Moving SUCKS

Let's face it - most of my friends are afraid to call me because they hate talking to the operating room nurses and/or they are afraid to wake me. I am afraid to call most of you, because I figure no one will continue to be my friend if I wake them up at 5 in the AM - which by the way is when I have the most free time as I am getting ready to go to work. Therefore, I decided to steal my friend Kris's idea and start a blog. I will be honest - this is not the first idea I have stolen from her.

You may all hate this and if you do let me know, but I thought it might be a good way to keep everyone informed as to how life in my world is progressing. I hope you guys also use it to keep me informed. I often feel that I am living on Jupiter and news arrives very late here.

As almost all of you know - I am now living in Philadelphia. For a girl who HATEs being cold - this should be interesting. I arrived two weeks ago. I have found my way around the City fairly easily, but am still struggling to find my way around the hospital. It is actually a very old hospital, and has multiple additions thru the years named after dead men that no one knows. Unfortunately, most of the floors of the different buildings do not actually connect - so to go from Founders 3 to Ravdin 3 you have to go downstairs to 1 and across. Let's just say I spend a lot of time lost.

Luckily most operating rooms look and work basically the same. It is the one place I feel most at home, and have already done a few cases. Some of you will be amused that I have already done my first esophagectomy. (I swear that organ haunts me.) My first call is actually tonight, and currently relatively quiet. They are reportedly fairly brutal so we shall see.

Now to the real story. As some of you know, this move has been incredibly educational for me. I decided this move that I wanted to try to minimize stress. Therefore, in April I went online and found a moving company to arrange for my move. I signed a contract for them to pick up my belongings which I packed myself on June 20th or 21st. They then promised to deliver them to Philadelphia on June 25th or 26th. Sounded simple enough - WRONG. I received a call at 8 pm on June 20th that the "truck was full" and they would have to reschedule my move. Many phone calls later, I received a call today - July 7th - that they might be able to pick up my stuff on Friday. As most of you could guess - I did what I always do. I called my dad. He drove to Nashville last week, picked up my stuff, and delivered it to me here in Philly on Thursday. I have great parents.

I learned a lot during my 10 days without stuff. First, I miss my stuff. I may rarely get to watch television anymore, but I missed the option and the noise. Second, I have too much stuff, currently still unpacking and have a closet that is full with two more boxes of clothes to unpack. (Yes, I know I have to many clothes, but I like them all so get off my back). Third, you can see all of Philadelphia in two days if you omit shopping. (Which I had to do - please see lesson two.) Fourth, all of those lessons we learned in drivers education - they don't seem to apply to the people of Philly. Driving between lanes is normal here. Changing lanes without regard to people being in the new lane - also good. Stopping in the middle of the lane with flashers on and getting out of the car - acceptable. Making a sport of trying to hit pedestrians - encouraged. Very glad that I only have to drive to work. Everything else can be reached by foot. My fifth and final lesson - moving companies could really care less about you or your stuff and the sooner you accept that the happier you will be in the long run.

Oh well, lessons learned and hopefully this experience will never be repeated. I need to actually go round in the ICU so I will stop today's blog here. I will tell you all more about the city and my apartment in upcoming blogs. I will also add pictures once I actually figure out which box my camera equipment is in so that I can download my pictures off my camera.

My life today : A little overcast, but sun starting to peak thru the clouds