2015
I got sick with a fever and cough a couple of days after Christmas. I ended up having influenza and pneumonia. As an asthmatic, it was complicated. A few days after starting on antibiotics and steroids, our Realtor called with a showing request. I had been out of work for a week and there was no way I had the energy to clean the house for a showing. I had to say no. I had never done that. They respected I was sick and agreed to do the showing the following week. Our kids and my parents pitched in and we got it done. No offer!
I ended up being out of work for a month. I was almost hospitalized (probably should have been) because I was not responding to antibiotics and my asthma got so bad. Finally I turned the corner. It took me another month to fully recuperate.
Gigi and Vinney definitely kept us entertained with all their silly play. They took to the potty pad so quick, I was quite impressed! Maybe it helps that there are two of them to remind each other. It was more difficult training 2 to the pad, as one always had to wait, while I worked with the other. No matter, they did it! My plan- to wean them outside when the weather improves and they are bigger. I had no problem transitioning Lucy, so I kept my fingers crossed for these two.
They were in a kennel at night but during the day, when we were home, they had run of the first floor. When I was at work my mom & dad came over and let them out. Sometimes they brought their puppy, Cooper. Cooper’s a Cavapoo too! She’s 8 months older and black as well. Gigi and Vinney tended to double team her, so she was not always sure she wanted to play.
I have second guessed my decision to get a puppy, let alone two, since the day I got in the car with the kids to go pick them up. There was so much going on at the time, so much stress already, it would have made more sense to wait until we moved. So many things would have been easier. I never thought through any of that.
Who would take care of them while I was at work? What was I going to do with them during open houses/showings? Would my parents care that we had two puppies in tow when we moved in? How would they do with the car ride to North Carolina, especially Vinney with his car sickness? It was a crazy and impulsive thing to do, but I had a broken heart and I hoped they could help heal that.
In March we had two couples who were very interested in our house. They had both been through twice and the younger couple brought their parents through on the second visit. I put out some baked treats and an assortment of coffees for the Keurig. We got an offer! It was lower than we wanted, but after some back and forth, we finally agreed on a sale price. Closing was set for April 1.
Now things got crazy. I had three weeks to get the entire house packed up. That included: 1200 square feet in the basement, 2400 square feet of living space, a three car garage and a storage shed.
We ordered three 16 foot PODS to pack everything into.
I had a lot of help. A big thanks to Earl & Valerie (Mom and Dad “B”), Marcus, Mike, Tiffany, Lauren, Lindsay, Emma, Gabi, Zach and Jim & JoAnne (Mom and Dad). I could not have done it without them. The PODS were transported to a storage facility in Charlotte, North Carolina.
I had to get the puppies fixed before we moved in with my parents because the way they played with Cooper, their stitches had no chance of healing. They both did great with the surgery. The Vet had taken them both out before we picked them up and said “Vinney did great and Gigi just sat and whimpered.” I did not want to have them wear those nasty plastic cones to keep them away from their sutures, so I bought infant onesies and cut out a place for their tail. They worked great!
We went home with pain medication if needed. It was a rough 24 hours. Vinney threw up on the way home and Gigi just groaned and whimpered. We got them inside and I put Gigi in her bed and Vinney on a blanket. They didn’t move. It was time for a trip to the potty pad so I roused them. Vinney reluctantly followed me and went. Gigi would not get up. She had her eyes opened but would not follow me. I tried picking her up and she whimpered loudly. I felt so bad for her. I finally got her up on her feet but she still would not walk. I gingerly picked her up and took her to the pad, she just stood there. She would not squat to potty or move at all. She just stood, in whatever position I put her down in, and stared at me. I resorted to tapping the pad the way I did when I trained them but nothing worked to get her to go. They both drank well but were not real interested in eating. I checked on them often overnight but they slept well.
The following day Gigi seemed no better. She still had not urinated and seemed to be in so much pain. The Vet had me pick up a new pain medication and finally early that evening she squatted to potty. I had tears in my eyes and gently picked her up to snuggle. I realized, at that moment, my heart was healed.
Steve came home in the last few days of March. He helped us move into my parents house, attended the closing and stayed for Easter Sunday. This was the last time he would go back to North Carolina without us. He would come home for Gabi’s graduation and then stay until Zach finished school, the following week, and we would set off.
The time had come, I had to tell work that I was leaving. I had to write and present to the office manager my letter of resignation. First though, I had to talk to my staff. I carried the guilt of keeping this information from them for so long, it was a relief to finally be able to tell them. They were shocked to say the least. I would miss them immensely.
I had to write a second letter, this one to my patients and their families. I had no idea how to tell them. I had relationships with some of these families for almost 20 years. I was totally invested with each and every one of them. How could I reach out to these families, via a paper with words on it, and have it express what I was feeling? I wanted to thank them for trusting me in the care of their precious children. I wanted to humbly express my thanks for allowing me to become a part of their family. I wanted them to know how much I cared about them and that this had been a very difficult decision to make. A part of me wished, still does, that I could have stayed and continued to practice until I was ready to retire, but I knew that our planned move was the best thing for our family.
The letter was sent out and it was a difficult 6 weeks. I had a lot of wonderful visits with a lot of wonderful families to say goodbye. I left most days crying. It was an extremely emotional time. The staff sent me off with a pizza party, gifts and a Memory Book which I will treasure.
In life, when your vocation and your passion are in alignment, great things can happen. I was fortunate that it happened to me and I am so grateful for the nearly 20 years of memories and friendships that have resulted from it.
I know that I came across your blog a couple of years ago, but I don’t recall whether or not I commented on anything. My son, Benjamin, was a difficult gerd case, and other doctors had simply pooh-poohed the issue as “colic”. You were the only one who stopped and paid us any kind, and was able to treat him. You were empathetic because of your experiences with your own children, and the response was nothing short of life changing. I know that you’ve moved to a completely different part of the country, and I know that you saw many patients, but I just wanted to let you know how much you meant to our family. Thank you for being such a blessing, and I pray that all is well in your little chunk of the world.
Thank you Natalie for your kind words. They were moving and I had to stop reading after you said I was the only one to stop and pay you any kind, as I became too emotional. I went back to it a couple hours later and again was tearful as I finished.
In life too few people are lucky enough to find their true calling and in that I am blessed. Even fewer have the opportunity to have someone validate their entire life’s work. That’s what you have done for me. Thank you!
Kim