Random Thoughts of My Meandering Mind
May 10, 2022
by Dr. Plastic Picker
It’s Tuesday morning and it looks like the middle management meeting was cancelled today. I don’t worry too much about office politics anymore, am I purposefully being left off emails? How are things running? It’s probably my overactive imagination anyway. Many people can be thoughtless, and I don’t think I’m that important to be the target of any political machinations. You have to care about someone to let them hurt you, and honestly thinking of everyone as just part of nature has helped me. You don’t get mad at compost nor at the carnivorous insects that devour a carcass? It’s part of the cycle of life, right? And I honestly think that is true for many human relationships as well. I met a young new doctor yesterday in the program that I used to run, and things were not going smoothly. I had written my workflow out many times when I was asked. It’s funny that I had written out step by step my workflow, and even those that had asked for it – I don’t think ever read it? I found it in my files when I was trying to get the new young doctor settled in. I was there and provided her supports and checked in on her, but it’s not my job anymore. I decided to let that part of life go and I’m forever grateful I did. It’s not anyone’s fault just the system is not running smoothly. The system will sort itself out. It’s not my job anymore.
With that, I’m so lucky to have meaningful work – both my work work and my volunteer climate work. I was a doctor yesterday and saw many patients. Lots of kids with fever and lots of my own patients. With each interaction, I felt I left each family a bit better. I addressed parents concerns, and sometimes I just listened. I shared their burdens. It’s funny how that simple thing can be very hard in the cacophany of our modern world, but it’s sometimes the most important. If I as a doctor don’t acknowledge their illness and their symptoms, than did it happen? I need to acknowledge. I need to witness. I need to be present.
And I was present yesterday. I saw a little baby bunny in the HMO parking lot.
I noticed the growth of the onion my mother-in-law stuck in some water.
The middle-management meeting may have been cancelled. I’m not going to bother to text around anymore to see if it was or wasn’t. It’s not worth my time. I have a few middle management projects left to finish and I’ll make sure to use my time appropriately.
And this afternoon during my own time, I am going to be happily finishing up some writing projects. We had an article accepted to a popular Yucatan science magazine. And I was invited to contribute a piece to Contemporary Pediatrics on physician burnout. And yes, the ping-pong tournament is going to be a thing at our HMO!!! Just random thoughts of my meandering mind. Much love to the readership, and stay tuned! The Oregon Farm tree house and the Wilderness Medicine program – I’m dreaming and planning here at Dr. Plastic Picker dot com.