Yesterday was my last day on the stroke service. As is often the case, the end of this rotation was bittersweet. It was a huge relief to have completed my first month of residency. That said, I was just starting to develop a sense of how to manage stroke patients, and it's a little unnerving to start general neurology. Thankfully, someone is always willing to answer my questions, even those that are embarassingly elementary. Taking care of patients is not unlike raising a child. The learning curve is unavoidably steep. I'm sure I'll get up to speed... just in time to move on to my next rotation.
As for the rest of our little family, Elijah is thriving at preschool. He seems to have a crush on Claire, the woman who takes care of him after nap time. When I went to pick him up the other day, he was making green playdough pancakes with her. As it came time to say goodbye, he told me that he "likes her and loves her." When he's at home, Elijah is mostly interested in being read to, playing his keyboard and making 'pillow houses' in the couch. He arranges the pillows at one end of the couch and then hides stuffed animals beneath them. He will spend long stretches of time talking with his animals and rearranging the cushions. As for reading, Elijah loves to hear the same books over and again. His current favorites include "Make the Team, Baby Duck," by Amy Hest and "Lost" by David McPhail. He also enjoys books about using the potty, but this has yet to translate into an interest in potty training.
Amiel is also doing well. Now that I am working, he is responsible for getting Elijah fed, dressed and off to school. They have clearly bonded over the past weeks. When I pick up Elijah from school, he typically asks, "Where's Daddy!?"
