Estoy tratando dormir.

There a handful of uniquely significant people in my life. They inevitably were just minding their own business, and happened to cross my path at a point so divinely orchestrated that leaves me without a doubt that I am where I am today of no doing of my own. Olga is one of those individuals. She was our program coordinator, and retired this month.

Olga & I

I have often used the phrase, 'when a door closes, a window opens' and then put my own twist on it. Residency being the "house." Most US medical school grads are welcomed into the front door. I found the door locked, most of the windows as well. I climbed up a tree in the backyard to check one of the second floor windows back there. It was Olga that saw me hanging onto the tree outside that second floor window at the back of the house, and she cracked the window for me. 

During my year of research, my office was around the corner and down the hallway from Olga's. We crossed pathways often as the drinking water and the copier machine were located in my office. It was during the residency interview season, at the prodding of my research co-fellows, that I walked into Olga's office requesting a moment of her time. Two minutes later I walked out again with an interview for the general surgery residency. 

When a door closes, a window always opens. Just sometimes its a second-story window in the back of the house that someone left cracked just for you.

My chief year I've altered my path into and out of the hospital every day. I pass through the lobby of the Children's Hospital. Despite it being probably the funnest place on the whole campus, it's also usually one of the quietest, especially when arriving and leaving before and after most others. Ever since COVID, all of the chairs and couches have been removed so it's just an open area now. I'm glad they still decorated for the holidays!

There are a few items of decor within the Children's hospital, that puzzle me. This face is one of them. It graces the wall above the main entrance for the lobby of the Children's Hospital. I think it's supposed to be a moon... but it strikes me more frightening than anything happy or otherwise child-friendly.

How many chiefs can you fit into one case? Ash, Ansab and I found ourselves all scrubbed in on a case the other day. Vasu had left that morning post-call, and was technically on his vacation. We joked that we needed to call him back in to scrub so we could retake the picture with all four chiefs. 

I finally got my first COVID vaccine today. They are making appointments for everyone in the hospital, but due to my schedule being subject to change often multiple times daily, it's very hard to adhere to any appointment. So I went as a walk-in on a day off. The check-in process was quite extensive. Opposite of the yearly flu vaccine, which everyone is so used to, its almost automatic. I understand that the long list of questions is necessary for research purposes etc. But when she asked me, "Have you had contact with anyone positive for COVID-19?" That was taking it too far for me, and I could feel my patience start to escape. I don't exactly know why it upset me so much, but I had to reign in quite a few short retorts to her question, before I could safely respond and move on. 

Much love and prayers!