I feel bad for my husband. The week after our baby was born he had a gift of 6 days off before starting his chief year. But, the life of a busy doctor means that even when there is time to be had that isn't at the hospital there is all the catching up stuff that eats away at that time. Towards the end of the week I could tell he was getting particularly stressed and there wasn't anything that I could do. There wasn't anything he could do either.
He had agreed to write a book chapter for his attending, and it would be one more publication to his name. He needed to work on that. There were the phone calls that needed to be made to Sallie Mae because they messed up yet again. There were new white coats to order. There was always something to keep him occupied. He lamented that one of these days he'd like to have a day to just do whatever he wants to instead of all the things he has to do. I don't know when that day will come, or if it will every come. When you work 80 hours a week when do you find time to do anything else?
I know how stressful it is to be the wife of a resident, but this was the first time I got to see how stressful it is to be the resident and not have enough hours in the day, even on your day off, to take care of the things that back-up because you are at work and can't get to them. There is only so much I can do for him.
I'll try to remember how little he gets to do for himself the next time I start beginning to feel like I need a break. The poor guy doesn't get one and is always playing catch up.
I am glad I read this. I am struggling right now with being the cleaner/take clothes to the dry cleaner/pay the bills/do the laundry/do the dishes girl...I gave him one job - take out the trash and yesterday while he was sleeping getting ready for night owl and I saw the trash overflowing in the kitchen I wanted to scream. So instead I just banged things around and made it known that I was taking out the trash as he was sleeping in the middle of the living room.
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