Treva Fights for Herself

[Treva]

Ok, to wrap up the week

Goals for this week

S&S 4x/week*  - Three completed due to travel and other shenanigans

125 minutes of cardio (walking time/2=adequate cardio addition) - completed for sure

Pilates/yoga 1x/week - completed

Pool 1x/week - completed

Barbell squats 1x/week - completed

Practicing 150-200 min/week - completed

Video Games 20min/week - not completed

Sleep total: 50 hours/week - Completed - major assist from being on vacation and sleeping much better when on vaction

Go to Choir  - completed.

 

I didn't complete any bonus actions this week.  I realized starting to date again when I don't know where I'll be next year is irresponsible.  I still need to set up time to practice which will be a major goal for this week.  I have one more week to buy the transcription I've been eyeing. 

I have not done as well with making time for video games or for relaxing.  I want to be better about liberating time to not think about work and engage with communities that are not my colleagues.  IT's unreasonable to expect for them to be my friends.  Coworkers I can tolerate is a more reasonable assessment.

 

I am pretty satisfied with this so far.  I want to add more variety into my workouts, since I am enjoying different things and grouping the type of workout with how much energy I will have.  I bought myself a calendar so I can stay organized with all my interviews and keep track of my sleep and exercise goals.  Goals for next week

Goals:

S&S 3x/week

125 minutes of cardio (walk time/2)

pilates/yoga 1x/week

Pool 1x/week, optional sub with S&S for shark weeks

Barbell squats 1x/week

Tabata/combat training 1x/week - I found some videos from the london academy of fencing and Blood and Iron HEMA that offer solo drills and tabata/HIIT style training for those disciplines.  Heres me bribing myself into working out because Swords again.

Practice 150-200 minutes/week

Sleep total - 55 hours/week

Video games - 20min/week

Cross stitch - 1 session/week

 

Bonus actions:

One interview this week

Set up practice time

Buy Holst transcription

 

How to stop being angry and just function at work: stop assuming coworkers are friends, and assume they are people doing a job.  (There is no family, there is only the force ) . 

[Mistr]

On 9/5/2021 at 3:28 PM, Treva said:

I realized starting to date again when I don't know where I'll be next year is irresponsible.

 

I hear you on that. Long distance relationships are tough. I think you are smart to put dating on hold until your career demands ease off a bit.

 

One of my coworkers (many years ago) was a doctor who was doing research in our lab and was in some stage of her career (maybe what comes after residency?) in Radiology at the Univ. Minnesota hospital. She was married to another MD. They ended up getting divorced because they could not figure out any way to get jobs in the same location, and they did not want to have a long term long distance relationship. She said he was still her best friend, but they couldn't make it work. Some people are fine with being far apart for months. Others are not. That is something to know about yourself.

 

On 9/5/2021 at 3:28 PM, Treva said:

I want to be better about liberating time to not think about work and engage with communities that are not my colleagues.  It's unreasonable to expect for them to be my friends.  Coworkers I can tolerate is a more reasonable assessment.

On 9/5/2021 at 3:28 PM, Treva said:

How to stop being angry and just function at work: stop assuming coworkers are friends, and assume they are people doing a job.  (There is no family, there is only the force ) . 

 

I agree. I have had bad experiences with making friends at work. People I really enjoyed spending time with stopped talking to me after they left my department at work. I am happy to interact with my colleagues at social events, but I do not make moves to cross into the friend zone.

 

On 9/5/2021 at 3:28 PM, Treva said:

Tabata/combat training 1x/week - I found some videos from the london academy of fencing and Blood and Iron HEMA that offer solo drills and tabata/HIIT style training for those disciplines.  Heres me bribing myself into working out because Swords again.

 

 

Yay! That sounds awesome.

 

On 9/5/2021 at 3:28 PM, Treva said:

Cross stitch - 1 session/week

 

What are you making? I have a cross stitch project that has been on hold for ages. It is nearly done too.

