First, thanks to everyone for there kind birthday wishes.  I spent my birthday day and night at the hospital but have spend a lovely five days off since.  Chris and i have hung out and worked on house projects.  For my birthday Chris took me to the 2nd annual Grand Rapids Wine and Food festival.  It was so much fun to dress up, taste tons of wine and cheese, and just spend an evening together.  We ended it with a late dinner of sushi and it was the perfect birthday celebration. 

Life has been good lately.  I am back on the General Surgery rotation and operating almost everyday.  While trauma was fun and sometimes exciting, i much prefer my hernias, breasts, and appendix.  The weather here has been a beautiful fall.  It is brisk but still warm enough to walk the dogs and rake leaves.  We had a fun halloween too.  First i went the "The Haunt" with some friends from work. It is a huge very well done haunted house in which i screamed appropriatly multiple times (i was wishing that hannah and meg were with me).  Chris and I then attended a party (where we were the only losers who did not dress up, oh well, there is always next year) and headed out to play in downtown GR.

The dogs are good.  Zoey has grown so much but she is still my baby.  Thankfully she is fully housetrained now and even learning to follow simple commands (sit, downs, up, etc).  She is a total love and is happy to snuggle me whenever i want.  She did give us a scare the other night when she snatched an ibuprofen that i dropped on the floor before i got to it.  These are very poisonous for dogs and we spent the rest of the night make her throw up and giving her pepcid.  Thankfully she is just fine.

happy times

I just shooed my puppy outside for catching her playing in her water bowel for the third time today. She splashes by putting her two front paws in the water until all the water in on the floor. She is really so funny. Her favorite spot to nap is on the downstairs bathroom floor. Once she is done playing outside, she comes in, gets a drink of water, then trots downstairs and flops down on the bathroom rug. I don't know why, she just likes it down there, even if she is all alone.
It is actually very nice to be around such joy. While i love my work, trauma does begin to wear on me. I see many terrible things on trauma and watch more than my share of people, especially young people die.

On a brighter note, Chris has been assigned to a National Guard Unit here in Grand Rapids. He was given a position in the Mechanized Infantry Unit and is actually drilling as I write. He will be the second highest ranking person in the platoon, which is perfect since he is such a great leader.

The beginnings of fall have come and the leaves are starting to change color. The temperature has been just a bit cooler but still nice and forecast predicts that it will drop into the 50s soon. I am excited for the change in the weather and the fall colors and harvest. I have heard there are orchards around Grand Rapids and you can go pick your own apples, how fun.

The Surgeon and the Psychiatrist

(this one is for you Rachel :)

I hate propagate stereotypes however this was a call i made this morning and afterward i had to laugh. Granted i was post-call after a 30 hour shift and had no ride home. still, no excuse. I reprimand myself!

Surgeon: Dr. Psychiatrist, i have a consult for you. She is a 13 y.o. girl who was involved in an MVA in which her uncle was killed and she sustained pelvic fractures. She is a sweet girl who is morbidly obese and has a history of depression and self-cutting. I am concerned that her grief and trauma will put her at risk for this behavior again.

Psychiatrist: wow that will be tough

Surgeon: yeah sorry (me being the sleep deprived, selfish, overworked person i am assumed that he meant that this would be a tough consult for him thus causing more work)

Psychiatrist: No, i meant it must be tough for her to deal with all her problems (being the kind, patient focused, well slept person he is)

Oh well, at least i realize my weaknesses. I will admit when i pray for no more traumas it is so i can go to bed, not so no one else will get hurt. Maybe i am a bad person. sigh.