Fruitful Harvest

I have never counted how many things the farmer grows in the garden. Just when I finished processing the onions, he came in with a pail of plums and a melon. It is always a contest between us and the birds who will get to the ripe fruit first. We netted the grapes over a week ago. The apples are usually safe. The rest we share.

I am picking up speed on the medical record loading. I spent Monday trying to customize my page of "physical exam" so it includes what I usually say if a patient is healthy. Then as I see the sick ones, I can adjust that portion of the text and let the rest be as is. The whole thing is very logical, and broken into bits of information the computer can track. By the end of the visit, it will calculate how to code the visit (create a numerical value that translates into the bill). Thankfully, the billing portion is not turned on yet, as we are still in the learning stage. I think eventually, there is also a health maintenance function that gives you an alert if the patient is due for shots, or health screenings like mammogram. There had to be more time to get every one's baseline data in first. This whole adventure is something we did not cover in medical school. It is part of being flexible and adapting to technology and new ways of working, even though the human body has not changed.

Happy Anniversary

It has been eight years since I came to live on the farm. We have a joke that I am an FWIT (farm wife in training). It came about when I mistook a grain cart for a combine, because it was red and had an auger on the side. I am still "in training", as I struggle with bushels per acre and weight per bushel and protein (30-58-14 I think). I have come to appreciate the sound of the prairie, and the beauty of snow scape, and the anticipation of the harvest. I race home at noon to make sandwiches, drive south and feed the farmer and help move to a new field before going back to work, always late, but my employers understand.

I am thinking about the option of giving up my clinical practice when the new pediatrician comes next summer, and finding another role at the hospital. There currently aren't enough patients for two, if she wants to be full time and busy. I think I could download charts for at least a few years (3,000 done and 30,000 total in the system. Those who were helping have dwindled away to a few faithful). I'm not sure of the future of the quilt shop, as Laura is wanting to work for the electronic record company, and it would require a move to Vermont for a year. I hope it falls through but chances are good she will get the job.

Life is always changing, and the best approach is to be flexible, and good natured. Who knows what changes the oil development will bring to our little corner of the world? So to all of you who are up in the air about your future, I am with you and believe in you. Tomorrow is unknown, but life is full of wonderful, unexpected things, like my farmer. Who knew?

Big Weekend

We took Mike up to college this weekend. We helped him move in, and walked around the campus. It is fairly spread out, with a pretty stream running through it. All dorm rooms like alike, and his was no exception. We didn't get to meet the roommate, who didn't arrive on day one. It is very quiet at home. Even Tucker is subdued. It doesn't seem real that we are empty nesters. It will take come getting used to.

This is my favorite time of year. I love the color of the cut straw. Sometimes I take out drinks and ride around with the farmer. The sky is blue, the clouds are puffy, and the view from the cab of the combine is beautiful. There is still the "what if" of weather, and protein, and bushels per acre, not to mention prices that fluctuate. So far, so good.

Purple sage

This time of year the sage blooms in our island garden. It is beautiful. I take no credit for choosing it since the farmer worked with the nursery to pick out the landscaping plantings. This was how I spent my Christmas money from Mom a few years age. I think she would be pleased. Labor Day weekend, I will go back to Colorado to scatter Mom's ashes with my brother and sister. I had promised Mom I would publish her quilt story, and it is done and ready to be shared. What a remarkable woman. I do not feel remarkable, or gifted or as full of life as she seemed even in her ninties. I have another forty years to work on it. :)

Home-grown harvest

This is a great time of year to live on the farm. I made two batches of raspberry jam on Tuesday. We have green beans, onions, peppers, cucumbers and zuchinni. Grapes, tomatoes and potatoes come in September. The apples are turning red.

The wheat is almost ready for harvesting. The farmer combined a sample to check for moisture and protein yesterday. If it is warm and sunny today, he may start this afternoon. He has one week before we make the college run to Grand Forks. Then it is back to business.

My schedule is heavy this time of year with physicals and immunizations. I am getting better at the computer record but have not yet had it customized for my practice. The others need to settle in first.

Lots of change coming, with two physicians leaving and a gap before the next set can come. I have to set aside my emotional feelings about my jobs, and not take the ups and downs personally. I realized I cannot stand in the gap and make everything good. I can do my part and let the rest do their part. I am not in control. (Really? This is news?)

Day off?

I didn't get my clinic work done yesterday so I went in early this morning to finish. I found out the nurse can't enter her shot documentation until I order the shot. I will try not to clog up the work flow for others. I tried going to the refresher training today, but there were two others who needed more attention than I did, so I left early.

The farmer picked raspberries this morning, all morning. Green beans were last night. I have to go blanch and freeze them. I can here the water boiling.

Semi-live

Well, week one is over. The trainer got stuck in Denver, so we didn't get the refresher session. I choked up my computer trying to do electronic prescriptions, and gave up for the day. The next day, they really didn't have patients scheduled for me, so I did more pre-loading of other charts. Friday, I was supposed to be live, but the trainer only works thru Thurs, so I again saw all the patients and then at the end of the day, I did data entry. It will take a while to be comfortable and quick at this. It is a good thing I am good-natured.