[Treva]

On 9/13/2021 at 1:17 PM, Mistr said:

I hear you on that. Long distance relationships are tough. I think you are smart to put dating on hold until your career demands ease off a bit.

 

One of my coworkers (many years ago) was a doctor who was doing research in our lab and was in some stage of her career (maybe what comes after residency?) in Radiology at the Univ. Minnesota hospital. She was married to another MD. They ended up getting divorced because they could not figure out any way to get jobs in the same location, and they did not want to have a long term long distance relationship. She said he was still her best friend, but they couldn't make it work. Some people are fine with being far apart for months. Others are not. That is something to know about yourself.

Thank you.  I ended up leaving the team room for a few hours last night after my colleagues tried to get me set up on dating sites.  We were at work!!

 

Thank you for sharing the story.  I know I like my space, but I would not do well being apart months at a time from someone I care about.  This is good advice, and I plan to keep it in mind when I decide I am ready to date again.

 

On 9/13/2021 at 1:17 PM, Mistr said:

I agree. I have had bad experiences with making friends at work. People I really enjoyed spending time with stopped talking to me after they left my department at work. I am happy to interact with my colleagues at social events, but I do not make moves to cross into the friend zone.

I am finding this more and more to be true.  I am absolutely looking to find a community outside of work.  It is nice to be friendly, but I want to move away from the "these are your best friends".  We spend many hours together, but that doesn't mean they have to know a lot about me.

 

On 9/13/2021 at 1:17 PM, Mistr said:

What are you making? I have a cross stitch project that has been on hold for ages. It is nearly done too.

I just finished an adorable pair of hedgehogs.  I am going to do another pair for my mom's friend/my aunt.  Mom says she loves hedgehogs, and it's time I come out of my shell for other people.

 

ooOOOoof I am a terrible person on nights.  Things I learned

- I can eat healthy at work, and it doesn't have to take a lot of prep and planning.  It does require disposable spoons and a fridge, though.

- cardio is the first thing that suffers on nights because it is time consuming.  Strength training is easier to budget in time for.

- I still cry a lot when I am tired.

 

 

Goals:

S&S 3x/week - not met, 2/3

125 minutes of cardio (walk time/2)- not met, but at 100 and I did a lot of walking at work

pilates/yoga 1x/week - Met

Pool 1x/week, optional sub with S&S for shark weeks - Met

Barbell squats 1x/week - Met

Tabata/combat training 1x/week - Met

Practice 150-200 minutes/week - Met at 155 minutes

Sleep total - 55 hours/week - met at 56.5 hrs

Video games - 20min/week - Met!  I tried elder scrolls online this week and I really enjoy it.  It's a soothing game I have been using to get myself calmed down for sleep, and it works great.  I slept 12 hours after playing it the first time.

Cross stitch - 1 session/week - not met

 

Bonus actions:

One interview this week - done!

Set up practice time - I think I did this?  I honestly cannot remember. 

Buy Holst transcription - done

 

Unexpected bonus actions

- buying elder scrolls online, which was wild

- I found out my scale at home may not work.  The scale at the gym reads me 3-5 pounds lighter than my home scale, which cannot be right.  Either way, I think I have started losing the weight.  Swimming always does that for me.

- bought some new hair products.  Finally think I have a potion combination that will work.  incidentally, one is called "ego boost", which cracks me up.

 

This week is mostly over, but will probably post a second check in on sunday?  I think?  I will be less delirious at some point.

[Mistr]

You have been doing great. I would certainly cry easily if I had to work all night.

 

Which elder scrolls game are you playing? Dumbledore has Morrowind and Skyrim. They are both visually stunning. I've only done a little with them.

 

Scales are often not calibrated the same. It works to see a change from week to week on each scale. The absolute number is not important (unless you are calculating a dose in mg/kg).

[Treva]

On 9/24/2021 at 2:15 PM, Mistr said:

You have been doing great. I would certainly cry easily if I had to work all night.

