On call

Early in 2023, I had the privilege of welcoming three OB/Gyn docs (one resident, one attending, and one retired) who helped me manage my work load at the hospital and (perhaps most significantly) shared night and weekend call. Since we live about a 5-minute walk from the hospital, being on call means taking phone calls during the night/weekend, coming to evaluate any complicated OB or Gyn patients, and performing emergency surgeries (for OB/Gyn call in Kapsowar, that's usually c-sections, sometime dilation and curettage for incomplete miscarriage/abortion, and occasionally ectopic pregnancy).

When I don't have short-term visiting docs, I am usually on call about 50-60% of nights and weekends (the other 40-50% of the calls are taken by our hospital's medical officer, who also takes medicine call). This usually works out okay - while it's a lot of nights "on," I don't usually go to the hospital every night. But being available for emergencies more nights and weekends than not requires some getting used to. Over the past three years, here are some of the things I've learned (I'm sure there are many rural docs and other "call" takers who could add pages of advice and lessons to this short list!):

Life can't stop just because I'm on call: When I first started my career as a rural doc, I would *not* schedule events (meetings, inviting people over for dinner, calls to people back in N America) while on call. I would go to bed early in case I would get called in during the night. Now I know - life can't wait for non-call nights. We still invite people for dinner, and I have a (very limited) number of dishes that I can prepare in advance and just pop in the oven or InstantPot with Kris or Gladys' help. (Of course add to that our unreliable power supply, and just getting dinner on the table can become one of the most exciting and uncertain parts of the day!) Usually, things work out fine-and when they don't, most people don't seem to offended when I have to run off to deliver a baby.

Being on call didn't keep us from hosting a Coronation viewing party and potluck at our house - with a lot of help from our neighbors! 

Keep the cell phone charged: There's nothing worse than going to bed during a power outage with a cell-phone battery at 20%, and waking up multiple times during the night just to make sure the phone is still on! It's a great way to ruin an otherwise peaceful night of sleep.

Hold your plans and expectations loosely: I quickly found that if I hold too tightly to a plan (things I want to accomplish during a weekend call, for example), I would begin questioning my judgement at the hospital. Did I do that c-section because it was in the best interest of the mom and her baby, or because I promised Dominic that I would make cookies with him? Going into the hospital with an open mind and no expectations helps me to be less frustrated when things don't go according to plan - and believe me, Labor and Delivery *rarely* goes according to plan.

Set small, achievable goals: Baking a loaf of bread from scratch during call is a recipe for failure. I'll get called to the hospital when the bread is halfway through it's second rise, or just as I put it in the oven. However, there are a LOT of small things around the house (or office) that can be accomplished in the quiet moments. For example, writing a blog post...

I occasionally bake while on call, but never anything as ambitious as this super yummy 6 layer rainbow cake that my neighbor/coworker/supermom baked last weekend while on call!

Mute non-essential notifications: you know those people who have to look at their phones with *every* notification? While on call, I'm one of those people. Which means I liberally mute all notifications from people or groups who I know won't be contacting me about an emergency. I feel less tethered to my phone that way...and being less tethered to my phone is a major goal for my life!

Rest: taking call every other weekend means that Sabbath rest isn't likely in the traditional sense. So, I try to create space for rest, relaxation, and worship when and where the opportunity presents itself. And I nap - or I should say *we* nap. If you find our house locked up on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, odds are pretty good that we're actually at home, enjoying a quiet time or nap while we can. So please - come back another time :)

On call: not a great time to start a big project, long board game, or haircut. But a perfect time to cozy up with a book or knitting project by the fire!

And with that - I'm on call, and I have to get going! Thanks for reading!

Happy belated Mother's Day!