Impromptu playdate with Solan

Videos with Uncle Tio

I've been too busy to blog, since most of my waking hours are at the hospital. Today I got to come home for a while and record my silly Cyrus' life. Since I'm gone so often right now, Brendan (aka Uncle Tio) has filled in my gap and spent more time with Cyrus. It's been such a wonderful thing to have an extra family member in town to help us with Cyrus and be around to play all his favorite games. :)
-Shirin

One of Cyrus' favorite things is to dance (especially to Indian music). He really likes Brendan's room because his computer is hooked up to speakers and he likes to crouch down to stare at them while they pour music out of them. I took this video after he asked Bren to play him music, but then he got distracted and didn't dance much. Oh well. You can imagine some real dancing...



This was from the other day. I'm not sure why I was home when Cyrus was still awake (it basically never happens during the week), but I found this video on my Flip so I included it.




My dad says that Cyrus will be a janitor when he grows up. He may be right.




I thought this was cute when I saw Cyrus and Uncle Tio playing outside together. It's fuzzy cuz of the zoom, but it's still a good video.

This was a bathtub that was given to me recently, but Cyrus is over the tiny bathtub thing (he needs the whole tub now), so we used it as a kiddie pool today. He really liked it.

Happy Father's Day

Since last Father's Day was only one month after Cyrus was born, I have no memory of whether we celebrated it or not in my household. I'm sure I might have mentioned something to Gabriel about it, but I really don't remember. I was in too much of a foggy, sleep-deprived state to have much of a memory then (I guess I could consult my blog to see what we were doing then).
This year, Gabriel's had 13 months to prove what a dedicated and caring father he is to Cyrus, and I felt he deserved some major recognition. Since I had to go into the hospital at 8 AM this morning to treat my patients, I got up early with Cyrus to spend some time with him while letting Gabriel sleep in. Then, I made us some breakfast and made Gabriel a card. I had bought him one of his favorite old games from college a while ago and never given it to him, so he got a present when he woke up as well. I hope he felt appreciated.
I also want to take a moment to thank my own father and Gabriel's father for all they continue to do for us, 28+ years after we were born, and what they do for Cyrus now. We are so lucky to have them in our lives.
-Shirin

Before Gabriel got his breakfast, he helpd Cyrus eat his own.

Happy Father's Day!

Junta is a game Gabriel really liked before.

Who knows what Cyrus is doing with his empty cereal dish...licking up the crumbs?

Must get every drop...

Showing Cyrus how to draw in Gabriel's Father's Day card. He got the hang of it for a few seconds. Wasn't too interested in it yet, though.

Pondering the purpose of pastels.

Few hours of free time

Since I'm on one of the toughest rotations of the year(Orthopedic surgery), I've had little-to-no "me" time since Monday morning. I go into the hospital around 6:15 AM to do treatments and write my orders for the day, round with the doctors, and put in requests for radiographs/medicines/bloodwork, etc. Then, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, we go into surgery. There's always at least a surgeon or surgery resident doing the surgery plus usually an intern and me assisting. The patient also is assigned its own anesthetist, who is another senior student, like me, that worked up all the drugs and anesthesia stuff for my surgery patient ahead of time. There is also a surgery nurse there to help us open instrument packs (since we are all scrubbed in and sterile and can't touch anything) and other doctors and nurses that come by to check on stuff. Once the surgeries, radiographs, and recovery are finished (done by the ICU nurses overnight post-op), I talk on the phone with clients, write up my patients' records, and discharge patients that are ready to go home. By the time I am done with everything, it could easily be 8-9 PM. Some nights, I'm assigned night treatments of all the surgery patients not in the ICU and have to come back in at 10 PM. Some nights I'm on-call and will be called in for an emergency surgery. Some nights I'm done once I leave and come home to a sleeping Cyrus and a lonesome hubby. I am usually not even hungry for dinner at this point, although I usually eat because I know I need to. Then, I make mybreakfast and lunch for the next day and go to bed. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, we receive our patients for the next day and don't do surgeries. These days seem to be a little easier, most of the time, and this Thursday I actually made it home before 7 PM to eat dinner with my in-laws. It was amazing.

I'm not off on the weekends either, since I need to go in to take care of my patients. I go in on Saturday and Sundays at 8 AM and 6 PM and then sometimes I also have to go back in at 3 PM or 10 PM. I also could be on-call some of those days, which means I could get called back in in the middle of the night if they need me.

So....I am actually sort of enjoying a lot of this. It's definitely challenging me to take charge of my patients and learn how to be a doctor. When I ask if I should do something for a patient, the clinicians turn it back on me and ask me, "What do you think?" I am finally responsible for a life, so everything I do seems to matter. However, I'm exhausted. And, sometimes I get yelled at for not knowing something, which I just feel is unfair. How am supposed to read up on surgeries at home when I'm not there long enough to even get enough sleep for the night? Guess that's not the answer they want to hear.

