Foo - Sleep deprived, worn out, bike's collecting dust--in a major funk.

"You've crossed the finish line
Won the race but lost your mind
Was it worth it after all?" -- Lazlo Bane

I'm in a serious funk. Things are going great at work--I've managed to build a very good reputation for myself around here, as a competent surgeon and as a good educator to my peers, but what's fallen apart completely is the "me time." I get to work at 5-5:30 AM and usually head home between 6 and 8, and that's not counting the nights I spend at the hospital seeing new patients or keeping a close eye on the super-sick, trying-to-die types.

It hardly leaves a lot of time to ride, much less energy. I had a perfect opportunity to ride yesterday and just wanted to sleep. I have about 50 miles on the bike this MONTH so far. I miss racing. I miss my sunday morning team ride. I miss it all. I miss actually having coherent time with the wifey.

Maybe it's just the fact that I had a really chill 12 months in the lab and I'm still adjusting to the grind of working in the hospital, but work is just sucking the life out of me right now. My bike is collecting dust, and I'm getting slower and fatter with each passing day.

Grrr. :( [/rant]

Sorry to hear about the slump... How about bringing your bike and doing laps in the hall? I was at St. Jude's in New Orleans and the place was so big, the docs had to use their bikes to get around.

Sorry to hear that "the Funk" is getting the best of you...

...but know what you should do.

Ride more, and leave the computer/cyclometer/PowerTap at home.

Ride a fixed-gear bike for a few weeks. It broke me out of my summer funk.

Sorry doc, but after that post I'm glad I currently don't need any surgery.http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0903/ephidrena/Smilies/bicycle.gif

Balance.

Each day, you should invest as follows:

- In your career
- In your close relationships
- In yourself

When any of the three are lacking, you'll be unhappy. At some level, I'm sure you know all of that. Now, just do it.

Sorry doc, but after that post I'm glad I currently don't need any surgery.http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0903/ephidrena/Smilies/bicycle.gif

Things are going great in that arena--problem is that's where all my energy is going right now.

Sorry to hear about the slump... How about bringing your bike and doing laps in the hall? I was at St. Jude's in New Orleans and the place was so big, the docs had to use their bikes to get around.

I think I may have found a spot to set up my trainer, but I don't think the hallway thing would go over so well. ;)

Good, you had me worried at "sleep deprived", and "slower and fatter."

Balance.

Each day, you should invest as follows:

- In your career
- In your close relationships
- In yourself

When any of the three are lacking, you'll be unhappy. At some level, I'm sure you know all of that. Now, just do it.

^^ What he said.

Pete you REALLY need to take care of yourself too. Try to find the time. Because if you yourself are not revitalized, then how can you give 100% to others? Your wife, your patients? You gotta make sure you are okay, too.

I know you know this. But really. Is there anyway to request a little bit of down time? Please. Take time for Pete.

Fatter= Lap Band

Fatter= Lap Band

OOhh! Good thought! That way when I go back to racing I can just deflate the band and I'm good to go. :)

Doctors and lawyers, man. It sucks.

Head down and keep at it. Wish I had some sage advice, but I don't. Luckily others do!

I think I may have found a spot to set up my trainer, but I don't think the hallway thing would go over so well. ;)

Just think of it as creating more customers... :D

Alright you Doctors that have lectured us about exercising, cutting down on stress, getting enough sleep - why don't you set yourselves up to do the same? Why are so many hours necessary? I mean, all that money to buy nices bikes wouldn't do you any good if there is no time to ride!

Take time for Pete.For yes.

This is obviously something that, to some extent, you already know. But it's something you need to work at. If you're this exhausted and bummed out already, things aren't going to get better in the next, what, few years? You need to find a comfortable balance, or you're going to destroy yourself.

And that ain't fun.

Good luck, Doc.

I'm in the same boat , stuck on shift work and my sleep patern is so screwed up I only sleep about 3 hours at a shot. I'm down to riding only one day a week right now as to my normal 3 or 4 days.

Things will get better. Just like with any other stressor you will first go through the valley of fatigue followed by adaptation and super compensation. ;) Stress inventory systems allot large scores to changes in employment (promotions, lay-off, etc) so be sure to manage stress wisely, as this will predispose you to illness both mental and physical.

Fall is not the time to be pushing the razors edge on the bike anyways.

