a day in the life

I held a newborn baby today.  I listened to her heart and her lungs. I counted her fingers and toes.  I reassured the parents.

30 minutes prior to this, I was in the room with a 60 year old woman having a heart attack.  I looked over her labs and her EKG.  I ordered her an aspirin, a nitroglycerin, and some morphine.  Then I called the cardiologist.   We are in a rural area and this cardiologist was in a neighboring community.  We had to coordinate the helicopter ride to get her to the cath lab as soon as possible.

2 hours later, I was an hour behind in my clinic.

Not every day is as expected.  I’ve learned to expect the unexpected.

3 hours prior, on the ride to work, I visualized my day.  I thought about what could possibly go wrong.  I thought about how I would respond to certain situations.  I tried to visualize myself being calm and making good decisions.  I visualized myself taking time with my patients and listening to them.

Later {after my hospital rounds}, while I was in the clinic  I felt myself becoming stressed and anxious about being behind.  I started feeling the need to rush.  To get through the numerous patients that I had waiting.

Then it hit me.  I had planned for this exact moment.

I immediately took a breath and realized that my stress was my making.  It was under my control.  What’s the worse that could happen? I am an hour behind? I work through lunch? Some patients get annoyed?  Big deal.  I am alive.   I am healthy.   I get to do my job.  I get to work with great employees.  I get to be happy.  I get to control my emotions and thoughts.

Immediately I felt better.  Calm and smiling I entered the next room.  I eventually caught up and finished my day on time.

Later in the day, I had a call from the cardiologist.  They were able to open up the artery that was clogged. My patient was doing well and in recovery.

Not every day goes as expected.  But that’s OK.

Did I mention, I got to hold a newborn baby today?