 

Which elder scrolls game are you playing? Dumbledore has Morrowind and Skyrim. They are both visually stunning. I've only done a little with them.

 

Scales are often not calibrated the same. It works to see a change from week to week on each scale. The absolute number is not important (unless you are calculating a dose in mg/kg).

Thank you so much for chiming in.  I am sorry I do not get over to your challenges as often as I would like. 

 

Night shifts do suck.  A lot.  Dislike. 

I am playing elder scrolls online!  I really enjoy it, and it helps calm me down after a long day at work.

 

That is really important to remember. Thank you.  My weight is probably not a good time to turn off doctor brain.  Doctor brain usually says "oh my god your BMI is normal, your lipids are great, your hemoglobin A1c is beautiful.  You exercise???  You don't drink soda and watch what you eat?  You eat vegetables willingly?".  Doctor brain would probably be very happy with me as a patient and refer me to therapy because my schedule is going to make a normal human depressed. 

 

I have a lot to catch up on.  I think the big thing is that I'm trying to prioritize my HIIT/combat nights because a 20 minute workout that can keep the weight off while I'm on rough months is going to be absolutely essential if I match to the specialty I want.  I am keeping S&S, but I'm trying to aim for a HIIT workout 2-3x/week.  I've also found that tracking my sleep while I'm on bad weeks is good to make sure I don't burn out.  I think I do need 55-60 hours a week minimum to stay healthy.  That's 8-9 hours a night, which sounds right.

I've finally been able to schedule an appointment with dermatology.  I'm really excited. 

 

I am practicing a lot more, which makes me happy.  I have picked new pieces and even have a few I would feel comfortable using in public.  I've gone back to choir practice too, and even though I'm not singing the voice part I like, I am singing at all.  And I probably shouldn't make demands until I can commit to more rehearsals and Sundays.   I am just glad that my playing is better.  I still haven't heard back from the teachers I emailed, but I am telling myself this is my time to pretend I'm the only one who can make this perfect.  It's changed the way I approach fingering and phrasing and my practicing.

 

Work is going ok.  My black cloud hasn't surfaced for a few weeks.  Probably because I've been staying out of the hospital as much as possible.  My research is back on track, and I found some lectures from an iconic pulmonologist that I can listen too.  I've gone back to Crit Care Society evening lectures, and some local covid lectures too.  I will eventually need to start studying for boards but that will come after I finish interviewing.

The big personal accomplishment is that I went back to run a simulation code (cardiac arrest scenario).  The last one I did was an absolute disaster; I was so nervous I couldn't even identify the rhythm.  This time, I took charge of the code, and when we finished the preceptor talked about how impressive I was, and that I was a role model for my interns.  Since he is one of our major resuscitationists, this made me feel a lot better about my skills and my life choices. It felt absolutely amazing, both being able to run a smooth badass code, and to have someone else see that I can do it.  Being able to produce under that kind of pressure has been a challenge for me.  I can do anything in a vacuum, but it's hard to do take charge around other people, especially in front of people who have more experience than I do.  Now I can do it around attendings.  That's huge for me.  I can be a good intensivist.  I know that now.  It will take a lot of work, and I have so much to learn, but now I know I can do this. 

[Mistr]

I am happy to hear about all the good things going on in your life right now. Lots of music and doing things you care about outside of work.

 

Congratulations on doing a stellar job in a stressful situation! That is a great confirmation of your skills!

 

What is the time frame for doing interviews and finding out where you will go next?

 

Are medical boards uniform for the US, or are they state-specific like law boards?

[Mistr]

I know you have had a lot of big things going on recently. How are you doing?

[Mistr]

Hi Treva!

 

I hope you are surviving and conquering during these most difficult times to be a doctor. How have things been going? Are you happy with your location and institution for next year?

 

Happy New Year!

[Mistr]

Hey Treva,

 

How are things going? Are you set up in your new position?

 

I hope that the Covid numbers going down means you are getting a breather.