A newborn child’s critical illness changes his mother’s perspective on her own medical career
On a cold Monday night in late winter, I pulled on my scrubs, packed my lunch and crept quietly into the small, cosy room my children share. My daughter was lying rumpled and skewiff in her big bed, covers thrown back, her little nappy-clad bottom in the air. I moved to the cot where my son was safe and snuggly in his baby sleeping bag, little hands balled into tight fists by his face, fair head turned to one side, breath soft and rhythmic. Then I kissed my husband, patted our dogs and went to work, staying up all night to treat other people’s families while mine slept. I was back on the grindstone of the emergency department registrar roster, where nightshift is as inevitable as breathing.
The full article is accessible to AMA members and paid subscribers. Login to read more or purchase a subscription now.
Please note: institutional and Research4Life access to the MJA is now provided through Wiley Online Library.