Normally I would say you need to ease up at work, but keeping our young soldiers (and not so young soldiers) is a great thing, and you have my respect for that!

I would say try to find some "Fun" rides. Training all the time I think takes you away from why you joined cycling.

DP, I agree ease up at work. Enjoy that sweet wife of yours, if you guys have kids anytime soon, that will really change things. And make time for yourself. I know you are just starting, but you'll be a better Doc in 10 years if you love what you are doing...

Important safety tip: You must work on your marriage, maybe not as hard as medical work but you can't neglect it. At least it works for me after 20 years.

To give the best service to your patients, you need to save some time for yourself. You will burn out your internal batteries unless you thrive on stress. That does you or your patients any good.

This comes from experience after a couple decades in fighter squadrons instructing/supervising operations 12 hour a day at home and months on the road TDY to all sorts of fun filled places around the world. Start bringing the spouse and cycling into your weekly crosscheck and work them in as possible. You will be happier and your patients will benefit over the long run. I'll admit this is easier said than done but give it your best shot.

Doc, been thinking of you lately, missing your wit around foo and road forum. Sorry to hear that things are so tough at work. Burn that candle too hard and it is likely to burn out. Try and find time for your family, your faith and your recreation. I have said it before, and I will say it again. Thank you to you, for working so hard to put back together the men and women that sacrifice all to keep me and my family free. Your hard work is not unappreciated.

Better to find the time, Got a little of the same problem here...making more excuses for not going on the bike...don't have time...need the rest. so I have taken up running and riding now when I don't have time to ride I run. I was riding my bike to work for awhile but I got a much better job...much further away. Now I have to make time. Sooner or later you find the time for whats important ;)
good luck.

Ditto to everyone's replies x100! Take your you time before you are forced to do so and everyone else suffers and does not understand why.

Thanks, everyone... None of what you said is really all that new, but after having a "year off" I find myself kinda re-learning things, like how to find the balance in my life. I guess it'll just take some time. Just after venting in this thread my wife came home and I vented to her--sat down, had some dinner together, and enjoyed a glass of wine. Somehow just getting it out there helped. And I know that my life won't be like this forever--these next couple years really are the big push in terms of my career. So I'm feeling better that I'll be able to find that balance again--hopefully soon.

In the mean time, the trainer will be set up in front of the TV and I might just have to order up a nice new HID light setup...:)

Well, the big push will be worth it!

Vent away, that's part of the reason for the forum ;) :p
Thanks, everyone... None of what you said is really all that new, but after having a "year off" I find myself kinda re-learning things, like how to find the balance in my life. I guess it'll just take some time. Just after venting in this thread my wife came home and I vented to her--sat down, had some dinner together, and enjoyed a glass of wine. Somehow just getting it out there helped. And I know that my life won't be like this forever--these next couple years really are the big push in terms of my career. So I'm feeling better that I'll be able to find that balance again--hopefully soon.

In the mean time, the trainer will be set up in front of the TV and I might just have to order up a nice new HID light setup...:)

Get some DrPete time in there - that's an order!

C'mon Dr Pete. I've watched ER, Scrubs and Grey's and they all look like they have time to put in about 100 miles a week on the road.

Seriously, hope your work/life balances out and are able to get back on the road. I was looking forward to coming up to your district and race against you next spring.

Any chance of commuting to work via 2 wheels (and I'm not talking on a Vespa either).

OOhh! Good thought! That way when I go back to racing I can just deflate the band and I'm good to go. :)


Make sure to inflate with helium. We wouldn't want any unneccessary weight!!! :p

Been there, Doc. Law's not as bad as medicine, but it's pretty bad all the same. I can't offer solutions, but just good wishes. Hope you find some balance soon.

...In the mean time, the trainer will be set up in front of the TV and I might just have to order up a nice new HID light setup...:)

I was reading through the thread thinking "he's going to need a good light soon" from about post #4. Glad to see you've already thought of it. Once you get it, feel free to sacrifice your BF time to get some riding in. It will be mighty difficult to train for racing, but at least you should be able to maintain most of your fitness by riding hard 4-5 hours a week.

Pete, harden the f__k up. That is all. ;)

sometimes just getting it out in the open helps identify where you can make changes. You'll find that balance, we know you will.

Balance.

