NightFloat(ing)

So, I'm on my second two-week stretch of night float, that magic time in resident's life when you get to switch your sleep schedule and work overnight in the hospital hustling to admit patients and juggling multiple pagers.  Personally, it's a little fun but can really suck.  First of all, I detest that it takes me away from my family.  Seriously, the most grounding things for me are to see my wife, son, and dog on a daily basis.  This experience, for all of the good things about it, truly robs me of that as I'm not evening going to my house or sleeing in my bed on a daily basis. Instead, I'm staying at a friend's house who is just a few minutes from the hospital.  Luckily, I've got a great air bed, eye shades, and ear plugs.  Still, though, I miss the kiddo and the family.

At times, the chaos in the hospital overnight can be exhilirating: simultaneous cross-cover pages from nurses about patients who either need a Tylenol dose or are crashing (no way to know!) or from the ED to admit patients.  It's neat to be in a normally crowded place in the off hours and see how dim the halls are or how the monitors still chirp and buzz overnight but how it seems a little calmer overnight.

On thing that I do not love is the switching to a nocturnal way of life.  I'm an absolute wreck of a man without adequate sleep.  I will admit, too, that I've moved more and more toward my three-year-old's sleep schedule.  This schedule block, of course, has thrown that away.  I'm living on coffee and adrenaline.  At my age, it's not a sustainable combination.  Luckily, just when I'm really adjusted to the schedule, it'll be time to switch back to days.  Yippee!

Over halfway done with residency.  Nuts.  Seems like an eternity ago when I quit my job and became a Scottie.  I'm different now.