A letter to my pineapple-sized baby.

Dear Baber,

Last night we went on an adventure. Just you and me. The two of us have spent a lot of time sitting in a patient’s exam room hunched over a computer. I thought it was high time we stretch out and get some fresh air.

So I hopped on the back of my bike and headed down the street. We bumped along back roads and sidewalks, past rusty fences and aged oak trees. We peddled by signs of Spring like orange-bellied robins and tiny rabbits. We passed a soccer field that I know well. I kicked around a soccer ball as a young girl many Saturday mornings on that field. We breathed crisp air, and I have a feeling you could feel the change in me. The joy. The peace.

As I work long hours at the office, I've been reminded of the not-so-fun parts of life that we all have to go through. But then there are beautiful parts. Like last night. There are sweet pauses to clear our minds, our hearts, and rejuvenate our bodies. There are times to be alone, with God.

I thought to myself, "This is the same air you'll breathe. This is the same field you'll play on. These are the same landmarks you'll know."

And I can't wait to show you these parts. To introduce you to this messy, mysterious, complicated, wonderful world you're about to be a part of.

Are you ready?

I am.

Love,

 

Mom

A letter to my eggplant-sized baby.

Dear Baber,

This week has flown right by. Thanks in part to influenza rearing its ugly head and a record high patient count for our walk-in clinic – combined with our added appointments with the midwife, our early trip to the lab for our glucose tolerance test, the seemingly unending house work, and your Dad’s grad school assignments….it’s been busy. But it’s helping the time pass quickly before you get here, when I know the pace will change so drastically.

You’re still the talk of the town among my patients. They all ask about you – the school-aged kids, the teenage girls, the elderly ladies, even the old men. And I tell them you’re one dear and active baby. I tell them you still have no name and no furniture. You are expected in May and we don’t know your gender. You do have some onesies, a bunny nightlight, and a whole lot of love (which seems like plenty in my book). It’s been fun to see their faces brighten when they see your little bottom move around on my belly. Because of the large bump on my belly you have created, one of my nursing home patients with dementia became lucid enough to tell me a story from one of her pregnancies. You are already touching hearts.

I do think you’ve already chosen your favorite person: your Dad. And that’s ok with me. Whenever he starts talking to you, you do lots more thumping and squirming than around anyone else. It makes my heart jump. He’s going to teach you so many things, that dad of yours: how to have a knack for adventure and a good sense of humor, how to strum a guitar and dribble a basketball, how to give your heart and life to Jesus.

At your last check up, the midwife told me that you were measuring perfectly.  Although I feel like you are huge in there. Like you need more space to stretch out. At night, if I lay down, I can see my whole stomach flatten in the front and stretch out wide from side to side, then go back into position as you shake a bit.  It looks like you had a great big yawn. You’re adorable to me already.

12 more weeks in there little baber…I can’t wait to meet you.

I love you,

Mom

Tips for Introverted NPs

I entered the medical field because I had a knack for science.  In elementary school, I told questioning adults my favorite class was science.  In middle school, I was an avid member of the earth science club.  In high school, my favorite class was anatomy and physiology and I won an award for having the highest grade.  Science had always came naturally to me, so becoming a physician or nurse seemed like the best path for my career.  In college I majored in biology and I think I was the only student who actually enjoyed the second semester of O Chem.  Throughout my nurse practitioner program, my interest in pathophysiology and pharmacology was reinforced.  Yes, medicine was for me.  Then, it was time to start seeing patients.

I am an introvert.  My family and friends would say the same.  Unfortunately, no one had warned me about the social part of practicing medicine, you know, interacting with 30 or so patients every day.  I see a new person every 10 to 30 minutes of every day.  I found, and sometimes still find, the amount of conversation and social engagement required by my position to be one of its most demanding aspects.

Working as a midlevel in my practice requires a lot of acute and urgent care.  I do have my own patient panel, but it is not nearly as large as the physician's panels.  So, forming long-term relationships with patients has not been the norm.  I enter a patient's room and immediately have to develop report.  I introduce myself, shake a few hands, and survey the situation.  I ask questions about the patient's medical condition and work to instill confidence on part of the patient and the family (as they are likely thinking I look like I am 12 years old.)  For an introvert, this can be tremendously draining and I can get burned out.  I know there are other introverted health care providers out there, so here are some tips...

The great part about the conversations we have with patients is that they lend themselves to asking questions rather than forcing us to be the one to do the talking.  Introverts tend to be good listeners so use this aspect of your personality as an advantage.  I have found that I don't have to do much of the actual talking in the patient interaction.

Getting into a routine with how I conduct a patient visit leads to less effort.  Have a standard introductory greeting to explain who you are and the role you will play in the patient's care.  Have a set of questions you ask patients with common presentation of illness.  Develop explanations for pathologies of disease.  As you get in the habit of doing these things, you will exert less energy figuring out what to say leaving you with more left in the tank at the end of the day.

