Late last night while I was doing the dishes, after my husband had left for his night shift and the kids were asleep, I thought about how much I had always wanted to be a doctor and to be married to a doctor. I don't remember my husband wavering very much in his decision to study medicine, but he did waver at times. My husband was very interested in medicine but when he began preparing for medical school, we had quite a few physicians and their wives tell us not to choose medicine. Each time he talked about considering a different career, I remember thinking, But I always planned to be married to a doctor. Now, of course, when I think of that thought, I just laugh, cringe, and wonder (with a tear in my eye) at my complete ignorance.
I could never understand at the time why those couples would warn us away from medicine. But, now I totally get it.
So, this is my advice, to all those reading and wondering: If there is any other career that you can possibly choose, that would be just as satisfying and enjoyable as being a doctor, choose it - over medicine.
But, we often have to experience something in order to completely understand the warnings. Plus, we are all different in how we view others' lives and experiences. Like, I thought the best convincing power against getting a dog was to watch the movie, Marley & Me. But, that movie had the exact opposite effect on my husband: he wanted a dog even more after we watched it.
(BTW, my comment above makes it sound like I was only interested in "being married to a doctor," but really I wanted to live a life similar to those in Medicine Man and City of Joy... those movies affected me greatly when I was young and impressionable.)
1 comment:
I remember doctor families advising us to not go into medicine, too.
You know, we have grown a lot...and become better people...and learned patience...but who's to say we wouldn't have learned those things on a different path? I do wonder if there would have been more fun times/better memories/laughter with a different career. And if a magical fairy came and gave me a wish, I think I WOULD go back and try something else out!
But the fact still remains that I like how we have turned out after this whole ordeal (we're only months away from end of residency!!) I like to see the confidence in my husband, and the independence in myself. But he can never have those early years back with our kids--that's what bothers me most.
I NEVER wanted to marry a doctor, though! But it worked out. :) Thank goodness for hobbies, right? (speaking of hobbies, check out my new blog!)
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