I have officially survived my first week of being a registrar.
Wow.
The week rushed over me with all the force of the cliche'ed tsunami, and I must confess, I am surprised that I managed to keep breathing. It was busy, chaotic, new, overwhelming, scary, and exciting - all at the same time! And... tomorrow, we go again! :)
I started in Kalafong hospital in the Paediatric Oncology ward. I cannot believe how quickly one gets attached to the kids. I have heard a lot about oncology, I have seen the absolute devastation of bad news on colleagues, and suddenly I am beginning to understand the absolute hugeness of the involvement you experience when working with them. It is scary. Emotionally draining, yes, but oh so rewarding and enjoyable at the same time... I know it sounds paradoxical but that is the way I am experiencing it. And it amazes me.
A colleague this week shared an interesting viewpoint: in the same way that all little boys want to become policemen and firemen when they grow up, all paediatric registrars initially want to become neonatologists. And how true! I was there, I still love neonatology, I will always have a special corner of my heart belonging to those tiny little ones I lovingly call monkeys... but I am over the neonatology ideal. And at the moment, I am really experiencing a completely different but exciting and inspiring side of paediatrics...
(and for those not understanding this bit of technicality, sorry, just felt that I had to share it!)
On the training front, I ran and completed a half marathon yesterday!! Aside from slightly stiff quads and sore knees, and a horribly painful second-toe-nail on my left foot, I actually did very well! I am fit, strong (definitely stronger on hills than I used to be considering where I am in my current training programme), but MAN, I AM S L O W !!! Jeepers! It took me FOREVER! I did start really slow, and ran good negative splits, but I definitely need to work on my speed a bit...
However, I am on schedule for the 24th of May, and taking it small steps at a time ;)
Emma is doing really great. Developing at such a speed that I can hardly keep up! This afternoon we were playing outside, and she managed to worm/leopard crawl/slide her way across the blanket! She also sits well with some support, enjoys baby-push-ups, and rolls over back to tummy and back again with practised ease :)... She started eating some baby cereal yesterday and aside from the hilarious facial expressions ranging from disgust to surprise to utter confusion... it actually went quite well and some of the cereal at least found its way down... I think! She is more beautiful and cuter and sweeter and kissable every day - I am totally and utterly overwhelmed by the power of the love I feel for her.
