We were just starting to realise our oldest was really struggling at university. Mind you, this was at a Canterbury hostel, the same university where one of the twins’ friends was found in his room several weeks after he died, last year. Pastoral care obviously not a priority even way back then (oh no, of course, I forget – it’s the parents fault. Silly me.)
The oldest never did manage to make a go of it that year – although she stuck it out several more months. She’s currently on her fourth gap year, mostly working in hospo but she’s currently in lockdown in Ottawa with her Canadian boyfriend. This sums it up for her over there really:
From: Kirsty Jordan
Sent: Friday, 18 March 2016 12:21 PM
To: Wellington Anaesthesia All Staff
Subject: Artsy
Hi All,
A number of people have asked me how my oldest is doing at university. She’s studying humanities at Canterbury and has been struggling, too young to be pissing up large and making a nuisance of herself like most other freshers round the country. She’s at Uni Hall, the hostel you get into when the more desirable ones turn you down. Sound proofing clearly wasn’t a priority for the construction team (too concerned with earthquake proofing, let’s hope!). Uni Hall: the hostel where everyone can hear you scream “don’t you heathens know what a toilet brush is for??” (Actual quote). Anyway, after a number of miserable weeks she’s decided to ditch anthropology. Apparently the lecturers are a bunch of neanderthals. She’s enjoying history, though. I’m hopeful she’ll do well enough to pass the year. I’ve heard that those who don’t learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them. Fingers crossed it’s onwards and upwards for her now. A BA in history would be quite respectable. It could be worse: my dentist’s daughter is doing film studies at Vic. This involves watching a movie and then discussing it. The big project for the year is to make a sweded version of a film of your choice. Think “Be kind, rewind” with Frank Black. Since both her parents are dentists, she’s decided to do “Finding Nemo”. Apparently the dental clinic scenes are an even more integral part of the film than the Pacific Ocean. My dentist was quite excited at the possibility of being a featured extra in the updated film (“dentist”). Actually, maybe the arts aren’t such a bad thing after all?
Meanwhile, we’re looking to move out of Karori into somewhere a bit handier to town and work, maybe Mt Vic or Oriental Bay. If anyone’s got a place lying around they aren’t using, just let me know.
Monday
Alistair P will be ruing the day he asked for extra eye lists to fulfill his training requirements, as he’s in eye theatre all day. Mind you, there’s likely to be plenty of LA cases to waste the precious anaesthetic resources we have, so maybe it will be a nice gentle list to recover from the part 2 writtens in?
Renal transplant day, Ryan takes a break from cardiac (much to Dr S’ dismay) to assist AKS in relieving a patient of their superfluous kidney, with what remains of the afternoon being spent in the pleasant company of Mr Webster, one of our more lovely snot-docs.
Phil Q providing level 2 supervision between OT’s 6 and 11. Maybe you should bring your rollerskates, Phil? Or more likely, considering the quality of your regs, a cup of tea and a good book.
Similarly, James B is supervising regs in the two ortho lists in the pm. Similarly he’s also likely to find himself somewhat redundant, but I’m sure there’ll be many teaching opportunities, not to mention tea breaks.
Tuesday
James B, exhausted after his busy Monday, has the afternoon as “available”. This will mean, of course, he’s sitting poised at his desk, waiting only for a call from the DA to spring into action.
The near part 2 candidates will be recovering from their writers cramp, ready to start seeking out vivas from next week. There will be some sort of complex arrangement to spread their nonclinical teaching time across the week to optimize viva opportunities, but I haven’t got to grips with it yet.
Thursday
The AKS loooong day has been postponed to the following week, the idea being that the day before a STAT may not be the best time to schedule it. However, now it’s rostered to be the day before a cystectomy… is there ever a good time to do an 18 hr case? Lucky we don’t do conjoined twins…
Indu in neuro all day. I’ve made a little note on my schedule which says “paed + trainwreck”, I’m sure all well within Indu’s capabilities.
Oh look, I’ve given myself OPD all day, that’s because the following day I lose my OPD to the STAT. No early finish, though, as I’m doing the evening session.
Friday
We celebrate the gruesome execution of our Lords only son with yummy hot cross buns. Even Pastafarians get the STAT, so you’ll get no complaints from me. (Eds note: We had a different departmental secretary back then, not sure if this one would have let that Easter comment slip by…)
Cheers,
Kirsty.