First Week of Residency

Since this blog is slowly taking over my personal journal, I wanted to note how Ryan's first week of residency went (wife's perspective).

His first official day was Tuesday, July 1st. Apparently July 1st is always the day that intern's start---anywhere in the country. It doesn't matter if it's a Wednesday or Sunday. It's tradition, I guess. His first day was an "on-call" day. He left at approximately 4:30 am that morning. He always has to be in at 5:00 am. He came home the next day at 12:30 pm. If I'm doing my math correctly, that is a 32 hour shift. He said it was the "hardest day of his life". In that 30 hours he saw clinic patients, delivered 3 babies, and filled out hours worth of paperwork (among other small tasks). They sure have him diving in head first. Exhausted is an understatement of how he felt when he got home.

Wednesday he had off, but of course slept most of the day.

Thursday he went back in for his first "regular" shift. 5:00 am to 7:00 pm. A good, but busy day. He saw high-risk clinic patients (like myself). Joshy and I got a peek of him when we went in to see our doctor! It's weird to me to think he's talking to patients like me. Especially because whenever I ask him a question, he typically doesn't know the answer. Intern year is so hard because even though they are "doctors", they don't know much about their specialty. Ryan hates feeling incompetent and uses most of his free time with a book in his nose. I have been expecting this for a while now. I am trying my best to be supportive. I know how important these next 4 years are for him.

Friday he had off because of the 4th of July. Typically he would've had to work another "regular" shift, but he got the holiday off because he wasn't on-call.

Saturday was another on-call day. He had to be at the hospital at 5:00 am. He called once yesterday to say he loved us and that he was incredibly busy. He was fast asleep on our bed when I came home from church today at 12:30. He survived another day. But, he'll be back again tomorrow at 5:00 am for another shift.

This will be his schedule for 2 months. He is on-call every 3-4 days and doesn't have to work Saturdays or Sundays unless he's on-call. After the 2 months are up, he will work in the ER for a month with no call. It will be a nice month of an 8-5 schedule. That's good because our new son should arrive then. :) Happy days.

Anyway, I just wanted to note how crazy our life is right now. Please keep Ryan in your prayers along with our new son that's still in my belly. Life is beautiful.