Updates! ( 1

It has been awhile since we have all kind of given an update of where we are and what we are doing right now...lets all catch up!



I just finished all of my coursework and research for my MS in molecular biology and am working on my thesis. I have had to take a few days off to save my sanity I have three wee ones (for those of you who don't know) and I am looking forward to the summer with a bit of trepadation...it has been 9 months since I have been at home full-time. I am looking forward to the time together although I am desperate for some "survival" ideas (hint, hint ). I don't know what I plan on doing career-wise right now, but I think that whatever I do will end up being part-time over the next couple of years.



Thomas (hubby) finishes his ID fellowship in just a few weeks! (Gosh, I can HARDLY believe it!) We are in the process of throwing away old junk and sorting out what we are going to take with us. (and planning the NEW furniture for the rooms ...but don't tell my husband )



I am looking forward to the move, but am also going through the usual worry about what the future will bring...we don't have relatives/friends in MN, so it will truly be a new beginning for us all.



I am looking forward to hearing what everyone else has been up to lately...where you are going with your life personally and or career-wise...



Kris

Hi. My husband is finishing up his 3rd year of medical school tomorrow! Yeah! We are at AZCOM in Phoenix and have really enjoyed our stay here though the summer is WAY too hot for me. We have a lot of research to do this summer to find what residency programs we are interested in. My husband is still leaning towards general surgery at a community hospital. If we go that route, we will probably move back east next year. That would really be an adventure for us because our family is all in the west. I am originally from Oregon and my husband is from Colorado.



We have 4 boys ages 9, almost 7, 4 and 19 months. They keep me plenty busy and are a lot of fun. My hobbies seem to revolve around them. I am over a cub scout pack (my husband is the cubmaster and I am the chairman) and we spend a lot of Saturdays at soccer fields. I did babysit a little girl for the past three years but that ended last week. Can't say that I am too sad about that. I decided I am not the babysitting type of person. I have my own kids to try and keep up with. I am now doing medical transcription work part-time to help have some extra money. I have a bachelor's degree in psychology and Japanese (strange combo I know!) I had a great job lined up after college working with foreign exchange students from Japan but ... I got married instead and went on the medical school adventure. I met my husband when he was a Freshman undergrad so I have tons (too much!) experience in having a husband in school.



I love being able to be home with my kids but I have some anxiety about surviving the whole summer with 4 boys in Arizona!! It is too hot to go outside and we don't have a pool. My kids finished school last week and are already bored silly! Sigh... So, we are off to Disneyland on Friday and the beach on Saturday! My kids will have a ball and I am really excited about it too! It will be nice to get away for a long weekend.



That's about it for me at the moment. I need to go and crank up the air conditioner a little more!

[DCJenn]

Only six more weeks of the dreaded internship year for us! We're having a "we survived party" in two weeks for all of the interns, spouses and kids. Of course the big debate is whether to toss everyone outside (South Texas?) or stuff everyone inside or do both.



My job continues at it's normal craziness. (the key to succesfully managing anything to do with the social services is to remember that the staff will always make you more nuts than the clients.) We fly home in a few weeks for a much needed weekend off- and then it's back to work.



Other than that- not too much going on here.



Jenn

Hi Kris!



Here I am!



My husband's update is that in 5 more weeks he'll be a 2nd year resident in Family Medicine! We are very happy about that!




Christy
MD Spouses Support Forums

Nice to hear from you....Yeah...you have survived PGY1!!!!



Kris

[Phoebe]

There should be some kind of survival party for spouses on here! What can be done?



Jennifer

Hi Kris & Jennifer,



Thanks for the welcome!




Christy
MD Spouses Support Forums

Hello!My husband, Chris, will be finishing the first year of a two year fellowship at the end of the month. He is currently in Anaheim for the American Urological Association (AUA) convention, where I hope he will make a lots of contacts for a job in 2002. He just finished writing a grant with a co-worker that seemed to take up a lot of his time. They waited until the last minute. Chris wants to write another grant to submit in August! Hopefully, he will start on it sooner so that it won't take up a lot of his time all at once like this last grant. He's in business school which I didn't initially agree with, but I am trying to cope! I think I am just anxious about leaving Pittsburgh. I don't like it here and we still have 13 more months to go!



For those who don't know, I am pregnant with our second child. The baby is due in 3 weeks and 3 days (not that I'm counting or anything!) I am so ready to have this baby! I just started selling Avon about 3 weeks ago and I'm interested to see how that will work out after the baby comes. I decided with a second baby we needed the extra money. It's been going a little slow starting off, but I hope it picks up in the next few months.



This is my first post to the message boards. I am looking forward to chatting with everyone on the boards!



Raquel

Robin I hail from Phoenix--well Scottsdale actually is it hot enough for ya there

Hi there!



I don't believe I know most of you and so, I wanted to welcome you here. Kristen does a great job with the boards and keeping things moving!!! You'll have a great time here.



So, welcome to everyone! And a kind "hello" to senior members here like Jason and Kris.



Jason, we are almost finished with the Intern year!!!!! Woohoo!!! Aren't you excited? I am.



Christy
Christy
MD Spouses Support Forums

Hi Jason! We are having a cooling trend here so it was only 104 degrees today!!! It's a good thing it is a DRY heat!! Yesterday it was 110 at my kids' soccer games. As they say on the Wizard of Oz ... I'm MELTING!!!!



Scottsdale, eh?! How did you handle the change from here to Minnesota? (I think that's where I remember you to be at!) I have gotten spoiled with the winters here and it sure sounds COLD back your way. How much longer for the internship year? I still have another year before I get to enjoy that experience! YIKES! Hang in there!



Robin

well HI everyone!!

long time, no "talk"! quick update for me: i'm still working on that thesis! (not as much as i would like, that is for sure!) i'm

planning that wedding! i stop working this week so that should free up some hours, thank goodness. my hubby-to-be is almost finished with his second year!! yeah yeah yeah!

3 more to go! hope everyone is doing well - talk to you soon!

Look who crawled back into the computer! I was wondering what had happened.....I figured the thesis was kicking your behind I know it's kicking mine . I keep telling myself...just three more weeks, just three more weeks...When you and I both get finished, we are going to throw ourselves a little cyber-party!!!!!



Kris
The Medical Spouse Network

oh kris! you are going to finish wayyyy before me! i am starting to think that i am going to be one of those grandmothers that finally finishes their master's degree!

i am actually trying to think of something to tell my advisor right now - i know that i don't *have* to tell her anything but i feel as if i owe her some explanation as to why i have been non-existent for the last 3 weeks. the truth: school is out, i am having motivation problems , and i just don't want to think about it! so when is your defense? you go girl!!

Hi all - yes, I do manage to post now and then! I'm supposed to be writing a grant right now but allow myself a break. My dh (dear husband) is finishing year 2 of peds residency. He has decided not to do a fellowship, because he feels like he's already missed so much time with our kids and can't face 3 more years of call! I think discovering that he would actually take a pay cut from a resident's salary was another nail in the coffin. It just feels like so much exploitation! Anyway, I had to admit I was a bit relieved though of course I supported either decision.

Our new baby is now 7 months and standing up, getting ready to cruise! It's hard to go back to babyproofing once you've gotten used to the relative sophistication of a 4 year old. I decide to quit my job every 3 or 4 weeks when the stress builds up, but am still hanging in there.

That's the news from Los Angeles, where it's been foggy and cool the past few weeks - people are getting grumpy about the 'cold' weather. Wearing a sweatshirt in June? Outrageous! I'm just happy we aren't getting hit by the 104 weather of AZ.