Life in Rochester: April 2008

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Hug your loved ones

I just received an email that a high school friend's fiance died this weekend. They were supposed to get married this August. It is so very sad, I can't imagine what she must be going through.

I have to go to a wake this week because a volunteer of ours passed away. He was only 63 and was not sick. It is very sad and difficult and we are going to miss him a lot.

This past weekend I was at a funeral for my aunt's sister who passed away from ovarian cancer. She was only 58.

*There are days and weeks that make you remember to hug your loved ones a little tighter. You don't understand how people who are young and healthy should die. It doesn't seem fair to their families who have to go on after they leave. I don't understand, I don't think I ever will. I also know better than to tell people it's God's plan. I hate when people say that, I mean, what does that mean anyway. I doubt God wants you to feel as horrible as you do. I get it- it's life, accidents happen, and people die but sometimes it's just not fair and it doesn't make sense, and I don't feel that is in God's plan.

Maybe this is getting too religious about these things but it seems to be the common theme and it's a really difficult thing to swallow. I believe in God, on most days. But doesn't everyone doubt that when things like this happen? I would be lying if I said I didn't. Yes, it does make you appreciate life and your loved ones a little more, and yes, that is a good lesson. But there are so many questions that will never be answered and that is frustrating.

Life is so precious and it makes me so angry when you see people taking advantage of all they have. I am to blame as much as the next guy or gal! We forget that we are all human and each day is a gift and nothing is for sure.

So, basically I just wanted to make sure people take this time to hug their families, parents, siblings, spouses, children, friends and remember that every day we have is special- don't waste it! (I will work on my own advice!)

Thursday, April 17, 2008

The medical marriage

There is a wonderful book coming out written by the wife of a doctor in St. Cloud. She has been through a lot in her life and has written a book for spouses of physicians. This is a first, if you look on Amazon for books for physicians, there are plenty, but if you look for spouses there is one, this book that Kris wrote. There is a teaser on the website and you can read the first 11 pages. I am so excited to get this book because it is great insight to the world we live in. Not glamorous, or exciting, but real and poor and struggling for time together. If you're interested in this book at all, or know any spouse of a med student, resident or physician, this would be a great book for them! It is not an easy road and not how it is portrayed. We are right in the middle of the calm before the storm. Bryan graduates in a couple months, then we move and he starts his 80+ hour work weeks. So, if you're interested please read some of the teaser and if you're really interested buy it or buy if for someone who might need it! I was thinking it would be a great book to have MY family and friends read, because it describes my point of view perfectly!

http://www.iuniverse.com/bookstore/book_detail.asp?isbn=0-595-48701-7

And with all this studying, test taking, stress, lack of time, lack of money, call nights, med school, residency, fellowships and beyond, here is my little doctor... in all his glory!

Okay, so I guess it's worth it!

Friday, April 11, 2008

Our Diaper Bag Drive was a success!!

A while ago I talked about an important fundraiser that I was a part of at work. This was called a Diaper Drive for the HIV Perinatal Program. This program provides many services to women who are pregnant and HIV Positive.

Our employee based group decided to try and help this program provide diaper bags to these new mom's because most of the are struggling financially. We tried to find a group that would sponsor the bags so that we can have employee's fill them. I talked to the AMA Alliance, which is a group I am in. It is made up of spouses of med students, residents and physicians. I brought up the idea and they approved it, by giving us a $500 donation to purchase the bags. This was an amazing gift and it made our drive very successful. We had so much support from the hospital staff that we not only filled all of the purchased bags but had money to buy more as well as provide over $300 in Target gift cards! It was amazing to see and I was very proud to be part of this amazing, successful Diaper Bag Drive!!

This is a picture we took when we handed all the bags over to the nurse who heads up this program, she was very overwhelmed and said that for some women, this will be the only thing they get for their baby.

That alone, was worth all the thanks in the world!

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Wedding Prints

So it has almost been three years since we have been married and I finally decided that I wanted a nice album instead of the 900+ pictures in a album. The photographer put a few of the pages up on her blog so that I could approve. They are awesome!

Take a look: http://wwwargentephoto.blogspot.com/