It’s time for another Ultimate Coffee Date! I hope last month treated you all well. With all that’s going on in the world these days, it feels weird writing about more “trivial” things, so to speak, but…blogging has long been my form of escape.
Ultimate Coffee Date: March 2022
Muffin fluffin’ it up! (She’s lying on my laptop battery cord. ._.)
If we were having coffee/tea today, I’d…tell you that I’m thinking of trying to take on the 2022 East Bay Trails challenge! I had no idea that they’ve been doing this since 2013, but since I low-key aspire to also do the 52 Hikes Challenge, I may well decide to just go through all of them this year (or over the coming years).
One of my more recent hikes was along the Sonoma Coast! Will be writing about that soon! :]
If we were having coffee/tea today, I’d…tell you that things have been kinda rough at work lately. We’re hoping for positive change to come around to stay (fingers crossed!).
The other piece is due to the fact that two of my patients passed away very recently and I’d just seen/spoken to them ~1-2 weeks prior. (One was in a horrible car accident and I’d recently diagnosed the other with stage IV pancreatic cancer.) I really hope their families will be okay.
I’ve been staying a lot later lately because there’s always more to do and more “loose ends” to tie up, but because it never truly ends, I’m also trying to learn to be able to just set boundaries to stop for the day.
I used this recently to informally explain chickenpox vs. shingles to one of my patients…
If we were having coffee/tea today, I’d…tell you that I went climbing again after a 3-year hiatus! (Partly due to no longer having a gym, moving across the country, and then the pandemic. ._. )
I managed to get to the top twice and did not fall, so I’m quite proud of myself!
See past ultimate coffee dates here!
(Link-up with Coco @ Running with Perseverance & Deborah @ Confessions of a Mother Runner!)
- Does your area have a local trail challenge? Have you ever participated in one?
- Are you afraid of heights?
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I agree with you that work has been tough, but since the covid numbers are dropping, we’re getting a little breathing room on our schedules. I’m still dealing with all the mental health issues in kids and that is overwhelming. I had the father of one of my families pass away from pancreatic cancer earlier this year. It was quick. He had young kids, they were a wonderful family, and it was heartbreaking. What a terrible disease!
On a lighter note, I did a hiking challenge last fall when I was recovering from my broken ankle. I’m thinking about doing another one this year! I really enjoyed it.
I’m really glad the case numbers have been dropping. Reallyyyy hoping that it’ll be here to stay.
It is definitely heartbreaking. My patient also had young kids and I diagnosed him less than 2 months ago. :[ I hope their families will be okay.
That’s awesome that you were able to do a hiking challenge! I’m low-key gonna try to do both of these — will see how far I get, hehe.
I’m afraid of certain heights. And I think outdoor climbing would definitely be scary! So kudos to you!
I’m so sorry about your patients. And all the extra work. Hopefully better days are ahead.
Muffin. So cute!
Yes, there are local hike challenges. You’d have to ask Darlene about them though. :)
It’s definitely kinda nerve-wracking! (I’m low-key kinda scared of heights so this is my self-imposed exposure therapy, hahaha.)
I really hope so too!
She lights up my life! :] <3!
Farrah recently posted…Ultimate Coffee Date: March 2022
I can imagine that losing patients is the hardest part of your job. Hiking sounds like a great outlet for all things stress and negativity. You live in the perfect place for it. Thanks for stopping in for coffee today
They were both so young. :[ Being outdoors/hiking has definitely been helpful for all the stress and negativity lately — I really need to work on incorporating it regularly into every week!
Farrah recently posted…Ultimate Coffee Date: March 2022
Oh hi Muffin! (I have a “Muffin” too but she’s a calico.)
Your hiking challenge should be amazing- you live in such a beautiful area. And nice job on the climbing.
Thanks for that shingles cartoon- i’ve been thinking lately that I should probably get the vaccine.
Hope things at work lighten up a little- that sounds rough.
