Go together well

{Dad, third from right, breaking ground at the site of his clinic, ~1987.} On June 24, I graduated from family medicine residency and became the fourth family physician/general practitioner in three generations of Dorwarts. A week later, on July 1, our family gathered in Sidney, Nebraska, to celebrate my dad's retirement after 35 years as a family physician there. I couldn't be prouder of the work my dad has done throughout his career, his dedication to our hometown, his persistence through difficult times, and his unwavering insistence on doing the right thing even when it's not the easy thing. Even though I considered forays into surgery and gynecologic oncology (among other things), I am happy to have found my way to family medicine and to my father's footsteps. Although my dad worked long hours throughout my childhood, I never felt like I was missing out because I appreciated the importance of what he was doing. My perception was that he was spending his d...

On Valentine’s Day, as I was walking back toward the hospital after buying a Coke from the Red Cross canteen (a little shop adjacent to the hospital “car park” where they sell snacks, soft drinks, and sadza ), a man about my age walked briskly toward me, saying, “Hi doc, I’m sorry to interrupt you but can I ask a personal question?” My mind jumped to: where’s the rash? Instead, he continued, “It’s about my wife. She was admitted to the labour ward for an induction today, but now they’re sending her back to the antepartum ward because she isn’t having contractions.” (The labour ward has a strict no visitors policy, which also means no husbands.Throughout the rest of the hospital, visitors are only allowed for two hour-long periods each day.)  He went on to tell me about the recent course of his wife’s pregnancy, and I was becoming curious about what the “personal question” would be. After a few minutes, he asked simply, “Do you think she’ll be okay? Do you think the baby will be ...

{College hockey is really growing on me! UMass Lowell vs. UVM. And a new scarf made by my dear Vickie!} Okay, so posting a daily picture has proven somewhat difficult--especially since I simultaneously started an inpatient rotation and started getting sick on Monday. Anyway, I took my first sick days of residency, and I think I'm on the mend now. Here are a few pictures from the past couple of weeks:  {Zoey's first ice cream -- from the Ben & Jerry's factory!} {A daily occurrence during our "Vermont vacation week," which is actually a thing for schools in Vermont. And I took the week off too, because why not?} { "Must. Lick. Baby." You can sort of see my hand holding back Tessie's head} {Sweet cheeks!} {Zoey likes cheek raspberries}

I will blame residency for another lapse in posting! The days (and many of the nights...) have been full, and as I move from one rotation to the next, I am increasingly pleased with my match in family medicine. It is very fulfilling, though at times overwhelming, to be a witness to the full range of the human experience. I get to be the first person to hold a newborn baby, to support a family through the dying process, and to be there for people at every stage in between. There are daily reminders both of how difficult and of how great life can be. Every day is an adventure! A few updates:  After 30 fracture-free years, Chris has broken both his collarbone and his right thumb this year, on separate occasions... In spite of his fragility, he has had a great time working as a junior high teacher. I'm more than halfway done with residency, which is crazy! I was elected as a chief resident for next year. Tessie is still awesome. Vermont has been super cold but with great ...

{Lake Champlain sunset} The summer was busy, but I made it to my second year of residency! I'm enjoying an outpatient procedure month and working on a few different projects, including Health Care Shares  and a group working on expanding the number of people with advance directives . And Chris got a job teaching junior high at a Catholic school that's 10 minutes from our house! We've gone apple picking twice so far this fall, and we're looking forward to the fall colors. Although I spent most of my summer in the hospital, there were a few highlights: {a new niece! adorable Zoey Elizabeth} { Vermont Brew Fest } {visitors, hiking, and a concert  (with free ice cream )!}

Starting last Sunday, my mom and I set off on our journey of 1,996 miles from Sidney to Omaha to Primghar to Iowa City to Westchester to Niagara Falls to Burlington, bringing my total mileage to 3,813 miles through 12 states and one Canadian province. {my indirect route from Baltimore to Burlington} I'm so glad my mom came with me. It has been really nice to spend time with her and to have her company. Plus, we got to visit lots of wonderful people...aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers, sisters-in-law, friends, grandparents, grandparents-in-law, parents-in-law! Although it's difficult/sad/stressful/overwhelming to move around as much as we have, it also provides for a lot of places to visit and people to see.  Plus, it's fun to think of life as a series of adventures--and starting our next adventure with this view is not too bad! { Overlook Park : a 15-minute walk through the woods from our new place}