After my six-week maternity leave was over, I showed up to work after having been up all night because my Doll must have felt the change coming--she didn't sleep a wink! And I was up with her, trying to soothe her back to sleep.
I was quite embittered (is that word?) that I was scheduled for a 24 hour overnight in-house call just 4 days later, as I thought there was an agreement that I would not be on call for at least a month after returning. That night on call was a particularly slow night, and I was called by the nurses only about twice. One of the calls required me to handle a situation on the floors, and as I was writing my evaluation note, one of the nurses said to me, "it's nice to get some sleep while you're here, huh?"
No, it's not. I would have rather been up every night all night with my Doll than sleep all at work. That's how I felt then, and that's how I feel now, 9 months later.
It is finally May. I see the light at the end of this very long tunnel! Two more months until what seems now to be the golden year of residency.
I hope you didn't say that to the nurse. It sounds like she was trying to be friendly. :-P
ReplyDeleteSix weeks is what I got for both kids. During residency. That was my vacation for three whole years.
ReplyDeleteOur country does not support maternity leave enough. It's ridiculous.
Go into the light. It's pretty good on the other side. But it's still a constant battle for time for your kids. Keep fighting - you and they are worth it!
I'm with you; I'd rather be home up all night with my children, than sleeping in a call room.
ReplyDeleteHowever, even with that, I was pretty upset when I returned from maternity leave and all my colleagues asked how my vacation was.
HA! Vacation. Love it.
DeleteI heard that as well. "Maternity vacation," was how it was referred to. I did my best to disabuse the guilty party of that idea. Some people.
DeleteOh no! That sounds pretty brutal. :( Hope the other calls/shifts aren't too busy!
ReplyDelete