June 26, 2021

by drplasticpicker

Some of my family members are fishing up near the reservoir near our Oregon farm. Yes we are FARMERS!!! I actually know someone whose last name is Farmer. They are good friends. But we will be hobby farmers. But I can’t go up to Oregon eventhough it’s a paid off property because I still work. But I’m happy at work and just try to do a good job everyday and be happy, that is all you can ask of yourself. When you are in middle management, life is not that different. If you think life is different for a middle manager and there is more happiness, I would dissuade you from going into management. Happiness is found within not with fancy titles or power. Middle managment can be stressfull because you are trying to do work and think is a swirling mass of sometimes very disorganized people, and I’m super proud of myself that I’ve learned to reach this zen state that I can put that work in context, and find humour in chasing metrics and sitting at meeting after meeting. My biggest accomplishment is that I’m stream-lining committees and cancelling meetings! I love cancelling ineffective meetings!!! Time is money folks. I really don’t know why I’m in management really. I think it’s just because I wanted to attend my Crimson University 20th college reunion and have a fancy title to tell my classmates. I think that’s the truth. But after attending my reunion, I realized we just really cared about eachother. We celebrated everyone’s career advancements, but the most important part was whether we were each happy. And seeing happiness and joy of those we had attended college with, especially when we were what we called “blockmates,” was so wonderful.

So just living real life and finished some pediatric competency questions, and I AM STILL COMPETENT!!! Super proud of myself. There is a really long algorithm for ingestion of button batteries by the way. And who knew there were so many new guidelines!!! New Pediatric Migraine Treatment Guidelines (phew, pretty much what I was doing) and I got to review fun facts about paroxysmal vocal cord dysfunction. Very interesting condition. I gave a lecture to the HMO Family Practice Residents on pediatrics. How am I supposed to teach them everything about pediatrics in 1.5 hours? I’ve changed my approach. I just showed them slides that the other instructor had made, and I subbed in pictures of my kids. I went over some basic things, about the sequence of well child visits, vaccinations, and some definitions of pediatric quality metrics. But there is no way they remember! So I also asked them what their favorite animal was, and asked them about memories they had of their pediatrician. I reassured them that I’m around and text me anytime if you have questions, and these are the really nice pediatiricans who will be guiding you through your residency. I did warm them truly, “If you don’t ask questions (I still ask tons of questions), than I get really really worried!” Pediatrics is super scary because you are taking care the world’s most precious beings, it’s future. So ask questions and we’ll always answer.

So that is it. I’m a bit envious I’m not fishing, but we will be there soon enough and there are things I need to joyously do this weekend. I finished my pediatric competency questions which is the most important part! I’ll still keep reading and learning though! So what I will do this weekend just so I keep myself accountable.

1. Restart my FURNITURE REFINISHING PROJECT!!! I need a new paint-brush and proper paint-cleaner stuff.
2. Finish last edits on our Journal Article, yes one more editing round. Never ending.
3. Finish edits for American Academy of Pediatrics Abstract
4. Look at refinancing a different property. My mortgage broker changed banks again, so I need to get her new contact information. She’s really good but she changes banks as frequently as I used to change houses! Although I’ve been in thes same house for 6 years now!
5. Do staffing tomorrow for our weekend clinic. I’ve done it so long now, I can pretty much do it with my eyes closed. Sometimes I do close my eyes when I told to the weekend nurses, to concentrate on what they are saying.
6. Email my friend MD, and prepare details for our epic Montana vacation!!! I’m getting really excited. Want to hike Glacier Grinnell with my brother and kids. We may need to do some practice hikes to work up our endurance.