So, I apologize ahead of time that you won't be seeing pictures of my face.  But doesn't it make me seem way cooler and more mysterious?

I'm a late twenty-something fourth year medical student just cruising through until graduation in a couple months.  I live somewhere in the United States and hope to start a residency in Emergency Medicine...somewhere in the United States.  I met my husband 6 years ago and we were married just this past October on the most amazing fall day that I can ever remember (minus the cold blue-lipped photo session).

My husband is a firefighter/paramedic/nursing student/Army reservist.  Needless to say, he's just as busy as me!  We are now facing an upcoming deployment overseas (his second, my first) and it's a pretty crazy time right now in our household.  I'm using this blog as a way to cope as I stumble my way through the next year or so.  I write about my life, the military & deployment, medicine, family, food, and whatever random other things come to mind.

Thanks for stopping by - can't wait to read your blogs!