aka Wendy's adventures in MM4

The morning after the day before...

Rashes, hypertension, CST AND pap smears, PVE and breast examinations, six week mum and baby check, Pertussis immunisation in a fellow who’s about to become an uncle and whose antihypertensive I've been back-titrating since we met in March (continuity is possible with my one session via telephone or telehealth (video) a week and three separate weeks a year face to face), Centrelink paperwork (in a patient I’ve come to know), drivers licence medical (in an apologetic 82 year old – he was booked for this 6/12 ago with his regular GP, but his daughter is turning 60 and he has a party to attend and the dates don’t match up).
Medicine 101.
Now, there have been a number of things this week that I’ve needed my 37 years of experience for, but that happens in MM1 as well. And if you are not 37 years post graduation, then you bring whatever experience you have – heck, some of the doctors in the emergency department may be in their first or second year!!

My reflection for today? Sensory input, Value and Meaning.

One of the joys of stepping outside my usual world is the experience of travel. It is harvest time (note to those of you with allergies – perhaps not the best time to visit) and I’ve never seen or heard so many B-Double trucks in my life as they go up and back to the grain silos. The algae that covered the river yesterday morning was blown away by fierce winds in the afternoon. There's a cute little kookaburra just outside my window that gets up nice and early to get the worms. There are other graceful birds that soar overhead, the species of which I do not know, but I’m curious about pulling out the copy of “What bird is that“ I know sits somewhere in my father's library. The jacarandas are in full bloom, the garden is a riot of colour and fragrance, the sky has been a vivid blue or deep dark black at night. I have broken bread with three delightful boys who remind me of when my sons were their age and the tearoom has had leftovers from book club, superb orange cake and fresh scones, but alas I missed the scones even though I was alerted to their presence-you snooze, you lose!

The work I do in MM1 is every bit as valuable as the work I'm doing here, but there is a layer of additional value in terms of the difficulty my patients here have in accessing GP services. My training, my experience, my knowledge is not challenged or disrespected, rather there is a wistful envy of the relative ease with which their city cousins access my services and a deep seated gratitude for my having made the trip out of the big smoke to be here in the bush.

Meaning. Each to their own--what brings meaning to your life? We are all at different stages of life, we all have different value sets, different interests, likes, dislikes, different comfort zones. But for me, coming out here is coming full circle from my childhood in a country town much smaller than this one, where my parents were the local GPs to a community that, like all communities, has its good and its bad, but a community that feels comfortable. So, I find meaning in that. It was good to listen to the podcasts on my way out - Australian prescriber has a good series and no doubt there will be others on my way back.

Well, that's my reflection for this morning. I hope I have not bored you! The kookaburra has been sitting on the pool fence looking around and occasionally looking at me as I type, the ducks are swimming, but the pelican is yet to come into view.

And just like that, the pelican came into view!

Whatever you are doing and wherever you are doing it, my wish for you today is that there is value and meaning in what you do, and I would encourage you to seek sensory input that fills your soul and lightens your load. It is therapeutic.