Finally feels like the car is starting to slow down. There's a STOP sign up head, a ways yet, but finally visible. This crazy journey shall be taking a turn, and the STOP sign is shining bright red in my future, warning me not to take this turn lightly. It will require a transition of gears and merging into my new role. Therefore, I am trying to slow down, shift my focus from operating as priority back to the basics of studying as priority in preparation of the board exams that are up ahead.
This month I am rotating up at MidHudson Regional Hospital in Poughkeepsie, NY. The commute is 1hr each way, and every trip I pay attention to the trees, waiting expectantly for the buds to burst and the green to finally return to the thick gray branches that line the Taconic. I look for the new leaves as if I need reassurance that new life is coming. And then chide myself at my own doubt, as if the past 34 springs haven't been enough evidence of the natural cycle of new life after death. So I sit back and enjoy the drive. At least until the next trip when I catch myself examining the passing trees for any change in their buds or branches, and have to work through the same internal discussion once again. I think I'm just extra ready for Spring this year....
There are only one or two residents that rotate up at MidHudson each block and therefore, not enough to maintain adequate 24hr coverage. Therefore MHRH is staffed with surgical PAs and we as residents are rather superfluous. I'll be honest... for someone gearing down and preparing for the approaching STOP sign, it's kind of perfect. I get to show up, operate, go home, occasional take call back at WMC Valhalla, but then return and repeat. I like all of the attendings up at MidHudson, and appreciate what they have to teach. Plus, we get to use the robot on an almost daily basis for our cases.
On a side note and only half off topic... Had my first graduation celebration the other night! Made it finally feel incredibly real that time is ending here.
I had learned about the yearly Top 50 Restaurants in the World list that gets published, and the fact that one of those restaurants, is literally in my backyard. Currently listed as #28 in the world: Blue Hill at Stone Barns.
So why not? I set an alarm on my phone when reservations opened and grabbed them. We had so much fun! The chef was actually a visiting chef from New Mexico and had brought his own clay from New Mexico to New York, then mixed with local clay, and made all of the dishes we ate off of. They told us it was to add tactile sensation to our experience. There was a total of 12 courses, and as per tradition, we did not know the menu beforehand. Therefore, each course was a fantastic fun surprise.
Once the courses started to require utensils. They didn't just set our place with utensils.... they handed us a tool belt. One pocket for each course
Utilizing that tactile sensation to get the full effect of this course! Red beans and chicos, sonora wheat, and fermented squash. So unbelievably tasty!
It was our last utensil, so sad that we were at the end of our delicious meal... the cherry bark ice cream had almost melted by the time we finally gave in.
Turns out, somewhere between 1 and 12 we had lost track of the courses. Last one: Sweet tamales and biscochitos.
We were given the menu at the end.
Needless to say, we left Blue Hill at Stone Barns well satisfied. Happy graduation to me!
Love and prayers!
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