An Average FD Weekend

December 5 and 6, 2009


I am an assistant professor in the family medicine/osteopathic manipulative medicine department at a medical school. My job includes teaching on campus and two days of clinic per week. I do not work with residents or do hospital work at this time.

0530: Hit the snooze.

0600: Get up, shower, dress, meet Husband in the great room where he is feeding Daughter breakfast. Have fifteen minutes "share time," a luxury in our marriage.

0730: Pull into parking garage of local hotel which is hosting the winter cme program sponsored by the medical school for whom I work. This is the final day of the program. I am both presenting and moderating today and must stay through the last lecture.

0745: Have a frightening conversation with an elderly family practice doc, retired, who "never believed in mammograms. " Wow.

0755: Cardiologist thought he was to speak at 0800, my speaking time, and he has to get his son to a soccer thing. I trade spots with him because I'll be here all day anyway.

0845: I give my lecture on EMR (history, political stuff, choosing and implementation). To my surprise, it went very well and was well-received. Spend rest of the day basking in the glow of good feedback.

1200: Had to cut the financial planner's discussion short as it was clear he was overtime and wouldn't be stopping anytime soon. I don't feel too bad as it was basically a sales pitch. I apologized profusely to him and the audience and he kindly left the room. I'm pretty sure I see his tail tucked between his legs.

1300: Final lecturer finishes and I realize his area of interest is mine, too. We briefly collaborate and agree to start a project together, trade contact info. I realize my self-imposed deadline to identify an area for my academic research by the New Year has been met. I give myself an internal high-five, which may or may not feel like a Kegel exercise.

1340: Fill up gas tank, decide to go to WalMart, closer to my house, rather than Target, closer to the gas station, for my quick errand of getting pantyhose.

1400: Leave WalMart SEETHING that they no longer carry Just My Size. Queen size is the biggest they carry now and for my height that means no heavier than 185. Am I the only obese WalMart shopper? Hmmmph! Go through Taco Bell drive-thru as I'm sure a taco will ease the psychic pain.

1415: Back at Target, telling Sister via iPhone about the WalMart incident. She asks me to pick up panty hose for her, too, while I'm there. She too has her work party tonight.

1500: Now at Catherines all the way across town because Target also doesn't carry Just My Size. Picked out a festive party blouse for my work holiday party tonight. Threw in some cheap costume jewelry for safe measure. Retail therapy. I feel calm and somewhat refreshed.

1530: Deliver Sister's pantyhose to her house. She leans in to take them from me and notes my nasty chin hairs reflecting the sunlight. I produce a pair of tweezers from my purse and she plucks them as I sit in my car in her driveway.

1600: Home. Son is playing Noggin games on the computer. Daughter is grumpy, so I give her a bottle and put her down for a nap. Husband jumps in the shower. We need to leave for the party at 1745 and his mom should be here to watch kids by 1730. My mom, apparently, also will be here at 1730 to pick up library books she checked out for Son. After an all out search, we find only two of the three books.

1630: Update my Facebook status and start this post.

1700: Gettin' purty - makeup, sparkly top, jewelry and perfume. Mom-in-law arrives to watch the kids.

1830: Husband and I arrive at the most expensive and exuberant employee party EVER. The Las Vegas theme was complete with showgirls, elvis impersonators, a great band, aerial artists a la Cirque du Soleil, food, booze and gambling (fake money). Many of my colleagues are in costume. We'd planned to stay 30 minutes then ditch out but stayed for the duration. On the way home, Husband notes that the atmosphere was different than he had ever experienced because it was clear everyone, from the president of the university to the maintenance people and cafeteria workers, was part of the same group. "You all seem to really like each other," he said. I agreed. Best Job Ever.

0000-0530 Sleep!

0530: Wake up and straighten house for cleaning lady. Mom-in-law spent the night and agrees to watch the children, for whom a long church day is exhausting because nap time is missed. Husband makes our turkey sandwiches for breakfast so we can eat in the car on the hour trip to church.

0730-1300: Travel, choir practice, School, worship then travel home.

1300-1600: Skip lunch in favor of a nap. I wake when Daughter is crying on the monitor placed by her crib and note that at some point, Husband has taken Son for their weekly parent-child bowling league.

1600-1730: While Daughter plays, I finish up just a few outstanding EMR reports so I can start with a clean slate in clinic tomorrow. I then check the upcoming week's schedule...clinic, practical exams for the students, serial committee meetings and Husband will be out of town Tuesday through Thursday.


1730-1830: Dinner with the fam. Turkey casserole that Husband made yesterday while I was at the conference. I note that Daughter shares my love for all foods and I feel a pang in my heart. It will important for me to try to model some healthy habits for her, but first I must adopt them.

1830-1900: Bathtime and bedtime for kidlets.

1900: Finish the medical records catch-up and this post.

2100 (anticipated): Fill my weekly medication dispenser then Go. To. Bed.