Gratitude

“At times, our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.”

Albert Schweitzer

Another week has nearly finished. Hurricane Dorian is on its way and forecasted to reach Norfolk tonight. School and clinical duties have been cancelled for us tomorrow and everyone from the area is ready to weather the storm. Being from the Midwest, I am much more comfortable with snow and tornadoes than the possibility of significant flooding. What makes things easier though, is the fact that my friends and I are in this together. Being far from home is so much easier when you have a great support system. Whenever we are dealing with a difficult situation or have exciting news to share, it’s mutually understood that we can vent or brag to one another. One of my friends got an interview for medical school recently, so we went out for pizza to celebrate since we will likely be stranded for a few days. It felt great to get out, relax and catch up with how everyone’s doing.

The further I move through my program, the more gratitude I feel for the privilege to be here learning every day. I got to scrub into my first two surgical cases this week. I was petrified to say the least (I mean have you seen Grey’s Anatomy?), but the preceptor I was working with this week was extremely patient. The scrub techs walked me through everything and made sure I knew what was expected of me. I got to hold clamps out of the way, assist with suturing and got a feeling for what being in the OR is like. Getting to see patients, do procedures and be immersed in the team like this is what I think of when I think of being a doctor. My mom, as usual, is right. There are so few who have the opportunity to experience the things that we do. There are moments like these where that hits me, and I find myself just as in awe as when I first put on my white coat. Getting to put into practice what I’ve learned and continue growing on this journey is such an incredible feeling that words can’t describe.

During clinic yesterday, as my preceptor and I finished seeing a patient and were leaving her room, she thanked him for his time and turned to me. “You get a hug!”, she proclaimed. When I ask her why that was, she replied without skipping a beat “You’re going into medicine, you’re going to need it.” That hug filled me with so much warmth. This is why I love what I get to learn to do every day. Moments like these feed my soul. There are so many uncertainties in life. I don’t know what damage this hurricane will do, where I’ll go for residency or the answer to the ever present dilemma of what to cook for dinner. What I do know, is that I am exactly where I am supposed to be and wouldn’t change any of it for the world.