Thanksgiving

Ever since I was a kid Thanksgiving was a big deal in my house. We would invite friends and family over for a massive feast that my father would prepare. Throughout my education, I always had Thanksgiving off and would look forward to the break from studying and to reunite with the important people in my life. 

As a first-year resident, I am no longer afforded a Thanksgiving Holiday Vacation. In fact, I don’t have any control over the days I have off. I am plugged into a schedule that continuously churns me through the Emergency Department. 2-morning shifts, 2-swing shifts, 2-night shifts, 1.5 days off, repeat. This is what I signed up for so I am not upset when I am scheduled to work throughout Thanksgiving. 

I had moved to a new city and as a result, I had no family to share the holiday with. No traditional Thanksgiving meal would be had this year. As I pulled into the garage of the hospital it hit me that this would be the first year I would miss spending Thanksgiving with my family. 

As I walked from the cold crisp air of the parking lot and into the artificially warmed air of the hospital I was ready to take on whatever we were going to face in the Emergency Department that night. We received sign-out from the outgoing team. The day had been slow. The only excitement occurred when a burn victim was emergently brought it. The patient had tried to fry his first turkey in his basement when his experiment backfired.

After receiving sign-out, I picked up a couple of patients that were waiting to be seen. As I walked over to the rooms one of my favorite nurses asked if I had eaten. I told her no and asked her why she was asking. She was in between working on patients and instructed me to follow her. She walked me over to the nurses’ break room and opened the door.  And that’s when I found out that working in the hospital on a holiday can be the best thing ever. Inside the room was a massive table that contained 3 turkeys and more sides than I had ever seen before. Everyone who was working today had chipped in to make an incredible potluck Thanksgiving feast. Everyone who was working that night was away from their families but that does not mean we can’t have some fun and enjoy the holiday. 

My morale perked up and I was suddenly so excited to be working. Every time I had a break between patients I found myself picking at the incredible spread that was on the table. I realized that this team of physicians, nurses, techs, and clerks are my family. We were in the trenches together day in and day out. We helped and supported each other through thick and thin and I was so incredibly thankful to be with them.

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