Each day, you should invest as follows:

- In your career
- In your close relationships
- In yourself

When any of the three are lacking, you'll be unhappy. At some level, I'm sure you know all of that. Now, just do it.
You have the order backwards

1.) Yourself, if you're not in your prime nothing else matters

2.) Family, without them your world becomes a void.

3.) Job, you need to support yourself and your family.

As for the dying Doc, there's two cardinal rules to medicine.

1) People die
2) Doctors can't change rule #1

If people are trying to die, be compassionate and support their right to choose. Make them comfortable on their journey and don't make the trip any longer for them than need be.

Your feelings on this are immaterial, it's not about you and what you want. Your win/loss record doesn't matter.... It's about the patient and what they want. Embrace that concept and be happy.

Try to ride the trainer at least half an hour every other night. Ideally, your wife could set one up, too. But if not, see if you can get her involved in cheering you through some intervals, or keeping you company for a 30-minute spin. Then, on off nights, reciprocate in supporting her in something she enjoys.

And you can borrow my number one mantra for difficult days: "And this, too, shall pass." :)

As for the dying Doc, there's two cardinal rules to medicine.

1) People die
2) Doctors can't change rule #1

If people are trying to die, be compassionate and support their right to choose. Make them comfortable on their journey and don't make the trip any longer for them than need be.

Your feelings on this are immaterial, it's not about you and what you want. Your win/loss record doesn't matter.... It's about the patient and what they want. Embrace that concept and be happy.

My patients don't have emergency surgery because they're looking for someone to let them go quietly into the night. I could've saved a lot of education if I were just expected to stand there and watch people die. When/if I use the phrase "trying to die" it's not so much an active effort on the patient's part as it is just a significant worsening in their condition to a near-fatal kind of place.

Sleep work eat repeat.

This is why a lot of people bicycle commute.

Some weeks it's the only time on a bike I'll get. 'Specially in winter.

You have the order backwards


Actually, no. I really don't think so.

I did not intend that there be a specific order as priorities change on a constant basis. My point was simply that a balance needed to be achieved.

YMMV

:)

1) People die
2) Doctors can't change rule #1

OK, players! For tonight's jackpot, who said this, to whom, and in what play/movie/TV show, etc???

"You've crossed the finish line
Won the race but lost your mind
Was it worth it after all?" -- Lazlo Bane

I'm in a serious funk. Things are going great at work--I've managed to build a very good reputation for myself around here, as a competent surgeon and as a good educator to my peers, but what's fallen apart completely is the "me time." I get to work at 5-5:30 AM and usually head home between 6 and 8, and that's not counting the nights I spend at the hospital seeing new patients or keeping a close eye on the super-sick, trying-to-die types.

It hardly leaves a lot of time to ride, much less energy. I had a perfect opportunity to ride yesterday and just wanted to sleep. I have about 50 miles on the bike this MONTH so far. I miss racing. I miss my sunday morning team ride. I miss it all. I miss actually having coherent time with the wifey.

Maybe it's just the fact that I had a really chill 12 months in the lab and I'm still adjusting to the grind of working in the hospital, but work is just sucking the life out of me right now. My bike is collecting dust, and I'm getting slower and fatter with each passing day.

Grrr. :( [/rant]


...exactly why I decided not to pursur med. school. I know I would absolutely love it! Not to mention how rewarding it would be as a doctor! But like you said, no time for anything else. I don't know how much free time I will have being a lawyer, but at least I get to play golf.

i see a lot of doctors who are cyclists (and cyclists who are doctors) and a lot of them commute...just recently, saw a cardiologist on his way home from the hospital.I know of an anesthesiologist and a radiologist who also ride and even compete. I know anesthesiologists often have a more regular schedule, they start really early and get to leave early.I know i could never be a doctor...i am not a morning person and i don't do well with fatigue.

I know i could never be a doctor...i am not a morning person and i don't do well with fatigue.

Ahhh- but that's what dermatology is for...

OK, players! For tonight's jackpot, who said this, to whom, and in what play/movie/TV show, etc???

Helz, I don't know... House?

OK, players! For tonight's jackpot, who said this, to whom, and in what play/movie/TV show, etc???

Colonel Henry Blake
M*A*S*H

"Look, all I know is what they taught me at command school. There are certain rules about a war and rule number one is young men die. And rule number two is doctors can't change rule number one."

Henry Blake
"Sometimes You Hear the Bullet"