Goodbye 2013, hello 2014

This was, of course during 1st January 2014

Goodbye 2013, hello 2014

So the time has come again….to say goodbye to yet another year, to welcome the new year.
For most of us, it’s the time to leave behind all the memories, good or bad of the entire year and look forward to the new year with full of hope and excitement for new beginnings.

For me- 2013 has been a year of progress. And a year of waiting. I went through 3 more housemanship postings – Ortho, O&G and Paeds. Meanwhile, renovation works for my new house is also finally in progress.

2013 taught me to be strong and most of all taught me to be patient.
To be patient as I wait to complete the postings and complete housemanship. To be patient as I wait for my new house to be completed.
I thank God for his blessings during the entire year. I am sure He was always looking out for me the entire year- sending me guardian angels to watch over me the entire year.

Each of the 3 postings I went through this year had it’s own trials. Left some memories that I rather erase out of my memory. But also each of the postings gave me memories and lessons that I would cherish a lifetime. And I thank God also for all the colleagues and bosses I made along the way in each of these postings.
I would never forget the handovers in Ortho- which initially filled me with trepidation, but which eventually I got used to. I would always remember the consensus when in Peri team – the buzzing of the Whatsapp application as Peri team members scramble as usual to search for all the patients damn xrays, or when the A&E call people would send pictures of wounds to the ward call people
I would always remember the screams of ‘os full! Vacuum! Caesar! In the labour ward and the hustle that comes after that. The smell of liquor.The sound of running ctgs and even the sound of a deceleration I can still recall. The steps of performing a Caesar- well maybe.
I will always remember the omnimous sound of the pager beeping again. The sound of the entire cubicle of babies all deciding to wail at the same time. The frustration of waiting for a small fbc or buse bottle to be filled with small precious drops of blood. The chubby faces of these cute babies in nursery.
Last but not least, I will always remember the bosses and colleagues I have met along the way in these 3 postings- all subconsciously left a piece of them in me.

I think maybe it is in God’s plan to let me start the brand new year with a brand new posting. As I start A&E posting on the 1st January (what a nice date to start with!) I hope I can just start everything afresh and anew. Again, I am nervous, as I don’t know what the posting would bring. Several of my friends are now MOs in that department so that comforts me somewhat. I know God will see me through this posting as He has seen me through the other 5 postings. I will come face to face again with all the bosses from previous postings when I refer to them, it is a scary thought but at least I know them. I really hope I remember all that I have learnt in the previous 5 postings – when I pick up the phone to call the Surgical or Ortho MO A&E and ward call. Or when I pick up the phone to call the already overworked Medical MO A&E call who probably had already received over 20 referrals for the day up to that point. I hope I remember my stuff when I call the labour ward looking for any O&G MO on call. Or when I page the Paeds general ward on call MO.
I just want God to give me the Grace I need to get through this A&E posting so that I can complete my housemanship.

Then I need His guidance to help me decide where I should go next – because honestly, I am still undecided. I really need a posting- a less stressful and less fast paced one with more time to spare, where I can finally plant myself in, develop my hidden talents and be who I really am. Because frankly, I am still lost.

I just know that 2014 will be the year of new beginnings for me. A new house, a new posting. And a new life after that. I am both nervous and excited at the same time.
I hope I can rediscover myself this upcoming year. I hope I can just start knowing myself and stop hating myself and beating myself up this year. And stop just stop worrying about what others think about me. And start appreciating things and people that actually do matter. That, my friends, are my new year resolutions.

I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year 2014- and may the upcoming new year bring with it lots of joy, laughter, happiness and memories to cherish for you and your loved ones