Today, I wasn't on-call and actually got to spend some time cleaning my house and playing with Cyrus. We took a few videos of my sweetheart, who is becoming increasingly more fun and funny and capable every week.

-Shirin

Playing on the floor with Cyrus.



Peek-a-boo with the curtains.



Playing the piano.



The funnest daddy game ever!

Cyrus and friends

Cyrus was very excited to hear that his grandparents were coming to visit. They picked him up from his babysitter's house this afternoon with Uncle Tio. After a brief reaquaintance period, They were best of friends again. Luckily, I actually got out while the sun was still up and got to see Cyrus awake and Gabriel's parents. They had picked up sandwiches from Earth Fare and we have a cozy dinner together at home. I still have to write my medical notes and research some surgery stuff for tomorrow, but I so enjoyed being home with my family and in-laws. I needed this emotional boost from my hard, depressing week of school. (Keep in mind, I'm loving clinics...it's just really hard to be away from my loved ones).

Here are some videos of Cyrus playing with Gabriel and Pap pap tonight.

-Shirin

My first day on Orthopedic Surgery

7:30 AM Arrive (today I have to arrive at 6:30 AM)
8 AM Get assigned patients and check them in, do physical exams, etc
9 AM Orientation to ICU, Radiology, Surgery
10 AM Rounds with the doctors
11:30 AM Go into surgery with my patient (broken leg needed plates and screws)
2 PM Out of surgery, over to Radiology for post-op rads
2:30 PM Patient to ICU to recover
3 PM Lunch
3:30 PM Write up records, check on patient, call owner
5 PM Rounds with doctors again
6 PM Check on new patient, do physical exam, do treatments, call owner
7 PM Write records and notes
8 PM Go home

Yesterday was relatively easy because it was the first day and they didn't schedule much. Today, I'll probably have double the patients or more. Hope this really makes me a vet!
-Shirin

Home sweet home

I'm back in Athens with the baby, safe and sound. Monday starts the craziness of clinics again, but tomorrow (Sunday) I'm just going to spend as much time with my little family as I can and try to prepare for the weeks ahead. I can't say that I really missed my own house while I was in Rock Hill, because I so enjoyed all the help I got from my parents at their house (I never had to clean, cook, or shop; it was amazing). But, I did miss the people in Athens that I love.
So, I'm glad to be back home in a way, since this is where Gabriel lives. I really enjoyed my three weeks in RH, though. Thanks, Mommy and Daddy, for everything. Cyrus and I will miss seeing you guys every day.
-Shirin

Cyrus videos

I actually took this video before we left for Raleigh. Cyrus apparently loves to play in the rain like his mommy.



Tonight, playing with Grandpa until he got a little too frustrated.



We rarely let Cyrus watch TV, but we put on an Indian music video and he loved to push buttons, turning the TV on and off.



Dancing to Indian music.



Playing, dancing, and being silly.

Last week in Charlotte

I'm in my last week of externship at the specialty hospital in Charlotte. On Saturday night, I head back to Athens to a home I haven't seen in 3 weeks. I'm hoping that Gabriel and Brendan have kept it clean or at least clean it up before I get back (hint, hint, Bubby).

My impression of my time here at the emergency/specialty clinic is that it is a fantastic place. The doctors are all top of their fields and very willing to educate me while we go through their day treating patients. I find that they are quite generous and happy to explain lots of the reasons behind their diagnostic tests and treatment regimes. I always want to know which parts of them are pertinent to a general practitioner in a regular vet's office and which are too advanced to occur there. Since my plan is to go straight into private practice next year, I need to know what I will personally be able to do for these patients and when I need to just refer to them.

Next block, I'm on Orthopedic Surgery, a notoriously brutal, busy rotation that allows no free time for person life. I am anticipating very little time with my husband, baby, or friends. Guess that's med school, for ya. To make matters worse, I am to share the burdensome caseload with only 2 other vet students from my class, when the minimum number is supposed to be 4 students. Sometime there are even 5 students to split up the responsibilites of the patients, but I guess we're just going to be extra busy. I think the reason it's such a hard rotation is that they have a lot of cases, since cruciate ligament ruptures, hip problems, and bone fractures are so common and often too advanced for the general practitioner vets. I know I don't plan to do much orthopedic surgery when I get out either. Also, the post-op patient care is very intensive, since most of them are big dogs who can't walk and are very painful, ie dificult animals to care for. Also, besides being responsible for just my own patients and their treatments, I am also on-call some nights and responsible for all surgery patients' treatments some nights at 10 PM and some weekends at 3 PM and 10 PM. Therefore, I will not even get one day off for weeks, including Independence Day. My life as I have known it is over.

This summer, I go from one hard rotation to another. Here is my schedule, in case you are interested.

