ohio Archives - Svikki

Cows, Water, Flights & Family

November 30, 2022 No Comments

Dairyland

I’m into my last three weeks of work at my assignment in Wisconsin. It certainly hasn’t felt like 5 months altogether. This may be due to the fact, and I’m sure this won’t surprise regular readers, that we were quite busy. If we weren’t off to a different state or country, we were spending weekends visiting friends in Madison, Milwaukee, and Chicago.

I work in a rural family practice with another physician and a nurse practitioner. As a locum, my schedule tends to fill up on the day of or a few days out. These visits are often same-day complaints, pre-op evaluations, ED follow-ups, and such. Things people would ideally see their primary care provider for but they are both essentially booked out for months! It is a different mind game seeing these sorts of visits on a regular basis vs typical primary care follow-up visits. I have a few patients I’ve seen on a regular basis, but the majority of patients are new to me every visit. It is all part of the gig as a locum, however, and I don’t mind it. Keeps things interesting!

I work with two medical assistants I’ve gotten to know quite well over the past few months. The rest of the staff consists of really lovely nurses, medical assistants, radiology techs, lab techs, and front desk workers. The feeling of familiarity amongst the staff was evident from the first day there. We have many laughs throughout the day.

The substitute teacher of doctors

Many patients have asked if I would consider staying. The administration did that same early on. I make a conscious effort to be clear that I live a nomadic lifestyle and that keeps me sane. The physician I took over for, left primary care to work in urgent care for more of a work-life balance. There is another locum coming in after me to cover the first half of the year before their new hire starts permanently. I feel the era of having the same family physician for 20+ is over but you can still find the occasional doc that has stayed in the same practice over decades. There are a lot of factors that contribute to this trend. Burnout is a big problem among them. The locum lifestyle definitely helps me avoid burnout because I always have a new adventure to look forward to!

Time: A man-made construct

Mausi has done astoundingly well for all the time zones I took them through over the past few months. There have been no “up all night” or “sleeping all day” despite time differences of 12 hours. The kid is made for traveling and I am pumped about it. We’ve also visited the cock pit of two of our flights and run up and down airplane aisles countless times.

September

We started the month off in Waupaca, spending labor day with family and friends. Mausi even went down the water slide a few times…with my help, obviously. The following weekend, Mausi and I hopped over to Cleveland to see my mom and partake in my citizenship interview and civics exam (aced it). By the end of the month, my mother came to Wisconsin to hang out for 9 days.

Took a lake cruise to see some of the estates

Wisconsin kiddo with cows and Oshkosh B’gosh overalls

October

The first weekend of October, Mausi and I flew down to New Orleans to visit our dear friend and former Eugene nanny and her two boys. At that time, she was far along in her pregnancy and I helped get stuff done around the apartment to prepare for baby number 3’s arrival a few weeks later. Mausi was ecstatic to see her two friends again. It was a quick trip but filled with fun.

The following weekend, I was lucky enough to witness my best friend from middle school/high school get married. I missed a lot of my high school friends’ weddings because I was in medical school in Germany. Then I missed a lot of my med school friends’ weddings because I was in residency in Ohio. I’m so happy I was able to partake in his!

I officially became an American citizen! The judge presiding over the ceremony held a very beautiful speech about the importance of immigrants in a country like the USA. Lovely to hear, especially after the rhetoric of the previous president and his administration.

Personal record

Toward the end of the month, Mausi and I went on our longest airplane ride together. It was a direct flight from Chicago to Delhi, India. The outbound flight lasted about 13.5 hours, and the return flight about 15 hours. On the way there, I was given a new seat assignment during check-in with the hope that I would have a whole row for us. Unfortunately, when it came time to board, we ended up having someone seated in the aisle seat.

Mausi, being their usual curious self, was all over the place; pulling anything that moved, pushing all the buttons, and climbing on the tray table. The travel busy board and busy cube I had purchased the week prior provided a few solid minutes of entertainment. Mausi did end up sleeping for a good 6 hours. I laid them across the two seats we had and tried to position myself around them. That was minimally effective and quite uncomfortable. After trying that for 4 hours, I eventually just laid down on the ground and slept for 2 hours. That was enough for me not to feel like a zombie when we landed.

India – Delhi & Diwali

We were met at the airport by my boyfriend and his son. At their place, we were lovingly greeted and welcomed to their home by his parents and the house staff. We ate delicious home-cooked food and I got a proper nap while Mausi explored the house and had many willing eyes watch her. That evening, we all went to a neighbor’s place for a Diwali celebration.

Diwali is the Indian festival of lights. It’s celebrated by many religions and is one of the most important holidays in Hinduism. We got all dressed up in traditional Indian outfits and ate way too much food. Mausi met a few children at the party and played with them essentially the entire night, just coming to check if I was still around from time to time.

