Welcome to My World
Once we got past the fun of board exams, our family was able to experience the fun of a 24 hour shift. They also learned first hand that a 24 hour shift means that the Doc will be working at least 24 hours not that because he went in at 7 he gets to leave at 7. They saw how our schedule at home doesn't revolve around or typically include the Doc and we don't wait for him to do much around here.
I got a rude awakening that people who are not a part of the medical field actually get to see their husbands and when someone is scheduled to work during certain times they aren't rough estimates. Most career fields don't require continuing education or exams. Most families can make plans or have dinner together on a regular basis without having a pager go off to interrupt.
Sometimes the reality of this life can be hard. Sometimes I don't want to think about the fact that we have to do a lot without the Doc. But we are very lucky and very proud. We love that our Doc helps people feel better. We love that he is dedicated to his family and to his job. We love that he works hard for his family and for his patients. We love that he loves medicine enough to work hard to succeed in his field. The medical life may not be the easiest but I'd say most days its worth it.