Looking back and moving forward

Dave is just finishing up his 5th year of residency so we have 2 years left.   This year, year 5 has been a research year. It has been such a nice year. Dave has been working from home a lot since his research involves a lot of data analysis and writing. I  have enjoyed having him home.  I'm not gonna lie . . . it took us a while to get used to working under the same roof! I haven't had dave home much at all in the last 8 years so having him here most of the time was a big change.  At first we were in each others way quite a bit but we got dave a room/office and have learned when to bother each other and when to leave each other alone and it works out really well!!  Dave takes call and still is involved wtih patient care but he is not primarily responsible for one of the hospital services as he has been in the years past.

The timing of this research year has been great in many ways.  I had JoAnne right at the beginning of this research year. Dave was able to take a few days off and help when she was born and again when she had to go back to the hospital for a couple days when she was only a few weeks old.  There have been many days when I have put her down for a nap and left her home with dave so that I could get a few things done without her. It has been nice. 

Additionally, Dave has been more available to help with all that has been going on with Calvin this year. This has definitely been a crazy crazy year for us in terms of his life. He made two school changes this year and both involved several school visits/class observations as well as many meetings. Dave was able to be part of these decisions in a way that would have been pretty much impossible if he were on a busier service as he has been for the last several years.

So, how much longer 'til we finish residency?

Dave has 2 more years here in his neurosurgery program at UCSD. Next year, the 6th year, will be another research year. Then the hospital will swallow him up again for his chief year which will be very busy!

Following those 2 years at UCSD Dave will do a one year fellowship for pediatric neurosurgery and we don't know where that will be. We have to enter into the MATCH again for that. I feel like I'm too old to go through the stress of the match again but I also know it will be an exciting journey!

We have been so blessed to be in San Diego for our residency for so many reasons. We have a great residency program. It has been a great fit for Dave and he is so happy here. The surgical training is great, the research opportunities are unparalleled and it is a fun program.  It is so nice to LIVE in San Diego. It is beautiful and wonderful. We love being close to family. Dan was here for the last 5 years. Dad, Kari and Shi are here and recently Pete and Jessica moved home.  It is also great to live in a vacation town where we get lots of visitors. It has been so great! 

As we have been students for 11 years together (and even longer before we were married) we have been continuously looking forward to the end of this long road. However, as the end comes into view I realize that we are on a great journey and would be completely happy if we just continued on as we are now.  What a fun time of life we're in now!