Blog@RioloRama The First Official RioloRama WebLog

Thank… GOD

Well... I think it has finally happened... I think I get my life back.

It actually all started back when I moved to wisconsin back in 2008, to follow Katie so she could be closer to her family. When she graduated in 2007 she moved to northern wisconsin and because my schedule in michigan was leisurely I was able to come visit for one week a month for damn near a full year.

When I moved up in April 2008 it has pretty much been a rat race until.. really... this next week.

When I moved up here in April, we were just closing on our house and Katie was putting the finishing touches on our wedding. Aside from our own, we also had close to 5 other weddings throughout the summer of 2008. Regretfully, with our work schedules, our wedding, the honey moon and being out of state. We were only able to attend 4 out of the 5.   That may sound nice, but we were SLAMMED with work and travel from the middle of june until the end of August.

Not to mention, on top of all this, katie and I were adjusting to two new jobs AND we had to physically move all of our stuff to our new house. Some from michigan and the rest from katie's place which wasn't TOO far away.

Once we got through the summer, we were looking forward to having the fall and winter to ourselves to relax and enjoy. When we purchased the house we intended on renovating the basement during the winter of 2009 (Jan-March).

I was able to get all the permits pulled, all the plans made, learn home electrical wiring, and everything else JUST before the first of the year. But... there was a hitch in the gitty-up.

One of the doctors at our practice decided it was time for her and her husband to start a family. She was due Jan 16th, and had EVERY intention of working RIGHT up to her due date because her doctor said it was acceptable. For probably 2 months, management bothered her "so when do you REALLY think you're going on leave" "Jan 16th."  GAH!

So what happens? She delivers 7 weeks early. Don't worry, the kid is fine. But she delivers JUST before thanksgiving weekend, and yes, she's working the holiday. Luckily I was able to not have to fill in that weekend. But this started the cluster-fuck known as 2009.

So now, not only do we cover her maternity leave after Jan 16th, which she already planned on taking, but now toss another 7 weeks. The other on-site veterinarian helped A LITTLE when it came to picking up shifts, but I took the majority of the weight.

That responsibility goes two ways. I offered my services because I knew the clinic needed the help, there was no one else that could easily and readily fill in for the other doctor. We did have some doctors fill in from the referral center to help, but the other side of that coin was it was a HUGE physical strain on me.

Remember I said we were going to start our home renovation at the beginning of the year? Yea, like an ass, I decided to go through with those plans. So now, not only am I working my hours, I'm working at least half of the other veterinarians hours, and in my free time I was demolishing, building walls, running electrical, dry walling, painting and everything else...

When the vet came back at the beginning of march, I couldn't be more happy. I was finally able to finish off the basement. But... that too.. started to take time. I had the bulk done in three months, but then came the meticulous sanding, and priming and painting and cleaning and getting carpet and moving furnature, etc etc etc.

I would say that by early may i was completely done with the house. AWESOME. I was SO happy to now... okay. Katie and I didnt really get to spend our summer together, nor our fall, nor our winter nor spring. But okay... here comes summer 09, there isn't shit to do, time to sit and relax.

Wait... what? Yea.. The other full time veterinarian decided to quit. She gave her notice in May. Fuck.

She was outta there come the first week of July and so started our juggle of two full time veterinarians to run one emergency clinic 100% of the time. Huh? Oh yea, thats right, the other veterinarian now has an infant and as you would presume is handicapped by wake/sleep schedules and so-forth. Literally no additional shifts are picked up on her part, aside from a "special" weekend here or there. But its more of a "switch" than actually picking up more work.

Since we had gotten the basement done, katie and I thought that it would be fun to have my parents come up so we can redo the pond. When did we schedule them to come up? Yea, July.

So now, again, working my shifts and over half of the other doctor shifts, I slated a summer project to redo the pond. Much to our credit, we got a LARGE majority of the work done in 3 days. But it took me another three weeks to finish the landscaping.

Probably by the middle to end of august we finally had the pond where we wanted it. Awesome, lets relax this fall, we haven't had much time together but now is our chance.

Oh wait. At the beginning of 2009, katie and I planned to go to an Emergency & Critical Care conference in chicago for 5 days at the beginning of september. Seeing as how it was after labor day weekend we decided to take a little time off and go to michigan to see my family.

But... I can't really say I took time off. As i still had to make up for lost time as i was going to be gone for 10 days.

Some of those days came at the end of august, and the remainder came at the end of september.

