New Blog!

Dear all,

I’m blogging again (we’ll see how long it lasts!) here under the name Dr Idgie: http://stethoscoperookie.wordpress.com/

Hope you’re all well,

Love,

C.

Just in case…….

….anyone still checks this (which I think is the case according to my stats), here is a quick rundown of the last few months.

The big news is that after sitting over 40 exams since 2006 and starting med school, I have now passed and am officially a certified doctor! I got my first choice of jobs for my first year, starting out in geriatrics, in my university city, and I can’t wait. I technically started last week but was on nights (slight baptism by fire….)but all in all, feel on top of the world, and not just due to sleep deprivation!

It feels pretty obvious that this summer has seen me happier (once results were out, anyway) than I’ve been for at least three previous summer seasons. At last, I’m stable on meds, I’m stable in myself, and although I still have quite a few wobbles, I’m finally back on track and reaching for the future.

I still think about my depression a lot, particularly as I’m thinking about getting baptised, and for me, an honest testimony will have to include some reference to the last few years, but now it feels more like a problem with a solution, which wasn’t the case for the first long stint of it.

I’ve also realised how much I miss blogging, so am thinking about the best way to continue – although I certainly haven’t totally learned to be still, I’m not sure this blog is where I’ll continue writing as my life has a different focus at the moment. Either way, I’ll stick the link up once I’ve done my first few weeks of doctoring and know a bit more what I want to write about.

I’ve said it before – but there were times when the people reading and commenting on this blog really were a true lifeline, and I am so thankful for you for being there and getting me through the bad patches. You are true blessings.

See you around,

Lots of love,

Dr Char

Just to say……

Hi all,

I’ve been so blessed to have some very supportive followers and in case you haven’t been reading my travelblog for my trip to Nepal, I wanted to say hello again.

Nepal was such a fantastic experience in so many ways. Being stable on a medication that works has been so wonderful and looking back even to December, I am so happy that at last I’ve got a handle on my depression, hopefully for some time. Comparing December, when I was crying every day and starting to lose hope again, to my time away when I cried twice in two months and both times were pretty justified, makes me realise firstly how hard depression is, and also how amazing not having it makes me feel. I feel like I’m back in action. This time last year, this blog was just starting out and everything was full of uncertainty – would I complete the year, or fail, or be forced to drop out? Would I manage to keep going? If I did, would I have any chance of getting a first job that I wanted?

A year on, and all I can say is that God has been so good to me! Those long months of desolation seem far away, now. I also found out whilst I was away that I got my absolute first choice of job for next year, which as it was on one of the most competitive programmes in the UK, is a colossal blessing. I got through it. I feel like the dark days are finally over.

I’m starting to prepare for my final exams now (eeeeeek) and haven’t decided if I’ll keep blogging, and if I do, where that will be. In the meantime, I pray for all of you, and am so thankful for your help in getting me through this last year. You are lifesavers.

lots of love,

Char.

Namaste!

I’m leaving for Pokhara, Nepal on Saturday. I’ll be blogging about my travels from a new site and would love you to follow what I’m getting up to there, as I probably won’t be updating this blog much.

Something I would ask however, is that if you comment, please don’t refer this blog, my depression, counselling, medication or anything else ‘sensitive’ – my family and extended friends will be following the new blog, and they don’t know anything about my illness/treatment. My family are also not Christians and aren’t too keen on religion, so I won’t be posting about my faith too much, which is going to feel a bit odd, but is kind of how I need to roll to keep things smooth between us. Thank you in advance, for your discretion, it means a great deal to me.

So, here’s the link: http://stethoscopeinsitu.wordpress.com/

Lots of love,

Char