Fall Update

Dear Friends and Family,

It has been quite a long time since I dropped you all a line!  I’ve started on a few occasions, but something always happens…  so I might keep this somewhat short so it does successfully get to you!

Ah, where to start for what has happened in the past few months since my last note? 

A quick snapshot:

July – completed 1 month in Pediatrics – loved this!

August – completed 1 month in Family Medicine – worked primarily with 1 GP who just graduated and was locuming for my 3 regular GPs that I work with. She was lovely. A delight to work with her and see how she practiced medicine.  I enjoyed the continuity of seeing the same patients on several occasions over the month.  

September – this started 2 months of Internal Medicine.  The first month has been particularly busy because of 2 trips down to Vancouver.  The first was for a training course I was required to take.  I extended the weekend slightly longer to spend some special time with my family in Abbotsford.  This was very special to see them.  They were a huge encouragement to me as I processed through some difficult situations I had had to deal with in the hospital.  The second trip down was for 2 very special friends’ wedding. What a delight it was to share in this special day with these 2 friends as a 5 year friendship finally culminated in their marriage.  I also enjoying being able to catch up with a few other people during that weekend.  It was a very short weekend, and so unfortunately, I wasn’t able to connect with many people.  That marked the end of an extremely busy week where I nearly threw in my hat.  Well, probably not quite, but my patience grew extremely thin as I found myself pushed to my limits.  This past week, however, has felt much more normal, with more humane working hours.  I have also really enjoyed the treat of having another friend who serves the Lord in East Asia come and stay with me for a bit!  Her cousin also lives in Prince George, and so she spent time with him and then also with myself.  My tiny little 1 bedroom suite got put to good use!  We fought over who would get the bed vs the couch (she insisted on having the couch and I refused) so eventually we split the double bed – with the proviso we each got our own blanket so we wouldn’t fight over that J.  I thoroughly enjoyed being able to spend time with her and hear of how God has been working in her life.  It was a challenge to me as well in my own walk with the Lord and my own growth.  On her last day here, we packed the day full!  Her cousin joined us as well, which was great fun!  Enjoyed visiting the local market (I even started getting Christmas gifts, and for those who know me well, you know that’s quite an impressive feat!), played games, visited the Mennonite Fall Fair, made dinner, and watched a TV show together. I felt quite human! It was a lovely treat!

Also, it was my birthday this past week, and I was post call on my birthday. So after sleeping for a couple hours in the afternoon, I got together with some new friends in Prince George for dinner together. On Friday, my resident group celebrated my birthday by going bowling (my choice!) and I won our second game J We had lots of fun together. I have really enjoyed getting to know my fellow residents and growing in relationship with them.  They are a pretty amazing group!

I have continually been challenged in my work as we care for very sick patients on the Internal Medicine service.  There are many times when I wonder if I have managed something properly or if I should have done something different.  I would appreciate your prayers for continued wisdom for our team and for me in caring for our patients.  And as I deal with my own emotions and anxieties in wondering if I have managed these issues properly.  It can easily weigh one down.  Also, that I would continue to grow in wisdom in knowing how best to support my patients through difficult times, and especially as they face death.

Looking forward, I have 3 more weeks of Internal Medicine, after which I get a week of holidays!  I am looking forward to using that time to rest, recuperate, get my millions of papers on my desk in order, and visit with friends and family.  After that, I will be back into clinical medicine until Christmas time, during which time I’ll get a few extra days off.

I have recently been challenged to spend more time in prayer and with the Lord in his Word in the mornings, and so I would ask for your prayers that he would strengthen me for this and enable me to carve out time for him.  Thank you!

(in the end, it wasn't that short after all!)