Fingers crossed! I’m doing better about getting outside more regularly lately!
It definitely isn’t a fun one — I’m definitely planning on getting one once I become “of age” for it!
Thank you! I really hope so too.
Farrah recently posted…Ultimate Coffee Date: March 2022
I am sorry to hear about your patients. I can imagine that is tough. Muffin looks so comfortable in the photo. Adorable!
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Thank you! I feel so bad for them and their families. :[
I always feel so special/loved when she decides to lie next to me/curls a paw around me! :]
Farrah recently posted…Ultimate Coffee Date: March 2022
I am so sorry about your patients. Good for you for getting back to climbing!
Thanks! It’s been a longggg break! :[
Farrah recently posted…Ultimate Coffee Date: March 2022
As Judy we do have challenge. I did the 52 hike challenge in 2022. We have fire tower challenges and high peak challenges. My hiking has tailed off. Most of friends don’t hike. And some that do can go during the week. But I have to work. Too bad you don’t live closer.
No heights don’t bother me.
I can’t imagine what you have to deal with as a doctor. Kudos to you.
What an adorable cat.
Ahh, that’s awesome! If I ever have a trip to your area, I’ll let you know! :P I have a few friends who like to hike here but I feel like it’s never enough (our schedules rarely match up, but this is mostly my fault, haha :( ).
Thank you! She brings me so much joy! <3
Farrah recently posted…Ultimate Coffee Date: March 2022
That hiking challenge sounds exciting! Is there a time limit, or would it be one that you could work into your schedule on your down time (which you don’t seem to have much of, LOL)? So sorry to hear of the passing of your patients …I cannot imagine how tough that would be.
Both of them have to be completed within the year. The east bay one definitely would be more doable but I still kindasorta want to try for the 52 hikes one as well. We’ll see, haha. (You are unfortunately wayy too correct o n the lack of downtime, but I like to dream, lol.)
I love the idea of a hiking challenge! I really should look into it and see what’s around here. So sorry about the loss of your patients. That has to be so difficult.
I haven’t made much progress (sadly) but hopefully by the end of the year, I’ll complete at least one of em’! :]
Thank you! I feel so bad for their families. :[
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I’m so sorry about your patients. That must be the hardest part of your job. I’m with you on just having to call it a day — the emails are never-ending — but it’s harder than it sounds.
That hiking “challenge” sounds cool — especially if you adopt a flexible time frame to complete it.
My daughter missed out on the chicken pox vaccine (she got it when she was 2, before it was approved) and got shingles after she moved away for college (a few weeks before school started). I can’t help but think the stress had something to do with it.
It’s hard to step away once I’m “on a roll,” so to speak, but I really need to learn to set boundaries between work and the rest of my life.
The flexible time frame definitely helps!
Stress does seem to unfortunately be a trigger for a lot of people!
Oh, and thanks for joining us for coffee! I always enjoy catching up with you.
Thank you for stopping by (+ for hosting)! :]
It’s so tough. Sorry you’ve had some sad cases. I found out at the end of the day on Friday that one of my favorite patients had growth in her tumor -brain stem glioma and from what I saw in her chart it was a bit of a rapid growth. I’ve know her since she was 3 and she’s 6 now. I hope the clinical trial they are recommending will work!🤞🏼
This little girl and her mom are the sweetest. The little girl loves conning me out of lots of giveaway items with her cute and innocent face.
Hope you’re doing okay! It’s an interesting thing how we switch on and off in this work. Glad we have our blogs!
And Muffin! Muffin is doing okay now? She’s so precious. Those paws!
And go you for climbing! One day I need to try that.
I was so not on top of things last month. :'( Work has been crazy lately. I’m so sorry to hear about that little girl! :( I really hope the clinical trial works for her too!
I’m super glad we have our blogs as well! Muffin has definitely been doing a lot better than she was earlier this year (whew!). She scared me so much! Hopefully it’ll be all smooth sailing from here though!