Motherhood, Medicine, and Marathons

     Let me preface this introductory post by explaining the meaning of the title of the blog "Sometimes You Just Need a Bair Hug". I mean, pretty self explanatory, right? Except no, I didn't spell "Bair" incorrectly. You see, as a young (in the professional sense) resident anesthesiologist, we use Bair Huggers on the majority of patients in the OR. Bair Huggers are a specialized blanket we infuse hot air through to keep patient's nice and toasty during surgery. So, I feel like sometimes we could all use a bair hug.

     Ironic that I chose anesthesiology, as I am neither a lover of early mornings nor cold temperatures, both of which are fairly characteristic of the OR and anesthesiology. Nonetheless, I still think that being in the OR and providing anesthesia is one of the coolest jobs on earth! But medicine, while undoubtedly a calling, is only one facet of my life that defines who I am. 

     I am a mother of four children and wife of an engineer turned stay-at-home-dad turned day trader, all five of whom make my life worth living. I am an Alaskan at heart, now living in the great state of Ohio. I was a casual runner now turned dedicated runner. I have been an airline customer service agent, a realtor, a high school substitute teacher, and a medical scribe in my "former life", but all of which helped shape me into the human I am today. I am passionate about health and fitness and family and medicine. 

     Today was my very first day of residency. For those who don't know the process, after 4 years of medical school (that's after 4 years of an undergraduate degree), you start "residency" in your field of choice. Residency is anywhere between 3 and 7 years and if you sub-specialize after, that's another 1-3 years of training. Anesthesiology residency is a total of 4 years...with first year being "intern year" and years 2-4 dedicated entirely to anesthesiology. Intern year consists of rotating through several specialties that are at least somewhat related to your specialty of choice. Today I started on the OB/Gyn service, which essentially allows me to do obstetric anesthesia for this month. Let's just say that it was a rough start to residency today. OB/Gyn truly is the specialty of the highest highs and the lowest lows. Some of the most amazing moments of one's life, and sometimes one of the most devastating. Today, I think we could all use a bair hug.    

     This blog primarily serves as a personal journal of my journey as a mother, doctor, and runner, among probably a dozen other things....and life in general. Sometimes it may be inspirational, sometimes motivational (or maybe even demotivational?!), sometimes funny, sometimes sad, and sometimes all of those things rolled into one....because isn't that the greatest metaphor for life? Enjoy!