India – Goa

The next day, following our Puja (prayer) for Diwali, my boyfriend, his son, Mausi and I were off to the airport. We caught our flight to Goa. Goa is a coastal town about halfway down the west coast of India. Portuguese architecture is prominent due to the Portuguese history of colonizing the place. My boyfriend’s sister, brother-in-law, and nephew joined us in Goa. Our routine for the next several days was simple; wake up, get ready, go eat a delicious breakfast, and then spend the rest of the day on one of the various beaches.

I even drove us home at night three times. For those who don’t know, they drive on the left in India. They also drive like crazy people! Very different driving culture than in America or Germany. We survived, no cows were hit (they like to just stand in the middle of the street sometimes), and no traffic tickets were issued.

After five days, it was back to Delhi. We only had the last day to run a few last-minute errands because our flight left at 2:15 AM.

Paging Dr. Hasselhof

While at the airport, it took forever to get checked in. I made it to the border control officer at the time boarding had started. And I arrived at the airport three hours before our flight time. Three stalls down, a man started having a seizure. Luckily, two others caught him and lowered him to the ground. I saw this all unfold and told the border control officer that I am a physician and should go check on that man. The officer was not impressed and told me to wait. Again, I pressed that time is of the essence and that I need to help keep that man safe. The officer continued to be unimpressed.

Finally, someone in the security line shouted out “is there a doctor here!?”. I raised my hand and exclaimed that the officer wasn’t letting me pass. Finally, a supervisor came and waved me through. I lifted Mausi out of the carrier and handed them to the supervisor.

How to help someone having a seizure

The main goal in taking care of a seizing person is to keep them safe. That means ensuring the area around them is clear, cushioning their head so they don’t hit it on a hard surface, and protecting their airway by positioning them on their side. Do NOT wedge something in their mouth. We quickly laid coats under the man’s head and positioned him correctly. I tried obtaining some medical history from his travel companion. He mentioned issues with low blood sugar but couldn’t tell me if the man was diabetic. Eventually, a paramedic came with a suitcase filled with medical supplies. At this point, the man had stopped seizing and was slowly coming to. He was still very confused, as was expected. He was surely even more confused when the seemingly only caucasian person at the airport was now hovering over him asking him questions.

Gotta go!

I stayed long enough for the paramedic to check that his vitals and blood sugar were stable (I had sent someone to fetch apple juice after the comment about low blood sugar in case we needed it). Vitals and blood sugar were good. Then it was time for me to go catch my flight. Luckily, the supervisor had me expedited to the front of the line at security but I still had to run, with a toddler strapped to my chest, to make it on our flight.

November

We were home for a mere 12 days before hopping on a flight to Germany. My cousin turned 40 and the whole family was coming together to celebrate. The week flew by because there were so many people to see. Anytime I am in Germany, there are a number of people I must see every visit. In the town I went to medical school in, there is a group of 6 people I do my all to see while there. Once again, I saw them all! The second half of the week was especially busy because everyone was arriving for the festivities. It was a good time.

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day in Germany

My older sister came with her husband and kids. None of the extended family had met her kids before. Her youngest and Mausi are only ten days apart in age and are like two peas in a pod when they get together. Pushing them around in my sister’s double stroller made it look like I had twins!

The week involved family complexities I won’t go into detail on this platform. But, I will say, I think it was a very successful week for my family overall.

Now, we are back in Wisconsin and I have been busy over the weekend packing and organizing. The following two weekends are already planned out before we have the last weekend to do the final packing. Then it’ll be off to Ohio and Rochester, NY for Christmas before we head back to India for a three-week vacation with my mother and her fiance.

So, where to next?

It’s official! I will be headed to Molokai, Hawaii for 6 months starting in February! I’m beyond excited about this next assignment. If you have any tips for the island of Molokai or any of the other Hawaiian islands, please send them my way. I plan on spending the majority of the time on Molokai and just enjoying island life. However, one weekend out of the month, I’d like to hop to one of the other islands. My younger sister will be joining me for three months to be Mausi’s nanny. I’ll have to find someone local to take over once she leaves, or open it up here for applications for a three-month nanny stint 😉

I hope everyone in the States had a lovely Thanksgiving with family and friends.

Stay healthy!

mfg

Happiness, Herstory, Locum, Travel

Chronicles of a Friendship

February 8, 2021 No Comments

Svikki MD

The last week of January was less eventful than the one before. There wasn’t so much unsolved mystery surrounding my patients. I did end up having to transfer one of the patients out to a higher level of care hospital in the middle of the night though. We had hit the point where we were no longer able to escalate our care in our facility.

