A day in the life...I usually get up around 0645 ish and head out for a run/walk with Shelley for about 45-60 minutes typically I do the Opunake coastal walkway as it affords great views of foreshore, the mountain and of course, cows. Occasionally I will head up the Ihaia Rd if I want a change of pace.
My commute is a rough one, a gut wrenching 5 minute walk into town. Talk about road rage, there is nothing worse than having to wave at people walking or driving by...sheesh!
I start my day and see patients from 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM. Calling them in from the lobby and into my lone office/exam room. I take their vital signs and listen to their needs. On site phlebotomy is performed by the nurses. A small general purpose procedure and urgent care room gives us space to perform most office based procedures. The visits are straight forward and to the point. A quick review of anything which may be due in addition to their presenting issues, then write my notes and on to the next one.
Lunchtime! I may brown bag it or return home for lunch, however now that my 'partner', Ken Taylor, has returned to San Diego via Bali, I am a bit busier so I am returning home less often. I see more patients from 1:00 PM until 4-4:30 PM. I tidy up my notes, review the inbox and am usually home by 5-5:30 PM with little to no work hanging over my head.
The medicine here is very similar to back home in terms of rural healthcare. I have said many times it is as though I took my practice from Wilmington and plopped it down under. Scheduled patients occasionally punctuated by some urgencies/emergencies. By virtue of our geography as well as the 'system' we try to take care of the majority of the problems which walk in thru the door. I find the patients pleasant, hard working, tough and hungry for regular consistent healthcare. The fact I am actually staying for a year is a welcome surprise to them. Honestly, if I was in a different place in my career, not so rooted to our home in Vermont and were not a half a world away from family and friends, I would be sorely tempted to stay as I sense the need is great.
I am blessed to work alongside a very dedicated and skilled staff. They work hard but love a good laugh and always have time for tea. They have helped make the transition a smooth and painless one. Even the patients respect the idea that we have needs and are quite accommodating.
Afterwork varies depending on the day of the week; Mondays Eli will have an Opunake Senior A Basketball Game and/or Izaak will have his Opunake Dragonballers games. Tuesdays I try to make it to Logan's basketball games; Thursdays I take Eli to his Kaponga U-15 soccer team practice; and Fridays I am off to see Eli's Opunake Basketball League games.
Home for dinner then, surprisingly enough, a little TV, as we did opt to get the NZ "freeview channels". We often watch a show or two. Afterwards we will end the evening with a game of cards or some reading time. As it has gotten quite chilly here we often have the kids bring in wood from the shed for a roaring fire. We do not have heat per se just a wood stove in living room, a gas stove in the den/kitchen and a hallway space heater. The kiwi way is to take hot water bottles to bed to get you a bit warm and cozy. The mornings are quite chilly and the air is damp so it is a down to the bone chill. The actual temp is around 0-10 degrees celsius usually. Highs up to 15 degrees.
On the weekends; Saturday we are trying to keep 3 boys on the move and not forget anyone; Izaak has his rugby games; Logan his soccer games and Eli has his Kaponga U-15 soccer team matches in the mornings and his Kaponga Men's Senior League games in the early afternoons. Afterwards if the weather cooperates I will take the kids to the beach at Kina Rd for some fun while I fish for dinner. We usually eat something I catch about once a week.
Sundays are generally a day to do something as a family and we try to do something outdoors or perhaps a little more afield. Trying to balance the 'we here in New Zealand and need to do (touristy) stuff' with the 'we live in Opunake and have friends we want to see and do things with.' It is not as if we go to Boston, NYC or Walt Disney World every weekend when we are at home in Wilmington.
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