Busy Friday

Today was not quite what I expected. It turned out okay, but it was WAY busier than expected.

This morning I had to take someone to the airport at 7:30 am. On the way there, I got a call from my Program Director. I was needed for “Jeopardy” coverage because one of our junior fellows had a family emergency. I was asked to cover the consult service at one of our hospitals. Any other day this would not be a problem. However, today I already had several things planned. I needed to get my home ready for a dog sitter for the weekend. I had a flight to Texas planned at 7 pm for a wedding this weekend. I also had a video interview and onboarding for a moonlight job. It was “off to the races” as my PhD advisor used to say.

After returning from the airport, I connected to 8 am Division rounds by Zoom. That ended at 9 am, at which point I started the notes on the consult patients. Fortunately, there were only a couple of people who needed to be seen today. At 10:30 am, I had an informational meeting with a university health system. It was really great and it sounds like a fantastic opportunity to serve patients and do health equity research. At 11 am, I continued to follow up on tasks for the patients on the consult service while also straightening up home to get ready for the dog sitter. Then I drove across town to do onboarding with a hospice agency where I’ll be moonlighting next year. We had lunch, I met all the office staff, and I got set up with a corporate email and iPhone. 

Around 2:30 pm I made a beeline back to our hospital so I could see our consult patients with my attending. We saw the two follow-up patients, I wrote my notes, and I covered the infusion room until the last patients of the day were finished with treatment. About that time, I got a lucky break – my flight was delayed by at least an hour. I headed home, packed for my trip, and coordinated with the dog sitter. She said she’d be on her way as soon as I headed to the airport at 6 pm. I fed the dogs and took off to the airport without walking them since I knew the walker would be there soon.

At the airport I made it through security quickly. I messaged the sitter. She still was not at my home to walk the dogs. An hour later I messaged again, and this time got no response. While waiting on get on the plane I ordered an on-demand dog walker from Wag. Finally, I heard from the sitter around 9 pm that she was “on her way” and would arrive in 30 minutes. I was so glad I hired a walker, but I felt terrible for leaving the dogs for so long without a walk.

As I write this, I am in the air headed to Texas. I’ll arrive very late in San Antonio because of the flight delay. I am looking forward to spending Saturday with a high school friend and attending a wedding on Sunday. The wedding is for a dermatology physician who I met exactly 10 years ago when he was a summer research student in our lab in Houston, TX. It’s amazing how fast time flies and how unexpectedly encounters can lead to lifelong friendships. It’s also amazing how a busy but predictable day can throw a few curveballs, making things stressful.


Dr. Li and me at his wedding 11.6.22


Dr. Li and me in lab in Houston, TX in June 2013


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