Communicating by email isn't typically an option for taking the stress out of patient visits, but when you find yourself facing a difficult conversation with an administrator or coworker, it may be.  Write down your thoughts to help plan the conversation.  As an introvert, this allows you the added time for reflection you may need to communicate your thoughts effectively.

The temptation to think "I'm the wrong person for the job" when I'm exhausted from talking to patients every day is real.  But really, it is a chance for growth.  God continues to try to shape me to be more like Jesus in giving me the ability to engage with and care for a lot of people at one time.  Being introverted is not a character flaw.  This challenge has helped me to grow professionally but also personally.  This is one situation where what you learn on the job just may benefit you at the next family get together or class reunion.

As an introvert, I require time to decompress at the end of a busy day.  I tend to feel exhausted and overstimulated.  Nothing that 30 minutes alone can't fix, which is why I am thankful for my commute to and from work.  Take the time you need to recharge at the end (or the beginning) of the day.  Make time for the alone time that you need.  This way you will have the energy you need to tackle your next shift. 

The Waynesburger.

Josh and I recently discovered a new, delicious gem of a restaurant called the Waynesburger.  If you live in Southcentral Pennsylvania, I would encourage you to meander over to downtown Waynesboro for some fresh, tasty food.  The Waynesburger is actually known for their gyros and other Greek food options contrary to the restaurant's name.  My personal favorite was the falafel platter; seriously divine.  You can also enjoy a gourmet burger or one of their 51 flavors of milkshakes.  Enjoy!

A day for mothers.

Today Josh and I traveled to have a Mother's Day lunch with my family.

We ate a delicious meal, talking and laughing until our bellies were full.  Mom even got to enjoy her favorite dessert, homemade chocolate eclair dessert.  Additionally while we were eating lunch, she got to see some of her high school friends.  Many of her friends said, "It is so nice you can have your children with you today."  She filled with pride as she realized that all of her children were in one place.

She has given so much time and support to her children.  For 20+ years she has spent an immeasurable amount of time being a "room mom," reading us books, or helping us with homework.  She has sat through countless dance recitals and sports games.  Volleyball, basketball, soccer, softball, track and field, even bowling.  My parents attended most of my home games when I played a sport in college!  She has withstood ceremonies, spelling bees, graduations.  She has always tried to support us through the mountain tops and the valleys of life.   She has always been our number one fan.

So much of who I am today is because of my Mom and my family.  May she always know that she is loved.

A Friend to All Rabbits.

Josh and I have two rabbits, Jack and (Fertile) Myrtle.  After being our pets for about one year, they have grown into very large adult meat rabbits.  They give us compost for our garden and entertain themselves with toys.  And by toys I mean inexpensive items like cardboard.   They are friendly to pet and jump around when I walk out the door in the morning.  Mostly, they are adorable and low maintenance.

Rabbits eat a high-fiber diet including a lot of hay, which is recommended for their GI tract and teeth.  Rabbit teeth grow continuously about 3mm per week; a nice way to maintain pearly whites at all times.  Chewing the hay helps to wear down the rabbit’s molars.  Luckily my sister and her husband are willing to give us an endless supply of alfalfa grass hay, which the rabbits love.  Jack and Myrtle also eat pellets and of course, fresh green vegetables.  A surprising fact is that rabbits are not to eat too many carrots, as this orange vegetable is high in sugar.  They need access to water 24/7.  Since we live in the Northeast, we had difficulty with their water bottles freezing over the winter.  So we invested in two heated bottles - cheap on Amazon and worth every penny.

Last year, Josh handcrafted their hutch.  Yes, I am that convincing.  Jack and Myrtle live in separate crates so we don’t end up with sixty rabbits.  Their gestation period is 28 DAYS (not 40 weeks).  The blue piece of plastic on the floor of their cage is to avoid “sore hocks” as rabbit feet are not made to stand on metal all day.   Josh also built two nesting boxes, which we filled with hay over the winter during the negative temperature nights.  Fortunately rabbits prefer the cold rather than hot, humid weather.  Jack and especially Myrtle love their nesting boxes.  Since rabbits think like prey, the boxes give a sense of security.

Their hutch is located over our compost pile so the rabbit dropping and left over hay eventually get mixed in with our other household organic waste.  Some people keep their rabbits inside the home and actually litter train them – I don’t have time for that.

So, rabbits are basically our favorites!  If you would like a rabbit, let me know….I am dying to let Myrtle have babies at least once. 

A splendid weekend.

We had a splendid weekend celebrating Spring with dear friends. They flew from St. Louis, Missouri to be with us and we loved every minute. Some guests leave and you're kind of relieved to get your house and routine back. Others you just wish could stay for a few more minutes... or a few more days - They are those kind of guests. We visited some of our favorite spots in Chambersburg, including a hike at Tumbling Run.

 

Brook and Josh,
We have much in common and it seems that we can pick up right where we left off. We loved our time with you...Kenzos, grilling dinner at home, Mrs. Gibbles Candies, homemade ice cream, the Dutch Fest, the farmers' market, the community. We are so blessed by your friendship and cannot wait for you to come back!
Lots of love,
The Rabers