June 15-July 5: Orthopedic surgery

July 6- July 26: Oncology

July 27-August 16: Internal medicine

August 17-September 6: Soft tissue surgery

September 7-September 28: Large animal internal medicine

If I can get through this hard summer, my fall will be easier and I may have more time for a real life again. October is a more relaxed month, with Pathology and Parasitology rotations. Wish me luck.

-Shirin

I've been on Cardio all week and have been looking at a bunch of echocardiograms.

Trip to Raleigh

We had a great time in Raleigh this weekend. Gabriel, David, Cyrus, and I drove up there together and stayed with Clayton and Olga (who just got engaged, by the way). While there, I also got to see my dear friends Sarah and Deena, and their boyfriends Barney and Chris, who I like a lot. It was a fun group when both sets of friends melded and we ate dinner, played games, and were merry.
I'm home now and ready for my last week of externship in Charlotte before heading back to my "real" life in Athens, where I will have to start shopping, cleaning, and doing laundry again. Gabriel is driving back to Athens as I write this, poor guy. It's a pretty long trip to make for one weekend, but I think he had a great birthday weekend with lots of fun people.
I should also mention that we had our little guy with us and he was quite a trooper. I also have to thank our friends for being patient and allowing Cyrus' sleep schedule dictate our activities. I'm really grateful for that.
-Shirin

Swimming at the pool on Saturday. Gabriel got to take the picture because he's so averse to cold water and took so long to jump in. This was Cyrus' first real pool swim. He did pretty well (better than his daddy).

Hanging out in Raleigh across the street from NC State. Here you see Sarah and Deena with their men (and Sarah's doggie).

At the restaurant, Cyrus poured a cup of water over his head when trying to drink it. So, he got a mohawk hair-do.

Here he is devouring part of my sandwich.

Sarah and Barney bring babies along with them too. Boston and Frankie are very well-behaved doggies.

Gabriel left the restaurant a little early to take Cyrus home to bed. We soon followed and met him at Clayton's for games.

The girls.

The whole group, except for David. (From left: Barney, Chris, Clayton, Olga, Sarah, Deena, me, and G).

What are they watching?

Gabriel on power stilts!

Cyrus wanted a ride and got to bounce around with Gabriel (Clayton was standing by to catch the baby if needed).

Getting out of his gear.

Now it's my turn to try.

Whee! Clayton was my crutch, but I was able to do a little bit of walking and jumping on my own. Fun, fun.

The happy new fiances.

Today at the pool, Sarah and I swam Cyrus around back and forth. He really liked it, until he got a mouthful of water. Oops!

I loved swimming with Tia Sarah and Cyrus (thanks to Barney for taking this picture and contributing to my blog despite being morally against blogging or reading blogs). :)

The rest of the gang sat over at this table and talked about their new game. Clayton's pool was really nice.

Missing my sweetheart

I am in my second week of being gone from Athens for my externship in Charlotte. I've really enjoyed the clinic and being home with my parents for so long. I am not one of those grown-ups who can only handle their parents for 2 or 3 days at a time. I get along great with them almost always and am happy to see them every day. With Cyrus being here as well, my life feels fairly complete...except, I miss Gabriel. Every day, we talk on the phone and keep in touch on lots of life happenings, but I still feel his absence, especially at night after Cyrus goes to bed and things get quiet. That is normally when we would talk, play, eat, etc.
This picture above is from my mom's blog post about our weekend together, and I love how much Gabriel and Cyrus resemble each other here. Luckily, I will see him in 2 days because he will be driving up on Thursday night and spending the night before driving up to Raleigh on Friday morning. (I'll be following Friday night with Cyrus in tow).
Whether Cyrus knows it or not, he probably should be missing Gabriel as well. He is usually so involved with Cyrus' life every day, like the great father that he is. Luckily, they'll get to spend all weekend together.
-Shirin

Hangin' out poolside

I started at the Exotics service today up in Huntersville, a more northern branch of the same specialty hospital I was working with last weekend.  I called my mom during lunch to see what she and Cyrus were doing and heard about how much utter fun they were having in the kiddie pool I bought for Cyrus this weekend at a yard sale.  There was lots of squealing and twirling around.

When I got home this evening, my mom and I took him back out there while my dad was watering plants on the deck.  He wasn't quite as giddy about it all, but he seemed to have a lot of fun playing.

We also invented a game I like to call "bucket head."  It proves that a "real" toy just isn't necessary for a good time.  Check it out on the later videos.  It just takes a bucket and a baby's head! :)

-Shirin

Playing "Happy Feet" in the pool with Grammy.



Putting his favorite other non-toy (the vacuum attachment) in his pool.



An example of how well a one-year-old listens. Cyrus is definitely learning what's right and wrong and what "no" means, but he still doesn't always have the self-control to listen. He does usually pause and look over at us for confirmation of what he's doing. I will take what I can get. Distracting him is still the best method.



I should patent my "Bucket Head"/"Box Head" game. It's so enjoyable.


Playing with Grammy and Grampy.



Streaking for the neighbors.