Family First

No matter how bitchy, snappy, stressed, and irritable I can get as result of the often brutal, mental, and physical demands of residency, the one thing I can always count on is family.  Doctors dedicate their lives to caring for others  that sometimes work takes priority over family, friends, and our own well-being.  I’ve missed fabulous weddings, warm holiday gatherings, inspirational graduations, and lovely funerals, to name a few sacrifices made for the sake of my occupation.  Instead of regret, my advice to anyone so heavily immersed in work is to take a moment and remember what’s most important in their lives.  For me, I choose family.   So as I pack for a last minute trip to the Philippines, I recall the memory of my role model and the reason I became a doctor, my grandfather.  And during the 14-hour flight tomorrow, I’ll anticipate a long overdue reunion with my grandmother, which has thus far been postponed as a result of work.  No more guilt…no more regrets.

My favorite picture of my beloved grandfather

My beautiful grandmother