Beyond that though, I was preparing my patient panel to be handed off while I take a week off. I was supposed to be going to Brazil for two weeks for a friend’s wedding but,… you know…. the pandemic. So instead of taking two weeks off, I just decided to take off one to visit my family back in Ohio for a few days and increase my Vitamin D level in Miami for a few days. As always, I try to do everything (short of not going) to reduce my risk of exposure during a pandemic. I try to be as diligent as I am in the hospital out in the real world. That means wearing my N95 during the entire duration of the flight, sanitizing high-touch surfaces, frequent hand washing and sanitizing, and distancing myself as much as I can from others around me.

Brrrr…it’s cold out here

I thought my winter in South Dakota would be heavier than winters in Ohio. Thus far, that hasn’t really been the case. Ohio winters are unfortunately very grey. One of the first things I looked up when I was considering South Dakota as an assignment was the days of sun during the winter. Lucky for me, I found that they averaged more than they did in Wisconsin (a winter location I tend to enjoy) and way more sun than Ohio. I arrived in Ohio shortly before the snow began to come down. Nothing close to what Chicago and the North East were dealing with but it laid a pretty nice blanket over the area. I certainly got my share of winter feeling in during the few days there.

While in Ohio, I stopped by my residency to say hello. It’s crazy to me that graduation was already 5 months ago. It sort of feels like I’ve just been on an away rotation. It felt so good seeing my residency family again; the front desk ladies, the MA’s, the residents, and the attendings. I’m really fortunate that my residency is such a lovely place to return to. I know many people do not have enjoyable residency experiences. The crew in Boardman, Ohio is definitely a special group of people.

Hello Sunshine

I have visited Miami countless times. These trips started during medical school when a German friend and I would fly to Miami and stay with one of my friends in Miami. Some of those trips were pretty wild and served up almost all the components of a good rap song. My Miami Friend has become one of my best friends over the years. I can’t thank her enough for her hospitality, kindness and generosity over the years. We have met up in several places around the world and I can always count on her to be down to travel somewhere. More on her in a bit.

Miami is open

In terms of the pandemic, Miami felt quite different from the places I have been spending my time at over the last several months. People are out in clubs, restaurants and bars like the pandemic doesn’t exist. To their credit, most people I saw walking around in public places were wearing a face mask. Miami also has the advantage of the weather and outdoor venues which are safer in regards to viral transmission than being indoors at a restaurant in say, South Dakota.

However, I still avoided the masses. My friend and I were mainly at her place. We spent an early morning on the beach when there was hardly anyone else around. The Rubell Contemporary Art Museum that we visited had limited visitors. If we ate at a restaurant, it was outdoors and well spaced from other guests. The days of going to the big clubs packed like sardines has been over for us for a while now, so I didn’t really miss that former staple of a Miami visit.

Keith Haring at the Rubell Museum in Miami

It was nice to spend a few days with family and close friends after not having much of any social interactions in South Dakota over the past several months. At the same time, I look forward to returning to work tomorrow in Deadwood. I’ve only got 7.5 weeks left of my assignment in South Dakota and I am sure they will fly by.

The Web

I often like to reflect on my life thus far and the experiences I’ve been fortunate to have. This often happens when I am on trips. It’s fun for me to run through the sequence of events that led me to that particular moment, that connection with someone, or the opportunity that presented itself.

Let’s take my Miami Friend as an example. Because of her, I have had amazing life experiences, met fabulous people I now call my friends and opportunities that I would not have had without her. But what needed to happen for me to meet her?

The Origin Story

Well, when I was about 14-15 years old, my younger sister and I did a photoshoot at home for fun. I showed the pictures to my father who suggested I research local modeling agencies to see if that would be something I could pursue. The Rock Agency in Madison Wisconsin is what I found. I called them and set up an appointment with their New Faces Director. After a short introduction of the agency for all people present at the New Faces Open Call, I met with the New Faces director individually. She saw potential and had me set up my first photoshoot. [The agency owner is one of my best friends now and she has created a whole web of connections and experiences in my life as well.]

My first photoshoot was a blast. I ended up befriending the photographer and make up artist and my family’s home was used as the location for a modeling shoot a few years later. Following the first, I had another photoshoot to build up my portfolio. Then, I was invited to attend a modeling convention in New York City that summer called IMTA. It’s a huge convention with hopeful models and actors from around the United States that participate in various competitions that are judged by model and acting agents from around the world. This lead to my first modeling contract in Milan. [I met one of my other best friends on this first contract in Milan, so our friendship’s origin story is the same up to this point.]

Photographer: Jeff Wilson || Make-Up: Anja Epkes

Ciao Milano

Two years later in 2008, I was back in Milan for my second contract. I was originally put into an apartment with a bunch of girls. However, I quickly befriended one of the other models from the agency who was living in a 2 model apartment in China Town. This model was my now best friend from Miami. We orchestrated a switch between her roommate and myself so that we could live together (the agency wasn’t very happy with us when they found out we did this without telling them…oops.) We would cook together, shop together and travel to other Italian cities. After our contract, she went back to Miami and I returned to Wisconsin. The only connection we continued to have back in that era was being friends on Facebook.

