My mom bought me a new pair of clogs when I entered residency in 2019. These shoes have seen a LOT - of birth and bodily fluids, running for emergencies and standing for hours, the happiest and saddest days of women's lives.
After resoling them twice, holding them together with tape, and generally causing embarrassment to all my coworkers based on the poor condition of my footwear, it's time to move on. I have a replacement pair - in good condition, but not yet molded perfectly to my feet. They feel strange and new - not bad, just not comfortable yet.
It's a fitting (pun intended) metaphor for some changes we're getting ready to embrace. Recently, another member of our community volunteered to take over housing and transportation coordinating, a job that I had reluctantly done for a couple of years. Next month, we will be welcoming our first intern from Serge, who will be helping us with some of our education on station. And in December, the number of long-term OB/Gyns at our hospital will double, as we welcome Abby, coming to work with us through to Post-Residency Program (the same program that brought us to Kapsowar)!
These changes are SO exciting! Just like my old worn out clogs, we're ready to say goodbye to the responsibilities of coordinating visitors arrivals, departures and housing; of being the primary educators for Dominic; of being the only OB/Gyn at the hospital. But at the same time, we're saying goodbye to something known and entering another time of change and adjustment. Some things are a little uncomfortable or don't feel quite right yet. But we know the old way just wasn't working best, and we're praying that we'll learn, grow, and adapt until the new "shoes" become even better than the old.