Katie and I had  a nice time in michigan and in chicago, but i can hardly say it was a vacation. It just sucks that this year, the only way we could have had time to ourselves was to hide it behind a conference related to work...

It was nice to be in grand rapids, but we had practically NO time to see everyone we wanted to see including family members and some friends. The 4 days we were in grand rapids were rushed and not relaxing.

Even once we got to chicago, it was VERY fun to hang out with the people from work, but then you have lectures you have to attend and other things of that nature. Once again, it was nice because i really dont mind learning, but it just sucked that that was my "vacation" this year.

Here is the real kicker.

So, at the beginning of the year I was altering the schedule to make sure I could go to this conference, but, with this other veterinarian leaving I also then had to help pick up some of her shifts.

But I held out to the bitter end. I didn't pick up any additional shifts until i knew that they could not be covered any other way.

As it stood, I got back from the conference and worked my first day Sept 14th leading up until the beginning of october. I had to work 24 of 31 days. With our work hours, that was roughly 95 hours per week for a month. Maybe I'm off by an hour or so, but you get the hint.

At the beginning of october, after all those shifts. I was beat. In fact, I am beat. I literally think that sept/oct sucked the rest of the life out of me that I had. Since April of 08 I had slowly started to become more and more tired... more and more exhausted... And those last four weeks, broke me.

I had mentally and personally made the decision that I was going to stick it out as long as possible and help the clinic through this time. But I broke.

I contacted my employer, who, is a GREAT woman and I get a long with very well. Katie and I, and her and her husband (who is also a vet/owner with our referral center/management company) have started to become good friends which is very nice. I am extraordinarily grateful to work for a company as great as I am currently working. I tell people all the time, "okay, imagine just some cool people, who are put together well, with whom you sit around and drink with and socialize. Now they're your bosses."  And, of course I use "boss" loosely.   Anyway, I digress.

So I contacted my employer and pretty much just broke to see if there was ANYWAY we could get more people in our clinic to help. And in fact, they had already started to discuss altering the schedules for all our affiliate referral clinics to get veterinarians to help us out - which.. is no small task.

But... as if karma finally circled back, or the stars aligned, or who knows what... We got another veterinarian...

There was a veterinarian that interviews and to whom a position was offered, but she was held back by the pending sale of her house in northeastern illinois. We had no idea when she was coming up, we figured at least after march 2010. But then, out of the blue, literally within 3 days of me contacting my employer she writes "if we can change the schedule a bit, I can start in november..."

Are you kidding me...? What kind of dumb luck is that?! After a few changes in the schedule, her first day of work is Nov 6th.

Thank... GOD.

Thats all I have to say. I am sitting here a broken shell of a man... and I cannot be more happy for November 6th.

I was standing in the kitchen at home... when I read the email and I out of sheer amazement I said to Katie, "sweetie... we finally get our lives back..."

And thats just it. With this veterinarian starting... Thats what I am getting. Katie and I will finally be able to have our lives back and spend some time with each other. We didn't really have a first year of marriage, we were actually more of strangers passing in the wee hours of the morning, as one would come home and one would leave. Literally, we'd pass each other on the road, that was it.

I really am glad that I was able to be here for the clinic over the past year. I really am not saying this to be self centered or to gloat, but I'm not sure what the clinic would have done had I not been so accommodating. Granted, they'd have figured it out. But I think a lot more people would have been affected than just one.

The tone of this posting may have come across as upset or condescending, but really its not, its just exhaustion.  No matter what, I will never be tired of my profession nor working for this great company nor with my co-workers. But right now I am tired of my job.

I feel that once people reach a point of tiredness and exhaustion, thats when a profession becomes a job. I just need some time off.. and I'll get back in the game.

But... Thank... GOD.

Its all over. We're on the up'n'up. It is only going to get better from here!

I still wont be able to get back to grand rapids until after the first of the year.. so another holiday passes without seeing the family. But they're just days right? Its more important to celebrate the event rather than the day!

This winter Katie and I are going to have a ton of fun! We're looking forward to skiing at our local slope (74 runs, WOOHOO). We JUST bought two brand new sets of snow shoes! And there are a TON of trails around here! Who knows, maybe we take a trip out west to colorado, utah or wyoming for a ski retreat!

Well after just over 2000 words, I think I've summed up my last year and I will be looking forward to hitting the new year.

I need a good cold winter season to rejuvenate the soul.

Thanks for reading...

About Carlo

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