This is easily where our story could’ve ended and my life would be completely different if it had. Seriously, I could draw up a whole web of how many of the major experiences in my life and opportunities that I have had would never have happened the way they did if it wasn’t for having met her in Milan.

The Reconnection

Luckily, it didn’t end there. It was several years later, in 2013 while I was in medical school and wanting to do a bit of modeling on the side, that I had to fill out a form listing agencies I’ve worked with. I couldn’t remember the one we were with however, so I facebook messaged her. We briefly caught up on what the other one has been doing over the past several years. In this conversation, she recommended I come visit Miami if I ever needed a vacation from medical school. In 2014, I took her up on that offer. A German friend and I visited her for a week.

Welcome to Miami

My Miami Friend had worked in nightlife for years. At the time, she was working in the hottest club there was, LIV in the Fontainebleau Hotel. You know, one of the only clubs you will find multiple rap/hip-hop songs referencing? The club that gave the world LIV on Sunday which was THE place to be seen as a rapper or hip-hop artist. Depending on the night and who was performing, the admission rate to the club for general admission was upwards of $300. The amount of money spent on bottles of champagne or just thrown in the air to make it rain was insane. Yes, she worked there.

She introduced my German friend and I to the best nights of our lives. We were introduced to all of her friends who worked at LIV as well. Having worked in nightlife for so long, she had vetted her friends so the ones I ended up meeting and becoming friends with were all awesome, kind and genuine. (Kind and genuine is not always easy to find in a setting like Miami, so I was fortunate that she had done the weeding out beforehand).

The Miami Crew

This group of amazing people not only made sure my German friend and I had nights we will never forget, but they also kept us safe. We were only ever introduced to other good people. The bottle girls, bartenders, security guards, managers, promoters and bus boys I was introduced to became my second Miami family and LIV became my second Miami home. I could walk into a full lobby of people waiting to get into the club, bypass them all and be greeted by my name by the bouncer and let in. It felt unreal.

All thanks to my Miami Friend. And it didn’t stop at LIV, the people who worked there were wildly connected to other people working in Miami which led to great nights at other clubs, comps at restaurants, sporting events and concerts. I was given the opportunity to experience Miami totally different than your average Miami tourist. I can’t even list all the artists I saw perform live at LIV of Sunday but to name a few; Drake, Lil Wayne, Chris Brown, 2 Chainz, Fabolous, DJ Khalid, Trey Songz and so many more. Thanks to the girls, I always had VIP access and drank the yummiest champagne. I’ve partied at the same table as Lil Wayne. I’m telling you, Miami was a different world back then and I am so grateful I was invited into it by my Miami Friend.

Beyond the party

It wasn’t only partying that she made possible for me, through meeting her friends and becoming friends with them myself, many experiences and opportunities started to branch off of me knowing her. After graduating from medical school, I took a year off before starting residency. My goal of that year was to work in a job that made good money so that I could travel around the world for about 4 months prior to starting residency.

Where else in the world would I go but Miami for this?! I knew the greatest people who knew the right people. With the help of my Miami crew, I secured an interview and subsequently job at the second place I worked and ultimately exclusively worked at, Hyde Beach Miami. I’ll share more about that year in particular at a later time but that year created a multitude of new connections, friendships and opportunities for me. For instance, because one of my friends in Miami invited me out to dinner one night with some of her friends, I met my now friend who helped me plan my one-of-a-kind 3 week trip to India! One of the greatest trips of my life! The web is big, my friends.

Moving on

Over the past several years, I often visited Miami as a little get away from residency. As my Miami Friend transitioned from night life to becoming a manager of an Art Gallery, my visits transitioned to a more feasible wake/sleep schedule. Many of our friends also transitioned out of night life into other careers. So instead of spending our nights in the clubs and sleeping all morning, we were meeting up with friends for brunch, visiting museums and traveling to other parts of the country and the world.

My Miami Friend was the first one to visit me in South Dakota. We met up in New Mexico for New Years last month. I’ve celebrated my last three birthdays with her; three years ago in Miami, last year in Tulum and this year, a bit belated, in Miami again. We are already contemplating when we will see each other again and look forward to the world being safe again for international travel. We have quite the extensive bucket list to work on.

There are so many stories in between that saga that I didn’t even mention. But for me, I trace all of those experiences in my life back to the moment my parents encouraged me to look into finding a modeling agency. You just never know what an experience in life will bring you, so don’t miss an opportunity to do something new, you have no idea how many wonderful consequences can emerge from it!

mfg