Home Alone
There are some people out there who have a spouse or partner who is available to help with home repairs, building furniture, car maintenance, and taking care of sick kids. That is not my house! I don't know about you but for some reason everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, that could go wrong does when the Doctor is not home.
I'm pretty sure that my children wait until their Dad is not available to get the scary sounding cough, you know the one that you just want someone to listen to before you drag them to the doctors office. The cough that usually starts around 10 PM while the Doc is on call at the hospital. The one that keeps you up all night so that you can make sure they are still breathing after every coughing fit.
Between medical school and residency we have moved 5 times and each one of those times I was in charge of packing everything and taking apart furniture and then rebuilding and unpacking once we get to the new place because he was busy with school and studying. I've decided that if I ever need a hobby I can go start a moving company, or a furniture company. This has also made me become the master of the tool box (don't tell the Hubs). I always have to hold back a chuckle when the Doc asks where a certain tool is because hes not sure where in the tool box things belong.
I have had to figure out how to handle home repairs on my own as well. Like the time the hot water heater started leaking while the Doctor was working crazy shifts. I heard that the plumber was pretty impressed that I got the old hot water heater unhooked. (I mean hey, I only cracked the gas line. No big deal! Not like we had to hang out in the car in front of the house at 10 at night waiting for the gas company to tell me it was safe to take my children back in side. Oops.) Pretty sure he called me a go get 'em dudette. He also may have laughed at me when he walked into the basement to find my hot water heater facing backwards because I had turned it to try to get extra slack on the gas line (you know the one I cracked trying to unscrew it). Lesson learned, sometimes its ok to call the plumber for help rather than do it yourself.
I'm pretty sure that my children wait until their Dad is not available to get the scary sounding cough, you know the one that you just want someone to listen to before you drag them to the doctors office. The cough that usually starts around 10 PM while the Doc is on call at the hospital. The one that keeps you up all night so that you can make sure they are still breathing after every coughing fit.
Between medical school and residency we have moved 5 times and each one of those times I was in charge of packing everything and taking apart furniture and then rebuilding and unpacking once we get to the new place because he was busy with school and studying. I've decided that if I ever need a hobby I can go start a moving company, or a furniture company. This has also made me become the master of the tool box (don't tell the Hubs). I always have to hold back a chuckle when the Doc asks where a certain tool is because hes not sure where in the tool box things belong.
I have had to figure out how to handle home repairs on my own as well. Like the time the hot water heater started leaking while the Doctor was working crazy shifts. I heard that the plumber was pretty impressed that I got the old hot water heater unhooked. (I mean hey, I only cracked the gas line. No big deal! Not like we had to hang out in the car in front of the house at 10 at night waiting for the gas company to tell me it was safe to take my children back in side. Oops.) Pretty sure he called me a go get 'em dudette. He also may have laughed at me when he walked into the basement to find my hot water heater facing backwards because I had turned it to try to get extra slack on the gas line (you know the one I cracked trying to unscrew it). Lesson learned, sometimes its ok to call the plumber for help rather than do it yourself.
Let's not forget about auto repairs! I can refill fluids, change a tire, check the oil, jump the car, and switch out a battery. I'll never forget the look on my neighbors face when he saw me changing out the battery on my Subaru. He wanted to know where my husband was and when I said he was in the house studying for his board exams his jaw about hit the floor. He didn't quite understand that when you're married to a doctor you have to learn to do the "manly" jobs.
Some times it gets hard to spend so much time alone but it helps to remember that Dr. B is doing something amazing and he is not at home with me because he is helping people. I've learned a new sense of independence and have picked up some very handy new skills (and a new nickname - MacGyver Jr.).
What are some things that you have had to accomplish on your own that you didn't think you could before?
Some times it gets hard to spend so much time alone but it helps to remember that Dr. B is doing something amazing and he is not at home with me because he is helping people. I've learned a new sense of independence and have picked up some very handy new skills (and a new nickname - MacGyver Jr.).
What are some things that you have had to accomplish on your own that you didn't think you could before?
Ashley Breinholt is a stay at home mom of 4 and the Secretary of IMP. She has been married to Cody, a second year anesthesia resident, for going on 10 years.
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